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.

the pathetic amount of credits I had earned through doing all kinds of

He smiled.

gave all my money to that guy and told him to find my sister. And you know what?

a few moments, then asked

happened? Did you meet your

glanced at the

really remember what she looked like. There was this girl, around

while, then continued, his voice strangely

one family living in it, can you imagine? Well, I

it, his own embarrassing astonishment, and tried to

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

at

what did you

Instead, he remembered how he just stood there, watching those happy people. How he looked down at his own frail body, his dirty and ragged clothes, the bruises on his bloodied knuckles. And realized how utterly out of place he

and saving her, he was faced with the simple fact that she… she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that he existed. More than that, returning into her life would

to read more chapters ? ] Out there on that dark and rainy night, while

himself in after this, nothing would really compare to the darkness he felt in that

a long time, he slowly backed away, turned around, and walked into

that, he began showing the first symptoms of being infected by the

rest was

unpleasant memories, Sunny pretended to be carefree and

I have ever done. I

shook her

grinned, the anger finally finding its way into his

wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please tell me, Neph, why is it that you, with all your intelligence and clarity,

stared at him, a deep frown

I lied about my intention to