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!'

huntress glared at him for a

girl got to eat. But also… wanna

there was

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

older, somehow. It was as if there was an invisible weight pressing down on her, the kind that people usually accumulated with the flow of years. Her demeanor was calmer, more restrained.

back, Sunny. I'm so happy that

a polite smile, she grew silent and 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

is shy because

true reason for her subdued attitude. He just didn't

vision. That

of dread, he sat down on

did you guys

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,

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"What is that thing?"

man sat on a chair next to Changing

that creates a cone of silence. No one outside this room will be able to hear what we're

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

He sighed.

obliterate you all? Can't say that

Effie giggled.

"Oh, did he ever…"

her, making the huntress fall silent, and turned

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

Sunny raised his eyebrow:

can a cockroach like me help the great and

gave him and Nephis a strange

I sort of agree with Sunny. What can this little imp… uh, no offense,

"Hey! Offense taken!"

smiled, then looked at

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

A few moments passed in silence, with everyone staring

Surprise, everybody! I am actually not a weakling. Who could

Effie and

except for you already knew. It seems that

However, Neph interrupted him: