I heard noises.

Helping myself with my hands, I moved toward the sources. "Who's there?"

"Hmm? Oh, a little girl," a female voice replied. "DId I wake you up?"

I nodded, and then heard loud and sharp steps walking around me.

"You... You can't see?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"Oh..." she murmured. "But you could, couldn't you?"

"Indeed, it wasn't always liketh this."

She chuckled, and I heard her voice leaning closer. "What happened? I see you have a scar," she said, lifting my sleep mask.

"Don't leaveth it!" I flinched, immediately reaching for it, pressing it against my eyes. "I must look so ugly... Don't leaveth it."

She laughed, and I cowered down. "Am I so hideous to deserve mockery...?" I asked, feeling my throat suddenly tight, starting to sob.

"Oh, no, no. What are you saying? I think you're beautiful!" she said, and I could feel a warmth over my head, repeatedly. She was patting me. "I was laughing because the way you talk is funny! Even hilarious!"

My lips pursed. "W-who art thee...? Whither art mother and father?"

"I'm afraid they're not here anymore," she replied.

"Huh...?"

"So, who gave you that scar?" she continued; warmth passing through my hair again.

"M-... mother did..."

There was silence for a moment, ere she spake again. "Envy can truly be a vicious monster... What's your name, little one?"

"I don't have a name."

"You don't?"

I shook my head as she continued to giveth it warmth.

"So you're a victim as well..." she muttered under her breath. "Perhaps, I can still do something for you..."

"Ah!" I suddenly felt lifted from the ground.

"For now, sit here," she said, resting me over a solid surface.

"W-what art thee going to doth to me?!"

She chuckled. "Nothing, I'm just hungry. Aren't you? Why don't you make me company for a bit?"

"Huh..."

"Who taught you to speak like that, by the way?" she asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Mother did."

"You don't know how to speak normally?"

"I... I can try..."

She chuckled again, and I could feel a quick rub over my head. My hair must've been a mess at that point.

"What's thy-... huh... your name, lady?" I stammered.

I could hear her laugh softly once more. "Oh, you want to know my name?"

I nodded.

"That's a secret."

"Huh...?"

After a while, along with various noises, a perfume pervaded the room, making me feel peckish like never before; the clatter of dishes around me.

"Hmm, I truly am quite the cook!" she quipped, her tone proud. "My, oh my, what a soup... Want me to feed you?"

I shook my head, stretching my palm to ask for a table spoon. With delicacy, I moved the spoon around until I heard the sound of it banging against the plate. Then, once the mental image of what was in front of me was clear, I slowly directed a spoonful of soup into my mouth, feeling the steam of it against my face. As I let the spoon touch my lips, I gently directed the soup inside.

The taste was nothing short of a revelation; the savory liquid flowed smoothly down my throat. It was so warm I couldn't help but clutch my chest, overwhelmed by its warmth. It felt as if it rejuvenated me.

I could hear a soft, satisfied chuckle coming from her. I savored that soup to the very last drop. Never had I tasted something so delicious.

"Thanks for the meal, lady," I said from the bottom of my heart.

"No need to thank me," she replied.

I fought to repress a yawn, but it was stronger than me. "When will mot-... mom and dad return?"

She sighed. "I'm afraid they won't return," she said, the sound of her chair scraping against the floor could be heard clearly after that.

"Huh?" I could suddenly feel myself raised from my seat, my body pressing against a warm and comforting, soft fabric.

"Don't worry, little one. Sleep, and don't think about them."

I tried to fight the drowsiness, but combined with the warm sensation, it was simply too overwhelming, and I lost...

... When I woke up, I was still surrounded by comforting warmth. "Lady...?" I murmured, searching for her.

"Good morning, Abby," she replied. I could recognize her voice; it was still her. Apparently, she remained by my side.

"Is there someone else?" I asked.

"No, it's just the two of us."

"Who's Abby?"

"You are," she responded. "I chose it for you. Do you like it?"

The idea of having a name was... unexpectedly charming. A surprise, without a doubt, but a welcomed one. I couldn't fathom why, but I felt... joy. "Abby?"

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Yes, Abby," she confirmed.

"I like its sound..."

The lady refused to give me her name, but for some reason, she took care of me. I quickly accepted it, feeling her warm and comforting presence around. In fact, I couldn't find a reason not to accept it...

Sometimes, I would wake up and she wouldn't answer me, as if she just disappeared, but she would eventually appear again, and continue to take care of me.

"Abby, I have a little present for you," she softly said to me one day. "Give me your hands."

I opened my hands, patiently waiting to feel something on my palms.

"When you'll feel it, you'll see something. Don't be afraid, okay?" she reassured.

"See something?" I asked, tilting my head.

On my palms, something ticklish approached; something warm and fluffy. Right after, I could see what looked like white burnt on my vision; white and indefinite shapes.

"Ah?!" I instinctively stepped back, surprised and scared, but she stopped me by taking me by the shoulders.

"Do you see something?" she asked.

"Oh, um... yes," I murmured, my voice trembling. "But how? I have the sleep mask, don't I?" I asked, bringing one hand to my eyes.

"Yes, you do. Relax and tell me, what do you see?"

"It's... it's strange... Only white shapes, as if it's a... burnt film."

"Tch..." she emitted.

"Huh?"

"Don't worry, it'll get better," she softly reassured.

"But... how am I seeing? What do I have in hand?"

"It's a hollow rabbit. They're little and round, extremely fluffy and cute. You're seeing from its little eyes," she explained.

"W-what?!"

Her words made me only more nervous, making me almost stumble, but she pulled me closer, enveloping me in warmth. "Shh, relax," she said softly as her hand stroked my hair.

"H-how am I supposed to relax?! What do you mean I'm seeing from its eyes?!"

"That little pet is now connected to you, that is all. You have nothing to be scared of."

"I... I am scared!"

"Don't worry. Now your mind is confused, I can tell. You'll feel better after a nice rest."

She kept reassuring me as she held me close. My fears were short-lived in that embrace, and I quickly drifted off to sleep. I don't know why, but she never failed to make me feel safe...

... Once awake, all I could see was darkness, as usual. "Lady?" I called.

"I'm right here," she softly replied, her voice coming from my left. "How are you feeling now?"

I realized I was in bed. I quickly turned toward her voice. "Better... I can't see anything now."

"Abby... I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"Do you trust me?"

Her tone made me feel guilty. "I do!" I promptly replied. She took care of me, treating me like no one ever did... "Of course I trust you..." I murmured, lowering my head.

"I would love to give you the kind of life you deserve... and one day I will, I promise. But for now, and even for your future, I'd like you to try once again with the hollow rabbit, and to trust me," she said, her voice soft.

I spent little time dwelling on it. "Fine..." I murmured, nodding. "I'll try. I'm sorry..."

"No need to say sorry. Please, give me your hands."

I extended my hand, and the fluffy pet came in contact with me once again.

"What do you see?" she asked.

"Oh!" I let out a gasp of surprise. "It's... a lot more..."

I could see distinct shapes now; contours, to be precise, despite it all being in black and white. In front of me: presumably the shape of a woman, surely the lady. I moved my head around, but nothing changed. Then I moved the hands around, holding the pet. I really was looking through the fluffy ball...

"I see... shapes, contours. I recognize this is my room... even though everything is in black and white," I explained.

"That's good... It will get even better, believe me. Though, I think you can only see in black and white through that hollow rabbit."

"Huh...?" At some point, still moving the pet around, I noticed another shape. "Who is he?"

The shape resembled a strange-looking and robust man.

"Oh, you can see her? She's Bianca," the lady replied, stifling a laugh. "You may consider her a dear companion of mine; my dearest."

"Oh... Hi Bianca," I greeted.

However, she stood still.

"Forgive her, she's not very talkative," the lady chuckled. "Anyway..." she then said, directing back my attention to her. "I believe this is yours."

In front of me, in the lady's hand: a rectangular shape.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's your codex," she replied. "You probably can't tell, but its cover is a really gorgeous pink!"

"My codex...?"

"Yes, your codex. Come on, take it."

"I'm confused..." I admitted. "I thought one could obtain a codex only by stepping into the magic circle surrounded by the seven statues..."

"Yes, that is right," the lady confirmed.

"I never stepped into something like that."

"Hmm? Yes, you did," the lady countered.

"Huh?"

"Have you forgotten? I personally brought you there."

My mind tried to recall, but without success. "I... really don't remember."

"Well, don't worry about it too much. Come on, take it."

Confused, I outstretched my hand toward the shape, and grabbed it. "I must've forgotten... And what is my weapon, exactly?"

I could see the lady point her finger at me.

I flinched. "Me?!"

She burst out laughing. "No..." she managed, trying to contain her laughter. "No, no... It's the hollow rabbit. That's what I pointed at."

"Ah, you're right... But... didn't you give me this pet? And a pet as a weapon sounds... cruel."

"Yes, I gave it to you, but it's yours. Jeez, you really forgot, didn't you?" she said with a scolding tone.

"Huh..."

"Don't think about it. More importantly, you're a libromancer! Aren't you happy?"

"Well, should I? I'll never be able to read it..."

"Trust me," she softly said. "One day, you will. The world opens itself before those who have seen through the darkness."

The days went on rather quietly, and the lady was right. Eventually, I could see far better through that hollow rabbit; it always felt strange, but at some point I was able to see almost clearly, though still in black and white. I also noticed Bianca being a... phantom of some sort, but I kept the information for myself.

"Lady... you seem really beautiful," I once told her right after I woke up with a groggy voice, looking at her through the pet as she cooked while her long hair danced around with her every move.

She chuckled. "You're the beautiful one. I see this morning you're not wearing the sleep mask."

"Ah!" I jolted, throwing to the air the pet to cover my face with my hands. "I'm sorry! It must've slipped off while I was sleeping! I didn't mean to show you this ugly visage of mine! I'm so sorry!"

"What are you saying?"

Suddenly, I could feel her hand tenderly caressing my head.

"You're not ugly, I've already told you... You're beautiful," she softly added.

I refused her words, shaking my head as to repel them, and stepped away, silently curling up to the floor with my head facing down. I could hear the lady's steps; they were gentle. Some time later, I could feel the sleep mask sweetly sliding through my hair; the lady gave it back to me, along with the hollow rabbit, now in my hand again.

"You're beautiful, Abby," she said once again, pulling me closer, enveloping me in a warm hug. "Believe what I say."

"Hm..." I let myself be captured in the embrace, basking in the comforting warmth.

The mornings looked almost the same, but I never grew bored of them. It felt good being loved, every now and then.

As always, sometimes I would wake up and not see her around, but she would always return, even from the windows; sometimes I flinched because of that.

One day, I woke up and, as usual, approached the kitchen. She was rummaging through ingredients.

"Mom, what are you cooking?" I asked, still drowsy.

She suddenly stopped, looking at me with wide eyes while her hand reached for her cheek.

It took me a minute, but I realized my mistake. "Ah! S-sorry I..." I could feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment.

She chuckled. For the first time ever, she seemed nervous. "No, you don't have to worry..." she said, kneeling down to pat my head. "You..." Another chuckle escaped her. "Jeez, you..."

She wrapped me in an unexpected hug as she kept releasing one of the most tender laughs I had ever heard.

"Lady...? Are you crying?" I asked as I heard her voice trembling and her nose sniffing.

"No, no... These are tears of joy," she softly said with another chuckle, before pulling me away, gently clutching both my hands as she drew them nearer to her chest, along with the pet. "Listen, Abby..." she then said after a sigh, her voice more serious. "Perhaps I should've said this sooner. We're having a great time together, but... I'm only here temporarily..."

"You... you'll leave?"

"Yes," she said, her words as painful as a knife. "One day, I won't be here anymore, and you'll have to move forward by yourself."

I could feel my throat tight, my lips trembling. "Is... is it because of my mistake?" I asked, my voice immediately cracking.

She pulled me closer to her. "No, no, sweetie. You have absolutely nothing to do with it. You have no clue just how much you made me happy just now," she said, breathing in air to steady her tone. "But one day... I must leave. I have to put an end to a story, and I must do it alone, because the weight of my ambitions is far too heavy for anyone else to carry. This is why, one day, I'll leave."

"Hm..."

"Don't think about it, Abby... Soon, it'll be a year since we first met. There's still something I'd like to do for you, and we still have time..." she murmured, gently pulling me away and stepping elsewhere.

After a brief moment, she returned. "I trust you can see quite well now through that hollow pet. I believe it is time for you to read it," she said, extending to me a book.

"Hm? My book..." I recognized.

"Your first spell..."