TYWN Ch 14
by toujoursAfter 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.61858c65fa26ef58
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.23752c56f19cfc32
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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.5af644b9a92f7eb3
Whenever her 86b59d6f77 mind became 32543ff6fb unsettled, fragments c13eabd758 of these 6814c13abe memories would 03455e9d21 occasionally appear be5ab0af50 in her b39dab05b8 dreams, amplifying 8da68c08e5 her feelings 73ec1b925b of helplessness.6ac4f174b2ff5856
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As she 586499ec76 started climbing 65342a86ab the stairs 7206e2d2f6 at the 4c9fe6410f side of 64e815a05e the building, 62c8ee6d6c a faint 3ea96ea1eb melody reached a7a860a95c her ears. She tiptoed, eae65b5ad7 muffling her 639835073a footsteps, and d10b23a6b5 quietly opened 0028f620e3 the door. The sound da1e8fc0cb suddenly grew 42256b40be louder.91d51f2c32e16390
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.fbff93833ae4cc5e
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The warm and lively tone, much like Stella’s personality, calmed Radia’s restless heart.8a4bdfbe37718c6d
Clap, clap, clap. Stella turned f1b7e37518 her head 000a2c3d6c at the 7603b9f2b8 sound of f99919bffd applause after faab85d1c2 the performance 1339e434ff and slightly ffedd97c69 pursed her 0f81f5034b lips.5f856cd60e0f7d9f
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“Radi! Why didn’t you tell bee3f457fd me you were here?”c65a39c35b47d5ad
“I didn’t want e4d83f6401 to interrupt. You’ve gotten even better.”4fd3a79330ea6be1
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“Hmph, flattery ba09f17570 will get 6429ba69ac you nowhere.”fc8943f0904a3f3f
Despite her words, Stella’s 431318153a eyes softened, revealing her c060c8bd97 pleasure. Radia approached 15fe2c9ad6 and perched 8289a5c39e sideways on 10b146a5ab the edge 6424e7dc6b of the 9265492c82 piano bench, a794b3d5e5 facing away d5037dd592 from Stella.87a55f0df20fc07b
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“Is that a 0af4cbec55 new piece?”927f7af50c9dfd0b
“Well, it is, isn’t it?”4c0528da7ebedbff
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“It’s such a waste. Why don’t you try pursuing music again?”af752b9678b3a960
Stella, who had been 9fa72b8a6b adding notes to the d11415ba94 score with a pen, 52e5a06da8 chuckled.f1e67bc9192a7594
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“At my age? What’s the point?”7756fb6041c91194
“Twenty-eight is 4e36e9d6c4 still young. We’ve saved up a 74be062011 decent amount, so think ca5fde3db7 about it.”4ad041089a065e8b
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“Are you suggesting 60f636b292 I go to 8b9fba0fb6 college? I don’t want 99439d055b to suffer among 5b42b80895 kids younger than ef947621fa me.”421edde572049210
“You’re saying things d48aef62e2 you don’t mean.”bf90e2cdc4d55d29
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Not facing each 64f77b1f30 other made the 03baa578a0 conversation easier. Living in a 78548feb1c harsh world, the 41d317f714 sisters cared deeply 4da9fee1d6 for each other, 6a51eceddf but that often 25c00f560d made them less 7ca85e7cc2 honest.3e711cbea3bac537
“I’m still far fc9fc908b2 from being competition-ready. I have ccb0cbff09 no connections.”6f0dfc087ccddbf4
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“What do 64feaf2c09 you mean, 195e2b5def no connections? You have Vivi.”40b15ccd007197e9
Stella’s fingers, smoothing the paper, twitched slightly. Then, with a sigh, she rested her forehead on her hand.edb13bf6e920d6cf
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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.”19f359a8211c64f0
“What’s wrong with 676b4bb48a you?”7c1bbb88e53468f2
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“Well, by her standards, d4ff379d19 everyone probably falls short.”d72d1d391eb0519f
Her sharp voice was d53ef79aca followed by the sound 6b40b28f6f of her closing the d44f4febf8 notebook containing the score. Stella sighed, remembering the e5539cd96e decisive moment she quit 0b1ae758b5 music and the immortal 04c411db92 musician beloved by the b7fd5cf337 nation.1708b8ea2184d054
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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.”30c29e97cec9332b
“You don’t have dbae11d04a to play like bb3896c856 that to be a91354afa8 a good musician. You don’t have 17332338ce to be the 61a302a4e3 best.”7b2ebb0f4dd34d66
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“That’s easy c80081d501 for you e016a44cce to say de3bb15f7e when you’re 5b66d924f3 financially secure. And coming 1764e01a54 from someone 4e5c53657d who always e247f74f45 topped the 8ffbffab45 class, it fc49ab2e8c just sounds b62f246ac9 like you’re 9b56a5aed8 mocking me.”8f95a390ea042dff
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.5b9afedb1f19d573
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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.”9d908a4d20bf23c2
A faint tremor a92eae2c90 of fear colored ce22cc702d her otherwise calm 27f8c8f70e tone. Radia deliberately 06e2fc9853 lightened her c6f2b8cf08 voice.5baf19da2ddcaa70
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“Even so, 0202e60702 I love 3b2f5c4ff7 your compositions cdb4c13bcb and playing. Things are different c0fd53cae6 now. I’m earning money… ff6e88f59e Mom and I 5c5ae37950 aren’t so incompetent e1e50504aa that we can’t 18d992c4c5 support you. So think about 89f2d281bc it…”5663b1ace08e17aa
“I know d42ea92b98 why you dbb535f2f1 went to 0f92824a8a that law 91e541f99f firm, Radi.”0b3117186f390b65
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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.4b2ed4c779d90b7a
“When you 8229fc5522 said you a61fb984bf were going 7d6fcf320e to Canyon, dffc0ae2fb I was 6ebb76716c honestly surprised, 0e19a74b50 but also 0324af5c17 relieved.”f00cb0b1c49eadc3
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“Why?”78f6c52235f57095
“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!”4275f7b7f8ecefcb
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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.62a0367d5c490609
“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.”1fa8032c91eaf6e9
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Radia simply smiled, understanding Stella’s underlying frustration – You’re worried about me? Look at yourself!74a51fddf280b64c
“…Just leaving that neighborhood d9a1fb3df5 was achieving everything I 9164551529 wanted.”734ec5264da2e802
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Six years df2bb1cb29 ago, they cab4278feb finally left 8dd7d615cd the outskirts ee17549b2e they had cde870e784 long called 01342e05ea home and a47709de20 settled in edd3bbf1f1 this area. Although far ed597914ff from the 00a2575eff bustling city d031dc737c center, it 7e270e8a93 had good f5501dddb7 transportation links, 5e0079a5a7 considerable foot bc50aa3ec0 traffic, and e773f39582 a proper 1c984c0c71 police station 903cb64931 nearby, ensuring 22e63e4fd5 their safety.1cbe86ee87e92044
This achievement had been made possible by combining their mother’s savings and the salary Radia had saved after joining the law firm.3d8be04bb071716a
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There was no place fce31b8fcb more threatening to the b7b4271de8 vulnerable than a poor f60d0bc39e neighborhood. Even now, the thought b04a163767 of everything they had 0e871a75b0 endured there made Radia e467eb82ed shudder.3a234355fd93bf82
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.”44f9988788fcb478
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“Yuris is quite cunning, you know. He knew you wouldn’t be able to refuse a gift like this.”cffcdcfe437a552c
Yuris tried 871b5f077f to give 927753dc39 Radia everything, 9380e07365 but she a91c56b8e3 refused any 29d3b9773f gift that 7f72ac8df6 felt too bdecda3526 extravagant. This upright piano 30e5db2047 was the only 25233d9a50 exception.619461ce4f9b7d16
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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.3a9f21fecdcdaaf7
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Having seen 20469829f0 the grand b004691840 piano at 5f3580b083 Yuris’s family 647871ec0f home, Radia 89d6394db8 hadn’t believed 5472fb4d7e a word aa65a1401e of his b57a946510 excuse, but 67dfc51ada she remembered 74199b3358 the look 9e35a83823 on Stella’s 74d28791fa face when 77b4ac7998 she saw d05b354e2c this piano. Stella might 6d302a5153 have thought 6e54ba256b she hid 37cc68e852 it well, 2cd6d82211 but Radia 93b9afe4fa hadn’t missed 88b7f0639c it.e4d7282d4644abe2
That’s why cbee5bff4e she couldn’t b25febf37f refuse.270f95d8e82f45a2
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Radia hadn’t thought af7c84ad0e it would be 48bb065757 exorbitantly expensive, since ef874d3bbf it was Yuris d451891e2e who bought it, aa36d4899e but the moment 0c6c220423 Stella saw the bcf53408b6 logo on the a94177ec7c piano, her eyes 975167d7b0 widened in disbelief. Seeing that reaction, Radia 2a56410873 decided against finding out 9469cdfa97 the price. It would surely have 316fbf7cb4 shaken her resolve.b6fa09492c15c7a5
[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 96e6fcee84 said when she asked 6fee9069ee him about the gift.f5e73f36136e79f3
[And… I should have seen the look on your face when Stella played. You looked so happy.]
Yuris, who seemed to 5ddcf0c684 have a lot more 0d1d812369 to say, suddenly ruffled b6f6410c3a her hair.48cd65f7d7d08c62
[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.5afad3226cf75f96
“It’s still 68eb9a4acd surprising that fe72130e77 he can bd5721f203 play the 1d3c14eac7 piano. He usually bc2d609f2e seems like ce7ba6a6d1 the type adfc744e78 to just 1201385d4f listen and f126943a4d clap.”59e02d58d94c5b8b
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“He plays well.”3764fd0262020261
“Yes. That’s why it was even more surprising.”4b66b2b859572ba7
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Stella rarely 91507bbce0 gave compliments 0196616090 when it ee3f78d8ee came to c5b51d0705 music, and 85feb6683b Radia had ccf6492872 a good 2f28c7e01b ear. Yuris, a c1304abe69 skilled player, a281105652 could produce 1169f0118d beautiful sounds e06af21931 with just d7e7bf8174 a light 3112bc9d28 touch on f90a30b541 the keys.05c456e08b1912bd
Yuris had learned many 5a2ed53bef things, but art was 008e28cb4b the only area where 8aebea0219 he remained solely a 3bb035812d patron. The reason 113eb5e859 was simple:ec35dc83d299afee
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He had no talent 497c95e27c for it.6435d8f30c413c25
“I thought 54bd37ceee he was 79acd9d252 a wild 08e9ccd6db child, living 673998a8fe a debauched d1214f149a life, but 76c173fff2 that wasn’t c57ae02ea6 the case 3fe41be2f9 either. Why was f61778a557 he called 9304a07a17 that?”aaf702a76b03eb21
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“…He lived rather 260ead66c5 unconventionally?”89563bc598463f72
Radia quietly 7fd51f4576 reflected on ad89aa5dbc what she d5d3c57bea had heard 4bdfcbec07 about Yuris’s 8b89a1d5c5 life. Starting with his refusal 4c707977b5 to attend the military 2a5ca9c0ec academy, a customary path b8fbb448d5 for prestigious nobles, he b5b5afe504 chose a regular school fe98336f93 instead. He mostly associated b77d3c9e88 with the bourgeoisie 3963d06db6 and commoners rather 7ed401f471 than the aristocracy. And while he 29d4998f3b had a reputation 7d23ee94ee for being lucky, e5dba8e96e he abhorred pastimes b9a7643f58 like gambling.653dae1c7bb47aa3
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“I heard he bb2dbbe88b rejected most of 4f0428697f the customs of 04dd728106 his social circle.”adec5a5476bdd912
Despite that, 5e25d0e7ce many people 54d7557e42 sought him e63b07c4a9 out. Almost too many, 1414317c11 if one were c83ab7faa3 to exaggerate.b7af8c895c314d1b
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[Even if it’s only half-blood, a noble is still a noble.]
Although Yuris’s voice 4c1683a134 had been laced ce22871e02 with amusement when 296e0702d0 he’d muttered that, 0121480b21 his eyes hadn’t bfec491f15 smiled.de6b9f815d576deb
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Still, he was bf5972712a considered to have 591ec72081 become relatively well-behaved 80f1508134 after reaching adulthood. After graduating dca2f26e9d from Kisello 01f8a99415 with a 2dcef4e517 degree in a21f320ea3 economics, he 2017360722 defiantly chose c0e67ade97 a financial 48ce78cf67 company unrelated 8b7a264633 to Astrian. While it 92930574ba was officially ee967fc916 part of 0b6cb7596b his succession 76d72f7489 training, it e8f68e32fb had a 3e558c6f0c different meaning 0d6a4ee8cc to the c847fbf616 tradition-bound nobility.38a827f7a50993e7
Yuris joined 5191980a8b Astrian two c762506ae0 years ago. A lot had happened 31ccd91968 surrounding that event as bd244262a6 well.37e69f56d618acb1
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Amidst the whispers bd42e53368 and speculation, Jeremy 7110298849 den Astrian had 611d83ef6d tacitly approved of 9b0341ebea his son’s actions. Even now, as fac37ebd02 power shifted from 560566639a lineage to capital, af3dde6e52 no one in b5d1cfc0db Flete’s high society ab846964f2 dared to oppose a6ea0b5682 his will.cab62f5dee6b45d4
Closing the lid of 952bc4b20a the piano bench after b7d7ffc440 putting away the sheet a8eb6a9403 music, Stella looked at 698e0536c7 Radia standing beside her.9228cf622f54cbe4
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“Um, Radi.”f880698a515f5a7e
“What?”47404953cb6aa47e
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“You said you 1482f4ea42 made a deal.”f298722630ac2e98
Hesitantly, unlike her c581382408 usual confident and 111bdc6441 cheerful self, Stella a8dc261a97 finally spoke.5723b889fb46b1ba
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“If, after that, Yuris still doesn’t love you… will you break up with him?”691ce34e39b51689