Effie stared at them, then threw her head back and laughed out loud.
"Ah, that's a good one! Do you want me to be your nanny, too?"
When her laughter died down, she shook her head and said:
"No offense, kids, but you have just arrived in the Dark City. You are as green as it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to become a part of their party, and I refused them all. Do you know why?"
Neph nodded with a serious expression.
"Most hunting parties share the spoils of their hunts. Each hunter keeps a part to eat and sells the rest to the people in the slum. But because of your Flaw, you can't allow yourself to do the same. You need all the sustenance a hunt can provide. The more partners you have, the lesser your share will become, so… you hunt alone, and never sell the meat of your prey, just their hides."
Effie smiled.
"I see someone has been doing their homework."
Changing Star tilted her head a little and, not paying any attention to the irony in those words, continued:
"We can solve that problem by…"
However, the solitary huntress interrupted her:
"Stop. Good guess, but you are wrong. That is not why I refused all those hunters."
Nephis blinked, surprised. After a long pause, she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice:
"Then… why?"
The smile disappeared from Effie's face.
"Because they are weak. Every one of them is weak. Even the most successful of them are. And do you know why?"
Something dark gleamed in her hazel eyes.
"They are weak because Gunlaug will never allow anyone strong to exist outside of his control. So… I am not going to be your pathfinder. Sorry, princess."
Changing Star froze, obviously flustered by that answer. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again and awkwardly pressed her lips together.
No matter how much she had honed her social skills during their journey through the Labyrinth, this conversation still seemed to be too much for her.
In the ensuing silence, Sunny suddenly spoke, his voice calm and slightly provoking:
"He's allowing you to exist."
Effie looked at him, raised one eyebrow with a smile, and didn't say anything.
Finally, Nephis was able to compose herself:
"We might be new here, but we are not weak. Between the two of us, Sunny and I had killed dozens upon dozens of Awakened creatures in the Labyrinth…"
The huntress interrupted her once again:
"Even if that's true, that was there. Out here in the Dark City, things are very different."
The two of them stared at each other, one with a relaxed smile on her lips, the other with stubborn flames burning in her eyes.
'Oh, I don't like this…'
Eventually, Changing Star grimaced and said:
"So, if we prove that we have strength, you might reconsider?"
Effie chuckled.
"Damn! You say it like it's easy. You do know how many people can't even step a foot into the ruins, right? If you guys survive in this hell for a few years, maybe then we can talk again."
Nephis looked at her for a while, and then smiled darkly.
"We will talk again in the evening. Then, you will change your mind."