Chapter 571 - 567 – THE BLACK DRAGON AT THE MAYOR’S RESIDENCE AND A LEISURELY MORNING PLAN

Warm morning sunlight slowly filtered through the gaps in the thick velvet curtains of the main bedroom in the Silver Tower apartment. The golden light illuminated the luxurious room rented by Sylvia, reflecting off the gleaming marble floor and first-class mahogany furniture. A cool morning breeze drifted in from the balcony that had deliberately been left slightly open, carrying with it the scent of dew and the faint sounds of the bustling activity of the city’s lower-district residents beginning their day.

Inside the spacious apartment dining room, Sylvia sat comfortably leaning back in a soft leather-upholstered chair. Her long jet-black hair was left free, framing her beautiful and calm face. She wore a loose, pure-white silk pajama that was extremely comfortable, enjoying a peaceful morning moment.

On the glass dining table before her was an extraordinarily luxurious breakfast spread. The management of the Silver Tower truly provided maximum service for VIP guests holding a black-gold card like Sylvia. There was a stack of thick pancakes drizzled with maple syrup from an ancient spirit tree, perfectly roasted snow-bear meat sausages, scrambled eggs sprinkled with magical truffle mushrooms, and a cup of dense black coffee with a caramel aroma that steamed hot vapor.

Of course, that luxurious breakfast was not enjoyed alone. On the left and right sides of the table, her two familiars were also enjoying their own morning feasts.

Sol, the golden cat whose true form was a golden dragon, appeared extremely busy burying its face into a gigantic silver bowl filled with premium-class flying-fish meat cuts. Its golden tail wagged rapidly left and right, signaling the absolute happiness of a pet whose stomach was always pampered.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Noir sat with a far more elegant and dignified posture. The pitch-black cat with glowing purple eyes ate Rank 4 water-dragon steak cuts from its porcelain plate with small, precise, and neat bites. There was no noisy sound or carelessness; every movement radiated the aristocratic aura of a lethal ruler of the night.

In the middle of that calm and pleasant breakfast atmosphere, a sound suddenly broke the silence.

Bzzzt... Ting!

The public-broadcast communication crystal installed in the corner of the apartment wall, a standard facility for upper-class rooms to provide the latest news to noble tenants, suddenly lit up brightly. Normally the crystal only displayed weather reports or market commodity prices, yet this time the crystal blinked with an emergency red color.

A panicked and breathless magical voice projection from a local news announcer echoed throughout the entire room.

"E-Emergency announcement for all citizens! We repeat, this is an emergency announcement from the upper-district security center! Last night, around two o’clock in the early morning, a disaster-scale incident struck the Official Residence of Mayor Garmon!"

Sylvia stopped the knife and fork that had just been about to cut a sausage. She raised one eyebrow, shifting her gaze toward the broadcast crystal while slowly sipping her black coffee.

"According to the testimonies of dozens of elite guards on duty, a terrifying phenomenon suddenly turned the sky above the upper district pitch black. Not long after that, a gigantic Black Dragon whose entire body was made of shadows and dark mist descended from the sky! The monster of unidentified rank went on a rampage and completely destroyed the entire complex of the Mayor’s palace in less than five minutes!"

The announcer’s voice rose higher, colored by genuine disbelief.

"However, strangely... amid the total destruction that reduced the main palace buildings to piles of dust and rubble, there was not a single casualty! Repeat, zero casualties! The rescue team found Mayor Garmon and his main advisor, Master Thorne, buried under the ruins of their office. Physically, they only suffered light injuries such as scratches and small bruises. However, the mental condition of both is reported to be extremely shaken! The Lord Mayor continuously weeps hysterically and mutters about the ’shadow of death,’ while Master Thorne was found in a dazed condition, hugging his magic staff that had been broken into two pieces!"

"Currently, the entire city guard force has been deployed to evacuate the area. The Hunter Association has also sent a high-level investigation team to track the energy traces of that black dragon. Citizens are urged to remain calm and..."

Sylvia did not listen to the continuation of the warning news. She set her coffee cup back onto the small plate with a soft clink.

The atmosphere at the dining table suddenly fell silent. Sol paused its chewing for a moment, glanced with its innocent round eyes toward the crystal, then continued eating as though nothing had happened.

Sylvia slowly turned her head, staring straight at the black cat that sat sweetly on her right side.

Noir had just finished swallowing the last piece of its water-dragon steak. Sensing its master’s gaze, the black cat stopped the activity of licking its claws. It looked up, regarding Sylvia with a pair of round purple eyes that blinked slowly, displaying an expression of innocence that was extremely contrasting with the disaster news that had just been broadcast.

Sylvia recalled the order she had given Noir the previous afternoon. ’Just give them a small warning inside their dreams. Make them understand the true shadow of fear.’

Apparently, Noir had taken the initiative to interpret that "small warning" by manifesting its true form in gigantic size, leveling the mayor’s palace completely to the ground, yet with absolute microscopic precision so that not a single life was lost, in accordance with Sylvia’s prohibition against killing.

Seeing how the greedy mayor and his arrogant advisor had now become men whose minds were shattered and who no longer dared to harass the common people, Sylvia could not hold back the faint smile that rose to her lips. The action was indeed extreme, but it had to be admitted that it was extremely effective and efficient.

Sylvia stretched out her hand, touching Noir’s soft dense-furred head. With an affectionate motion, she stroked the black cat’s head from the forehead to the back of the neck.

"Excellent work, Noir," Sylvia praised with a sincere and gentle tone of voice. "You gave them the proper terror without crossing the limit I set. Extremely satisfying."

Hearing direct praise from the lips of the great existence it served, Noir’s pair of purple eyes immediately narrowed into crescent moons from joy. From within its small body came an extremely heavy purring sound, purr... purr..., vibrating until the porcelain plates on the table trembled slightly. Its black tail coiled around Sylvia’s wrist, returning its master’s touch with absolute pride and satisfaction. To it, destroying a mortal human’s residence was nothing, but receiving praise from Sylvia was the highest achievement.

After finishing the breakfast colored by that "small" disaster news, Sylvia decided to get ready. She changed out of her silk pajamas into casual clothing that still radiated elegance. She chose to wear a light-cotton long-sleeved white blouse, paired with flexible black leather pants, and knee-high boots. Her black hair was left free to cover her back. Simple, yet somehow it made her look like a mysterious elite adventurer.

"Come on, kids. Let’s go outside for a walk and breathe some fresh air," Sylvia invited.

Sol immediately leapt onto Sylvia’s left shoulder, while Noir elegantly leapt onto her right shoulder.

The moment Sylvia stepped out of the Silver Tower lobby and descended onto the city streets, an atmosphere of panic was immediately palpable. Citizens gathered at every street corner, intersection, and square, gossiping in whispers filled with fear and curiosity. City guards ran back and forth with tense faces; some rode armored horses toward the upper district.

Sylvia walked leisurely through that crowd, completely unaffected by the tense atmosphere that enveloped the city. She walked as though in her own garden.

Her first destination was the upper-class shopping district. Although she possessed an inventory dimension filled with treasures from various worlds she had conquered, shopping for local mortal goods always provided its own entertainment for her.

She visited a well-known magical clothing boutique in the city. The shop owner, who had initially been tense because of this morning’s news, immediately smiled so widely that his eyes narrowed upon seeing Sylvia’s aristocratic aura. The girl selected several jackets of mid-rank monster leather and weather-resistant traveling cloaks. She did not bother asking the prices.

When she arrived at the cashier counter, Sylvia casually took out her black-gold VIP Access Card from the system inventory.

Swipe.

The sharp sound of credit validation immediately made the shop owner bow respectfully many times. Payment using this elite digital credit was truly practical. She no longer needed to carry heavy, jingling pouches of gold or platinum coins. A single swipe, and the entire transaction was completed instantly.

After the boutique, Sylvia strolled along the rows of fruit and snack stalls at the edge of the square. She bought several sticks of cold spirit-fruit candy for herself, and purchased savory smoked-meat snacks for Sol and Noir from the street vendors. Along the way, not a few eyes stole glances toward her. The combination of absolute beauty with fluttering black hair, plus two strange cats perched on her shoulders, made her the center of attention. Yet the untouchable aura she radiated ensured that not a single thug or lecherous noble dared approach.

After several hours of walking around and buying items she might not particularly need, Sylvia decided to rest. She found an open café that had a clean terrace with a direct view toward the city’s fountain monument.

She sat in a shaded rattan chair, ordered a glass of cold orange juice and a plate of cookies, then allowed Sol and Noir to leap onto the table to rest.

While enjoying the midday breeze, Sylvia’s thoughts began to drift toward her travel plans.

Her main purpose in coming to this mortal region was to head toward the Kingdom’s Capital. There, the center of all magical knowledge, political intrigue, ancient history, and the secrets of this world gathered. She knew the capital would provide far more interesting entertainment and information than this quiet border city.

"The Capital, huh..." Sylvia murmured softly, stirring her orange juice with a glass straw. "There will certainly be many strong people, arrogant nobles who need to be taught manners, and perhaps several interesting artifacts left over from ancient times that I can turn into a collection."

She indeed intended to continue her journey there. The road access was open, long-distance magical trains from the Hunter Association also operated every day, and nothing was holding her in this city any longer. The matter of the roasted-meat tavern grandfather had also been permanently settled thanks to Noir’s actions last night.

Yet when her thoughts turned toward the Silver Tower apartment, Sylvia’s brow furrowed slightly.

She remembered that when she registered at the receptionist of that super-luxurious apartment, she had paid the full rental fee for a sufficiently long period. Money or in this case, credit points was not a problem for her at all. Her wealth was unlimited. However, for someone who possessed the mentality of a ruler who valued comfort, leaving behind the soft bed and free breakfast she had only enjoyed for two or three days felt like a small waste.

"It would be a bit of a pity if we left today," Sylvia monologued to herself, propping her chin with her hand while gazing at the fountain that sprayed clear water. "That apartment is extremely comfortable. The magical hot-spring pool inside has really helped me relax after so long on the upper-world battlefields. And besides, this city still has several street foods I have not yet had the chance to taste all of."

Sol meowed softly, as though agreeing with the "street food" part of its master’s thoughts.

Sylvia smiled faintly. Her decision was already firm.

"Very well, I think there is no need to rush. Time holds no meaning for me. The Capital will not run away or change location even if I postpone it for a few more days," Sylvia decided casually.

She leaned back comfortably in her chair, allowing the sunlight to fall upon her face. She would spend the remaining time of her apartment rental by enjoying this peaceful slow life. Shopping, walking without purpose, trying new foods, and perhaps observing the amusing sight of the local residents still panicking as they tried to figure out where the Black Dragon that destroyed their mayor’s residence had come from.

"Besides..." Sylvia thought while glancing at Noir, who was licking residual candy from its front claws, "...watching this city try to solve a mystery whose perpetrator is currently sitting and eating snacks at this roadside café is entertainment too valuable to miss."