Shadow Slave

Despite the fact that Nephis had decided to stay with Sunny for a couple more weeks… or rather, that he had allowed her stay!... their routine somewhat changed. Because of the armistice with Clan Valor, she did not have to stay inside all the time anymore. So, while the two of them still continued having exhausting practice sessions every day, the intensity of the training diminished.

On the first day after receiving the invitation to the ball, Nephis had left to visit her mother. Soon after that, she made a strange request.

The counselor assigned to Neph by the government had suggested that she should not isolate herself from mundane humans and, instead, seek out opportunities to participate in collective activities people usually enjoyed. So, she asked Sunny to help her figure out what it was that people did with their free time.

Sunny was glad to help.

The problem was... he had no idea himself. His life experience was richer than hers, but the knowledge of how people lived their lives in the outskirts did not exactly apply to their situation. After becoming a citizen and moving to a better part of the city, Sunny had spent all his time doing more productive things than… relaxing.

Who had time to relax? There were so many things he needed to achieve!

As the result, they had to turn to other members of the cohort for advice. When they did, Effie enthusiastically volunteered to arrange an outing. Although Sunny had a bad premonition about her proposal, he found no polite reason to refuse the giddy huntress.

So, a few days later, he found himself doing something that he had never thought he would ever do…

Sunny was getting ready to go to a dance club.

'What am I even doing? This… this is so stupid…'

Standing in front of the mirror, he somberly looked at the pale young man that stared back at him. The young man was dressed in stylishly understated clothes that mixed black with different shades of dark grey. He was… undeniably attractive, although not exactly masculine in appearance. The attractive young man, of course, was him.

Or his reflection, rather.

Sunny studied it and frowned.

it's just a nightclub. I have fought Saints and survived. I have conquered the Red Colosseum. I have faced a

his head, he let out a heavy sigh and went down to the

expression on his face, an expensive PTV arrived and parked near the house. At that moment, Effie and Neph emerged from one of the smaller bedrooms on the

What took you

turned and froze, unable

the polished

name. Very few had actually seen the renowned Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan — mostly because she had yet to appear in public after her return from the Dream Realm. However, it was

had lent her the Autumn Leaf. Using the cosmetic Memory, Nephis changed the color of

like a waterfall of finest silk. Contrasted against it, her calm grey eyes seemed even more striking. Her ivory skin seemed to glow despite the fact that she was not channeling the

of them to wear today. As the result, Nephis was wearing a vibrant red dress

She looked… stunning.

look away. A few moments

thought I'd see you in a dress... one

at herself, then

range of motion. I can move freely if something

— who was wearing less flashy clothes — with

you get to wear

Effie grinned.

else? That's because I'm

giggled, and then did a

you think that

Maybe even

put his eyes, Sunny gritted his teeth and forced

to be…

throat, and then