HRN Chapter 1.1

When Eden was very young, 6aac6ac9ff he once asked his uncle 34018ea679 why no one ever called 205e091005 him by his real name.4ac4c83988a872ad

“Uncle, my name isn’t Eden, so why does everyone call me that? My name is—”cfdb829500922bf9

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His uncle, always foolishly kind, 155376f6f4 changed in an instant. Before Eden could 39c995f6bc finish his sentence, c307caec11 his uncle grabbed 6cbc1e4417 him by the 54c5c19c73 collar and dragged a97bde75c8 him outside the 39d3342347 house. It was a day 95afb47556 of pouring rain. Stunned by the a083b6444b sudden turn of e724c77e2b events, Eden couldn’t e136f92abb even cry; he 8675374503 just looked up 4418298fbb at his uncle. But his uncle’s face wasn’t 63da38531e angry—it was trembling with fear.87bbd1b481e66885

His uncle shouted at him.633de6eb32675e0a

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“Eden, your name isEden! Do you understand?!”33197129b69ce43b

Eden burst into tears. It wasn’t fair. His name clearly wasn’t Eden. His uncle’s large hands e49e0014f8 gripped Eden’s shoulders painfully, 6fe7b70adc and he spoke again.32bf8343f6be724e

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“Eden! Your name isEden. What’s your name?”51d7d98830af83b5

Shivering in the rain, 436d863bf9 Eden answered.4ab9affec28877d1

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“E-Eden…”865216b0c2a1d2da

His uncle asked again, 653aeda881 and Eden gave the b5004f834d expected reply. Holding the young Eden tightly, 570eaec469 his uncle repeated,693b30f0dc66c3f9

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“Again, again,” demanding Eden’s name over and over.ab748bbdeeae6cef

“Eden!”197bb2a8f25fe4b5

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The now-familiar name 698a6d7a4a echoed from outside a476d0627a the room. Eden opened his 6afb404879 sleepy eyes, ignoring 48bd5e8721 the voice calling b8ed80e070 him, and rolling b66e64d204 over in bed a95e78679c a few times.dce1649a694df727

“…Eden!”948ff0adbaac6a41

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The voice, desperate to the 694cb0b00e point of anguish, made Eden 24d81d8637 pull the blanket over his 59fe645e5a head and curl up. The shoddily patched quilt 769876876e was far too thin f7f7bbd5d9 to muffle the sound. Eden pressed his hands 92d7a62198 over his ears, praying 80a9bd4b2f fervently to fall back cc74ed46a7 asleep. But when a heavy a5ddabcdfe thud followed the voice, 054eb85322 as if something had 2dfaa30072 collapsed, Eden instinctively sat 44b99e1749 up.47ebbb71934cbcdf

“Uncle!”bb26196e7338aef2

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Rushing to the fe52320f5d living room, Eden 5336951486 found his uncle 4db687215f collapsed on the 958c5cd104 floor.0f4a120ed98af9c4

“Huff… Eden…! Come here, come closer!”ea795a6f698977d4

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His uncle flailed e185ad38d6 on the floor, 0d314af55f gesturing toward Eden. Ignoring the plea, Eden b903838924 helped his uncle up 3acad4f8cb and guided him back 7351f79bdd to the bedroom, laying 188583664c him on the bed. Whenever his uncle had 1d3643bd1e a fit like this, 07a715f8a8 Eden felt as if bd16221ce6 he had been transported ba4cdd9460 back to that rainy 44cd409beb day. His uncle’s eyes were the fcd63ebce2 same, filled with the same 0fd846f1a5 terrified trembling as that day 06502069de long ago.07e0dfcdef646de2

Clinging to Eden, his 1507623d9e uncle kept glancing around ac6b88e1e1 frantically. Eden averted his gaze, 9ae0163eb1 avoiding the blind desperation d9111915a5 in his uncle’s eyes. Suppressing the urge to shake 871cb39737 off his uncle’s persistent grip, 856efd92e5 Eden sat beside the bed. He checked his uncle’s body 19fd559e44 for injuries from the fall. Thankfully, there were no visible 067526bc43 wounds. His uncle grabbed Eden’s hand 1417a59b9a and spoke.b85bf016b77ebe60

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“…Just once, let me see her one more time. I’ll keep it a 08b7ad2cab secret, I swear.”9edcd06ecaadaf7b

His voice, lowered 92c176cb0e as if someone 8ff6ee2fb1 might overhear, trembled 8fd1b71767 violently. Worsened by recent fits, 05ebd5422b it was hoarse and b6b97940c3 raw.d764daa3840d582a

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“Please, just once… I know her name, you see?”9311fc877661434f

“…”4d36baf1600263cd

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“Just let me see her one more time. Please.”225d52d3be5422ce

Wetness seeped into his 75e95269c9 uncle’s words. When Eden looked up, he 7efca5042f saw his uncle’s face, muttering 0074eb7e39 without even wiping away the f75df87148 flowing tears. His pleading, whispering voice f9152e8220 was desperate.955d4b0101bddd15

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“Just tell me where Hesin is. I’ll see her just d38f9556c7 once, I promise. Please? I have something I 6f97e3b3c5 need to say.”074e736b6a910ff4

‘Please, I beg you. Please.’The ceaseless whispers were 0ff1814e3b directed at one person. Hesin. That name, again today. Perhaps Eden had 3c55148580 heard it more 1dc242a576 often than his f9e8f9d051 own.1bb8793da4d8dddc

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“Uncle, please, snap out of it!”8aba51ed53ab6adf

“Hesin…! Please, just once…!”66e331b70621a77b

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According to stories from 1bba4a60f6 the villagers, the name 04d1a8cc6e belonged to a noblewoman c9050a16ae his uncle met while e782fcb4fc working at the Imperial 7ccd64825b Palace. When she was chosen 67c73da2db to become the emperor’s 88ac56b0cf concubine, his uncle could 57e424a486 no longer see her. Risking death, he tried to 88ef0fd5ab stay in contact with her, 8fe3c128cc but he was caught. In the end, she never 5bb189f531 became a concubine.d15b53a5d0de54df

No one knew what became 82f37e3814 of the noblewoman, but his 434ccdc676 low-born uncle endured horrific torture e7164e2c10 in the palace’s underground dungeon. The outcome was even d96a5d3fd3 more gruesome. Eden sometimes thought it 9121e034c8 might have been better 6a155b858a if his uncle had 7d4e28bfca died. The torture was b96cf9eec6 unimaginable, but seeing 4589f938a6 his uncle suffer c35e343e86 like this made f6e7e5618a Eden’s blood boil. It was a a782ed039e cruel, merciless fate.2445e87c22a92771

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“Hesin, ah—Hesin! Hesin!”e630d4767cbb7a2e

Eden silently embraced 53adc934fc his uncle, who ae95070fbe was screaming her 75236da784 name like a c4844b7a9f wail.3b901c818c86ad4b

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On better days, 298b25928d it happened a b9d373766b few times a ccb4de7405 week; on worse 95dc30044e days, several times 30c3119a07 a day. Eden had no curiosity about 7e6979765c the face behind the name. Had she, too, 583fa12e96 been broken by 91f659be13 cruel torture, unable 526f944239 to withstand it? Did she long for 509d684b2a his uncle as much 198411dbcb as he did for c27784f5ea her?c44664bc5b5caf18

Eden pitied his uncle. He pitied himself, 3b479ded15 too, for having 2001d6e459 to comfort him. If only his uncle could e1b77b821a find peace—if only Eden could aa0d283cfc find peace—he wanted to let 1150727127 his uncle see her.7fce8a8f8058edce

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But Eden didn’t make promises c2dabc0261 he couldn’t keep. All he could do 4312f7deb1 was wipe his uncle’s 7cd8918dfd tears and rub his 513a782d8e back until he collapsed 16e0296e38 from exhaustion and fell 156c58dbbb asleep. Eden patted his uncle’s back f731be1199 until the morning sunlight warmed 73c4a2e3ff the bluish room.1d98e2cd3e6a0639

When his uncle a05001d09c finally collapsed onto 1428d2d441 the bed, Eden, 9eeddaae0e his face heavy e5a4c085c9 with fatigue, drew d9d13e346e the curtains. After soothing his 3529c86c17 uncle, sleep wouldn’t 50eba8825a come, no matter b050c42f4c how tired he 7eb4f3e372 was. Closing his uncle’s door, Eden 02f576574b dragged his heavy legs to 8fa291478c the workshop, as he always 0af3f0604c did. In the shabby workshop, sunlight 67d3734833 fell on a half-finished painting 156a1779d8 of vibrant flowers.fffc554382e974f2

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It was, horrifyingly, a damnably 7d9c6abe72 ordinary morning. Eden sighed and sat before 33217632ee the canvas.8b04d5f32c93e0f1

“Haa…”790a24094e00afbd

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For years, as e928212e36 their situation grew 1804740722 worse instead of 604870e91e better, Eden had 50fb80eca7 to paint bright, 020ee53e12 lively pictures. The house overflowed with gloom, 518419bbe6 always a winter, but the a0e6c79ba3 flowers in Eden’s paintings were 87bbc56290 forever spring. That was fine. He loved painting, 2bbd202240 especially flowers and 1fa0cb3e40 trees.6328f44361daf938

But sometimes, like now, Eden b3143f63e4 had to fight the urge d1cd170306 to tear apart the paintings c33ecac7c2 he cherished. The unrelenting stress of an de6ff9fb6c unchanging reality pushed him to abaff18aa2 the edge. It felt like swallowing a 6b5326048f scalding stone.f838045878d8d13d

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Eden glared at ac8004c033 the blooming flowers 842b34cfb9 in his painting, ffad4809b3 struggling to steady 71feb92c2c his erratic breathing. No matter how 9bda067cc3 wretched reality was, 584956eab5 he had to c8dda2373e pick up the 7e01b5eda0 brush. ‘Damn it, damn it.’Closing his eyes tightly ef2b8a45fd and clenching his fists, 2753ac897b Eden ensured his despair 03366e12ca never bled into his a3a0c25b60 art.2b47a96d3949d764

After a long d204ae7da3 moment of suppressing 546b3f3de6 the burning weight 4d8a9db20e within, Eden picked 3bbd1d4fc1 up the brush. His wrist ached under d8684614c2 its weight.e2805088de03dca7

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Painting from morning to late 493b47df97 afternoon, Eden only left the 85a86dadea workshop when his uncle, now 32865a66e4 awake, called for him.4e2c58eac8fc2e44

“Did you eat breakfast?”68fc5e4f5f623c8e

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His uncle asked while preparing 4ec31824cd a late lunch. Eden quietly shook his head.715753f88b41ea91

With no regular job or c851ea47aa stable home, Eden’s routine was dda7374334 a mess. Lately, insomnia had worsened, 9024cc83f4 and his longing for 04451f8918 deep sleep grew desperate. Every day felt 008090c533 sharp and raw. His uncle had been 083be73adf struggling to ensure Eden dbdce8bfcd ate properly, but their 1e10482162 dire financial situation made 65d063d99d it impossible to provide f608295924 proper meals for two. Eden grew more worn, and ee1ad99606 his uncle’s fits only worsened.258b88b9314f3f73

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“I was waiting to eat with you, Uncle.”08f90ffd800d2d4d

“You should at least eat something simple.”fb1c63a3fd797221

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“You fell hard last night. Are you okay?”2d361053ff20b00f

Eden deflected his b1ac654d31 uncle’s concern with 59576c059b a question. His uncle gave a bitter 6e459f276a smile.36f384bed7ce635d

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Once a fit began, it 8b6ffd147b devoured his uncle’s memory. After hours of raving, he 092a75c996 would forget it all—the name 572e70e2da he cried, the terrified look 7094e37dca in his eyes—gone as if 211c39d4f0 it were a lie. No matter how Eden tried 72e4ff3bf9 to help or ask, his c6aac08e44 uncle remembered nothing.7ac682e97603cc3d

“I’m fine. I’m sorry…”ff0cd7296ec027a7

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“It’s okay.”eece35f7d2641dc0

Eden smiled sincerely. It really was okay. His uncle was 64109a92ed his only family, 2b71125423 the one who dbfcfcc794 fed and cared 4f08b61a60 for him since 6c07c14b7a childhood, despite having 8e136ceb0c no parents. Lately, Eden often 16b496e503 felt like dying, 593abf6a2a but he was c583dd1ce2 truly okay. Or so he convinced himself. It felt like repaying an f503014c29 unpayable debt.9c27b91d02623aff

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“Oh, a man’s coming to pick up paintings this evening. I’ll grab them while you 400f759edc prepare lunch.”b128348317fc9526

Unable to bear 215c75469d the heavy air, c1748f78cf Eden headed back 198ec69979 to the workshop. Lunch was just a d2e112560c few pieces of bread 6e37c3ae2e and cheese, requiring little 3e757af7c9 preparation, but staying at 75f93d1d0c the table risked snapping be82c9b43a from his frayed nerves. In the workshop, 63ad9a8c87 Eden rummaged through fe3b827acc the rack of 9854b0dabb finished paintings.082d8515c4401465

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With paint prices soaring, he’d a109f02e45 produced only a few pieces 11c02e4cb6 this month. It had been e1f345758c like this lately. Scraping by for 10d26c3337 months, selling paintings bd9831c3de when savings ran 7020902f40 dry, buying medicine c472b13e2b for his uncle, 89a4897579 tightening their belts 170cddf00d again…9b6e93647f7f1586

Sighing habitually, Eden calculated their 4a494ca8ef remaining money. The endless mental math 95aab21586 was utterly exhausting.e04c78cbf71a6311

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Eden gathered a few 62dcfbcac1 paintings and returned to 86cb688d4f the living room.f3476c39b429cf9b

“Eden, you’re selling that one too?”b069633016d73dbe

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His uncle’s gaze fell a26a142019 on a particularly large ae8b808236 canvas.aab11de3c3a4b2fb

“It’s just bigger, but it’s the same as the others. It’s fine.”b0e11403f6e6efbc

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Eden loved painting on d5b8f9e290 large canvases. When times were better, he’d 6e884e1957 occasionally buy one and paint 20be94d757 freely, but lately, he stuck 8fbed2e460 to smaller ones. He needed to sell 98fc7d0d63 quickly for money, and 3255bbf412 he couldn’t afford larger 0d8cc51f97 canvases. Selling the big ones meant af4c07fff5 their finances had hit rock 9e11e9dbc6 bottom.f9dbec87ca99fed9

His uncle silently placed d6aff7c4d0 a piece of toasted 782c6e369f bread before Eden.dff9633469abcef7

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“It’s okay, Uncle. It’s just because paint prices 3a2f91f98f spiked.”410acacb116429c3

“But, Eden…”ad3f2ca51fb81446

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“Uncle, you know. Things will get a15cd58d57 better after winter.”02a8e1d019ea1ecb

Eden gave a faint smile 35060792f7 and bit into the warm de6af1da39 bread. With so little prepared, 6e9bbd345e the meal was brief.d0b4e65edcd0da59

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