Shadow Slave

’The Nihilist?’

What did Mordret mean?

The laceration on Sunny’s forehead and the cut on his abdomen stung, but he was much more uncomfortable because of the motionless figures staring at him with empty eyes from the windows.

He knew what was happening.

Just like Effie’s family had reacted to her acting out of character, so were Sunny’s neighbors unsettled by his fight with Mordret. Something about it was not in character for the Devil Detective, and the Others inhabiting Mirage City were unhappy about it.

Sunny did not know what would happen if he continued to attack the Prince of Nothing, and suspected that he would not want to find out.

But what did it have to do with the Nihilist?

Frowning, Sunny looked at Mordret and asked:

”Aren’t you the Nihilist?”

He knew by now that Mordret was not the serial killer terrorising Mirage City — instead, he was the target of the serial killer. However, there was no point in revealing his cards to the Prince of Nothing. Rather, Sunny wanted to learn a thing or two from how he would react.

Wiping the blood off his lips, Mordret smiled.

”No need to play coy. The fact that you seem to remember yourself means that Raised by Wolves is here, too. And she would have recognized the faces of my vessels, given time. So, you know that I am not the Nihilist.”

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

”If not you, then who? Your other self?”

Mordretlaughed.

”That pathetic creature? Goodness, no. He’s too useless to kill anyone.”

’Not a fan of his good twin, then.’

Sunny grimaced.

”So who is going around massacring people?”

Mordret stared at him for a few moments, then leaned down to pick up his cap.

”Why should I answer? It would be foolish to share information with someone who is here to kill me.”

Sunny blinked a couple of times.

’Here… to kill him?’

His mind spun at high speed.

No… it made sense. Mordret did not know about the fragment of Weaver’s Lineage hidden in the Great Mirror — so, he would not know that Sunny had come to retrieve it. Why would Sunny have come, then? ȒαΝȯ𝖇ЁⱾ

The only reasonable explanation was that he had followed Mordret and Morgan inside. And since Mordret could actually be killed here — at least according to Morgan — he would naturally assume that the only reason for the Lord of Shadows to visit Mirage City was to hunt him down.

But that wasn’t Sunny’s goal.

Killing Mordret was just a delightful bonus.

He scoffed.

”Aren’t you too full of yourself? Why would I waste my time and risk my life trying to kill you? My arrival at Mirage City had nothing to do with you, your better half, or even your sister. In fact, I’d prefer it if none of you were here.”

Mordret remained silent for a moment, then threw an uneasy look at the figures looming in the windows.

Come to think of it… he looked a little haggard. It was especially noticeable after spending some time in the company of the glamorous CEO of the Valor Group — this Mordret’s face was gaunt, sharp, and burdened in comparison.

It seemed like surviving in the Great Mirror was not simple for the Prince of Nothing.

Morddret looked back at Sunny, considered something for a second, and then offered him his usual pleasant smile.

”It is hard to believe… but sadly, there is not much time for us to continue this polite conversation. Sure, why not? I will tell you about the Nihilist.”

He chuckled.

”I am not the Nihilist… and neither is my other self. Nevertheless, you will have great trouble catching this particular killer, Detective.”

Sunny raised an eyebrow.

”And why is that?”

Mordret’s eyes ignited with an ominous vermilion glow under the light of the neon sign.

”You really don’t know? Ah… well, you have not been here long.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, then said in a pleasant tone:

”That is because the Nihilist is nobody in particular. The killer you are searching for... is Mirage City itself. This entire city is the killer.”

Sunny’s eyes widened a little.

’That…’

He couldn’t help but shiver.

”What the hell do you mean?”

Mordret smiled and nodded to the figures looming in the windows subtly.

”It’s just like I said. There is not a single killer walking around searching for prey. Instead, any random passerby can become the Nihilist for a period of time, slaughter their victim, then turn back to normal. Or rather… I should say that there was not a single killer. There may very well be one now.”

His words were making less and less sense. Sunny scowled, then asked in a frustrated tone:

”Once again, what the hell do you mean? Why would there be an actual Nihilist now, even if there was not one before?”

Glancing at the apartment complex, Sunny froze.

That was because there were no figures in the windows anymore. All of them had disappeared, and the building seemed empty.

As if the people who had been staring at him had either lost interest...

Or were walking out of their apartments and descending the stairs to reach him, instead.

Mordret slowly backed away.

”How do you think this place works, Sunless? ”

He smiled darkly.

”In theory, it should be controlled by the master of Bastion. But the Great Mirror has stood abandoned for too long… the sorcery governing it has become twisted and corrupted over the eons.”

Putting on his cap, Mordret hid the bloodied switchblade in his pocket.

”Or rather, the custodian Mirage left behind to take care of her palace has become twisted. A very special reflection among reflections… the Castellan. It was supposed to help the Master of the Castle control the Great Mirror, but at some point, it broke.”

He smiled.

”Now, the poor thing doesn’t know what to do. It refuses to recognize anyone as the Master of the Castle, but it still tries to fulfill its duty. That is why it created Mirage City when my other self became a guest of the Great Mirror. This place is meant to fulfill his fantasies, after all.”

Mordret laughed.

”But, Sunless… what happens when more guests arrive? What happens when Morgan imagines killing her brother? What happens when you keep thinking about catching the Nihilist? What happens… when all these dreams collide and start conflicting with each other?”

His smile widened a little, turning dark and sinister.

”The Palace of Imagination will attempt to protect itself by removing the contaminating influences. It will correct Mirage City in a way that creates a believable reason for you to die. Look, it is already happening… someone has sent an assassin to get rid of you, after all. Who knows, maybe a real Nihilist has already been created, as well, as if he has always existed.”

As Sunny grimaced, blood still flowing from his cut abdomen, Mordret chuckled and turned to dash into an alley.

”Oh, and by the way…”

He paused for a moment and gave Sunny a pitying look.

”You won’t be the only one Mirage City tries to remove. So, if you brought other people with you… well, anyway, I’d go give Raised by Wolves a call.”

A second later, he was gone, dissolved into the curtain of Rain.

Sunny did not follow.

Left alone in the ominous light of the red neon sign, he shivered. Then, his eyes widened suddenly.

Effie knew who she was, so he wasn’t too worried about her.

However…

’Saint!’