Shadow Slave

Their first hunt was surprisingly uneventful.

Guided by an experienced pathfinder and augmented by Sunny's stealthy shadow, they managed to avoid any Fallen creatures and arrive at the destination in one piece. There, the group hid in the ruins and waited for their prey to show up.

The plan of battle was discussed beforehand. After Effie had described the type of monster they were here to kill, complete with a detailed list of its strengths and weaknesses, Nephis quickly assigned different roles to different people.

Sunny had expected that things would work just like back in the Labyrinth, but to his surprise, they did not. Just like before, Neph was going to take most of the risk and lure the enemy into revealing its vulnerability. However, Caster was going to be the one to make use of it and deal the fatal blow, not Sunny.

Which made sense, really. After all, his Ability was not a combat one, at least not officially. It was rational to entrust the role to someone with an incredibly powerful combat Ability, as the one Caster possessed.

Still, for some reason, Sunny felt angry about it. It felt as though he was being replaced.

Not wishing to appear childish, he swallowed his bitterness and remained silent.

When the monster did show up, everything went perfectly. Nephis and Caster were able to finish the creature off without sustaining any injuries. Their teamwork, while not effortless, was strangely harmonious, probably because both were Legacies and had received similar kind of training. Sunny, whose task was to join the fray if things went wrong, ended up not having to lift a finger.

Neither did Effie, who simply stayed with Cassie in case the blind girl needed protection. After everything was over, she laughed:

"Ha, this is the easiest meal I've ever earned!"

Effie's status in the party was a bit strange. Unlike the rest of them, she had not shown any desire to join the cohort officially. Instead, she was somewhat of a hired worker — her responsibilities included guiding the party through the ruins and providing them with information, and nothing else. She wasn't even required to fight side by side with them.

After the Nightmare Creature was dead, they quickly butchered it and left the scene of the battle loaded with a heavy weight of meat. Before the shadow of the Crimson Spire fell on the Dark City, the cohort was already approaching the marble arch at the base of the hill.

This was when something unexpected finally happened. And it happened because of Nephis.

After giving a fair share of the spoils to the vigorous huntress, she glanced at Sunny, Cassie, and Caster. Then, Changing Star said:

"I would like for you three to entrust me with your part of the meat."

What is

Sunny had an opportunity to ask a question, Cassie already

"Of course, Neph!"

did not linger, either. With a

you wish, lady

After that, he would have looked like a complete jerk if he were to start interrogating her. Especially because, technically, he had not done

"...Fine."

gave them a nod and continued

monster meat into two parts. One, much smaller part, she handed to Cassie. The other, incomparably larger part, she simply placed on the white stones

process with curiosity. So did the slum dwellers who had gathered to welcome

Sunny frowned:

"What are you doing?"

and then gestured to

ourselves. We will eat that meat until our next

from the

you

some of their spoils. That was how people here fed themselves. The meat could be exchanged for items, services,

who had gathered around and looked at them with a frown. When everyone grew

not be selling any meat.

took a step to the side, gestured to the large pile of

giving it away

***

edge of the outer settlement. The slum dwellers who had come to catch a glimpse of Changing Star

while, someone

People here are hungry, Changing Star! Shame on

furrowed her brow, and

is no trick. Everyone is free to take a small share

man who had accused her before

you just hand it out for free? Do you