Shadow Slave

The four people in the room reacted to his arrival differently.

Nephis seemed to be indifferent, as always. However, Sunny knew her well enough to notice a strange tension hiding in the depths of her calm grey eyes.

Caster greeted him with an amiable smile, but there was coldness hiding behind it. It seemed as though the handsome scion was not happy about this turn of events. Did he see him as a rival for Neph's attention, or was there more to it?

In any case, it was not Sunny's problem. He did not plan on returning to the cohort on a permanent basis. Caster could have all the attention to himself.

Effie looked at him with a genuine surprise.

"Doofus? You are actually alive?"

Sunny blinked and stared at her for a few moments, then said in an acrid tone:

"Sorry to disappoint."

She shook her head.

"No, no. Just… how the hell did you manage to survive three whole months in the ruins?"

He grinned.

"What can I say? I had a good teacher."

Since Effie was the one who taught him how to navigate the Dark City, that compliment was directed at her. However, the huntress simply shook her head.

"No student of mine would be stupid enough to actually live in the ruins. Not to mention returning looking so… feral."

'Do I look feral?'

Sunny took a mental picture of himself. Ragged clothes, dirty hair, a crooked grin, a hint of madness burning in his eyes… no, he couldn't see anything wrong with how he looked. In fact, the thought he looked great.

With an offended frown, he glanced at Effie and said:

"Yeah? Well… you look like you've gained a little weight."

…In all the right places.

'Focus, fool!'

him for a few

girl got to eat. But also…

there was

out of all of them. The changes were not

there was an invisible weight pressing down on her, the kind that people usually accumulated with the

I'm so happy that

had expected from her. He had been sure that

she is shy

he already knew the true reason for her subdued attitude.

vision. That damn

away the feeling of dread, he sat down on one of the chairs and offered another

you guys want

Caster walked over to the door and closed it. After that, he summoned a Memory that looked like a bone flute and placed it on the table. Immediately, something in the

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"What is that thing?"

man sat on a chair

Memory has an enchantment that creates a cone of silence. No one outside

something that had to do with the Bright Lord, Gunlaug himself. Suddenly, he felt an irrational desire to be anywhere else

He sighed.

the Bright Lord is finally ready to obliterate you all? Can't say that I'm surprised. If anything, it's strange that he didn't make

Effie giggled.

"Oh, did he ever…"

huntress fall silent, and turned to

were just a rehearsal. A few provocations to test

Sunny raised his eyebrow:

the great and mighty Changing Star of the Immortal Flame

Nephis a

What can this little

"Hey! Offense taken!"

Star smiled, then looked

Effie. Sunny might behave like a cowardly weakling, but in fact, he's the last person in the Dark City I would want to face in

face. A few moments passed in silence, with everyone

box. Surprise, everybody! I

glared at Effie and added

My mistake. Actually, everyone except for you already knew. It seems that you

However, Neph interrupted him: