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.

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 the handful of transports from the rampaging

most deadly ones in the First Army, accompanied by a cohort of absolute elites. The Irregulars were the

wouldn't leave

Surely...

The flimsy and damaged civilian transports, however... their ability to traverse the mountains was doubtful. At the

put its crew in

the convoy, Sunny would not only make his task several times harder, but also drastically increase

was why he

it was impossible to get hundreds of civilians through the mountains alive. Back

had to either

put his money where his mouth

is a good one. This one is great!

lips as he watched Sunny's unmoving face. Sunny remained

what was he

at the expense of his soldiers and Professor Obel? Or follow cold logic and do what had to be done, abandoning them to fate? No, but there was no need to hide behind words. There was no fate, in this case, only

the

strange smile appeared on his

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

the start of it. Some people might have had an unwavering moral compass,

did not have a straightforward answer to what was the

However...

few days ago, he had sat on the roof of the Rhino, full of contempt for the bastards who could

that logic... wouldn't he be doing the same by leaving the refugees to die in order to serve

and perverted way of