Currently, the camp was illuminated by a softly glowing lantern, and a delicious fragrance of roasting meat was spreading through the air. Nephis was preparing a late supper over the coals. Not only that, but she had also gone all out, for some reason, using an inventive mix of spices to thoroughly marinate the meat before placing it above the glowing embers.
Both of them had washed the stench of blood off their bodies, and were now preparing for sleep, feeling refreshed. Before that, however, they were going to finally satiate the gnawing hunger.
In that moment, the lethally dangerous trip into the carcass of the Black Turtle they had undertaken seemed well worth it.
Finally done, Nephis placed a generous chunk of meat on a plate and handed it to Sunny. In the last moment, though, she suddenly retracted her hand and hesitated.
"...Can you wait a moment?"
Sunny felt warm and relaxed, so he didn't mind waiting.
"Sure."
He watched her across the glowing embers with peaceful idleness. Nephis seemed to be looking for something. A few moments later, she found a splinter of the synthetic firebrick they had used to light the fire, and thrust it into the meat. Then, she touched it with the tip of her finger, and a wisp of white flame ignited at the top of the small stick.
Sunny received the strange dish with a confused look.
"Uh… what is this?"
A faint smile appeared on Neph's face.
"A candle."
He hesitated for a few moments, then scratched the back of his head.
"...Why?"
She leaned back and shrugged softly.
"I'm not quite sure how many days it has been since the start of the Nightmare. But… the battle happened at the end of November, and we spent around a week in the desert. So, it should be middle to late December now."
Sunny frowned.
"And?"
Nephis sighed and shook her head.
"It means that it has to be winter solstice back in the real world. It's your birthday, Sunny."
He stared at her in astonishment.
'Wait… she's right…'
Sunny had forgotten all about it. It was winter solstice, or at least close to it. Out there in the waking world, an army of Sleepers was entering the Dream Realm for the first time — if Antarctica still stood, that is.
It was also his birthday. He was turning twenty-one.
'Huh…'
He tilted his head a little.
'Twenty-one… I didn't really think I'd make it so far. Good job, Sunny.'
He looked at the burning stick, not noticing the bright smile that appeared on his lips.
Nephis leaned forward a little.
"If I were you, I would hurry up… and make a wish!"
'Wish? Wish, wish…'
Hidden by shadows, Sunny's smile grew brittle and strained.