The fourth of the Zodiac Twelve Palaces—the Cancer Palace.
Delmor left the Gemini Palace with his younger sister Zoe, moving slowly beneath the blazing sun. Though his pace was slow, every step he took was incomparably steady.
From the moment he stepped onto the first stair of the Sanctuary, Delmor had maintained a constant climbing speed. He did not rush ahead just because he had enough stamina, nor did he speed up to catch the many people ahead of him.
Quiet, mature, and steady, his personality matched his face. He lacked the restlessness and liveliness a fifteen-year-old boy should have had.
"Delmor, let's stop and rest for a while at the palace ahead."
Zoe lay on Delmor's back. Attentive as she was, she keenly noticed the exhaustion in her brother's body. Though his pace remained steady, each step consumed more strength than the last.
"It's fine. I can hold on a little longer. We'll rest at the Fifth Palace."
Starting from the second palace, the Taurus Palace, Delmor had noticed that Zoe on his back was getting heavier and heavier. By the time they reached the Cancer Palace, that weight was comparable to a mountain. Every step drained his strength several times faster.
But he did not want to stop. He had explained the reason before: the first burst of effort was as fierce as a tiger; the second weakened, and the third was spent. Once he stopped to rest, setting off again would become far more difficult.
It was a very realistic principle, much like ordinary people facing life. Pressure bent their knees, forcing them to kneel and catch their breath. Yet after kneeling for a while, they discovered that lying down was even more comfortable.
If one lay flat before life, then looked back after a hundred years,