“My story?”
Eve Nightburn sat on the carpet and thought for a moment.
“Ever since I can remember, I grew up in an orphanage.”
“That rural orphanage was poor, but it was also good. They provided me with daily meals—nothing fancy, but enough to keep me alive.”
“Every day, I huddled together with the other kids in the orphanage to sleep. Everyone was kind. I remember there was an older brother among us who would always go somewhere to pick wild fruits and share them with us.”
“The headmistress told me the orphanage was built by the Country, so I’m grateful to the Country for giving me a chance to survive.”
“Honestly, I’m lucky. I was born in a peaceful nation, the strongest in the world, one that deeply cares for its people. At least I grew up safe and sound.”
“After all, the odds of an orphan surviving past four years aren’t that high.”
“But I was still greedy. I wanted to live better, to be happier. I was like a little demon, never satisfied, always wanting more.”
“The educational resources in our countryside were pretty bad. We kids sometimes had to help the orphanage with farming, weeding, or other odd jobs. The orphanage needed income, after all.”
“Later, I barely scraped by with 450 points and got into the worst high school in the city. But in our orphanage, that was considered a pretty good score. Nearly 70% of the kids couldn’t even reach that mark.”
“After that, I left the orphanage. With the Country’s help, I went to high school.”
“My classmates were all well-off—big backpacks, pens with all kinds of character prints, and phones I’d only seen in adults’ hands before.”
“In that city, I also saw so many foods I’d never encountered before. They were delicious. That’s when I realized how vast the world was—far beyond that tiny village with just a few dozen households.”
“But my academic talent was really lacking. I didn’t have much time to study either—I had to take on odd jobs to survive. Otherwise, I couldn’t afford the city’s prices, even with the Country’s help.”
“After the college entrance exam, I scored 323 points and barely got into the lowest-tier university. I was actually pretty lucky—just a few points less, and I’d have ended up in vocational school.”
“During college, I saved up to buy a computer and started playing a few games. That’s how we first met.”
“After graduation, I sent out a bunch of job applications. Eventually, the Celestial Corporation took me in. So I came to this city and worked at the Company for over a year. But I couldn’t take it anymore—working from 6 a.m. to midnight every day. I felt like my body was falling apart.”
“I’m actually quite lucky. Even my landlord gave me a low rent and didn’t mind when I fell behind on payments for a long time.”
“Sometimes, I imagine myself as a cloud in the sky, with nothing to worry about. It seems so relaxing—probably because clouds just float up there. They’re light, so they must be carefree, right?”
“I wish I could float like that, untouched by the world.”
“To gather or scatter as I please, with nothing to bind me. I don’t want to be defined by anyone. I could take any form or stay the same forever.”
“That’s what I envy about clouds, I guess?”
As she spoke, Eve looked up at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling, suddenly wanting to touch it.
But when she reached out, she realized she couldn’t grasp it.
Just like the clouds in the sky—forever out of reach.
Eve withdrew her hand and continued.
“Later, I quit the Company. As for what happened after that… you already know, sis.”
Miri Dreamwell hesitated for a long time after hearing Eve’s words, spoken with her back turned.
“So… you don’t remember anything before the orphanage?”
Eve shook her head. “I only know I was wandering. Before that, it’s all a blur.”
“I see…”
“By the way, have you always believed you were human?”
Eve: “Yeah, up until now, I’ve always thought I was human.”
“It wasn’t until that day when you sent me the files about the Worldburn Flame that I realized I was a Calamity.”
“To escape the Magical Girls’ pursuit, I dyed my hair black and spent a lot on a completely different set of clothes to look nothing like the photos.”
“I see…”
“Have you thought about what you’ll do in summer? You can’t keep wearing so many layers.”
Eve sighed. “I’ll deal with summer when it comes. One day at a time.”
“If I can’t even survive today, why worry about tomorrow?”
Miri didn’t know how to respond.
“If one has no long-term plans, they will soon face troubles.”
That line from the Chinese textbook probably meant something like this.
After a long silence, Miri finally understood Eve completely.
She was a Calamity, yes—but at her core, she was just a child afraid of being hurt.
“Little sister… there’s one more thing I need to know.”
Miri had to clarify one last thing. She hoped it would go as she wished.
“What is it, sis?”
Eve looked up at the crystal chandelier again, using it to distract herself from the urge to meet Miri’s gaze.
Miri gathered her thoughts. “Can you control your power?”
At this question, Eve instinctively glanced at the Midnight Rose Ring on her left ring finger.
“Honestly, I don’t even know how to use this power…”
“The only time I ever really used it was just now, and that was because someone in my dreams taught me how.”
“And they said this power can only be used once. If I want to use it again, I’d have to find them for help.”
Someone in her dreams? That purple-haired girl? Miri thought of the girl who seemed to appear anywhere, always with her eyes closed.
The first time Miri saw her was in a dream. And not long ago, she and Eve had encountered her together.
“Then, can you promise me you’ll never use this power again?”
“I never wanted to use it in the first place,” Eve said, frustrated. What’s so great about this useless ability anyway?
Now that everything was clear, Miri finally had the courage to propose the only possible solution.
“I see. I don’t know how old you really are, but to me, you’ll always be my little sister. Let the past stay in the past.”
“Oh, and… have you thought about leaving this place? How about I celebrate your birthday with you when the time comes?”
