Above The Sky

Chapter 2133 - 57: The Silent Lambs (Part 1)

In the old days, everyone had a screaming lamb in their hearts.

Thirty-five years ago, Brin was driven out, or rather, he left home on his own accord.

His grandfather was once a treasurer of the Chehalorvo Family. Because he did not possess the Sublimation Bloodline, he survived. After arriving at Harrison Port, he spent all day drunk, beating his wife and children. His son was beaten so badly that he asked Elder Prude to oversee the family division, and within a few years, succumbed to depression.

Brin’s father was no better; he inherited all of his father’s flaws and was quick to resort to hitting and cursing at his wife and children.

He did not allow Brin to touch anything in the house; whether sitting, sleeping, eating, going to the bathroom, or going out, everything had to be reported to him. If Brin forgot or inadvertently touched anything, he would be beaten.

To protect the children, Brin’s mother was often beaten as well.

Time and again, reflected in the sorrowful eyes of his mother, amidst the blood from the wound at the corner of her eye, Brin saw for the first time his own miserable, tear-streaked, and weak appearance.

At that moment, Brin rebelled against his father for the first time. He and his mother were driven out of their home and given nothing but a dilapidated warehouse.

After all, they were family, Elder Prude let him join the herbal-gathering team. Brin indeed had talent; his keen vision enabled him to find many herbs that others could not find, perhaps a remnant of the ’Silver Halberd Falcon’ power among the Silver Peak Emissary.

By relying on battling fate, greed, courage, and ability, Brin became an experienced herb gatherer, capable of supporting himself and his mother, being able to use his money to bury his mother, and having the prestige that remained unaffected by refusing his aging father’s plea.

He confronted his uncle, that fool thought Brin’s mother was dead, Brin himself had neither wife nor children, thus wanted to seize Brin’s property.

No... perhaps it was not seizing.

At that time, his uncle merely lamented that Brin’s work was too dangerous, asking what would happen to the property if Brin died. He suggested whether Brin should live with him, quickly find someone suitable to marry and have a child, or to leave a will, at least leaving a plan.

Perhaps there was greed, but also goodwill.

But Brin’s heart was screaming.

— Impossible! Everything he owns is his! Nobody can take it away!

— Only if I want to give, can you have it! If I do not want to give, if you take it, even in death, I will never forgive!

— Family? Family is not included! What family? He only has his mother, acknowledges only his mother!

Amidst broken bowl fragments, spilled alcohol, reflected in his uncle’s shocked and angry eyes, Brin saw his own reflection once more.

It was a visage almost identical to his father’s and grandfather’s.

Thirty-five years later.

Brin Silverpeak, South Sea Fleet Silverpeak Commerce Guild Steward, awakened from his bed.

Gentle sunlight passed through the window, shining on the pillow and blanket, while a steaming golden tea cup emitted hot vapor, reflecting light on the bedside cabinet.

The person beside him had already gotten up and prepared his favorite drink for him. Brin smiled, got up, and took small sips of the hot tea.

"Darling, are you awake?"

After Brin washed up and dressed, his wife’s voice echoed loudly from the kitchen downstairs: "Do you remember what needs to be done today?"

"I remember." Brin smacked his lips and said: "Sora’s parent-teacher meeting and the academy’s open class, I’ll be there."

"Hmph~" his wife’s voice carried a hint of complaint: "I’ll attend the parent-teacher meeting, but in the afternoon, I have to prepare dinner with the neighbor from the Sainan Family, so I can’t go to our baby’s open class."

"If I don’t go, you must! After all these years, you haven’t gone even once!"

"I know, I know, sigh, it’s all for earning a living... I specifically took a year off for today, don’t you understand the hardship of earning money?"

Brin grumbled disdainfully, but his mouth was smiling.

He was choosing his desired coat from the wardrobe, not usually concerned much about his appearance, but to ensure he had an imposing demeanor in front of his daughter’s classmates and their parents, he needed to choose carefully.

After selecting a coat, Brin thought for a moment and then chose an Alchemist’s belt, pinning up the formal Alchemist Badge he recently acquired.

Others may not know the high-level commerce guild, but an Alchemist is different.

After completing all of this, he considered whether he had all he needed, closed the wardrobe, and then stepped out the door.

It was a two-story building located at Silverpeak Avenue (Old Pier Avenue) at Harrison Port, with transparent floor-to-ceiling windows facing the azure Southern Sea. The bright sunshine warmed the entire home, dust rising and falling in the light and shadows, wall hangings visible on the walls, sugar jars in the cabinets, a cape and runic fabrics on the coat rack, a sofa in the center of the living room displaying a ball of yarn and a half-knitted shawl, crafted by his wife.

Everything about the house was fine, except it was a bit damp by the sea.

Honestly, it was excessively damp, but because the family practiced Water Series Origin Quality, it was meant to be as moist as this.

Ever since the implementation of the Reconstruction of the New City plan three years ago, the entirety of Harrison Port had transformed. Originally just an old coastal fortress city, where various urban planning was to guard against Magical Beasts and Natives, serving as a temporary military port for the South Sea Fleet.

Now, the entire city had been rejuvenated, with clean streets, neat and wide docks, tiered living areas leveraging the terrain, and various public facility regions—ubiquitous Crystal Towers and towering Alchemy Tower buildings—almost as though it had leapt centuries in development, stepping from a medieval era into the age of futurism.