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

got to eat. But also…

there

the most out of all of them. The changes were not instantly apparent, but to Sunny, who knew her so well, they were

if there was an invisible weight pressing down on her, the kind

so happy that you are

of welcome he had expected from her. He had been sure that the blind girl would give him

she is shy because of

already knew the true reason for her subdued attitude. He just didn't want to admit

vision.

he sat down on one of the chairs and

you guys

saying anything, Caster walked over to the door and closed it. After that, he summoned a Memory that looked like a

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"What is that thing?"

young man sat on a chair next

enchantment that creates a cone of silence. No one outside this room will be able

was already enough to tell Sunny that they were going to discuss something that had to do with the Bright Lord, Gunlaug himself.

He sighed.

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…"

her, making the huntress fall silent, and turned to

The Bright Lord is indeed about to make a move. We have withstood his previous attacks, but they were just a rehearsal. A few provocations to test out strength. Now, he is ready

Sunny raised his eyebrow:

can a cockroach like me help the great and

gave him and Nephis a

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

"Hey! Offense taken!"

then looked at

misled by his act, Effie. Sunny might behave like a cowardly weakling, but in fact, he's the last person in the

on his face. A few moments passed

out of the box. Surprise, everybody! I am actually not a weakling. Who

at Effie and

except for you already knew. It seems that

However, Neph interrupted him: