I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl-Chapter 400 - 396 – The Unexpected Shattering of Space at the Night

The night arrived sooner than they had expected, as if Nocture itself wanted to give them a small reward after the victory on the mountain slope that afternoon. Sylvia and the others descended from the back mountain with much lighter steps than they had that morning. The black mist that had been so thick now felt thinner around them, as if the wildly pulsing dimensional energy from yesterday had eased a little after Stacia partially closed the rift. The mountain wind still blew cold, carrying the scent of damp earth mixed with the metallic smell of monster blood that still clung to Sylvia’s black cloak. But the smell no longer bothered her; instead, it felt like a trophy, a reminder that today something real had happened, something she had destroyed with her own hands.

"We’re going straight to the riverbank," Sylvia said quietly once they reached the castle’s back gate. Her voice remained as cold as ever, but a faint note of satisfaction could not be completely hidden. "Bring the Demon Wyrm meat. We’ll grill again tonight. Just like two nights ago."

Stacia chuckled softly, her messy ash-gray hair tousled by the night wind. Her spare novel was still loosely gripped in her left hand. "The most brilliant idea of the whole day, Queen of Death. Tender level-six meat, seasoned with salt and pepper from your system storage. It’s bound to be way tastier than yesterday’s silver fish. I’ll bring a special drink from the library that tastes like wine but won’t get you drunk."

Sofia smiled widely, her cheeks faintly flushed in the weak candlelight leaking from the distant castle. Her ten golden wings were neatly folded, but one of them occasionally unfurled slightly to shield Sylvia from the gusts. "I’m in. I love moments like this. You look... more alive, Sylvia. After the fight earlier, your eyes aren’t as cold as they were yesterday afternoon."

Alicia simply nodded firmly, her silver hair still slightly damp from the mountain dew. Her sword was perfectly cleaned, yet her hand stayed close to the hilt. "I’ll check the dimensional rift first. Make sure no level-five monsters have slipped into the riverside park. But... I want to join the meal too. I can already smell that meat from here."

Noir growled contentedly beside Sylvia, its jet-black scales faintly gleaming under the dim moonlight. Its tail wagged vigorously, as if it could hardly wait to catch the scent of grilling meat. The zombie dragon bounded along behind its master, no longer lazy like usual.

They didn’t return to the castle for a long rest. Sylvia led the way straight to the same riverbank, the clear river whose water still reflected the faint twilight, the lush damp grass, and the flat rock sheltered from the wind. Tonight there were no urgent reports waiting in the throne room. The troops in Nocture had already been informed that the Queen had taken personal action and that the rift had been "temporarily handled." The atmosphere in the castle felt calmer, as if the burden from yesterday morning had been lifted a little from everyone’s shoulders.

At the riverbank, Sylvia gathered twigs and dry branches again with the nimble movements that had become routine. Her black cloak swept across the green grass wet with night dew. A small knife appeared from her system storage, but this time she used it to cut the Demon Wyrm meat they had brought into large, thick slices. The meat was dark red, still warm from the afternoon battle, the remaining red scales faintly glittering in the soon-to-be-lit firelight. The fresh, metallic scent blended with the damp earth and the ever-thicker aroma of black roses, making the air feel alive once more.

Stacia ignited the fire with a red spark from her fingertip. The small bonfire caught quickly, dry wood crackling softly, thin smoke rising and mingling with the thickening black mist. "This fire is bigger than yesterday," she muttered with a wide grin. "Level-six meat definitely needs stronger heat to become perfectly tender."

Sofia sat beside Sylvia without waiting for an invitation, leaning her shoulder gently against the queen’s. One golden wing unfurled slightly to keep them warm against the night wind. "Sylvia... that fight earlier. You moved so calmly, but I know you enjoyed it. Just like when you pulled in the fishing line here two nights ago. Your red eyes were glowing again."

Sylvia smiled faintly a smile that still didn’t quite reach her eyes, but felt warmer tonight. She skewered the large chunks of meat on sharp twigs and slowly turned them over the fire. Oil from the monster meat dripped onto the embers, producing soft hisses that were soothing, just like the fish two nights ago, but deeper, stronger, and far more satisfying. "Yes. I feel... content. For now. The rift is still slightly open, and level-five monsters will still come out tomorrow. But a level-six finally appeared and died by my hand. That’s enough to chase away yesterday’s boredom."

Alicia sat across from the fire, stretching her legs casually as always. She turned one piece of meat with a small twig, her sharp eyes occasionally scanning the darkness around the river. "The troops below have calmed down. They said the Queen of Death taking action herself boosted their morale. But... I can still feel faint tremors from the mountain. Your rift, Stacia, is still leaking a little."

Stacia shrugged and laughed softly, her thick novel already open on her lap. She read aloud a funny paragraph from the newly opened page, her voice dramatic and theatrical as usual, making Sofia chuckle quietly and Alicia smile faintly. "Let it leak a bit. Sylvia made it for entertainment on purpose. Besides, if something bigger shows up tomorrow, we’ll all be ready. I’ve even prepared backup space magic in my system storage."

Noir curled up in Sylvia’s lap as usual, sniffing greedily at the meat that was starting to cook. Its tail swished slowly, red eyes half-closed as it stared at the dancing flames. The aroma of grilled monster meat spread gently across the riverbank, a strong, savory scent mixed with the simple salt and pepper Sylvia had sprinkled from her system storage. The meat’s surface was turning golden-brown, tender, and fragrant, far more tempting than the silver fish from two nights ago.

They ate with their hands again, without plates or palace etiquette. Noir received the largest portion and chewed with loud, satisfied sounds. Sofia offered the best piece to Sylvia’s mouth, her golden eyes full of love. "This one’s the most tender. You deserve the best tonight."

Stacia complained while laughing that her meat was "too bloody in flavor," yet still devoured it in big bites. Alicia ate calmly, occasionally scanning the surroundings out of habit as a guard, but tonight she wasn’t overly tense. "This is better than night reports. No documents, no meetings. Just us."

The atmosphere at the riverbank, which had been tense after the mountain battle, now turned lively and warm once more. The bonfire grew bigger, its flames dancing cheerfully across the clear water and casting long shadows of their bodies. The golden-orange light contrasted beautifully with the surrounding black mist. The river flowed gently behind them, its surface reflecting thousands of tiny stars just like two nights ago. In the distance, small treant branches plop-plop cheerfully, as if joining the celebration.

Sylvia sat cross-legged in the middle of them, her black cloak spread like resting wings of darkness. She bit into her meat slowly, the strong savory flavor spreading across her tongue. The chest that had been filled with battle fire that morning now felt lighter and more peaceful. The boredom still lingered in the corner of her heart like a mist that never fully disappeared, but for tonight it was covered by an unexpected little warmth. They had gathered not because the queen had ordered it, but because the smell of grilled meat and a simple bonfire had drawn them here again.

"Thank you for coming again," she said softly, her voice nearly lost among the crackling fire and Stacia’s quiet laughter. "Tonight... nothing is urgent. The rift is still there, but we’ll deal with it tomorrow if needed."

Sofia leaned closer against her shoulder. "We’ll always come, Sylvia. Always." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Stacia held her novel out toward the center. "Besides, who could refuse an invitation for level-six monster meat from the Queen of Death herself? This is way more fun than regular camping. Tomorrow I’ll open the rift a little again if you get bored, okay?"

They laughed together. The bonfire burned bright, illuminating their faces amid the peaceful darkness of Nocture. The night grew later, but the atmosphere felt perfect like the small bonfire from yesterday, only this time with the fresh taste of victory still lingering. Noir was full and curled deeper into Sylvia’s lap. Sofia held the queen’s hand tighter. Alicia carefully turned the last piece of meat. Stacia continued reading paragraph after paragraph, her dramatic voice making everyone smile.

Everything was going perfectly. The night wind swept through Sylvia’s long black hair, bringing the cold she loved. The river flowed gently, the black mist felt warmer as if joining the celebration. There were no sudden reports, no strange tremors from the mountain. Just a small gathering at this clear riverbank, beneath the calm purple-black sky.

But suddenly, just as the bonfire was blazing at its most cheerful and Stacia’s laughter had just burst at the last funny paragraph, the air around them shook violently.

A loud cracking sound echoed like the world’s glass shattering all at once, or a dimensional rift exploding from within. A massive rift tore open in the air directly above the river, only a few dozen meters from their bonfire. Dark purple-black light blazed fiercely, brighter and more savage than the one Stacia had opened on the mountain yesterday. Its edges pulsed like the angry veins of a giant, and a low rumbling shook the ground beneath their feet. The river water suddenly rippled wildly, as if its current were being pulled upward by an invisible force.

From behind the shattered rift, a colossal shadow began to step out. Its body was pitch black with scales that gleamed like sharp obsidian, long curved horns, and glowing red eyes like two balls of hellfire. Its rank-8 aura instantly pressed down on the air far above the level-six monster from that afternoon. Its energy made the black mist swirl violently, the small trees near the riverbank withered instantly, and their bonfire flickered wildly as if it might go out.

Noir shot to its feet with a ferocious growl, scales bristling. Sofia spread her ten golden wings wide, face pale. Alicia drew her sword in a flash. Stacia snapped her novel shut with a loud clap, blood-red flames igniting in her hands.

Sylvia stood up slowly, her red eyes blazing bright in the suddenly thicker darkness. Her black cloak fluttered in the wind that had now become a small storm. The small dagger appeared in her hand once more, its blade cold and sharp. The peaceful flame in her chest earlier now roared back to life not the small bonfire, but a much greater, far more dangerous flame of battle.

The rank-8 monster finally stepped fully out of the shattered rift, its jaws opening wide as it roared loudly enough to shake the entire riverbank. And the night that had been perfect shattered in an instant.