Shadow Slave

Several days later, Sunny was sitting on a piece of broken furniture in the central hall of the first level of the Obsidian Tower. The Covetous Coffer stood near him, its lid open and its sharp teeth revealed.

He was holding the Cruel Sight in his hand. The silver blade of the somber spear was incandescent with white radiance, infused with divine flame.

…Sunny was currently using said divine flame to roast a piece of repulsive, slightly rotten black meat. That was the last piece of mimic's flesh he had stored inside the Coffer before taking a plunge into the ocean of merciless stars.

Saint was also nearby, staring into the distance with her usual cold indifference.

He glanced at her, then sighed.

"Sorry that I haven't fed you in a while."

The Shadow did not react to his words in any sort of way.

Sunny continued to talk, though, unbothered by the taciturn demon's apparent lack of interest.

"Hey, that's not true! It is not my fault. Blame my incredible luck, instead. What can I do, the Memories I find are just too incredible. How can I let you eat them… I can't..."

He grinned, then threw a dubious look at the sizzling black meat, and sighed.

"I guess it's done…"

Dismissing the Cruel Sight, Sunny brought the meat to his mouth and took a bite out of it. As he chewed, an absolutely miserable expression appeared on his face.

"...Ah, that's the stuff. I tell you, Saint, this meat absolutely delicious. I pity you, really, for being unable to taste this divine… oh damn it, how can anything be so vile!... this divine dish. It's the best devil steak you can possibly eat in a lifetime. Just a single bite… can really… change your life…"

'For the worst!'

At least chewing the damned thing was much easier now. Before the acquisition of Bone Weave, eating mimic's meat felt like gnawing on an old leather boot. It felt pretty much the same now, but Sunny's teeth were different.

They were able to slice and cut through the tough meat of the devil with ease.

Plus, it wasn't raw. That was already a reason to celebrate.

Feeling his eyes tearing up from disgust, Sunny glanced at Saint and forced the smile to remain on his face.

"I see you are left speechless by my culinary skill. Fair, fair…"

However, in the next moment, a voice suddenly resounded in the darkness of the Obsidian Tower:

"...You actually survived!"

a piece of the vile meat. For a second, he thought that his loyal Shadow had only been pretending to be mute all this time, instead simply choosing

he

Sadly, it wasn't Saint...

was Mordret. The Prince of Nothing was

'Thank gods!'

was willing to admit. Even though he didn't trust the mysterious voice, he felt

from the Endless Spring, then looked around

a fault young man that I am, I have to admit

healing, but much slower than they would have usually healed. Even though the divine flame had not touched him directly, just the heat radiated by it was enough to leave long-lasting traces that even

he usually did. When his

really found the rift

Sunny shrugged.

I was more or less falling toward it the whole time. But even then, I almost burned to death trying to reach it.

technically true, although not nearly all

prince hesitated, then

"...Where are you now?"

Sunny tilted his head.

of my surroundings can

thing that Mordret had ever said to him was ask why it was so dark, so he probably

see where I

voice answered,

can see a big hall filled with ancient, broken things.

'Makes sense…'

the Flaw building up in his soul, demanding for him to deliver an

interior of the

is actually a single island floating in the emptiness. There is

the back of his

can still hear you? Haven't you

Mordret sighed.

what I thought. Luckily, I seem

a short pause, he said

Tower… so it

Sunny blinked.

one

a complicated expression appeared on his

you knew about

silent for a bit,