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.

heard only good things about

really done anything to deserve his hostility. But there just was something about the proud Legacy that gave Sunny a familiar

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

just gives me

answer, Kai shrugged and

had already looked pretty presentable back when he was a member, but now,

first thing that caught the eye was that it had grown much bigger. During the months of his absence, additional structures were built to expand it both horizontally and vertically. Now, it was by far the largest building in the outer settlement, almost starting to resemble

the white road. A couple of lookouts were visible on the roof, observing the ruins below. They were wearing armor-type Memories and

was a far cry

with various tasks. Sunny froze for a moment, disoriented by all the activity. He almost felt as though he had somehow mistakenly

not the neat and tastefully decorated interior, with warm carpets covering the stone floor and various tapestries

rot of hopelessness was almost gone from their

Gunlaug put an end

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

disrupted by a young woman who

help you

he knew her. No one came to mind. Trying to remove

"Neph is expecting me."

The young woman blinked.

Who is

Sunny rolled his eyes.

is expecting me. You know…

young woman's eyes

Let me show you the

truth be told, he wasn't sure that he did. With all the changes that happened to the lodge, he had no idea where

to belong to him. Just as they

that the new owner left on the narrow cot. They were Caster's. A

'Figures.'

clan. Well, whatever. The cot was not very comfortable anyway, unlike his

the old lodge. Now, it was separated from

a deep

that moment a lot

that his reunion with the cohort would happen in the presence of an unreasonably attractive, washed-out pop