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.

all kinds of horrid crap. And after four or five years of this, by the time I was nearly seventeen, I finally had enough to hire

He smiled.

nobodies 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

hesitated for a few moments, then asked

happened? Did you

glanced at the sky, and

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 was walking in the same direction as me.

was silent for a while, then continued, his voice

dark. I think it was raining. The house was situated in a really nice district. They actually had the whole house to themselves. Just one family living in it, can you imagine? Well, I guess you can. Anyway…

of it, his own embarrassing astonishment,

food, and enough

at him

what did

immediately. Instead, he remembered how he just stood there, watching those happy people. How he looked down at his own frail body, his dirty and

with the simple fact that she… she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that he existed. More than

and rainy night, while Sunny was standing in the shadows, something in his heart was extinguished forever.

what kind of situation he would find himself in after this, nothing

motionless for a long time, he slowly

that, he began showing the first symptoms of being

rest

off the unpleasant memories, Sunny pretended to

ever done. I turned around

slowly shook

the anger finally finding its way into

he wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please tell me, Neph, why

deep frown appearing on

intention to help these people? If