Chapter 242: Chapter 241 – Shadow Guardians at the Seashore
Hundreds of undead troops had now moved to occupy their positions.
The Shadow Zombies, thin and soundless, spread across the island’s many edges. Their bodies flitted like stains of ink on snow, slipping into frozen forests, high cliffs, and the black rock crevices facing the sea. They were Sylvia’s eyes in the darkness, scouts unseen by human sight.
Elsewhere, tattered-robed Zombie Mages stood in formation atop the cliffs. Their staves were upright, tips glowing with faint purple fire that pulsed to the rhythm of the ocean waves. They required no food or rest, only to stand still and gaze at the horizon. The moment a ship appeared, their spells were ready to rain fire or ice upon the sea, cutting off the enemy before they ever set foot on land.
The Dark Isle was vast, but Sylvia knew there were only a few places truly suitable for landing ships. The rest were sheer cliffs, poison-filled forests, and treacherous marshes. Even in the surrounding seas lurked extreme zones swirling currents, eternal storms, and sea monsters larger than warships. No sane captain would ever guide a fleet through those waters.
By controlling the landing points, Sylvia had already turned the island into a natural fortress.
Back at Velthya’s manor, calm returned once more. Sylvia sat in her chair, leaning back in a relaxed posture. Her telepathy with the troops was complete, and she could feel the faint pulse of their presence like a heartbeat deep beneath the earth.
She glanced at the table. The coffee cups still let out wisps of steam. The bitter scent pricked her nose, making her frown faintly. For some reason, that smell alone irritated her.
"Hmph," she muttered, shifting her gaze away.
Celes, still sitting across from her, immediately caught the expression. The corner of her lips curved upward as she let out a soft laugh, a cold yet gentle sound, like ice cracking under sunlight.
"You truly despise it, don’t you?" Celes said, gazing at her own cup.
Sylvia gave a quiet snort. "Bitter. There’s no point in swallowing something that only adds more bitterness."
Velthya, who had just returned from outside, overheard and blinked before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! So that’s why your face looked gloomy? I thought it was because of the burden of strategy, but it turns out it’s just... coffee."
Sylvia turned her cold gaze toward her, but that only made Velthya laugh harder. Her silver tail swayed rapidly, showing how much effort it took to contain her amusement.
"Even the Dark Queen has such a... human weakness," Velthya said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.
Celes exhaled softly, though her face still wore a faint smile. She rarely laughed, especially over something so trivial but seeing Sylvia, who was usually unshaken and cold, bothered by nothing more than coffee’s aroma... it felt oddly refreshing.
Velthya clapped her hands and called for a servant. "Hey! Bring tea for Queen Sylvia. Something fragrant, something calming. Never put coffee on her table again, or my house will be filled with a chilling aura."
The beastkin maid bowed quickly, barely hiding her smile. "At once, my Lady." She hurried off.
Sylvia closed her eyes for a moment, steadying herself. "You’re overreacting."
"Not really," Celes replied, her tone light. "It’s rare to see you unsettled by trivial things. It’s... refreshing."
Sylvia looked at her flatly. "You enjoy my suffering?"
Celes smiled faintly. "A little."
"And I do too!" Velthya added, laughing uproariously.
A few minutes later, the servant returned with a tray. On it sat a black porcelain teapot of steaming tea, fragrant with dried blossoms. A cup was placed before Sylvia.
She lifted it slowly and took a sip. Warmth spread down her throat, gentle and free of bitterness.
"Better," she murmured simply.
Velthya leaned back with a satisfied grin. "Good. From now on, tea for you, coffee for us. The world is balanced again."
Celes studied Sylvia quietly the way she held the cup, the slight softening of her eyes after that first sip. There was something unspoken in her gaze, as though she had found a small crack in the iron wall that always surrounded Sylvia.
But Sylvia soon set the cup down, her voice calm and cold once more. "Coffee or tea isn’t the real issue. What matters is that our forces are ready. And they will come."
Velthya nodded, now serious. "Yes. The Church’s ships... sooner or later, they’ll appear on the horizon."
Celes added, her fingers tapping lightly on the table’s edge. "And when they do, the Dark Isle will become their grave."
Sylvia only looked out the window, the sunlight glinting in her red eyes. In the distance, the shadows of her zombie sentinels were already moving along the shoreline. She could feel them.
The main hall still carried the warmth of tea’s aroma when soft footsteps echoed from the upstairs hall.
Alicia appeared first, her silver hair a little tousled, still dressed in pale blue sleepwear. Her eyes were drowsy, clearly just awake, though the small blue lantern hanging from her staff still glowed faintly as if it never dimmed. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she let out a small yawn.
"Morning..." her voice was flat, nearly lifeless.
Velthya turned with booming laughter. "Hahaha! Look who finally woke up! Did you sleep well after last night’s feast?"
Alicia gave her a lazy look before descending the stairs slowly. "I prefer quiet sleep over long parties. But... the food was good, so I don’t regret it."
Not long after, Stacia followed. She descended hugging her thick grimoire, her dark-blue hair still messy in spots. Her face looked fresher than Alicia’s, her eyes glowing softly when she saw them already gathered.
"Good morning," Stacia said with a small smile. "Have you already started without us?"
"The sooner the better," Sylvia answered curtly, though her eyes flicked toward them, making sure they were well.
Celes gestured toward the servants to add more cups. "Sit. You need something warm. Tea, not coffee." She emphasized the last words while glancing briefly at Sylvia, her lips twitching in a faint smile.
Alicia sat on the long bench, setting her staff down beside the table. "I don’t mind coffee. But..." She cast a side glance at Sylvia, who sat silently with her teacup. "...I think I know who would mind."
Sylvia only gave a quiet huff, not bothering to answer.
Stacia sat beside Alicia, accepting the cup of tea the servant handed her. The rising steam flushed her cheeks faintly. "Hm... it smells lovely. More soothing than last night’s banquet."
Velthya leaned back with a satisfied grin, arms folded. "Perfect. Now this table is truly full. Just like last night except without the fire and sizzling meat."
Celes turned to Sylvia, her tone serious. "We already discussed the Church before you came down. Sylvia expects a large force to arrive soon."
Alicia, still half-asleep, immediately sharpened her gaze. "A large force? How large?"
"Large enough to try and reclaim the Dark Isle," Sylvia answered flatly. "They won’t come half-hearted. We must treat this as a major war."
Stacia gripped her cup more tightly. The warmth in her smile slowly faded. "That means... many lives will be lost."
"Yes," Sylvia said softly, her red eyes glinting. "But not ours. I’ve already placed the Shadows and Mages at strategic points. They will watch the sea and rain destroy the ships before they can ever land."
Alicia rested her chin on her hand, her eyes narrowing. "Hm. That’s clever. But don’t forget one thing, Sylvia. The forces coming won’t bring just swords. They’ll bring prayers, blessings, and the light of their gods. That enemy is different from the branch forces we faced last night."
Sylvia met her gaze, then gave a small nod. "That’s why we must be ready. There is no room for carelessness."
Silence settled in the room. The fire crackled quietly, and sunlight outside still blazed harshly against the snowy ground.
Velthya broke the silence with her booming voice. "Then let us prepare not just to defend... but to make them regret ever coming here. The Dark Isle is no longer the Church’s."
Stacia looked at Sylvia, her eyes serious. "Are you certain we can withstand the blessings of the gods?"
Sylvia sipped her tea slowly, then set the cup down with calm composure. "Whether certain or not, it doesn’t matter. Whoever comes will be the proof. And we... will write our answer in their blood."
Alicia turned her teacup slowly, thin steam rising to veil part of her face. "It feels... nice. Sitting like this without the sound of swords and screams outside." A faint smile crossed her lips, rare for her to show such softness.
Stacia nodded in agreement. "Like a normal morning in an ordinary town." Her eyes glimmered as she looked at Sylvia. "When was the last time you enjoyed a moment like this, Sylvia?"
Sylvia stared at them for a long time, then shrugged. "I don’t remember. Maybe... so long ago that I stopped caring."
Celes glanced sideways, her eyes softening. "But you’re here now. That’s enough."
Velthya grinned wide, leaning back lazily in her chair. "Hahaha! Then let my house be the place for you to remember it again. A morning with tea, laughter, and maybe " she shot Sylvia a mischievous look, " a little coffee to test your patience."
Sylvia let out a heavy sigh, her gaze falling on the coffee cup still left on the table. "If you put that there on purpose, Velthya... I could throw it in your face right now."
Everyone at the table chuckled, even Stacia covering her mouth to keep it quiet.
Alicia leaned her head against the back of her chair, a faint smile softening her pale face. "Hm. This feels... like a family."
Those words silenced the room for a moment. Sylvia only stared into the steam of her tea, her red eyes reflecting the warm glow of the fireplace. Slowly, her lips curved not fully, but enough to show she agreed.