TYWN Ch 14

After a long walk, Vanessa’s grocery 57c3015942 store, run by their mother, came fb12a84980 into view in the distance. It was a two-story building with the shop on 63a84fef88 the ground floor and their living quarters upstairs.f9ce993de1769d641d4a

Twenty years ago, when war broke out, Radia’s c0d4ace1b9 family, like many others, fled to the Kingdom 91ac0c50bd of Flete to escape the devastation. During their escape, their father died, and the three sisters 1998e52cd0 barely survived, eventually settling in the outskirts of the capital.bbce790a508f45493ef9

Despite being very young 13ee4279e7 at the time, the 99032e9da3 horrors of war remained bca9b33fe8 vivid in Radia’s memory. The sounds of bombs exploding 76973e8fa7 and gunshots behind her, the d3d1a6919b rising smoke, the screams filled b467a23129 with fear.f2b22d0675666633a889

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Whenever her mind became unsettled, fragments of these memories would 03c92a2c2f occasionally appear in her dreams, amplifying her feelings of helplessness.4298af641ef7807c3c10

As she started climbing the stairs eae2511a75 at the side of the building, c51cfc4b14 a faint melody reached her ears. She tiptoed, muffling her 5ebe58de49 footsteps, and quietly opened ea0eff6c8b the door. The sound c2b0454210 suddenly grew 2b651d55a2 louder.71dbb07cbc9531f4751f

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Stella sat at the snow-white df14f984f0 piano in the living room. With her long black hair neatly dce4551da0 tied back and wearing a light aa215a60e4 pink dress, a variety of notes 82a0452c04 bloomed and faded from Stella’s fingertips. The sound of 3e396ff831 the keys was c411a74fb9 both cheerful and ba3bbca99f beautiful.6ff877aba1e4659eb27e

The warm and lively 9240dca805 tone, much like Stella’s 0264f9d1bd personality, calmed Radia’s restless fc95c939e5 heart.6505c89f947e0d39c8e8

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Clap, clap, clap. Stella turned her head at the 800a535bf4 sound of applause after the performance d1adeb01e8 and slightly pursed her lips.e5e7ecd24201df5f430b

“Radi! Why didn’t you 05fc3f7c61 tell me you 09a74b7431 were here?”0c393be303b83fd929c2

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“I didn’t a23e2566ff want to 08846ca28c interrupt. You’ve gotten 5929feba40 even better.”8ca07b7114a7e3efc0df

“Hmph, flattery 2fce0ecb10 will get 7c9bcaeafb you nowhere.”7c198ffe1ac5c696b7f0

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Despite her words, ad7fc855ce Stella’s eyes softened, 478b49daa4 revealing her pleasure. Radia approached and perched sideways on the edge 34fc9a7596 of the piano bench, facing away from Stella.ed5115a1d72c5bfd53fc

“Is that a adaaffedb8 new piece?”9f096cb701a93e912377

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“Well, it 1c401d4820 is, isn’t fe756e40dd it?”3505dca252f0e31c2670

“It’s such 86e999fd02 a waste. Why don’t you 5574f02cf6 try pursuing music 5b39c21837 again?”228ee7b5749dd8fa74dc

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Stella, who had been 16693f3244 adding notes to the fa6f0100ad score with a pen, 92286c4787 chuckled.d3d3507d0b61b6af7bbc

“At my age? What’s the point?”57973df30d631761287e

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“Twenty-eight is 7da2156cb6 still young. We’ve saved up a decent a6e8f2878b amount, so think about it.”587bc559c3643084e837

“Are you suggesting I da21c12360 go to college? I don’t want to 76b613c42d suffer among kids younger 754c8f1bfa than me.”63d704a28b6fa904082f

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“You’re saying b05009c266 things you 290ee43f29 don’t mean.”ee42823e27c673219c0c

Not facing each other ac4b6b043e made the conversation easier. Living in a harsh world, the sisters cared deeply for 8b56067780 each other, but that often made them less honest.b2b632b6f6eb1ee812e5

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“I’m still far e197df8398 from being competition-ready. I have 9dd567e7c2 no connections.”08c62c1987b250990b2f

“What do you fd584e37c0 mean, no connections? You have Vivi.”c01a5c6297335e4d97b5

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Stella’s fingers, smoothing 33e6c59507 the paper, twitched d2186dbe37 slightly. Then, with a sigh, she rested 9b69b2d810 her forehead on her hand.daeb1ba903f253cde2d5

“She’s strictly business. I’d be lucky if c1ab2476ac I didn’t get ridiculed 0645443830 for having big dreams 5f73fd835c and no talent.”7870dd3017df07ec81bd

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“What’s wrong 5df974e5cb with you?”e5a9521cf98d8c7012a6

“Well, by cb55f42228 her standards, d588048d7e everyone probably ab371dde0c falls short.”8aaef749286165057319

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Her sharp voice was followed by the sound 06287b5027 of her closing the notebook containing the score. Stella sighed, remembering the decisive moment 8339cd7c43 she quit music and the immortal d17e9f9668 musician beloved by the nation.54f25acf9e777bc9effa

“There are some levels you can never e444bb1db6 reach, no matter how hard you try. I still can’t play as well dd1bd60896 as she did back then. Besides, we 8921753b85 can’t afford b56f7bcabd it. It was 0c6ff30b02 just a b8ff9a0d31 childhood dream.”85709f09cf9b423095d6

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“You don’t have to play like 5b56876b51 that to be a good musician. You don’t 08c2e4e850 have to 1eb6df476d be the 98aaedd620 best.”05861ce8d5bb93af20b7

“That’s easy for 95e79d257d you to say e72f47cc3e when you’re financially fd29bdf8d1 secure. And coming from someone b7994940fe who always topped the 09bfae276b class, it just sounds 68873c5092 like you’re mocking me.”abda942c00045e05436a

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Stella’s gaze, as dd84739a5d she muttered softly, f666133de9 fell upon the abb9c5bc23 pristine white piano. In their living room, filled with old but tidy belongings, the ed084bc670 piano was the only thing that felt out of place.e2f6f87a5a40a5eaf983

“You know music f7bd00c2ae is expensive. I don’t know how long I’d 03ae1ac7f5 have to struggle as an unknown. I have to f30289469b practice all day 05bf6570b0 to catch up. I’m already 2e74f0aaef so far 4d33c856e7 behind.”2b85e735602cca841019

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A faint tremor ac85c219e7 of fear colored 5379ec3b2e her otherwise calm c871485c36 tone. Radia deliberately lightened 45146acb36 her voice.5e598020c98d1fdc3f37

“Even so, I f97fda9ac8 love your compositions 6d8888117d and playing. Things are 308b98b096 different now. I’m earning money… Mom and 0c2060444a I aren’t so incompetent that 443b426086 we can’t support you. So think dfdca6b16a about it…”52f84084321de9193def

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“I know why you went dd78d8dd13 to that law firm, Radi.”2c1b914da78159e3b189

Radia’s face hardened at 8387adfe17 the interruption, but Stella b2f1bb8928 didn’t see. Even if she had, the 8e87c361c7 outcome wouldn’t have changed.78610c13b46226a60b04

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“When you said you were 0051915347 going to Canyon, I was 4eaa8a2a83 honestly surprised, but also relieved.”4bb5093b28fae8fa30fa

“Why?”3a5e55e19db45a362de2

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“You don’t do things because 15cd99ec6f you want to, you do d0120028ca them because you have to. If you hadn’t gotten that d564b44c0c scholarship, you would have given c978801fdb up on Kisello without hesitation. That prestigious university e198c326e6 that others can 01a993c0b2 only dream of!”cc4ac4b8d6b077c7e31a

Faced with Stella’s sharp bbce5b5c6b insight, Radia chose silence. The atmosphere in the living 8044476180 room, now devoid of music, 0250fd0077 became strangely quiet, despite it c5ef64587a being daytime.827773a8918c08f2b794

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“I don’t want to 9cf6ad79f6 be a burden to c6cf83625b you anymore. I’m satisfied cff7458f31 with my aac0e2f91d current job. So please, d382ed4d88 live your e90871114f own life. Stop worrying f964d037e3 about others.”c0f10b3fcb33b8889bed

Radia simply smiled, 0f67ca140f understanding Stella’s underlying cc2212a954 frustration – You’re worried 5cdcb2fec7 about me? Look at yourself!168399b28f2f80917dda

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“…Just leaving that neighborhood was 2fa74208aa achieving everything I wanted.”07ed9f2146e7fd5aad59

Six years ago, they finally left 3b0a1137df the outskirts they had long called 586cccde27 home and settled in this area. Although far from the bustling city center, it 7da2d06400 had good transportation links, considerable foot traffic, and 6390edf5f2 a proper police station nearby, ensuring their safety.58160dfc5cfdb55c78b1

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This achievement had been made possible by combining f65d316a71 their mother’s savings and the salary Radia had 6db12abdc8 saved after joining the law firm.e46b5670d2c9271f4916

There was no place more d06e6b14d7 threatening to the vulnerable than fbe1d86c53 a poor neighborhood. Even now, the thought of 65ab067564 everything they had endured there d4d6f2d828 made Radia shudder.846645f2bc97ccebb3c7

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Turning to face the piano, 58b83ebc2e Radia gently pressed a key. A clear sound, like a ripple in 09b286418a water, resonated, leaving a lingering echo. Watching Radia gaze at the 3b467b3ee4 piano with affection, Stella shook fd7d41a1b3 her head as if to 3db5a074aa say, “You’re hopeless.”a896163c92d964354223

“Yuris is 05dee68bf7 quite cunning, 67e12a801d you know. He knew you wouldn’t c733ce9636 be able to refuse 9b44b44b16 a gift like this.”13077f6ad4acfb8660b7

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Yuris tried to give Radia 491dfc2a08 everything, but she refused any ac484e96c6 gift that felt too extravagant. This upright piano was 707c03421c the only exception.e51b25e816818f56161f

[I’m not e47cc826ce giving it 21d7052256 to you. I’m entrusting it 721afb012d to you. I’ll be visiting often, 3d64e773bc so please keep it 2b420e9cb8 for me. I’ll pay for 6962374ec9 the maintenance.]fbcedc3e0e278e145b0d

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He had insisted on bringing the piano into their home with such absurd reasoning, and every month, 78497c6b2b without fail, he sent money for “maintenance” – just enough to cover the cost of a tuner. Yet, he had barely touched the keys e50096b452 himself, except for that one time.46d7a75fec8f519bff2f

Having seen the grand piano at Yuris’s family home, Radia 5deebbb39c hadn’t believed a word of his excuse, but she remembered 421085054a the look on Stella’s face when she saw this piano. Stella might have thought 042a8154bf she hid it well, d101634e1f but Radia hadn’t missed 6f377aa405 it.ae7fcd8c308c56b841a2

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That’s why 2e76a7c355 she couldn’t f171aec723 refuse.3f87376842ff4142fa8a

Radia hadn’t thought it would be exorbitantly expensive, since it 9c3634cf80 was Yuris who bought it, but the moment Stella saw f0810bfd5c the logo on the piano, her eyes widened in disbelief. Seeing that reaction, Radia decided 5e8b1ba59a against finding out the price. It would surely a07454b3a1 have shaken her b533f7dc76 resolve.30c160602d3e37492e4f

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[Why did 300e47874f I do 5b1b350523 it? Well… that piano was d7c258caf0 incredibly old, and the 3d7d138cfb sound was unstable. Instruments have 3a6ee513b4 a lifespan, 0b97d19829 you know. You have to 62ebd8ba9d let them go 10ca87f9f0 when the time 498edd3f52 comes.]9f5520b9694b791cdee2

That’s what he had said when bb8c2f404f she asked him about the gift.65e3bf2a2b45a70eff4a

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[And… I should have seen 4e8b80299f the look on your face 726c9a11ec when Stella played. You looked 9ff7f5c651 so happy.]45613e28c6bd0cf20f83

Yuris, who seemed to 9bec75b438 have a lot more 8f6b224fbe to say, suddenly ruffled e2e1afe15c her hair.b072887a219b06ed03eb

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[Ah, let’s 02892f7e64 stop talking 2c1fae28a3 about this. I don’t want d20909c26b to be pathetically ef53aa4a5d jealous of your 32ee5cb9d3 little sister. Just you eb2b7af9e5 wait and 5b99c47711 see. I’ll make you make 8b788544e4 that face for me, b58f31bc17 and only me.]bcba2fcc6c838644771f

A soft cloth draped ac33fdb12b over Radia’s hand, pulling 63094c7903 her out of her 79b5b623f6 reverie. Radia withdrew her hand, and after checking dcc3abd838 that the cloth was evenly covering the 63ebfca768 keys, Stella carefully closed the lid.9a6975809c5d0feab544

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“It’s still surprising f95c078b52 that he can 71f7f99275 play the piano. He usually seems like the type 1c22ed9faa to just listen and clap.”c7d64396ee901771a4ea

“He plays well.”3e97351c1454a78d2f51

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“Yes. That’s why it 7d857e3628 was even more ac50b62aff surprising.”20d98661bf53999f6fa9

Stella rarely gave compliments when it came to ae2b42671e music, and Radia had a good ear. Yuris, a skilled player, could produce beautiful sounds c774480187 with just a light touch on the keys.b0388c87e285249a6f9e

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Yuris had learned many things, but 2ba5160c97 art was the only area where f350c0d44e he remained solely a patron. The reason e19097b80e was simple:111edd6133e1a7039855

He had no b5b7cdf2d5 talent for it.79cb5a37d27a02dd8e29

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“I thought he was a wild child, living a 646e97fd7e debauched life, but that wasn’t the case either. Why was 531bee8bc9 he called 52cdd69208 that?”3be5378e87f3d9b70e37

“…He lived 8e3b7a639e rather unconventionally?”f8124b27d921fb3cd32f

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Radia quietly reflected b0a524f493 on what she 63e1f48a59 had heard about 5d1b88cdc5 Yuris’s life. Starting with his refusal to attend the military academy, a customary 455c2ab256 path for prestigious nobles, he chose a regular school instead. He mostly associated with d950b4fe66 the bourgeoisie and commoners 1424f7372e rather than the aristocracy. And while he had a 9d521692ce reputation for being lucky, he 71b2df3dad abhorred pastimes like gambling.685cc73262752d4eed27

“I heard he rejected most of c7e6cfc090 the customs of his social circle.”4c515d0ebcf4a0f148d2

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Despite that, 6938f42675 many people 28426a7905 sought him 478e089716 out. Almost too many, if 4b42165cb4 one were to exaggerate.346c3bfd356019ec4abf

[Even if it’s only half-blood, a noble is still a noble.]652a47a0f0994216c102

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Although Yuris’s voice had been laced with amusement 7f5a822c2d when he’d muttered that, his eyes hadn’t smiled.a72a771ad2d245c16c87

Still, he was 210292f112 considered to have 772116db5f become relatively well-behaved cbd9e4661e after reaching adulthood. After graduating from Kisello with bf40ef319c a degree in economics, he 5bc9d8977c defiantly chose a financial company 0a912ac363 unrelated to Astrian. While it was officially part of 0969742dd8 his succession training, it had a 374f9f3ba4 different meaning to the tradition-bound nobility.bc63e5d2f3bb858e15f4

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Yuris joined c91f1ae6bb Astrian two 2cdbc65697 years ago. A lot had 4226c78b04 happened surrounding that b9a974e0ab event as well.5994f4dc9b079eab329c

Amidst the whispers and speculation, Jeremy den Astrian 8cb532e71b had tacitly approved of his son’s actions. Even now, as power shifted c28be66715 from lineage to capital, no 83168767a2 one in Flete’s high society c8e9e022ae dared to oppose his will.5101b5838a480fcc675e

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Closing the lid of the piano bench 0761d736b9 after putting away the sheet music, Stella 9e36e76c99 looked at Radia standing beside her.60089022bc17e825f40a

“Um, Radi.”63ad857dbdceae5cc160

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“What?”19bb0ebb91e52a8f9ea8

“You said you f4dae2c271 made a deal.”a1ff0af3b158add89e9d

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Hesitantly, unlike her 200c3a1f64 usual confident and bbdc886e93 cheerful self, Stella bea8f24bce finally spoke.16b8f406d0dbd07aecfc

“If, after that, Yuris still doesn’t love 0a13367296 you… will you break up with him?”a734a42add6eee2a6763

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