Shadow Slave

Sunny stared at Nephis, stunned by her answer. He didn't expect her to admit it so easily.

Meanwhile, she just shrugged.

"What? Was I supposed to deny it? Why should I? You are the one who is obsessed with lies, Sunny, not me."

The corner of Changing Star's mouth twitched.

"Actually, I have to thank you. If it wasn't for you, I would have never learned how to deceive people so easily. I had a very sheltered upbringing, for obvious reasons. Communicating with others had always been something I knew very little about."

She smiled darkly.

"How fortunate it was to meet you, of all people, on this forsaken shore. Lucky me. Right?"

Sunny blinked. What was she talking about? He remembered how, during their journey to the Dark City, Nephis had tried to mimic Cassie in how she spoke to people. Had she been studying him, too?

Neph took a step forward and pierced him with an intense, burning gaze.

"No one survives in the Dream Realm alone. I knew that I won't be an exception to this rule, so I watched Cassie and you and tried my hardest to learn from you both. That's when I noticed that nothing you ever said — or did — was true. Wasn't it?"

'Crap.'

Sunny felt a cold shiver running down his spine.

She scoffed.

"No matter what happened, you somehow always managed to keep your real thoughts, desires, and reasons hidden. I've never seen anyone so adept at deception. Congratulations, Sunny! The mind games you played with us were almost as devious as the mental hex of the Soul Devourer. It was nothing short of inspiring."

Star paused and shook

such a thing was possible. Silly me. I didn't know a lot of things before I met

She smiled.

learning how to use a sword from me, I was learning how to use people from you. So please, Sunny, accept

a finger at him. Then, with

get the audacity to blame me for doing the same thing you do to

truth? Did Neph actually learn how to be this manipulative

'Oh, no…'

a worse role model even if they tried. What a cruel twist of fate, to be sent

Sunny gritted his teeth.

"That's not the same…"

Changing Star scowled.

am doing different? I haven't told a single lie to these people. I gave them just enough truth to make them deceive themselves, just like you taught me. But what, now that it was turned around on you, it is suddenly not fair? Now you won't settle for anything less

She smirked.

this pathetic, hopeless existence? It isn't. I am going to kill Gunlaug. After he is dead, the Bright Castle will become engulfed in a civil war, with each of the five lieutenants vying for the throne.

Her eyes glistened.

— a chance to return to the real world or die like a human should, standing tall and with a sword in their hand, instead of living in fear like a rat! I thought that you, of

how could she be so nonchalant about

it all wrong. He was looking at it from his own perspective, the perspective of someone who was used to surviving at all costs, to putting survival above

that there were things more valuable

not worth living was that much worse than a worthy

right to make that decision on

his head,

terrible to live here? Is Gunlaug really so bad that you would rather see all of us die than let us remain

expression appeared on Changing Star's face. With cold contempt

a thousand hopeless people alive in this hell is the kind of task that can turn a saint into a demon. No… there is only one crime he committed that I can never

Sunny raised an eyebrow.