Chapter 4
Evelyn braced her legs and slowly pushed herself up from the floor. She walked toward the window, unsteady but determined.
Pulling back the curtain slightly and opening the window, she saw that the rain had stopped. A cloudless night sky stretched out before her.
The early winter wind slipped through the open window, crisp and cold against her skin—but she didn’t close it. Instead, she simply stood there, quietly gazing upward.
Evelyn had always loved winter.
As a child, her frail body had made her especially vulnerable to the cold; even the slightest breeze would send her into a coughing fit. Still, she could never bring herself to hate the season.
Maybe it was because the day Sister Lasagna had saved her was a winter’s day.
Or maybe it was because the season she escaped from that mansion had also been winter.
Whatever the reason, winter—and the warmth of tea enjoyed in its midst—remained one of Evelyn’s small, cherished comforts.
She didn’t bother heating water tonight. Instead, she lit a small candle by the window and knelt in front of it, folding her hands in prayer.
She wasn’t asking for much.
After escaping that place as a child, Evelyn had wanted nothing more than to die. But it was Sister Lasagna who saved her and gave her a reason to live.
Lasagna had stepped into her empty life, and in time, so had the five children—each one giving her another reason to keep going.
The flickering candlelight danced in Evelyn’s eyes, reflecting the fragile hope in her heart.
Please, if I may ask just one thing…
She didn’t care what happened to her.
It didn’t matter if she was found out. It didn’t matter if she died.
But the people at the monastery—those precious to her—they couldn’t be harmed. Not for something as meaningless as being connected to her. Not for the crime of being her reason to live.
She could accept her fate, no matter how cruel, as long as peace remained in this place.
Though her lips never moved to speak the wish aloud, Evelyn poured all her sincerity into her prayer.
“Please… do not take away the salvation of the helpless.”
Her prayer lingered for a long while in the silence of the night.
And somehow, Evelyn had a feeling…
She would have nightmares again tonight.
She didn’t sleep well.
The moment she opened her eyes, a single thought crossed her mind: I’m doomed.
She glanced toward the window on instinct, but the sunlight pouring in told her she’d overslept again—worse than yesterday.
The sound of the children’s laughter drifted up from outside, confirming it: two days in a row of waking up late.
I meant to get up early!
Evelyn sprang out of bed faster than she had the day before.
She had too much to do today: check on the mysterious patient, see Chaser off without incident, and continue preparing for the coming winter.
The patient first!
She rushed down the hall to the guest room, only to find the stranger still fast asleep, unmoving and quiet.
Alright, patient’s fine. Now, Chaser… wait, he was in the next room!
Maybe, just maybe, he’d left early on his own.
Bounding noisily down the stairs to the first floor, Evelyn heard the unmistakable sound of laughter and chatter coming from the dining hall.
Her stomach dropped.
No, no, please not what I think—
But it was already too late.
“What’s your name, mister?”
“How old are you?”
“If you’re a mercenary, do you fight monsters and stuff?”
“Have you really seen one before?!”
At the center of it all, surrounded by five curious children, sat the last person Evelyn wanted to see: Chaser.
No. No no no no…
Of course, his striking looks had drawn the children in. He didn’t fit in here at all, and that made him even more intriguing.
They were having a great time firing off questions—but Chaser didn’t look amused.
His expression was hard to read, but Evelyn could easily imagine him snapping at them any second and driving the kids away.
She practically choked on her breath.
“Hey—kids! Don’t bother our guest, okay?”
She spoke while still catching her breath from running.
Thankfully, her voice was enough to redirect the children’s attention.
“Good morning, big sis!”
“Did you oversleep again?”
“Lazybones!”
Lize and Remo, the mischievous twin siblings, peeked out from behind Allen and teased her.
“We weren’t bothering him! We made him breakfast!”
Susan pouted, clearly feeling misunderstood. Meanwhile, the youngest, Jerry, climbed down from his chair and toddled into Evelyn’s arms.
“Big sisss…”
He still sounded sleepy, whining softly.
Evelyn gently hugged him and stole a glance at Chaser.
Just like Susan had said, there was a plate of warm, golden toast in front of him.
And even orange juice, huh.
They must really like him. Orange juice was a rare treat they usually saved—but they’d brought it out for him.
Thankfully, it looked like he hadn’t started eating yet.
“Good morning,” she said, trying to sound cheerful as she quickly tied up her messy hair.
“Good morning,” Chaser replied calmly.
“I’m sorry. I meant to get up early and serve you breakfast myself.”
She offered an awkward smile and made a quick escape to the kitchen.
Good thing I made a lot of stew yesterday.
Fortunately, there was enough for Chaser and the children.
She warmed it up and placed it in front of him first. He nodded politely in thanks, then started eating without complaint.
“Thanks for the meal!”
The children beamed with excitement as they began eating their stew.
Though there was one guest Evelyn would have rather avoided, the peaceful morning scene gave her a moment of relief—just enough to catch her breath.
Hmm… there’s only enough stew left for Sister Lasagna now.
Evelyn figured she’d just skip breakfast. She had no appetite anyway.
While she cleaned up the kitchen and prepared Lasagna’s meal, she sensed someone’s presence behind her—tall, quiet, and impossible to ignore.
“Thank you for the meal.”
That smooth, honeyed voice made her shoulders twitch.
She steadied herself and forced her body to relax, trying her best to respond naturally and smile politely.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Was everything to your taste?”
“Your cooking was wonderful. I’m grateful.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.”
For just a second, his gaze lingered near her neck—but it was so brief she almost thought she imagined it.
“Will you be heading out right away?”
“I was planning to.”
But Evelyn had a sinking feeling about what was coming next.
“Unfortunately… I’m rather terrible with directions.”
“O-oh, I see.”
Unsure how to respond, she laughed awkwardly. He smiled back.
It was dazzling—disarming, even—and for a moment, despite herself, she found her eyes drawn to him.
Then came the words she hadn’t wanted to hear.
“If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind guiding me to the village?”
“Wh-what?”
Her uneasiness, momentarily dulled by his smile, came rushing back in full force.
“I, um… well…”
“Is that a problem?”
He furrowed his brow slightly, looking genuinely dejected. It was almost convincing—almost enough to make her believe he really was just a lost traveler.
His tone was careful, respectful. Not a demand, but a request.
And Evelyn had always been soft-hearted when it came to people asking for help.
Well, I could sell a few scarves in the village while I’m there.
Maybe even pay off some of the pharmacy debt.
Besides, escorting him myself would give me peace of mind.
If he got lost and came back again, saying he’d stayed an extra night, that would be even worse.
Helping him might ease her anxiety. And maybe she could feel good about it too.
This was the better option.
After a quick moment of thought, Evelyn nodded with a bright smile.
“Sure. I’ll guide you down after I take breakfast up to Sister Lasagna.”
The moment she said it, Chaser’s eyes flicked past her shoulder, toward something behind her.
What is he looking at?
She was mid-meal prep for Lasagna—nothing out of place.
“And what about you, Evelyn?”
“…Sorry?”
“You’re not eating?”
“Oh, I’m just not feeling hungry today.”
The tension building up inside her eased a little.
Balancing a tray with Lasagna’s breakfast, Evelyn gave him a gentle smile.
“I’ll be right back. Just wait a little while, okay?”
“…Of course.”
The slight delay in his answer gnawed at her nerves, but she quickly turned away before her anxiety could take over.
She climbed the stairs, trying to ignore the feeling of his gaze on her back.
“You’re here, Evelyn?”
“Yes, Sister. Did you sleep well again?”
“I did. I had a lovely dream—one where we all went on a picnic together.”
Lasagna was too weak to walk without support and rarely left her room.
If only we had a wheelchair…
But something like that would require a custom order from a craftsman. It wasn’t cheap.
If only I could find a way to afford it.
Evelyn kept her worries hidden behind a cheerful expression.
“Spring would be better than winter for a picnic. Let’s pack some food and go together when it’s warmer.”
Lasagna’s smile softened at the thought, and she nodded gently.
“Oh, and I didn’t get a chance to tell you last night, but we had some guests arrive at the monastery.”
“Guests? Are they traveling together?”
“No, they’re separate. One collapsed near the entrance, so I brought him inside. The other came to seek shelter from the rain and stayed the night.”
Evelyn handed her a cup of warm tea, her tone light and reassuring.
“One’s still sleeping, and the other just needs directions to the village. I’m going to help him out.”
Lasagna smiled, her eyes soft and filled with affection.
“You’ve grown so much, Evelyn. It feels like just yesterday you came here, trembling like a frightened little rabbit.”
“Oh, that was ages ago. I only grew up well because of you, Sister.”
Evelyn smiled as she thought back to the day she was saved—an orphaned child with nowhere to go.
She had failed the Luisa trial.
She wasn’t allowed to dream of a future.
Those who failed didn’t live long enough to dream.
