Dila narrowed her eyes, her fingers tightening slightly on the door frame.
"Nari," she whispered in her mind, "analyze the area. Scan for anomalies—anything that might cause harm."
☆ Understood, master. I'll keep awareness at full sensitivity. Beginning scan now… ■•••• ☆
A soft pulse of light shimmered just behind Dila's eyes as her system synced. Her passive skill, Eavesdrop, flickered silently into motion—stretching her sense of hearing down the corridor, across the still air.
But there was… nothing.
No footsteps.
No whispers.
No breathing.
Even the castle's usual morning hum—the maids, the shuffling of guards, the soft clatter of breakfast trays—gone.
☆ Master… I'm not detecting any life signatures within fifty meters. It's like this entire wing has gone silent. ☆
"…That's not normal," Dila murmured to herself. Her voice echoed faintly through the empty hallway.
She stepped out, her bare feet brushing the cool marble floor.
