Some time later, after they were done with their swimming practice, and now both of them were going to the cafeteria. To eat.
Now, Sunny's footsteps didn't feel rushed, they didn't feel distant. It was proof that he had begun to trust Caster slightly, but his caution was still obvious.
Previously, i could never have imagined that footsteps could tell so much. This legacy thing Caster has been through teaches quite a lot. Guess this is all part of how the clans stay in relevance.
Soon they reached it and Sunny went to sit at his usual place, opposite to the blind girl Cassia. Unexpectedly, Caster went and sat with Sunny too.
I can already feel their heavy gazes on me. It sucks being too important.
Sunny, startled, spoke up.
"Why are you sitting here?"
Cassie was now looking towards Caster as well. It wasn't the first time she saw Caster. But she looked slightly shaken up.
Has she realized that she can't see my attributes already? She may have already seen my attributes before, not being able to see now would be kind of ominous for her I suppose.
"I can't?"
"Nothing's stopping you, but can't you see the reactions of the other sleepers? Are you trying to make me come under spotlight or something? I really just wish to have a peaceful time before the dream realm, so just, just leave."
"Well, that was an uncharacteristically long sentence you just spoke to me. In any case, I do not plan to leave."
"Do you think we're friends now? We're not! Get away!"
Everyone was looking towards them now, confused as to why this esteemed legacy was sitting with near corpses like them. But none of them dared confront him. Who knows what goal he had?
Bunch of cowards. Sunny would be proud. Heh.
"I never thought that way, you're... you're a little interesting."
Sunny nearly grimaced in disgust, almost misinterpreting that sentence. However, he gave up, seemingly not in the mood to talk with this weird legacy.
Wow, really? Who could have thought?
Turning his face towards the blind girl, Caster simply gazed at her. He didn't seem to know how to interact with her.
On one hand, he knew and understood Cassie, but on the other, he still resented her for the betrayal. However, this Cassie, is not the same Cassie he read about. This is just a sixteen year old girl that has been subjected to a really cruel fate, and if she suffers from it again, she will definitely go down the same path she went in the novel.
Don't worry, I will change your fate Cassie. Not for you, but for Sunny.
Caster currently had an extra armor, he was contemplating on whether he should give it Cassie or not. It would be too unnatural after all. And Sunny wouldn't get to enjoy half naked Changing Star that way.
In the end he decided to show pity of a noble legacy. All calculated, unfortunately.
"Excuse me miss. Can i have your hand for a moment?"
WAIT! THAT CAME OUT WRONG!
Startled, Cassia was wary, especially due to not being able to see his attributes. However, she felt as if had no grounds to refuse. Thus she, reluctantly, gave her hand to Caster.
She's scared... and she's not very good at hiding it.
Taking her hand, Caster gently caressed her palms with his thumb, almost intimately, before giving her the armor memory he had from before his transmigration.
"It's... it is a spare. Use it well."
Cassie couldn't believe it. An esteemed legacy gave her an awakened armor? It doesn't make any sense. She could not trust this action much because no matter how naive she is right now, she isn't stupid. However, she was still glad to receive something with no expectation to give something back. It was a weird feeling for her. Especially since, the person who made her feel that way was none other than the person she was the most vary of in the camp. Even more than the professors.
Nervously Cassie ended up speaking to Caster.
"Why are you giving me this?"
Caster simply blinked with a gentle smile on his face, not that Cassie noticed that obviously, before speaking up again.
"Because I want to... Oh and get along you two, no one survives in the dream realm alone."
With that, Caster got up and left their table. Sunny and Cassie both seemed baffled, but they seemed to be more at ease with each other now.
At least that's how it looks from afar.
Caster went back to his previous companions, that he plans to never talk to again, and sat down.
I'm a master plagiarist, heh. Roselle would be proud.
***
Just like that, the weeks passed. Caster kept in touch with Sunny and Cassie a lot. It seemed like the other two had developed some sort of connection too. Not sure if it could be classified as friends, given Sunny's character. Caster also taught a Sunny the extreme basics of combat, despite him wanting to focus on wilderness survival.
It was nearly winter solstice and everyone was in a melancholic mood. Caster went again to sit with Cassie and Sunny. No one was in the mood to talk, however Caster seemed to have one last thing to tell them.
He had been contemplating this for a while. However now, he decided he will just tell Sunny about that. Before that, he needed to direct the conversation to it smoothly.
"Sunny, what's you real rank of the aspect? I know you say its divine but..."
Sunny replied without missing a beat. "It's divine. I am not lying."
Pretending to not believe in him Caster continued.
"Yeah as if... Do you not trust me at all to tell something that basic or something?"
Sunny, having no choice but to interrupt Caster to answer that question, spoke up.
"I already told you."
Maintaining the act, Caster gave Sunny a side eye.
"Well speaking of divine, i have heard of one divine aspect user in the past actually."
This caught the attention of both Sunny and Cassie, for similar reasons.
"His name is Mordret. I don't actually know where he is right now as the information is highly classified, but, there are rumors that he was too dangerous to keep alive and too hard to kill, so he's sealed somewhere right now."
Both Sunny and Cassie were intrigued, Sunny a little more.
"Apparently it's because divine aspect users can have more than one core. Up to seven cores, actually."
Sunny spoke out in doubt and surprise.
"What? That's possible?"
Nods.
"For divine aspect users."
Cassie finally spoke up.
"Why are you telling us this? Isn't this classified information?"
Sunny hummed as he pondered the question for a few seconds.
"This isn't the classified information, many legacies would know of this"
I'm lying of course.
"The classified information is the stuff even I don't know. I just, have a loose tongue i guess. I need to fix this habit haha."
I know nearly everything related to Mordret.
Caster was acting like an easy going, kind and noble legacy. Even though it would become increasingly hard to do that in the future, with Kai in the game.
Well, i suppose i can use the forgotten shore as an excuse to bring massive and sudden change in my character. It's kind of depressing that i have to act like this... and form bonds that feel not real at all.
Sigh...
"I wish you both good luck for the dream realm. You'll need it."
Sunny didn't seem to like that last part of the line.
"Uhh, yeah... thanks."
Cassie didn't seem to take offence on that and calmy replied, as calmly as she could pretend she was at least.
"Thank you, you too. Good luck."
Phew... now sunny should probably try to saturate his core faster than the novel... and i guess it is time for the forgotten shore now. After tomorrow... it will be constant hell for a year at least. Am i ready for this?
Slapping his cheeks with both his hands, startling Sunny and Cassie, Caster calmed himself down.
Let's not dwell on this too much. Caster survived and if a fraud like him can... wait I'm also caster now. Uhh... Whatever! He survived, then so can I.
Caster couldn't help but chuckle at his mental dilemma between embracing the Caster in him and hating the Caster he read about.
Oh well, I'm surprisingly excited. That's a good thing... yeah... yeah...