The merchant carriage rolled slowly along the winding dirt road, its iron wheels swaying gently to the rhythm of the two calm zombie horses' steps clop… clop… clop…. The soft morning wind blew against the carriage's canvas cover, carrying the scent of wet leaves, damp soil, and a faint mossy smell from the dense forest on both sides of the road. The sky was still the characteristic grayish-purple of the Nocture region, but the farther they traveled from the city, the black mist grew thinner, replaced by a faint red light that gently seeped through the tall trees.
Sylvia sat relaxed on the driver's seat, holding the reins loosely in her hands. She didn't actually need to control the horses. The two undead creatures were intelligent enough to walk on their own with just a single mental command from their queen. But to maintain the appearance of an ordinary merchant, Sylvia still held the reins, occasionally pulling them lightly or loosening her grip so her movements looked natural.
