The Countess Lives Twice in the Apocalypse-Chapter 21: Twenty

Princess Huenazia stared at the Countess in the eyes. She did her best to beg for her help since she was calm and quick on her pick when her father attacked everyone.

However, there’s no sympathy in the Countess’s eyes. Her blood red eyes are void of emotion, cold and apathetic to whatever emotion she just displayed and words she just spouted in front of her and her people.

How could someone be so heartless? Huenazia thought, heart dropping to her stomach.

"Is that all, Your Highness? If so, me and my people must depart." Jannah said as she gestured towards the others, "I’ve got half of my people waiting for me."

"No.." Huenazia murmured as her eyebrows furrowed, "If that’s the case then come back in four days."

"Four days? If you listened to me well, Your Highness, you would have known that the Kingdom’s capital will be in chaos by then." Jannah stated, a grim look flashed across her eyes momentarily before she shook her head.

It got silent. The tension in the air is palpable and can be cut through cleanly by a knife.

"Then!" Duke Zacharias suddenly yelled, catching the attention of everyone in front of him.

He was silent the whole time the Countess and the Princess was conversing, but considering that the Countess is adamant on going, he might as well help out the star of the kingdom.

"Then?" Jannah urged him, raising an eyebrow. She can still remember how he came to the conclusion of her liking him just because she warned him, never in her first life has she felt that frustrated towards someone. Never.

"How about I come with you and your people to the north? That’s where you’re headed, right? I’ll tag along and bring you back here." Duke Zacharias suggested, more so to the Princess than the Countess.

"No." Jannah rebuked his suggestion almost immediately, "I don’t want to risk my life by going back there because that would be suicide. I told you, I have people to protect."

"Countess." Duke Zacharias sighed out and frowned at her, his purple irises begging for her to agree silently. He used his good look on her because he heard a rumor that the Countess likes good-looking people.

It wouldn’t be so bad to try his face like this just this once, right?

"I said no." Jannah declined for the nth time which should be a clear sign that she won’t budge any time soon, "I don’t want to waste my time any further. Again, I wish you the best of luck, Princess."

Jannah swerved her horse and turned around, "Get ready to set off!"

"Yes, my lady!" Her people said in unison.

She took off with her people following her. However, they came into an abrupt stop when a loud shriek echoed in the air then two people stumbled in front of them.

"AAAAAHH!"

The girl was screaming while the guy that was chasing her was quick to latch onto her. The man bit down on her shoulder which caused her to let out another scream. He took a chunk of her flesh, making blood spray in the air.

The people behind him gasped, shocked at what they just witnessed.

Jannah immediately got down from her horse and whistled to Dreidel. The knight immediately knew what his master wanted when she pointed her finger at her hips so he unsheathed his sword and throw it at her.

"Nice throw!" Jannah praised him after she catched it then quickly proceeded to approach the two with haste.

"Countess! Don’t—" Duke Zacharias yelled at her when he saw her raise the blade in the air, but Jannah didn’t listen and beheaded the man in a blink of an eye.

The man’s blood sprayed from his neck, it flew everywhere and even got splashed some on her face. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Well, damn." Jeriel commented, eyes wide in shock at how swift her sister was to kill a person.

"It hurts!" The woman sobbed, falling into her knees as she touched her shoulder with trembling hand, "I told him to stop.. To back away, but he.. He.."

What’s an infected doing out on the north gate? Jannah thought, her heart beat racing faster as she turned in her heels, "Quick! They already reached the north, the others doesn’t know what’s coming for them!"

"Countess!" Huenazia called out, "Can’t you see? They’re already here! There are probably everywhere inside the inner walls!"

"The more reason why I must go now!" Jannah hissed, not even caring about respect and formality anymore. Not when she witnessed a commoner get bitten outside the north gate!

She mounted her horse and gave the sword back to Dreidel when she passed him, "Move out, everyone!"

With her voice dripping with hurry and authority, her people moved without a second to waste— the men in her group tightened their arms around the women so they won’t fall. Jeriel and Lucienta rounding both sides of the group with Jannah leading in front.

The Princess and the Duke could only watch their backs as they disappear into the night.

The woman was still sobbing, shaking in her knees as she pressed her hand against the bite wound on her shoulder. Duke Zacharias sighed deeply and glanced at her, getting off his horse to check on her.

On the other hand, the princess didn’t waste any time to go back to the capital’s inner walls, to go back to the castle.

—

"Hurry!" Jannah hissed under her breath, squeezing her legs against the stallion’s sides, urging her forward.

Her horse responded, breaking into a full-blown run that got faster and faster which jolted Jannah in the saddle. She fought to stay upright, her heart pounding anxiously with the hooves pounding the earth beneath them.

"Don’t fall behind!" She exclaimed, squeezing the reins. The stallion let out a loud cry, sensing that something is wrong with his companion, but he didn’t stop.

From what Jannah could guess, it was almost midnight with how long they have been riding. She have not heard any complain from her people, but she knew how hard it is for the beginners.

Her maids didn’t say anything though so she took a mental note that she’ll do something for them later.

"Sister, I don’t think we’ll be able to catch up to them tonight!" Jeriel screamed after her sister, catching up to her sister’s horse and being careful as to not aggitate her further.

"We have to!" Jannah yelled back, "If we don’t, they might be in trouble by the time we do catch up!"

No one tried to speak to her after that. Not that they could, the look on their master’s face is terrifying and the thing they just witnessed when they exited the outer wall’s north gates was too shocking.

Despite all the terrifying things they have witnessed, they know that their master will protect them. No matter what happens, she have her arms around and in front of them to protect them from dangers.

Jannah’s head perked up when she saw a trail of smoke in the sky and a light in the distance. Her eyes brightened up, her heart racing faster as she approach the source of light in the distance with an enormous speed.

"My lady!" Marco’s voice echoed across the trees when he saw his master approaching him with a terrifying speed.

Jannah was quick to pull the reins of her horse to stop him. Breathing heavily as she stare at her head butler with wide eyes, relief enveloping her whole body.

"Marco!" Lucienta exclaimed happily with a tinge of exhaustion.

Jannah dismounted her mare and whisked past Marco who have his head bow to greet her, but he flinched slightly when she walked past him and looked around.

There are tents set around the camp which was right beside the dirt road, the campfire wasn’t big, but it was enough to light up the area.

Jeremiah is sitting on the carriage where the powdered Echinacea are, while there are cans attached on a string wrapped around the trees past him.

Seeing that everyone is alright, she let out a sigh of relief, placing a palm on her chest as she felt her muscles relax. Her encounter with the infected King must have scared her out of her wits and encountering another infected outside the gate fueled her fear.

"They’re okay." Jeriel said, sighing out heavily as she look around and stand beside her sister, "Look, what happened back there?"

"Castle?" Jannah confirmed as she glanced around, nodding her head at Marco when their eyes met, "If that’s it then.. You’ll have to accompany me on a walk around the camp."

"I mean, we got all night so why not?" Jeriel agreed with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Great, let me just get my sword." Jannah gave her little sister a pat on the back and left her there, walking towards Jeremiah whom straightened his posture when he saw her approaching the carriage.

However, before she could reach him. Marco and Lucienta stopped her by standing in front of her. The two of them shared a glance then looked at their master in unison.

"Marco, Lucienta." Jannah called them slowly, eyeing them with a raise of an eyebrow.

"My lady." Lucienta murmured, "We just want you to know that we trust you, that we’re very loyal and faithful to you."

Jannah nodded her head and looked at them, "Yes, I know that.. And?"

"We want to know what happened back there." Marco said and cleared his throat, "Lucienta here, told me what happened when you came back from your tea meeting with Her Highness and when you exited the north gate."

"I know it wasn’t right for me to do, but you told me to trust my partner and Marco has been my partner ever since you both assigned us when you left for the war." Lucienta backed Marco’s statement, "We have been worried for you because you looked like you’re carrying something heavy lately."

"We’re here, my lady." Marco said, going down to his knees with Lucienta doing the same, "We’re always at your beck and call."

Jannah stared at them, not expecting for her loyal and faithful servants to confront her like this. However, it made her feel glad that she did a good job being a Countess because a good ruler wouldn’t have anxious and afraid people under them.

"Alright." Jannah sighed out with a small smile, "You two are very brave for this."

"We learned from our master."