The rhythmic clicking of the mechanical keyboard echoed through the office, filled with the scent of instant coffee and the pressure of deadlines. Alice Pandora leisurely sipped her barley tea, leaning back in her chair, enjoying the peacefulness of a late afternoon.
A long time had passed since that incident, and everything around her seemed to have returned to its normal course. The life of an ordinary office worker, monotonous yet offering a unique sense of entertainment. He called it the "chill" of humanity.
"Alice! Where's the quarterly market analysis document I asked you to work on yesterday? Why are you still sitting here so leisurely?"
The arrogant department head slammed his hand down on her desk, his face flushed with anger and his usual nagging habit. If it were the Alice of the past, she would surely tremble, bowing her head and muttering apologies. But now, Alice only slowly looked up.
Her demeanor remained perfectly normal, showing no sign of any supernatural power or pressure. She neither resisted nor retorted with sharp words. However, Alice's eyes were now strangely different.
They were no longer the vibrant dark purple they had been at the beginning, but had sunk to a deep, dark, and far more ominous black—a bottomless, cold void that swallowed all light.
Just looking into those dark eyes, the department head froze. An inexplicable shiver ran down his spine.
Alice's silence and deep gaze made him feel strangely uneasy, even though she hadn't done anything. He swallowed hard, his voice unconsciously softening:
"Uh... make sure you submit it to me soon." Then, he immediately turned and walked straight back to his office, his heart filled with doubt about the invisible transformation of the once shy employee.
Alice smiled faintly, returning to her computer screen.
She adapted to this life very well, behaving perfectly like a normal human being, concealing her true nature beneath a human facade.
That afternoon, Alice left work on time. She strolled leisurely through the city's drizzle, watching the hurried crowds. This game of playing human was truly peaceful, but this boredom began to stir a dark side in her eyes, seeking some new, more violent pleasure.