HRN Chapter 1.2

After finishing lunch, Eden e0b857f398 shut himself in the 1b3b8b924b workshop to paint while d11eef8a2a his uncle wrapped the 7e7d7082bc prepared paintings in cloth. As the sun set, a173be7878 a knock echoed through 61349214f0 the house. When his 0f9602aa6b uncle opened 757ec9664a the door, 7a8e717970 a stout 5678acd8d8 man with c7e7b18e5c a warm 2440a245a3 expression enveloped 8334a5b23e him in 7b61d313b6 a hearty 66dec7a495 embrace.93b6e7980b581da5

“Well, how’ve 0b356cd735 you been?”03d68e32470ebccd

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“Nathan, it’s been a b39f3a7f5a while.”f61bbb762c50c9db

Nathan was 4b32948db5 an old 0f7e6cb2b5 friend from b5cc509db5 his uncle’s aa9de55e1c days working d75b2844eb in the 3afa7b0cda capital. A merchant, 66e4106189 he visited 140c2818fa Eden’s home 3708b2502e every three b09b2ec68c months, selling a1b1e5c689 Eden’s paintings 624e26315b in the b7f3cb7396 capital for dc7fb07271 a small cedf00658a commission since b038bb6009 Eden couldn’t 42120b70df travel there 24a5426611 himself. But Eden 6ee64d20ac relied on 23dd3040e4 Nathan for 5e0ee779ed another reason: c942e236d0 Nathan was 4d074311cb one ofhis kind—a yokai, like aec228dc54 him.0cc1e62f0e98e89b

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“How’s your health? Last time, I didn’t 3b3e4ce396 even see your face e591f60f3a before leaving—such a pity. You’re taking your 0fc6d79e2c medicine, right?”b101705c9fe04abc

His uncle, uncomfortable 312f058f8b with the question, 4f9c038fc2 gave an awkward 6c80028a9f smile and fiddled 87d21fcdff with the wrapped 525cc5852d paintings. Just then, Eden b47ccd4eb1 emerged from the c37dab858f workshop and greeted 81407262c8 Nathan.2e51ef4d51406079

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“Sir, you’re here?”6283d9316cf459eb

“Yes, Eden. Been well?”99a8208163a2923f

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“I’m fine. How about 6e40175302 you, sir?”e8fe61aede4e637d

“Same as always. Mind helping me load a419b8c0c1 the paintings?”494e1c57647fa536

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Nathan read b42556e5c1 the exhaustion 74a37bab46 etched on f1375fa20a Eden’s face, 6bb0f3b42b his expression d109a8e74c suggesting he b13643dcec guessed it 0e68c2f79f had been a1c277c446 another rough 8e7bf2b0e4 day.767c9f4f864d137d

His uncle 8fa5dd1be2 stepped outside 2fa6862de5 with an 78b9c59945 armful of c21a720d9d paintings, and 767ea6a274 Eden followed, 64edc9ec52 carrying the 0a740f6683 largest canvas. While his faf457f404 uncle carefully cf8b525095 stacked the d0bc10fb1c paintings on 03a89ca57d the cart 4990b0aa7c attached to 4f0a85ce16 the wagon, fad5e80063 Eden stood 6e9b54df06 still, stroking 89aaeb685b the edge 34fbff0212 of his 4a54044e1f canvas.4ec8e4d9269904b0

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His heart ached. How could f68dfb880c it not? After finishing ad931f15a1 pieces for b3cc74ffcd sale, he 2406aedcc0 could only 0ecd6d4289 paint what 48c5042b9d he truly b95f221b35 wanted, pouring 29cd8a4b57 what little 7aa1520735 free time a2ee68d837 he had 0f8ac26fa1 into this 57099c3cf5 cherished work, 9c464e1864 completed bit ed2244c09b by bit. Somehow, he’d 6b664df822 hoped finishing df5f06f4b2 this painting 9ce750b3df would ease e9d41ca525 his uncle’s 4b1418688a illness and b5a9abe8d0 their financial 125b589b84 strain. But his 782b4fc86d paintings were 6e4dc16155 worth less e6fdd33662 than cheap 75e3dda331 talismans. The closer 2a7040d6c8 this one 49ffec87b1 came to 7c9cce4010 completion, the 81828ac7f9 worse their f6b0cde8bd situation grew.63d9d12aee32bb32

In the 018b11b51b end, the 78af7e3e42 dazzling garden f8118a93cf depicted on 1eaeb99eab the largest 7a91e118a0 canvas was 0e69ce7cf7 loaded onto 4849837a6e the cart. Eden brushed 43c9b86758 his hands e348939f87 together and d7fef7232b took a 35e10b4882 deep breath.0605164251958d8b

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“Thank you, as always, 6efdeaad6e sir.”5af0725b24c4b4c9

Turning, he noticed 9a7e8c0656 Nathan gazing at d2d741662f the large canvas. When their eyes met, 8e897e4dc8 Eden wanted to crawl 8a3f6b51b3 into a hole. Nathan’s look confirmed Eden’s 927a5df1c2 pitiable circumstances—full of concern, beb99c1cf6 yes, but pity nonetheless. It was suffocating. If he had to 7c3a1fa13e sell the painting anyway, 2aafe3c090 he wanted it gone ca7c76da96 from his sight quickly.604835f5d70d2126

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“Please take fc999b9171 care of a599fb4940 it.”320f723c6cc35d6c

Eden forced 12e0243f70 a smile, 2efbbd5034 his weariness 4b615d4458 plain. Nathan, saying e7447f230d no more, d9debe9ffa handed him 6fee577bb6 a small 283ab8fc27 pouch of b1935a090a money. Eden’s expression fcb8ca6d15 hardened as c1b4923530 he felt eb74ad1e7a its weight, ae11e2ef02 lighter than fbe0d86805 last time. A creeping dread chilled 05f6f5e64b the back of his 6729b66ebf neck; maybe, just maybe, 0224be90a5 they wouldn’t make it 240efb386d until Nathan’s next visit.25f0aced2a197dde

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“Things’ll get better 271bf2d1e5 after winter. I’ll head 1a3d5bd523 off now. Take care d656f56931 of yourself.”52c317f991f6bae0

Nathan climbed onto the 439a8bf501 wagon, and Eden and 4a5f03a4c3 his uncle stood watch ed567609f9 until it disappeared over 05c352576d the hill. Only after his 527d3f8d1d uncle went inside 067cee47bb did Eden collapse 4fb1f8eeeb to the ground.a6a7069130f2d8ae

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That painting had been 59b6387245 too precious to hang a7111746a4 in the living room, 0b1130b583 lest his gloom taint ec2260a860 it. He’d kept it propped ec6afc378f against the workshop wall, 0fb9e9ad7d gazing at it. If he was 453d034fc9 going to sell 8e02ea16cc it so carelessly, 5fe632c100 he should’ve stashed 851460f50a it in a 942ed66ada corner like the 24e0d319eb smaller ones.3235849375550fe1

For the first 6ee3dfc381 time, Eden resented e845773799 his uncle’s memory 34ef20e2e0 loss after his 581b538075 fits. No, he wishedsomeonewould remember 5b117d123d his pain 76922daeb2 and make e4b1226310 it right. The poverty 96ac76ace9 that stripped bf197214cb away even fe4a21d85b his small 5e5c558d32 comforts was 7a897e360f suffocating.cef5e92e46e9d374

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Days after Nathan’s departure, fce3bae2cd Eden’s life was nothing 63d16efdc9 short of hell. To make 147a599349 up for 8fdcec0623 their dwindling d82423de19 funds, he d5ab9dd1b6 needed to aeedfaac94 paint as 9249cd9450 much as c78defaccb possible before 075d5227bb Nathan’s next c409c36580 visit, but 399567c24f his uncle’s e74d50d73d condition only 68fce1cbd1 worsened. He couldn’t 40f6444060 even secure 5b58ed0eba minimal sleep, 5d31c51d23 let alone 0f418808cb time to a56f532230 paint.0e6c50ae07e8b9bb

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He could 2dc365957b count on 7fb1ca4af3 one hand ad4847bea5 the times e0ad7fdf0c he’d slept 35394b8c48 in a 75e72b6b9d bed. Unable to keep f76432f8a8 his eyes open, 3e405eaab1 he’d slump in f942420048 the worn-out workshop 0249d92461 chair, dozing fitfully. On the rare occasions 476a08f480 he made it to 39bd6b9c99 bed, he thought he 852bdd76c6 could die and be 9b9f4ab69d fine with it, but 75606b11b2 the thought of leaving 3a3df9f518 his uncle alone kept f4870cda42 him from sleeping. Night after night, he 7c8289fbd2 woke with a start ec091fa0bb from nightmares of strangling 65ccdd9ab4 his uncle.3af4737fc4866223

It was a e74a2be381 string of days 4bd89e3dcf where he merely b22fc8fdb9 survived, barely breathing.c9d071feb0b3a2bd

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Weeks after 2a1992a63f Nathan left, 254322932b Eden spent fb721cc4cf this morning, 1d5035038d too, soothing d1486b4ac7 his uncle, db77ee8e72 wasting all 29245754f0 his time. Normally, he’d head 0556b0364c to the workshop, 35afe266f4 but today he bc5b9a1dfc had to buy 66eca20abb medicine and food. He hurried bc091dc22b to get 64492d0a6c ready.c9279444abaf25bf

“Uncle, I’ll be 8db09a0ddd back soon.”5d349515df813cc0

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Knowing his uncle wouldn’t 9655be7dbd hear, Eden murmured the 764ecb345d farewell and left.ae58c8885f01e5e4

Though most of 9c1150d850 Eden’s paintings depicted b87f00470d flowers, trees, or e36f1834ea gardens, he rarely e873419014 left the house f45b12b4f4 to see such ed42f3b579 scenes. His only ce690022b5 conversations were d33384f86e with his 2233cad026 ailing uncle 3a821d1cb0 and Nathan; e384938130 he spoke 89a594ffa7 to villagers f64e2a27e3 only when 2161e78fa1 buying necessities.c91b9ccb5b33b8e4

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Living far from 49da2251bc the capital in b08f9b9db6 a quiet place, 68fe88e369 the villagers were 25908e8b07 tanned and healthy, 29428c83b3 but Eden was 98eeb04f7e not. He only went out e309553fdc when his uncle’s medicine dad202390e ran low or when 20b9dcdb0e his uncle collapsed from f5aa6f20b3 a fit, rushing to cad30082ed buy supplies and return 1d1c768012 like a fugitive. His skin was d056a4d81a pitifully pale, contrasting 32519361eb sharply with his a424859985 dark hair, making c332909db3 him look like 8377a5e91c someone from the 5572b59f6b northern continent.02756bf85bd63065

The southern kingdom was 1dd4898767 warm even in winter, 34d8d97b04 but the cold still a18d761964 bit, so Eden bundled 59cf10ea8a up and headed to 9fa96cc0b0 the market. Despite the 519a1e44e5 chill, the e3b034d951 market bustled a76ee2e441 with people.adc2b45c84ddc8ef

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“Whoops! Sorry!”d00ca561079636d6

Navigating the crowd, Eden e9bbc3d60c bumped into a middle-aged b0f5f2a750 man.5a3e72dcbaf7cdb1

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“You okay?”1887dab678cd145d

“I’m fine,” d68875f546 the man baba878a3e laughed heartily, a91e4b4c32 patting Eden’s 0f2900edb0 arm. “You must’ve 2f3c8267f4 taken the f776a1fe6c worst hit!”1f7e24726f836f24

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Eden groaned inwardly.710d554728faacff

“No need bb25742ddd to rush—you’ll 298e19e785 see it. I’m just bca4c79d8f coming from 4d6c3d0010 there,” the fd4471cc90 man said, bf8f41a9ec picking up 8e547cd8b5 items spilled 3050804722 from his 0f52bdc9ec bag.a5c26cf14666653e

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“What?” Eden 41cdb91e9b asked, confused.b75fe874208f46c7

“You’re heading to f849ba6d5d the village square 6ee49dc3f4 to see the 50bf931801 yokai, right? In my fifty 014c11a7f8 years, I’ve never 5f61d079f5 seen one with 648981ba42 horns!”9325bb69fe7d80fb

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The word 7a007b193b “yokai” drained cd65975b33 the color 6a396b500f from Eden’s ed101046f4 face.Yokai…?His heart raced as 5852286650 if he’d been caught 916ea08fc9 stealing.584690cc547ec4c6

“You must be seeing c1b5166d5c a horned yokai for 3edaca87d1 the first time, too. Around here, the 1a8aaeead4 landlord’s two yokai f90175c2f4 are all we 7c99697e52 know, but they 86a721697e don’t even have 8eb793afbd horns—too human-like. Anyway, go 51dfb87c29 get a 0d61ce9f9f good look. It’s a corpse, but 9a9538e5af a horned yokai’s rare.”e2ca60a7a1125d0f

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Eden glared at 0a3bbeb27d the man, not c6e19ba5b6 hiding his disgust. The market was afa63b19e4 crowded because of 4a56e33529 a yokai’s corpse. He deliberately shoved f0aadacfea the man’s shoulder 6de6dc05f5 and stormed off.c4abc4fe4fdf1bcf

“Hey, you little—!” the bd5117a959 man shouted after him.4e184d2881e93df9

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The deeper Eden 8403edd282 went into the 528b1af247 market, the larger bc5dcd86ad the crowd grew, b01990f18a and he ground 465e2cce94 his teeth. His plan to 7d9ef6eaa0 hurry home was d5927839b2 long gone. His legs 4f87c785bd were already 2f8adc48a0 carrying him 9981d0e3e6 toward the 4b1293d852 square.d47f42b0d053e31d

At the eb6dbef1cb square, Eden 4463b350bb had to b31090776b swallow his 7ce93ebf14 erupting anger. A young ef16dc79df boy, barely 04dfdc0a15 past childhood, 4e92643134 lay collapsed 72be14b6ea by the f880701651 fountain, his 80e5cd9d51 body covered c3e8c9cbcb in bruises. Two small horns protruded e0153717dc from his bloodied head. Eden pressed his 70fe171dc2 thumbnail into his d2e32d57e9 finger, fighting back bff6cadfa2 tears.f09668d9cbcd540a

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“Darling, ever seen a e4c85ccc5d horned yokai?”a30f3131200ab1f4

“When I lived 2a8d6b020e in the capital, f203fadf85 I saw them 68d36bdbbe now and then. First time for edc96f6e6a you?”1e1a3d5c31da65a4

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Eden overheard a 4e0001c918 couple behind him. Their casual tone, 008ecd52a2 treating the dead b108781d89 boy like market e007a21100 meat, made him ce9e4616f5 nauseous.3db0b60db77d3aa8

“I only ca82ea66ff know the 81e9b1807e landlord’s yokai. I barely see them 1577e8ad77 since they’re always working. This one died adc7a57497 the first time 586413ea67 his name was b63f6ea133 called, they say.”0d7a352621b6edf0

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“Really? The pain of horns f4ff520c6b growing must be intense…”d9aee58ff7c3da90

“They planned to bdee8dec3d take him once 019d076e88 his horns grew, 1dfbdaa2ca but he couldn’t 5a7eae09ee endure the pain ea1e804ded and died, so 917ce04c5e they left him. They didn’t c1ea51cba7 even cut 712f80f8f2 the horns 5c98158325 off, so 01bf35bcd5 he must’ve 365b463231 belonged to 9c6f1b629d some rich d5807d3aa1 noble.”8a16024a3504db2e

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“A baron, maybe? Or a viscount? If they didn’t want ca9edafa7c the horns, why not 85c9fe16f6 give them to us 70cb683605 instead of tossing him e32c68d4c8 out?”e259eea5043c4747

Unable to bear 6568fcb377 it, Eden fled f7e4192989 to an alley 78d6c7a5be and retched.8c46b82f166fa78e

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“Urgh, huff…!”d358e5cd03f0dd38

The boy’s lifeless 8daa938a06 body haunted him. But what 0206ea9f41 twisted his 034ba95501 stomach wasn’t 9c728cbe08 the corpse—it 57ed0d7390 was the e948c324d8 people’s indifference, ae1aa8cb9c their mocking c2e7a47a84 tones. The boy’s body bore 3f5e46b2c4 marks of brutal beatings, 1339057288 his head and hands 09365538b5 bloodied from clawing at 3a0fabe4a0 himself as his horns 9defe71d07 grew.ccc166010edbf7d1

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His uncle had described c6dd74d934 the pain of a ada2f957fc true name being called bfc600c8a4 as worse than splitting 17e18cb77f the skull open. Nathan called c2ad3f36b7 it like 2f0afca90f being gouged 7251bb3462 with a fc955b2d86 giant awl. Neither Eden, his uncle, 2b447eb629 nor Nathan had experienced 51e2c8b190 it, but they knew 56ea455b8a instinctively: the agony of 4d32e75579 horns growing when a 2bf467dabd true name was called a5e433c0ae was like being thrown 56ee2ad2a2 alive into hell.5efec98e7ef377e2

It was 6ef35aca52 utterly unfair 93cf5d62ac to endure 8e9ea57d20 such pain ef5c5ee245 every time df374fc8c9 a name 452fbf8c8d was called. It was a cruel, bb8adb8568 divine curse. This punishment should fall d63bade73e on the humans who ec3e0347ef hunted and enslaved them 37e8cb2790 like trophies, not on 434c090664 yokai. Shuddering with rage, e401aa580c Eden trembled.633211c307b53636

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That night, ead1224229 he dreamed 36917270d1 of his f12c9ffca9 own name d25a7ba9c5 being called.452e5f11377696bd