[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shadow-slave":3,"chapter-shadow-slave-shadow-slave-chapter-1835":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Shadow Slave",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},14635,41,"Chapter 1835 Next Morning","shadow-slave-chapter-1835",1835,"\u003Cp>Sunny reached Bastion in the dead of night. He tied the boat to the pier, climbed ashore, and walked slowly in the direction of the Brilliant Emporium. There was a lot on his mind, so he was not in a hurry to get home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, though, he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Marvelous Mimic opened its door unprompted to welcome him back. It even retracted the terrifying fangs, which were usually out at night, back inside the door frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny patted the lintel, walked into the dining hall absentmindedly, placed the picnic basket on a table, and sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a bit tired, but doubted that he would be able to sleep tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And indeed, Sunny wasn't able to douse the flames blazing in his mind for a long time. He tossed and turned in the bed, only falling asleep shortly before dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, he overslept, only waking up from the sounds of Aiko entering the shop. Since his petite assistant had showed up for work, the morning crowd wasn't far behind, either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny sat up and rubbed his face, then went about washing up for the long day ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Will she come?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He figured that Nephis would need a long time to sort her feelings out, but still put extra effort into making himself look presentable on the off chance that she would not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aiko's voice resounded from downstairs while he was in the middle of his routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, boss! What should I do with the basket?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny swept his wet hair back and responded casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"... Ah there are some dirty dishes inside. Give them a rinse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He washed them in the river yesterday, but everything still needed to be cleaned properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny continued to get himself ready. There were no mirrors inside the Mimic, so he used the gloomy shadow to look at himself instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Needless to say, the shadow was not amused by having to stare at his mug first thing in the morning... or ever, really.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That guy never changes...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was then that Sunny froze, opened his eyes wide, then dashed down while summoning the Nebulous Mantle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"N0, Aiko! Wait!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The petite girl was standing in the kitchen, the picnic basket floating in the air by her side. It was open, and Aiko... was holding a beautiful white dress in her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny grew still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at him with wide eyes and asked in a small voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Boss... uh... why did you bring a girl's dress back from your picnic?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny stammered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's n—not what you think... I didn't do anything!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just ran off... without her dress... it happened that way...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aiko stared at the dress silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a small frown appeared on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait a minute... these measurements...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next moment, she was standing next to Sunny, poking him in the chest with a finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is Changing Star's dress! You! You debaucherous scoundrel! What did you do to Nephis? !\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny softened the Onyx Shell, afraid that Aiko would bruise her finger, and pretended to reel back from her jabs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn't do anything! We were just escaping the heat in the river... and what do you mean, scoundrel? ! Weren't you the one who encouraged me to strike while the iron was hot? !\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When did I ever? !\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ouch! I don't remember! But you definitely did!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was then that the silver bell hanging above the door rang, and they both froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was standing at the entrance, looking at them calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tasteful white clothes, beautiful figure, lustrous silver hair...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny's heart skipped a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Nephis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lowered her gaze and looked at the dress, which Aiko was still holding in her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nephis smiled politely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh. I've been looking for that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking into the kitchen, she took it from the petite girl's hand and looked at Sunny with sparkling eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you for picking it up, Master Sunless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He inhaled slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"... Ah y—yes. Sure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she acting so nonchalant? What was she thinking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Did she come here to... to condemn me, or to embrace me?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gulped and asked cautiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I. . I hope everything is fine. After what happened yesterday.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nephis nodded curtly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she frowned a bit and mumbled quietly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, actually, now that I think about it... after what happened last night, I'll need to replace some furniture...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"... What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Aiko's eyes widened even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? !\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nephis looked at them in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh. Sorry. I was just talking to myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused for a moment, noticing their expressions, and then added hesitantly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh... did I say something wrong again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, Sunny managed to leave stunned Aiko behind and lead Nephis to somewhere more private.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now that they were there, he was silently cursing himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No, but... am I an idiot? Why didn't I go downstairs, to the Memory shop? Why did I bring her upstairs instead? !'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, there were... in his bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Sunny was berating himself, Nephis looked around with curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that where you sleep? This version of you, I mean.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny forced out a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"... Ah yes. At least one incarnation of me has to, from time to time. The others don't sleep, but since I am supposed to be the most human one, I do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He silently evaluated his bedroom and thanked the dead gods for the habit of always making his bed first thing in the morning. The room was clean and cozy, with a beautiful view of the Mirror Lake beyond the window. The Castle was bathed in the golden light of dawn... and there, above it, the Ivory Island was shrouded by clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nephis stared at his bed for a few moments, as if trying to remember something, then turned away and looked out of the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hint of a smile appeared on her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think I can see my window from here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny would lie if he said that he had not spent plenty of time staring at the distant silhouette of the Ivory Tower, so he kept silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he gestured to a few items decorating his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These are some curios that I collected in the Dream Realm over the years. They are... nothing much. But exploring the past is one of my hobbies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nephis studied them for a while, then turned to face him and said simply:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunny raised an eyebrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You... know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hesitated for a few moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Exploration Report on the Tomb of Ariel, written by Nobody. You are Nobody... aren't you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1110,"2026-05-28T17:11:42.361Z","2026-06-01T04:28:19.698Z",1,"novelbin.me","1c123a51f11d5c37fe4b6d12ac27f8d87ede6d19dcccf791de4b8cea853afae1","shadow-slave-chapter-1836","shadow-slave-chapter-1834",3007,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshadow-slave-cover.jpg"]