Shadow Slave

A familiar road manager was leaning on the side of the wagon, drinking a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise. Noticing Rain, he spared her a crooked smile.

«Ah. It's you again, Rani.»

Rain almost stumbled.

«Damn.»

Rani is what she was known as on the road crew. Since she was hiding here, using her own name would have been silly… the problem was that Rain had not thought about that right until the moment she was asked to introduce herself.

So, put on the spot, she had failed to come up with anything and mumbled the first thing that entered her mind.

Which was why her teacher had mocked her relentlessly for a whole week.

«No, really? Rani? The best you could do was shift two letters around? I just can't… gods, everything I've been through, and I'll die of laughter…»

Rain had endured the mockery for as long as she could, and then kindly reminded her teacher that he went around calling himself Shadow.

So, he wasn't in a position to critique her naming sense, was he?

That, luckily, had shut him up.

In any case, by now, she was more or less accustomed to responding to «Rani.»

Which was not to say that she wasn't embarrassed every time she heard it.

«Good morning, chief.»

The man stared at her for a few moments, then sighed.

«Listen, Rani… I get it, the pay in the advanced camps is higher. But what's the use of having money if you are dead? It's quite dangerous out there, you know! A young girl like you should just stay here in the main camp. Actually, even the main camp is not a good place. If my daughter wanted to come here from Ravenheart, I would have locked her up.»

He took a sip of coffee and shook his head.

«Why don't you change your mind?»

Rain gave him her best smile.

are establishing

He grimaced.

filled… it's a tough job, especially now that we are so far away from Ravenheart. We have strict orders to prioritize

that her expression fall, the manager hesitated for a few moments, then let out

okay… I'll help you out. Just don't pout Rain blinked a couple of

«I… I'm not pouting!»

The man laughed.

Anyway, I can't get you a spot in an advanced camp, but if you just want to get out of the main

Her eyes glistened.

«Really?»

around cautiously, then leaned forward a

The core of the team are Awakened warriors, of course, but they need mundane porters, as well as someone to tend to their daily needs… wash the dishes, patch up tents, stuff like

paused for a moment, then added

recommend strong men for the position, but this team is a bit special. It is

at

end up as a retainer of the Legacy clan! Legacies can be snobbish, but still.

a moment, then

That's great! Thank

Of course, the nature of the job was quite peculiar here in the Dream Realm, where different regions could have entirely different

out the Nightmare Creatures populating it. If there

wavered

he clearly knew close to nothing about the Dream Realm. A survey team seemed like a

an actual Legacy in charge of

even better for her than running to an advanced camp — the fewer people were around her, the lesser was the possibility of

opportunity was a

gave the road manager

treat you to something nice once my

The man chuckled.

one piece, girl… that will

certain tent in the

there by the time the morning shift

manager and turned to leave. As she

the Queen's grace

halted for