Shadow Slave

Gunlaug looked just like the last time Sunny had seen him.

…Like a golden demon born of some harrowing hell.

The Bright Lord was tall and had broad, powerful shoulders. His body was clad in a strange armor that seemed to be made out of molten gold. It was both solid and liquid, flowing over his mightly muscles and covering him from head to toe.

Not even Gunalug's eyes were exposed.

In the place where his face should have been, there was nothing but a smooth and empty expanse of polished gold. The great hall of the Bright Castle reflected in it, and all the people gathered there did, too.

As soon as Sunny saw the golden mask, he felt the oppressive aura that radiated from the Bright Lord. Even knowing what was going to happen, he couldn't help but shake a little and bite his lip.

The mind assault of the golden armor was truly hard to endure. Even with the protection of the Puppeteer's Shroud, he felt it pressing on him, making it hard to breathe. Deep inside, a primal, bestial fear was clawing at his heart.

But this fear did not belong to him. It was fake. With a dark grimace, Sunny strangled it and made it disappear.

Walking out of the darkness of the alcove like a golden apparition, Gunlaug glanced at the mass of people below him and sat on the throne. His pose was relaxed and casual, as though he was here to leisurely resolve a trivial matter, not decide someone's fate.

Hundreds of fates, perhaps.

However, despite his laid-back attitude, everyone gathered in the great hall swayed a little, pressed down to the ground by the incredible force of his presence.

The Bright Lord lingered for a few moments, and then said, his serpentine voice full of mirth:

"Ah, what a sight. All my precious wards gathered here, united in the desire to see justice prevail. This dedication, this fervor for the rule of law… oh, it just makes my blood boil with appreciation. Don't you think it's wonderful?"

He laughed and turned his head slightly, peering directly at Nephis. She lowered her head a bit, an almost imperceptible tremor running through her body. To Sunny, though, it seemed as though the plates of marble beneath her feet were about to crack from the terrifying pressure of Gunlaug's gaze.

endured it without showing much of the tremendous strain

note of some dark emotion finding its

think it's wonderful, Changing Star of

onslaught of the golden armor. When she finally answered, her voice sounded

"...Indeed."

face was hidden behind the

Finally, he spoke:

would disagree. I've been told by my most loyal aids that you are a disagreeable person. I guess you just can't

at his lieutenants,

was letting Nephis know that he

care. Maybe even

'Damnation…'

much did

the Bright Lord looked at Effie. After a few seconds had passed in tense silence, he spoke to

is in these tragic circumstances. If only you had listened to me and joined the Host… perhaps then

his

not something that can be forgiven. Look at yourself! Instead of a noble Hunter, you have turned into a wild beast. But that is what happens when people refuse my grace. They become no better than

words echoed in the silence of the great hall, making people

by the force of his undivided attention. But then, she grinned and answered, her raspy voice sounding

only said two

"Fuck off."

raised his

heavy heart, I have

or an

"Don't you dare, bastard!"

"Kill that murderer!"

"Effie! We're here!"