—
'Well, at least they don't think I am weak or arrogant anymore…'
Castor had to go to the infirmary after their battle from yesterday, the class was canceled after that, soon enough, every one in the academy knew what happened.
So, instead of being called weak or a disgrace, people avoiding him for being 'a fraud', all sleepers avoided him because they were terrified of him.
As he went to get his breakfast, he heard the whispers.
"T-The Monster!"
"Don't look! He will punch you!"
"I will go the other way!"
'Aghh!! The one reason I came here was to make friends! No one is gonna talk to me at this rate!'
'What should I do…?'
(I just chose who can be my allies.)
'I am an introvert Shan! I can't judge people like you!'
(Your aspect doesn't seem useful at a first glance, focus on your combat skills to impress people.)
'That didn't work Rev! Most people are not like Saint Dire Fang damn it!'
(Make sure to be friendly!)
'Easy for you to say Bin, I don't know how to be friendly!'
(Don't worry, you will meet people before you die!)
'That doesn't count as advice Hel!'
(...)
'You didn't even give me advice!'
(Just show that you are the strongest! Everyone will want to partner up with you!)
'Did you scare everyone into submission, you barbaric wolf!?'
(Be charming, elegant, with your looks, I am sure girls will come to you in no time~.)
'Oh right, the girl that is too dense to notice a boy liking her wants to talk about being attractive!!'
He thought that, not knowing he was just as dense, several girls did glance at him with blushed faces…
Sunless was not going to have a girlfriend anytime soon at this rate.
He entered the mess hall and ignored all the people whispering about him and just got his food, sitting in the same place he did yesterday.
He sighed.
'What am I going to do?'
Sunless wasn't naive, he knew he couldn't survive the Dream Realm alone, especially if he gets dropped in a Death Zone, he would die, no question.
He needed teammates that could help him, with strong aspects and that…
Sunless looked to the side, the girl named Cassia was still there, the one with the crippling flaw, the one on the bottom of the ranks, the dead weight seer.
Cassia was eating, alone, as always, Sunless would have to protect her, help her, could she even kill a single nightmare creature?
"Hey, Cassia, right?"
The girl got scared at the sudden call, looking around with her blind eyes to know who called her.
"Here."
She finally looked at Sunless, well… Kind of, now knowing where he was.
"Yes?"
She looked nervous, of course she was, it was probably the first time someone actually talked to her since entering this place. Everyone saw her as dead weight because of her flaw.
"You already know my name but I am Sunless, what… Do you like to do?"
Sunny didn't know how to start conversations, the only people he talked to were those he already knew, being his sisters, Mother, his mentors and the maids and butlers.
"Ahh… Why are you talking to me?
Her face twisted in curiosity, turning her head, confused.
"Because no one else in the academy will talk to me. Not after what I did to Caster."
"Oh! You fought him?"
"Yes… Send him right to the infirmary."
Cassia… Laughed.
'Huh? Why is she laughing, she's not scared?'
"S-Sorry, it's just, that happened to me once too!"
Sunless stared, not believing her.
"You? Send someone to the infirmary once?"
She nodded.
"I practiced fencing before being infected with the Nightmare Spell, I hitted my opponent a little too hard and sent her right into the infirmary… My parents were not happy!"
She was smiling, it was beautiful, the emptiness that was on her face before was long gone.
Sunless smirked.
"So you are a troublemaker in the skin of a cute and gentle girl?"
"Please, don't put it like that! I'm not a troublemaker!"
"Wasn't you the one who said I would fight Castor no matter what?"
"That was you! Your choice to fight him!"
"Right… But I wouldn't fight him if you hadn't said that we would fight, Cassia!"
Both continued the interaction, smiling as they bonded.
It was… Nice to know someone else.
And someone else joined.
Through shadow sense, Sunless noticed someone approaching with confidant steps.
It was the Changing Star of the Immortal Flame Clan, Nephis.
The boy looked at the silver haired girl worried.
'What does she-'
"Can you talk with me?"
Nephis just said that, no introduction, no conversation, just that.
Sunless was still processing what she said.
"Sorry, what?"
Cassia was confused to hear a new voice in the conversation.
"Sorry, who is talking?"
Cassia asked.
"I'm Nephis.
I want to talk to Sunless."
Cassia looked sad for a moment, she really wanted to talk more with Sunless.
Seeing her expression, Sunless directed at Nephis.
"Does it need to be now? I am talking to Cassia. Or you can join us, either way works."
If Sunless could talk with Nephis, he'll befriend her, maybe he could know what her intentions are with the Clans, what she knows…
Nephis seemed surprised?
"I…I don't see why not…"
The girl sat on the table and didn't say anything, the silence that settled in the table was weird…
But Cassia seemed to be the only one that actually had friends.
"Well, I am Cassia, you can call me Cassie."
"My… My name is Sunless, you can call me Sunny…"
"Nephis."
Cassie looked at Sunny.
"Your name is Sunless and your nickname is Sunny? That is contradictory!"
"Yeah? Not my fault my mother had a poetic soul, she named me Sunless because when I was born, there was an eclipse, so, Sunless."
"Really? That's cool!"
"Sunny…"
Nephis just lingered with that, not knowing what to say.
Sunny looked at the time, it was 9 o'clock, he got up.
"Well, it was a pleasure, but I need to go."
"Go where?"
Nephis asked.
Sunless forced himself and chose the right words.
"To my family's house."
He knew that wasn't enough to satiate her curiosity so he added more.
"They want to spend more time with me, train me some more."
Nephis studied Sunny for a few moments, then let it go.
"Sure, it makes sense your family has much better facilities for training."
Sunless tensed, the way she said that, she knows what mother did…
Cassie said her goodbyes and Sunless went outside.
A PTV was already waiting for him, the same, mute Master in the driver seat.
'Okay… Time to saturate my core.'
—
On the way home, Sunny thought about Nephis and Cassie, their conversation and the future.
'For Spell's sake… Mother will kill me…'
A few minutes later he had arrived at the manor, he thanked the driver and started walking. But before rising the steps to get in, he turned to the Master.
"I never asked for your name did I?"
The Master looked at Sunless surprised, he hadn't expected the question, nevertheless, the driver simply took out a badge he hid underneath his jacket, it read: Marcus.
Sunless nodded.
"Thank you Marcus."
—
"Agh… Finally!"
Sunless fell on the bed of his room. The room was pitch dark, but it didn't matter for the son of Song, he could see in the dark.
'My bed… so much better than the one at the academy…
I want to sleep.'
But, of course, he couldn't.
"What are you doing?"
A sight escaped his mouth.
"Resting Bin, I am resting."
"No, you are going to saturate your core, we may have 1 month, but don't get complacent, get up."
Her voice was strict again…
Sunny wanted to know.
'All his sisters, even mother insisted that I saturate my core, it doesn't make sense! What makes me so special? No one else needed to—
Wait, there… There was someone else needed to do this, Seishan, they wanted her to saturate her core too because… Saint Jin did a…'
Sunny's eyes widened.
"Bin… What did Hel see?"
Eunbin froze, and looked at him with shock. That just amplified Sunny's fears.
"Bin… What did she see!?"
The elder sister began to cry, it was the first time he saw her break down. The image of the powerful Saint was being destroyed right in the room.
Sunless ran to his sister, catching her and looking at her eyes.
"Bin… Please…"
Beastmaster hugged her brother tightly, resting her head on his shoulder.
"She saw you in the same place Seishan is… An unknown zone with no chance of getting out…"
Sunless eyes widened in shock…
'The same as… Seishan?'
The place where she was stuck for 7 years. The place that took away his sister…
The place mother couldn't find for all these years…
Sunless hugged Bin tightly. He didn't say anything as his sister continued to break down in front of him…
Revel appeared in the corridor, she was nearby and heard Bin crying. As she arrived, looking at the situation, she understood immediately.
"She told you, right?"
Sunless simply nodded.
Revel sight, looking down she was about to apologize to him but he stopped her.
"I will saturate my core… Today."
Both women's eyes widened with surprise.
"I just need 163 fragments… It's not much."
'I won't let Fate say how my life is going to end.'
He looked into Eunbin's eyes and smiled, he touched her face and wiped her tears.
"Don't worry Bin… I won't die… I made a promise after all."