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

got to eat. But also… wanna

finally, there

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

there was an invisible weight pressing down on her, the

I'm so happy that you are

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

shy

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

vision. That damn

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

did you guys

and closed it. After that, he summoned

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

"What is that thing?"

on a chair next to Changing

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

already 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 be anywhere else but in this brightly lit room. The

He sighed.

to obliterate you all? Can't say that I'm surprised. If anything, it's strange that he didn't

Effie giggled.

"Oh, did he ever…"

the huntress fall silent,

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 to act in

Sunny raised his eyebrow:

the great and mighty Changing Star of the

him and Nephis a

I 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!"

Star smiled, then

be misled by his act, 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

moments passed in silence, with

guess the secret is out of the box. Surprise, everybody! I am actually not a weakling. Who could have

glared at Effie and added in a mocking

Actually, everyone except for you already knew.

However, Neph interrupted him: