Shadow Slave novel Chapter 2582

Stepping through the shadows, Sunny found himself at the summit of the tallest pagoda of the Great Citadel. The towering palace was actually built inside and around the main mast of the Night Garden, surrounding its lower part with a cascade of tiled roofs and graceful terraces.

The terraces themselves were gardens, with emerald grass covering their expanse and ancient trees swaying in the cool breeze. The summit was like a grove, the leaves whispering as they moved above the surface of a quiet pond. This high, there was nothing but the masts of the titanic vessels and the stars above it, so the water reflected the starlit sky, seeming like a fragment of it.

Jet was sitting on the soft grass, leaning against the trunk of a tall tree as she gazed at the distant constellations. She seemed to have adjusted to her life aboard the Night Garden well; she appeared more at ease than usual, at least, enjoying the rare moment of silence in comfortable solitude. Her usual government uniform was gone, replaced by an armor Memory that resembled a wetsuit crafted from the inky-black skin of an unknown sea monster. The thing was similar to the Memories that members of the House of Night usually wore into battle, and was far more practical than conventional armor when fighting in the depths...

Of course, it also outlined her beautifully figure radiantly, but having gone through the Southern Campaign side by side with Jet, Sunny had become somewhat immune to that sight.

He did not make any noise, and yet, she turned her head in his direction, her icy blue eyes almost glowing in the darkness of the warm night.

“Ah, Lord Sunless. Welcome to the Night Garden... I was told to expect you."

There were lanterns hanging from the branches here and there. Walking into their light, Sunny glanced around curiously, noting the golden fruits growing between the leaves of the surrounding trees, and sat down as well.

"Greetings, Saint Jet... just call me Sunny, please. Otherwise, I'll feel awkward."

He leaned against a tree, looking at the stars reflecting on the surface of the calm pond. Jet chuckled.

“Well, alright then.”

She remained silent for a few moments and then sighed.

"I wanted to ask if you are younger than me, but then realized that the question is meaningless. After all, we are poised to live for hundreds of years... thousands, possibly, or even indefinitely. So, what difference do a few years make?"

A lazy smile appeared on her lips.

“It's a bit unfair, though. Even if we do survive until we are hundreds of years old... I will still be the oldest one, forever. How disheartening.”

Sunny scoffed.

"I don't know. I have felt like I am too old for all this crap since I was sixteen. So, I enjoy being older than other people; after all, I worked really hard to reach that age. My age is something that I earned, not something that just happened to me.”

And Jet had worked harder than most to earn hers; much, much harder, because of her Flaw. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

He smiled and added in a neutral tone:

"Oh, but I am still younger... by about ten years."

She gave him a resentful glare.

"Ouch."

With that, Jet looked at him curiously. She lingered for a long while, and then asked: "So, is it my turn to go on a dangerous journey and learn a profound lesson about myself, the world, and life from you?"

Sunny coughed.

"W—what?"

She grinned.

“That is what happened with Kai and Effie, is it not? They told me about their misadventures. You received rave reviews, though, so don't worry.”

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