I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl

Chapter 269 - 265 – The Stillness Between the Queen’s Breaths

Warm mist still clung to Sylvia’s skin as she stepped out of the great bath. Droplets of water slid from the tips of her long black hair, falling onto the stone floor and evaporating before they could even form a puddle.She exhaled softly a quiet, contented breath, like someone who had just regained full command of her own body.

"That’s enough," she murmured.

Her gaze shifted toward Stacia, who still sat at the edge of the bath, absorbed in the thick tome resting on her lap.

Steam veiled part of her face, but her calm, focused expression remained visible. Page after page turned beneath her fingers without pause.

"Don’t soak for too long," Sylvia said gently. "You’ll lose mana focus if you stay in enchanted water for too long."

Stacia didn’t look up. Her reply came in her usual quiet tone, almost like a whisper.

"I know, Sylvia. Just a bit more."

Sylvia shook her head lightly, her damp hair swaying with the motion.

"Always the same," she muttered, then walked toward the door, her steps graceful but unhurried.

When she stepped outside, the cooler air of the castle brushed against her skin. With a snap of her fingers, a long black gown materialized from her storage a dress of elegant cut, its back layered with fine lace that rippled like mist. In an instant, it wrapped itself around her, flowing gently with each step she took.

The castle corridors were quiet that morning. Soft purple light from enchanted lanterns flickered along the walls, swaying faintly with the breeze drifting through the tall windows.

In the distance, the rhythmic echo of undead guards’ footsteps could be heard, measured, mechanical, unbroken by any trace of life.

Sylvia moved calmly toward her study on the upper floor. When the large double doors opened, the scent of fresh ink and parchment greeted her.

The room was brightened by natural magic crystals hanging from the ceiling, and already felt alive because two figures were there before her.

Celes stood by the large desk, her half-loose silver hair slightly messy from hours of writing reports. Meanwhile, Aurellia sat at another table, thin glasses perched on her nose, signing documents with a serious expression.

A small flame floated at her fingertip, lighting the black ink candles they used for fast writing.

Both looked up when Sylvia entered.

"Your Majesty!" Aurellia said quickly, rising to her feet. "You’ve finished training?"

Sylvia smiled faintly. "And bathing. It seems the two of you never stop working even after the sun changes color."

Celes looked up, her eyes sharp but softened by a hint of a smile.

"Someone has to make sure this castle doesn’t collapse under the weight of paperwork, Sylvia."

Sylvia raised a brow. "That sounds like a mockery."

"Not a mockery," Celes replied immediately. "A fact."

Aurellia hid a small laugh behind her hand while Sylvia sighed quietly. She walked over to her desk, sat down, and began to pull one stack of reports toward her.

But before her fingers could even touch a pen, Celes spoke sharply.

"No."

Sylvia blinked. "No... what?"

Celes crossed her arms. "You’re still not allowed to work. Your body hasn’t fully stabilized. You need more time."

Sylvia gave a small huff. "I’m just sitting, not fighting gods."

"Sitting that turns into three hours of overtime, a hundred documents, and collapsing at your desk like usual," Aurellia added dryly without even looking up from her papers.

Sylvia glared at her, but Aurellia only smiled faintly, clearly familiar with the queen’s habits.

"Celes is right," Aurellia continued flatly. "You’ve just recovered. We can handle this."

Sylvia leaned back in her chair, looking between the two of them.

"Fine," she said at last, her tone half-resigned.

She sighed deeply. There was no point in arguing when the two of them were united.

Finally, she rose and moved to the long sofa by the wall. Sitting down, she crossed her legs and leaned back, watching them work from afar.

Celes wrote quickly, occasionally reading reports aloud in a low voice, while Aurellia checked the castle’s security sigils on the map beside her. The sound of scratching pens, rustling papers, and faint glowing magic filled the room.

For a while, Sylvia simply watched them as two figures who had once been mere silhouettes on her battlefield, now part of her quiet days.ouched me," she muttered with mild annoyance.

Then, with a small chuckle, "So you were right, Celes... I’m still not stable."

Her smile was faint, closer to embarrassed than proud. It felt strange, having someone so stubbornly protective of her.

Her hand reached for the glass of water on the bedside table. The glass, carved from black crystal, was cool to the touch, and the water inside was still fresh. She took a sip slowly, the chill sliding down her throat with a quiet refreshment.