CHAPTER 186: CHAPTER 186 – THE INVISIBLE FRACTURE OF THE WORLD

Night in this world was always different. Never truly dark, yet never fully bright either. There was always a soft glow from dim stars floating high above, as if the sky itself was unsure when night should truly begin.

Sylvia sat on her bedroom balcony, leaning against a large wooden chair carved with roses intertwined with thorny vines. On the small table in front of her, a teacup still released a thin stream of steam, its gentle vapor drifting upward into the quiet night air before vanishing into the silence.

She wore a simple dark satin nightgown. Her long black hair was left loose, cascading down over her shoulders. Her face, lit faintly by the dim light, looked calm yet serious, her violet eyes reflecting a thousand tangled thoughts within.

On the table also lay a stack of recent reports from various scout units she had dispatched across the foreign world. Among the papers, one in particular drew Sylvia’s attention tonight: a report about the appearance of a strange new dimensional fracture, eerily similar to the demonic gate she had seen before.

Sylvia picked up the report once more, reading it slowly while occasionally sipping her tea. The contents stated that several scout teams had found similar dimensional fracture formations in three different locations. These gates had not yet opened, but their mere presence was enough to disrupt the surrounding atmosphere. The air shimmered, chaotic magic emerged randomly, and dark energy slowly spread around them.

She placed the report back on the table and sighed deeply. "They’re appearing again," she whispered, her gaze drifting toward the dark forest beyond the castle. "What exactly is happening to this world?"

She remembered the incident some time ago the first time she saw a demonic gate threatening to destabilize the balance of the world. It was the first sign that demonic forces, something even the gods themselves couldn’t fully control, were trying to rise to the surface.

But now, it wasn’t just one. There were three locations at once. She knew exactly what that meant: either the dark forces were becoming more unstable, or someone was deliberately accelerating their emergence.

Sylvia rubbed her forehead gently, trying to steady her racing thoughts. She knew, even though the zombies under her command were powerful and loyal, their numbers were still insufficient to handle the threat of three gates if they truly opened in the near future.

She looked back at the night sky, at the stars that shimmered faintly and seemed so far away. In her heart, a longing resurfaced. She thought of Sofia in Nocture, hoping the world they had left behind was still safe. If she had to face this threat much longer, her return might be delayed even more.

"Are you seeing a night sky like this too, Sofia?" Sylvia whispered softly, almost like a prayer carried by the night breeze. "I’m sorry, but it looks like I’ll have to stay here a bit longer."

She took the last sip of her tea, letting the warmth soothe her throat and bring a touch of comfort. With a gentle motion, Sylvia rose from her seat, picked up the reports, and stepped back into her room.

The bedroom felt cool and dimly lit, with only a small crystal lantern glowing softly on the wall. On the large, comfortable bed, the black sheets were already neatly arranged, waiting for her. Sylvia walked slowly toward her desk, then sat down in the cushioned chair and began reviewing the next batch of reports with care.

Suddenly, light footsteps echoed from the hallway outside her room. Sylvia glanced toward the door, and a small smile formed on her lips when it creaked open slightly, revealing Celes’s curious face.

"I’m not interrupting, am I?" Celes asked softly, her voice a little shy.

"No, come in," Sylvia replied gently.

Celes stepped in carefully, closing the door behind her. She wore a thin white nightgown that made her look younger than usual. Her silver hair shimmered softly under the lantern’s glow, giving her a fragile yet beautiful aura.

"Are you still busy?" Celes asked again as she walked closer to Sylvia.

"Yes, a little. But it’s fine. Did you need something?"

Celes shook her head, then stood beside Sylvia, peering at the reports on the desk. "I just couldn’t sleep. I’ve been feeling... restless lately."

Sylvia smiled faintly, then gently took Celes’s hand and guided her to the small chair beside her. "Maybe you’re also sensing the shift in the world’s energy. Some of the reports say that new dimensional fractures are starting to appear. That must be affecting your sensitive body."

Celes nodded slowly, her eyes gazing at Sylvia with deep trust. "I feel like this world is becoming more unstable. Are you worried?"

Sylvia took a deep breath and answered honestly, "Yes, I’m worried. But I can’t let that worry interfere with our mission here. We have to protect this world until our task is complete until everything returns to stability."

Celes smiled gently, her expression visibly calmer after hearing Sylvia’s words. "I trust you, Sylvia. I believe everything will be alright as long as you’re here."

Sylvia returned the smile, her eyes soft with affection. She patted Celes’s hand gently. "Thank you. You should get some sleep now. I’ll be done soon."

Celes rose slowly, walking toward the door while saying lightly, "Then don’t stay up too late. I worry about you."

"I’ll rest soon," Sylvia replied with another soft smile.

After the door closed, Sylvia turned her attention back to the reports. She knew tonight, she needed to make several critical decisions regarding their next steps. With demonic gates starting to appear, she would need to dispatch additional teams to investigate the phenomenon directly and begin fortifying the castle’s defenses.

As the night grew deeper, Sylvia finally finished with the reports. She stood, stretched slightly, and made her way to the bed. She lay down slowly, pulling the thin blanket up to her chest, gazing at the ceiling above carved with intricate patterns that reflected the soft glow of the crystal lantern.

Her mind remained filled with countless possibilities and looming threats. But beneath all that worry, there was a firm confidence and a belief that no matter what came, she and the ones she loved would overcome it.

As she closed her eyes, she murmured softly into the silence of the night, "Whatever happens, I just need to do the task this world’s avatar gave me. The rest... Well, that’s their responsibility. I don’t work without bonuses."

And in the still of night, Sylvia finally drifted off to sleep, comforted by the lingering warmth of her tea, the hope still glimmering in her heart, and the new strength she had built within herself.

Sylvia woke up in the morning with a lingering heaviness in her chest.

Sunlight filtered gently through the gaps of the black velvet curtains, softly illuminating her face. She blinked slowly, adjusting her vision to the gentle light that greeted her. The bedroom felt calmer than the night before, but her mind was still spinning with worries about the dimensional fractures that had been discovered.

Slowly, she sat on the edge of her bed, taking a deep breath to shake off the remnants of sleep. Her light nightgown was comfortable against her skin, yet it did nothing to dispel the unease that clung to her thoughts. Sylvia reached for the comb on the bedside table, gently brushing her long black hair, still a little tangled from sleep.

A soft knock on the door broke her thoughts. Sylvia turned and said, her voice still a bit hoarse, "Come in."

The door opened slowly, revealing Celes, already dressed in a soft-colored gown, her silver hair neatly brushed. She smiled faintly while carrying a tray with a cup of warm tea and a few pieces of bread.

"I brought you a light breakfast. I figured you had trouble sleeping last night," said Celes as she placed the tray on the small table beside Sylvia’s bed.

"Thank you," Sylvia replied with a gentle smile, taking the tea cup and sipping slowly. The warmth spread through her body, offering the comfort she sorely needed.

Celes sat at the edge of the bed, watching Sylvia with a concerned expression. "Do you already have a plan for those gates?"

Sylvia nodded slightly, her eyes on the tea in her hand. "I’m planning to dispatch additional scout teams to investigate the sites. If these gates continue to appear, we need to prepare for the worst."

Celes sighed quietly. "I understand. But you don’t have to face all this alone, Sylvia. You have me. You don’t need to carry everything on your own."

Sylvia gave her a small smile, touched by the sincerity in her words. She lifted her gaze to meet Celes’s eyes. "I know. Your presence here brings me peace. But I don’t want to burden you too much."

Celes shook her head gently. "You’re not burdening me. I’m happy to help, even if just a little."

Sylvia looked at her for a moment, then nodded softly. "Alright. After this, I’ll order the scouts to move out. We need to assess the conditions around those fractures immediately."

After finishing her tea and light breakfast, Sylvia got ready. She changed out of her nightgown into a dark formal dress that was still comfortable, then left her room to head to the study center of all her current activity.

When she arrived in the study, several undead attendants were already waiting, each holding the latest reports regarding the dimensional fractures. She sat at her desk and began reviewing the documents one by one, thoroughly.

The fracture locations were scattered far apart. The first was in a hidden valley about five days’ journey from the castle. The second was found near a small human-inhabited village in the west. The last had appeared in the northern mountains known for their harsh terrain.

Sylvia narrowed her eyes as she read the last report about the northern mountains. The scouts noted that the energy around that fracture was extremely high, much stronger than the others. Some undead scouts even reported suffering from severe energy interference, struggling to remain near the site for long.

She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead slowly. This was clearly not something she could afford to ignore.

Sylvia called over one of the undead attendants nearby. "Prepare three additional specialized scout teams. I want them dispatched to the fracture sites today. I want detailed reports of even the slightest changes."

The attendant bowed deeply, then immediately left the room to carry out her orders.

After he left, Sylvia leaned back in her chair, contemplating her next move. She was certain that these fractures were connected to the unstable demonic forces of this world. But she also suspected that someone or something was deliberately accelerating their emergence to trigger greater chaos.

After a few minutes of thinking, Sylvia decided that she had to bolster the castle’s defenses just in case. She summoned Valnark, an undead trusted with overseeing the castle’s defense systems.

Not long after, Valnark entered the study with respectful composure.

"Valnark, I want the castle’s defenses reinforced. Double the guards at the main gate, activate additional magical barriers, and make sure all nether energy reserves and combat gear are fully operational," Sylvia commanded firmly.

Valnark bowed deeply. "At once, Your Majesty. We will ensure the castle is ready to face any threat."

Sylvia nodded, satisfied. "I trust you."

After Valnark left, Sylvia returned to reviewing the remaining reports. Time passed quickly, and before she realized it, the afternoon had turned to evening. The sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky with brilliant gold and amber beautiful, yet subtly signaling that this peace might be fleeting.

At last, Sylvia stood slowly from her chair and walked to the balcony beside her study. She gazed far into the horizon, watching the sun disappear, leaving the world in the embrace of twilight.

In her mind, Sofia’s face resurfaced vividly. Sylvia missed her more than ever especially during moments like this. She wished there was another way to speak with her beloved directly, but so far, only limited communication through Zark had been possible.

In the silence of dusk, Sylvia whispered once more to herself, "I have to be strong. I have to endure this for Sofia, for Nocture."

The evening breeze swept past her gently, carrying the scent of wild grass from the vast plains below the castle. Sylvia stood tall, her gaze firm as she looked into the distance, fully aware that the battle ahead was far from over.

But deep within her heart, she believed that as long as hope remained as long as she still breathed and stood strong this world still had a chance to be saved.

With newfound resolve, Sylvia took a deep breath and returned to her study to prepare the next steps.

Today may have been filled with worry, but she would not give in. She would continue moving forward until one day, when the fractures were sealed, she could finally return home and see Sofia again, bringing with her the peace and victory they both had dreamed of.