They had been walking for more than two days.
Seishan and another member of the Song clan had left long ago, leaving them with a smaller group. Best Master had made them a tempting offer: she could take one more person back to the waking world.
It was a difficult opportunity to ignore.
This infernal desert was deadly. At any moment, death could reach them without warning. And while the offer fit into Nephis's plan, it was also dangerous.
Almost everyone rejected it immediately.
Almost.
Nephis noticed a flicker of hesitation in Effie's gaze. It wasn't much, just an instant, but enough for her to catch it.
The tall woman, raised by wolves, who had always been at the front—she hesitated.
For the first time.
But in the end, she stayed. She chose to stay with her friends.
Nephis would never have blamed her if she had left. Everyone had their own goals, their own ambitions... and not all of them could align with her crazy dream.
Days had passed since then.
And now, in the present, the group kept moving forward, but the situation hadn't improved.
Morgan refused to leave in defeat.
She was determined to reach Ariel's tomb.
If she managed to set foot there, it would be one of the greatest achievements of the Valor clan in recent times. An unparalleled feat.
And Morgan was not willing to give up.
They had walked hundreds of kilometers.
And the damn pyramid was just as far away as it had been at the start.
Some time ago, Sunny had come up with a theory.
The only way to reach it... was to travel at night.
But doing that was immediate suicide.
The dead of this desert did not allow anyone to walk under the moon.
Besides, they weren't even sure if the hypothesis was true. Taking such a risk just to test it wasn't the best option.
Morgan let out a tired sigh.
They were resting on yet another small sand mound, using the slight elevation as shelter.
And then, after what felt like an eternity...
Morgan of Valor gave up.
——
The first day had been... well, as good as it could be.
The cohort's morale remained high, and Effie's occasional jokes helped ease the tension from time to time. Thanks to Sunny's shadow acting as a scout, they had avoided the worst dangers and escaped from horrifying deaths.
Now, once again, they were resting in the dunes.
Luckily, this time there was no enemy princess or two strange Saints lurking around.
It was just them. Their friends.
And Soul Reaper Jet.
She had either had the bad luck of getting stuck with them... or the good luck, depending on how one looked at it.
But if Jet was a friend of Sunny's, then that meant she was a friend of Nephis.
Or at the very least, someone she could trust.
After all, if there was anyone more paranoid than her, it was Sunny himself.
They lit a small fire and started talking about anything and everything.
Kai said that once they returned, he would buy the latest fashionable suit.
Somehow, Jet had gotten along with Effie.
Cassie... remained distant, as always.
Nephis sighed.
She really needed to talk to that idiot soon.
Next to her, Sunny was resting, looking tired and yawning every so often.
Too bad a certain olive-skinned woman wasn't going to let him.
Suddenly, the world went quiet.
The only sounds were the distant howling wind and the crackling of the fire.
Until...
—Sunny, damn it, I really need to stop betting on you.
Effie's teasing tone broke the silence.
Sunny looked at her with utterly confused eyes.
The sentence made no sense.
To anyone.
Except Effie.
—It was obvious that the princess would be on top —she continued with an amused smile—, you know what I mean. But seriously, Sunny... it looks like you're the princess.
The silence that followed was brutal.
The words hung in the air for one painfully long second.
Sunny shot Effie one of his deadliest glares.
But...
Nephis couldn't hold back her laughter.
The thought of Sunny as a real princess was too ridiculous.
Kai smirked with that elegant yet mocking expression he had.
Jet was the one who laughed the most.
Even Cassie was smiling.
—She's right, Sunny —Jet murmured, her voice full of amusement—. And to think I had so much respect for you... the great Devil of Antarctica.
—What the hell is that stupid name? —Sunny muttered.
—"The Princess's Lover" suits you better —Effie added with a wide grin—. It fits you perfectly.
And so, the teasing began.
Surrounded by the faint glow of the fire, Effie became a joke-making machine.
And Sunny... couldn't kill her.
Not because he didn't want to.
But because making noise in this desert could attract something far worse than embarrassment.
—But don't worry, Sunny, this all makes sense —Effie went on, sounding far too wise for her own good—. You know, a clan doesn't rebuild itself with magic.
—What the hell are you talking about? —Sunny asked, visibly annoyed.
Effie's grin widened.
—Nephis is smart, after all. She picked a good prospect to restore the glory of the Immortal Flame clan.
Nephis blinked.
Her mind processed Effie's words with a slight delay.
For the first time, she was genuinely curious about what the hell she was talking about.
She didn't get it.
So she asked.
And that was her mistake.
—Oh... well, princess, sometimes I forget. I suppose you never had the talk. But don't worry. When a man and a woman have rela—
She was abruptly cut off by a burst of divine white flames.
Yes.
Nephis had blushed.
Her almost impenetrable mask was beginning to crack.
Not because of the words themselves.
But because, in the end...
She understood exactly what Effie was implying.
Effie had to die.
That was the only thought that crossed Nephis's mind.
But then...
Nephis was betrayed.
Not by her enemies.
Not by fate.
But by her own mind.
Because at that moment, an image appeared in her head.
An image she had seen in a dream, months ago.
A little girl.
Gray, beautiful eyes, full of life, reflecting the moonlight with an ethereal glow. Long, straight black hair, so silky it seemed to shine under the dim light. Dressed entirely in black, her small figure held a natural elegance that didn't quite match her young age.
Her height... well, Nephis wasn't sure exactly how old she was, but she was certain she would soon surpass Sunny.
Her face had delicate, feminine features, but with an almost unsettling perfection. Like a porcelain doll. Her skin, so pale and smooth, resembled the finest silk.
And also...
No.
Nephis.
Stop.
Her thoughts came to a sudden halt. She turned her head, searching for Sunny, hoping to find some kind of support.
But what she saw...
She had never seen Sunny so embarrassed.
He was seconds away from covering his face with his hands. His shadows stirred around him, restless, reflecting his unease. And his loyal companions...
Happy.
That damn traitor was giving him a thumbs-up.
Nephis glared at the shadow.
Happy simply shrugged, as if saying, Hey, I'm just speaking the truth.
Nephis clenched her jaw.
Well... now that she thought about it...
Maybe Effie had a point.
The anger and embarrassment were replaced by something else. Something warmer.
Of course, she wouldn't say it out loud.
Not yet.
The night continued with laughter and teasing. Sunny shared more detailed stories about Antarctica, ones they had never heard before. Even Jet, usually reserved, contributed a few remarks that made the group laugh.
But then...
Nephis stopped smiling.
Because Jet said something that... well, she didn't find very funny.
—Who would've thought this little pervert would become a natural explorer and fighter?
A brief silence followed.
—Pervert? —Effie raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued.
—He never told you? —Jet grinned.
And for some reason...
She looked at Sunny.
With the expression of a demon about to drag someone's soul to hell.
Sunny stiffened.
Nephis felt his discomfort before even looking at him.
—Back in his first Nightmare, I was the one watching over him —Jet continued, amusement lacing her voice—. You know, in case he failed his ascent.
Nephis crossed her arms. Sunny sensed her shifting behind him.
—But that's not the funny part —Jet added.
The tension in the air thickened.
—When he woke up... I asked him, "What are you looking at?"
Jet leaned forward slightly.
—And do you know what he said?
Silence.
Sunny tried to open his mouth, but the words got stuck in his throat.
Too late.
Jet's grin widened.
—"Your breasts."
The fire crackled at the center of the circle.
Effie was the first to react.
Her laughter boomed through the night like thunder.
Kai, always more composed, simply let out an elegant chuckle while covering his mouth.
Even Cassie smiled.
Nephis...
Nephis looked at Sunny.
He was frozen in place, his eyes wide with horror as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.
Powerless to stop it.
—It wasn't like that —he finally managed to say, his voice carrying a desperate attempt at defense.
But it was too late.
Effie had enough fuel for the whole night.
—Then how was it, oh great Devil of Antarctica? —Jet teased.
—Explain yourself, Princess's Lover —Effie added, grinning wickedly.
And so, Sunny spent the rest of the night trying to explain the same story.
Three times.
But no one believed him.
And as punishment...
He had to sleep in Nephis's lap.