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.

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

He smiled.

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 we made the deal, he gave me a piece

a few moments,

happened? Did

face, glanced at the sky, and

ideas of being her savior, I couldn't even really remember what she looked like. There was this girl, around twelve

for a while, then continued,

Just one family living in it, can you imagine? Well, I guess you can. Anyway… there was even a lawn. And a window… a big window

embarrassing astonishment, and tried to smile.

light, 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

looked at him

what did

at his own frail body, his dirty and ragged clothes, the bruises on his bloodied knuckles. And

years of dreaming of finding his sister 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 not bring anything good to her. He didn't have

Out there on that dark and rainy night, while

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

he slowly backed away, turned around,

he began showing the first

rest was

Sunny

the only selfless thing that I have ever done. I turned around and went away. Do you know

slowly shook

anger finally finding

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

a deep frown appearing on

that I lied about my intention to