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."

and shook her

lies. How… brilliant. I never even knew that such a thing was possible. Silly me. I didn't know a lot of things before I

She smiled.

I was learning how to use people from you. So please, Sunny, accept my sincere gratitude.

and stabbed a finger at him. Then, with anger

where do you get the audacity to blame me for doing

truth? Did Neph actually

'Oh, no…'

even if they tried. What a cruel twist of fate, to

Sunny gritted his teeth.

"That's not the same…"

Changing Star scowled.

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

She smirked.

it worse than 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

Her eyes glistened.

gather those of us who remain alive and make a road of bones for the lucky few to reach the Gateway. That is my promise. That is the salvation I offer to the people of Dark City — a chance to return to the real world or die like a human should,

at her in disbelief. How could… how could she be so nonchalant about the idea

realized that he was looking at 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 all else. However, that was how his old self had

Shore, Sunny had learned that there were things more valuable

worse than a worthy death. Maybe, in her mind, she really was trying to help

her the right to make that decision

head,

Gunlaug really so bad that you would rather see all

With

any better? Keeping a thousand hopeless people alive in this hell is the kind of task

Sunny raised an eyebrow.