Shadow Slave : A Date

Necklace

Nephis lingered for just a breath before she caught on to his furrowed brow. She startled yet again, something akin to embarrassment lingering her next words:

„Ah, my apologies," she said. „You didn't get the reference, did you? I'm a sucker for ancient history, you see... Perhaps you've heard of Odysseus?"

Nephis paused, looking at Sunny for a response.

He simply nodded, „I have, indeed, yes."

„Right," she continued after confirmation. „Much like Odysseus, you see, Adonis was also a mortal intertwined in the schemes and wrath of his gods. Specifically, he was the target of affection for Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty, love, and desire... Long story short, when she ultimately gave into her longing, it was his otherworldly beauty that had managed to enchant her... Thus, how the saying came to be."

Towards the end of her explanation, for some unknown reason, Nephis' eyes managed to widen to the size of plates — almost as if she had just come to a groundbreaking realization.

What she had realized, however, that was anybody's guess.

Meanwhile, while maintaining a taciturn facade, Sunny's mind was in turmoil.

'Did she just... compare me to a man who managed to seduce a goddess?! That's... that's ludicrous! Totally inane!'

Sunny couldn't believe it. It was the biggest compliment anyone had ever given him — and it coming from Nephis just made that all the more sweet.

Realizing how their gazes seemed to have drifted apart in their exchange, as if possessed by Cupid, they locked eyes anew. Her, a certain redness reaching from the bottom of her neck; the tips of her ears a scarlet shade. Him, at the sight of that, not faring any better, a blush tinging his cheeks.

As soon as their eyes met, they both turned their heads to either side in visible embarrassment.

'W-why is she blushing?!' Sunny couldn't help but protest.

Safe to say, neither of them was in a position to think straight at the moment. And that is why a foreign cough made the situation all the more complicated.

Simultaneously, their heads whipped to the woman in the corner of the room. The stranger hid a smirk behind her palm as she looked away, giggling. Then, hearts caught in their throats, their gazes fell over all the other customers that had just witnessed their brazen display.

'Damnation! We may have gone too far.'

Well, all the blame really did fall on Nephis. She had just shown everyone a completely new side to her usually stoic self. And whether that was intentional or not, it was certainly going to be the selling factor of their relationship.

'Fake relationship!'

Anywho. Being the gentleman that he was, Sunny came to Nephis' rescue before anything else could happen.

"Lady Nephis, it seems we may have gotten side-tracked. Of course, we don't want to disturb these people's time any further. So," he pointed to the door behind her with an open palm, „shall we get going?"

Nephis lingered for a moment. Then nodded.

Before she turned around to leave, however, she slightly bowed to nobody in particular and said, „You have our apologies for the disturbance. Please continue as you were. The cake here is especially delicious, do give it a try."

Sunny smiled. Truthful or not, Nephis' words were bound to be good for business. He could have sworn he heard Aiko groan excitedly at that.

———

They rounded the corners and streets of the city in silence. Sunny would've loved to say that it wasn't an awkward silence, that he enjoyed the silence, but he didn't, and it wasn't.

'Damn it, I'll have to break the ice somehow.'

His eyes scanned the horizons, the people, the stalls, searching for something to casually bring up in conversation.

It also didn't help that people were staring at them with wonder... They weren't even holding each other's arms! How were these onlookers supposed to know they were on a date?

Sunny gritted his teeth and threw a fruitive glance at Nephis.

She was as taciturn as ever, something heavy twisting about in her mind.

'Is this about her reaction from before?' Sunny couldn't help but think. 'Or is she simply embarrassed?'

The latter would've given him great amusement, of course. But if it indeed was the former, Sunny doubted she would open up to him so easily.

Sunny ticked his tongue. This date wasn't going as well as he hoped it would. And he knew he had to make some miracle happen if he wanted to save it.

That was when he caught the sight of a peculiar shiny thing. It wasn't the best idea he ever had, he knew, but it would do the job just fine.

In a brazen display of courage, Sunny reached for Nephis' hand, interlocked their fingers, threw a snide expression at her, then ran off to a merchant's stall further away, forcing her to be dragged along with him.

„M-master Sunless," Nephis said, „what are you doing?"

„Don't daddle," he replied, a smile plastered across his face.

As Saints, they could practically teleport the distance to the stall. But Sunny chose to run at mundane speeds. To enjoy the normalcy of it.

Soon enough, they arrived at a grand stall. Purple banners decorated the poles of the awning. On the main desk, pillows encased in glass boxes displayed valuable jewelry. No doubt reinforced with spelltech.

Awakened in heavy armor stood guard to either side of the stall. Weapons summoned and sheathed at their hips, they were ready to move at any given second.

The merchant responsible for the stall was an Awakened himself. A Master with an utility aspect, most likely. His mustache rounded his face in a classy way. A golden monocle finished his look.

Looking more like one of those fairytale villains he had read so much about in his youth, Sunny was intrigued on how they would be received.

His curiosity was soon satisfied as the merchant's eyes widened in disbelief and he said, „Welcome, welcome!" He bowed at a ninety degree angle at his hips. „Princess Changing Star, it is an honor to receive you at my humble store."

He spared Sunny a warm glance, skipping to their interlocked hands, then said in a whispering voice, „And you, sir, must be the Lady's paramour. I aspire to be half the man you are." He spared Sunny a wink. „You may call me Alaric, if you like. How may I serve you on this fine day? A necklace, a bracelet... Mayhaps even a ring? We have the best in the business."

Sunny felt a certain heat climb his face in the event of this merchant's wittiness.

'He's a damned good salesman.'

Good thing Sunny wasn't in the business of selling jewelry. This guy could've been a greater rival to him than Mordret was to the Lord of Shadows.

Seeing the expectant gazes glancing at him, and the pressure of his flaw mounting, Sunny felt the need to say something.

„Good day, Alaric." Sunny chose his next words very carefully, hoping to reduce the price of his following purchase. „Not a ring today, no. Perhaps on another day. I was more interested in this necklace you have here."

Sunny pointed with his chin at the foremost glass box. Inside, on a pillow made of the finest silk, a shiny sword carved out of a transparent-gray gem was pendant around a silver chain.

„Ah, The Sword of Ruin, our finest piece," the merchant replied. „You have a good eye, sir. This is for the Lady, yes? Shall we see how it looks around her neck?"

Before Sunny could reply, the box was already open.