Shadow Slave

Sleep was avoiding Sunny. For a while, he sat silently in the darkness, listening to the calming rumbling of the waves. In this rare moment of respite, memories of the past few days came flooding into his mind. However, he was too tired to seriously think about anything. He was warm, full, and relatively safe. For now, that was more than enough.

Soon, the rhythm of Cassia’s breathing changed, indicating that she fell asleep. Nephis was guarding the camp, motionless and, as always, a bit distant. With her silver hair and fair skin, she looked like an alabaster statue.

Sunny sighed. He struggled for a bit, and then said quietly:

“Hey. Can I ask you a question?”

Nephis glanced at him and shrugged. The lack of an audible response clearly indicated that she remembered about his ability to see in the dark.

“Sure.”

‘Would it be too personal?’

Sunny hesitated.

“I thought you Legacies come into the Spell with a whole inherited arsenal of Memories. I mean, that’s supposed to be your main advantage. How come you only had three?”

Nephis was silent for a few moments.

“Actually, I only had two. The rope came from Cassie.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Oh. I see.”

Realizing that her answer wasn’t really an answer, Nephis thought for a while and added:

“We lost most of our Memories when my father passed away. The ones that remained were sold one by one over the years, to keep the family afloat. This sword and armor came from my First Nightmare.”

So that’s how it was. Sunny realized that the fall of the Immortal Flame clan might have been more thorough than he had thought. Still, something about it didn’t make sense.

“Surely, with your clan’s reputation and standing, there were other ways to make money.”

Without any strong reaction, Nephis simply said:

“There were other reasons.”

Then, she unexpectedly turned her head in his direction.

“Can I ask you a question in return?”

Sunny swallowed.

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Nephis tilted her head.

“How did you know that I’m a Legacy?”

‘What? That’s it?’

“Simple. I heard Caster mention it. He was scolding other Sleepers to make them treat you with respect.”

She gave him a nod and turned away. What thoughts were hidden behind her calm grey eyes, Sunny did not know.

Some time had passed before he gathered enough courage to ask the question that he really wanted to ask. Before doing it, though, he made sure that Cassie was sound asleep and lowered his voice.

I ask

negative

are you burdening yourself with

Changing Star’s mouth

“Why? Wouldn’t you?”

feeling the Flaw pushing the truthful answer

“No.”

be “yes”. But one of the things he had lost after the Nightmare was the ability to lie

It’s just that he knew with certainty that it was simply not something he

he couldn’t help but be

him. She showed no reaction

“Because I want to.”

‘Because… she wants to?’

either lecture him about virtue and compassion or disclose some obscure way to make Cassie’s

did neither. Nephis expected him to believe that she was putting her life in danger, to the point of sacrificing an awakened armor-type Memory, because that was something she simply

‘Ridiculous!’

first, he dismissed her response as a non-answer. But the more he thought about it, the more disturbed he

maybe, it was actually the

of his life, Sunny had never really done things because he wanted to. Most of the time, he was doing them because he needed to. It was never a question of “want”… it was always a question of “must”. For him, this was a basic

ample as he had imagined. She had no

for her to have the audacity to disregard need in favor of something as frivolous as desire,

a blind girl simply because that was what Nephis

was the greatest advantage

was the real barrier that separated Legacies

about. However, before Sunny could gather

“My turn.”

she mean it’s her

meant. Changing Star once again turned

know the legend of

What sort of a weird question

head. Then, remembering that she couldn’t

“No.”

and turned away. A few moments later, she

ancient war. In the legends, some humans back then had powers akin to the Awakened. Achilles with an Aspect of indestructible body, Diomedes that was so ferocious even the God of War was wary of him, Ajax who was as strong as a giant. Odysseus was not the strongest, and not the bravest. However,

blinked, staring at

come from? Why is she

Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

gods cursed him to endlessly wander the seas, never to return. Over the years, he survived

wistful voice resounded in the darkness, creating an

years, they lived together in harmony. The island was like a paradise, filled with all kinds of wonders, delicacies and delights. As long as loving Calypso was by his side, Odysseus was even immortal. But… the longer he stayed, the more time he spent sitting on the shore, looking

Nephis smiled.

leaving all its delights, the beautiful fairy, and

Sunny blinked.

‘What?’

but it didn’t seem to be the case. It looked like

‘Weirdo!’

for a bit, and then said without too much

he was

smile appeared on

from home. Hm.