Shadow Slave

Sunny had never seen a few words crush a man's spirit so thoroughly.

...Except for maybe himself, when Nephis had spoken his True Name and commanded him to leave her for dead on the Forgotten Shore.

The soldier managed to remain standing, but he looked like a marionette with its strings cut. All light was extinguished from his eyes. He remained motionless for a while, and then turned slightly, throwing a forlorn glance at the small, battered fleet behind him.

Sunny could imagine how he felt. After surviving the cataclysmic destruction of the siege capital, these people weathered untold horrors to make it this far alive. What had kept them going was probably the hope that salvation was drawing closer and closer. And now, when they almost reached the destination, that hope was cruelly crushed.

He sighed.

"It just happened a few days ago. The news would not have reached you. My people and I are the only ones who survived."

The soldier looked down, silent.

Eventually, he asked:

"If I may ask. What are your plans now, sir?"

Sunny looked at him with a deadpan expression.

"My orders are to proceed to the Erebus Field siege capital to rendezvous with another cohort of the First Irregular Company."

Suddenly, a tentative spark appeared in the soldier's eyes.

"Master Sunless, sir. Will you consider..."

Sunny knew what he was going to say. It was not that hard to guess.

...He wanted to laugh.

he almost did. It took a lot of self-control to remain outwardly calm.

knew. The soldier was going to ask if the Irregulars would escort the civilian convoy to safety. Why wouldn't he? They had persevered for the last week without any Awakened to protect

Army, accompanied by a cohort of absolute elites. The Irregulars were the cream

leave defenseless

Surely...

one. Heavily armored and exceedingly maneuverable Rhino could potentially make the thousand-kilometer journey to Mount Erebus. The flimsy and damaged civilian transports, however... their ability to traverse the

its crew in

only make his task several times

he wanted

hundreds of civilians through the mountains alive. Back then, Sunny

he had to either leave

put his money where

a good one. This one is great!

words died on his lips as he watched

was he supposed

and Professor Obel? Or follow cold logic and do what had to be done, abandoning them to fate? No, but there

was the right

appeared

man of conviction do? Ah, a man of conviction would have probably

was as unmoored as he had been at the start of it. Some people might have had an unwavering moral compass, but

straightforward answer to what was the right thing

However...

but he knew what he despised very well. Just a few days ago, he had sat on the roof of the Rhino, full of contempt for

doing the same by leaving the refugees to die in order

weird and perverted