Mordret's lips curled into a deep frown, Eunbin's eyes widened, Rain's face scrunched in confusion, and Sunny cursed inwardly.
'Goddamnit. This…this complicates things a lot.'
The entire table went silent, making Jessandra look around in confusion. Neither Sunny, Mordret, nor Eunbin said a thing, as they didn't want to reveal the existence of a third sovereign to them. Hearing nothing but silence, the older woman's smile dimmed.
"What? What is it? Did I say something wrong?"
Kain looked at her curiously and smiled, not knowing what had truly transpired after his wife said that name.
"You said a different name than Sunny, honey, ha, that rhymes."
His wife shot him a warning look.
"Kain,"
"Er- right, anyways, it happens to the best of us, Jess. You must have been thinking about one of the names from the pamphlet from this morning before Eunbin brought us here, and we toured Raven Heart for an hour before coming here. You know the pamphlet you told that cult member gave you with a whole bunch of names starting with A? Asterion was the founder of the cult. I didn't say it aloud because I figured you saw it too."
Jessandra's eyebrows knitted together as she pursed her lips in thought, and she slowly nodded.
"I do know, and I did see it, but what do you mean? I didn't say a different name, Kainy. What does the strange cult have to do with it?"
"You did, you said Rainy and Asterion are adorable nicknames."
She shook her head.
"No, I said Rainy and Sunny are adorable nicknames, I'm sure of it, at least I think."
Kain shrugged and stood up from his chair.
"Well, regardless of what you said, I just found it funny; accidents happen. While we're waiting for the cake, why don't you show us around Raven Heart Eunbin, and then we can meet your adopted sisters? What do you two say?"
Eunbin hid her worries behind a smile and stood up.
"That sounds perfect,"
Jessandra stood up as well.
"It sounds good to me, too, but before we do that, you should clean yourself up, honey."
Eunbin looked down at her apron, which was covered in flour, along with some of it in her hair and face, and looked at Sunny with a scathing glare, who was avoiding her gaze by suddenly becoming interested in the ceiling. Since when did it look so gorgeous? Maybe he should paint it a new color.
"Damnation, you're right, I should, it'll only take a few minutes, Mom. I'll meet you both outside."
Sunny blinked a few times at that.
'Since when did Eunbin start saying that?'
Cassie suddenly spoke.
[When you had the Halloween party,]
[Well, yeah, I know that, but I didn't think she would make it a habit! ]
"Alright, by the way, I like your outfit, sweetie, it's cute. Where did you get it?"
Eunbin looked down at herself again and met her mother's gaze with a smile.
"From here, it's a memory I commissioned from Sunle- I mean, Sunny, when we first met over five months ago now. One of the enchantments is that it can change into whatever clothes I feel the most comfortable in."
Jessandra broke into a wide smile as she cooed.
"Aww, that's so sweet, and the fact that you're still wearing it is even better.
Eunbin looked at Sunny with a dangerously sweet smile, and he felt a shiver run down his spine.
"Sunny, I think you should help get this stuff out of my hair and face; you're lucky none of it got in my eyes."
"Ah, a-actually, I have to get started on Silent Stalker's bow memory she requested I make yesterday before we left to go into the waking world."
Eunbin's smile widened as she took a step towards him.
"Yes, I know, and I recall that you said you would start two days after tomorrow, or rather, more simply put, three days. And since, as you said, it was yesterday, you still have two more days to start working on it."
"Well, I like to get them done early, so I have time to think of a proper name. Do you know how long it took me to name yours? Huh? Bin? Five days, it took me five days to think of a name for your memory."
Eunbin's lips curled into a smirk as she stifled a laugh and leaned forward.
"And you managed to come up with the name Silent treatment for it?"
"Yes, what's wrong with that name?"
"I hope you let Aiko or Rain name Silence's bow for her sake and yours."
Sunny's right eye twitched in irritation.
"You didn't answer my question, and what the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
Eunbin rolled her eyes.
"Nothing, Sunny, nothing at all."
Despite his annoyance at her talking badly about his naming sense, he couldn't help but smile when she called him Sunny; it reminded him of when he still had his fate, and his friend used to call him that.
Kain looked between then stifled a laugh.
"We'll see you outside, sweetie."
Eunbin nodded.
"Alright."
Sunny summoned the endless spring and walked towards the kitchen as her parents left the emporium.
"Come, it shouldn't take long. We'll discuss what occurred a few moments ago whenever you get a chance."
Eunbin fixed her jewelry before answering.
"Yes, I will tell mother after they meet her. But I saw your expression when they said the dreamspawn's name. So I have to ask, how do you know about him?"
Sunny pointed to Mordret, who still sat at the table with an unreadable gaze.
"He doesn't remember, but he told me,"
Mordret momentarily frowned.
"You're right, I don't remember, but I do know that if your parents are saying his name, Song Eunbin, then it is already too late to stop it from spreading everywhere else."
Sunny frowned at that.
"Elobarate,"
Mordret sighed, his face unusually uncomfortable, and leaned back in his chair.
"The abomination's name is like a virus and can spread to anyone who knows about it, whether it be through speaking it or seeing it on a pamphlet, as Song Eunbin's parents did; some people don't even have to hear or see his name to become infected. Being in the presence of those who know his name is more than enough to be infected. It doesn't have to be his full name; in fact, it can only be the first few letters of it, and that is more than enough."
Mordret didn't say anything else and disappeared from the cafe in the blink of an eye.
Cassie's voice resounded in his head again.
[Sunny.]
[Yes?]
[Nephis tells me that she is ready to have a meeting with you and Mordret to discuss the plan for killing the sovereigns.]
This wasn't surprising, but Sunny knew that wasn't the actual reason for the meeting. He knew Cassie would immediately tell Nephis about the dreamspawn starting to spread his name, and now they had to adjust their plan while getting as much information as possible from the only person who knew him best, and that was the Prince of Nothing.
It was only a matter of time before Nephis wanted to meet Mordret, but the Dreamspawn's growing presence sped things up. Sunny knew they had a meeting a few weeks ago that Kai had attended, to discuss whether they should allow Mordret to assist them with their plans.
This was before Sunny, Mordret, Kai, Lonesome Howl, and Silent Stalker went out as a search party to look for a group Ki Song sent out. That was when they encountered the saints and masters who had now become the vessels of the skinwalker.
First, the skinwalker was spreading like the sugge and as if there wasn't enough pressure as it was to prepare for the war in two years; now the dreamspawn was beginning to make his move, infecting everyone with his name.
[Alright, when is it?]
Cassie didn't respond for a moment.
[Today,]
I'm on a roll huh? The next chapter will be longer, don't worry. :)