Shadow Slave

'So tired…’

Rain was sprawled on her threadbare sleeping bag, staring at the slanted roof of her modest tent Outside, the noises of the construction camp were churning like a sea, Just as loud as they had been throughout the day despite the late hour.

Out here, the work did not stop when the darkness fell.

For a very particular reason.

Rain had finished her long shift as a laborer, so her muscles were sore. Later, she crawled into her tent ready to pass out from fatigue, but instead of resting, she spent several hours arduously circulating her essence in an attempt to form a soul core. That was something she did every night, and although there were no signs of Awakening yet, the number of tiny grains she had created was growing steadily.

Rain had only stopped after becoming completely exhausted.

And now, she couldn't fall asleep because of the noise outside.

'Ah, damnation... I really need to get out of this place…’

The construction of the Eastern Road was progressing at a startling pace, She had to stay hidden among the road crews for a while, but that did not mean that she had to remain in the main camp. There were other assignments available for those daring enough to take them - scouting parties, advanced camps, subjugation troops, and so on.

It was just that the number of slots for these jobs was limited, and young mundane girls were not exactly at the top of the list for tough tasks.

Still, she wanted to leave the main construction camp as soon as possible.

It was not only cramped and noisy, but also a bit creepy.

That was because mundane laborers were not the only ones building the road. In fact, most of the work was being done...

By the dead.

Rain had not heard about anything like that happening in other construction crews, but the Eastern Road was special. Clan Song wanted it built very fast, for some reason, and so, the Queen had sent her personal servants to assist the builders.

The dead were dutiful workers. They never complained, never grew tired. They didn't need water or food. They just continued to build the road silently, without sleep or rest. Their frozen faces were calm and empty... men and women, young and old. Plenty of Nightmare Creatures were among them, as well, their monstrous eyes devoid of the usual frenzy.

morning and saw the silent corpses working diligently in the dim light of dawn, she couldn't help but feel like she was in a strange, cold

very creepy... but people were very adaptable creatures. She observed the other laborers grow accustomed to

have had to do themselves otherwise. The dead

with the dead could have been terrifying if their origin was mysterious and sinister. But they had been sent by the Queen, and the Queen was revered and beloved by the citizens of her

come from the Queen was

Anyway...

hell are you

attempts to fall asleep, Rain turned her head and hissed at

had been humming

these days. He was way too carefree and cheerful, even by

must have felt at home in the company of creepy corpses. Rain couldn't explain the sudden shift in

remained silent for

such

the direction

to sleep here. After working a long, arduous shift in the cold. And being fed tasteless slop by the camp wardens. Can't you go

He chuckled.

can. But I don't want to... that woman is

Rain frowned.

"That woman?'

the overseer of the camp? Teacher seemed

Song did not have biological children, but she had raised many orphan girls. Among them, seven were now Saints, each possessing enchanting beauty and startling powers. The Queen's daughters were venerated and loved by the people of the Sword Domain almost as much

the more famous of them, like Beastmaster or Silent Stalker, even joking about having had questionable relationships with them... but the more obscure of the

Rain sighed.

did you do... no, let me guess. Did you abandon her

Her teacher laughed quietly.

when I was a young shadow, and she was going around devouring naughty youths, we crossed paths a few times, and it seemed

know

multiple occasions that he's thousands of years old... so how could Saint Seishan have been there when that bastard was young?

She sighed.