Dead Queen Nala's
04 First Steps

Shit, shit, shit! Why is it like this!?

Behind me, a man with a wide-brimmed hat, a long coat and a brown vest chased me with a creepy face. I don't understand why humans seem to be able to catch up to me. Though a moment ago he walked slowly and bowed like an old man. Yeah, just a moment ago, before he killed Dora.

Today as usual, Pufu and I ran after Dora who was never bored, running around with happy faces in the very dark forest. We then saw someone who looked like an old man with a firelight. Dora's intent on vilifying him even though I warned her. If only I had kept him from getting close to that person, that terrible thing might not have happened.

I let it go because this isn't the first time Dora's been pranking humans lost in the woods. In addition, Dora has a special ability that makes her able to camouflage with the environment and will not be visible to the eye. Yeah, I let it go because I thought it wouldn't matter. I forgot to think about how a person who seemed old and hard to walk could be this deep in the forest. And when I just realized the awkwardness, it was too late.

Everything happened so fast. A silver sword had pierced through Dora's body. How could the old man move so fast? How could he see Dora's camouflage? But there was no time for me to think about the reason, because right now

"Dora!!" I stood up from behind the bushes and shouted.

The old man turned his eyes towards me. His eyeballs had the shape of a cross in them, and he smiled broadly as he looked at me, until his saliva came out like a dog looking at meat and was very ready to eat it.

But that guy hasn't hit me yet. He was still restrained because Dora who had been bleeding from her mouth held the person's hand with all her strength. The person seems annoyed, but Dora doesn't care about it. Dora turned to look at me and shouted. Until now I still do not understand the language, but for the first time I understand what he wants to say, Run!!

Pufu clasped my hand and tried to take me away. It took me a few seconds to run away from before.

I tried to convince myself that this didn't happen. If all this was just a dream. But nothing has changed. The sight of Pufu not letting go of my hand has not changed. Dora's hurt.

"That's the butcher. Ii'm sorry. I didn't know the kingdom would send a butcher here. If only I had been conscious from the beginning."

I can't see Pufu's face continuing to face forward. But I could see her tears falling. He endured the grief to take me away from that place. I could feel it from how he held my hand. Pufu also blamed himself for what happened.

If anyone is to blame, then it's because we were born monsters. It is our destiny to be hunted by humans. In order to protect the peace of man, monsters must be exterminated.

But the guard is different. He did not do this to protect people. Not with a face like that. His face showed pleasure, he enjoyed this. To him, monster hunting was a game. I hate her! I want to kill him! But what can one zombie do? He is strong, fast, and can even see his camouflage Dora-wait, there is something odd.

I tried to recall what happened just a moment ago, the moment before he caught Dora until I ran away. The reason why he pretended to be an old man. The reason why he could see Dora. That's her! I know his abilities!

"Pufu, stop!"

"What's wrong? If you're thinking of fighting it then the answer is no." Damn, he could guess me. But..

"No. I am not stupid to do the impossible. But you can, Pufu. I need you to do something."

I told Pufu my plan.

"No! I'm not leaving you alone!"

"You didn't leave me. You just fly first. I'll keep running too."

Pufu looked worried. I forgot the last time I saw someone worried about me.

"definitely. I'll live, just like Dora wanted."

Pufu flew and left me. From behind me, I heard it. A figure from a distance that does not take his eyes off me is like a dog that is released to catch criminals. Let's see if he can do it.

Even though I had the advantage of being a zombie that could not feel tired, plus my running technique that was improved thanks to Dora, the man could still catch up to me. No, instead he started to approach me slowly. And then-and

"Akh!"

I suddenly fell. I felt a burning pain all over my body. So hurt. And as the pain slowly subsided, I realized that one side of my leg had been cut off.

The man started approaching me. And in his hand I saw a whip. He lifted the whip, and whipped it at me.

"Akh!!"

I screamed loudly. The pain came back, and now, one side of my hand is gone. Is that because of the whip? I remember Kronii once saying that I could still feel pain when hit by a gun covered in holy water.

The pain is unbearable. I wanted to cry a lot, but seeing her smiling face in front of me made me hold her back. Like Dora, I won't show my weakness.

"interesting.. Very interesting.." He started talking. "I've never heard of a zombie that's still sane before. You're gonna come with me, baby, we're gonna have fun. Ahhhhaha!"

Disgusting. Her face. Inelasticity. Her voice. All of these people are so ugly. He's laughing at me. Like a child given a new toy. He was very happy, which made him not realize that he had been hit by a trap.

From the ground, a silver spider web sped up and caught the butcher. He can't move.

"This? The White Spider Queen's Net. How come?"

His expression changed, which indicated that this was my victory. Before, I felt awkward about how she could see the camouflaged Dora, but was unaware of my presence until I came out of the bushes. His eyes could see something that was hidden, but not with something that was hiding behind something. That's why he pretended to be an old man. To let the monsters off guard and then approach him. And even if the monster uses techniques to eliminate itself, it will not change anything thanks to its strange eyes. So I sent Pufu to set a trap first. Setting up a trap that would hold him back while he focused on me, and then, summoning the monsters that had been hiding before I got here.

The guard looked at the monsters that were starting to approach him. He was surprised, but did not look frightened. He laughed like crazy. Then he faced me again.

"Not only are zombies conscious, but think so far. You sure you're not human?"

My name is Nala, I was human. But now I'm a monster. Even if I say that, he still won't understand my language. So I'm going to use sign language that all beings can understand, maybe.

I raised my remaining hand and pointed my middle finger at him. "**** U!"

At once the monsters launched an attack on the butcher. What was once human, has now been transformed into something formless. A white object rolled towards me and I picked it up. His eye.

Seeing her reminds me of going back to Dora, and it hurts. But I also became aware of something, the most important thing I should have realized from the beginning I arrived in this world. Rule number one of how to survive, be strong.