Chapter 26

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.

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When Evi returned safely from the warm spring in the forest alone, the inn owner looked at her with curiosity.

“No, how did you return alive from there? Seeing your state, it seems you really went…”

Her face, which had been dirty with soot from the chimney, became clean, and the child-like fair complexion took on a good color.

The soft feeling that seemed like it would smell good showed that she had washed with warm water.

It is a cold winter. Around here, there is no place where one can get unfrozen water, let alone warm water.

Of course, other houses could boil water and give it to her, but who would take the trouble to purposely give warm water to an orphan who did the chores of the inn?

“You’re lucky.”

The inn owner thought so at first.

But a few days later, on a day when Evi, who was helping with the kitchen work, was covered in food.

The inn owner again ordered her to go out and wash.

“You stupid thing! Because of you, precious food has been wasted! Since you smell, don’t return until you are clean!”

The inn owner, whose anger was at its peak, nudged the small body with a broom and drove her out.

“Even if you begged while crying for what you did wrong, it wouldn’t be enough!”

‘It wasn’t my fault.’

The drunk chef tripped over a bottle and slipped, overturning the pot.

But because he was afraid of being scolded by the inn owner, he lied that he tripped because of Evi.

But she couldn’t tell the truth.

Anyway, they wouldn’t believe her.

Furthermore, if she did that, she would surely be beaten by the inn owner as well as the chef.

“What did you do so well that you’re staring at a person so uprightly! Get to the forest quickly!”

To go to the forest again in this season is to tell her to die.

The inn owner also knew that, as she smirked and muttered:

“Let’s see if you return alive this time as well.”

Then she immediately closed the inn door. Because she had even locked the barn door, Evi, who had no place to go, went to the forest again.

A similar thing happened this time.

Was it because she was covered in food? The wolves appeared even faster than before and surrounded Evi.

But light flashed and the back of her hand became hot again, and immediately after that, the wolves turned their backs and went somewhere.

Then, until Evi arrived at the spring, washed, fell asleep exhausted, and returned to the inn in the morning, the wolves did not appear again.

The next day, seeing Evi who returned safely this time as well, the inn owner looked at her quietly as if she were puzzled for a long time.

If she had rather gotten angry or spat, she would have accepted it as usual.

“Hurry up and clear the stable and help with the kitchen work.”

She smirked and went inside without saying anything else.

At that sight, Evi became even more uneasy.

As expected. When night came, the inn owner talked to the guests who were heavily drunk.

“That kid never dies even if she enters the forest. Far from the wolves eating her up, she returns just fine. If you can’t believe it, why don’t you bet with me?”

While doing so, she received one coin from each guest and made Evi fetch water from the spring that doesn’t freeze in the middle of the forest.

While her hands became blistered from the rough wooden handle, Evi had to bring a water bucket as big as her own body.

The guests at first shouted that it was nonsense and that this would be their victory as they bet money.

Among them, at least the person with a proper mind tried to stop the owner, asking what she was talking about and saying that if a young child went to the forest alone, she would only become wolf food.

“What, did you raise this one? This is a child I fed and raised. Don’t interfere! If she’s so pitiful, pay the cost of raising her and take her away!”

The inn owner used to swear at such guests and tell them not to spoil the mood and kick them out.

Eventually, Evi was driven out to the forest again.

The winter wolf, being hungry, did not miss a weak prey that entered the forest alone.

But each time, the back of her hand became hot, and the wolves went back.

But Evi knew.

The fact that the heat was gradually becoming weaker, and the stain was also becoming fainter.

It was as if its power were running out.

‘If this disappears completely, I will die.’

But there was no method a 5-year-old child could do.

Evi had to go to the forest alone every day at the inn owner’s compulsion.

Until the Orphanage Director stayed there, continuously.

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‘It didn’t appear anymore after I met the Director.’

Evi, who was reminiscing about the past, came to her senses and looked at the back of her hand.

People sympathized as they looked at the orphanage, asking how one could live in such a place, but for Evi, it was a place like heaven.

She didn’t have to work without rest from morning to evening as she did at the inn.

Three times a day, at set times, they gave her meals.

And not withered bread or bread nibbled by rats, but properly cooked warm food.

Her sleeping place was no longer a pile of straw in a barn.

Although not fluffy, she was given a well-arranged mattress and a clean blanket, even if thin.

Furthermore, around her, she even had kind friends of a similar age to her.

Since then, there had never been a day when a strange stain appeared on the back of Evi’s hand.

‘It was almost disappearing anyway… it must have gone away completely.’

Evi looked at the back of her hand and thought it was a relief.

Even she thought that this was something that didn’t happen to other people.

Furthermore, the thumb-worn fairy tale books she got to read at the orphanage said that terrifying witches used strange powers.

The children all said as they saw it that if there were such a witch, they would report her to the guards.

Hearing those words, Evi decided never to tell anyone about the pattern on her hand.

Because she felt that if her friends found out, they would report her to the guards.

So when falling asleep, she had sometimes purposely put her hands in her pockets.

Because it might suddenly appear while she was sleeping and her friends might see it.

But contrary to Evi’s worry, the strange stain had never appeared again until now.

‘It must be because it’s not dangerous.’

It had always appeared when she was very tired or scared, and when it was dangerous.

Since such things don’t happen now, it must not be appearing.

“Therefore… right now is not dangerous either.”

Evi nodded to herself.

Rumble.

At that time, a loud sound was heard from Evi’s stomach.

When she raised her head, she saw the sky with stars twinkling outside the high window.

Evi rummaged through her bag. After taking out the cookies wrapped in paper and the two candies she had packed separately, she fell into contemplation.

‘What should I eat?’

Seeing that no one had come until night, she would surely have to wait until morning.

If so, it would be better to eat sparingly.

After contemplating for a long time, Evi put the cookies back into her bag. Then she looked at the candies.

‘Should I eat only half?’

Even that would be enough.

Then suddenly, the moment she turned her head, she made eye contact with the woman in the portrait.

Since it was a painting, she was naturally still smiling.

Looking at the painting for a moment, Evi got down from the chair holding a candy and stood in front of the painting.

She knew it was a painting. But somehow, she felt like she was staying together with her the whole time she was here.

So she wasn’t scared even now.

Somehow, it was a feeling like a living person was together with her.

Was that why? Evi placed one of the candies she was holding in front of the painting.

“I’ll give this to you. The Director said to share delicious things.”

Evi placed one whole candy, which she had been contemplating whether to break in half and eat sparingly until a moment ago, in front of the painting.

Of course, there was no way the painting would answer or eat the candy.

Still, somehow she wanted to give the good things she had to the woman in the painting.

It was while Evi was smiling to herself with a somehow proud feeling after putting down the candy.

Whoosh!

A sound as if cutting the wind was heard from the ceiling.

Surprised, she raised her head and saw a golden streak of light passing beyond the high window.

While Evi looked on blankly in surprise at the strange light she saw for the first time, the light that was stretching out like a long line began to spread to the side like mist.

It crossed the glass window and entered the space where Evi was.

At the cluster of light filling the space like slowly falling drizzle, Evi took a step back.

Fear had arisen at the sight she saw for the first time.

She faltered and stepped back to avoid touching the light. Then, at the moment her back touched the painting.

—It’s okay. They are looking for you.

A voice like someone whispering was heard in her ear. And even a feeling of being patted on the shoulder.

“…!”

Evi turned back in surprise, but behind her was still only the brightly smiling painting.

Evi turned her gaze again and saw the cluster of light approaching her.

‘It said it’s okay.’

That they are looking for her.

If so…

Evi reached out her hand toward the light that was carefully approaching.