I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl-Chapter 376 - 372 – The Sealed Cave

The afternoon passed slowly inside the small cave, but the rain showed no sign of stopping. On the contrary. As the sun never truly visible behind the gray clouds began tilting westward, the rain only grew heavier. The drops, once already like a curtain of water, now turned into a vertical flood: water fell with such force that it hammered the muddy ground in front of the cave, creating puddles that quickly swelled into fast-flowing streams rushing down the hillside. The wind had changed too. No longer just howling gusts, but wild roars carrying leaves and small branches flying into the cave mouth like storm debris.

Sylvia stood at the cave entrance, her black cloak fluttering gently even though no direct wind touched it. Her glowing red eyes stared outward into the darkness that was swallowing the forest faster and faster. The Chain of Abyss on her wrist trembled more frequently now not as a warning of danger, but as if responding to the raw force of nature raging outside.

Sofia sat near the campfire, legs folded, hugging her knees. She looked outward with an expression of worry she couldn’t hide. "Sylvia... this is getting worse. The wind keeps coming in. If the rain continues like this, the water might rise inside."

Sylvia didn’t answer right away. She only gave a small nod, then raised her right hand. Faint purple runes glowed in the air. From her inventory system appeared several thick wooden planks black wood pieces she had stored in Nocture for emergencies. The planks fell to the ground with a soft but heavy thud.

"We’ll seal the cave mouth," she said flatly.

Sofia stood and helped Sylvia lift the planks. They positioned them vertically, covering the entire entrance while leaving a small gap at the top for ventilation. Sylvia took out several short steel rods, not nails, but pointed metal pieces she usually kept as emergency weapons. With a single motion, she drove the rods into the ground and cave walls, piercing through wood and soft stone with unnatural strength. Each strike produced a faint metallic clang that echoed softly inside the cave. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Once the planks were firmly secured, the wind that had been roaring in now only whispered weakly through the small ventilation gap above. The deafening sound of rain became muffled, like distant buzzing behind the wooden wall. The rain splashes that had frequently sprayed inside stopped completely.

Sofia let out a relieved sigh, leaning her back against the cave wall. "Finally... quiet. I almost thought we’d be soaked tonight."

Sylvia looked at her work for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Tight enough. Water won’t enter. The wind isn’t too bothersome anymore."

She didn’t say that she wasn’t afraid of rain or wind. She never had been. But there was something satisfying in this simple act: building a wall, sealing gaps, creating a safe space with her own hands. Not with the power of death or eternal chains, but with ordinary wood and steel. It felt... human. And that felt strange yet comforting at the same time.

They moved back inside. The purple campfire still burned steadily in the center of the cave, producing no smoke at all thanks to the death flame under Sylvia’s control. Its light was soft, warm, and never dimmed even as more wood was added. Noir had returned to his small size, sitting near the fire while licking the last of the wild boar blood from his snout. His red eyes glowed, watching both his masters with full attention.

Sofia took out her small cooking utensils from her bag: a simple pot, some dried spices, and coarse salt she had bought in Emberford. "Let’s have dinner. We still have leftover rabbit meat from this morning, and Noir brought another one earlier. I’ll make soup."

Sylvia nodded. She took several pieces of cleaned rabbit meat, skewered them on long branches, and roasted them directly over the fire for a stronger grilled flavor. Meanwhile Sofia prepared the soup in the small pot pouring water from a bottle, adding meat chunks, fresh mushrooms they had brought, and a pinch of black pepper. The death flame produced no smoke, so even though the cave was tightly sealed, the air remained fresh. The scent of meat soup quickly spread, warm and tempting, overpowering the damp smell of earth and wet wood.

They ate dinner in comfortable silence. The soup was thick, warm, and full of flavor tender meat, chewy mushrooms, and just the right amount of peppery heat. The grilled rabbit was crispy on the outside, juicy within. Noir received a small piece that he devoured quickly, then curled up near the fire again, belly full.

Sofia spooned the last of the soup from the pot, then leaned back against the cave wall while hugging her knees. "So good... even though it’s simple. I like cooking with you, Sylvia. It feels like we really have a home, even if it’s just a small cave."

Sylvia looked at the fire, then at Sofia. "A home isn’t a place. It’s the people inside it."

Sofia smiled widely, her golden eyes sparkling under the purple light. "Then... we have a home right now."

Sylvia didn’t reply with words. She only gave a small nod, then reached out and briefly touched Sofia’s shoulder. A cold touch that had become their own language, no words needed, but full of meaning.

Night deepened, and the sound of rain against the wooden wall now sounded like the never-tiring heartbeat of the world. The patter of water falling into puddles in front of the cave mixed with occasional wind gusts slipping through the small ventilation gap above just enough to keep the air fresh, but no longer disturbing. Inside, the purple campfire light remained steady, never flickering, never dimming. The death flame Sylvia controlled made the firewood burn without smoke or charred smell, only soft warmth spreading to every corner of the small cave.

Sylvia leaned back against the cold stone wall, her black cloak neatly folded beside her as an extra pillow. Noir curled in her lap, his breathing slow and even, his pitch-black scales faintly gleaming whenever the firelight touched them. Sofia had already fallen into deep sleep in her sleeping bag, body curled toward the fire as if seeking warmth even in dreams. Her golden hair spread across the phantom wolf fur, the faint purple crystal necklace on her chest rising and falling gently with each breath.

Sylvia didn’t sleep. Her red eyes remained open, watching the gently dancing fire. She rarely slept deeply since the Chain of Abyss bound her dreams often came with shadows of death, whispers of unrested spirits, or memories of a world long destroyed. But tonight was different. No whispers. No shadows. Only the sound of rain is like an endless lullaby.

She reached out and gently touched Noir’s head. The small dragon rumbled softly in his sleep, a sound almost like a contented purr then shifted closer, resting his head against Sylvia’s chest. His strange warmth, cold yet alive, felt comforting.

Sylvia looked at Sofia again. The girl slept peacefully, lips slightly parted, face innocent like a child who had never known how close the world had come to destroying her. Sylvia remembered their first meeting: Sofia trembling in the ruins, sword shaking, golden eyes full of tears yet still staring at her with raw courage. Back then Sylvia had seen only a potential ally. Now... she saw something more.

"You always said I was too cold," Sylvia murmured softly, her voice nearly lost in the roar of rain. "But you’re the one who keeps me from freezing completely."

There was no answer, only Sofia’s steady breathing and Noir’s gentle purring.

Sylvia let out a small sigh, cold breath mingling with the warm vapor from the fire. She looked at the wooden wall she had built that afternoon. The planks stood firm, steel rods driven through them like eternal stakes. That small act felt... satisfying. Not because of the power she used, but because she had done it with her hands, with her mind, without relying on Phantom Bloom or chains of death. It felt like a reminder that she could still be something other than the Queen of Death.

She rose slowly, careful not to wake Sofia or Noir. She added two more pieces of wood to the fire. The purple embers flared brighter for a moment, bathing the cave in soft warm light. Then she sat back down, this time closer to Sofia’s sleeping bag. She pulled the phantom wolf-fur blanket tighter around the girl’s body, making sure no small draft could reach her.

"Sleep well," she whispered, her voice almost inaudible.

Sofia stirred slightly in her sleep, lips curving into a small smile as if she heard. Noir opened his red eyes for a moment, looked at Sylvia, then closed them again with a contented rumble.

Sylvia leaned back once more, gazing at the fire again. Her thoughts drifted to Nocture the towering black castle, black rose gardens blooming under mist, the distant clang of dwarf hammers from far forges, lycanthrope howls that now sounded more like victory songs than terror. She thought of Alicia floating with her shimmering spirit body, Stacia always reading novels in the corner, Celes guarding the spatial rifts with crystal precision. They were fine. The city was safe.

The rain continued pounding outside, but inside this tightly sealed cave, the world felt small, warm, and secure. Only three breaths: Sofia’s soft breathing, Noir’s gentle purring, and Sylvia’s cold breath slowly growing warmer.

She closed her eyes for a moment, not sleeping, just resting. The purple campfire continued to burn, its soft light wrapping the three of them like an invisible blanket.