He raised his eyebrows.
"What? Why?"
She lingered before answering.
"Well, it just seems weird to eat the meat of an intelligent creature. Even if it was evil. I didn't think about it before, but now… uh. It just doesn't seem right, I guess."
Sunny blinked. Actually, he did not think about it either. In retrospect, the idea of making steaks out of a creature whose intelligence was comparable to theirs did seem a little wrong. Even if that creature was a bloodthirsty demon who would have swallowed them whole without a second thought.
It was just how things worked in the Dream Realm. Monsters devoured humans, and humans devoured monsters. It was the circle of life... death? The circle of death.
But the Carapace Demon was not only smart. He had his own thoughts and personality. Even though Nightmare Creatures were universally insane and obsessed with murder and destruction, just like he was, there were also other qualities to the ironclad giant.
He was proud and fearless, even valiant. When fighting against the terrifying monsters of the dark sea, he did not hesitate to stand his ground, refusing to surrender. Cooking the meat of someone like that could indeed be considered… strange.
'How come Teacher Julius did not educate me on the ethics of eating your enemies? What an oversight!'
Misunderstanding Sunny's silence, Cassie blushed and said:
"Sorry. I know it seems ridiculous, but that's just how I feel. You and Neph don't have to do the same."
Sunny shook his head.
"No, you might be right. I understand… sort of. It's just that we didn't bring any supplies with us, so we won't be able to eat anything unless we go hunting."
The blind girl sighed. Then, her face brightened and she said:
"What about the great tree's fruits? I bet they're delicious!"
Sunny looked at her in amazement.
"Are you serious?"
Cassie was visibly confused by his question.
"Uh… yes? Why?"
He blinked a couple of times before answering.
"That tree is magnificent and pretty, but it's also very strange and suspicious. Why is it able to grow here when nothing else can? I'm pretty sure that it's the reason why all the coral around the Ashen Barrow is dead. Have you seen anything else capable of damaging the labyrinth itself?"
Sunny looked at Cassie, then at Nephis, trying to show how serious he was about this.
"In any case, it's too creepy. I don't think that we should eat these fruits. Who knows what they'll do to us?"
The blind girl smiled.
"You're being a little paranoid, don't you think? A tree is a tree. Actually, I think it's a wonderful example of how life can prevail against all odds, even in this terrible place. I'm willing to bet that its fruits are perfectly fine."
He stared at her, not knowing what to say. How could Cassie be so dismissive of his completely valid concern? That wasn't like her at all. Unpleasantly surprised, Sunny turned to Neph, hoping that she would support him.
Changing Star thought things through before speaking. Then, she said in a measured voice:
"Sunny is right. There are too many strange things about that tree. Eating its fruits would be too risky."
'Finally, a voice of reason!'
He exhaled, relieved.
However, his heart was still inexplicably gripped with worry.
As Cassie sighed with disappointment, Changing Star turned to him and asked:
"The Echo was destroyed?"
Sunny's face darkened. He was still pained by the loss of his loyal scavenger.
"Yeah. The demon acted faster than I had expected. He killed it before I could do anything."
Nephis frowned.
"Too bad. Our speed will be severely reduced."
'Have you no heart, woman?! At least pretend to be sad! My poor Echo is gone!'
His shadow shook its head, amazed at the childishness of its master. Sunny was also surprised by his reaction, considering that his own first thought after the Echo had died was about how much money he wouldn't be able to make by selling it.
"Yeah. It's a… uh… pity."
Changing Star gave him a nod and then asked:
"You also lost your sword?"
Sunny sighed and gritted his teeth.
"Yes. It shattered when I blocked the demon's scythe."
Which hurt even more than the death of his scavenger. Azure Blade was his first sword. He fought and trained with it for a long time. It was already like a part of him.
And now it was gone.
Nephis raised a hand.
"Well, you're in luck. I received a Memory after killing the Carapace Demon. It's a weapon…"