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.

things about

to deserve his hostility. But there just was something about the proud

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

just gives me the

shrugged

Star's hunting party had changed a lot since his last visit. It had already looked pretty presentable back when he was a member, but now, the lodge

were built to expand it both horizontally

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

was a far cry from how

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

with warm carpets covering the stone floor and various tapestries hanging on the

gone from their eyes,

an

that he saw, Nephis was almost asking to be

thoughts were disrupted by a young woman who greeted them

I help you with

knew her. No one came to mind. Trying to remove the scowl from his face, he

"Neph is expecting me."

The young woman blinked.

sorry. Who

Sunny rolled his eyes.

is expecting me. You know… Changing Star of the

woman's eyes

Let me show

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

Just as they were walking by, Sunny glanced inside and saw that it was

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

'Figures.'

was thoroughly replaced by the scion of the Han Li clan. Well, whatever. The cot was not very comfortable anyway, unlike his luxurious wide bed in the

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 by a thick wall, with a sturdy wooden door barring

deep breath, then

had imagined that moment a lot of times in

happen in the presence of an unreasonably