Shadow Slave

Inside the lacquered box, an intricately engraved vambrace was laying on black silk. It was forged from a light silvery metal and decorated with a pattern resembling interlaid feathers. The vambrace emanated a feeling of restrained power, and just from a passing glance, one could tell that it was an extraordinary item.

Awakened Telle, however, seemed unimpressed.

Well… from what Sunny could remember, she always seemed that way. The young woman raised an eyebrow.

«Master Sunless. From what I remember, I commissioned you to procure a suit of armor.»

He smiled.

«Your memory is stellar, my lady. But don't be concerned… this vambrace possesses a rare enchantment that allows it to unfold into a full plate of impregnable armor, just like what you wished to purchase. The process only takes a second, and consumes very little essence. While such a trait might bring a slight inconvenience in case of a sudden attack, it also makes this Memory uniquely adaptable.»

Telle's eyes gleamed.

«…I assume that it can be used by a Saint?»

Sunny nodded.

«Indeed. It can accommodate any type of Transformed creature up to about fifty times the size of an average human. The speed with which the vambrace unfolds remains the same. Of course, the essence expenditure grows in proportion.»

He continued to smile, but really, Sunny wanted to cry on the inside.

That was because it took him an incredible quantity of magical alloy to create the damned vambrace. The thing looked small, but he would have had to bankrupt the Brilliant Emporium in order to purchase the materials needed to forge it… if anyone would even sell them to him. In the end, he had been forced to track down and kill a dozen Corrupted Beasts with metallic carapaces to complete the commission.

Which meant that Sunny had not suffered a loss… but he could have sold all that Transcendent steel, instead!

His heart was bleeding.

In fact, he was even lamenting the cost of the expensive lacquered box with silk furbishing that Aiko had made him buy for the vambrace.

«But it is for a good cause.»

Sunny had to remind himself why he had put in extra effort to make sure that this Memory was particularly potent and durable.

Awakened Telle finally showed a hint of satisfaction. She studied the Memory for a few moments, then asked in a slightly warmer tone:

«You have conducted a thorough study of its other enchantments, of course. What are they? Oh, and what is its name?»

Sunny carefully picked up the vambrace and began the description:

«My lady, this Transcendent Memory of the Fourth Tier is called the Belated Apology. Apart from the unfolding enchantment, it also possesses three others. One vastly enhances its physical durability. The other grants the person wearing it greatly increased protection from elemental attacks. Finally, the third enchantment might interest you the most. It allows the master of the Memory to make it as light as a feather.»

smile appeared on the young woman's stern

of course it did. That set of enchantments was almost perfect for an

That is exactly what my father needs!»Sunny hid a smile and put the vambrace back in the box. Then, he asked, pretending to do it only out of politeness:

him was Lady Telle of the White Feather clan. She was the daughter of Saint Tyris and Master Roan… although the latter was

shame, though, he had never known that the

was only after coming to Bastion that Sunny realized his mistake. Telle

armor… and still being in the doghouse because of having challenged the Third Nightmare

She fell silent abruptly.

am I telling you

woman looked at Sunny with wide

strangely enough, she blushed a little and looked

parents are fine. They are awfully busy, of

was a bit perplexed by

«Unsurprising.»

had risen greatly since their

smiled and lowered his head

is good to hear. I wish

—— —— ——

Apology and leaving

the Memory he had painstakingly created would serve

Brilliant Emporium to enjoy tea and snacks after a long day of work. The evening crowd receded, and the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. Moonlight and darkness enveloped the streets of Bastion, and the city slowly grew

left, leaving Sunny in the empty

and then went

surrounding him, full of countless people… Sunny

he couldn't help but feel

porch for a while, watching the pale moon slowly move across the starlit

he sighed and

then go to

had been

Surprised at

we

died on his

young woman in a seawave cloak. Her hair was like a cascade of pale gold, and her eyes… were hidden behind

young woman's ethereal, otherworldly beauty was simply

turned her head in the direction of

sorry. I'm afraid I'm a bit

trying to overcome

is

put on the polite smile of a