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."

paused and

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.

see… while you were learning how to use a sword from me, I was learning how to use people from you. So please, Sunny, accept my sincere gratitude. I could

at

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

the truth? Did Neph actually learn how to be this manipulative and

'Oh, no…'

tried. What a cruel twist of fate, to be sent into the Dream Realm

Sunny gritted his teeth.

"That's not the same…"

Changing Star scowled.

like you

She smirked.

blood. That is my plan. So what? How is 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

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

how could she be so nonchalant about the idea of causing the deaths of so many people? Had their

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 viewed the

there were things more valuable than staying

worth living was that much worse than a worthy death. Maybe, in her mind,

her the right to make

head,

here? Is Gunlaug really so bad that you would rather see

Star's face. With cold contempt ringing in her voice, she

any better? Keeping 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

Sunny raised an eyebrow.