Sunny had a feeling that she was yelling at a certain blind seer currently, in her head.
He tried to imagine what Nephis was feeling.
His imagination failed.
Surely, she was shocked. Embarrassed, a little. Reeling.
But… maybe… was there no possibility that she was a little happy, as well?
The Lord of Shadow wasn't her enemy, after all. In fact, they had built some trust and rapport in the recent months, They had fought side by side, And he was someone anyone would wish to have by their side on the battlefield.
Someone who could support her on her treacherous path, not just treat her to a plenie between the calamitous battles.
Wouldn't it feel nice, to know that someone like that was also kind and caring... to her, at least... and that he was willing - longed for, really - to be more than just an ally?
Both the Lord of Shadows and Master Sunless were parts of Sunny. And together, they made someone who could stand side by side with Nephis wherever she went, and support her in whatever way she needed.
In short...
'I'm not that bad, am I?'
Nephis inhaled slowly, then said in a subdued tone:
"Which one of you is... the real you?"
Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then said the truth:
"All of me is the real me."
He looked away.
"...It would be easy to say that one of my Incarnations is a mask, and the other one is the true me. But that would be a lie. They are all me, and the only difference between them is the role they have to play. The Lord of Shadows is meant for war, and so, he is aloof and unyielding. Master Sunless is meant for peace, and so, he is soft and accommodating."
Sunny lingered for a moment, and then added quietly:
"I guess you can say that one of them is what 1 want to be, while the other is what i have to be. But that... is not really important. What's important is that..."
He looked at her with a pale smile.
"Both of them are me, and I am sincere in my feelings for you. You know it. You should have felt my longing."
Nephis studied his face for a long time.
Then, she nodded slowly.
And... blushed?
"I see. I... need to digest it. Sorry!"
'Wha...'
Before Sunny could react, beautiful white wings appeared behind Nephis, and she soared into the air, sending sand flying in all directions.
"Wait!"
He called after her, but she swiftly rose into the sky, and then disappeared in the direction of Bastion,
Sunny was left alone on the beach, frozen.
"You... you..."
He looked down, remained silent for a while, and grimaced.
“...You forgot to take your dress."
Indeed.
Nephis was in such a hurry to leave that she had forgotten to pick up her white summer dress. Of course, she could summon a Memory armor to cover her body at any moment... but still...
Sunny sighed deeply.
He didn't regret confessing his identity to her. He would have felt uncomfortable going further without doing that.
But he did regret it, a little.
Their perfect date was ruined.
And yet...
He looked at the sky silently.
There, at the end...
‘Her reaction wasn't that bad, was it?’
It wasn't.
In fact... it was a little promising.