Shadow Slave

A few days before, far away from the harsh splendor of Ravenheart, Sunny was looking at Cassle while hiding his emotions behind a polite smile.

"Oh, and by the way..."

Her tone was neutral.

"...Happy Birthday."

For a split second, his mask cracked.

Sunny's face did not move, but his gaze changed. For a short moment, his eyes were much deeper and darker than before - the lightless depth contained within them was much too vast, much too cold, and much too unfathomable to fit the image of a harmless shopkeeper.

He froze, a storm of emotions raging in his heart. For a second, Sunny was stunned, not knowing what to say.

The shadows stirred.

But then, he quickly composed himself.

"Why, thank you. But how did you know?"

An irrational, but desperate hope had ignited in his chest, trying to burn away his judgment. A hope that someone anyone remembered him... that Cassie did. The thought of it was both blindingly sweet and ruthlessly painful.

Because it was impossible, The [Fateless] Attribute, as he had called it, was thorough. So, Sunny discarded that futile hope and hid his rattled state.

How had she known that today was his birthday, though?

'Maybe... just maybe...'

Cassie was facing him, remaining silent. Her smile slowly dimmed, replaced by a strange and solemn expression. Sunny felt uncomfortable because her eyes were hidden by the blue fabric, but he did not show it.

think

it immediately, but Cassie looked a little

it?

of sorts. Her clothes, which had always been neat and tidy, were a little messy. Her hair was like a waterfall

restless intensity to her which had never been there before. As if

returning, even if from afar, but it was

turned away and walked a few steps, as If studying the dining hall of the

delivered a note asking me to find a person named Sunless and wish him a happy birthday. On a winter solstice, of all days. It happened a while ago. But, the strangest past? The sender of the note... was me. And I don't remember

say more. Sometimes, silence was

seemed to have known that she would not remember. And

He suddenly felt stifled.

of

Academy records, or the archives of the Great Clans. You might not know it, Master Sunless, but I am a rather knowledgeable

tilted his head a

Oh, he knew.

"That is indeed strange."

was pleasant and

She smiled.

two worlds... until this year, when you found your

right mind would rebuke Song of the Fallen, a prominent Saint and one of the most valued seneschals of the

left and right, as if looking

man. Not only do you seem to have appeared out of nowhere, but your establishment is even built

He tensed.

living things, Marvelous Mimic was not an exception, so she would have realized its nature as soon as

Ascended Devil without much worry, Was it confidence or indifference? Sunny was not

He coughed.

be able to fly

when looking at him? Weaver's Mask was all the way in