Shadow Slave

On the way out of the castle, Kai was strangely silent. Sunny didn't mind, because he had a lot to think about.

Going back to that lodge… there were a lot of things there that he had hoped to never see, feel, or experience again. For a moment, he even thought about rushing straight back to his cathedral without making good on his promise.

But why should he? It's not like he asked to be invited back. Nephis was the one who wanted his help with something.

'Just pretend like you don't care. Also, demand to be compensated for whatever it is they want you to do. You're an outsider now, and your services won't be cheap.'

Yeah, that was the best option. He wasn't going to agree to anything that didn't serve his own selfish interests. And there were a lot of things that Changing Star, with her thriving hunting party and following, could provide him with.

There was this one thing in particular, something he really wanted to do, but couldn't on his own. Maybe they would be able to help him with that...

As they were approaching the lodge, Kai suddenly asked in a serious tone:

"Sunny… why did you want me to come with you, really?"

Sunny sighed. Glancing at the charming archer, he hesitated, then said:

"I want you to tell me if I'm being lied to."

Kai frowned.

"I thought that Lady Nephis was your friend. Why are you so wary of her?"

Sunny chuckled.

Was she a friend? Even he didn't know what exactly the two of them were to each other. Worse yet, he wasn't sure what they would become.

"She's the kind of friend you don't really want to lower your guard around."

He lingered for a moment, then added:

"There's also a guy called Caster. He's the one I especially don't trust."

The archer raised his eyebrows.

good things about Caster.

and scowled. To be honest, Caster hadn't really done anything to deserve his hostility. But there just was

was too perfect. In Sunny's experience, only people with bad intentions were capable of appearing so flawless. Perhaps he was wrong, but the policy of always assuming the worst had too clean of a track

gives me the

this answer, Kai shrugged and followed Sunny into the

Star's hunting party had changed a lot since his last visit. It had already looked pretty presentable back

months of his absence, additional structures were built to expand it both horizontally and vertically. Now, it was by

road. A couple of lookouts were visible on the roof, observing the ruins

a far cry from how things

for a moment, disoriented by all the activity. He almost

floor and various tapestries hanging on the sturdy stone walls. No, the main

from their

hasn't Gunlaug put an end to all this

he saw, Nephis was almost asking to be destroyed. How was all of

thoughts were disrupted by a young woman who greeted them

I help you

stared at the smiling girl, trying to remember if he knew her. No one came to mind. Trying to remove the scowl from

"Neph is expecting me."

The young woman blinked.

Who

Sunny rolled his eyes.

know… Changing Star of the

young woman's eyes

I see. Let me

wasn't sure that he did. With all the changes

to belong to him. Just as they were walking by, Sunny glanced inside and saw that

couple of things that the new owner left on the narrow cot. They were Caster's. A corner of his

'Figures.'

scion of the Han Li clan. Well, whatever. The cot was not very

the young woman led them to the area that used to be the central hall of the old lodge. Now, it was separated from the rest of it

deep

had imagined that moment a

that his reunion with the cohort would happen in