The massive central hall of the large supermarket—or perhaps a department store—was bustling as I wandered through.

Somewhere nearby, a sweet scent wafted through the air. It was rich and creamy, unmistakably the aroma of fresh whipped cream.

Is that…

Drawn by the smell, I followed it to its source, finding a waffle stand. At the stall, they were making waffles so decadent it almost seemed excessive.

“Wow.”

Perfectly golden waffles were being topped with generous dollops of whipped cream, and a thick layer of sweet apple jam was slathered on top, sticky enough to coat your fingers.

It looked irresistibly delicious.

I checked my pockets, counting what little money I had left after setting aside funds for Sori’s supplies.

“Excuse me…”

I tugged lightly on the apron of the young woman making waffles. She glanced at me with a warm smile, her hands never stopping as she expertly prepared the next batch.

“What can I do for you?”

“Would it be possible to buy just half a waffle?”

“Um… half a waffle? That’s a bit tricky with our equipment. I’m sorry,” she replied apologetically.

Ah, so that wasn’t an option.

It couldn’t be helped. I decided to be content with just enjoying the aroma of the waffles for now.

“Thank you. I’ll come back another time,” I said with a small bow, turning to leave.

But just as I was about to walk away, the waffle vendor lightly grabbed my shoulder.

“Wait… how about I give you one for half the price?”

“No, it’s okay.”

She was so kind, but I didn’t want to accept charity.

“It’s really delicious, though…”

“It’s alright. I’ve already enjoyed the smell plenty.”

“Is just smelling enough for you…?”

She hesitated, sneaking glances at me as she continued making waffles. Her kindness was touching, but I didn’t want to take advantage of someone so generous.

“I’ll definitely come back another time.”

Before she could say anything else, I hurried off toward the pet supply store. Behind me, I heard her let out a small sigh of disappointment, but I didn’t turn back.

“Alright.”

When I finally reached the pet supply store, I noticed I wasn’t out of breath despite running all the way. Being small had its downsides, but moments like this reminded me there were upsides, too.

Satisfied, I was about to enter the store when—

“Aaah!”

A scream echoed from the first floor.

I ran to the railing overlooking the main hall to see what was happening.

Below, a store employee covered in fake blood stood in the middle of the floor. Despite the gory appearance, they didn’t look frightened at all.

“Zombies!”

Zombies?

For a moment, I wondered if monsters had somehow escaped from a dungeon. I didn’t have my bow with me—what should I do?

As I debated my options, more “zombies” started crawling out from various corners of the first floor.

They’re real zombies!

Some were missing legs, others arms, their appearances grotesque and horrifying. My heart pounded harder than it had during my first monster hunt.

Is it because they look so human?

As an adventurer, I should be stepping in to deal with the zombies and protect the people. But my hands and feet wouldn’t move.

Fighting in this state would only lead to serious injury—or worse, I could lose my life.

“What should I do…”

I scanned the people near the zombies.

Surprisingly, instead of panicking, most of them were calm.

“Wow, zombies!”

“Let’s head over there.”

Some even chuckled as they casually moved away from the creatures. It was as if they were used to this sort of event.

Maybe it’s not as dangerous as it looks.

In a world filled with adventurers, perhaps this was nothing out of the ordinary.

Deciding not to overreact, I resolved to hide with the other bystanders until the event ended.

Reality isn’t like the movies.

Even so, my body trembled slightly. It seemed I wasn’t as composed as I wanted to believe.

“Alright…”

Forcing myself to move, I entered the pet supply store. Inside, I spotted a single employee and a couple browsing together.

I walked up to the taller of the two, tapping him lightly on the waist.

“Um, excuse me…”

“Huh?”

“Could you lock the door, please?”

“The door?”

He exchanged a glance with the woman next to him before promptly locking the entrance. With the door secured, it was time to find a hiding spot.

“Over here,” I said, grabbing their hands and leading them behind the counter. The employee moved aside, confused but cooperative.

“What’s going on?” the employee asked gently, her voice soothing.

It helped me calm down a little.

“Z-zombies just showed up outside…”

I crouched down behind the counter, tugging on their clothes to get them to do the same.

“Zombies? But—”

Before the employee could finish, I quickly clamped my hands over her mouth.

“Shh! Be quiet. Zombies are sensitive to sound.”

“Mmph…!”

Her muffled protests grew more frantic. Despite her small stature, she was surprisingly strong, and I had to channel all my mana just to keep her quiet.

“Please, stay silent,” I whispered firmly, glancing between the panicked employee and the couple. Slowly, they nodded in understanding.

At last, they seemed calm.

But then—

Thud. Thud.

A loud banging echoed against the glass door.

My heart sank as I realized something—or someone—was pounding on the locked entrance.

“Uh…”

Could it be that the zombies had heard us?

Peeking cautiously over the counter, I saw a bloodied zombie pressing its palms against the glass.

A zombie!

The creature let out a guttural moan, its head twitching unnaturally as it stared inside. Its torn limbs dangled grotesquely, and the sound of its raspy breathing sent shivers down my spine.

Thud. Thud.

The zombie continued banging on the door, the fragile glass rattling with each impact.

This is bad.

If the glass broke, the noise would attract more zombies.

As the only adventurer here, I had to act.

Grabbing a nearby dog bowl, I hurled it at the lock on the door.

Clink!

The door unlocked, and the zombie stumbled inside. Quickly, I grabbed a display shelf, rattling it loudly to divert the creature’s attention.

“Over here!”

Luring the zombie, I darted out of the pet store and into the main hall, determined to lead it away and keep the others safe.

***

The first floor of the department store buzzed with activity as Midsummer scanned her surroundings. The event had already begun, and magical zombies wandered the area.

“Tch.”

They were unnecessarily realistic, grotesque in appearance—clearly tailored for an adult audience.

I hope Gyeoul managed to grab one of those items.

To avoid participating in the event, people had to carry a special item distributed at the entrance. The item could adjust the intensity of the event, making it less intimidating.

Item Features:

1. Level 1: Zombie appearances are toned down.
2. Level 2: Zombies appear cute.
3. Level 3: Zombies are visible but cannot attack.
4. Level 4: Zombies become completely invisible.

(Note: Levels 3 and above exclude participants from the event.)

Using illusion magic and special items for a simple event like this—it was an expensive extravagance only possible in this area.

Midsummer silently prayed Gyeoul had picked up the item. Without it, participants defaulted to Level 0, where zombies looked entirely realistic—indistinguishable from actual monsters.

First stop: the pet supply store.

Midsummer quickly ascended the stairs.

Arriving at the pet supply store, she found three people—a staff member and a couple—standing inside, their expressions slightly dazed.

“Excuse me.”

“Ah… are you here looking for Gyeoul?”

They mentioned Gyeoul’s name before Midsummer even asked, which filled her with unease.

“Yes, have you seen her?”

“She ran outside, trying to lead the zombie away to save us. She probably thought it was a real zombie…”

“Ah…”

So, Gyeoul didn’t have the item after all. Midsummer sighed deeply.

“She was trembling so much, but still…”

“She was so brave.”

Gyeoul had run outside, leading her worst fear—a zombie—away to protect others. It was an act of kindness and courage unmatched anywhere.

“Gyeoul didn’t seem to have the item with her.”

“No, she probably doesn’t know about these things.”

“Ah… being beastkin…”

How could a young beastkin child be expected to understand Earth’s events or technology?

The staff member, though worried for Gyeoul, couldn’t help but feel immense gratitude. Here was a child who, despite trembling with fear, chose to face what she believed was a real zombie to save others.

The couple shared similar sentiments. Their admiration for Gyeoul had reached its peak.

“Do you know which direction she went?” Midsummer asked.

“I just saw her running to the side. She was really fast.”

“Thank you. I’ll be on my way, then.”

Midsummer followed the trail Gyeoul had left behind. It ended at a darkened clothing store.

There.

Between the racks of displayed clothing, a fluffy white tail stuck out unmistakably. It was Gyeoul’s tail, without a doubt.

“Gyeoul?”

Midsummer crouched down and lightly tapped the tail.

Startled, the tail shot up, inadvertently hitting Midsummer’s chin.

“Oof.”

She must be really scared.

Gently pushing aside the clothes hanging on the rack, Midsummer found Gyeoul curled up tightly, her back to the entrance.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep