Shadow Slave

Sunny took a quick shower and went downstairs. By the time he came down, Nephis was just exiting the guest room. She changed from the gym shorts and a tank top that she had been wearing for their practice session and put on some of the clothes they had ordered for her a few days back. Her silver hair was wet, glistening in the rays of sunshine that poured through the windows.

Without having to say anything, Sunny went to the kitchen, opened a drawer, and took out a can of grounded coffee. Then, he stretched his arm back. By then, Nephis had already filled a pot with water and placed it into his hand. Soon, the pleasant aroma spread through the house.

By the time the coffee was ready, a PTV was in the process of parking nearby. Sunny dumped two spoons of sugar into his cup, left the one intended for Neph without any, and added cream to the third. Changing Star, meanwhile, was opening the door for Cassie.

Soon, all three were seared around the table, enjoying their respective beverages. After a while, Sunny glanced at the blind girl and asked:

"Well? What's the news?"

She lingered for a bit, then pushed her cup away and produced two flat, white squares. Sunny stared at them for a bit, confused. Then, he blinked a couple of times.

"Is that… an envelope?"

Indeed, that was what the white squares were. They seemed to be made out of paper, and each had a round piece of red wax attached to it. Sunny had only seen an actual paper envelope used in period dramas, so he was justifiably surprised to encounter one in real life.

Taking one of the envelopes, he curiously studied it from different sides.

"How quaint…"

There was an image of a sword piercing an anvil etched into the red wax, so at least he did not have to wonder where the strange things had come from.

'Legacies…'

Amused, he furtively glanced at Nephis to learn what one was supposed to do with a paper envelope, and then repeated her actions. Soon, a different piece of paper appeared in his hands.

"Master Sunless, you are cordially invited… what? What is this?"

Even more confused than before, he turned to Cassie and raised an eyebrow. She was supposed to bring them an update on the situation with the government and Clan Valor, not some weird messages.

The blind girl smiled slightly.

"Basically, this is a gesture of good will."

She paused for a moment, and then added in a bright tone:

"It is an invitation. Clan Valor is holding an annual ball in about a month. We are all invited to attend… which is usually considered a great honor. Not every Master receives the privilege to brush sides with the most powerful representatives of the great clans and actual Saints."

Sunny blinked a couple of times.

"...Is holding balls some weird Legacy ceremony? Wait, what kinds of ball are we talking about? Something like a football? Why do people hold it annually, and more importantly, why do we have to attend this… ball holding ritual?"

Nephis silently covered her face with a hand and said, a hint of exasperation finding its way into her voice:

"Sunny… a ball is a social gathering, usually accompanied by a dance. It is not a literal ball!"

He stared at her for a moment, then glanced at the piece of paper in his hand and coughed.

"Oh… that makes more sense, I guess…"

Cassie listened to them speak with a strange expression, then tilted her head a little and said:

"...Of course, in our case, this invitation holds special meaning. It is a sign that Clan Valor is willing to be patient and wait for Nephis to recover. It is also the indication that the final negotiation is going to take place during the ball, one month from now. This gives us time to prepare."

This was a good piece of news, all things considered. Basically, it meant that now that the initial week was over, Changing Star had more time to get ready to face the representatives of Clan Valor. It also meant that the great clan was not going to do anything before that, giving her freedom to recuperate in peace. It was more or less an armistice.

A bright smile appeared on Cassie's delicate face.

"But there is more! To show their sincerity, Clan Valor released the Fire Keepers they were holding hostage. Both are already back, and resting in the Immortal Flame manor. This… this means that they are serious about building a good relationship with us, I think."

Sunny let out a sigh.

He was not really attached to the Fire Keepers. Still, they had gone through the civil war in the Bright Castle and the siege of the Crimson Spire together. The fools also treated him as one of their own, for some reason. He had felt a bit guilty knowing that some of them were suffering because of the terrible mess in the Night Temple.

Effie, Kai, and Aiko were going very happy to hear the news, too.

However... it was not like Clan Valor to let go of leverage. Sunny glanced at Cassie and frowned.

"What are they scheming?"

The blind girl hesitated for a few moments, then shrugged.

"I am not entirely sure. However… I do have a suspicion. This sudden change must indicate that something important happened to shift the balance of power even more in favor of Clan Song. That is why Valor is willing to make concessions to ensure that Immortal Flame becomes their ally."

Sunny suddenly felt a strong sense of unease. What could have happened to change the power dynamic between the two great clans so much?

He took a sip of his coffee, and then asked.

"Well… so what now?"

Cassie smiled.

"Now? Now, we are free to do anything we want for a month. The government is going to insist that Nephis makes at least one public appearance, but they won't be too forceful in their demands. So… we can do whatever."

She turned to Changing Star and said, her voice full of warmth:

"Neph… how do you feel about finally coming home? We can go to the manor right now. If you're ready..."