Shadow Slave

The young woman that exited the PTV looked sharp in a perfectly tailored, elegant business suit. It was entirely black, with buttons and cufflinks forged out of silver steel. Her hands were protected from the cold by leather gloves, and her raven black hair moved slightly in the wind.

With alabaster skin and a slender figure, the young woman looked both beautiful and daunting. She resembled a lethal blade, and that impression was only exacerbated by the cold gaze of her striking, strange, vermillion eyes…

Morgan of Valor had come to represent her clan herself.

Sunny silently cursed.

This was… more or less the worst-case scenario. Now that a direct descendant of Anvil of Valor appeared to conduct the negotiations in person, his chances of fooling anyone dropped significantly.

Not to mention that his heart suddenly ached, as if remembering the pain of being ripped out of his chest by Morgan's slender hand. Even though that unfortunate incident had happened in the illusory Dreamscape, the memory of pain was very real.

…Much worse than that, Sunny couldn't help but shiver when he realized how strongly Morgan resembled her older brother. The resemblance was almost uncanny. It was as though he was staring at a slightly younger, female version of Mordret.

That made him deeply uncomfortable.

Morgan looked up at the crushing mass of the Academy's gates, then glanced at the sea of candles with curiosity, and walked forward. Stopping in front of Sunny and Cassie, she offered them a polite smile and said in her low, raspy voice:

"Master Sunless. You look… familiar. Have we met before?"

If Sunny was in a bad mood before, now it turned really vile. Of all the questions out there, why did she have to ask that one?!

He hesitated for a moment, then answered indifferently:

"Not face to face. I once saw you from afar, during one of the Dream Tournaments. I doubt you got a good look at me, though."

…He also saw her up close, but she did not need to know that!

lost interest and turned

of the Fallen. It's an honor to

was not too deferential, she was treating the blind girl with a bit of respect. Anyone with a True Name

Cassie nodded.

"Master Morgan."

daughter of Valor

don't need

again. By now, the massive drawbridge had already started to move, slowly lowering itself to

became a

Awakened Academy, then... I've always wanted to attend. Sadly, that was never

at her with a

"Why not?"

woman lingered for a moment, then looked at him

best since I was a child. There was nothing the Academy could offer me that I

for a moment and sighed

used to love dramas and webtoons about the Academy.

watched as the heavy metal bridge fell into the special grooves in the ground and grew still after a series of loud clicks. Then, she looked at Sunny and

me a small tour? I

the possible ways he had imagined the negotiations to start… this was not one of

Sunny hesitated, then shrugged.

Why not?

***

armored alloy that was tall and durable enough to slow down an attacking titan. Here and there, automated turrets of

before approaching a low, modern building with white walls. He pointed at it and said with little

of activity inside and around it, but this soon after the solstice, there are no Sleepers around. The first batch is going to be inducted in a week

done

and there, but only one Awakened Academy. The government brings all willing Sleepers to this compound, no matter what Quadrant they