Chương 63: Encircle the area

Chapter 63 Encircle the area

"Is your back okay, Maya?" Chef Will asked.

Eli's head was lowered, eyes closed, but he was listening, waiting for her reply.

Maya patted her back. "Yeh, I just needed a good sleep, a princess' bed is definitely different than ours." she said grudgingly as she turns over on the bed. "Kyaa!" she shouted. "What the f---" she sat uptight, seeing that the chef was on her bed--- the princess' bed.

Eli stood up, grabbing the sword on instinct.

"This do feel like clouds," Chef Will patted on the mattress. "Eli should have slept in here too. We don't know when we'll have another chance to sleep on a royal's bed, right?" he smiled at Maya. "We should always grab opportunities like this."

Eli, realizing that there was no danger, lowered the sword and sat back down once more.

Maya noticing that she was holding a pillow as a shield, lowered it down too. "Right. I should have offered, sorry."

"I does not matter to me." Eli's eyes closed, hands on his chest. "I can sleep anywhere just fine."

They enjoyed their lodging for the night, as expected from a princess' room--- if felt like a five-star hotel.

No matter how tired they were yesterday, as if having an internal alarm clock, the three of them woke up early--- it's a weekday after all. They devoured all the food they could find--- mostly Chef Will and Maya---and each enjoyed a warm bath.

"You know you stink right?" Maya said matter-of-factly, after Eli refused to use the princess' bathroom. "You'll take a shower if you still have some respect for us."

Elion, finally convinced to take a bath, turned on the shower head, staring at the distance. There were bottles of cleaning products beside him--- pinkish liquids unfamiliar to him.

"Eli!" Maya's voice echoed from the other room. "We said to take a shower not to have a step-by-step beauty regimen!"

Waking up to his senses, Eli took a pump of the pinkish gel. Assuming it was shampoo, he scrubbed his scalp and slapped the same all over his body.

The three of ended up smelling like royalties--- like freshly out of the spring garden.

Feeling well rested and fresh, the three bid their goodbyes to the best room they ever slept in.

Upon opening the door, Maya was surprised to see two corpses on the floor. "Did the guards come by?" she scanned the hallway from left to right.

Eli knelt beside the corpses. A rotten smell oozes from their bodies. Their head loose from their body, with a clean cut into their neck, mosquitoes were swarming on the wound, their skin is that of grey, and no blood were spilled on the floor. The corpses were infected, and judging from their uniforms, they were once royal attendants.

Fortunately, their faces were not familiar to Elion. It had always been easier to dispose of bodies he does not know.

"It was me." Chef Will smiled. "The two of you were sleeping. I stood guard for the night."

"You alone?!" Maya said incredulously. "You sure you're not bitten?"

"No." Chef Will smiled, his eyes turning into slits.

Maya shook her head. "You're so lucky."

"Yes, yes." Chef Will agreed.

Eli knew Chef Will walked out of the room last night without grabbing his sword--- the only real weapon they have. So how in the world was he able to cleanly cut through their neck? Maybe he carries a kitchen knife with him--- sharp enough to butcher a human body.

Eli began dragging the corpses towards the princess' garden.

"Mmm." Chef Will was rubbing his chin. "I doubt the princess will be happy with that. It's better to leave them alone for now, we'll clean-up once everything's over."

Eli ended up leaving the corpses to the side, taking a mental note to come back for them.

They continued on with their journey and roamed around the palace using the formation they had yesterday. Chef Will in front, Maya in the middle, and Eli at the rear. They marched through Chef Will's guidance--- which Eli was starting to doubt if it was a good idea. It felt like they were roaming around the same area for quite some time now.

Chef Will, who was leading the way, was walking confidently as they passed by the same corridor for the third time.

Elion cannot help himself but to frown, doubting the chef's sense of direction. It had no sense to circle around this area, they have not seen a single zombie in here--- probably because people hiding in their own rooms is now finally proven effective, stopping the spreading of the infection. Or maybe, they already killed all the zombies in the area. Elion was about to suggest changing their route when Maya beat him into it.

"Chef Will…" Maya said carefully. "…I think we've passed by this area before."

"Aren't we looking for the princess?" Chef Will nonchalantly replied.

"Yes." Maya said.

Chef Will beamed. "Then we're at the right place…the princess will be here." he continued on walking around the area, as if waiting of something. "Any minute now."

And just as he said, a door right in front of them creeped open, revealing Lord Ziloh. A small frame was hiding behind him--- the princess.

"What, Crim?" the princess replied to a question asked by lord Ziloh. "I left Crim in my drawer."

Elion, upon seeing the princess, broke out of their formation and rushed towards her. Relief passed through him, seeing that his mission is safe and sound, knowing that he did not fail. "Princess." Elion passed by Ziloh and greeted the princess with a bow.

"Oh, Eli." The princess was flustered, as if caught in a crime.

"Princess," Maya rushed beside Elion. "I see you spent the night in Lord Ziloh's room."

"I did." The princess was biting the inside of her cheeks. "But I wasn't able to sleep a blink."

Maya's eyes widened, looking back and forth from Lord Ziloh and to the Princess.

"NO." The princess said hurriedly. "Not like that." she pinched lord Ziloh's side.

Lord Ziloh shrugged in response.

"Right, Ziloh?" The princess, elbowing the lord in the stomach. "It's not what they think."

Lord Ziloh stood in silence.

Chef Will bowed to Lord Ziloh, then to the princess, standing silently beside Maya, beaming.

"Just…" The princess said, exasperated. "don't tell anybody what you saw."

"Yes, princess." Ziloh and Maya said at the same time.

Chef Will bowed in response.

Ziloh had no idea why the princess was flustered, not knowing what the big deal was. To him, the important thing was, the princess was found alive and in one piece--- not a walking corpse.

"They should not be in here." Lord Ziloh said. "Return to your dormitories."

Elion glanced at Chef Will, waiting for the chef to scurry away in delight, but the chef shook his head no. Understanding it as confirmation, Ziloh responded for the three of them. "We're here to serve the princess."

"She doesn't need you, as long as I'm here." Lord Ziloh replied coldly.

Lord Ziloh had always been peculiar. Unlike the other royals, he was rarely seen eating. He moves faster, not just to the royal's standard, but also faster than Elion himself. But what was stranger was the Lord's hatred towards Elion--- bitterness and despise Elion could not understand. Elion, who had been keeping a low profile since he infiltrated the palace, was noticed by Lord Ziloh instantly.

"But the princess is my responsibility." Elion replied.

Lord Ziloh's head twitched to the side.

Elion then knew it was the wrong answer. He wanted to appease the lord, letting him know that he is taking his job seriously, that he is not a threat but is just the princess' warden.

"I'll take her to her mother," Lord Ziloh said. "go back to your dormitories."

"The infecteds are everywhere." Elion countered, he knew that no matter how strong Lord Ziloh is--- maybe physically stronger than him, he won't be able to assure the safety of the princess all alone, especially as someone who has no experience on killing one.

"Don't underestimate me, perishable." Lord Ziloh stood in front of Elion, glaring at Elion with pure hatred.

Elion, though had no ill feelings for the lord, did not lower his eyes.

"It's okay." The princess chimed in. "We could all go together to the throne room." She stood in front of Ziloh, standing between them, breaking their stare. "We'll be safer in there."

Lord Ziloh looked at the princes with the same intensity as he looked at Elion, but this time, without any sign of hatred.

Seeing that Lord Ziloh was not responding, the princess explained herself. "They work here in the palace, they work under me, they're my people, their life is mine… and I want them alive."

Lord Ziloh stared at the princess eyes a second longer, as if searching for something. "If you say so." Giving up, he turned around and did not complain a word again.

"Allow us to lead the way." Elion offered as he walked in front of the royals.

Lord Ziloh did not protest.

The three of them lead the way and escorted the two royals to the throne room.

Elion and Maya were alert, their senses heightened, listening intently to the sounds around them. The gust of wind, the swing of the tree, the flapping of the bird--- anticipating the heavy steps that would come towards them.

But a sound distracted Elion from his concentration. In contrast with the situation, Chef Will was beaming from ear to ear, whistling a melody under his breath, stalling in the hallway as if walking in a park.

Had they've been in the slumps, Elion would have reprimanded Chef Will. But noting to himself that the Chef is not a soldier, he kept his opinion to himself. All his focus was on his eyes instead, looking afar, and standing behind--- taking all responsibility to protect the group.

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