The Countess Lives Twice in the Apocalypse-Chapter 22: Twenty-one

The next morning came quickly and the camp was more livelier than the night before. Those who were asleep last night are now awake and roaming around the camp.

Marco had told Aran what to cook for breakfast and cook something light for the journey towards Philipia. He ordered for the others to clean up since their master wants to leave before the sun could reach high up in the sky.

Lucienta and Jeremiah are walking around the camp, rolling the strings and cans.

The strings with cans are made by their master. The Countess said that it would alert them if someone is near, just in case they couldn’t see well in the dark.

They don’t understand what it was for, but again, they wouldn’t question their master unless it concerns their master’s health.

"Is it true?" Jeremiah was the first one to break the silence between him and Lucienta, "Is it true that the Countess came back with blood in her dress?"

"The Countess wouldn’t lie." Lucienta said simply as she huffed, "The reason why we asked her last night was because what happened when we exited the north gates. She did it without hesitation and that was brave of her, but it was worrying."

"I felt like you and sir Marco have offended the Countess." Jeremiah commented, rolling the last bit of the string.

"She wouldn’t feel that kind of emotion, silly." Lucienta giggled and did the same, "She would let us know if we did, but she didn’t, right? Instead, she let everyone awake sit around the campfire and explained what happened."

".. Right." Jeremiah didn’t argue further and merely looked away.

Lucienta was right though, Jannah didn’t feel offended and smiled instead. She gestured for everyone to gather around the fire and sat down beside Jeriel, she explained how the illness get passed to another and how it affects that person.

..

..

"The illness will start with fever and nausea." Jannah started as she stared at the flickering fire in front of her, "If a man collapsed, it’s unfortunate to say that he will be bedridden for days depending on the status of his health.. And.. Well, if he’s frail and unhealthy then that will be his deathbed."

Kirie and Lucienta both let out a horrified gasp, they barely remembered that one of their friends on another noble’s house have fallen sick. However, they have no idea if they have the same illness that the Countess was telling them about.

"That patient will lost his life and will come back from the dead after an hour."

Jeremiah and Lilo twitched when they heard her say that, Jeremiah had heard a rumor saying that a dead person will come knocking on the door. Lilo, on the other hand, heard words circulating around the market something about dead being brought back to life.

None of them laid attention to those rumors though. A rumor will stay as a rumor unless they are proven true by someone they could trust.

"This walking dead person is called zombie." Jannah gave an emphasis on the last word, "I mean, that’s how I called it.. But a zombie is not a human, it’s not supposed to be considered as alive nor a friend."

Jannah had to put an emphasis on how a zombie is not a friend nor a human being. All because of the people she encountered in her past life.

"A zombie preys upon a human and ignores other living beings. Its one and only food is human— flesh, liver, kidney, brain, and you know? Organs." She hissed out, obviously not fan of a zombie.

Zombie? What kind of word is that? Marco and Lucienta wanted to ask, but they didn’t want to question the Countess’s choice of words.

"His Majesty, the brightest and strongest star of the Kingdom, had turned to one of this flesh eating monsters just this afternoon."

Everyone around Jannah grew tensed at the news she just dropped. The King is dead? Not only did he die, but he also had the illness and turned into a zombie? Truly, it is horrifying and shocking.

"Now, I’m going to tell you how one can turn into a zombie without dying by this illness I speak of." Jannah’s voice had snapped them out of their inner turmoils, "If a zombie bit a man, that man will turn into a zombie after twenty-four hours. No, there’s no cure for this and the only way to not turn is to kill him before he could die from the bite."

"Oh, no.." Lucienta gasped, her eyes getting glazed with tears as she covered her mouth.

"How can you kill a zombie? By beheading them, of course. If you can’t behead them, you must aim for their forehead instead." Jannah said with a sharp tone, giving them a clear warning that their life would be in danger if they ever have a thought of aiming elsewhere.

"A man can turn into a zombie by getting bitten, but if a group of zombies had decided to feast upon him. Once he’s dead and the zombies finally have their fill, he will turn into a zombie as well." Jannah chuckled out bitterly, "One way or another, everyone will turn."

"Does that mean the King have bitten someone? Is that why the princess was so stubborn of letting you go back to the castle?" Lilo, the stoic and old maid, asked after a long pause.

"That’s right." Jannah forced a smile as she nodded her head, "He got nine people. Nine people in just a short amount of time after turning into a zombie."

"No way.." Whimpered Kirie, she covered her mouth in disbelief and shook lightly in her spot. Aran had to embrace her sideways to lessen her shock, but the man himself is terrified as well.

"So?" Jeriel’s voice made everyone look at her, "From her reaction earlier, I could tell that you managed to control the situation. Did you have to behead the King? Is that she want to confine you to the castle and ask you to help her instead?"

Everyone held their breath, their face paling when Jeriel asked her sister.

Jannah glanced at her little sister for a moment before she sighed and answered, "Fortunately, no. I would rather have them take care of His Majesty than do it myself, but it seems like taking action when he turned made the princess want me to overseer the bitten ones."

..

..

It was quiet after that. Jeremiah thought as he took the strings and cans from Lucienta. He went to the carriage where the crates and other supplies were then he tucked the strings and cans there.

He was about to check the condition of the crates, but a yell had caught his attention.

"Everyone, gather around!"

Jannah’s voice had caught everyone’s attention. The air around the camp got tense and thick as they all slowly gather around, Jannah is watching her people approach the camp fire where Aran cooked the breakfast.

Once Jannah saw everyone gathered around except for Jeriel who slept in because she stayed up to guard the camp, she nodded her head and sighed.

"What I said last night might be shocking for you, but we’re going to Philipia with that in mind." Jannah started as she looked around, "The people of that town doesn’t know what’s happening inside the walls right now, but my dearest friends knows. However, we’re not sure if they would still follow."

"What do you suggest we should do to make them bend at your will, my lady?" Marco asked, pushing his monacle in a frivolous manner.

"Bend at my will? I don’t want that." Jannah shook her head, "I want Aran to be in charge of the food storage, Lilo and Kirie would be in charge of talking to every woman in the town, Marietta to the children, Haile, Jeremiah, and Dreidel will be in charge for the men."

"Talk to the women of the town? What should we say to them, my lady?" Kirie slightly tilted her head.

"That my knights will teach them how to kill an infected." Jannah smiled coldly with her eyes giving them a sharp gaze, "I’m telling this to you right now because the moment we step inside the town, I won’t have time to go around to talk to everyone. I need to talk to Merlot and his wife about the blueprint so make sure to do everything I told you diligently."

"Yes, my lady." Kirie smiled, lowering her head to show respect and that she understands the gravity of the situation.

"Marco and Lucienta, fill in the knights and other servants about what happened after we exited the north gate. Tell them everything I told you last night, don’t skip out on anything." Jannah gave an emphasis on her words as she look at her trusted head servants.

"Yes, my lady!" The heads of the servants had said in unison, simultaneously lowering their heads to their master.

"I’m putting my trust in all of you." Jannah murmured as she look away from her people, "I don’t know what will happen from here on out, but I’m putting all my trust in all of you so please don’t break it."

They could tell that their master already got betrayed before with the solemn and downcast look in her face. They could tell that it had led to something worse and that she’s risking everything in line, but they’re different.

They trust her and will follow her.