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.

chief… I hear they are establishing a new camp soon. Please reassign

He grimaced.

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

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

you out. Just don't pout

«I… I'm not pouting!»

The man laughed.

an advanced camp, but if you just want to get out of the main construction

Her eyes glistened.

«Really?»

looked around cautiously, then leaned forward a

you're a good kid and might be suitable for the task. There's a new survey team being formed. The core of the team are Awakened warriors, of course, but

paused for a moment, then added

freely, It's not as dangerous as staying at an advanced camp. Usually, I would still recommend strong men for the position, but this team is a bit special. It is actually run by a young lady from a Legacy Clan, so… I thought that having a girl of similar age there would

at Rain

even end up as a retainer of the Legacy clan! Legacies can be snobbish, but still. It's a good opportunity for simple folk

hesitated for a moment, then

That's great! Thank you,

the nature of the job was quite peculiar here in the Dream Realm, where different regions could have entirely different terrain, climate, geology, sky, and even unique laws

but also to scout out the Nightmare Creatures populating it. If there were especially dangerous abominations

grin wavered a

seemed like a safer bet

an actual Legacy in

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

this opportunity was a

gave the road manager a

treat you to something nice once my team

The man chuckled.

return in one piece,

her to a certain tent in the northern part of the camp and said

report there by the time the morning shift

leave. As she was walking away, he called out to

the Queen's

halted for a