Capítulo 72: Star Rail: Starting with a Lyre, Living off Busking [72] [DDD!]
December Double Drop!
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In the Underworld, nobody is entirely useless. Even the lowliest scavengers or the most desperate bandits have some skill to rely on. Whether it's extortion or sheer brute force, these are talents they've honed just to survive.
The people in the Robot Settlement, while outwardly wanderers, each carry at least a bit of mechanical knowledge. Otherwise, how could they scavenge and distinguish parts worth keeping from mere scraps?
With skills picked up over time, they don't merely receive aid from the Automaton Guards—they actively maintain them. The emergence of the "little mechanical friends" is intricately tied to this symbiotic relationship, where the settlers contribute to the upkeep of their mechanical protectors.
Thus, even if some shameless freeloader ever did show up to take advantage of a young girl's kindness, neither the people in the Settlement nor the Automatons would tolerate it.
After all, in the Underworld, Svarog has something of a fearsome reputation.
Sure, Sampo and Oleg joke about him leading a "motley robot militia," but if that were truly the case, Sampo could cut through them all in no time. It's because of Svarog's strength that they've maintained their neutral position for so long.
Growing up in this environment, Clara naturally hesitated to accept others' kindness without giving something in return.
After all, she was a child raised by Svarog, always under his care and protection.
Every chance to live, every scrap of knowledge she gained to survive in society—it all came from him. Though he wasn't her parent, he'd always supported her quietly from behind, showing her the care only family could give.
So, Clara could say with certainty: Mr. Svarog is her family. Even if they sometimes disagreed, in the end, Clara trusted his judgments wholeheartedly. To her, Mr. Svarog was steady and reliable, like a father.
But Sister Venti… she was different.
Unlike anyone Clara had ever known, Sister Venti seemed to radiate light even in the darkest places.
Whether through her songs or her way of connecting with people, she always brought a fresh breeze into everyone's lives.
From a vague sense of discomfort at first, Clara soon found herself looking forward to Venti's visits, feeling fulfilled to be accepted as her family.
Though their time together was brief—far shorter than her years with Mr. Svarog—the depth of her feelings for Sister Venti was no less sincere.
More importantly, Sister Venti wasn't just kind to Clara alone; she shared that familial warmth with everyone around her equally.
Though she didn't like to admit it, Clara sometimes wished that Mr. Svarog and Sister Venti would focus on her just a bit more, even feeling a hint of jealousy now and then.
Like last time, when she saw Sister Venti bringing Sister Bronya with her, Clara felt a sudden rush of anxiety.
She was afraid of losing her family, worried she might never see Sister Venti again. So, she tried her best to help them, hoping to show her worth.
If she could prove herself useful, maybe Sister Venti would look her way a little more, right?
Clara wanted to be a child who was loved, because loved children don't fail.
She wanted to work hard for this.
But if she received love, what could she give in return?
Especially when that love was so abundant, it felt like something she'd never be able to repay.
...Could she truly be worthy of being Sister Venti's family?
No matter how warmly Sister Venti looked at her every time they met, the closer she grew to her, the harder it was to let go.
In her heart, Clara sighed quietly—
It seems even children have their worries.
Though neither Venti nor Svarog openly acknowledged the subtle emotions swirling within her, they both likely understood.
Because family doesn't always mean seeking something in return; it's about the unbreakable bond that makes them willing to make these choices.
Whether it was Venti or Svarog, both were more than willing to do so for Clara.
And for Clara, the same was true.
As long as these feelings remained, they would forever be family.
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Meanwhile, in Qlipoth Fort—
Cocolia fixed Sebastian with an icy stare, her tone laced with hostility.
"If I recall correctly, I told you to bring that willful child back—not to come up with excuses to let her continue her antics."
"...You're absolutely correct. But Miss Bronya has her own mind. Forcing her back too soon would only ignite her rebelliousness." Sebastian kept his tone respectful and steady.
"Miss Bronya may have always shown remarkable composure, but that's precisely why we overlooked the stress that came from her elite training. She never received the care she needed, leading to this outcome.
I believe that developing her character is not something that can be achieved overnight. Rushing—"
"Bang!"
Sebastian was abruptly cut off by Cocolia slamming her hand down on the table, her eyes bloodshot, resentment etched into her expression.
"I don't need to hear more of this nonsense! My order was for you to bring Bronya back, not to discuss how to indulge her whims!"
Sebastian fell silent, bowing even lower.
Cocolia drew a sharp breath, her gaze hard and unforgiving as her voice turned razor-sharp.
"Enough. All I see in you is arrogance and ignorance.
You so-called architects are all the same. Always armed with reasons to cover up your incompetence, outwardly loyal but secretly tripping her up, just so you can watch her stumble and have her replaced."
"...Ma'am, I don't think that—"
"Silence! I won't hear any more weak defenses."
She glared coldly at her stunned butler, her lips curling in disdain.
"This is your final chance. Tell those old cronies that if they don't want to be fed to the dragons outside the city walls, they'd better stay in line!"
She didn't bother to ask if he understood; had he not been Bronya's tutor, she would have long since found an excuse to remove him.
The Architects' influence might still linger, but Cocolia had managed to gradually reduce them to mere figureheads.
Those who'd defied her in the past had learned their lesson, and the current ones were well aware of it.
These were truths Bronya remained unaware of—Cocolia had protected her too well, only for these forces to exploit the situation in another way.
But it didn't matter. She would bring Bronya back herself and tell her most precious daughter that her youthful defiance had to come to an end.
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Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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