I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl

The landing wheels of the VIP private jet belonging to the Hunter Association finally touched the special marble runway reinforced by rows of protective magic runes. The roar of the raw-monster-core combustion engines that had accompanied the journey for the past several days gradually subsided, lowering into a soft vibration before finally falling completely silent. The aircraft glided smoothly across the private landing path isolated from the public area.

In accordance with Sylvia’s preference for quiet and her dislike of complicated formalities, Kael had instructed all high-ranking officials of the Central Association branch to cancel every form of official welcoming ceremony. There was no line of stiffly bowing officials, no long red carpet stretched out, no banners of welcome, and no boring flattering speeches from guild leaders. Kael had deliberately arranged for this landing path to be completely emptied of any crowd in order to preserve the comfort of the absolute ruler of Nocture.

When the automatic door of the VIP jet opened and the hydraulic staircase was slowly lowered, Sylvia stepped out and inhaled the capital’s air. The air here felt extremely dense with pure mana concentration, fresh and rather cold when brushed by the evening wind. Sol sat casually on her left shoulder while flicking its golden tail, while Noir walked with elegant and calm steps at her side, regarding the surroundings with its lazy red eyes.

Sylvia paused for a moment on the aircraft staircase, casting her gaze around the extremely vast landing area.

The architecture of this place immediately caught her attention. The gigantic steel support pillars holding up the terminal roof, the solid concrete-framed curved walls, and the elongated hangar layout... all of it radiated traces of a bygone era. This was clearly the remnant of an old international airport from human civilization before the great mutation swept the world. The Tianhua Kingdom government and the Hunter Association had not destroyed those magnificent infrastructure remains; instead they renovated them, linking the ancient concrete foundations with mithril-layered metal plates and reinforcing the entire building with modern magic formations.

Around that private runway, Sylvia could see how busy the aerial traffic was in this place. On the public landing path located several hundred meters to the west, dozens of aircraft of various types and sizes came and went without pause. Starting from twin-engine magical jets belonging to noble families, gigantic crystal-mana-fueled airships carrying commercial cargo, to fleets of aerial-monster riders such as silver-winged gryphons and combat wyverns mounted by capital military patrol soldiers. Everything moved in highly ordered fashion following the light-guide map paths in the air.

Observing the scale of construction, the density of infrastructure, and the bustle of the aerial fleets surrounding her, Sylvia curved a thin smile.

"Indeed, the capital is far more prosperous," Sylvia thought to herself while observing the magnificent view of the gigantic city beyond the airport perimeter fence.

Compared with Black Lotus City on the border, which tended to be rigid, harsh, and full of wild competitive aura, the Holy Capital of Tianhua radiated luxury, stability, and an extremely noticeable abundance of resources. Here, the remnants of old-civilization technology fused perfectly with the miracles of the new-era magic, creating a center of civilization that stood magnificently at the peak of the continental hierarchy.

"Miss Sylvia, the vehicle to take you to the lodging is ready below," Kael said in a low and extremely polite voice. The man stood several steps behind her, ensuring he did not disturb Sylvia’s space of movement in the slightest.

At the foot of the aircraft staircase, a jet-black limousine was already neatly parked. The vehicle possessed an extremely elegant and futuristic design; it did not use conventional wheels, but floated stably about thirty centimeters above the ground surface thanks to a Rank 6 magic-core-powered anti-gravity suspension system. The body made of titanium-mithril alloy reflected the dim glow of the airport lights.

"Good. The absence of a crowd of prostrating officials is far better," Sylvia commented briefly while stepping down onto the runway.

Kael curved a relieved smile, feeling that his decision to cancel the grand welcoming event had been a very correct step. He hurried forward and opened the rear door of the limousine with an extremely smooth motion.

Sylvia entered the cabin of the vehicle that was extraordinarily spacious and fragrant with the calming aroma of magical sandalwood. Sol and Noir leapt in without hesitation, immediately taking comfortable positions on the thick leather-upholstered seats that were extremely soft. Kael closed the rear door slowly, then took the front seat beside the driver to guide the journey.

Without producing the slightest noise, the vehicle glided smoothly away from the old airport remnant area, entering the free-flow path that connected the aviation complex with the central district of the capital.

Time passed quickly, and night fully replaced the evening. The sky above the capital changed into a dense deep blue, yet the city did not sink into darkness at all. On the contrary, the moment night arrived, the Tianhua Capital seemed to have just awakened and revealed its true charm.

From behind the car window designed with one-way privacy-layer technology, Sylvia witnessed an extraordinary night view of the capital’s upper district, a gigantic floating land island suspended magnificently in the air.

Gigantic neon-mana-powered advertising boards lit up brightly, radiating various colors along the highway. Crystal skyscraper towers that pierced the clouds radiated golden and bluish glows from the Magic Cores installed at their peaks. Between those high buildings, floating trains crossed transparent light rails, carrying nobles and high-class mages who wished to enjoy the night’s entertainment.

On the lower streets, five-star restaurants, magical jewelry shops, and rare-item auction houses were filled with people wearing silk robes and luxurious armor. The atmosphere outside felt extremely lively, festive, and filled with a decadent aura of luxury. Sylvia leaned back leisurely in her leather seat, propping her chin with one hand while enjoying the capital’s night scenery that passed behind the window. The journey from the airport to the city center felt so calm and pleasant without any disturbance whatsoever.

After driving for approximately thirty minutes through the glittering city streets, the black limousine finally turned into a magnificent courtyard layered with white marble stone that had a holy-water fountain spraying silver light in its center.

The vehicle stopped smoothly right in front of the main lobby of a gigantic building that resembled an ancient royal palace. This was the Grand Elysium Hotel, the most elite, magnificent, and expensive lodging in the entire Holy Capital of Tianhua.

Because Kael had coordinated this arrival secretly through the Association’s VVIP protocol, the check-in process proceeded extremely quickly and without obstruction. The hotel’s general manager, who had already been waiting at the private entrance, merely bowed respectfully in silence, without daring to ask questions or attract the attention of other guests in the lobby. The man immediately guided Sylvia and Kael toward a private crystal elevator that shot rapidly toward the topmost floor.

The elevator doors opened automatically, presenting the view of the Penthouse Suite, the best and most spacious room owned by the Grand Elysium Hotel.

The room was designed extraordinarily. Using spatial expansion magic, the penthouse interior encompassed a gigantic living room with a magical fireplace that burned warmly without producing smoke, a private dining area, an open balcony with a 360-degree panoramic view of every corner of the glowing capital, and a private bathroom equipped with a natural hot-spring bath. In the main bedroom section lay a gigantic king-size bed layered with cloud silk that looked extremely comfortable.

Kael handed a pure black crystal access card to Sylvia.

"Miss Sylvia, the entire top floor has been emptied specifically for you. This room is equipped with sound-isolation formations and absolute magical shields, so no one will be able to disturb your rest," Kael explained with full respect. "Is there anything else you require before I take my leave?"

Sylvia accepted the crystal card and stretched both arms upward, giving a small yawn. "Nothing. You may leave now, Kael. And remember, do not let anyone disturb me until I wake tomorrow morning."

"Your instructions are understood very well, Miss. I will wait in the lower lobby area tomorrow morning. Please rest well," Kael answered while bowing deeply. He stepped backward into the elevator, and the gold-plated doors closed tightly.

Now only Sylvia remained together with her two pets inside that luxurious and quiet penthouse room.

Sol and Noir immediately leapt onto the soft sofa in the living room. Sol looked up and meowed softly toward Sylvia, while Noir licked its paw while gazing toward the food compartment.

"Ah, that’s right. You two must be hungry again," Sylvia said with a small smile.

She walked closer to the magical communication panel installed on the wall and pressed the room-order menu. Sylvia ordered fifty kilograms of still-extremely-fresh raw red-fin mutated tuna meat, a high-class seafood specialty of the capital, as well as several large bowls of pure magical milk.

In less than five minutes, the food order was delivered through the automatic delivery compartment in the room wall without any hotel staff needing to step inside. Silver trays containing thick cuts of fresh meat and bowls of sweet-scented milk were immediately presented on the table.

Sol and Noir did not waste time. The two Rank 7 Dragons disguised as cats immediately rushed their food with great joy. Sol devoured the raw tuna meat with gusto, while Noir sipped its magical milk calmly and enjoyed every swallow.

Seeing her two pets busy enjoying their dinner, Sylvia decided to clean herself first. She stepped toward the gigantic bathroom, removed her travel clothing, and slowly immersed her body into the natural hot-spring bath.

Sshhh...

Warm steam with the aroma of magical lavender rose thinly into the air. The mineral-rich hot water enveloped her smooth skin, providing an extraordinary sense of relaxation. Sylvia closed her eyes, resting her head against the edge of the marble pool, allowing the warmth of the water to drive away all residual fatigue after the flight that had crossed regional borders.

After soaking leisurely for about twenty minutes, Sylvia exited the pool, dried her body with a gentle wind magic, and put on loose, extremely soft silk sleepwear. She walked out of the bathroom and approached the main sleeping area.

The gigantic multi-level bed layered with cloud silk looked so tempting. Without any further hesitation, Sylvia threw and collapsed her body onto that mattress.

Sring...

The cloud-silk mattress bounced extremely softly, conforming perfectly to the shape of her body and absorbing her entire weight as though she were floating atop a gigantic lump of cotton.

Sylvia let out a long, extremely relieved breath, burying her face for a moment into the soft foam pillow before turning to gaze at the ceiling of the room.

Actually, during the several days of flight inside the Association’s VIP private jet, Sylvia could have slept in her luxurious special cabin. However, honestly, sleeping inside an aircraft felt less comfortable to her. Although the jet was already equipped with the best shock-absorption system, there were still small vibrations caused by stratospheric wind turbulence, changes in magical pressure outside the aircraft hull, and the soft continuous roar of the monster-core combustion engines. Those faint vibrations made the quality of her sleep in the air less than maximal and felt slightly disturbing.

Lying on a hotel bed that was truly solid, calm, and completely motionless like this felt a million times more pleasant.

Sylvia glanced toward the crystal wall clock that radiated a magical number glow. The time already showed late night. The glittering city atmosphere outside the window gradually began to dim as most of the capital’s facilities started closing their activities.

"Besides, it’s already past curfew now..." Sylvia murmured softly while rubbing her eyes that were beginning to feel heavy. "I feel far too lazy to go out and walk around in conditions this dark."

Not long afterward, Sol and Noir, who had finished their dinner feast, leapt up onto the gigantic bed. Sol curled up comfortably near Sylvia’s left arm, allowing its warm golden fur to touch Sylvia’s skin, while Noir reclined its black body near the foot of the bed. Both animals let out soft purring sounds simultaneously, creating an increasingly calm and sleep-inducing room atmosphere.

Sylvia curved a thin smile, gently stroking Sol’s head with the tip of her finger.

"Let’s just sleep first," Sylvia whispered to herself in the peaceful night silence.

Her eyelids slowly closed tightly. The warmth of the silk blanket, the extremely soft mattress, and the penthouse room atmosphere that was perfectly isolated from the outside world quickly drew her consciousness into a very deep sleep.

"We’ll save our energy... and go for a walk tomorrow morning."

With a single light magical touch from her mind, the crystal lamps around the room automatically dimmed, leaving only a warm golden-red glow in the corners of the room. Sylvia fell into a sound sleep on her first night in the Holy Capital of Tianhua, ready to welcome the morning and explore every corner of this magnificent city the next day.