S# 4. The Reversed Kingdom

Episode 22

For a moment, the group was too shocked by Jacob’s emaciated state to react. But their attention soon turned to an even more unsettling sight—men standing near the workers, watching them as if keeping guard. Each of these men was large, armed with guns, and their presence felt more oppressive than protective.

“Who are they?”

Dennis, unable to hide his discomfort, asked bluntly.

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“Ah… they’re security, just in case…”

“Security?”

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No one in the group took Cedric’s words at face value. It wasn’t just the awkward look on his face—it was the sheer intimidation radiating from the armed men.

“Security, my ass.”

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Dennis scoffed openly, adding with a sneer:

“Are you sure you’re not mistaking them for guards? Because from where I’m standing, they look more like enforcers keeping watch.”

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It wasn’t just Dennis. The rest of the group also felt the same unease, their gazes turning cold as they stared at the so-called “guards.” Even Noah, who had seen this scene play out in the drama, found it disturbing to witness in reality.

Clicking his tongue, Noah watched the eerily familiar situation unfold. Just then, Dominic, who had been observing them from afar, approached with a smile. Seeing him draw near, Noah instinctively took a small step back.

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“So, this is where you all were.”

“Ah, yes.”

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Jason replied with an awkward smile. The stark contrast between Dominic’s well-dressed appearance and the exhausted, laboring workers made the group regard him with even more distaste. But despite sensing their discomfort, Dominic maintained his pleasant demeanor.

“Did you find the person you were looking for?”

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“Yes. As you can see, he’s over there, working like a slave.”

At Dennis’s pointed remark, Dominic’s expression briefly twisted, but he quickly forced a smile again.

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“Everyone inside the castle is simply fulfilling their designated roles.”

His smooth words and unbothered attitude only irritated Dennis further, making him let out a loud, mocking laugh. Naturally, the mood turned ice-cold. As tension built, Calyps, who had been silently observing, finally spoke.

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“It’s only been two months, yet things seem quite… stable.”

“Thank you.”

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Dominic, pleased by what he took as a compliment, smiled proudly. But his face stiffened at Calyps’s next words.

“I never knew Count Bereser had such organizational skills.”

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“Ah, the Count…”

Through Dominic, the group learned of Count Bereser’s death. While they let out brief sighs of sympathy, none of them lingered on the thought. However, Noah, who knew the truth from the drama—that Count Bereser wasn’t killed by zombies, but by Dominic himself—felt a shiver run down his spine at the man’s composed demeanor.

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‘Ha, I thought he was creepy in the drama, but seeing him in person? He’s even worse.’

Dominic Sikal had always been one of the characters Noah despised the most while watching Fin-de-Siècle Keeper. On screen, he was easy to brush off as just another scheming villain, but standing face-to-face with him made Noah’s skin crawl.

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Dominic was a snake. Cunning and devious, he had taken advantage of the chaos and killed Count Bereser. And his ambition hadn’t stopped there—he had seized complete control of the castle, turning it into his personal kingdom.

The first thing he did upon taking power was exact revenge on those who once held authority over him. The people forced into grueling labor now? They were all former nobles or high-ranking officials. And that meant one thing—to Dominic, Noah, the son of Count Valencia, was nothing more than a desirable slave.

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In the original drama, Sienna, the noble daughter of Count Valencia, had suffered in this place, enduring humiliation and even facing an attempted assault.

‘Well, at least I’m a man, so that part won’t happen to me.’

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At worst, they’d put him to work like Jacob, making him haul heavy loads. Noah assumed that was the fate they had in mind for him. Since Cedric had already exposed his noble lineage, there was no doubt in Dominic’s mind—Noah was a prize, a noble-born slave to break.

As he watched Dominic maintain his charming facade, Noah’s expression twisted in disgust.

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‘Even his face is snakelike. Damn bastard.’

Wanting to clear his mind of the sight, Noah turned his gaze toward Calyps. As expected, Calyps, despite wearing a grim expression, still looked stunning. While Noah silently appreciated his beauty, Dominic continued his sly persuasion.

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“You said you’re on your way to the shelter, correct?”

“Yes.”

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“If you’re not in a hurry, why not stay here for a while?”

Calyp’s eyes narrowed slightly in thought. Their goal in heading toward the government shelter was to find a self-sustaining, zombie-free environment. In a way, the castle offered similar conditions. Of course, what they had just witnessed was concerning…

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Sensing their hesitation, Dominic addressed Calyps and Derek directly, his voice carrying a note of urgency.

“To be honest, we’re in need of a proper doctor inside the castle. It may seem like we’re well-off, but most of our people are untrained in medical care…”

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Hearing that they needed help—especially a doctor—Derek was visibly swayed.

“This isn’t a forced arrangement. You’re free to leave whenever you wish.”

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With Dominic’s assurance, the group ultimately decided to stay at the midpoint shelter. In truth, they were already exhausted, making it difficult to leave immediately. Rather than being offered hospitality, it felt more like they should be the ones begging to stay for a while.

“We appreciate your generosity.”

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“Not at all. If anything, we’re the ones grateful.”

Dominic’s joy was clear as soon as they agreed to stay.

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‘I need to hold out a little longer.’

Noah suppressed his urge to flee. There was still something he needed to obtain from this place—besides Cedric. Swallowing his frustration, he held back.

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When he reunited with Jacob, now worn out from labor, Noah felt an odd sensation. Not only was it strange to see Jacob still alive, but the moment he saw their group, Jacob burst into tears, sniffling and sobbing uncontrollably.

“Huaaaah! Young Master! I’m so glad you’re safe! Hic!”

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“Oh, uh… yeah.”

Jacob continued crying for a while before thanking Noah for saving him. Noah hadn’t expected such words from him, leaving him feeling even more out of place. He spent the rest of the day absentmindedly scratching his cheek in awkwardness.

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Meanwhile, Dominic remained cordial, ensuring their comfort as if his earlier joy had been genuine. Given how much Noah’s group had struggled with zombies, Dominic seemed intent on keeping up a hospitable facade.

But none of them fully trusted him.

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Even without Jacob’s quiet warnings or Cedric’s cautious advice, their first impression of this place was enough to keep them wary. And, as expected, Dominic’s mask of kindness didn’t last long.

He methodically isolated them.

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First, he separated Calyps, Dennis, and Jason from the rest. Next, he used the excuse of tending to patients to pull Derek away. Finally, he took Peter, citing a shortage of workers.

As a result, Noah had spent nearly a week completely cut off from the others. He hadn’t even been able to exchange proper words with Calyps. The only one left untouched was the young Dante—perhaps out of a lingering sense of decency.

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“Could you help with this?”

“Ah… sure.”

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Like the others, Noah was also roped into labor under the pretext of a “workforce shortage.” Given the harsh conditions and limited supplies, refusing wasn’t really an option. Without realizing it, they had all fallen into Dominic’s plan, being pulled along at his will.

“Hah…”

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Noah let out a quiet groan as pain shot through his thigh while moving supplies. Though his wound had healed, his muscles had stiffened from wearing a splint for so long. Any sudden movement now caused a sharp pull in his leg.

Sensing that a cramp was coming, Noah set down the load and collapsed onto the ground. He began rubbing his thigh to ease the discomfort when he heard approaching footsteps. His brows furrowed, and he sighed irritably.

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“Haa…”

“Are you okay?”

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“No. I’m not okay.”

Noah snapped, his irritation barely concealed. It annoyed him that they even bothered asking when they already knew the answer.

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But, as always, the reply was the same. He was sick of it.

“Ah… well, once you’re feeling better, could you help me out?”

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Noah barely resisted the urge to spit at the smiling face before him.

“We’re a little short on hands…”

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The same tired excuse.

Instead of leaving, the man stood there, watching Noah as if keeping an eye on him. The longer he waited, the more people began glancing in Noah’s direction. Feeling the growing pressure, Noah eventually let out a deep sigh and forced himself to stand.

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