Chapter 33: The Capital That Loved Too Perfectly

The fall out of the Drowned Chapters wasn't dramatic.

There was no light.

No explosion.

Just a snap — like a page being turned back by an impatient reader.

Kai stumbled forward, boots hitting paved marble.

Clean. Impossibly clean.

Behind him, Seris caught herself mid-fall, blue lightning fading around her limbs.

They stood in a wide city square.

People milled about, smiling, laughing. Music floated from crystal speakers. There were no guards. No taxes. No beggars.

It was perfect.

Which meant…

It was wrong.

[System Alert: Timeline Instance – Capital Prime v0.91]

Status: Constructed Reality

Purpose: Romantic Fulfillment Scenario

Narrative Quality: "Idealized Love Interest Arc"

Warning: Emotional Distortion Field Active

Kai's stomach dropped.

"Why does everything smell like cinnamon and lies?"

Seris sniffed the air. "It's fake happiness. Tastes like soap."