After arriving in my room, Diana shoves me onto the chair.
"You think this is funny?"
"What do you mean?"
"Showing up like that and mocking us."
At that moment, my parents and younger sister enter.
"What's going on here?"
"Don't worry, Father. I'm just giving our brother a scolding."
Diana stops yelling at me and turns to face my father. He, too, seems annoyed and glares at me with the same anger in his eyes, but he stays silent as Diana steps closer.
"Do you really think humiliating us like this will solve anything?" Diana moves even closer, her voice dripping with contempt. "We already know that ever since Ernesto arrived, you've been nothing but an ungrateful child who only causes trouble. But trying to ruin something as special as his party today… that's a new low."
I don't expect to fix anything with you people anymore. I don't expect anything at all.
"Exactly when did I ruin anything? I came home quietly, and if it weren't for that aunt of ours, you wouldn't have even noticed I was here. Second, at no point did I mention that you all forgot my birthday, so I don't see how I humiliated you."
For a moment, Diana falls silent, and the others avert their gazes—except for Mother, who steps forward and seems to notice the cake in my trash bin.
"Listen, we didn't forget. Ernesto had a minor emergency yesterday, and we had to help him. Don't be upset—we can celebrate your birthday another time."
Mother tries to mediate, but she isn't taking responsibility. She's just trying to save face in front of the others.
"Since when is your birthday more important than Ernesto's health? You're just selfish for wanting us to prioritize you over a family member's well-being!"
Leslie starts berating me for being selfish, and no one stops her. So this is what they all really think of me.
"Fine. We'll compensate you with whatever gift you want. Just don't throw one of your tantrums today."
When Father says that, I look him straight in the eyes.
Where is the love from those parents and sisters? All of it vanished the day Ernesto arrived. They don't even see me as someone worth celebrating anymore. And now they have the nerve to lie to my face and insult me, making me shoulder all the blame.
"I don't need any gifts from you. In fact, someone already gave me a wonderful gift yesterday—something that truly made me happy. So don't worry about giving me anything."
An uncomfortable silence fills the room. No one seems to know how to react. Father frowns as if my words are a challenge rather than a sincere statement. Diana crosses her arms, clearly annoyed by my defiance. Leslie keeps glaring at me with disdain, and Mother looks uneasy, as if she wants to say something but doesn't know how.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Father finally says, breaking the silence. "But if you think this will get you anything, you're wrong."
I don't even have the energy to argue anymore.
"You should all go back downstairs. After all, there are guests waiting for you. I'll just stay here and rest—I won't cause any trouble."
Though Father seems like he wants to keep arguing, Mother stops him, and they leave one by one in silence, with Diana slamming the door behind her.
I thought I'd leave this house in the morning—one last goodbye, or a faint hope that they might change. But this just proves they won't. So the best thing is to leave tonight.
I stand up slowly, feeling the weight of every movement. My body still aches from this morning's run, but the physical pain is nothing compared to the emptiness in my chest. I look around my room, the place that had been my refuge for so many years. The bare walls, the empty desk, the unmade bed—everything screams that this was never a home.
"Time to go."
I walk to the closet and pull out the suitcase I'd hidden under the bed. Opening it, I start packing my belongings with quick, decisive movements. I don't need much—some clothes, a few books, the money I'd secretly saved. I don't want to take anything that reminds me of them. Nothing that ties me to this place.
As I pack, my mind wanders. I remember the early days, when Ernesto first arrived. At first, I didn't care. I thought it would be temporary, that my family would stay the same. But they didn't. Over time, everything changed. The smiles that were once for me were now for him. The conversations we used to have now revolved around his achievements, his needs, his desires. And me? I became invisible.
I hit myself on the head, stopping that train of thought. If it weren't for Calm Mind, I might have started crying in front of them. At least I kept my composure—though the sadness hasn't faded.
Once everything is packed, I wait until everyone is asleep.
∆∆∆
The laughter and chatter from downstairs had long since faded, leaving only the silence of the night. I glance at my wristwatch: 2:34 a.m. It's time.
I stand up quietly, grab my suitcase, and make sure I haven't left anything behind. I don't want to come back here—not even for a forgotten item. With one last look at the room, I step into the hallway.
The corridor is dark, lit only by the faint moonlight streaming through the windows. I move slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. When I reach the stairs, I pause for a moment, hearing footsteps upstairs. My heart races, but I force myself to take a deep breath.
Once I reach the first floor, I head straight for the front door. No goodbyes, no notes. My family doesn't deserve an explanation. I open the door carefully, ensuring it doesn't creak, and step out into the cold night.
It seems no one is guarding the gate, so I slip out as quickly as I can and start walking briskly, suitcase in hand. Even if they check the security cameras, they won't know where I went. I consider calling a taxi, but at this hour, there won't be any around. So I walk all the way to the apartment building.
The streets are empty as I drag my suitcase behind me. The city is silent, and the streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement. I don't care about the late hour or the exhaustion. I just want to reach my new home.
After about two hours, I arrive at the apartment building. I climb the stairs to the second floor and find the door to my new place. Pulling out the keys Mrs. Elena had given me, I unlock the door.
Thank you, Mrs. Elena, for giving me the keys even though I said I wouldn't need them yet. I'd die of embarrassment if I had to wake you up at 4 a.m. to let me in—that'd be starting things off on the wrong foot.
The apartment is small and modest, but it's mine. A blank space I can fill with my own things, my own memories. I drop my suitcase on the floor and sit on the edge of the bed, feeling the tension of the past few days finally begin to fade.
Even though the mattress is harder and the bed feels like it might collapse any second, I feel completely at ease.
As I relax, I hear a beep.
Looking up, I see the System screen open.
[You have completed all tutorial missions. You may now accept missions freely—but remember, IT'S AT YOUR OWN RISK.]
That last warning is unsettling, but I open the System anyway.
[
Name: William Sanders
Age: 19
Race: Human
Titles: None
---
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Endurance: 5
Intelligence: 9
Luck: 4
Perception: 7
Willpower: 10
---
[Skills]
[Calm Mind] [Running (Lv. 1)] [Stealth (Lv. 1)]
---
[Missions]
[Shop]
]
[Stealth: You can reduce your presence in dark places for 15 seconds, making you undetectable.
Passive: Your footsteps become quieter as you walk or run.]
Even though the duration is short, this skill is incredibly powerful. It'll be useful in the future.
Now it's time to check the missions. When I open the mission tab, a message appears:
[Would you like an in-depth explanation of how missions work?
[YES] [NO]]
I press YES—I want to fully understand how this System's missions function.
The screen flickers, and then an energetic, enthusiastic voice echoes in my mind.
[Hey, William! I'm Atlas, your personalized mission guide! Nice to meet you!]
The voice is far more lively than Iris's, almost as if it's excited to be here. It catches me off guard, but I can't help but smile a little at its energy.
"Uh… hi, Atlas," I reply, a bit unsure. "Thanks for the help."
[Of course! I'm here to make sure you understand everything about missions and how they work! So let's get right to it!]
The screen changes, displaying a list of key points.
[First, the basic rules of missions!] Atlas begins, sounding like an excited teacher. [When you travel to another world, there's a temporal discrepancy. For example, one day there might be just a few minutes here! So don't worry about losing too much time—unless you get stuck in a world for years, of course! But that usually doesn't happen… I think!]
"That's useful," I say, nodding. "So I don't have to worry about disappearing for too long."
[Exactly! Next point!] Atlas continues, as if reading off a list of exciting things. [Some missions send your entire body to another world, while others only transfer your consciousness. It depends on the mission type and the world you're going to. So be prepared for both!]
"What happens if my body stays here while my consciousness is in another world?" I ask, slightly worried.
[Don't worry! Your body will be safe, entering a kind of stasis where you can spend days—or even years—without needing sustenance. Just make sure no one finds you in that state.]
I won't even ask what happens if I die in another world. If my body dies, it's obvious I'll die too.
[Exactly, William! You're very sharp!] Atlas says, as if reading my thoughts. [But don't worry, the System is designed to minimize risks. Still, it's always good to be cautious!]
I nod, trying to take it all in. "Got it. So how do I pick a mission?"
[Ah, that's the fun part!] Atlas exclaims, and the screen shifts to show several options. [You can choose a specific mission from the list, or if you're feeling adventurous, you can try the Random Mission function. It's thrilling!]
"Random Mission?" I ask, intrigued. "What's that?"
[Simple! If you pick a Random Mission, the System will select one for you. The downside? It's mandatory—you can't refuse! But the upside is that the rewards are usually much better. More points, exclusive skills, sometimes even rare items! But keep in mind, these missions are often dangerous and can take a long time to complete.]
That does sound interesting… but also risky.
[Well, that's everything you need to know! ATLAS, OUT!]
And just like that, it's gone—no goodbye. What a strange System.
Now that I understand how missions work, I decide to look for one that'll help me improve my skills and strength.
[Mission: The Enchanted Forest
Description: An enchanted forest is being corrupted by a dark force. Purify it and uncover the source of the corruption.
Time Dilation: 1 day/hour
Reward: 100 System Points, choice of basic weapon
[ACCEPT]
]
This doesn't seem too difficult. I tap ACCEPT.