Chapter 1966: Fragile flowers.


    Once again, Sunny felt Neph''s gentle touch, and a pleasant warmth enveloped his body, washing all his pain away.


    The relief was palpable and exhilarating, dazing him for a short moment.


    Of course, it was darkened by the knowledge that the pain he was liberated from was at least equal, and very likely much inferior, to the pain Nephis endured for his sake in return.


    As the soft radiance enveloping her hands dimmed and was extinguished, she supported the avatar and looked at Master Sunless, who was still sitting at the table.


    Her expression was strangely dark for a moment, and then turned stern.


    ?...No more of that nonsense.?


    Confused, Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    ?What do you mean??


    Nephis remained silent for a moment, then sighed deeply and let go of the avatar.


    Patting him on the shoulder, she rose from the floor and walked back to her chair.


    ?The sparing me the pain nonsense.?


    Nephis took a glass filled with fragrant wine, drank deeply from it, and then carefully placed it down.


    ?If I were wounded and in pain right in front of you, and you had the power to stop my suffering, would you have hesitated to help me because of a few fleeting moments of agony??


    Sunny shook his head.


    ?No. I mean... seeing someone I care about suffer would have been quite agonizing, anyway.?


    Nephis nodded slowly.


    ?Exactly. So, never hesitate to ask me for help... if you will.?


    Sunny did not say anything for a while. Then, he dismissed the avatar and smiled mischievously.


    ?...Is this your roundabout way of saying that you care about me, Lady Nephis??


    She scoffed.


    ?Seriously... how come I am only ever surrounded by such people??


    Nephis sighed and shook her head in resignation.


    ?Both you and Cassie. She has this infuriating habit of bottling things up, suffering in silence, and treating me like some kind of fragile flower. I watched her retreat into herself for four entire years, never admitting what was wrong...?


    Sunny''s eyes glistened.


    He knew that Cassie could have been very well hearing this conversation, but could not endure the temptation to share his grievances with a fellow victim of the blind seer''s cagey nature.


    ?Right? She''s so secretive! Like, who in their right mind would keep so much to themselves? For years! Vital information, too!?


    Of course, he knew that Cassie had most likely only been withdrawn in the last four years because she simply couldn''t make Nephis — or anyone, really, except for Sunny himself —remember what she had to say.


    And he knew that Cassie''s habit of keeping secrets close to her chest was because of the trauma of watching her visions become self-fulfilling prophecies in the most horrible way — Sunny was personally responsible for cementing that trauma in her heart, after all.


    ?It''s nothing, Sunny. I''m just seeing another one of your many faces. I''ve never seen you so enthused about anything, I think.?


    Sunny''s gaze slipped to her lips. He lingered for a moment.


    ?I''m sure there was something I was more enthused about.?


    Nephis laughed.


    ?Oh, yes... I felt your enthusiasm quite clearly...?


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ?What''s that supposed to mean??


    Then, he shook his head.


    ?Well, you''re not wrong. We are different, after all, you and I.?


    Nephis tilted her head a little.


    ?Different? How so??


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, looking at the enchanted canteen in his hand. Then, he offered her a faint smile.


    ?You were born to a family of warriors. You have inherited swordsmanship from your father, and wielding a sword is both your passion and your calling. I, however... only picked up the sword out of necessity. I''ve gotten quite good at wielding it, true. But if left alone, I would have much preferred to do something else. Like running a Memory store, writing academic papers, or managing a small restaurant.?


    Nephis seemed surprised by his words.


    ?Really??


    Once again, it looked like she wanted to ask more. But she held herself back, sensing that he wouldn''t answer.


    Sunny tried to ignore the awkward pause and nodded.


    ?Sure. I am not a very brave and virtuous person by nature. If anything, my true nature is fifty percent greed and fifty percent hedonism. Oh, and a little bit of spite.?


    Neph smiled gently.


    ?It seemed that you are more remarkable than I thought, then, Master Sunless. Because it takes much more effort to become who you are now while going against your nature.?


    She sighed.


    ?It even makes me feel insecure about my own swordsmanship. After all, as you said, it is not only my calling, but also my inheritance.?


    Hearing that, Sunny froze for a moment.


    ?Right.?


    Her inheritance...


    He wanted to spend more time with Nephis, but there was something more important than their reunion.


    Sunny hesitated a little, then dismissed the [Green Canteen] and said tentatively:


    ?About that... I think you should talk to Cassie soon. We have discovered something important. As well as something that might be of great value to you, and only you.?