Young Evie tiptoed with utmost care, lifting her heels so that no creaking noise would be made on the floor.

She made it past the perilous section of the floor to the thick carpet, but never let her guard down.

Instead, Evie cautiously crossed the room filled with sunlight.

There was someone sitting in a comfortable chair by the window, a astrologer, cloaked in black and with a hood drawn deep to conceal his face.

He had been reading a book until just a moment ago.

But now one of his hands lay on his belly, the other next to his leg, unmoving.

Furthermore, the wind fluttering through the window gap had stolen a read of his book and turned the pages, but he simply let it do as it pleased.

He’s asleep, right?

The astrologer’s lips, visible between the hood, were peacefully closed.

So young Evie, confident that he was asleep, lightly bit her lower lip.

Then, like a predator stalking its prey, she seriously narrowed her eyes.

One step, two steps. Carefully closing the distance, Evie reached out to the astrologer, even holding her breath.

It was just when Evie’s small hand passed his shoulder and was about to touch his hood.

“Don’t.”

With a laugh in his voice, a gentle hand wrapped around Evie’s wrist.

The suddenly awakened astrologer softly stopped her. Then, Evie, caught in the act, flared up instead.

“Weren’t you asleep?”

“Yeah, I had a little nap.”

“How did you know? Did you hear my footsteps?”

As the astrologer merely smiled, Evie, in frustration, shook his comfortable chair violently.

Despite being rocked back and forth by Evie’s rampage, the astrologer only grabbed his hood and laughed foolishly.

With that, Evie’s attempt to sneak a look at the astrologer’s face had failed for the fourth time.

Of course, these four times were newly counted this month, and over the years, counting all her attempts would take more than ten fingers.

Having failed so much, it would make sense to give up, and having been challenged so much, it would make sense to get angry, but Evie and the astrologer were consistent.

Evie relentlessly sought new opportunities, and the astrologer, instead of scolding her, smiled kindly.

Tired from tormenting the astrologer, Evie slumped on the nearby sofa and spoke with a discontented face.

“Don’t you think it’s too harsh? We’ve been living together for almost 2 years, but you still won’t show me your face. How long are we going to keep this up?”

Her voice was rather defiant, but the astrologer continued to smile even then. Therefore, Evie glared at him coldly.

“Don’t laugh; this is a very serious problem.”

“What’s so serious?”

“What if something happens and we get separated? Without knowing your face or name, I wouldn’t have a way to find you.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll find you.”

The astrologer said calmly, without a moment’s hesitation. Then Evie’s brows, which had been drawn together tightly, relaxed in an instant.

The onceangry Evie was easily pleased by those words and sparkled her eyes, only to later realize and narrow her brows again.

“Then the problem is even more serious. What if I can’t recognize you? ……Don’t laugh and listen!”

Evie spoke seriously again, but the astrologer didn’t listen properly.

Because he was shaking with laughter at Evie’s various facial expressions.

The astrologer laughed until Evie’s face turned red with real anger, then belatedly placated her.

“Don’t worry about that either. You’ll surely recognize me.”

The astrologer’s voice was calm and affectionate.

So Evie felt strange somehow.

Her chest felt heavy and aching, and something seemed to be tickling, so she unknowingly shed tears, drop by drop.

The astrologer asked why she was crying, but Evie couldn’t say a word.
Until now, the world had never been kind to Evie. Far from any small compassion, it was filled with cruel traps, a world where she had to hope for a daily miracle to survive a day.

So she hated the world so much, but she came to like even this world after meeting you.

Evie cried, biting her lips, because she was so sad, yet so lucky.

She cried for a long time, feeling a gentle touch stroking her head.

But as time went on, that person became a hateful and yearnedfor liar, and Evie could not help but hate the cold world more than before.

.

.

.

Evie was running.

She was running without stopping in the pitchblack darkness.

Her breath had already risen to the tip of her chin, but she could not stop. Because if she stopped here, the ground beneath her would crumble and everything would end.

So Evie ran. Just a little more, just a little more. She urged herself on and somehow ran on.

But suddenly, a faint doubt arose in a corner of her mind.

When exactly do I have to run? I have been running nonstop until now, so why am I still running like this?

It hurts, but I have to endure it. Why?

Ah, that’s right. I’m going to be a saint.

Then I can rest, so I just have to hold on a little longer.

The moment she thought that, the darkness beyond brightened. There was light. Finally, this long and dark path was coming to an end.