Shadow Slave

Sunny settled in a corner and stuffed his mouth with stew. A few moments later, the flap of the tent opened, and Morgan walked in, followed closely by Cassie.

The Princess of Valor seemed to be in a good mood. Her strange vermilion eyes were lively and vivid, shining with barely contained excitement. It was as though the calamitous battle had invigorated the usually restrained young woman, revealing a glimpse of her true self.

Without the habitual mask of composed decorum, Morgan looked... younger.

Her words echoed Sunny's thoughts. A pleasant - and disturbingly familiar - smile appeared on her beautiful face, and with a melodious laugh, Morgan said:

"That was spectacular! Dear sister, venerable Masters... you did not disappoint!"

With that, her lips twisted a little in an expression of wistful regret. She seemed disappointed by the fact that she had not received a chance to participate in the battle personally.

Morgan sighed.

"The whole camp is aflame with the tales of what happened in your corner of the battlefield. Even the feats performed by the Saints seem to have taken a back seat to what Changing Star has achieved. Ah... I'm so proud of my talented, capable little sister. Nicely done!"

She paused for a moment, and then added with a smile that seemed a little sharper than before:

"Your glory is clan Valor's glory, of course. So, I am very happy right now."

Sunny silently chewed his food. Hearing the word "glory" from a descendant of War God really rubbed him the wrong way, but he didn't let it ruin his appetite.

'Indeed, she has a good reason to be happy...'

If the war of the great clans was a popularity contest - which it was, in a sense - then Valor was currently winning. Not only had Sky Tide been the first of the Saints to slay her foe, but the potentially catastrophic breach in the defensive formation had also been repaired by Nephis.

'Was that why Morgan failed to send us reinforcements? To earn her damned clan some glory?'

frowned. That was a possibility, but a small one. Anvil's daughter was not someone who would sacrifice strategic benefits to earn a little bit of fame... especially because clan Valor already had

simply glanced at Morgan

happened to those

particularly guilty or taken aback by his

any, so I sent them someplace

but then changed his mind and turned his attention back to the

bloodshed was, naturally, limited. Morgan, on the other hand,

been the one to coordinate with Sky Tide and make sure that

while it seemed as though the Fire Keepers had been left for dead from Sunny's perspective, she

I'm buying it... but on the other hand, I'm also not

by the fact that Morgan

Sunny shifted.

"Uh... what?"

Her smile grew wider.

sister fought admirably... but I expected nothing less from a daughter of Valor. You, however! Master Sunless, you gave me a very, very pleasant surprise. It seems that the reports I've read about

staring at him

a good eye. You fought beautifully, Master Sunless... we really should spar sometime. I have not had a good sparring partner in a long, long time. My dear sister

a little. Sunny, meanwhile, shivered under Morgan's burning

She's a complete

He coughed awkwardly.

like a good idea. Oh, but I mostly fight Nightmare Creatures, so my habits are

gleamed with a

carried away myself, sometimes. That's why

Sunny shrugged.

that

brittle, so there was no reason to be

cold? As if he had just gotten himself into a really,