Shadow Slave

Effie wisely chose that moment to disappear and join the dancing crowd below. Sunny ground his teeth for a few moments, then shook his head and walked to the table, landing on a luxurious lounge chair with a sigh.

Kai briefly glanced at him and smiled.

"Where are Effie and Lady Nephis?"

Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then looked away.

"Effie went to dance. Neph is in the bathroom. Also, will you cut it out with the "lady" stuff? The two of you spent months traversing the Forgotten Shore together, back when we were returning from the Hollow Mountains. She is also younger than you. That is more than enough to drop the formalities, don't you think?"

The archer coughed.

"Oh. Well… I'll try."

He didn't sound very convincing, forcing Sunny to roll his eyes.

"Anyway, what do we have here?"

At some point, a waiter had entered the lounge and placed a tray of various foods on the table... while trying very hard not to throw reverent looks at the distinguished guests. Knowing that there would be no chance for him to taste anything once Effie returned, Sunny used the opportunity to try a few.

As he chewed on a piece of cheese that had been dipped into a sweet, viscous amber liquid, Sunny smiled in delight and asked:

"Wow. What's that sugary syrup?"

Cassie turned to him, then smelled the air.

"I... I think it's honey."

Sunny blinked a couple of times. The word was familiar, but he usually heard it used as a term of endearment. Who knew that it had actually come from something this delicious?

"What is honey, though?"

girl tilted her head a little, then said with a bit of surprise

of liquid that special insects produce

little pale, and slowly pushed the

see. I see.

he gulped a mouthful of champagne and tried to discreetly rinse

about his food. He had even sustained himself on raw, rotting mimic meat for

he

are they

was acting as if nothing had happened, and her face was perfectly composed.

sat down, Kai hesitated for a moment, and

seem concerned. Did anything

lack of "lady" and simply shook

snack here in the VIP lounge that those women would want to

glanced at the small bowl of honey with disgust

I have no objections. They are free to gobble it up, as far

strange glance from Kai, Sunny took a sip of champagne and relaxed a little. That was the point of today's outing, anyway. After days of serving as a punching bag for an

beaming with delight. She quickly destroyed most of their

We should go out more

and Nephis looked at her in horror, while Kai

that they don't have

with a bit

this. I mean, my goal was always to become a Master. But now that I did, everything seems a

The archer smiled wistfully.

Then, for years, I tried not to think about the future at all. And now that I

out a

about what she expected from the future, I… I can't believe how naive and shortsighted she was. She... feels

on Sunny. He

life would go, actually. After I returned from the First Nightmare, I thought that I would soon be a full citizen, super rich, and have