A Lesson

It had been a while now. The Sisters of Song had gathered to hold council.

Which meant they were now crammed into one of their rooms, hiding away as they discussed how to proceed. Only time would tell whether Revel's plan, to make them all see what she had realized, would succeed.

That Ki Song was no longer their Mother, and her death would be, at best, a salvation.

At worst, it would be the act of a group of ungrateful daughters forsaking the one who had raised them into a strength no one could challenge.

But that belief had been shattered days ago.

So, while the sisters were preoccupied, Sunny had other plans to pursue. Rain still needed a teacher for something he had never been able to use.

The sorcery of Names.

Something Nephis excelled at. And since she now had time on her hands, there was nothing stopping her from lending him a hand.

For different purposes than usual.

He approached Rain, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"I know I'm a fabulous teacher, but there's something I can't teach you."

Rain was lost in thought, and his words caught her off guard. For a moment, she was speechless.

Eventually, she found her voice…and her attitude.

"Don't let it get to your head. I'm still mad at you for how you brought me here. Was it so hard to just ask me to climb into that terrifying bag?" She frowned at him, trying to look angry but ending up looking more adorable.

'I can still see that tiny little girl when I look at her. Ahhh… good memories.'

Clearing his throat, he straightened up and stood tall, well…as tall as he could make himself look like that is.

"No, but would you have agreed if I asked?"

Rain stared at him for a moment, still trying to appear intimidating.

"No. But I would have appreciated it." She let her expression soften and lay back down on the couch, her gaze never leaving his.

"So, what is it that the mighty Lord of Shadows can't teach me? Was I praising you too much after all?" A small grin played on her lips.

'If he can play these games, so can I.'

"There actually is something." He folded his arms. "You know I have my own sorcery. One so rare in today's world that I'm the only one using it. But… you, sis, have an affinity for the sorcery of Names."

[Yes, I did mess with the original timeline a bit. Let's just say Cassie met with Rain earlier, told her about her flaw, and Sunny gave her that handy bracelet and all.

And yes, I know Rain originally unlocked her Flaw in the fight against Tell.

P.S.: This isn't the only thing I'll be messing with. I try to write my stuff without interfering with the original timeline, but it's either this or just skipping days… which may or may not happen anyway.

Anyways… back to the chapter.]

Rain blinked at him before thinking back to her meeting with Cassie in the Hollows.

Hesitantly, she nodded. "Yes, and you told me you already knew the perfect teacher. Wait… you don't mean one of the Royal Sisters, do you?"

Sunny chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, I meant… wait…"

'No, but why didn't I think of this? Isn't Hel good with the Sorcery of Names?'

Indeed, she was. He had completely forgotten that.

"You might be onto something. I was referring to Nephis, but she won't always be around. Hel can actually teach you while she's gone."

Rain stared at him in silence. Was there really a chance she'd be taught not just by one, but by two Divine Aspect holders? And a Royal Saint on top of that?

Her eyes would have been glowing with excitement…if she wasn't so terribly nervous.

'Me? Learning from Changing Star and the renowned Death Singer? How am I supposed to live up to their expectations?'

Sunny, of course, knew she would have no problem picking up the sorcery of Names. After all, she had an attribute that made it easier for her, something Nephis didn't have, and yet she had still mastered it.

"Calm down, Rain. How do you think I felt when I weaved my first string of Shadow essence? It took me years to reach my current level." He scoffed. "I was losing fingers on all four of my hands back then."

That… did not help calm her down.

"Losing fingers? Four hands? Did you lose two arms too, or what happened?"

Sunny rolled his eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh.

"No, I didn't lose two arms. It was in my Second Nightmare. The body I had back then was a four-armed fiend. But that's not important right now. You'll be learning the sorcery of Names, not weaving. So you won't lose any limbs."

Rain sighed in relief.

"I think," Sunny added with a smirk.

She stiffened immediately.

"But even if you do, Nephis can help you with that." His voice took on a more serious tone. "But don't go hurting yourself just because Nephis can heal your wounds. She endures unimaginable pain every time she does."

That only made Rain more unsure if she even had the right to ask for Nephis's guidance. After all, they had only met briefly. Did Changing Star even remember her?

Her worries were put to rest when the woman in question walked into the lounge, holding a tray of coffee mugs.

"I might not be the best barista in the world, but how hard can making coffee be?" Her voice was as even as ever, but there was amusement in her eyes.

Both siblings glanced at the drinks before taking a sip of whatever monstrosity the "Blow Torch" had managed to brew.

Nephis watched expectantly, raising her own mug to her lips.

The first sip nearly made her spit it out.

Forcing herself to swallow the bitter, burned concoction, she turned to Sunny and Rain.

Before she could ask, Sunny jumped in to spare her from whatever his Flaw would force him to say.

"It's… let's just say you're a much better swordswoman than a barista. I was planning to employ you in the Brilliant Imperium one day, but not as a barista… that's for sure."

Nephis nodded, having reached the same conclusion. Rain, on the other hand, wisely chose to stay silent, she didn't want to ruin her chances of learning from Changing Star.

"But you're getting another job," Sunny added. "One that doesn't involve making coffee."

Nephis raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Oh? As a cook, perhaps? I know I'm good at that." Her voice was light, teasing.

Sunny shook his head and pointed at Rain with a charming smile, one Nephis always found difficult to resist.

"I'd like you to teach her the sorcery of Names. Sadly, I can't, no matter how much I try."

Nephis met Rain's anxious gaze before a faint, knowing smile appeared on her lips.

"That's not what I expected, but sure. I believe we've met before, Rain."

The girl nodded furiously, then took a deep breath.

"Th-thank you, Changing Star. I'll try my best not to disappoint you."

Nephis chuckled softly, sensing how nervous the girl was. But as Sunny's sister, she was bound to be a good student. Of that, she was sure.

"Call me Nephis. You're quite the special girl, from what I've heard. I expected nothing less from someone taught by this crazy guy." She subtly gestured at Sunny, earning a chuckle from Rain.

'Why am I the one catching strays now?' Sunny frowned in confusion.

Nephis extended a hand, and Rain pulled herself up from the couch.

"Thanks, Nephis. I hope you're a gentler teacher than my brother. Please tell me you're not going to make me learn the sorcery of Names while being chased by abominations."

Nephis shot Sunny a glance that clearly said: What the hell have you done to her?

Turning back to Rain, she smiled reassuringly.

"No, I won't do anything crazy like that."

Rain exhaled, relieved.

"…Which doesn't mean I won't push your limits a little."

Swallowing hard, Rain had a sinking feeling her stay in her brother's soul sea wouldn't be as relaxing as she'd hoped.

The two soon left the Mimic and chose to settle in the Nameless Temple, far from any distractions.

With nothing to do but wait for the Song Sisters to emerge from their lair, Sunny decided to prepare dinner.

And to weave something he was sure he would need soon.

After all, there was still one more person to add to his collection, and convincing her to join would be a challenge.

But that was a concern for another time. For now, he focused on what he did best.

Making coffee and dinner.

An hour later, he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen. Knowing who it had to be, he turned toward the entrance of his culinary domain.

To no one's surprise, he found Revel peeking into the kitchen from the side.

"We have come to a mutual conclusion."

Sunny gave her a quick nod, wiped his hands clean, and braced himself to hear them out.

When he stepped out, they were all seated around the large table, exhaustion evident on their faces.

'That was expected. After all, you don't decide to betray an entire domain and your foster mother every day.'

He sat down at the end of the table, slumping back into his chair, waiting for them to speak.

As always, Revel took the lead. With confidence in her voice, she addressed him.

"We have all agreed that there is no denying your words. Furthermore, the rest of my sisters have reached the same conclusion as I did." She took a deep breath, letting her gaze sweep over the faces of her sisters, who nodded with quiet smiles.

Reassured, she turned back to Sunny.

"That means we will support you and Changing Star in your plan to dethrone Ki Song. That includes killing her in the process, of course."

Bin locked eyes with Sunny. Though he hadn't expected it, the bewitched woman wore a rare, serious expression.

"Although we had anticipated something very different when you captured us and put those shackles around our necks, we are… grateful for it." She smiled, not in a sly or dirty way, but a genuine, heartfelt smile.

Silent let out a weary sigh before chuckling.

"Yes, it could have been much worse, right?" She, too, looked at him, the fear that once clouded her eyes now replaced with calm understanding.

"You didn't spare us out of malice or manipulation. You did it because, unlike Ki Song, you and Changing Star understand what it means to care for humanity. As sisters of the Lineage of Beasts, we are grateful to have fallen into the hands of the Lord of Shadows."

Sunny remained silent, listening. He wasn't foolish enough to trust easily. But their shadows betrayed every intention they had.

And as they sat before him now, there was nothing but calmness and gratitude in their souls.

So he finally spoke his mind, his signature smile in place.

"I'm glad we reached this point. But you're wrong about one thing." He chuckled as confusion spread across their faces, then elaborated.

"What you got wrong is that I'm not all that great, you know. This plan to take down the Sovereigns? It's Nephis's, not mine. So, in the end, you should be thanking her for being alive. If not for her, I wouldn't have spared you during the Battle of Godheart…" He smirked at Revel. "...or at Vanishing Lake. So, while I'm happy with how things turned out, I can't really take credit for your survival against me."

Before anyone could protest, Revel rolled her eyes and spoke in an amused tone.

"Ever the modest one. You do know it's not a crime to acknowledge your own achievements, right?" Before Sunny could respond, she continued.

"What you did do was open the eyes of the seven most blindfolded people in the Song Domain." She laughed. "I mean, really, Song of the Fallen had better vision the whole time, and that girl is literally blind."

The others chuckled at that, and as Revel finished her speech, Sunny's smile grew brighter.

"Ahhh… but I'm not being modest, just honest. I'm the most honest person in the world, you know… two worlds, even."

Revel burst into laughter, recalling all the outrageous truths he had revealed.

"Oh, trust me, I know that better than anyone now, Sunny. You are honest…brutally so." She sighed and rubbed her face before musing to no one in particular, "So honest, in fact, that your Flaw counts as a weapon."

Sunny just chuckled, but the rest of them looked puzzled. Which forced Moonveil to speak.

"I noticed he was sincere with us, but surely some of the things he said must have been lies. Especially the part about killing an Immortal Saint. Twice." She scoffed. "And all that as an Awakened on top of it."

Revel and Sunny exchanged a glance. She turned to him and shrugged.

"It's your call. I haven't told them, of course."

Sunny sighed and leaned forward, mirroring Revel's stance when she spoke seriously.

With a grin, he casually shattered their disbelief.

"I told Revel my Flaw not only because she had mostly figured it out herself but also to build some trust. I suppose telling all of you won't hurt now, especially since we're allies." He took a deep breath, watching as their expressions filled with anticipation.

"My Flaw is that I can't lie. That means I cannot tell a subjective false statement, and I am forced to answer every question directed at me truthfully." He leaned back, smirking as he watched their expressions crack.

"I can suppress my Flaw for a short time, but the pressure builds up, and the longer I hold it back, the more painful it becomes. So, I decided to wield it as a weapon of deception."

Every single one of them, except Revel, slumped back in their chairs, rubbing their faces with a mix of disbelief and exasperation. The weight of his words sank in.

Seishan, in particular, couldn't believe the absurdity of it. She laughed, loud and unrestrained.

"Not… not in a million…no, in an eternity would I have guessed that." She looked at Revel. "Credit where it's due, sister. You're a genius for figuring it out."

Revel just shrugged, though a proud smile formed on her face.

"Well, I sat down with him and had a talk. After realizing he was the Lord of Shadows and asking some personal questions, I put the pieces together." She locked eyes with Sunny, mirth dancing in her gaze as she added triumphantly, "After all, he answered every question without fail. Even the ones that clearly made him uncomfortable."

Sunny rolled his eyes, annoyed that a simple conversation had left him so exposed.

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain how he killed an Immortal Saint as an Awakened," Howl interjected, still skeptical. "We know you're a madman with absurd power, but that's a story you need to elaborate on."

So Sunny did.

And with every word, he watched their disbelief crumble. Now that they knew his Flaw, they had no choice but to accept the truth.

By the time he finished, he was fairly certain some of them were on the verge of passing out. At this point, it was practically a tradition to shake people to their core, not because he was effortlessly charming, but because his truths were just that outrageous.

"I had actually considered the idea of you killing her with a wooden knife," Revel muttered, still processing. "I never believed it could be true. Honestly, I thought you just talked her to death."

Sunny gave her a nod and took a sip of his coffee, which Saint had brought over.

Even Beastmaster had received a cup…after furiously apologizing for playing with his mind so much. The woman had actually gained some sense in the last few hours.

"Yes, but like I told you, the knife was infused with the Sorcery of the Gods, the only true way to kill them. And she was merely a host for a Corrupted Abomination both times. So it wasn't that difficult."

They all let out weary sighs. It was still insane to think that an Awakened could kill a Corrupted being, but now, they had no choice but to believe it.

Only one more thing still nagged at them.

Silent finally asked, "So what about those shackles? You said you had one on you before. I assume that's where the design for ours came from?"

Sunny nodded slowly, setting his coffee aside.

"Exactly. But yours work differently. The runes on them? Just for show. I'm not well-versed in Runic Sorcery. They work through Weaving, a forgotten sorcery that only I can use now."

Silent stared at him before sighing in relief.

"That's good. I honestly thought you had to cut your own head off to escape."

Sunny scoffed. "Are you crazy? How would I even do that?"

Silent nodded. "Exactly!"

To their horror, Sunny continued, "I let the Warden cut it off instead."

And with that, they all decided it was best not to ask him any more questions…for the sake of their sanity.