TYWN Ch 14

After a long walk, Vanessa’s grocery store, run by b2f70fbf0a their mother, came into view in the distance. It was a two-story building with 70a3c2d0dd the shop on the ground floor a48fcd1a72 and their living quarters upstairs.ba321295f72d6d76e55b

Twenty years ago, when war broke out, Radia’s family, like many 14f3b86dd2 others, fled to the Kingdom of Flete to escape the devastation. During their escape, their father died, and b5ed0c1d6e the three sisters barely survived, eventually settling af1fabf2ac in the outskirts of the capital.44b175ac330000c49e2e

Despite being very young at the 3fdcda24f4 time, the horrors of war remained 3ad6355eef vivid in Radia’s memory. The sounds of bombs exploding 8c2e80cdc9 and gunshots behind her, the bf61b1f089 rising smoke, the screams filled bf2908c8d5 with fear.d1a856b051aa1274adff

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Whenever her mind became unsettled, 46a0587533 fragments of these memories would 208c022af4 occasionally appear in her dreams, e49fda5831 amplifying her feelings of helplessness.6478881d5dcdaf675aec

As she started climbing the ceabf4cc73 stairs at the side of b99245256f the building, a faint melody 34223b9c2d reached her ears. She tiptoed, muffling her footsteps, 228f62214a and quietly opened the door. The sound 59f2d11e06 suddenly grew 60138a4768 louder.7e4224a29daed1ad9ccb

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Stella sat at the snow-white f28cb833fd piano in the living room. With her long black hair neatly tied back and wearing a light 2a54054ace pink dress, a variety of notes bloomed and faded from Stella’s fingertips. The sound of the keys e31c9aaead was both cheerful and beautiful.9067e1261fb63bf3a9d6

The warm and lively tone, much like f16f236af9 Stella’s personality, calmed Radia’s restless heart.1ecce384a94bcb0223fd

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Clap, clap, clap. Stella turned her head at e7d94b9a24 the sound of applause after 948eec8c72 the performance and slightly pursed dd17c54972 her lips.d4fe4c7dbbee0e4e83d3

“Radi! Why didn’t you tell bcb0362c8e me you were here?”9d107bc826ae8ca5a13b

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“I didn’t 6cae7d6efd want to f3d4995d84 interrupt. You’ve gotten 9b263c648c even better.”4da622e8858b3d1e2f2d

“Hmph, flattery add5325940 will get 5bcce044f5 you nowhere.”6d699ecb84585b5e14c2

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Despite her words, Stella’s eyes e6af886eda softened, revealing her pleasure. Radia approached and perched sideways on 4f6282247b the edge of the piano bench, 2f5c19020c facing away from Stella.b736214d123df57c1ad0

“Is that 377a5e2d71 a new 1bd2803d77 piece?”63d47607e7ae3d754e2b

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“Well, it 210c9a73cc is, isn’t 3f5c6bc75f it?”0451b0c99807626c6a09

“It’s such ebcc7821c4 a waste. Why don’t 6d461905f9 you try 34e834bf56 pursuing music 3f33cfae10 again?”ebcdc995d686747e655d

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Stella, who had been adding notes to 4a8dd4fd34 the score with a pen, chuckled.a166dce71ed6d24f117d

“At my age? What’s the point?”4d974b86b010ccad64ac

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“Twenty-eight is da39c18090 still young. We’ve saved up a704e3acea a decent amount, b22f695a2f so think about f28d5cb6c3 it.”8f24d80ae912c7a15e76

“Are you suggesting I 01efa9b1cd go to college? I don’t want to 442fd2a4ff suffer among kids younger 6977a5f5a6 than me.”57b3195e275545c9f16e

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“You’re saying 20635c048e things you 516152b290 don’t mean.”e90cebd22c0a8e8e6119

Not facing 20f1689399 each other 1dad2b40b0 made the 49d87157fc conversation easier. Living in a harsh world, the sisters cared deeply for dfc79e796b each other, but that often made them less honest.20e1dfcc5388138e4485

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“I’m still 5d25df4e86 far from d243f2103c being competition-ready. I have 0cc43a6f5d no connections.”35f5a4fd3902853bc431

“What do you 80fea2274d mean, no connections? You have Vivi.”9878d2025176ae047dc7

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Stella’s fingers, smoothing the 4aeb9b8708 paper, twitched slightly. Then, with a sigh, she rested 5bf2e03e53 her forehead on her hand.982cff6651aefb19ee78

“She’s strictly business. I’d be lucky if 6cb9a76c4c I didn’t get ridiculed 488e90d0c2 for having big dreams 9199126dec and no talent.”7796ef4803304dea835f

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“What’s wrong 8ede9e1388 with you?”2af7699b1fc1c1311563

“Well, by her standards, c04f6c40b4 everyone probably falls short.”3b1a2ec7f7b17fd64193

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Her sharp voice was followed by 709dd4b172 the sound of her closing the 79b5d08db2 notebook containing the score. Stella sighed, remembering the decisive moment she quit music 932525d5fb and the immortal musician beloved by the nation.e973ab4971077f69324d

“There are some levels you can never 59dcb14f23 reach, no matter how hard you try. I still can’t play as well a0abf69870 as she did back then. Besides, we d0ced33ba9 can’t afford c705ec8504 it. It was just f152a8132c a childhood dream.”56fb71a923ee6b052cdd

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“You don’t have to play like 4d7caf4440 that to be a good musician. You don’t have to a4595a2f30 be the best.”d4467d5b7e740598c1a0

“That’s easy for a10015e863 you to say 43601c68cb when you’re financially b8ddae1796 secure. And coming from someone who always topped the 1b75029a95 class, it just sounds like you’re mocking me.”2efd79ac11af292813f3

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Stella’s gaze, as she 1d7a6dec96 muttered softly, fell upon c4f064db10 the pristine white piano. In their living room, filled with a6f12999ce old but tidy belongings, the piano 5bf3199843 was the only thing that felt 098af6423f out of place.4d4ac32dbd56f985db9f

“You know f532045415 music is ef84d27ca1 expensive. I don’t know 61ab0357a7 how long I’d 4a6770e9d2 have to struggle 930661c7e1 as an unknown. I have to d0c59a07d5 practice all day e0d33542e4 to catch up. I’m already bcceb8b04a so far 4a7322b8fb behind.”f94c18227c6e16f4606f

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A faint tremor of a48b71cf77 fear colored her otherwise 1ad4b103b6 calm tone. Radia deliberately e43e9d1269 lightened her bdc9eec28f voice.8362030c13b23761b2b5

“Even so, I love dc6478fd6e your compositions and playing. Things are 8afdc9274a different now. I’m earning money… Mom and a2893790c3 I aren’t so incompetent that 0eba080d36 we can’t support you. So think 4843677b18 about it…”f29b929fbf84a7613630

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“I know why you went 5365ba7283 to that law firm, Radi.”6b80c45da33a5f984595

Radia’s face hardened at the c6e971b5f8 interruption, but Stella didn’t see. Even if she had, the 66ca101953 outcome wouldn’t have changed.6efe9019493f08b96af0

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“When you said you 0e3c9fbd86 were going to Canyon, b6b15ad852 I was honestly surprised, cd1d93dd01 but also relieved.”af8844491d53f8d5bc8f

“Why?”421276ebaf776e6f2f3f

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“You don’t do things because you want to, e328af3edb you do them because you have to. If you hadn’t gotten that scholarship, you would b21328109a have given up on Kisello without hesitation. That prestigious university c405152d74 that others can b1596957f1 only dream of!”335189fc094ff714848e

Faced with 3ffd35d0ef Stella’s sharp 63958b8d7b insight, Radia 81af137613 chose silence. The atmosphere in the living room, 00b0ccf45c now devoid of music, became strangely da10ab467c quiet, despite it being daytime.d88ad4f6577203c77984

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“I don’t want eee3876592 to be a c3153b8373 burden to you e684079406 anymore. I’m satisfied with afdaeea235 my current job. So please, live 5b21f0c0bd your own life. Stop worrying b8fc0d5552 about others.”e2caba5e200766f8db1f

Radia simply smiled, understanding 6a902e7eb9 Stella’s underlying frustration – You’re 5376958c39 worried about me? Look at yourself!55425b4fb9f1911c2102

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“…Just leaving that neighborhood was 6d9d8e15ea achieving everything I wanted.”ff8cb9bb7aa466d30d44

Six years ago, they finally 165bf56ae8 left the outskirts they had ee199754ea long called home and settled d4bc8f83a0 in this area. Although far from the bustling city a110b08d5e center, it had good transportation links, 0953cce045 considerable foot traffic, and a proper 1a6124a807 police station nearby, ensuring their safety.b3bbcaf6ff07ea2ecb03

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This achievement had been made possible d31d3a565f by combining their mother’s savings and 4c79fae2fe the salary Radia had saved after f64e93b38f joining the law firm.bf1d500f8b6c7312b6b1

There was no place b22dd60817 more threatening to the 06ce3c7afd vulnerable than a poor a5a8f37d17 neighborhood. Even now, the thought of everything they 4f35c82416 had endured there made Radia shudder.9ddb46578b4fb4e7482b

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Turning to face 89612fd12a the piano, Radia 32e6bbbc14 gently pressed a efc30ca61e key. A clear sound, like 22e54912c4 a ripple in water, 63a26e781e resonated, leaving a lingering 219f300fd9 echo. Watching Radia gaze at the e262fad434 piano with affection, Stella shook bca4bda69e her head as if to 6990a52ad1 say, “You’re hopeless.”51b93af7ea0ee53a85e7

“Yuris is 8433867c1b quite cunning, 2a772b1e4c you know. He knew you wouldn’t be able 257bcb85d0 to refuse a gift like this.”402c0b0c678f96d949dd

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Yuris tried to give e63a01946b Radia everything, but she 1438ddb1a4 refused any gift that e1429d2d35 felt too extravagant. This upright piano 4f5c7f9d94 was the only d651af4110 exception.0a1ccffd94ef120e63ea

[I’m not giving 61cfd5a11f it to you. I’m entrusting 097ebda39b it to 13de8d18e7 you. I’ll be visiting f9127dfab0 often, so please 60c7fdc793 keep it for 2263d744f2 me. I’ll pay 3871e643d7 for the 35073b8e89 maintenance.]0d9a6da370321bf107e3

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He had insisted on bringing the piano into their c208881e8a home with such absurd reasoning, and every month, without 66580ef04c fail, he sent money for “maintenance” – just enough 3dde88c1fd to cover the cost of a tuner. Yet, he had barely 2cf94dc209 touched the keys himself, fabe6114af except for that one 943bad98a2 time.dc5c56e003c92d4c3389

Having seen the grand piano at Yuris’s family 2699316242 home, Radia hadn’t believed a word of his 7dcacdcc23 excuse, but she remembered the look on Stella’s 718fda37e4 face when she saw this piano. Stella might have thought she hid it cbc646016e well, but Radia hadn’t missed it.8b1c46b3f858a3cf712b

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That’s why 7a8f7f5caa she couldn’t 5d0daaa427 refuse.f11573c16027e8d50330

Radia hadn’t thought it would be exorbitantly expensive, since it was Yuris who bought it, 140b5033c9 but the moment Stella saw the logo on the piano, her eyes widened in disbelief. Seeing that reaction, e6f6e8f29d Radia decided against 0316f352ec finding out the 0f92f1f7c7 price. It would surely f39d48de48 have shaken her 125a74a380 resolve.d45c687ead4e25df24f0

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[Why did 3fc1553b76 I do 5a04987c67 it? Well… that piano was incredibly old, 0ec1462833 and the sound was unstable. Instruments have 571cc1405c a lifespan, cd0d207080 you know. You have to let them 6243cda6c2 go when the time comes.]df7a910a77fdd231909f

That’s what he had said when b3ed64abb5 she asked him about the gift.06381ed9b9497862367c

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[And… I should have seen b534729240 the look on your face 6f1e1b8b40 when Stella played. You looked cf56f15338 so happy.]7e2f1cbed03b2cd7c065

Yuris, who seemed to have a lot fd0fa1c3a3 more to say, suddenly ruffled her hair.7674fbb9ed33ae288ac4

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[Ah, let’s stop 2b10b6cbbf talking about this. I don’t want 2c250dd8c7 to be pathetically c7bec4738d jealous of your 77d55a81c5 little sister. Just you wait f49b1f6643 and see. I’ll make you 196251964e make that face 8527f7583f for me, and 3e98e71853 only me.]530b31d2fdc23139ee78

A soft cloth draped 59c7f74714 over Radia’s hand, pulling a7a268c293 her out of her 6c132238b0 reverie. Radia withdrew her hand, and after checking that the cloth 8fb2fe1fa7 was evenly covering the keys, Stella carefully closed the lid.4038553b86d20d9216c6

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“It’s still surprising 5e325ee4ce that he can e75a07969a play the piano. He usually seems c799c7ee24 like the type df5111a0e7 to just listen 1c5e18d4e4 and clap.”22b01eca4dbcebe49aab

“He plays well.”7e80c21f5250d5e9f239

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“Yes. That’s why a4e0bf297f it was 164be6c2be even more ec03eb9b1e surprising.”71c71c415efab6e59f92

Stella rarely gave compliments e5db50122e when it came to aa7006b9bd music, and Radia had bd2dc6922f a good ear. Yuris, a skilled player, 297fe0f971 could produce beautiful sounds ad8328781e with just a light 702227f4a8 touch on the keys.d6b35e92053602ab0e77

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Yuris had learned many things, e9d86c72b5 but art was the only 90e27afc61 area where he remained solely 63b8dfb184 a patron. The reason b5fe0a8aee was simple:6625274021adce9382ea

He had no ae1679d6b8 talent for it.53d5f7ad831c8613a52b

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“I thought he was a 67bbeb0998 wild child, living a debauched 9105df7b34 life, but that wasn’t the 12c7a67e20 case either. Why was he b770fc3b2b called that?”c6b6d77cb065b31e945c

“…He lived 6d1778764c rather unconventionally?”4a5d0b3789e9f7d938ff

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Radia quietly reflected 7af63da821 on what she 5f73295ec0 had heard about 2e90fc412c Yuris’s life. Starting with his refusal to attend c467e1da6c the military academy, a customary path 5ff4d29764 for prestigious nobles, he chose a ca52037d56 regular school instead. He mostly associated with the bourgeoisie b1cd8840f9 and commoners rather than the aristocracy. And while he had a 9e9b14762d reputation for being lucky, he 920607f6bd abhorred pastimes like gambling.9bbda105cfacd001b47f

“I heard he daf2bee350 rejected most of 03c049c5ae the customs of bd79a10a3f his social circle.”e5b8e19d8cd89bbd1370

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Despite that, many 16627d6a80 people sought him 22ce0b40ee out. Almost too fb05135330 many, if fb876aaae0 one were 8b18f41e29 to exaggerate.72f3826292be7be91c9c

[Even if it’s only half-blood, a noble is still a noble.]e2a81497ffb872aef93a

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Although Yuris’s voice had been laced with amusement 2777d7eadb when he’d muttered that, his eyes hadn’t smiled.b91a969301e7a867fe30

Still, he was considered to have b108d628bf become relatively well-behaved after reaching adulthood. After graduating from Kisello with a degree in economics, 20999be1de he defiantly chose a financial company unrelated to Astrian. While it was officially part of 559ed746bd his succession training, it had a c1a788d5ca different meaning to the tradition-bound nobility.dcf67aff9fe28821fd3c

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Yuris joined Astrian 6607ae49df two years ago. A lot had ba55de072c happened surrounding that 3e0f6102a1 event as well.bb19996b23bed8eef84f

Amidst the whispers and be96a53f4e speculation, Jeremy den Astrian 82b35a765f had tacitly approved of 95b7300e8f his son’s actions. Even now, as power shifted 56bc804d51 from lineage to capital, no 515a2da2b6 one in Flete’s high society b2eb6eca39 dared to oppose his will.e383f807ebf2811fc314

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Closing the lid of the piano bench 701ad683cf after putting away the sheet music, Stella ff218dff1b looked at Radia standing beside her.0f795e9e20dd138a12b6

“Um, Radi.”4559d2441c9e17b771d6

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“What?”193dca17c62e99cfc83d

“You said you 67a76d15ba made a deal.”25fc2874fb9f39dbefe2

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Hesitantly, unlike her usual confident and 7ccd07473a cheerful self, Stella finally spoke.0f8864fac724c1dfe8a0

“If, after that, Yuris still doesn’t love ed90384aa2 you… will you break up with him?”55359d3f6b2a8ab282ff

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