Towards the edge of Red Oak City, one wouldn’t find many high-rise buildings. Many homes here aodated a dozen families, five, eventually only two or one.

  Due to the limited spaone of the houses here were particurly spacious. There were multiple blocks sisting of houses built right o each other, surrounding a small park for everyone’s use.

  Although the city didn’t have a long history, it was built with the future in mind, with the aim of eventually housing ten million people.

  The homes built towards the edge were sidered a cession to attract middle-css families. They served their purpose, attrag families from all over the federation to settle on Falva Star, just like the Day family.

  Menie Day opened her eyes, finding herself in her familiar room. A fortable bed carried her body. The room wasn’t big, but it had everything a young woman might need.

  Exhausted after such a long day she let out a sigh, resting her head on the pillow. In the er of her vision, she found various posters hanging on the wall.

  Mel let out a faint grin.

  “Prime, Celestial, Earth King. Did you see that? Another first clear! Soon, I will join your ranks!”

  The pyers famous throughout the federation unfortunately couldn’t answer her. But Mel was fident that she would sooer their eyes, and those idols she worshipped for years would have to take her serious.

  In a great mood the young woman stood up from her bed ao her desk. She g the scattered books waiting for her to learn from them.

  “Sorry…”

  Mel coughed awkwardly, ing up the desk, and putting these books out of her view. A bck tablet was revealed. She picked it up and happily browsed various sites, looking for reports about their party.

  “It seems like we are the only oo pass so far. Everyone wants to knoe did it, but I only say: Get your own Mirage.”

  Mel could foresee that Fortune’s video would draw a huge audience again.

  “ht… Fortune!”

  Mel suddenly thought about something and quickly logged into her bank at. She wore a broad grin looking at the huge numbers.

  Fortune had promised the party to pay them for the right to record. With the success of her videos this was not a small sum.

  Mel alone had received more than 30.000 credits during this month. Together with the 25.000 remuion granted by Silver Bde after the first dungeon clear, she had earned more than 50.000 credits in a single month.

  This was more mohan Mel earned during the three years of w small jobs after school. The young woman was incredibly gratified, feeling as if her life was taking off.

  Boom!

  Suddenly a loud ered Mel’s ears, apanied by a high ringing.

  Mel was startled, putting dowablet, and opening the door to her room hastily. Urgent steps could be heard as she ran dowairs. She quickly spotted the source of the noise:

  “Dad!”

  The young woman shouted anxiously, approag the single cou the small living room.

  A disheveled man was lying in front of it, only his feet still on the couch. His grey shirt was wet and staihe smell of alcohol permeated the room.

  Mel’s heart threateo break seeing this se. She g the table, notig the picture of a kind, red-haired woman among bottles of cheap booze.

  The young woman held back her tears as she carefully kneeled in front of her father, making sure to avoid any pieces of gss, and checked her father for injuries.

  Feeling the familiar tou his face, Mel’s father Lawreurned his head, looking at his precious daughter with blurry, red eyes.

  Lawrehoughts moved and he couldn’t stop the tears ing out of his eyes.

  “Mel, my… loly daughder.”

  “Dad, don’t move. I o check your head.”

  “I’m fine… I don’d feel anyding.”

  “That’s not a good thing!”

  Mel had to forcefully suppress her emotions seeing her father like this. After carefully toug his head and not finding any blood she let out a sigh of relief. She carefully helped her father sit back up.

  Lawrence focused oable, silent tears running down his cheeks.

  “Today would be mother’s 41st birthday…”, whispered Mel.

  “Yes.”

  “I miss her.”

  Mel’s voice sounded incredibly plicated. She picked up the picture of her mother, speaking words meant for both her parents:

  “Mom, you daughter has had a lot of success retly. I ehis game, you know. I was incredibly lucky and got io the best party iire game!

  We are having a lot of fun and are extremely successful. I even made a lot of money! You see, there is o worry about me and dad. I know he has always thought of himself as not being as strong as you.

  But dad has worked incredibly hard! After your death he did everything to provide me with the best life possible!

  And now that I have grown up, I will earn a lot of money. I finally take some pressure from dad!”

  While Mel spoke, her father looked at her with a plex expression. Tears opped ing out of his eyes.

  “I’m sorry, my good doughder! Id’s only because I’m useless… I have caused you so many worries.”

  “No dad. Don’t say that! I know how harsh it has been for you! I know it’s almost a miracle that I go to college. You have nothing to bme yourself for!”

  Lawreched his daughter, who behaved incredibly mature. He was incredibly gratified. He opened his arms, pulling Mel into a strong hug.

  Mel embraced her father, silently apanying him in m for her mother. Determination moved deep in her eyes, vowing to lead their guild to the top and building a stable, worry-free life for her and her dad.

  ***

  Meanwhile, a bck car arrived in front of another pound sisting of a rge park and three promi high-rise buildings. A decorative gate marked the entrahe name ‘Red Oak Uy’ written on it in bold letters.

  The car stopped and a blond woman got off together with a taciturn man.

  “You wait here, I won’t take long.”

  thia dismissed her bodyguard casually. The observant man looked at her back.

  He sidered her behavior unusual. Her expression seemed nervous, and she didn’t even turn around to talk to him. He didn’t get to know thia as one of those spoiled brats disregarding their bodyguards.

  But still, it wasn’t his pce to ask questions. With a simple ‘yes’ the man remained outside.

  Meanwhile thia walked into the uy, gathering her ce. She directly approached the main building, ign the other students around her.

  But just as she was about to reach her target, a grating voice came from the side:

  “Oh, look who decided to honor us with her presence.”

  thia gritted her teeth, turning towards a group of three girls, fag their tall, bck-haired leader:

  “Theresa…”

  “Oh? I’m surprised you still remember my name. I haven’t seen you in almost a month!”

  “What do you want?”

  “Me? Nothing. I’m just here to catch up with a good friend.”

  “Well, sorry, but I have no time.”

  thia scoffed at the girl and swiftly turned around.

  “Hey, Cye! Don’t run away!”

  Theresa watched with a grin as thia’s body stiffened for a moment before speeding up and disappearing into the building.

  “You were right, Theresa!”, excimed one of her friends.

  “Of course. Even an idiot think of it. When I realized that Silva Colville is Silver Bde, I naturally reized that blond b*tch by her side!”

  “I don’t get what Silva likes about that girl.”, said the other friend with an ugly expression.

  “Right. What tricks did thia py for Silva to keep her so close? Now she is eveing carried in aboul! Lucky b*tch!”

  “Don’t worry! I’m sure Silva will someday uand that that girl isn’t worthy of her status. Sooner or ter, she will cooperate with us! Until then, we mustn’t fall behind in aboul!”

  “Yes.”

  thia’s mood sreatly from the short exge. She could imagine what the three women were discussing behind her back. Taking a deep breath, she tinued fulfilling the task she came here for.

  After going up a few floors she nervously ehe student office. When she came out, she had officially applied to pause her studies.

  thia closed her eyes for a moment, adjustiate of mind. Now there was only oh ahead. The guild deserved her full attention!

  “Ehm, sorry… are you… Cye?”

  A timid voice suddenly reached thia’s ears. She opened her eyes, finding a woman wearing inspicuous clothes, a bit taler than her, standing before her.

  thia looked at the woman strangely as she had no recolle of her at all.

  “Why do you ask?”, questioned thia suspiciously.

  The woman obviously gathered all her ce, blurting out her purpose:

  “I want to bee part of Hotpot!”

  mykrail