Shadow Slave

They stood silently under the tree for a while. Eventually, Nephis looked at him and said evenly:

"You did well."

Sunny glanced at her with a pale smile, then nodded.

"I guess I did, didn't I? My mom would have been very happy. If she was alive, that is. I am healthy, well-fed, and have a house in a good part of the city. I even found my… a student. These things might not sound like much to you, but to her, they would have been like a dream."

He turned to the tree and added after a short pause:

"I don't really remember my dad too well, because I was too little when he passed away. But my mom, I remember her perfectly. She was… like a ray of sunshine. The strangest thing, though, is that when I was a kid, she was the whole world to me. I thought that she knew everything, could do anything. But now, I realize that she was barely older than we are. She was more or less a kid herself."

Nephis looked at him and said:

"But we aren't kids."

Sunny tilted his head, then shrugged.

"That is true, I guess. We are adults, which is a strange thought. I don't really feel very different from how I was before, at least not in terms of being confident and knowing what the hell I am doing."

Changing Star sighed, then shook her head a little.

"That is because you have been an adult for a long time. People like us have to grow up early."

Sunny thought about it for a moment.

"I don't know. I have a suspicion that when I look back on today in a decade or so, I will be dismayed by how big of an idiot I was."

Nephis smiled with the corner of her mouth.

"...That has nothing to do with adulthood."

He spared her a short glance and scoffed.

supposed to say that

with a deadpan expression, then

"I know."

couldn't help but

expected to feel something… and I do. It's just

for a few moments. Eventually, he said with a hint of hesitation in

want to say

for a while, then shook

the point? She is dead, and the dead can't hear anything. They are simply gone. They only exist in the memories

him, it had not been without a cost. His house, his wealth, and the fridge full of food he had back home were only one side of his life. The other side was full of dire things like

And Nephis.

with her was a

future was not cloudless

company, doing nothing but training and spending

was coming

a few days, Nephis was going to finally leave to face the Fire Keepers. About a week after that, they were going to accept Clan Valor's invitation and attend their ball. After

futures were going to be decided on that

of the roads actually led. Even worse, he was not the only one

of it was so

over to the tree and touched it for a brief

I guess. Rain is well, too. She looks like you very much. You would

at that moment, but at the same time, strangely soothed. He hesitated for a

my… well… it's complicated. In any case, I think you would have liked her. I have several other friends,

that, he stepped back, looked at the lonely tree one

"Let's go."

they walked away, Neph looked at him and asked

"Are you alright?"

smiled crookedly and

course. Why

all dirty and disheveled, looking like typical