"Jeriel!"
Jannah jolted awake, her scream echoing through the room as she sat up in bed, gasping for air.
Her breathing labored and her heart racing. Her skin was slick with sweat and her bloody red eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of those flesh eating monsters.
She tried to slow her breathing and calm her racing thoughts, her mind still lingering on the memory of her fighting off a horde that got inside the base and the feeling of an infected biting down on her arm.
She grabbed her head, panting and sweating, the memory is so vivid that she can still feel the powdered Echinacea running down her throat.
The memories of what just happened was still fresh in her mind and the image of her little sister's crying— begging was seared into her memory.
Tears streamed down her face as she clutched the sheets, her heart heavy with grief and fear. The emotions she failed to let out lingered, leaving her feeling frustrated with a heavy unsettling feeling on her shoulders.
As she came to her senses, trying to shake off thenegative emotions, someone had called out to her which made her snap out of her inner turmoil momentarily.
"You're finally awake, my lady!"
Jannah blinked, confused as to why she's hearing the voice of her head maid. She wiped the tears off from her cheeks, sniffling and blinking the tears away.
Once she's done, she looked up, eyes locking with the said maid who was beaming an optimistic smile towards her master.
She has a long pink hair and strikingly emerald green eyes with brown skin and freckles all over her cheeks. Her personal maid has her hair in a twin tail, just like how Lucienta likes it.
Lucienta..? Jannah stared at her with wide eyes, a heavy and unsettling feeling on her gut, but she died three years ago..
The sight of her maid alive, healthy, and smiling, seemingly not aware of what happened to her three years ago, made the Countess questioned her sanity.
The cheery appearance of Lucienta and beaming at her, she wanted to convince herself what she was just dreaming about something disastrous, but she couldn't shake off her anxiety.
She scrambled to get off the bed, wobbling towards the window and, not thinking straight, pried the blinds open.
The sunlight from outside suddenly flooded the room with a blinding intensity, causing Jannah to squint and cover her eyes.
She stumbled backwards, disoriented and trying to adjust to the sudden brightness.
It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the sudden change in lighting and she had to blink several times before she could see properly again.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
It took her a moment to get used to the sun light, but when she did, she opened the window and looked, turning her head left and right as she observed her surroundings.
The woman opened the window with a rush of panic and disbelief, her heart racing in her chest as she looked outside—
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
Her face lost its color as she saw that everything was somehow familiar yet different, just like how it was before the outbreak.
Right then and there, she knew that she had somehow been transported back in time.
Feeling disbelief and anger, she punched the wall in frustration, the force of her punch causing a loud thud to echo through the room.
"My lady!" Lucienta gasped out in horror, not expecting for the Countess to do something outrageous.
However, Jannah didn't care. She's feeling torn inside because of the fact that she woke up in her mansion in the capital where the outbreak first started.
She stood there for a moment, her breathing ragged and her hands balled into fists, the pain of the punch barely registering as she tried to process the situation she found herself in.
"What is today's date, Lucienta?" Jannah turned her head to look at the maid, eyes taking a quick survey around her room, taking a mental note that everything looked exactly like it was before the outbreak happened.
"Today..?" The maid snapped out of her trance and tilted her head as she thought about it, "It's.. It's the 15th of June, my lady."
"15th? What year? Rat year?"
"Yes, my lady." Lucienta affirmed, a forced smile on her face while wondering why her master was asking about the date and why did she punch a wall all of a sudden.
Jannah's eyes widened and she immediately walked away from the window, "Quick, send a letter to my little sister and get her to come home as soon as she can!"
She ignored the dull ache in the back of her hand as she walked across the room, "It's preferable if she can make it home by tomorrow morning, tell them that it's urgent!"
Startled by Jannah's strange behavior, the maid could only stand there and stare at her.
"Now, Lucienta!" Jannah barked which made Lucienta snap out of it once more and flinch in her spot like a deer caught in plain sight.
"Yes, my lady!" The maid squeaked out before she ran out of Jannah's room.
It's June 15th of the rat year which means I went back in time and that means.. Jannah swiftly made her way towards her desk, grabbing a pen and paper from the drawer.
I only have a few days to gather supplies before the first horde of infected infiltrate the capital! I need to send a letter to the Dukes and other trust worthy nobles about the rumor. Jannah placed the paper on top of the desk, scribbling the tip of the pen on it.
Jannah was quick to list all the shops, the people that she will need to visit, to hire, and to contact for the next three days.
She listed the supplies she need to get, what kind of professional she need to hire for Philipia. She don't know anything except for managing a territory, leading people, and wielding a weapon to protect her people.
She is just another knight with a little knowledge about the things she needs to do. Well, at least she knows a little about construction because she was one of people who worked to make the wall around their base.
It was nice to work with her people and wants to experience that feeling again.
"I'll take Jeriel and my people with me to the base in four days so I need a lot of supplies that will last us for months." She mumbled to herself as she continued scribbling her pen on the paper, "I need weapons, tools, food, herbals, seeds, workers..."
Jannah's eyebrows furrowed at the thought of unknown people working with her. Juan's betrayal left a mark on her memory from her previous life.
He led them out of the base she created and led the undead inside, that place was protected and safe for the people.. So, what could have made them change their mind and turn their backs on her?
She don't want to trust other people because she knows that betrayal will come sooner or later.
However, even if she felt doubtful of letting strangers into her future home, doesn't mean that the same thing applies to her people.
I don't care anymore. She thought bitterly as she tightened her grip on the pen, I will get my revenge on Juan before I leave, but first, I have to go out and meet people that I will need.
Thus, the start of her busy day.