Nephis stared silently at the two figures in front of her. Then she heard Amon say, "At least I'm not a pervert."
Sunny groaned. "That was a misunderstanding," he muttered defensively.
Tired of their usual back-and-forth, Sunny sighed and decided to get to the point. "Can we join you?" he asked.
He knew well that they were deep in a dead zone. Even though Amon was strong—frighteningly so—Sunny understood that surviving in the Dream Realm was easier with allies. And Nephis... Nephis was someone he recognized as truly powerful.
Cassie and Sunny both turned their attention to Nephis, awaiting her answer.
"No," Nephis said flatly.
Sunny felt his chest sink slightly. He hadn't expected a warm welcome, but hearing her rejection still stung. Then, just as he was about to nod in resignation, Nephis continued.
"…No problem."
All three of them—Sunny, Amon, and Cassie—blinked in confusion. Nephis didn't seem to notice.
Not thinking too deeply about it, Sunny said, "We have food. Do you guys have water?"
Cassie nodded and summoned a beautiful, carved bottle. She handed it to Sunny. "Here."
Sunny took a sip, sighed in relief, and handed it back. "That's a useful Memory."
Cassie smiled faintly. "Is your friend not thirsty?"
Before Amon could launch into another self-praise speech, Sunny waved it off. "Don't worry about him. He has an attribute that lets him skip eating or drinking."
Cassie and Nephis looked visibly surprised, their eyes widening slightly. Then, as expected, Amon piped up.
"I wanted to tell them that," he said with a pout.
Sunny rolled his eyes. "I didn't want to hear another narcissistic, self-centered speech."
Ignoring the jab, Amon turned to Nephis. "That light two weeks ago... was it from you?"
Cassie's expression darkened, and Nephis's jaw tightened. She nodded silently.
Sunny tilted his head. "Are you heading that way?"
"Yes," Nephis said, her voice unreadable.
"There are hordes of Nightmare Creatures feasting in that direction," Sunny said. "We came from that direction."
"We should return to where you two had stayed the night before."
Before they could begin, Nephis raised her sword and pointed it straight at Amon.
"Before we go, you… Who are you? And why weren't you at the academy?"
Amon blinked, looking surprised by the question. "As you've heard, my name is Amon. I didn't go to the academy because I lived very far away. Simple as that."
Nephis didn't seem convinced.
Amon stepped forward slowly, eyes on her sword. "Give me your hand."
Nephis hesitated, confused. Still on guard, she asked, "What are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Amon said, raising a brow. "I'm giving you something to wear. Or do you enjoy being half-covered by torn cloth?"
Reluctantly, and still wary, Nephis lowered her sword and extended her hand. As their fingers touched, her eyes widened.
His hand was soft.
So soft, in fact, that it momentarily broke her concentration.
Then she felt the spell stir.
[You have received a Memory: Simple Garment]
[Memory Type: Garment | Rank: Dormant | Tier: I]
[You have received a Memory: Fisherman's Robe]
[Memory Type: Garment | Rank: Dormant | Tier: II]
[Enchantments: Warmth, Unwet]
– Warmth: Grants resistance to cold
– Unwet: Keeps the wearer dry
[You have received a Memory: Hunter's Armour]
[Memory Type: Armour | Rank: Awakened | Tier: IV]
[Enchantments: Enhanced, Protection]
– Enhanced: Boosts the wearer's physical ability
– Protection: Shields against physical damage
Nephis stared at Amon in shock. She had expected, at most, a garment Memory—but he had given her three. Including an Awakened-tier armor.
Amon let go of her hand, pulling her from her stunned silence.
"Thank you," she said finally.
Amon just shrugged. "No need to thank me. We're traveling together now, aren't we?"
Nephis nodded and summoned the Hunter's Armour.
The armor shimmered into view—leather boots, black pants made of unknown material, a white undershirt, and a fitted leather jacket over it all. It was simple, but sturdy and stylish.
Then Amon turned toward Cassie.
"Give me your hand too."
Cassie froze. Her body stiffened as Amon took a step closer. Seeing her hesitation, Amon tilted his head and looked at Sunny and Nephis. "What's wrong with her?"
"She's blind," Sunny answered softly. "It's her Flaw."
Amon blinked, then frowned. Cassie's expression turned downcast, ashamed. She didn't want pity, nor did she expect help. But then, without warning, a soft hand gently closed around hers.
[You have received a Memory: Hunter's Armour]
Cassie was stunned. "Why did you give me an armor Memory?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly with panic.
"You were wearing a basic garment, Memory," Amon replied simply. "I figured this one would be more useful."
[Author Note: I know it is not a garment memory]
Cassie hesitated. "But… it would be a waste on me."
Before she could say more, Amon gently cut her off. "If you're saying that because of your blindness, you're wrong. You're still alive, aren't you? That means you've got the will to live. So don't talk down on yourself."
Cassie didn't respond. She simply nodded, her lips quivering just a little.
Sunny, who had been watching silently, stared at Amon in disbelief. Did this narcissistic bastard just say something… nice?
Nephis noticed Sunny's expression but said nothing.
Then, as if on cue, Amon turned to Sunny with a smirk. "And stop calling me a bastard, you short man."
Sunny, visibly annoyed but unable to lie because of his Flaw, groaned. "Whatever. Let's just get moving."
The group began walking toward the hill where Nephis and Cassie had stayed.
It wasn't long before Nephis noticed something peculiar. Despite trudging through mud like the rest of them, Amon was spotless—boots polished, white hair pristine, not even a smudge on his pale skin. It was as though the world refused to dirty him.
Sunny, meanwhile, looked like he'd wrestled a mud beast.
After two hours, they arrived at the foot of the hill.
Sunny glanced at Cassie, then at the towering height. How's she going to climb? he wondered. Amon could fly, but not with someone else.
Nephis solved the issue quickly. She summoned a rope.
"Isn't that too short?" Amon asked.
"It's enchanted," Nephis replied. "It changes length."
"Nice," Amon said with genuine appreciation. "Mind transferring it to me? I'll give it back."
Nephis hesitated—but nodded.
Nephis was shocked at her own answer. It had only been hours since they had met, and she was not naive enough to trust him.
Amon summoned his radiant white wings and soared upward, the rope coiled in his hand. Once at the top, he let the rope down. Sunny was the first to climb. He called down, "Tie the end into a knot and help Cassie."
Nephis helped Cassie grip the rope, and with Amon and Sunny pulling from above, they hauled her up safely.
Then it was Nephis's turn. She climbed swiftly and silently.
Now, gathered at the top of the hill.
Once she reached the top, Amon transferred the memory back to her.