I have no desire to die. While it may be a natural thought for any living being, I possess a slightly more urgent sense of desperation than others, and I can be confident in that.

"I've already died once."

The memory of the moment of death was etched vividly in my mind to the point where denying it was impossible. The sounds of approaching footsteps of doctors and the noises of machines, even the murmurs of concern from those around me—everything echoed in my head. Then, my vision grew dim. With a beep, accompanied by the lowering sound of a machine, the doctors fell silent. And what followed was a world of perfect silence.

Even recalling it now suffocated me, as if my breath was being held and tears were about to fall. It was a moment of fear and suffocation.

"Moreover..."

I lightly jumped in place, moving my arms and legs in various directions. My body moved as I desired, an unfamiliar sensation to me. Until now, I had to move cautiously with each step, and running was beyond my imagination. However, the body of Evelina that I had entered was vibrant and healthy.

It brought me immense joy and a sense of preciousness. This was what I had always longed for in the hospital—to be able to go wherever I wanted, without exerting any effort. How envious I was of everyone who took such movements for granted.

I looked at the mirror again and saw Evelina with her bright blonde hair, blue eyes, and beautiful face.

I was aware that I was an uninvited guest in this body. Therefore, it was clear to me that I would likely be driven away someday.

"But that doesn't mean I can use it as I please."

Even the simple act of breathing comfortably in each moment was a body deserving of gratitude. Even though I knew I would die in two years, I couldn't use it as I pleased. Whenever Evelina regained consciousness, I wanted to return her body safely to her when she came back. Ideally, I wanted to do so while I was still alive.

"Fortunately, I remember the contents of the book to some extent, and Evelina's memories are still intact."

As a stroke of misfortune turned into good fortune, Evelina's memories remained with me.

So, I didn't have to ask questions like "Where am I? Who are you?" because I knew who the people next to me were and how the temple operated.

"But there is another problem."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

While the memories remained, they lingered far too vividly. Thanks to that, I knew exactly what Evelina had been up to before I possessed her body.

"What were you thinking?"

Muttering those words, I let out a long sigh and approached the mirror. The attire I was currently wearing was the ordinary dress of a saint, which exuded a serene and pristine aura. The pure white robe was adorned with intricate golden patterns throughout. I grasped the collar of the attire and lowered it.

The parts of the body visible above the attire were flawless, smooth white skin without blemish. However, the skin beneath the attire was not the same.

It wasn't just a slight discoloration. There were distinct blue bruises scattered all over my body. And that wasn't all. Above my chest, there were unmistakable marks that indicated someone had left their trace.

I have never engaged in activities that would leave such marks on my body. But Evelina wasn't like that.

"What were you thinking?"

As I looked into the mirror, I muttered. After waking up, I had pushed everyone away and confirmed what had happened to me. At that moment, a severe headache struck me, and Evelina's memories resurfaced. Before I possessed her body, Evelina had been in bed. Not alone, but with several others. To be precise, she was with two men.

"This is madness."

Those three engaged in acts that I could not fathom with my own moral compass. As I recalled the memory, I pressed my head. Even when I read novels, I thought to myself, "What an extraordinary person," but I never expected to come face to face with such vivid evidence.

Of course, regardless of how she led her life, she was free to do as she pleased. But Evelina was a saint. Living under the frustrating rule that dictated she shouldn't even meet the gaze of a man. And naturally, Evelina was living a life that was far removed from such existence.

"No wonder I won't have any allies in the future."

As time passed, when the true saint, Iris, appeared, there was no one around Evelina. Not even the men who had spent several nights together. When reading the book, I thought of it as a miserable line for the villain, but now that I had become Evelina, it left me feeling disheartened. When I looked back at the memory, Evelina hadn't just spent nights with them and ended it there.

"Jewels, mansions, social status."

The memory of her embracing all sorts of things with the men she hadn't loved came to mind. And there were quite a few of them.

"But not a single one comforted her and they all ran away."

That wasn't all. From what I read, even the men who had been Evelina's lovers later clung to Iris, who appeared later, saying, "Now I have finally found true love." Of course, those men were dealt with promptly by the three male protagonists.

I murmured again as I looked at myself in the mirror.

"Your life is truly pitiful."

After straightening my appearance, I opened the door leading to what seemed to be a spacious room resembling a living room. Then I saw the library, filled with books. It was indeed a study. The shelves extending endlessly behind it were of a scale that could be called a library. These are the things a saint enjoys, I thought, as I sat down at the desk.

"Let's tidy up first."