Shadow Slave

Changing Star frowned. There was a hint of surprise visible in her cold, grey eyes.

"My… goal? Isn't it obvious?"

She gestured to the slum that surrounded them and the magnificent castle towering above it.

"I'm trying to help these people. What else?"

Sunny sighed.

Then, turning his face away, he asked:

"Hey, have I ever told you about my sister?"

Nephis blinked.

"No. Why bring this up all of the sudden?"

He smiled wistfully.

"I just was reminded of her recently, so I thought I'd share. You see… our parents died when we were little. She got adopted, but I ended up on the streets. Life wasn't really sweet for me. In fact, it was nothing but unsavory and bitter. So, young as I was, I simply imagined that it was the same for her. That's why I got obsessed with the idea of finding her. I had this fantasy in my head, you know, of saving and protecting her. Becoming a family again."

Sunny grimaced.

"But how could a penniless undesirable like me find anyone? You know how the city databases are. Even if they're functional, unsealing anything requires you to be a citizen, and one of a considerable rank, too. However, I was ready to do anything to accomplish my goal. So, I saved up money. A street kid can't earn much, but even then, I saved up as much as I could."

A dark expression appeared on his face.

I would keep putting away the pathetic amount of credits I had earned through doing all kinds of horrid crap. And after four

He smiled.

to gather information for him. His services weren't cheap, but I trusted him. Or in him, at least. So I gave all my money to that guy and told him to find my sister. And you know what? He did. One day, about a month after

moments, then asked

happened? Did you

his face, glanced at the sky,

I actually met her near the tram terminal. Only at that time, I didn't recognize her. You see, despite my lofty ideas of being her savior, I couldn't even really remember what she looked like. There was this girl, around twelve years old, wearing a tidy school uniform. She

for a while, then continued, his voice strangely

to themselves. Just one family living in it, can you imagine? Well, I guess you

his own embarrassing astonishment,

I observed her family for a while. She had parents who loved her and treated her well. She had real food, and enough of it to never go hungry. She had pretty clothes and expensive

at him and

did you

own frail body, his dirty and ragged clothes, the bruises on

her, he was faced with the simple fact that she… she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that

Out there on that dark and rainy night, while Sunny was standing in the shadows, something in his heart was

of situation he would find himself in after this, nothing would really

motionless for a long time, he slowly backed away, turned around,

few days after that, he began showing the first symptoms of being infected

the rest was

memories, Sunny pretended to be carefree

ever done. I turned around and went away. Do

slowly shook her

finally finding its

cretin like me was able to realize that the person he wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please tell me, Neph, why is it that you, with all your intelligence and clarity, can't seem to do the

stared at him, a deep frown appearing on her

about my intention to help these people? If so,