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.»

on the young woman's stern

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

in the box. Then, he asked, pretending to do it only out of politeness: «Oh? And

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

Scott. To his shame, though, he had never known that the standoffish girl was actually the daughter of his benefactors, mostly because of how young her parents looked. Determining the age of Awakened was a

coming to Bastion that Sunny realized

lacking a good Transcendent armor… and still being in the doghouse because of

She fell silent abruptly.

I

at Sunny with

she blushed

both of my parents are fine. They are

was a bit perplexed by her

«Unsurprising.»

two Saints. The White Feather's prominence had risen greatly since their exile to Antarctica — and therefore, so had

lowered his head with

hear. I wish them all

—— —— ——

and leaving the Brilliant Emporium in good spirits.

knew that the Memory he had painstakingly created would serve Saint Roan well, he

visited the Brilliant Emporium to enjoy tea and snacks after a long day of work. The

Sunny in

went

surrounding him, full of countless people…

couldn't help

for a while, watching the pale moon slowly

sighed and

go to bed. Everything

day had

Bell suddenly rang again. Surprised at the appearance of a late customer, Sunny raised an

but we are about

words died on his

a seawave cloak. Her hair was like a cascade of

her eyes, the young woman's ethereal, otherworldly beauty was simply

turned her

afraid I'm a bit late,

silent, trying to

what is

suppressed his emotions and put on