"May I?" The question took Évelyne by surprise since it was the first time someone in that park had approached her for something more than a casual greeting.

There, in front of her, an elderly lady had appeared, around seventy or eighty years old. The woman was dressed in somewhat humble black clothing, but with a touch of elegance thanks to the brooch on the lapel of her coat, which immediately caught the creature's attention.

The elderly lady pointed to the bench where Évelyne was sitting when she asked her question, evidently asking for permission to sit beside her.

"P-please," Évelyne moved aside, even leaving more space for the new addition, although it wasn't necessary. She was nervous, and she was sure the old lady had noticed it in her voice. It was a strange feeling, on the other hand: the creature preferred solitude, but it also desired company. This lady probably didn't realize that she was the first stranger to ask her permission for something, to approach her willingly and seemed eager to stay, even if only for a while, keeping her company.

Évelyne was not going to scare her, she thought, convinced. And she was not going to let panic overcome her.

"Are you new around here?" the elderly lady inquired now, after settling in, leaning her cane against the side of the bench. "I don't remember seeing you before."

The creature did not expect her to speak more than necessary. It had been enough that of all the available places of rest, she had chosen the same one as her. And she secretly thanked still wearing the veil covering her face; the woman seemed friendly, and she didn't want to scare her.

"I just arrived in town," Évelyne confirmed, trying to convince herself that this could be a normal interaction, that no one was there specifically to judge her for being a monster... presumably because they had no idea. "I don't usually come around here much, but when I do, I certainly enjoy it more than wandering downtown. The tranquility here is appreciated."

"Oh, yes. I feel the same, although I come to the park more often. The doctor prescribed fresh air and some exercise, so coming here suits me wonderfully, as it's practically next to my house."

"Next to?"

The woman pointed to one of the buildings surrounding the enclosure, on the other side of the street, just twenty meters away. Évelyne was surprised and horrified at the thought that she might be so trusting as to give her address to a complete stranger.

"You can see the entire enclosure from my window; it's quite convenient," then, with a naturalness that indicated this was not the first time she approached a stranger, she introduced herself, "My acquaintances usually address me as Mrs. Müller, but you can call me Franziska."

"Évelyne," the creature proceeded with a faint voice, and seconds later, remembering that she was supposed to have a last name, she corrected herself, "Évelyne Beaumont."

"It's a very nice name; you must be a fortunate person to have it."

"I wouldn't know."

The truth was, she hadn't stopped to think about its meaning, beyond liking to have another, somewhat less offensive, appellation by which people could address her.

"Both names are of French origin," the elderly lady continued. "Évelyne has Germanic roots, often associated with beauty and youth. And Beaumont could perfectly be translated as a beautiful mountain."

"I-I didn't know."

Évelyne shifted a bit in her seat; suddenly, she didn't want to stay seated. Having a name like that... Was it really a coincidence that Victoria had chosen it, or was it deliberately done? And if it was deliberate, did she choose it to mock her for characteristics the creature didn't possess, or...?

No, it couldn't be that she chose a name with a good meaning to lift her spirits, right? The scientist would never go to such lengths; she wouldn't care. Only, in analyzing this and some other things about their coexistence, the evidence seemed to indicate that she did care.

"T-tell me, have you been living here for long?" Évelyne tried this time, opting for casual conversation; she would feel bad if Franziska had made the effort to approach her, and she was being dismissive in response.

She wasn't going to make friends, agreed. She had accepted that. But she no longer wanted to be the person everyone avoided at first sight.

"Not much, about fifty years or so," the elderly lady replied, happy to continue the conversation. "I moved here shortly after getting married, and although we've settled in different homes over these decades, we never went far from the city. In our current house, for example, we've been living for almost fourteen years now."

"It must be... comfortable to be able to settle in a place without having to worry immediately about finding another place to live."

"Do you travel often?" And before Évelyne could answer, Franziska affirmed as if she had no doubts, "You must travel quite a bit; you're still very young."

"I've traveled a bit, yes. Although I can't say I've enjoyed the experience."

Maybe because, during all those travels she had to undertake, she was more focused on surviving with what little she had than enjoying the landscape itself. Always fleeing from people, sleeping outdoors, and eating whatever she could find, repeating the experience of traveling the world was not something she was enthusiastic about doing.

And yes, it was true that when Victoria brought her back to Ingolstadt, she had a considerably better time compared to before. But, once again, the nerves and the desire to hide from those who had the power to harm her persisted throughout the journey. That couldn't be considered enjoying the car ride.

"It's a shame; it makes no sense to move if it's not for one's own enjoyment," the elderly lady murmured, and Évelyne appreciated that she didn't press further into the matter, trying to find out the details of her travels and the reasons behind them. "May I know where you're from?"

"Oh, well... from here, actually."

"From the cemetery on the outskirts, to be precise," thought the creature, but she wasn't going to explain to such a nice lady the story of how a madwoman with delusions of being a prestigious scientist dug up her body from several graves and put it back together for her macabre experiments.

"Although I've spent most of my life away," Évelyne hurried to add, not wanting to be questioned about why she knew so little about Ingolstadt or why she was rarely seen on those streets despite her neighborhood being just around the corner, "I recently came back. I was spending some time in Geneva."

That must have been the perfect thing to say because it turned out that Franziska had also been to Geneva many years ago. And even though Évelyne couldn't contribute much to a conversation highlighting the beauty of the old town, the lake, and more than one excursion to the Swiss Alps, she enjoyed listening to such a collection of experiences.

So much so, in fact, that without realizing it, her initial anxiety about interacting with another human faded away, and soon she found herself asking more questions and giving increasingly enthusiastic responses to her elderly companion's comments.

By the time she realized it, the sky was already darkening, and it had been a good twenty or thirty minutes past her usual time to leave the park.

"Oh, it's already very late, isn't it?" Franziska stood up almost at the same time as her, though much more slowly. "I should go too; my children don't like me staying outside for so long. It's because of the weather, there's a devilish wind these days."

Yes, Évelyne didn't like that cold either, although the reason for her departure had more to do with the fact that Victoria must have already arrived home. And even though she was sure she wouldn't be scolded for not finding her in the apartment upon her return, she still didn't like the idea of her creator finding the place empty.

"Tell me, do you plan to stay in Ingolstadt?" Franziska continued. "Because if so, we might see each other again."

"I would like that," Évelyne murmured softly.

Were these her imaginations, or was there a possibility that she could make a friend on her own in this place? Maybe it was too naive a thought; perhaps it would be better for her to be cautious and not get excited about things that might or might not happen. Nevertheless, the creature was in a good mood.

And when Franziska was ready to make her way back to her apartment, Évelyne surprised herself by offering to accompany her to her doorstep.

The motivation for this action might come from the fact that humans, especially those of such advanced age, seemed so fragile that it seemed like a gust of wind could break them in half. It was also possible that, seeing that the lady was alone, that her pace was slow, and it was already getting dark, she wanted to make sure she got home safely.

It could even be a mix of both options.

However it was, and although at first, Franziska assured her that it wasn't necessary for her to accompany her, Évelyne did end up receiving permission to do so after assuring her new friend that, in any case, it was on her way to her own apartment.

It was a lie, actually; Victoria's house was in the completely opposite direction. But the buildings were not more than ten minutes apart from each other, so Évelyne wasn't going to start feeling guilty about that.

By the time she finally arrived at her own apartment, however, it wasn't the scientist she found but an individual she had seen on a few isolated occasions. The first time being a few weeks ago during her stay in Munich.

"Um... What are you doing here?" the creature inquired with some hesitation.

She knew Henry Clerval was a good friend of Victoria, and they used to see each other often. She was also aware that, although she hadn't crossed paths with Henry since she moved here, he also had his permanent residence in Ingolstadt, making it easy for him to continue meeting Victoria whenever he could.

Now, one thing was to meet at the university, a nearby café, or on the city streets, and quite another was to run into Henry in the hallway, fiddling with the lock with what seemed to be his own key. An action he stopped as soon as he noticed Évelyne's presence.

"Oh, nothing. Just came to visit, but I've been knocking on the door, and no one answered," he replied with a friendly smile, without a trace of guilt in his expression. If Évelyne had to guess, she would swear that this wasn't his first incursion into someone else's home. "I figured Victoria wouldn't be home, but you know how she is when she gets absorbed in her work. So, I thought it would be better to let myself in to make sure."

Make sure of what? That Victoria was still in one piece and hadn't neglected her basic needs? Évelyne had heard Henry make this criticism before, and if she thought about it a little, he was right.

Évelyne didn't usually pay much attention to her roommate, but sometimes when she did, she had noticed how she went to bed late and got so engrossed in her university paperwork that she forgot lunchtime.

The creature didn't usually give her those reminders Henry talked about, mainly because she didn't care that much and wasn't there to be her caregiver. But she had to admit that on very sporadic occasions, she had come to worry a little about Victoria's habits.

Right now, however, what concerned Évelyne wasn't why Henry was there, but with what means.

"How come you have the key?"

"Oh, this? I've had it since... since Victoria signed the lease, practically. Although I don't think she was very excited to give me this copy," he said, stepping aside from the entrance so Évelyne could approach. Referring to the door, he added, "Want to do the honors?"

And Évelyne did, unlocking the door and stepping inside the apartment, closely followed by a Henry who never stopped curiously observing the living room where they had just arrived.

"It's much cleaner and tidier than usual," he noted, with an approving tone. "Usually when I come, it's filled with medical encyclopedias and various papers, almost impossible to walk. Once I even sat down without realizing on a folder inconveniently placed on that couch. Victoria almost killed me."

"I try to keep the place habitable," Évelyne said, confirming that if they were talking about a deeper cleanliness, it was she who took care of it and not the scientist. "But what were you saying earlier about your key? Any particular reason you have it?"

"First of all, you can address me informally: After all, Victoria's friends are mine too. And second, answering your question, I have it for mere security."

"For security? Uh... you can address me informally too, I suppose," Évelyne didn't mind, to be honest. "But didn't you mention that Victoria wasn't very keen on it?"

"I'm a little embarrassed to say it, but I had to blackmail her a bit to get her to agree," Henry admitted. "You see, I think I mentioned before that Victoria went through a period of illness that had me quite worried, some time before she came to live here."

"I remember."

It was almost the only thing Évelyne remembered from the few exchanges she had with Henry since they met in Munich. Not only because there was no opportunity to meet without the scientist nearby but also because Évelyne wasn't interested in fraternizing with him at that moment.

"Well, I won't go into details about her diagnosis; I'll just say it was something of the mind that weakened her to the point that she spent many days in bed. The fever consumed her for weeks, and there was even a moment when I thought she wouldn't come out of it... In fact, I wanted to write to her family to let them know what was happening, in case the worst happened. But Victoria made me swear silence."

"Why would she do that?"

"She wouldn't want to worry them, I suppose," Henry shrugged. "She has always been very secretive about her private life. She could be on the edge of a cliff, about to fall into the void, and still wouldn't scream for help. She's done it before, on several previous occasions. In this particular one, it was just lucky that I was nearby and thought to visit her."

But if that coincidence hadn't happened, Victoria Frankenstein would have met her end. The message was clear.

How was it possible that her creator didn't even try to ask for help from those she considered close? Évelyne didn't understand it because, from observing that religious family for months, she had learned that they were a group. Despite being all different, they tended to support each other as a collective. And hadn't Victoria boasted of having something similar in Geneva?

Or well, not boasted as such. Just mentioned... Although she had also given the address of her relatives as a guarantee. And that, regardless of whether the street and number were fake, already indicated that she would at least be willing to use the family card if necessary. Even if it was just to bluff.

As for not talking to Henry, she didn't have an explanation for that: Maybe Victoria was distant from her family, barely communicating with them by letter or not seeming to mourn the still recent death of her younger brother. But concerning Henry Clerval... Évelyne didn't see that they were in a bad place, or that they had any reason not to trust each other.

Sure, she could be wrong. But she didn't think she was. Not if they still saw each other often, and Henry even had permission to show up unexpectedly at the apartment.

"Do you know what it was that... that caused Victoria...?"

Henry took a while to answer, never taking his eyes off Évelyne from a distance of several steps, as if he were trying to decide what would be appropriate to reveal.

"She never wanted to tell me," he finally replied, slowly. "And once it was certain that she would recover, I decided to stop asking. I knew I wouldn't get an answer from her, so... that's why I worry more about her well-being. Because even though she promised me that the next time she faces a problem of that caliber, she'll let me know, I don't entirely believe her. I know this distrust isn't healthy, but what can you do? If she didn't tell me once, she can do the same again. And I've known her family since we were children, how could I show up in front of them and tell them their daughter has passed away because I wasn't alert enough?"

Victoria was an adult, and it shouldn't be Henry's responsibility, no matter how commendable his feelings were. But the creature had noticed the frustration in his tone while telling the story; she knew by his tone that Victoria was a person he cared deeply about. Therefore, she chose to bite her tongue rather than state the obvious, which wouldn't help at all.

Instead, she tried to guess, "Is that why you have the key? To be able to enter in case anything happens?"

"Something like that, although fortunately, I had never needed to use it. I mean, beyond occasions like today when this apartment was on my way, and I thought about leaving some documents for Victoria, rather than having to wait until tomorrow to find her on campus," Henry considered after a moment. "Maybe I should return the key now that you're here. Victoria has been doing well lately, and although you never know if there might be a relapse, the truth is that it reassures me to know that there is someone to keep an eye on her."

Évelyne wished that Henry didn't rely on her so much, at least not regarding her creator. But she chose not to say it to avoid facing the question of why.

"I... I haven't noticed her being unwell in the time I've been living with her," the creature finally said.

Another thing she didn't intend was for Henry to feel obligated to give up his key. Évelyne wasn't there to be anyone's caretaker, but she would feel terrible if something happened to someone because she had given false hope to a family member, saying or rather implying that she would be watching.

"That's a good sign. It means that at least that stubborn woman has listened to me about taking care of her health a bit," Henry then, perhaps remembering why he had come to the apartment, asked, "Do you know if she'll take long to arrive? I could leave the papers, but I also brought some mail from her family, and there are a couple of things I'd like to discuss with her."

"I have no idea; she should have arrived by now."

"Well, I'll leave the health care part as a maybe, because she still seems addicted to work," Henry teased, though without any malice. "I better go to the university and get her out of the rickety office wherever she is. Otherwise, I think you and I can sit here quietly waiting for another three hours until she realizes how late it is."

Évelyne thought that Henry would leave now, as he had already started walking towards the front door. But just before touching the knob, he stopped, turning back to her.

"Would you happen to feel like accompanying me?"