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Chapter 1834: As Simple as That
Shadow Slave

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  1. Online Offline
    ArMiks
    + 12 ⋅ 0 -
    "After all... I am still contractually obligated to forge that sword for you. How can I leave your side before it's finished?"


    Guys am i reading too much into this
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    1. Offline
      Turnc4406
      + 6 ⋅ 0 -
      Yes.
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  2. Offline
    Максим Довбняк
    + 45 ⋅ 0 -
    Chapter 1835: Next Morning

    Sunny reached Bastion in the dead of night. He tied the boat to the pier, climbed ashore, and walked slowly in the direction of the Brilliant Emporium. There was a lot on his mind, so he was not in a hurry to get home.

    Eventually, though, he did.

    The Marvelous Mimic opened its door unprompted to welcome him back. It even retracted the terrifying fangs, which were usually out at night, back inside the door frame.

    Sunny patted the lintel, walked into the dining hall absentmindedly, placed the picnic basket on a table, and sighed.

    He was a bit tired, but doubted that he would be able to sleep tonight.

    And indeed, Sunny wasn't able to douse the flames blazing in his mind for a long time. He tossed and turned in the bed, only falling asleep shortly before dawn.

    As a result, he overslept, only waking up from the sounds of Aiko entering the shop. Since his petite assistant had showed up for work, the morning crowd wasn't far behind, either.

    Sunny sat up and rubbed his face, then went about washing up for the long day ahead.

    'Will she come?'

    He figured that Nephis would need a long time to sort her feelings out, but still put extra effort into making himself look presentable on the off chance that she would not.

    Aiko's voice resounded from downstairs while he was in the middle of his routine.

    "Hey, boss! What should I do with the basket?"

    Sunny swept his wet hair back and responded casually:

    "... Ah there are some dirty dishes inside. Give them a rinse."

    He washed them in the river yesterday, but everything still needed to be cleaned properly.

    Sunny continued to get himself ready. There were no mirrors inside the Mimic, so he used the gloomy shadow to look at himself instead.

    Needless to say, the shadow was not amused by having to stare at his mug first thing in the morning... or ever, really.

    'That guy never changes...'

    It was then that Sunny froze, opened his eyes wide, then dashed down while summoning the Nebulous Mantle.

    "N0, Aiko! Wait!"

    But it was too late.

    The petite girl was standing in the kitchen, the picnic basket floating in the air by her side. It was open, and Aiko... was holding a beautiful white dress in her hands.

    Sunny grew still.

    "That..."

    She looked at him with wide eyes and asked in a small voice:

    "Boss... uh... why did you bring a girl's dress back from your picnic?"

    Sunny stammered:

    "It's n—not what you think... I didn't do anything!

    She just ran off... without her dress... it happened that way..."

    Aiko stared at the dress silently.

    Then, a small frown appeared on her face.

    "Wait a minute... these measurements..."

    In the next moment, she was standing next to Sunny, poking him in the chest with a finger.

    "That is Changing Star's dress! You! You debaucherous scoundrel! What did you do to Nephis? !"

    Sunny softened the Onyx Shell, afraid that Aiko would bruise her finger, and pretended to reel back from her jabs.

    "I didn't do anything! We were just escaping the heat in the river... and what do you mean, scoundrel? ! Weren't you the one who encouraged me to strike while the iron was hot? !"

    "When did I ever? !"

    "Ouch! I don't remember! But you definitely did!"

    It was then that the silver bell hanging above the door rang, and they both froze.

    Someone was standing at the entrance, looking at them calmly.

    Tasteful white clothes, beautiful figure, lustrous silver hair...

    Sunny's heart skipped a beat.

    It was Nephis.

    She lowered her gaze and looked at the dress, which Aiko was still holding in her hand.

    Nephis smiled politely.

    "Oh. I've been looking for that."

    Walking into the kitchen, she took it from the petite girl's hand and looked at Sunny with sparkling eyes.

    "Thank you for picking it up, Master Sunless."

    He inhaled slowly.

    "... Ah y—yes. Sure."

    Why was she acting so nonchalant? What was she thinking?

    'Did she come here to... to condemn me, or to embrace me?'

    He gulped and asked cautiously:

    "I. . I hope everything is fine. After what happened yesterday."

    Nephis nodded curtly.

    "It's fine."

    Then, she frowned a bit and mumbled quietly:

    "No, actually, now that I think about it... after what happened last night, I'll need to replace some furniture...'

    Sunny flinched.

    "... What?"

    At the same time, Aiko's eyes widened even more.

    "What? !"

    Nephis looked at them in confusion.

    "Oh. Sorry. I was just talking to myself."

    She paused for a moment, noticing their expressions, and then added hesitantly:

    "Uh... did I say something wrong again?"

    ***

    Eventually, Sunny managed to leave stunned Aiko behind and lead Nephis to somewhere more private.

    And now that they were there, he was silently cursing himself.

    'No, but... am I an idiot? Why didn't I go downstairs, to the Memory shop? Why did I bring her upstairs instead? !'

    Currently, there were... in his bedroom.

    While Sunny was berating himself, Nephis looked around with curiosity.

    "Is that where you sleep? This version of you, I mean."

    Sunny forced out a smile.

    "... Ah yes. At least one incarnation of me has to, from time to time. The others don't sleep, but since I am supposed to be the most human one, I do."

    He silently evaluated his bedroom and thanked the dead gods for the habit of always making his bed first thing in the morning. The room was clean and cozy, with a beautiful view of the Mirror Lake beyond the window. The Castle was bathed in the golden light of dawn... and there, above it, the Ivory Island was shrouded by clouds.

    Nephis stared at his bed for a few moments, as if trying to remember something, then turned away and looked out of the window.

    A hint of a smile appeared on her lips.

    "I think I can see my window from here."

    Sunny would lie if he said that he had not spent plenty of time staring at the distant silhouette of the Ivory Tower, so he kept silent.

    Instead, he gestured to a few items decorating his room.

    "These are some curios that I collected in the Dream Realm over the years. They are... nothing much. But exploring the past is one of my hobbies."

    Nephis studied them for a while, then turned to face him and said simply:

    "I know."

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "You... know?"

    She hesitated for a few moments.

    "The Exploration Report on the Tomb of Ariel, written by Nobody. You are Nobody... aren't you?"
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    1. Offline
      Максим Довбняк
      + 45 ⋅ 0 -
      Chapter 1836: Resolution

      He was startled by that question. It had come out of nowhere, completely crushing his expectations of what she wanted to talk about... both the best and the worst of them.

      Sunny remained silent until the pain of the Flaw made it difficult, and then nodded slowly, choosing not to say anything else. The more he said, the higher were the chances of her asking him something that he was unable to answer.

      Nephis sighed, then explained calmly:

      "I started to suspect it after meeting the Lord of Shadows for the first time. He... you... were too strong to have come out of nowhere. A Saint as powerful as that simply had to have left a mark on the world. And when I asked who had taught you my family‘s swordsmanship, you answered that... that nobody had. I did not note it initially, but later, something seemed to click in my mind."

      She paused for a few moments, took a deep breath, and then spoke:

      "The memories of everyone who had entered the Third Nightmare with me are... affected. We don't really know every detail of what happened here. But there, in Godgrave, I guess something."

      Nephis paused before adding:

      "The Tomb of Ariel. You were..."

      However, before she could form the question, Sunny interrupted her by raising his hand.

      There was a complicated expression on his face.

      Inside, he was full of intense happiness at the thought of Nephis knowing that they had challenged the Third Nightmare together. It was not exactly the same as remembering him... but it was something, at least. Something infinitely more meaningful than the nothingness of his current situation.

      But he also knew that she would not be able to remember his answer.

      And, unlike Cassie, who was able to retain the memory of having forgotten something due to her Aspect, Nephis would not be able to do even that.

      So, instead of confessing the truth, Sunny said quietly:

      "Before you say anything else, I must confess something. There are... certain things that my Flaw prevents me from sharing. So, please... some words are better left unsaid."

      Nephis studied him intently for a while, then let out a heavy sigh.

      "I see. I... think I understand."

      She turned away and smiled faintly.

      "That explains it. Why Cassie put so much trust in you. And why her condition has improved so suddenly..."

      Sunny turned away quietly.

      Had misled her with his warning. But it seemed that his deception had led her to the right conclusions, at least.

      Nephis looked at the distant Ivory Island again.

      "I won't say that I am not disappointed. But if this is how it is... I won't ask, then."

      Her back was very straight.

      After a while, Sunny heard her even voice again:

      "I will ask you something else, though. Sunless."

      He took a deep breath, suddenly feeling nervous.

      This was the moment of truth.

      'How ironic. ’

      "What?"

      Nephis turned around and smiled.

      Her voice was calm and even:

      "I'm leaving Bastion in seven days. So... will you take me on another date? In Godgrave."

      Sunny looked at her breathlessly.

      Suddenly bashful, Nephis glanced down.

      "I... I know that it is not the most romantic location..."

      But he interrupted her again.

      Breaking into a smile, Sunny nodded.

      "Yes. Yes, I will... I'll be delighted to."

      He paused for a moment, and the added:

      "In fact, I have no choice but to follow you to Godgrave, Nephis."

      She hesitantly raised her eyebrow:

      "You don't?"

      Chuckling, Sunny nodded.

      "Of course."

      He took a step forward and offered her his hand.

      "After all... I am still contractually obligated to forge that sword for you. How can I leave your side before it's finished?"

      She smiled...

      And took it.

      ***

      And that was it.

      Their strange, tentative relationship had not ended despite the many secrets they were keeping, the heavy burden of the forgotten past, and the dark shadow of the imminent war. It was going to continue tenaciously despite the uncertain future.

      Which made both of them happy... Sunny, at least, felt incredible joy.

      It was both strange and wonderful. The circumstances couldn't be any worse... the timing was absolutely atrocious, as well.

      But when had it not been?

      In hindsight, there had always been something standing between them.

      Neither Sunny nor Nephis had any time to think about their feelings on the Forgotten Shore. Then, they were separated for two long years. After Nephis returned, they only spent a month together before he left for Antarctica. And after Antarctica, he was forgotten by everyone, including her.

      The had only had a few fleeting moments to be together in peace, in the depths of the Third Nightmare.

      So, strangely enough... despite having known her for almost ten years, this was the first time Sunny had enough maturity to not only know what he wanted, but also be able to express his feelings.

      So what if the timing was terrible, and there was a war approaching? If he decided to wait for a good moment to act on his desires, he would have had to wait forever... . After talking some more, he showed Nephis out and returned to the Brilliant Emporium while whistling an upbeat melody.

      However, once he was inside, he was met by Aiko‘s chilly gaze.

      "What are you so happy about?"

      Sunny grinned and suppressed the desire to pinch her cheeks.

      Instead, he said happily:

      "I just agreed to follow Lady Nephis to war."

      The petite girl glared at him silently.

      "... There's going to be a war?"

      Sunny nodded.

      "Oh, right. You didn‘t know. Yeah, there is."

      Aiko kept silent for a while, then let out a long sigh and sat down.

      "And you‘re going with Nephis to that war?"

      He gave her a carefree shrug.

      "It seems so."

      Aiko sighed again, then covered her face with both hands and groaned.

      "Gods... not again! Why... why is this keep happening to me? ! No, really... why? !"

      Sunny looked at her guiltily, then walked over and patted the petite girl on the head.

      His voice sounded bright:

      "Aiko... don‘t worry too much. It‘s going to be fine. Let me ask you something..."

      When she looked up at him with teary eyes, he grinned and asked cheerfully:

      "... Have you heard about the wonderful world of war profiteering‘?"



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      1. Offline
        Aitho
        + 12 ⋅ 0 -
        I swear Sunny is the worst man cheerful
        He keeps going to randoms places for fight/war and always end up being a burden for Aiko: like can u Master S stop disappear?!
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  3. Offline
    DanielPlay
    + 4 ⋅ 1 -
    New record for update time.
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      ropero
      + 15 ⋅ 0 -
      I think g3's plan is to go round the clock by slowly increasing update time and come back to normal schedule in a year or two pressure
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  4. Offline
    EVOLT
    + 19 ⋅ 1 -
    Smiling in class like a madman reading these chapters blushed.
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      ArMiks
      + 15 ⋅ 0 -
      Careful, your prof might think that you're enjoying their class
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  5. Offline
    Dragão Preguiçoso
    + 15 ⋅ 0 -
    Fire Keeper 2: I just heard some hot gossip. know
    Fire Keeper 1: Weren't you traveling? And that you weren't here as you said in the previous chapter? angry4
    Fire Keeper 2: That was my twin brother... oru2x
    Fire Keeper 1: But weren't you an only child? middle
    Fire Keeper 2: Did I say brother? I meant my clone! imbest
    Fire Keeper 1: I don't even know what to do with such shamelessness
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    Turnc4406
    + 13 ⋅ 0 -
    "I think I know what to do now."

    I think she's going to show her passion, and she is not going to stop with merely a dress removal.
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    Jendo_04
    + 17 ⋅ 0 -
    yknow i feel like this whole pre war arc is g3 apologising for the suffering he has put us through. Giving us so much joy (only to cause the most horrific painful plot twists later tho).
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  8. Offline
    MefetraN7
    + 2 ⋅ 18 -
    Тот кто писал что главы дождя это вода. Так вот, эти 2 главы сплошная вода на воде и водой погоняет. Концентрация воды в 2 этих главах превышает норму а 1000 раз. Благо я не ждал главы, а то разочаровался бы.
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      Doksoo
      + 15 ⋅ 1 -
      say what you want, but the chapters with Neph and Kass are 10,000 times more interesting to me than all the others (without Sunny himself)
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      varisovich
      + 1 ⋅ 6 -
      Земляк салам
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      Максим Довбняк
      + 15 ⋅ 1 -
      Yes, they do not carry information value. But there is an emotional component that evokes emotions, reveals the emotional part of Nephis (which has always been indifferent). The chapters with Rain are just annoying, the grains were collected for 10 chapters... Several times things were explained that would fit in 2-3 chapters. So yes, it is boring, without emotions (except for awakening), with the ending "sister's stupid decision for no reason"
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        MefetraN7
        + 0 ⋅ 11 -
        Все это можно было уместить в два преложения, все. А не 2 главы. По факту, нефис смутилась, пришла к кэсси, поговорили по душам, все.
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          Максим Довбняк
          + 12 ⋅ 0 -
          If readers like it, then the author is doing everything right. As I see, most people like it, so stop crying and calm down.
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    Devil of Antarctica
    + 3 ⋅ 0 -
    La calma antes de la tormenta
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  10. Offline
    Ranobesreader19
    + 21 ⋅ 0 -
    I folded gloom oh well, can't really regret it, those were 2 good chapters kef guess I'll try to stockpile starting now crybaby
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      SrgtLock
      + 31 ⋅ 0 -
      See you tomorrow lol joy
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