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!'

for a few moments, then

eat. But also…

there

were not instantly apparent, but to Sunny, who knew her so well,

seemed more… mature? She looked older, somehow. It was as if there was an invisible weight pressing down

Sunny. I'm so happy that you are

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

is shy because of

he already knew the true reason for her subdued

was the vision. That

the feeling of dread, he sat down on

did you guys want to

closed it. After that, he summoned a Memory that

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"What is that thing?"

on a

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

enough to tell 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

He sighed.

ready to obliterate you all? Can't say that I'm surprised. If anything,

Effie giggled.

"Oh, did he ever…"

making the huntress fall silent, and turned to

attacks, but they were just a rehearsal. A few provocations to test out strength.

Sunny raised his eyebrow:

me help the great and mighty Changing

a

can this little imp… uh, no offense, Sunny… do that we can't? I mean, he is a decent scout,

"Hey! Offense taken!"

smiled, then

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 combat. He is far

A few moments passed in silence, with everyone staring

guess the secret is out of the box. Surprise, everybody! I am actually

and added

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

However, Neph interrupted him: