Chapter 1655: Chapter 1655
"Well, from now on, you don't have to worry about anything. The zombies are under my complete control, and I've ensured they'll stay that way, I sealed the deal with a powerful contract bound to their very souls. From now on, they'll be docile guardians, occasionally roaming the area. You're free to explore the world again, rebuild your civilizations... hell, you can even start farms," Maria declared.
"H-Huh?!" Clarise gasped.
"It can't be that easy..." Mark muttered.
"What's the catch?" Grandma asked. "Also, I don't buy that nonsense. There's no one in this world—or any other—who'd go this far and be this kind to complete strangers. What are your true intentions? What do you want from us?"
"Well, if you're going to be that aggressive..." Maria's sharp red eyes glowed as the group instinctively prepared to fight. Yet she smiled gently. "I only have two requests. First, stop killing my zombies. They're my property, and I don't take kindly to those who harm them. Second, I want information about this world—especially about the stronger zombies and who their absolute ruler is. Do you have any leads?"
"That's it?!" James exclaimed. "Guys, I think we hit the jackpot!"
"Shut up, James!" Clarise and Mark snapped.
"I-Is that really all?" Grandma asked, raising an eyebrow. "You don't want to drink our blood or eat the children, right?"
"Why would I ever want that?" Maria rolled her eyes. "I can eat far more delicious things if I choose. Besides, you're not exactly appetizing. My friend here is a vampire, listen to what she has to say."
"You all smell bad and look even worse. I'd probably get cancer if I drank your blood," Partner said, laughing.
The survivors felt both relieved and deeply offended.
Still, Grandma thought that if they were this rowdy, maybe they weren't so bad. Maybe they were even moderately trustworthy. But she refused to lower her guard.
"Can't you send the zombies far away from here? If what you're saying is true, we want our own territory, this entire sector. No more zombies, got it?" Grandma demanded.
"Sure! Alright, boys and girls, head to the area I designated," Maria said.
The zombies nodded. Even the muscular mutant groaned and walked off until they vanished behind the ruins and larger buildings.
"They won't bother you again," Maria assured. "I've got plenty of food and water too. Actually, we could build you a whole farm here, with a lake of clean water to enjoy. How's that for sincerity?"
"W-What?" Grandma stammered, unable to believe it. "I don't understand... how could anyone possibly—AHHH!"
She nearly had a heart attack as Maria, Celes, Alma, and Emeraldine began reshaping the surroundings with vibrant magic and spiritual energy.
A large, clear lake formed beside the camp, followed by a sprawling farm filled with fresh vegetables and fruit trees.
"If you want more, just ask," Maria said. "Yeah, we're kind of like gods."
"Hi!" Alma waved. "I made the water extra fresh and tasty!"
"I mostly created apple and orange trees. As for vegetables, tomatoes, lettuce, and potatoes," Emeraldine added. "That's about as much as I can produce without expending too much energy or needing extra materials."
"I-It's already a lot!" James said.
"Wow... Are we dreaming? This has to be a dream," Clarise whispered.
"It's not a dream, Clarise. We really met gods today," Mark said.
"I-I don't know what to say..." Grandma murmured, glancing at the children. "Thank you... thank you so much."
"It's fine if you don't believe our sincerity yet," Emeraldine said with a radiant smile. Her aura glowed brightly, almost saintlike. "We don't seek validation or anything in return. Just knowing you'll live safely and without fear makes me happy."
Unlike Maria, Emeraldine had a completely different presence. She was beautiful and angelic, her bright aura and sincere kindness filling their hearts with hope.
"Are you a saint?!" James asked.
"Seriously, are you?" Mark echoed.
"You're so kind. What's your name?" Clarise asked.
"I'm Emeraldine," she replied. "I also come from Yggdrasil, and I'm Maria's beloved. Nice to meet you all. I know she can be a little rough around the edges, but trust me, she's a good person. She just struggles when she tries to be kind."
Maria fell silent, slightly embarrassed. "Anyway! Are you going to help or not?"
"Okay, sure. We'll tell you everything we know," Grandma nodded. "I'm Jenifer, but everyone here calls me 'Grandma,' haha. Come to my house, I'll show you everything we've discovered and written down about the Horde."
As Maria walked beside Jenifer and a few family members, the rest stayed at the camp. Nyx, Celes, Arachne, and Melianna quickly befriended the children, who had been scared at first, until they were offered sweets to calm them down.
"Here! This is cotton candy from another world. It's super tasty!" Nyx said.
"Woah! I've never had this before... it's fluffy and sweet!"
"Nam... hmm! So sweet!"
"Oohhh! What's this?"
"That's a corndog. It's savory," Arachne said. "You can have mine—I got bored of them."
"I've never tasted this either!"
"I want more! Gimme!"
"Hey, don't fight! Geez," Melianna sighed. "Here, I've got plenty of candy. But my brother says if I eat too much, I'll get cavities... again. So here—have them!"
"Wow, so sweet and big!"
Meanwhile, Jonathan, Arthur, Ferleen, Alma, and Root joined others from the camp to harvest the fruits and vegetables from the new farm.
Tears of joy streamed down their faces as they picked fresh, plump tomatoes and took bites, savoring a flavor they thought they'd never taste again.
"Come on now, don't eat everything at once. You can cook it into even more delicious meals later," Jonathan said. "Ah, right, we'll probably need wheat too, huh? Otherwise, they won't be able to make proper bread. Maybe potatoes could work, but bread is bread. We all need it."
"Cattle too," Arthur added. "But that might be tricky for now. Can't we bring cows from Yggdrasil? And chickens?"
"We could bring them from Azure Star too!" Alma said. "If Maria can open a portal and bring stuff from there anytime, it shouldn't be hard." Fresh chapters posted on N0velFire.ɴet