Shadow Slave

After Effie gave Kai a call and let him know that Sunny was alive and back in the real world, they spent a minute in awkward silence.

Sunny looked around, taking in the sight of his once pristine and orderly living room. Now, there were dirty dishes everywhere, as well as empty packets of take-out food… at least he thought that that was what they were, since he had never actually bought one before.

Effie was such a slob!

There were even several pieces of clothing thrown into a corner!

Speaking of clothing…

'Crap!'

"By the way, Sunny… when did you get this badass tattoo? A big, long snake no less! Makes a girl wonder…"

He sighed heavily, cursing the fact that he had not adjusted the Puppeteer's Shroud after summoning it back in the basement. There were no burns on his skin now, after all.

"...It's not really a tattoo. It's a magical serpent that helps me control and regenerate essence faster. Don't ask why it manifests as a tattoo, because I have no idea, really."

He hesitated for a bit, then asked:

"So you've been just living here for these past few weeks?"

Effie shrugged.

"Sure. Someone had to monitor your vital signs. Plus, my family… well, they deserved a break after taking care of my comatose body for four years, and everything before that. So I bought a very nice place for us, and then, sort of… moved out."

Then, an animated expression appeared on her face:

"Don't worry, though! The stuff you keep in your bedroom remained a secret. I can't even go up the stairs, remember?"

at her in

even use the

Effie laughed.

it on the bed

looked away in

sort of broke

smile appeared on his

buy a

***

visit an elite shopping center in the center of the city, and then wait for him in a posh restaurant nearby. The former huntress also told Sunny that

he needed time to decide what he wanted to tell his friends, and what would be better kept

much he needed to think about, and do… the journey into the Sky Below had not only disrupted his plans in the real world, but also added new things to his agenda. From training to wield a spear better to setting up a shop to sell the soul shards he had brought back with the help of the Covetous Coffer, there were just

do about Rain. And continue practicing Shadow Dance in the Dreamscape... everyone had forgotten about Mongrel by now, surely.

'Adult life is hard…'

the shopping center with the help of a passenger PTV, which seemed a bit too luxurious to Sunny, but was a necessity, considering that it would

also because she was somewhat of

buildings as the PTV drove toward the heart of the city. Even he had to agree that Effie looked… impressive. Like a beautiful goddess of war that knew no fear or would never surrender to anything, not even the hopeless darkness of the Forgotten

to see, considering how hard and dire life in the real world could seem

them hope,

gave them

gaze,

"Looking good, am I?"

choice but to tell the

"...Yeah."

She giggled.

Well, the government ran wild with it, as you can see. Plus the fact that I was in charge of the first line during the siege… they made me into a poster girl for the young generation of the Awakened. Right

face suddenly grew dark and solemn. After a long