Shadow Slave

Sunny was not unfamiliar with the Castle, since he had to come here every time he wanted to return to the waking world without raising any suspicions. However, he would usually spend quite a lot of time following the main thoroughfare to the main keep, where the Gateway was located.

This time, Nephis led him on a shorter path to the pinnacle of the stronghold, across narrow stairs and hidden posterns that he had not even known existed. There was no need to waste time at each checkpoint, either, so their progress was rather fast.

Who would dare to stop the Transcendent daughter of a Sovereign?

After a while, Sunny asked with a hint of curiosity:

"By the way, Lady Nephis... where, exactly, are we going?"

He knew that they were about to sign a contract, but wasn't sure where the signing would take place. Was he going to make a deal with Clan Valor, or with the Fire Keepers directly? Who else would be involved?

She looked at him with a hint of confusion, then suddenly seemed a little embarrassed.

"Oh... please forgive me. I have forgotten to explain properly

With that, Nephis raised her hand and pointed to one of the tallest towers in Bastion. The tower was not much different to all the others, with one big exception.

There was a graceful flying ship floating in the air near it, moored to the higher floor of the tower with thick cables. A beautiful tree was growing around its main mast.

‘The Chain Breaker...'

Sunny unconsciously looked up, at the beautiful visage of the Ivory Island drifting in the air high above the lake.

"I see."

Nephis lingered for a moment.

"Very few people have ever visited my Citadel, but you don't have to worry. Everyone there is a trusted friend and ally. It is... it is also quite peaceful there. We won't be disturbed."

'Right.'

Sunny was not supposed to have ever been in the Ivory Tower, so he had to act as if the whole experience was new to him.

He put a sufficiently believable expression of wonder on his face, making sure to keep a proper level of decorum, of course.

the beauty of the Ivory Tower. It is my luck to be able to

faint smile appeared

you'll

front of the tower. There were quite a

closer to the pinnacle of the stronghold one was, the fewer mundane people there were around. At this point, Sunny could not see anyone but Awakened, with plenty of Masters mixed

gazes directed at him were not in

was natural. He was an outsider, after all, and people were wary of

Clan Valor - a Knight, from the

I can have

She frowned slightly.

"What is it?"

a moment, then said in a

on time, but the specifications... I'm afraid you will need

the inner working of Clan Valor,

for a bit, then

Eventually, she said:

I have to deal with this issue... my apologies, I'll

He smiled.

"It's no problem"

would inevitably try to bother him as soon as she left, but it was really of no concern to him. Unless Arvil himself decided to come and stir trouble, Sunny was confident in his ability to send any potential troublemaker on their way

nodded curtly and walked away

thinking that it was a good opportunity to

the distance. He could see the young city stretching

calm and radiant. It was a

the view and the

could sense two shadows

‘That was fast.’

was walking with purposeful strides, while the other was trying to hold him back with a

were Masters and wore enchanted armor, but neither donned the colors of Clan Valor. So, they must have been noble

'Legacies…’

two

a glare and said, his voice full of

Aegis Rose clan. This is Ascended Mercy of the