I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl-Chapter 344 - 340 – Quiet Days and Small Adventures

Chapter 344: Chapter 340 – Quiet Days and Small Adventures

Several days had passed since the massive explosion in the mythril mountains.

There was no more news from the remaining group of mutant humans. No counterattacks, no messengers coming to beg for mercy, not even distant whispers of threats. They simply vanished, as if swallowed by the earth or more accurately, swallowed by a fear too immense to bear any longer. The news of the "Gift from the Queen" spread rapidly to every corner of the still-living world, and the name Nocture was no longer just an undead city on the map, but a territory that even the strongest surviving humans on Earth hesitated to mention.

Inside the black castle, the atmosphere had returned to calm but this time it was a comfortable calm, not a boring one.

Sylvia walked leisurely along the glossy black stone sidewalk in the center of Nocture, her left hand gently holding Sofia’s. Sofia, the long golden-haired girl who was once an ordinary human before becoming an Angel, smiled softly while occasionally glancing sideways. She wore a long white dress with gold accents, while Sylvia had chosen an outfit far simpler than usual: a plain black dress without excessive decoration, only accompanied by a thin dark purple scarf that fluttered gently in the night breeze.

"Sylvia... this really feels like an ordinary date, doesn’t it?" Sofia whispered with a soft laugh.

Sylvia shrugged lightly. "Why not? I’m tired of sitting on the throne staring at reports. Once in a while, I want to experience this city as... an ordinary person."

Sofia held back a louder laugh. "An ordinary person who can obliterate a square kilometer with a snap of her fingers?"

"Minor detail," Sylvia replied flatly, though the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

They first stopped by the Nocture night market. Death crystal lamps hung above the stalls, emitting a soft bluish glow that made everything look like a dream. Undead merchants and mixed-race vendors shouted their offerings: black mushrooms that sang when touched, monster meat preserved with preservation magic, fabrics woven from soul threads that changed color according to the wearer’s mood, even blood-based synthetic alcohol said to taste like "Earth nostalgia."

Sylvia stopped in front of a small stall selling jewelry made from tiny dragon bones. She picked up a pair of teardrop-shaped earrings made of faintly glowing green bone and, without asking, fastened them onto Sofia’s ears.

"Beautiful," Sylvia murmured briefly.

Sofia blushed, gently touching the earrings. "Sylvia... this..."

"I’m paying. And I’m the one who decides what suits you."

Sofia could only shake her head slowly with a wide smile.

Next, they headed to the central city park, a park that was once ruins, now transformed into a strangely beautiful garden. Dead trees stood tall with glowing black leaves, dark purple flowers bloomed at night, and in the center lay a small lake filled with purified death essence liquid that glowed softly. Several mixed-race children ran around, playing catch with small, tame glowing wisp orbs.

Sylvia and Sofia sat on a long stone bench, gazing at the scene in comfortable silence.

"Sometimes I forget that this city... is alive," Sofia said softly. "Not alive like humans, but... it still breathes."

Sylvia nodded slightly. "That’s what I wanted. Not a dead city. A dead city that still sings."

They spent quite a long time in the park until the night wind began to feel colder. Suddenly, Sofia tugged Sylvia’s hand.

"Come on, let’s go somewhere else. I’m tired of just sitting."

Sylvia raised an eyebrow. "Where to?"

Sofia gave a mischievous smile. "The Nocture Hunters Guild."

Sylvia stared at her for a long moment, then sighed softly but her eyes showed interest.

"Fine. But if it’s boring, I’m leaving first."

The Nocture Hunters Guild turned out to be far busier than they had imagined.

The large building of black stone and wood was packed with people of various races. Zombies, dwarves, elves, humans, and many more, all crowded together in the main hall. A giant quest board covered one entire wall, filled with parchment papers and projection crystals displaying living images of targets.

The moment Sylvia and Sofia entered, the atmosphere instantly shifted.

Several people froze. Others began whispering rapidly. The receptionist, a pale green-haired elf woman gaped at the sight of them, her hands trembling as she held the registration book.

Sylvia simply raised one finger to her lips, a simple yet authoritative gesture for silence.

The receptionist immediately understood. She swallowed hard, then gave a nervous smile while opening the book.

"N-name... for registration?"

"Sofia and... Sylvia," Sofia answered quickly before Sylvia could say something more dramatic.

The receptionist noted it down with shaking hands, then handed over two simple black guild cards with silver embroidery. "W-welcome... Rank F for beginners. Please take a look at the quest board."

Sylvia took the card, glanced at it briefly, then stored it in her inventory without comment.

The two of them walked to the quest board.

The available quests... were indeed quite dull.

"Hunt 20 forest goblins in the south."

"Clear an undead spider nest in the eastern cave."

"Deliver preserved black mushrooms to the dwarf village."

"Capture wild wisps for potion materials."

Sylvia yawned slightly. "This feels like homework."

Sofia chuckled softly. "I was hoping for something... more exciting too."

They were about to turn away when Sofia’s eyes caught something in the far right corner of the board, the dusty, rarely touched section.

There was one old parchment there, marked with a blood-red seal.

Quest: Exploration of Forbidden Territory – Northeastern Shadow Forest

Description: A new area has been detected at the edge of the northeastern forest of Nocture. Strange vegetation, unstable magical energy, emergence of unidentified new monster types. Several previous exploration teams have not returned. Objective: Explore, map, and report findings. High priority. Reward: 500 death crystals + bonus based on information brought back.

Warning: This area is outside Nocture’s safe zone. High risk of death. Only for experienced teams or those prepared to die.

Sylvia read the description with a faint gleam in her eyes.

"This... is interesting."

Sofia grinned widely. "Finally, something that isn’t boring."

Without hesitation, Sylvia pulled the parchment from the board. Several nearby hunters immediately stared at them in shock; they knew exactly who had just taken the most dangerous quest currently available in the guild.

The receptionist came running over, her face pale.

"W-wait! That quest... no one has succeeded in two weeks! Are you sure "

Sylvia turned, her pitch-black eyes fixing on the receptionist for just a moment.

The receptionist immediately fell silent, then bowed deeply. "G-good luck on your quest... may you return safely."

Sylvia gave a small nod, then turned to Sofia.

"Let’s go. We leave now."

Sofia nodded enthusiastically. "I can’t wait."

The two of them left the guild without many words. Outside, the Nocture night wind blew stronger, carrying the scent of dead earth and something new, the scent of untouched forest.

Sylvia summoned her Rapier of Night from her inventory, spun the blade of darkness once in her hand, then stored it again (she rarely used it anyway and preferred her Chain of Abyss).

"If there’s something interesting in there... I want to see it with my own eyes."

Sofia touched the handle of her own spear, her smile growing wider.

"And if there’s something dangerous... we’ll face it together."

They walked away from the city, heading northeast toward the forest that had always been merely a boundary until now, a boundary they would cross.

Behind them, the lights of Nocture grew smaller.

Ahead of them, the darkness of the forest began to breathe.

And for the first time in a long while, the Queen of Death felt like an ordinary adventurer again though of course, "ordinary" for Sylvia Hortensia always carried a very different meaning.

Sylvia and Sofia didn’t head straight for the forest. They chose to walk leisurely, as if this adventure were merely an ordinary evening stroll. Their hands remained linked, their light footsteps tracing the black stone path still warm from the death crystals along the city.

They stopped again at a small stall on the edge of the plaza, buying two cups of warm purple drink made from black mushrooms and wild honey, said to make the night feel longer. Sofia sipped slowly, the steam dancing in the cold air.

"Delicious," she murmured. "It tastes like... winter memories from before."

Sylvia only nodded slightly, but her eyes softened for a moment. "I like it a little bitter. It reminds me of dried blood."

Sofia laughed softly. "You really are always romantic in the strangest ways."

They continued their journey, passing through newly rebuilt narrow alleys. In some corners, traces of old battles still remained half-heartedly patched, cracked stone walls, bent lampposts, even small ruins left as reminders. Yet undead plants had already begun creeping over them: faintly glowing black roots, silvery-gray moss, and tiny skull-shaped flowers that bloomed only at night. Life and death blended so naturally in Nocture that even destruction felt like part of its beauty.

Finally, after nearly an hour of wandering and enjoying the city, they arrived at the northeastern gate. The undead guards two skeleton soldiers in crystal armor immediately bowed deeply upon seeing Sylvia. She only waved a small hand, signaling them to stay still.

Beyond the gate, the world changed.

The wind that had carried the scent of the city mushrooms, metal, and crystal smoke suddenly stopped. The air grew heavier, thicker, as if every breath required effort. The trees ahead stood rigid, their black leaves unmoving despite the faint city breeze still felt behind them. No night birds, no creaking branches, no rustling leaves. Only absolute silence.

Sofia paused for a moment, her grip tightening on her spear.

"It’s so quiet..." she whispered. "Even normal undead forests have sounds. At least the wind or small animals."

Sylvia nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing as she gazed into the darkness between the trees.

"This isn’t ordinary silence. It’s like... something is holding its breath."

She raised her right hand, fingers forming a small circle. A thin black-purple Death Flame appeared at her fingertips, but the fire didn’t dance as usual; it remained still, as if suppressed by an invisible pressure from the forest. Sylvia frowned.

"There’s something strong in there," she murmured. "Not an ordinary monster. Not wild, uncontrollable energy. This... feels like something is watching. And it knows we’re coming."

Sofia turned to Sylvia, her smile slightly tense but still full of enthusiasm.

"Then let’s just go in, shall we? Let it be known that the ones arriving aren’t ordinary guests."

Sylvia gave a thin smile, one full of promise.

"Indeed. Let it wait just a little longer."

They stepped forward together, crossing the threshold into that silent forest. The moment their feet touched the ground outside the city zone, the silence grew even thicker, wrapping around them like a heavy blanket. Behind them, the lights of Nocture still twinkled faintly, but ahead, only darkness breathed softly.