The Villainess and I, her Zombie

"...sigil monster...?"

In're furrowed her brows and muttered in confusion and all the Dandelions looked at one another.

"Mi... Mrs. I. Am afraid that it cannot be true - the deal holds. Twenty years ago there were no sigil monsters running around as we have now..."

Shanks furrowed his brows and shook his head, explaining to the red-haired girl without lowering his guard.

"...Zombie... were they always this stupid...?"

Cranberry furrowed her brows in confusion, looking up at her blue undead knight.

"Who knows~?"

Zombie smirked and shrugged his shoulders dismissively and looked away.

"..."

Seeing their reaction Shanks flinched and straightened his back as his eyes widened in the realization that honestly shouldn't take him - or either of the Dandelions - so long.

"...unless you mean that the ruler of the monster city has become the sigil monster..."

"...!"

The rat-faced man muttered in disbelief, causing his comrades to flinch.

"Oh, good, I was starting to worry that you guys will be useless even after you finally got to a usable level of strength."

The red-haired girl's smile returned to her face and she looked back at the five adventurers.

Although starting rebuilding a village with just the five or you might not be a bad idea, you will have to make it officially recognized and I don't know if you realize is both costly and time-consuming - and here is where we come to the rescue."

Cranberry revealed with a light shrug. 𝑓𝑟eℯ𝒘𝗲𝑏n𝑜𝚟𝙚𝒍.𝒄o𝐦

"Things will get much easier if you will not be creating a village but reclaiming the monster-infested land on behalf of the kingdom while under the banner of the Pride family."

She declared with a benevolent smile.

"...what's the catch...?"

Rotte's expression got cloudy and the warrior slightly on the bigger side raised his brow and asked, showing an unexpected amount of cautiousness - at least for him.

"Ha...? Catch?"

Cranberry furrowed her brows and looked at the warrior with confusion.

"I want the village. Simple as that - I have a few friends that don't quite have a home right now so I want to create it for them. Since the guild will not want to just let go of you, they will surely send out someone to create a branch there to make it seem like you didn't leave and retire but are merely fighting on a new frontier."

She explained.

"Wha...? What? Mrs. You are seriously making more than a few leaps in logic to make it seem alright, you know?"

In're furrowed her brows and complained.

"Shut up, necrophile. We'll leave the graveyard for you to take care of so it will be fine, right?"

"!!!!!"

The red-haired girl scoffed at the big-eyed adventurer, causing the woman to take a step back pale as a ghost.

"...Mrs. You certainly don't seem to know how to make allies..."

Shanks furrowed his brows and furrowed his brows.

"Thanks for the tip on the monster city, but we will not be needing your help. A little bit of paperwork will be a pleasant breather from all the battles up until now."

He added shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah. And for fuck's sake - girl, if you want to make allies, do not fucking threaten and call them names from the start."

Lairs backed the rat-faced man and shook her head.

"...haa..."

That made Cranberry and Zombie exchange calm looks and breath out at the same time.

"Blackmail?"

"Blackmail."

The blue undead asked and the red-haired girl confirmed.

"Sealed off. Cursed. Banished. Faked his own death..."

Cranberry reach out her hand and pointed at each member of the Dandelions while giving a short description of everyone until she reached the last one - the eight-foot-tall woman in full plate armor with a massive tower shield the size of a gate.

"!!!"

Uresha flinched and tensed up just as each of her friends.

"...I got nothing on you. You are basically an innocent marshmallow amongst a bunch of outcasts..."

"...!"

Cranberry shrugged her shoulders, making the tank breathe out in relief.

"Pfffft! Ha! As if! Half."

"...?"

But right then the red-haired girl snorted shaking her hand dismissively before you said a single word that made Uresha tilt her head in confusion.

"You don't get it yet? Don't worry, you will get it soon."

Cranberry smirked seeing her reaction and waved her hand dismissively. 𝑓𝒓𝚎e𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯𝘰𝐯𝒆𝑙.c𝚘m

"As for the rest of you. Help us out with the village and we will help you out with your little trouble."

The red-haired girl smiled turned evil.

"Because just as I know even the tiny details about your situation that you might not be aware of yourself, I also know of a solution to each of your problems. And of course, I also know how to make everything much, much worse. Join me, or else."

She finished talking without changing her menacing expression, leaving everyone speechless.

And not just the Dandelions but the people from her group too - especially Mary and Roan who thought that they know Cranberry were shocked to the core seeing her acting in such a way.

"And just in case that you all think that you can or example kill us or force us to leave you alone..."

Zombie spoke up but certainly not to speak on the behalf of the five adventurers.

"Kopia, sweetie, hold them down without hurting them.

"Okay~!"

The blue undead patted the crossguard of the sword at his waist and the weapon vibrated releasing a high-pitched cheer before hundreds and thousands of crimson threads burst forth from its pommel and wrapped themselves around the Dandelions despite each of them trying to use their skills to fight back.

"Isn't it convenient.? We can't use Kopia to kill any story-related boss but we sure can have her help us convince people to join us."

"Fucking...! Release us!"

Lairs cursed furiously and struggled but the moment she tried to use any of her spells, the crimson thread tightened around her body making her break concentration and fail to cast anything.

"...haa... you know, for someone who has the most to gain from my proposition for you sure are being uncooperative, Laris."

Cranberry crossed her arms and pouted, glaring at the struggling black-haired elf.

"The fuck do you mean?!"

Lairs scoffed glaring right back at her.

"You do know that your mother officially married Rambutan Envy, right? Are you telling me that you didn't encounter any assassins since the elves were free?"

"...!"

Cranberry's words made Lairs shut up as she stared at her in disbelief.

"Like I said. I know how to solve all your troubles. So just follow me, alright?"

The red-haired girl giggled in a relaxed manner and nuzzled against Zombie's arm again.