The Villainess and I, her Zombie
chapter-374

High above the ground, a young red dragon was soaring through the skies carrying a human, an undead, and a humanoid weapon.

How he managed that since he was only the size of a small horse, well, everyone who he carried was more or less, children – although the humanoid blade's, Kopia, form was that of a short adult.

From below it just looked like a little bird monster so no one paid him any attention.

But that was perfect – with that none of the passengers nor the winged steed had to worry about the possible chase or being attacked.

"You're okay...?"

Since the sound of the wind was deafening right where they were, Zombie put his mouth close to Cranberry's ear and whispered in a weak voice.

The timer on the overpower skill had run out and he was only hanging on to his consciousness thanks to the benefits of his undead body.

"..."

The red-haired girl in his arms looked up at him with moist eyes, her lips trembled but did not part and she just nodded before snuggling up to him for safety.

That was extremely reckless, you know? I did say that you can take her away from the Prides mansion if it would seem like her mother's abusiveness is peaking, but I said nothing about literally kidnapping the little bugger and almost killing her mother while abusing the power of your skills – you know that overpower worked on Raspberry only because she didn't have any real pride-based skill, just the avatar of pride title, right? If you were wrong, you would be dead right now!

"Hmph~!"

Zombie smirked while hugging Cranberry and looking ahead towards the horizon.

Don't you 'hmph' me, you cheeky playboy! What you did there was no plan, it was pure recklessness! Urgh! Seriously! Because I know you are like that I cannot tell you more about the little details of the secret true ending – because it involves many characters that you straight-up hate and would kill in a blink of an eye!

Patience continued complaining as Zombie's reaction not only not calmed her down but doubled her agitation at a minimum.

What would you do if Raspberry died when you kicked her?! She needs to die during the night of the hungry wolves event or else we won't trigger a special side quest that is required for the secret true ending! I told you about that many times but you still went ahead and almost snapped her neck! She only has the benefits of the title – she doesn't have superbia that boosts her defense!

The sealed overseer was going on and on, getting more wind up the more she was talking.

And we can't be even sure that the order you gave them at the end will even hold! That...!

Pati, thank you for worrying about me so much, but could you ease up with the volume – no matter how much I like your voice, if you are constantly screaming in my brain even an undead like me will get a headache.

She would continue talking Zombie's ears off too if the blue boy didn't respond to her, extremely exhausted.

...you cheeky little...!

It sounded like Patience flinched and closed her mouth while taking a step back as if she realized that it wasn't the right time and place for such outbursts.

Again with that...! Rotten-hearted bastard! You know exactly what to say to make me agree with you!

The sealed overseer scoffed at him sounding as if she crossed her arms and turned away.

Pati, we're going off course... we don't want to return to the cave that we found Baron – even though it is much farther away, we should go for the Great northern forest.

Zombie breathed out and muttered, with the overwhelming weakness spreading through his body.

W-wait, what? Wasn't your backup plan to go and ask Laura and Papaya for help?! You explained to me in great detail how we could disguise Cranberry as just another child needing reeducation and whatnot and arrive make a great reveal at the first kill party in the kingdom's capital in three years! You had it all figured out!

Patience gasped sounding as if she didn't want to believe her ears.

Plans change, Pati...

Zombie smirked while making sure that he isn't slipping off of the dragon's back as the earth beneath them disappeared once they started flying over a large cloud formation.

As you have pointed out yourself, there's no guarantee that the order I gave to Raspberry and Blackberry holds any meaning after overpower stopped working. Prides hold a great deal of power in the kingdom, merely staying on a farm at the outskirts of the city in the Envys territory just isn't good enough to be certain that we won't be found out... Think about it, even if we do a good job hiding Cranberry with Laura and Papaya's help, what are the odds that absolutely no one will recognize me? Being blue is kind of a dead giveaway. Me leaving her is a definite no-go, and will it really be possible for me to hide away while also making sue that she is safe?

The blue boy thought and his expression grew dark.

...I guess not...

Even the sealed overseer had to agree with that statement.

Exactly, that is why we need a place where both of us can not only hide away, but also train our skills in a safe environment without worrying about the possible pursuers.

Zombie's smirk turned into a gentle smile.

...you want to seek shelter in the hidden elven village...

Patience sighed, sounding absolutely done with the little blue undead.

Is there a better place for us to go? I'm willing to listen to your proposition.

Zombie asked with a soft scoff.

No. And that is exactly why it seems like you were aiming for that from the very beginning and you just hid it deep in your brain because you knew that I would try to talk you out of it.

Patience spoke while sounding as if she was pouting.

Let's just say that because of the side effects of superbia my pride is too strong to allow me to ask for permission because I simply believe that I am the only one deciding my fate.

The blue boy giggled and wiggled his brows like a prankster.

Bullshit! Don't try to put the blame on some skill! I had to make the system attempt to take away your free will in the first playthrough exactly because I realized that's what your personality is on it own!

Pfffft...! Yeah, I know.

The furious sealed overseer hissed at the blue undead like an angry kitten but that only made the boy shake from holding back laughter.

So, about giving Baron the directions...

Yet within a few seconds Zombie calmed down and furrowed his brows – he knew that the dragon will not hear him because of the wind, and without the red monster initiating the telepathic connection there was no way to contact him otherwise – the boy could try to crawl forward and try reaching the dragon's ears, but he would have to let go of Cranberry, so it was out of the question in the first place.

You can always ask Kopia to pass the message, she won't fall off with her grabby hair and all.

Patience had an answer to that, and she delivered it in a flat voice sounding as if she was shrugging her shoulders.

"...ah...!"

Zombie gasped, being reminded that the crimson-haired humanoid blade hugging him from behind and pressing her cheek between his shoulder blades is far more versatile than any other weapon.

...and since she was not only hugging him with her body but also had few strands of her hair coiled around his right hand there was one a hundred percent chance that she was reading his mind, listening in to the conversation he had with Patience this whole time.

Kopia, can you do that for me?

The blue boy instantly recovered from being slightly stunned and asked, looking over his shoulder at the spot of crimson hair visible in the corner of his vision.

Then he felt the humanoid weapon move and soon her left hand raised up and raised by his hand and...

Kopia gave him a thumbs up – once again like it was with saluting, a gesture that Zombie couldn't recall ever teaching her before.

Right after that the girl climbed over him completely unaffected by the height at which they were currently and walked casually on the dragon's body without disturbing the steadiness of the flight in the slightest.

"!!!!"

She even walked on Baron's neck and crouched right on his head – and the young read dragon must have noticed her only then because he suddenly flinched in panic.

Interesting... It looks like she can give herself the properties of different swords regardless of her form...

Patience sounded as if she was nodding her head with interest.

It was at that moment that Kopia looked back at Zombie and motioned at him with her chin, giving him a sign to start talking conveying the instructions.

"..."

The blue undead glanced at his right hand checking if the crimson strands are still wrapped around it...

Alright... tell him to fly like this...

...and begin giving the directions necessary.