Love is Worth Waiting for

Morgan was somewhat sad about how the situation developed. She had come to like his food when she did order it and the coffee he made was good even among masters. 

Still the sheer level of ability he had shown her couldn't be ignored, she wanted it for herself, but also needed to keep him tied to Valor in some way.

'It would be disastrous if he went to Song, luckily he has some relationship with a vassal clan of Valor.'

Sunny seemed troubled at her insistence, and soon spoke. "I can compromise by doing commissions for Valor."

She soon shut him down, "I'd really prefer my solution." It was worded as an opinion, but their relationship had such a power discrepancy that it was as good as an order.

She continued, "I assume you know who I am, as long as you agree I can get you a comfortable position. It'd be a shame if you didn't."

His expression grew darker, It was only for a split second, but his eyes grew deeper and shone with a cold, sharp intent to kill.

Morgan's eyes widened, for someone of her caliber and experience it was unmistakable. Not to mention her arsenal of memories, who knew the depths of her ability. 'Did he seriously just consider killing me? And even have enough confidence to back it?'

But then she laughed, "Oh I see." She met his gaze with a wide smile and dismissed Unfamiliar Face.

Her hair turned black, and her eyes a deep red. "Saint Sunless, please forgive me, but my offer still stands."

He looked at her intently for a few moments before his facade crumbled. 'It all makes sense, his strange confidence and arrogance despite knowing who I am.' 

Morgan looked at him as his eyes grew deeper and his body language all changed. 'He wasn't a humble shopkeeper after all.' She grinned, 'He's a battle hardened killer, a saint. Not just that, he's a saint with enough confidence in himself to believe he poses a threat to me.'

"You just keep getting better and better don't you?" He looked at her coldly.

***

Sunny wasn't trying to reveal himself. He was about to suggest that he would be a Valor forgemaster on some days and run the cafe on others.

But he considered the thought of just killing or at least dealing significant damage to her before going to Godgrave. All it was, was an idea… but she caught it.

'I've gone ahead and gotten myself into an even bigger mess.' Sunny looked at her with contempt, dismissing Nebulous Shroud to contest with the lethal and sharp presence she was imposing onto the room around.

As the cloak disappeared in a rain of white sparks, the shadows grew deeper and the cutting presence grew solemn and still.

Morgan spoke, not bothering with the facade they both had kept in a delicate balance before. "If you were going to reveal yourself, you shouldn't have let me gain so much information before."

He sighed, "I wasn't planning to, but then you went and did this." It was true. Her actions had made him unintentionally reveal more of his identity.

"I suppose your ability doesn't just stop at weaker transcendent memories then." He remained silent. "Does it?"

'Shit.' She had already mostly deduced his flaw, so he was being played like a fiddle.

"No it does not." He wanted to attack her here and now to stop her from asking questions, but that would put him in an even worse situation.

"You can craft supreme memories?" She wasn't too surprised. "And they aren't weaker than those from the spell?"

Sunny remained silent for as long as he could before speaking, "Yes and yes." He couldn't stay passive, he resolved to take action before she could deduce more about him, his advantage right now was her lack of information.

Before he could do anything she spoke once more, "I believe it would be beneficial to the Shadow Clan and to Valor if we cooperated, don't you?"

Sunny was stunned, but soon saw something he could use. 'She thinks I belong to the Shadow Clan.' Of course he did technically, but he was the only member.

'She must have made a connection between my sainthood and affinity to shadows with the lord of shadows... I can work with this.'

"It depends on what you have to offer us." He could technically say 'us' because he had multiple avatars, all of which were him, and he had answered the question in a roundabout way.

She smiled, "We have a sovereign, you and your clan would also be able to access the memories we make and commission our forgemasters."

He continued to stare at her, "Additionally, with the help of the Shadow Clan we can win the Domain war, and then you can have your share of their assets."

He appeared to think for a moment. "What guarantee do we have that you won't just swallow the Shadow Clan after winning the war?"

She immediately retorted, "What guarantee do you have that we won't swallow the Shadow Clan now?"

He looked at her coldly. She wasn't even hiding her threats anymore. On the inside, however, he was smiling. 'I can use this to find out more about Anvil, and also now have justification to join Valor as the Lord of Shadows.'

A lot of his plans hinged on his ability to join the side of Valor without suspicion, now an opportunity presented itself among a deadly threat.

"We cannot be found by you if we do not want to be found. Does your clan dare risk antagonising us at such a delicate time?" He wasn't lying about being unable to be found if he didn't want to be. All he had to do was take an extended trip into the hollow mountains once more, but Morgan didn't have to know that.

She simply smiled, "I trust you will make the right decision."

He stayed silent for a long time before replying. "Sir Lord of Shadows wishes to speak to you first."

She smiled, "Good decision."