Chapter 146 – A Summons from a Fractured World
Another month had passed, and the city of Nocture surged forward into a form even Sylvia herself had never envisioned.
Around the city, small settlements began to sprout. Some were branches of new metal production or various agricultural sectors; the rest were housing for volunteers and refugees from the old human world. Elves, dwarves, and even a few beastkin had emerged from portals and chosen to settle under Sylvia’s rule.
Nocture was no longer just a city of discarded beings. It had become a center. A center of economy. A center of ideology. And, unofficially, a symbol of threat to the old world still clinging to its hollow hierarchies.
But amid all this progress...
Sylvia sat in the main chair of her office, surrounded by what seemed like an endless stack of documents. Her left eye twitched slightly, her right hand supporting her head, and her magical pen only half-heartedly filling out a report on logistic growth.
"Ugh... I’d rather fight a few zombie dragons than verify thirty-eight agricultural tax reports from the Moss District..." she grumbled.
She tossed her pen onto the desk and massaged her temples. Outside the window, the sky over Nocture remained as always: gray and magical. The soft orange glow of the streetlamps seeped into the room, creating a dim ambiance that would’ve been relaxing if not for the towering pile of papers beside her.
Suddenly, the air in the room changed.
It was as if the warmth of spring slipped in without knocking. A gentle breeze despite the closed windows brushed against Sylvia’s face, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers and damp grass.
Sylvia straightened up immediately. Her hand instinctively reached for the rapier hidden beneath her cloak. But before she could stand, a gentle voice greeted her:
"Apologies for arriving uninvited. But... could you help me?"