Chapter 3: The Slums and a Found Family

As dusk deepened, the streets remained a vibrant throng of people.

Shops and workshops, visible everywhere, began to cast a soft glow, as if announcing that the night’s revelries had only just begun.

This was Elanmia.

Home to the Arcadia Academy, renowned as the finest institution on the entire continent, it was a city second only to the Royal Capital in scale.

Driven by the academy’s influence, the surrounding commerce and technology had flourished, presenting a scene of vibrant prosperity.

Yet, just as no one in the world is without flaw, even the most dazzling cities conceal squalor in their hidden corners.

Leaving behind the bustling main thoroughfares, Yalin made his way to the city’s peripheral slums.

Though less than ten kilometers from the city center, the environments of the two areas were worlds apart.

Narrow paths were choked with debris and refuse.

Faded strips of cloth hung haphazardly from eaves, emitting an unpleasant rustle with every gust of wind.

A pungent odor clung to the air, assailing his nostrils.

Despite having been in this world for many days, Yalin had yet to grow accustomed to the smell.

It wasn’t until he stopped before a dilapidated shack that the furrow in his brow eased slightly.

A faint, orange-yellow light glowed within the window.

Yalin produced his key, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.

Thump-thump-thump!

Following a flurry of hurried footsteps, a young girl poked her head out from a room.

Upon seeing Yalin, she broke into a relieved smile and scampered over to him.

Her smooth, long black hair was tied into two pigtails, swaying playfully with her light steps.

On her pure and lovely face, ruby-like eyes shone with clear brilliance, their gaze full of affectionate comfort, bringing to mind a fluffy little animal.

“Yalin, you’re finally back? You must be tired from the academy!”

“Yes, I’m back. Did Carol take good care of the house today?”

“Of course! I even prepared dinner.”

“That’s wonderful! You’re amazing!”

Yalin reached out, ruffled her hair, and praised her with a beaming smile.

“Hehe!”

Carol comfortably narrowed her eyes, and only after Yalin’s hand left her head did she pull him into the living room.

“You sit for a bit, dinner will be ready soon!”

Donning an apron adorned with a cat print, Carol deftly retrieved a frying pan from the storage cabinet.

She appeared to be in high spirits, humming a tune as she stir-fried the pre-prepared ingredients in the pan.

Afterward, she poured a bowl of soup into a small dish, tasting it to ensure the seasoning was just right.

Her fair, slender legs moved ceaselessly across the carpet, never stopping for a moment.

Yalin sat on a chair, watching the busy girl in the kitchen, a helpless, wry smile gracing his lips.

Carol, approximately three years younger than him, had lived under the same roof with him since his earliest memories, and they had never been apart.

However, she was not his biological sister, nor did she share any blood relation with the Ravenster family.

She was an adopted child, found by chance.

More than ten years ago, on a rainy night, Yalin’s parents, while returning from the Royal Capital, unexpectedly discovered her beneath a large tree as they passed through a forest.

At the time, Carol was merely two or three years old, soaked to the bone and curled up in a tattered cradle, on the verge of death, her life hanging by a thread.

Unable to bear the sight, Yalin’s parents brought her home, taking on the responsibility of raising her.

Typically, the trope of a found child entering a wealthy family is often accompanied by a great deal of melodramatic plotlines.

The truth, however, was that this family got along remarkably well.

Yalin’s parents showed no favoritism towards Carol, never neglecting her due to her origins; instead, they treated her as their own, showering her with the utmost love and care.

The original Yalin had not rejected this sudden addition to the family either, simply regarding her as an ordinary younger sister.

‘Well, after all, that guy’s entire focus was on Celeste; he truly didn’t care about one more or one less person.’

The family had originally planned to formally adopt Carol as their daughter and have her inherit the Ravenster family name once she turned twelve.

However, before that day could arrive, Yalin’s parents tragically passed away in an accident.

With the head of the household gone, those beneath them immediately fell into disarray.

Compounded by the original Yalin’s complete unwillingness to clean up the mess, the small Ravenster family quickly disintegrated.

This was the information Yalin had pieced together from fragmented memories.

Furthermore, the novel also contained descriptions of Carol.

Though her appearances were pitifully sparse, totaling perhaps less than two chapters, this did not prevent her from leaving a profound impression on readers.

In the novel, the original Yalin pursued Celeste with a frantic obsession, as if bewitched, even abandoning his family and leaving his homeland for her sake.

Throughout this journey, Carol remained faithfully by his side, supporting him without fail.

Yet, how did the original Yalin treat Carol?

He saw Carol as a burden, lashing out with harsh words at the slightest inconvenience, treating her as a mere punching bag.

Most egregiously, after squandering all his savings in Elanmia, he even forced Carol to take on illicit odd jobs and sell her blood just to make ends meet.

Even then, Carol harbored no resentment; her sole wish was simply to help her brother.

The single line, ‘Brother, we have money now,’ brought countless readers to tears.

However, despite all her sacrifices, Carol ultimately received no reward.

In later plot developments, the original Yalin performed a ritual for the descent of an evil god to gain its power, and poor Carol was cruelly sacrificed as an offering.

Until her very end, she still fantasized about the heartwarming scene of her family dining together, blaming herself for not noticing her brother’s abnormalities sooner, believing she might have been able to awaken him then.

Yalin’s assessment of this was simply two words.

‘Scum!’

‘The original Yalin was scum! The author who conceived such a plot was also scum!’

As for the novel’s content, Yalin had only read up to this point, for the later chapters were behind a paywall, and he was a dedicated freeloader.

Thus, he had no idea whether Carol was ultimately saved or not.

However, judging by how the author made a fortune after putting the novel behind a paywall, it was certain that he, the most hated villain in the early stages, must have met a truly horrific end.

Yalin let out a soft sigh.

If he didn’t intervene, allowing the plot to unfold as in the original, Carol would swiftly meet a tragic end.

But things were different now!

Having transmigrated into this world, replacing the original Yalin, he would absolutely not allow that tragedy to repeat!

“Yalin, dinner’s ready!”

Carol’s sweet call roused Yalin from his thoughts.

Unbeknownst to him, the table was already laden with steaming dishes.

There was a creamy stew, fragrant and steaming, golden-brown wheat bread, and a plate of perfectly seared sliced meat cutlets.

Though these were all common, ordinary foods, for the two of them, who usually lived frugally, it was quite a luxurious spread.

“I made a little more today because Yalin transferred to the Alchemy Branch, so consider it a celebration…”

Carol gave an embarrassed smile, fiddling with the hem of her apron.

“But it’s fine, I’ve been diligently recording our daily expenses, so we won’t go over budget.”

‘Ah, truly a child so sensible it made one’s heart ache.’

Yalin gently shook his head.

“Our family has money now; we don’t need to live so frugally anymore.You’re growing, so you need to eat more.”

“But, but…”

“What’s wrong? Could it be you think your brother is lying to you?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

Carol quickly shook her head, but her face still held an expression of wanting to speak yet hesitating.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to worry about money anymore.”

Yalin seemed to guess her thoughts, flashing a confident smile.

“From now on, I’ll sell hooks to support you.”