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!'

at him for a few

to eat.

there

changes were not instantly apparent, but to Sunny,

looked older, somehow. It was as if there was an invisible weight pressing down on her, the kind that people usually

so happy that you

turned away. This… wasn't exactly the kind of welcome he had expected from her. He had been sure that the blind girl would give him a hug, at least. That was how it always happened

she is shy

a feeling that he already knew the true reason for her subdued attitude. He just

the vision.

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

did you guys

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 room imperceptibly

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"What is that thing?"

man sat on a chair next to Changing Star and

a cone of silence. No one outside this room will be able to hear

Sunny that they were going to discuss something that had to do with the Bright Lord, Gunlaug himself. Suddenly, he felt an irrational desire to be anywhere else but in this brightly lit room. The wide window began to look

He sighed.

all? Can't say that I'm surprised. If

Effie giggled.

"Oh, did he ever…"

her, making the huntress fall

a move. We have withstood his previous attacks, but they were just a rehearsal. A

Sunny raised his eyebrow:

can a cockroach like me help the great and

a

I sort of agree with Sunny. What can this little imp… uh, no offense, Sunny… do that we can't? I

"Hey! Offense taken!"

then

the last person in the Dark City I

few moments passed in silence, with everyone staring at him. Finally, Sunny

well. I guess the secret is out of the box. Surprise, everybody! I am actually not

Effie and added in

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

However, Neph interrupted him: