I, the spiritual mentor of beautiful girls from all over the world

In her view, this was just a perfect "resource acquisition" operation.

There is no problem.

"Stop right there! What are you doing, little girl!"

A powerful shout rang out behind him.

The fish stall owner's rough but strong hand grabbed Eve's wrist.

Eve's body instantly entered a state of combat readiness.

But just as she was about to retaliate, she saw the kitten in her arms trembling even more violently because of the scolding.

Then, she "senses" the hand that is holding her again.

There was "anger" and "vigilance," but not... "killing intent."

Eve gave up fighting back, and simply looked back at the proprietress with her inhuman, pure and bewildered red eyes.

The proprietress was initially filled with rage.

When he saw the girl's eyes, which seemed to be isolated from the world, and the pitiful little cat in her arms, all his anger was extinguished as if doused with a bucket of ice water, and finally turned into a long sigh.

"Sigh... Is this for it to eat? This child must be starving..."

Instead of scolding her, she quickly packed the fish, bought a box of warm goat milk from a nearby shop, and stuffed it all into Eve's arms.

"Take it, consider it a gift for this poor little thing." The proprietress pointed to the warm lights behind the market.

"Take it home quickly, it'll get sick in this heavy rain. Having a home means it won't be bullied."

Home…?

...

Eve stood in the increasingly torrential rain, holding the fish, milk, and the wet kitten.

She needs a place, a place where she can shelter from the rain and where she can feed herself.

Her gaze fell on a family restaurant across the street, its lights shining warmly.

Through the clean glass window, she could see the people inside, smiling and eating steaming hot food under the warm light.

It looks safe there.

…"Home"?

She carried the cat, crossed the street, and headed towards the door.

Just as she was about to push the door open and enter.

A waiter in uniform quickly stepped forward and blocked her way, his face bearing a professional smile that couldn't hide his disdain.

"Excuse me, miss, pets and takeout food are not allowed in the store."

The waiter's gaze swept over the dirty kitten in her arms and the raw fish that smelled fishy.

Eve didn't understand.

She simply tilted her head, her red eyes filled with the purest confusion.

Isn't this "home"?

Why would "home" reject her?

Seeing that she didn't move, the waiter's tone became somewhat impatient: "Miss, please leave. Don't disturb our business."

She was rejected.

She silently turned around and walked back into the cold rain.

The rain intensified, as if it were trying to wash the entire world clean.

She stood blankly at the street corner, holding a trembling kitten in her arms.

The world is vast, and the lights are warm.

But there was nowhere for her and it to stay.

Both she and it were shut out of this world.

...

Just then, a familiar fragrance, like a key, forcefully unlocked her senses.

She looked up.

【Taiyaki Yamada-ya】

At that moment, that sign became the only lighthouse she could see in this cold, vast ocean.

She walked over instinctively.

The shop owner, Uncle Yamada, was yawning, looking out at the continuous rain, and figuring out that there probably wouldn't be much business today.

Just then, a figure appeared in front of the stall.

Uncle Yamada's eyes suddenly lit up.

She was a girl who was unbelievably beautiful.

Her brilliant blonde hair clung wetly to her cheeks, further accentuating her ruby-like eyes, giving them an inhuman, breathtaking beauty.

"One."

She spoke, her voice as flat as a straight line, without any inflection.

She pulled a few coins from her pocket; the fishmonger had just insisted on giving them to her.

She imitated the way people looked in the market from her memory and placed them on the counter.

"Okay, okay!"

Uncle Yamada snapped out of his daze and quickly packed a steaming hot taiyaki and handed it to her.

The girl took it and did not leave.

She stood under the eaves and took a small bite right in front of Uncle Yamada.

Then, she stopped chewing.

Uncle Yamada's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the batter wasn't mixed properly today?

The girl finished eating the rest of the taiyaki without any expression.

Then, I walked back to the stall.

"One."

Same words, same tone.

She then took a few more coins out of her pocket.

Uncle Yamada was a little confused, but he still took the money and handed her another one.

The girl finished eating again and paused once more.

And then...once again, I stood in front of the stall.

"One."

"... "

Uncle Yamada's expression turned strange.

He looked at the girl's empty eyes, then at the equally bewildered kitten she was holding, and felt as if he were acting in some absurdist drama.

···Requesting flowers··· ···

The fourth time, the fifth time...

When the girl stood in front of the stall for the sixth time and stretched out her hand, she had no coins left.

But she seemed completely unaware of this.

She simply stretched out her hand, her ruby-like eyes fixed on Yamada with a stubborn, quiet gaze.

“Um… little girl,” Uncle Yamada finally couldn’t help but peek out, wiping his hands with a helpless expression.

"You have no money left."

The girl tilted her head, seemingly processing an incomprehensible instruction.

"And why do you keep eating? Even if it's delicious, you don't have to keep eating like this, do you?"

Eve was baffled by her boss's questioning.

money?

good to eat?

what is that?

In a flat, emotionless tone, she uttered four words that sent a shiver down Uncle Yamada's spine.

"...The taste is off."

There was no grievance, no criticism, and no complaint in that voice.

Uncle Yamada was stunned.

He looked at the girl in front of him.

That face, so exquisitely beautiful it resembled a doll's, held no human expression whatsoever.

But deep within those empty, beautiful red eyes, there seemed to lie a loneliness deeper and colder than the universe, boundless and profound.

He suddenly understood.

This girl wasn't actually tasting the food.

She was trying to find a unique memory that was incredibly important to her in this cold and unfamiliar world in the most clumsy, stubborn, and almost self-destructive way.

But his taiyaki can't give me that memory.

I can never give that.

..... .... ....

Uncle Yamada let out a long, long sigh, his chest feeling as if something was blocking it, a mixture of sourness and bitterness.

He said nothing, but silently baked another one, put it in a paper bag, and put it into the girl's hand.

"Take this and go home quickly."

He waved his hand, turned away, unable to bear looking into those heartbreaking eyes any longer.

...

In the cold, damp, abandoned warehouse.

Eve curled up in the corner, watching the kitten finish the fish.

She tore off a small piece of the already cold taiyaki and slowly put it in her mouth.

Still, the same old taste.

She leaned against the cold wall, holding the kitten that was rubbing its little head against her for warmth, and slowly closed her eyes.

Then, she had a dream.

There was no cold rain, no abandoned warehouse, and no looks of astonishment and rejection in my dream.

In my dream, there was that pure white, eternal courtyard.

The sun was warm, and the wind was gentle.

The man sat down next to her and handed her a steaming hot taiyaki.

She took a bite.

It tastes just right.

That sweet, warm current instantly enveloped her entire soul.

She wanted to say something to him, to tell him that it was delicious.

But as soon as she looked up, the man's figure, like a sand painting blown away by the wind, began to become transparent and gradually disappeared.