The Villainess and I, her Zombie

Three people gathered in a small room with only a tiny round table and four chairs.

Two were sitting by the table and one was standing up.

The one standing up was Shanks, the rat-faced leader of the Dandelions, who was in fact originally a member of the noble Sloth family and if he didn't deserted while he was a child, he would be the general of the army - the second most important person in the Sloth territory right after the avatar of sloth.

The two sitting were the two girls, or rather one young woman and a young girl.

"It's almost time to keep moving if you want to take a position on the first line. I will hop on Blueberry and be there in no time but what about the two of you?"

The short, brown-haired busty young woman with a childish face, frowned and crossed her arms.

She was the tamer who had lost most of her tamed beast.

The one bestowed by the system with the role of the heroine, Mary Hope.

She was particularly glaring at the other girl sitting across the table from her.

The young ashen-haired girl was slouched in her chair, clenching her fists on top of her knees and staring at her own feet.

She was the holder of the vague role of Justice's Wrath and an only child of the head of the noble Wrath family, Mika Wrath...

...and she was also the person who felt the most responsible for everything that had occurred in the Sloth territory the past couple of days - which funnily enough, she actually was, to a greater or lesser extent.

"No, Miss Mary, you will be taking your griffin, but you won't be going scouting solo, the higher-ups have a different plan for the three of us."

Shanks shook his head from left to right and spoke in an indifferent voice.

"The three of us? What do you mean, sir...? Damn it!"

Mary asked and then instantly flinched and gritted her teeth as she realized how she addressed the rat-faced man.

"Can't you do something about that awful skill?!"

She growled furrowing her brows.

"Sorry, I'm not using its active ability - the problematic part that you experience is a passive part that I can't do anything about."

Shanks bowed his head slightly and apologized.

"And about our orders, you, your tamed monsters, and I will all be acting as a support for the young lady Mika."

He explained nodding at the ashen-haired girl who trembled at the mention of her name.

"I... Sir, I don't think I am up for the task."

She responded in a dispirited voice and lowered her head even more, slouching down terribly.

"...hmph... You sure as hell are not!"

Mary glared at her and scoffed before looking away.

"Miss Mary, please, no matter how big is your anger, you need to put it to the side or we might not survive this coming monster wave. As for you, miss Mika, there's no need to get preemptively worried. Let me explain a bit more before you jump to a conclusion and refuse."

Shanks waved his hand and smirked.

"The three of us will become a vanguard of sorts, we will extend further than the first defense line with the objective of killing or scaring off as many titan-class monsters as possible before they even come in contact with the Sloth soldiers."

"Ah...!"

Hearing him say that, Mika gasped and straightened her back.

"Sir, what you're saying is...!"

She spoke up in disbelief.

"Yes. It's exactly what you think. This time you are more than welcomed to go completely berserk - since you'll be far enough to not cause any damage to anyone else. And, if the situation will become too dangerous, the two of us will be there to retrieve you."

Shanks added pointing at himself and the very unhappy-looking Mary.

"Won't your presence be a problem though, si-...urgh...!"

The brown-haired girl asked and gritted her teeth, chewing on the last word.

"I understand where your concern is coming from, but don't you think that my passive skill that annoys you so much will come in handy? Even the young lady here is still capable of speech once she entered her enraged state, which gives us enough reason to assume that she should still be influenced by my right to rule skill. Or do you think it will be better if - when the push will come to shove - you and your griffin will be the only ones to restrained a berserk and flee while from under the attack from the titan-class monsters at the same time?"

Shanks shrugged his shoulders.

"You know, I've heard that you yourself were quite panicked when you first encountered the undercover Sloth soldiers... maybe it is you who will turn out to be a burden?"

He smirked looking down at the sitting girl.

"Haa, kind sir, I didn't say I'm not going to do it, so could you stop trying to get me riled up?"

"...!"

Mary's sigh was so similar to Cranberry's that Shanks took a step back in confusion as if the red-haired girl suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Just so you know, back then it was something completely different, I never expected that a bunch of fishermen would turn out to be a regular army. Now, since I'm already mentally prepared for a fight with monsters, there won't be any more of such shameful displays, I'll show both of you how the member of the Hope family fights!"

She stood up from her seat and declared with a steel gaze.

"If you don't have to go into more details, I'll take my leave, kind sir."

She added with a scoff, managing to twist up the respectful title into mockery before walking out on the other two.

"Miss Mary, don't leave without...!"

"I'll be waiting for you two by the front gate together with my monsters - the ones left alive."

Mary interrupted Shanks's, glared at the ashen-haired girl, and closed the door.

"Anyway... don't worry, young lady. We won't have to stop every monster by ourselves, it will be enough if we defeat even a single one before they reach the first line. But still, I will have to give you orders. I hope you won't hold it against me later on - after all, after this quest is over, my skills and stats will get sealed again and I'll be back to my life as just some middle-level adventurer."

He spoke and bowed his head to Mika.

"...N-no, you don't have to apologize or anything, sir Shanks!"

Mika shook both of her hands and hurriedly dismissed Shanks's worries.

"Honestly, I'm glad that there will be someone to guide me, after all... I'm afraid of my own feelings, I find myself wanting more and more glory... And once I'm using my skills, it feels like I am the only righteous person around... I really don't want the repeat of yesterday... "

She muttered and her shoulders trembled.

"Don't worry. We won't let that happen. We should go too. I wonder if I'll get a titan slayer title I will be allowed to keep it..."

The rat-faced man assured her and gestured at the door before furrowing his brows and pondering.