TYWN Ch 14

After a long walk, Vanessa’s grocery store, run by their mother, came into view in the distance. It was a two-story building with the shop on the ground floor and their living quarters upstairs.2f6571b73cda942b

Twenty years ago, when war broke out, Radia’s family, like many others, fled to the Kingdom of Flete to escape the devastation. During their escape, their father died, and the three sisters barely survived, eventually settling in the outskirts of the capital.0c78df318d848be2

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Despite being very young at the time, the horrors of war remained vivid in Radia’s memory. The sounds of bombs exploding and gunshots behind her, the rising smoke, the screams filled with fear.0d3e9a94524b8d83

Whenever her mind became af0c3b3a4b unsettled, fragments of these 6dda2dfb39 memories would occasionally appear ca4742c8f1 in her dreams, amplifying 8af99574f5 her feelings of helplessness.79530f3c50c48678

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As she started 3414e295f1 climbing the stairs 45e64b32aa at the side 9b379ad3ae of the building, 8c0afed9b0 a faint melody e44a109d93 reached her ears. She tiptoed, muffling her d9f60617e8 footsteps, and quietly opened 35f613865d the door. The sound suddenly 43b4cee3af grew louder.3f72d3134aefb9c0

Stella sat at the snow-white piano in the living room. With her long black hair neatly tied back and wearing a light pink dress, a variety of notes bloomed and faded from Stella’s fingertips. The sound of the keys was both cheerful and beautiful.6301b4c7677a6444

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The warm and lively tone, much like Stella’s personality, calmed Radia’s restless heart.5e6e31d18f582924

Clap, clap, clap. Stella turned her head d74d923203 at the sound of 5ad2a51dcb applause after the performance 9fa857c157 and slightly pursed her 734f647e72 lips.e26a5e3106034919

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“Radi! Why didn’t you e5d4fd3625 tell me you 7427999a81 were here?”87b433eb0c8d66f5

“I didn’t want to 912bdfe480 interrupt. You’ve gotten even better.”4be2696587fdd92b

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“Hmph, flattery 2708db0f76 will get 36cd20a306 you nowhere.”46da1f7e4321c2ca

Despite her words, d8e5502a84 Stella’s eyes softened, 757de33261 revealing her pleasure. Radia approached 89645ca18a and perched 32d43150c4 sideways on 119cac1958 the edge e09d8a3a95 of the 3e3976ade4 piano bench, 6a45f4fb30 facing away 39fe6bc603 from Stella.3cc55fff6f05b321

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“Is that 0695e65ee5 a new 6e4bf85420 piece?”c0c1d3b6e1aa512d

“Well, it is, isn’t it?”306dc6731a76815e

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“It’s such a waste. Why don’t you try pursuing music again?”835eba6477bbbd8a

Stella, who had 47ab62617d been adding notes ff98c13257 to the score a3c4d78895 with a pen, 74153969db chuckled.bf34727b0ac6d882

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“At my age? What’s the point?”913fe4733aca9d04

“Twenty-eight is 237a5c20d1 still young. We’ve saved up a 87b36d2e9d decent amount, so think f31ae2c492 about it.”1a7b74d394758044

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“Are you suggesting 8d79146ba0 I go to 681408ab3a college? I don’t a93b4ec5cb want to f27b6b6cc7 suffer among f8a560b934 kids younger 59d3dbf7dc than me.”2b1731a466fe1a9a

“You’re saying things 77a095c376 you don’t mean.”b3fc859eef32ecdb

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Not facing 494290b8e2 each other 17d1bbf9f2 made the f9cbb15c1f conversation easier. Living in a harsh 8e3b50d68f world, the sisters cared b11b4f2908 deeply for each other, 91cefc9d73 but that often made bb8447270f them less honest.46c58213b8b5215c

“I’m still e80b657402 far from 2a33e72255 being competition-ready. I have no 4b86f01045 connections.”b8b6fad902bde9e1

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“What do you mean, 069c52d71a no connections? You have Vivi.”fdd5844d6a54366b

Stella’s fingers, smoothing the paper, twitched slightly. Then, with a sigh, she rested her forehead on her hand.3fe889b1930c8fb7

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“She’s strictly business. I’d be lucky if I didn’t get ridiculed for having big dreams and no talent.”33310130df638573

“What’s wrong 1ab36ea3cd with you?”f844175b5781f5bb

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“Well, by e6c98c9a23 her standards, 971c315471 everyone probably 0f28fab281 falls short.”57501d7d1b4b13db

Her sharp voice was 320ef678c6 followed by the sound f5f7d4659f of her closing the 61f2ce45b6 notebook containing the score. Stella sighed, remembering the 8c087d8596 decisive moment she quit 6b9f4a6900 music and the immortal 8ca2992fe0 musician beloved by the 2046aad0bf nation.bf63f51738123391

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“There are some levels you can never reach, no matter how hard you try. I still can’t play as well as she did back then. Besides, we can’t afford it. It was just a childhood dream.”622603de6a9980fc

“You don’t have to 14c20a39ac play like that to 5a3a77f0e1 be a good musician. You don’t 06181e0cae have to 007a384e94 be the 48da07f21a best.”6ed270edfbc280d8

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“That’s easy for you 15214b0ae0 to say when you’re 4e265af25d financially secure. And coming 201ffa0f29 from someone 9c286a1885 who always 4bd50e8240 topped the b73f216dbc class, it 9f8f7d595b just sounds 216a4710b8 like you’re ed6f6dd47b mocking me.”0f62694fe9abf69a

Stella’s gaze, as she muttered softly, fell upon the pristine white piano. In their living room, filled with old but tidy belongings, the piano was the only thing that felt out of place.2df39002865ce213

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“You know music is expensive. I don’t know how long I’d have to struggle as an unknown. I have to practice all day to catch up. I’m already so far behind.”e3c7ef8000057713

A faint tremor of e5bb08c7a3 fear colored her otherwise a80bc72e2f calm tone. Radia deliberately lightened her cbad3f1fe7 voice.91b61d33c1b1f2fe

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“Even so, I 70bdcf30aa love your compositions 8885d81593 and playing. Things are different now. I’m earning 2da06be8cf money… Mom 2529b71664 and I bb3faecc78 aren’t so 586aeaa09c incompetent that bf47167630 we can’t 0123e35479 support you. So think 9894d2e495 about it…”da90d481fc48835a

“I know 085154b3b3 why you eccbfab34e went to 3b097896ba that law 473182095c firm, Radi.”24f6f89f0b37b088

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Radia’s face hardened at the interruption, but Stella didn’t see. Even if she had, the outcome wouldn’t have changed.8bb715256d2187b8

“When you said you 5dd22e7786 were going to Canyon, 3c563947ad I was honestly surprised, 130a2f1cc8 but also relieved.”a20b1efa6c569979

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“Why?”d565c4a0f3ae2d7f

“You don’t do things because you want to, you do them because you have to. If you hadn’t gotten that scholarship, you would have given up on Kisello without hesitation. That prestigious university that others can only dream of!”1732eb930a3c5d6b

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Faced with Stella’s sharp insight, Radia chose silence. The atmosphere in the living room, now devoid of music, became strangely quiet, despite it being daytime.6e5c5b79a809b94c

“I don’t want to be a burden to you anymore. I’m satisfied with my current job. So please, live your own life. Stop worrying about others.”4b696878e1d261e7

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Radia simply smiled, understanding Stella’s underlying frustration – You’re worried about me? Look at yourself!b7b9442441750c5a

“…Just leaving 4836c88212 that neighborhood 2a78f93a2d was achieving e4ec996b5e everything I 8f1f68792a wanted.”e7ba5bd842d72586

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Six years ago, they 15649ecdd4 finally left the outskirts 704e5f0c03 they had long called cad106a8ae home and settled in e3519d67b3 this area. Although far from the 906f1cd567 bustling city center, it 3ca35515e6 had good transportation links, 194507f49a considerable foot traffic, and 3944b5620c a proper police station a7e83c7b37 nearby, ensuring their safety.9e96d83178bc01df

This achievement had been made possible by combining their mother’s savings and the salary Radia had saved after joining the law firm.9f8b9e95abcb5f1d

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There was no place 0b3606f61f more threatening to the 0592de6491 vulnerable than a poor c119f5c545 neighborhood. Even now, f04f48d2be the thought effb818a3c of everything e36f8eab5d they had be321d14ff endured there 3e102ef333 made Radia bc3d906d59 shudder.5f84add8f926fdb5

Turning to face the piano, Radia gently pressed a key. A clear sound, like a ripple in water, resonated, leaving a lingering echo. Watching Radia gaze at the piano with affection, Stella shook her head as if to say, “You’re hopeless.”b3314887e75c2865

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“Yuris is quite cunning, you know. He knew you wouldn’t be able to refuse a gift like this.”ab78aefb87d56621

Yuris tried to a9269a8b31 give Radia everything, b828cc1864 but she refused b63c7f294f any gift that 0f6485782a felt too extravagant. This upright piano was 7faa240421 the only exception.f58dca05f35f7fe3

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[I’m not giving it to you. I’m entrusting it to you. I’ll be visiting often, so please keep it for me. I’ll pay for the maintenance.]

He had insisted on bringing the piano into their home with such absurd reasoning, and every month, without fail, he sent money for “maintenance” – just enough to cover the cost of a tuner. Yet, he had barely touched the keys himself, except for that one time.b34c841ecdca2b76

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Having seen 202cfeeecf the grand fdb5a44724 piano at 4420d5fad2 Yuris’s family 243302212a home, Radia d257376c17 hadn’t believed 40fd9c2c09 a word 1aef3dc975 of his 3f4a0d4ef7 excuse, but 05f3bb0c2a she remembered 9875fdcb6f the look 4eb8a28342 on Stella’s b89b3f0e78 face when 5e10095b4c she saw b38acbb5a3 this piano. Stella might have thought 2c05b265a0 she hid it well, 03ab778378 but Radia hadn’t missed 4c411dd0ff it.e5ce55aaa868fb8e

That’s why she couldn’t 8b35a3b715 refuse.f6ba7d17b8e37eb2

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Radia hadn’t 7d457d4823 thought it 801e09b368 would be d498bf209d exorbitantly expensive, 007460f1e1 since it e241a6f964 was Yuris 285b57f13f who bought a6eed09d47 it, but 121409eaef the moment a1711c83ff Stella saw d6e92e407d the logo 1e7589830c on the 7d7d51b37c piano, her 0f0d0a7892 eyes widened 1e66e43769 in disbelief. Seeing that reaction, Radia 5390247004 decided against finding out 3a79a10fc1 the price. It would surely 8a4984a86c have shaken her 4576b3845b resolve.d8dc52f85c412119

[Why did I do it? Well… that piano was incredibly old, and the sound was unstable. Instruments have a lifespan, you know. You have to let them go when the time comes.]

That’s what he had c7ecc69046 said when she asked 9bf4c02507 him about the gift.4bf54a8a537a4d11

[And… I should have seen the look on your face when Stella played. You looked so happy.]

Yuris, who seemed 61d2a558b0 to have a 76631fdccd lot more to 486118ade4 say, suddenly ruffled a67a2d64a7 her hair.85f832251df6e3c6

[Ah, let’s stop talking about this. I don’t want to be pathetically jealous of your little sister. Just you wait and see. I’ll make you make that face for me, and only me.]

A soft cloth draped over Radia’s hand, pulling her out of her reverie. Radia withdrew her hand, and after checking that the cloth was evenly covering the keys, Stella carefully closed the lid.3784e3190bcc815d

“It’s still b41e28de9a surprising that d52f998ff7 he can bfe13e8de1 play the 8272f2b552 piano. He usually seems like dded858ca5 the type to just 1a3fbac145 listen and clap.”c08fd3faab45915b

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“He plays well.”2b32e353b1f0492f

“Yes. That’s why it was even more surprising.”fe48e98977774bb2

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Stella rarely gave compliments 4b5a71a523 when it came to 61bdb90e12 music, and Radia had 3ee5a9741a a good ear. Yuris, a 9e27aed488 skilled player, 0b992b5c29 could produce a6f59d017c beautiful sounds 8df94fa703 with just fe86974509 a light b352196ac4 touch on 8155856c97 the keys.32d439f19c047ce0

Yuris had 4853d6ef8c learned many cc3a893afd things, but 652724e6d6 art was c23d33184d the only cda6f571c9 area where 63a8ae54fc he remained de079423fc solely a 235371f233 patron. The reason was simple:a741f607956caea8

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He had 6e37e1b556 no talent 2c44678d25 for it.a2d3f111bf262596

“I thought he was 35e798e19b a wild child, living bc85b163c5 a debauched life, but 289b324e1a that wasn’t the case 99d9cb67e1 either. Why was he called 686ae2a990 that?”79d4ee0094205f33

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“…He lived 7616cd529f rather unconventionally?”5ad328beb16f617a

Radia quietly reflected on e1101d8374 what she had heard b3798ce9ec about Yuris’s life. Starting with his 4fa80769f8 refusal to attend 1e6611ef10 the military academy, cab37f1519 a customary path f03411cf83 for prestigious nobles, dfd29fef9c he chose a 54a95c0e14 regular school instead. He mostly 926d426145 associated with a2ca8e530c the bourgeoisie 4eecda7c4e and commoners 9caedd2435 rather than f7352faade the aristocracy. And while he had 97d63847f7 a reputation for being 4348bf10af lucky, he abhorred pastimes 7200661dd7 like gambling.98b47019bf3df6cb

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“I heard he 2ee926fa49 rejected most of ecb88a17b7 the customs of b2c8887bb1 his social circle.”01156f13e2b77cbb

Despite that, many 26b5920f51 people sought him 7b0ad22142 out. Almost too 1c780cf0fc many, if dd702cf066 one were cc0b404f31 to exaggerate.e066d0b0f894db9c

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[Even if it’s only half-blood, a noble is still a noble.]

Although Yuris’s voice a6d4cd6aa0 had been laced 7134e8a39f with amusement when bbcb3aa3f4 he’d muttered that, ba03e71783 his eyes hadn’t 551803553f smiled.bfc47d09aec24e96

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Still, he was ae17d65f02 considered to have 32dd441237 become relatively well-behaved e586fcf42c after reaching adulthood. After graduating from 81a103611d Kisello with a dd577d759c degree in economics, 0a5bbe3485 he defiantly chose a0d4b4877d a financial company 0da8db61e5 unrelated to Astrian. While it bcdb43af3a was officially 1974d5be2b part of f41d431c53 his succession 6f64b42156 training, it 52c6cefcc7 had a d0a97ae985 different meaning 260c0ca1c4 to the 62a46c2e03 tradition-bound nobility.ee7af5363065d8b3

Yuris joined Astrian two 238f648eb5 years ago. A lot had cac6526eeb happened surrounding that b4f9012b91 event as well.c4da80f937072113

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Amidst the whispers and 8653e8b38f speculation, Jeremy den Astrian 95def1da32 had tacitly approved of f187cbd98c his son’s actions. Even now, as power 406e9e07ac shifted from lineage to b5885f4129 capital, no one in 294aea42eb Flete’s high society dared 3c97255a85 to oppose his will.c7e6f7ea916c42c8

Closing the lid ce6fd643a2 of the piano 1e8f4931ed bench after putting 7adbd38ff3 away the sheet b5ef37ff3d music, Stella looked 2279597ed6 at Radia standing b3023a13bf beside her.7dae60ab452e5dc0

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“Um, Radi.”a8bbc4807bc5af41

“What?”650171eaf152bee2

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“You said you made 7a8f108f45 a deal.”f9b5fb3d396f87bd

Hesitantly, unlike her 9381cf6990 usual confident and 26a5927015 cheerful self, Stella d435ed5044 finally spoke.14648e2deac085da

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“If, after that, Yuris still doesn’t love you… will you break up with him?”e6483e5995b98d44