Chapter 1926 Enhanced Interrogation

A few moments later, Sunny led Cassie out of the stronghold. Since she was currently robbed of all her Abilities except for the Dormant one, she once again turned into the helpless girl he had once guided across the Forgotten Shore... which was both nostalgic and a little heartbreaking to see.

Sunny offered her his arm, and she took it tentatively. Their physical closeness earned him a few scornful looks from the passerby, who seemed ready to beat him up as if he was some kind of despicable philanderer... with a healthy dose of envy mixed into the anger, perhaps.

He was momentarily happy that Cassie could not see these reactions.

Ignoring the idiots, Sunny led her toward the Ivory Island.

'Essence exhaustion...'

Of course, it was the most obvious answer. He just failed to consider it seriously because Cassie, unlike Nephis and Sunny himself, had very rarely driven herself to that state before, if ever.

Which posed the question.

What exactly had made her burn so much essence?

The answer would have to wait until they were in a more private setting, though.

As they walked, Cassie asked quietly:

"Did something happen? I've been told that the King has left for the waking world. Considering how difficult it seems for him to do so... I assume that Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows had conquered the Citadel."

Sunny lingered with the answer.

Eventually, he said neutrally:

They did. However, there were complications: Cassie's grip tightened.

"What... what kind of complications?"

He grimaced.

It was not impossible for Master Sunless to know, but it was definitely a bit strange. Sadly, Cassie seemed to have been too agitated and left him no choice but to answer.

Sunny looked ahead somberly.

"There was... an ambush. Quite a devious one, so much so that it almost ended in disaster. Well, technically, it did. Several Saints of the Sword Army are dead."

He paused for a moment, and added:

"Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows are fine, though."

Cassie let out a shaky breath, then asked somberly:

"How?"

He sighed.

"Four daughters of the Queen, each a Transcendent of divine lineage. And four Reflections. They also..."

Sunny hesitated for a bit before finishing the sentence.

"They also knew too much, while we knew too little. There seems to be a powerful diviner among them, as well as a few talented spies hiding among us."

His tone was neutral, but it must have sounded like an accusation to Cassie. After all, she was the premier diviner of their small faction — no, of the entire Sword Army. This failure was, in no small part, the result of her personal failure to outperform the oracle of Clan Song... Death Singer, most likely.

The fact that Anvil had forced her to do something so dirty irked Sunny to no end. Not that he thought that Cassie was above doing such vile things... he was pretty sure that she would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, no matter how brutal or distasteful.

It was just that the King of Swords did not know that, so what right did he have to make such a demand of Cassie?

'That bastard. I'll kill him slowly one day.'

Or swiftly, from the shadows, and stabbing him in the back. Either worked.

Cassie, meanwhile, rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Reading someone's deep memories against their will can be an... intense process, for me. Especially if their mental resilience is high. That was why I had to expend a lot of essence to get the answers Anvil wanted."

She lingered for a few moments, and then suddenly smiled darkly.

"...But that was not the reason why I exhausted it completely."

Sunny walked over and sat on the chair across from her.

"Oh?"

Cassie nodded.

"No. The real reason is that I used that chance to get the answers I myself wanted. Answers about Song and Valor, which might lead us to learn more about the Sovereigns... perhaps even their weakness."

Her smile faltered, then disappeared.

"And I did. Although... it is only a thread. We will need to keep pulling it to find the truth."

Sunny leaned forward a little.

"And what exactly is that thread?"

Cassie hesitated for a few moments, then raised a hand and pulled her blindfold off.

"It... will be easier if I simply show you."

He frowned, considering the implication of her words.

"You mean?"

She nodded.

"Yes. Before, I took a look at your Memories. Now, I will share mine with you, instead. If... if you'll accept them."

Sunny blinked a couple of times, suddenly reluctant to look in her beautiful eyes.

But then, he forced himself to gaze into them deeply.

His lips twisted into a dark smile.

"Sure. Why not?"

In the next moment, Cassie's eyes changed.

But Sunny once again failed to perceive the nature of that change, because he was suddenly pulled into a strange and stunningly vivid memory.