VOL 2 Chapter 64: The overwhelming weight of reality.
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lordanl
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One day, just like any other, Martín—her younger brother—grew tired and tried to defend himself from his cousin. This cousin, who used to treat him kindly and play with him all the time, now wanted to show off in front of his friends by hitting him with a stick just for fun. The problem was that, in Martín's attempt to defend himself, he ended up pushing the ruthless boy, who fell to the ground and ended up with his head bleeding.
That incident nearly drove their aunt insane. She beat all three of them so severely that they still bore several scars from it. But she wasn't satisfied with just that—she threw them out on the street with nothing but the old clothes they were wearing, which were torn and bloodied from the beating they had received.
Even though the siblings apologized and begged the merciless woman not to kick them out, she refused to listen. She went so far as to call the neighborhood's private security where they lived—a moderately exclusive, relatively high-level area in Aranta, to which she had moved shortly after taking in the siblings, leaving behind the lower-middle-class neighborhood where she had previously lived.
When the guards arrived, the hysterical woman demanded at the top of her lungs that they kick the siblings out of the neighborhood. The guards did so literally, without a moment's hesitation, looking at them with arrogance and contempt on their ugly faces the entire time.
That was where the siblings' problems really began. Although they had spent a year practically living like slaves, they still had food and a roof over their heads. But after being expelled from their aunt's house, even those small comforts became luxuries they could only dream of having again.
After leaving their aunt's house, Clara and her two siblings went to the home their parents had left them, hoping to live there. One of the reasons they had decided to stay with their aunt in the first place was because she had sworn on their mother's memory that she would keep the house in perfect condition. So, they could return at any time. After all, it was their most precious possession, full of memories from the happy life they once had with their parents.
But the siblings' innocent hopes were once again crushed by the overwhelming weight of reality. Their exhausting journey back to their old home—where they arrived after forcing their bruised bodies to keep walking—only served to reveal that the house had been sold not long after it was handed over to them.
That day, with a broken heart and her frail body covered in wounds, Clara, while clinging to her siblings with tears streaming down her face, could only watch through the windows at the family now living in the house they had loved so dearly. She saw them dining happily, smiles on their faces, but their presence seemed to bother the family, as they were eventually chased away from there not long after.
After a series of devastating blows from reality, Clara and her siblings had no choice but to sleep on the streets and eat leftovers given to them by restaurants or families. At the same time, they desperately tried to find their other relatives, the same ones who had seemed so empathetic and caring when their parents passed away, swearing they would help them with anything they needed. But they were unable to find almost any of them, as if they had vanished into thin air.
Now, however, Clara wished she had never found any of them and could have kept alive a small ray of hope—both in her heart and in her siblings' hearts—about their so-called "family". But as if life enjoyed shattering their illusions, after some time, they ended up finding one of those "empathetic and caring relatives". He merely mocked them sadistically for making the wrong choice and handing their money over to a two-faced bitch, all the while throwing a piece of bread on the ground as a "gesture of goodwill toward family".
Seeing the true face of what was supposed to be their family—human trash worse than any beast, capable of lying, deceiving, and betraying anyone to get what they wanted—Clara, for the first time in her short life, felt true despair. It only grew deeper as she saw the pain and hunger on the faces of her siblings, the only family she had left.
In no time at all, they had gone from living under the loving care of their parents, sleeping in a good home, eating proper meals every day, and worrying only about school exams and their classmates' gossip, to living on the streets where dangers lurked around every corner. They ate scraps and garbage, were looked down upon with contempt, and were constantly chased away from everywhere for being beggars.
But life is always capricious, and as if it had suddenly grown tired of toying with them, one day, while Clara went out with Sofía to find something for their younger brother Martín to eat, they ran into their "good friends" from school, who only made fun of them for their situation. That humiliation shattered their already wounded, hopeless hearts even more. Paradoxically, though, it was also the event that triggered the change in their lives.
One of the fathers of those "good friends", who knew their parents and happened to be there, felt a bit sorry for the pitiful "trio of beggars", as he called them. Condescendingly, and with a look of disgust on his face, he gave them a few mana crystals and allowed them to stay in a property he considered lost in the slums—the same house where they are currently living.
From that point on, things began to improve for Clara and her siblings. Even though her body had always been weak, ever since she was little, she had shown a remarkable talent for cooking. So, using the few mana crystals the owner of the house had given them, Sofía and Clara decided to invest in some cooking utensils and ingredients to create different kinds of desserts, which Sofía began to sell out on the streets.
Clara's cooking talent was genuinely impressive, and the desserts she made sold very well. Not long afterward, their lives began to improve: they were able to buy clothes again, even if only second-hand. They started eating three times a day, every day, and gradually bought some items for the house and made a few repairs. They even managed to pay for their younger brother Martín to attend school again. Although it wasn't the exclusive main school of Aranta, it was still a good one, which filled them with pride and joy.
Yet, it seemed life wasn't satisfied with the little bit of happiness their small family had found. Two years ago, Clara's condition suddenly took a dramatic turn for the worse, leaving her confined to bed and incapable of doing anything. Though her siblings tried to find treatment for her and spent all the savings they had, none of the doctors were able to help. Their lives sank back to a low point.
With Clara unable to make her desserts, the family's finances took a nosedive. Martín had to quit school once again, and Sofía had to figure out how to earn money. She slightly altered the dress she used to wear when selling Clara's pastries—the only brand-new dress she had ever bought, since they had learned over time that desserts sold better if she was nicely dressed.
Applying the same logic that appearances are crucial in business, Sofía modified the dress so it looked a bit more elegant. She then began her new venture: offering her services as a tour guide on the streets. After all, for a young woman with no education, the range of legal and honorable jobs was quite limited.
During her time selling desserts, Sofía had met many people, including several who worked as tour guides. After all, planet Aranta is a beautiful place filled with an exquisite artistic sense, attracting a large number of tourists every year. Many of those guides had been good customers of hers, so they explained to Sofía how their work functioned: how much to charge, how to present the sights, how to identify potential clients, and much more.
While being a tour guide wasn't particularly bad, it wasn't as profitable as selling Clara's desserts. Coupled with the continual monthly expenses on doctors and medication required to keep Clara stable, the family of three once again found themselves in a critical state in which they could barely manage to eat once or twice a day.
Seeing how dire things were, Martín decided to start working in a mine on the outskirts of the city. One of his old school friends, who also had to drop out, worked there, and this job allowed them to survive up until now. But it pained the twins every time they saw their little brother coming home exhausted and dirty from work, barely able to get a bite to eat before collapsing into a deep sleep.
"Don't you think Martín is taking a long time today?"
While chatting idly with her sister at the table, waiting for their younger brother to arrive so they could serve dinner, Clara suddenly glanced at an old clock on the wall and asked in a worried tone. Sofía could only nod with a somewhat pale, fearful expression, also staring at the clock.
"You're right. He should be here by now…"
"Let's not worry. I'm sure today's just been tough. I heard him mention this morning that they were opening a new tunnel in the mine, so that's probably why he's running a bit late. Let's serve dinner. He won't be much longer."
Despite her concern, Clara tried to remain calm and spoke gently, hoping to soothe her sister's worries—while also trying to convince herself and steady her own racing heart.
"Yes, you're right. That must be it. Martín shouldn't take much longer."
In a nervous voice, Sofía spoke as she nodded, also trying to reassure herself. She then set about serving the delicious soup Clara had made into three steel bowls, arranging them on the table alongside the remaining two sandwiches.
But no matter how much the twins tried to stay calm, time continued to pass, amplifying their anxiety. It was as if they could almost hear each tick of the clock like a hammer blow. Still, Martín showed no sign of arriving, and the soup on the table—untouched—had gone cold.
"I can't wait any longer. Something must've happened. I'm going to the mine to look for Martín."
Feeling suffocated by uncertainty and worry, Sofía spoke forcefully as she hurried out of her chair. Clara wanted to stop her—given how dangerous the streets were at night in their neighborhood, especially for a young woman—but she couldn't. A sinister feeling gripped her heart, causing it to pound wildly. All she could do was watch her sister's retreating figure, biting her lips in pain and frustration.
That incident nearly drove their aunt insane. She beat all three of them so severely that they still bore several scars from it. But she wasn't satisfied with just that—she threw them out on the street with nothing but the old clothes they were wearing, which were torn and bloodied from the beating they had received.
Even though the siblings apologized and begged the merciless woman not to kick them out, she refused to listen. She went so far as to call the neighborhood's private security where they lived—a moderately exclusive, relatively high-level area in Aranta, to which she had moved shortly after taking in the siblings, leaving behind the lower-middle-class neighborhood where she had previously lived.
When the guards arrived, the hysterical woman demanded at the top of her lungs that they kick the siblings out of the neighborhood. The guards did so literally, without a moment's hesitation, looking at them with arrogance and contempt on their ugly faces the entire time.
That was where the siblings' problems really began. Although they had spent a year practically living like slaves, they still had food and a roof over their heads. But after being expelled from their aunt's house, even those small comforts became luxuries they could only dream of having again.
After leaving their aunt's house, Clara and her two siblings went to the home their parents had left them, hoping to live there. One of the reasons they had decided to stay with their aunt in the first place was because she had sworn on their mother's memory that she would keep the house in perfect condition. So, they could return at any time. After all, it was their most precious possession, full of memories from the happy life they once had with their parents.
But the siblings' innocent hopes were once again crushed by the overwhelming weight of reality. Their exhausting journey back to their old home—where they arrived after forcing their bruised bodies to keep walking—only served to reveal that the house had been sold not long after it was handed over to them.
That day, with a broken heart and her frail body covered in wounds, Clara, while clinging to her siblings with tears streaming down her face, could only watch through the windows at the family now living in the house they had loved so dearly. She saw them dining happily, smiles on their faces, but their presence seemed to bother the family, as they were eventually chased away from there not long after.
After a series of devastating blows from reality, Clara and her siblings had no choice but to sleep on the streets and eat leftovers given to them by restaurants or families. At the same time, they desperately tried to find their other relatives, the same ones who had seemed so empathetic and caring when their parents passed away, swearing they would help them with anything they needed. But they were unable to find almost any of them, as if they had vanished into thin air.
Now, however, Clara wished she had never found any of them and could have kept alive a small ray of hope—both in her heart and in her siblings' hearts—about their so-called "family". But as if life enjoyed shattering their illusions, after some time, they ended up finding one of those "empathetic and caring relatives". He merely mocked them sadistically for making the wrong choice and handing their money over to a two-faced bitch, all the while throwing a piece of bread on the ground as a "gesture of goodwill toward family".
Seeing the true face of what was supposed to be their family—human trash worse than any beast, capable of lying, deceiving, and betraying anyone to get what they wanted—Clara, for the first time in her short life, felt true despair. It only grew deeper as she saw the pain and hunger on the faces of her siblings, the only family she had left.
In no time at all, they had gone from living under the loving care of their parents, sleeping in a good home, eating proper meals every day, and worrying only about school exams and their classmates' gossip, to living on the streets where dangers lurked around every corner. They ate scraps and garbage, were looked down upon with contempt, and were constantly chased away from everywhere for being beggars.
But life is always capricious, and as if it had suddenly grown tired of toying with them, one day, while Clara went out with Sofía to find something for their younger brother Martín to eat, they ran into their "good friends" from school, who only made fun of them for their situation. That humiliation shattered their already wounded, hopeless hearts even more. Paradoxically, though, it was also the event that triggered the change in their lives.
One of the fathers of those "good friends", who knew their parents and happened to be there, felt a bit sorry for the pitiful "trio of beggars", as he called them. Condescendingly, and with a look of disgust on his face, he gave them a few mana crystals and allowed them to stay in a property he considered lost in the slums—the same house where they are currently living.
From that point on, things began to improve for Clara and her siblings. Even though her body had always been weak, ever since she was little, she had shown a remarkable talent for cooking. So, using the few mana crystals the owner of the house had given them, Sofía and Clara decided to invest in some cooking utensils and ingredients to create different kinds of desserts, which Sofía began to sell out on the streets.
Clara's cooking talent was genuinely impressive, and the desserts she made sold very well. Not long afterward, their lives began to improve: they were able to buy clothes again, even if only second-hand. They started eating three times a day, every day, and gradually bought some items for the house and made a few repairs. They even managed to pay for their younger brother Martín to attend school again. Although it wasn't the exclusive main school of Aranta, it was still a good one, which filled them with pride and joy.
Yet, it seemed life wasn't satisfied with the little bit of happiness their small family had found. Two years ago, Clara's condition suddenly took a dramatic turn for the worse, leaving her confined to bed and incapable of doing anything. Though her siblings tried to find treatment for her and spent all the savings they had, none of the doctors were able to help. Their lives sank back to a low point.
With Clara unable to make her desserts, the family's finances took a nosedive. Martín had to quit school once again, and Sofía had to figure out how to earn money. She slightly altered the dress she used to wear when selling Clara's pastries—the only brand-new dress she had ever bought, since they had learned over time that desserts sold better if she was nicely dressed.
Applying the same logic that appearances are crucial in business, Sofía modified the dress so it looked a bit more elegant. She then began her new venture: offering her services as a tour guide on the streets. After all, for a young woman with no education, the range of legal and honorable jobs was quite limited.
During her time selling desserts, Sofía had met many people, including several who worked as tour guides. After all, planet Aranta is a beautiful place filled with an exquisite artistic sense, attracting a large number of tourists every year. Many of those guides had been good customers of hers, so they explained to Sofía how their work functioned: how much to charge, how to present the sights, how to identify potential clients, and much more.
While being a tour guide wasn't particularly bad, it wasn't as profitable as selling Clara's desserts. Coupled with the continual monthly expenses on doctors and medication required to keep Clara stable, the family of three once again found themselves in a critical state in which they could barely manage to eat once or twice a day.
Seeing how dire things were, Martín decided to start working in a mine on the outskirts of the city. One of his old school friends, who also had to drop out, worked there, and this job allowed them to survive up until now. But it pained the twins every time they saw their little brother coming home exhausted and dirty from work, barely able to get a bite to eat before collapsing into a deep sleep.
"Don't you think Martín is taking a long time today?"
While chatting idly with her sister at the table, waiting for their younger brother to arrive so they could serve dinner, Clara suddenly glanced at an old clock on the wall and asked in a worried tone. Sofía could only nod with a somewhat pale, fearful expression, also staring at the clock.
"You're right. He should be here by now…"
"Let's not worry. I'm sure today's just been tough. I heard him mention this morning that they were opening a new tunnel in the mine, so that's probably why he's running a bit late. Let's serve dinner. He won't be much longer."
Despite her concern, Clara tried to remain calm and spoke gently, hoping to soothe her sister's worries—while also trying to convince herself and steady her own racing heart.
"Yes, you're right. That must be it. Martín shouldn't take much longer."
In a nervous voice, Sofía spoke as she nodded, also trying to reassure herself. She then set about serving the delicious soup Clara had made into three steel bowls, arranging them on the table alongside the remaining two sandwiches.
But no matter how much the twins tried to stay calm, time continued to pass, amplifying their anxiety. It was as if they could almost hear each tick of the clock like a hammer blow. Still, Martín showed no sign of arriving, and the soup on the table—untouched—had gone cold.
"I can't wait any longer. Something must've happened. I'm going to the mine to look for Martín."
Feeling suffocated by uncertainty and worry, Sofía spoke forcefully as she hurried out of her chair. Clara wanted to stop her—given how dangerous the streets were at night in their neighborhood, especially for a young woman—but she couldn't. A sinister feeling gripped her heart, causing it to pound wildly. All she could do was watch her sister's retreating figure, biting her lips in pain and frustration.
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