The three of them decided to split up and take a look around the city. Well, he was with Cassie while Nephis went alone. Not wanting to take risks, he held Cassie's hand to assure they didn't split up. After all, a blind girl in a corrupted city like this would only spell trouble. He wasn't exactly looking around though; rather, while they were walking, he was checking his runes.
---
Name: Sunless.
True Name: - Lost from light
Rank: Aspirant, Awakened
Memories: [Viridiflumen], [Knight's Sword], [Graveyard Skull], [Ordinary Rock], …
Soul Core: Dormant, Awakened
Attributes: [Fated], [Mark of Divinity], [Poacher].
Aspect: [Pearl Diver].
Flaw: [Three Eyed]
[Aspect Name: Pearl Diver.]
Aspect: [Pearl Diver]
Aspect Rank: Divine
Aspect Description: [What is happiness to you? Well, for me…]
Innate Ability: [Bonded]
Ability Description: [Find a worthy master and let them know your True Name. Once they recite it out loud, you will be bound to their will, unable to disobey any command. It is improper for a Peerless Sinner, let alone a Divine one, to walk around without a standby executioner.]
Flaw: [Three Eyed], [Clear Conscious]
Flaw Description: [Taking on its sorrow, isn't that punishment enough?]
Flaw Description: [You cannot lie.]
---
Due to Sunny receiving Umbra's core in Auro's body, who was an Awakened, it became an Awakened core. His core, though, was still normal. To this day, he still doesn't understand the description of either his Aspect or Flaw.
Though he knew what his Aspect did, he couldn't say the same about his Flaw. He did have a theory; after all, in his appraisal it said he received the sorrow of an unknown—whatever that entailed, he had no clue.
Actually, Cassie was smart, right? Smarter than him at least.
"Say, Cassie, what does it mean to take on someone's sorrow?"
She stopped walking for a second before walking once more.
"Isn't it obvious? It's in the name after all. Unless it's a metaphorical question, then I would say it means to take on their pain, sadness, anger, and all."
Sunny cast a glance at her before turning back forward to see they finally arrived at the castle.
"I'd say I'm a pretty happy person though…"
With a shrug, he brushed it off and walked to the entrance with Cassie.
---
A whistle came from behind her. Looking back, she saw a rough-looking, fat man, but seeing how he was in this city, he was most likely in his mid-twenties at most—meaning that he aged like milk. He looked to be in his fifties; it truly was a sorry sight, but it just showed the conditions of this place.
"Hey, hot stuff! Come over here! Come on!"
His rough voice poured out, but Nephis decided to ignore him. After all, she knew what kind of man he was.
"Don't ya wanna know the secrets of this place, huh?"
Nephis stopped in her tracks before deciding to turn around, looking down at the crouched ugly man.
"You think I'm just going to give them for free? HA! No… I think you know what I wan—"
Before the man could finish, a blade met the edge of his neck. Blood dribbled down from the cut as the dream blade pressed deeper. A disgusted look appeared on her face as she looked down.
"You dare? A dirty mutt… no, only he's allowed to be called that by me… the same should go with roach… so, a dirty mongrel like you dares to even suggest such things?"
The man looked up, but instead of his eyes being plagued by fear, his hideous expression deepened before he licked his lips.
"You got an ass on ya, toots! I can see it from the front!"
The blade pressed deeper into his neck before a crazed smile split his face in two.
"Do it! There's nothing left anyway! That damn Gunlaug took away our very hope anyway! I was his right-hand man, dammit! I had everything I could want! And now yet… yet…!"
Nephis's eyebrow raised. Gunlaug was the name of the tyrant Effie had told them about.
"Fine then… spill your information and I'll give you what you want. I swear on my honor as a Legacy."
His eyes gleamed with a perverse lust before she could see drool starting to pour from his thin lips.
"You don't have to tell me twice! You see… this place does have a gateway… though there's one problem."
The man explained everything—well, everything he knew at least. Judging from his personality, it's most likely he was untrustworthy with the real history, but the information about how the gate works indeed did make sense and checked out with the sun.
"So now… turn around and give me a sh—"
The sound of a thud rang out as the man's head fell on the cold stone surface.
"Judging by your eyes, you must have truly been in pain, correct? You must have wanted to be put out of your misery. Then be grateful that Lady Changing Star herself fulfilled your desires and killed you."
Walking away as the head rolled, Nephis never looked back, making her way to the place the three of them would reunite once they got done checking out the castle.
---
"U-Uhm, sir… do you have your ent—"
"DOES IT LOOK LIKE I WOULDN'T HAVE MY ENTRY FEE! Who do you take me for, boy…"
"B-Boy?! You look younger tha—"
"You would dare to finish that sentence… boy."
"N-No, sir!"
Sunny tossed the young man two shards, wrapping his arm around the waist of the blonde girl next to him. She obviously looked slightly uncomfortable, but nobody said anything due to his aggressiveness. This in turn made it so nobody messed with them as they headed to one of the castle's rooms.
Sunny sneakily tossed something near a place where it seemed high-ranking people were talking and then finally walked into the room they were assigned.
Finally letting go of Cassie's waist, he threw her on the bed before falling on it himself.
"Ah! How I missed the comfort of this! Well, it isn't as nice as the ones in the academy, but it's better than stone and dirt! Right?"
Cassie's ears were red from embarrassment and shame before she faced the opposite way of Sunny—not that she could see anyways.
"Was that show really necessary? And how are we getting info exactly?"
Sunny laughed before he spoke again.
"Well, you see, I threw a memory that can record sound. Now once a night passes, I'll just summon it back and we can listen in!"
Cassie turned back to face him once more—not that she could see anyways though—before smiling.
"Say, Sunny, I have a question."
Her tone of voice was soft, but he could tell there was a sense of sadness beneath it.
"What's your dream—or should I say, end goal—after all of this?"
What was it indeed… he couldn't think. There was so much he wanted; after all, his greed knew no bounds. But he also knew he had a duty—a duty as a hero.
With his greed and his duty clashing, he gave her his answer.
"I suppose I would just want to enjoy moments like these for as long as I can… a nice bed, talking to you and Nephis, eating good food. Nothing extravagant, but… I guess what I want is to give that question I was asked an answer."
Cassie looked at him—or at least he thinks she did; he had his eyes closed.
"And what question exactly is that?"
Oh right, he didn't tell them about the final part of the first nightmare.
"Well, you see, my Aspect reads out: [What is happiness to you? Well, for me…] I suppose it's not filled out because even I don't know what it is to me yet… so I guess to answer your question…"
"I want to find happiness."