Outside the Sword and Rose Artificer University in Garlean, the capital of the Starry Kingdom.

As summer approached, the stars in the sky increased from two to two and a half. Looking up, one could see a small shining star. The temperature in Garlean rose accordingly, and the sunlight was intense. Even a few steps outside could make one break out in a sweat.

Sonia took small steps and saw her mother Martha standing under the shining stars, sweating profusely. She pulled her to the shade of a nearby tree and said, “Mom, why are you standing outside? You can hide from the sun on the forest path inside the school.”

Martha smiled foolishly and said, “I’m afraid you won’t see me…”

“I’ve told you so many times, call me Sonia, not Linda!”

Sonia suddenly became angry, and Martha nodded repeatedly, “Sorry, sorry, I forgot again. By the way, I brought your favorite egg custard puff…”

Looking at Martha’s eager-to-please appearance, Sonia felt guilty again. She held her hand and said, “I won’t eat it. I’m trying to lose weight lately and can’t eat such sweet things.”

“You’re so thin, why lose weight? I’m afraid a gust of wind will blow you away. Do you remember Uncle Elmer? His son has been sick for a long time and hasn’t been cured. His body is as light as a scarecrow in the field. You’re even thinner than him…”

Martha saw Sonia’s thin figure and felt very sorry. She had been a farmer in the agricultural town of the Starry Kingdom since childhood and could not appreciate the slender beauty of the big city. She sincerely hoped that her daughter could be stronger.

Sonia didn’t interrupt her mother’s chatter and waited until she stopped before saying, “It’s rare for you to come to Garlean. Let me take you around the capital…”

“No need, no need!” Martha quickly waved her hand and shook her head. “Don’t waste your money. I saw a park over there when I walked over…”

“Walked over!?” Sonia’s voice raised eight octaves. “Didn’t I tell you to take the tram after getting off the train? The train station is so far from the school…”

“It doesn’t matter, I came early, and it’s good exercise to walk around. I’m not old yet, it’s okay to walk around…”

It was only then that Sonia noticed that Martha’s sleeves were all dyed dark. The sun was very good today, and the students on campus were all dressed in summer clothes. But Martha had taken the train to Garlean last night, and her hometown was already in the cool autumn. Naturally, she wore several layers of clothes. Just walking for a while made her forehead sweat, and she subconsciously wiped it with her sleeve, causing the color to bleed.

Sonia wanted to tell her not to save this money, but the words turned into, “Let me take you to buy some clothes.”

Martha shook her head unconsciously, “We have plenty of clothes at home…”

“Listen to me today!”

Sonia Seway, born in a poor village in the Starry Kingdom that could not even be found on a map. She had to walk a mountain road for a day to reach the nearest town where the train would stop before taking the train to the capital, Garlean.Among the children in the village, only Sonia has completed the basic education program provided by the kingdom for free with the miracle bracelet, and participated in the online unified enrollment examination of the Star Higher Academy before reaching the age limit, successfully passing and being admitted to Garlean’s Sword and Rose Artificer University, also known as the Sword Flower University.

Her father died from drinking when she was very young. In her memory, he was just a waste who would get angry when he was drunk, and she was raised by her mother Martha.

It was because of this that she was able to temporarily break away from labor and focus on studying, instead of spending her life like other children, working in factories during the day and watching the only available meteor channel in the village at night.

When she arrived in Garlean for the first time, she knew that even if she died, she had to die in this city, with its clean streets, towering buildings, rushing luxury cars, polite and civilized people, and giant screens playing propaganda shorts day and night.

Therefore, she changed her name to Sonia, instead of Linda that any random waitress could be called;

She learned makeup and clothing matching in a short time, and corrected her accent within a month of entering school;

She obtained multiple part-time jobs with her superior appearance, and did not fall behind in her studies. She also expanded her social circle with scholarships and part-time wages, and participated in various activities…plus she was the host of several school events last year, with high exposure, and has been considered by many as a member of the 67th Sword Flower.

Why can’t I be happy when so many people in this world can be?

The whole afternoon, Sonia took Martha to tour Garlean. At Sonia’s insistence, Martha reluctantly went to a clothing store that looked very expensive to try on clothes.

If it weren’t for her daughter, just the female clerk in the store with a sneering smile was enough to make Martha shrink away.

But as the price of buying clothes, Sonia didn’t spend any money for the whole afternoon, and Martha even brought water in a kettle beforehand.

“This is clean water provided by the train station. I’ll just drink this. Don’t buy those red and green drinks. I can’t stand them,” Martha said.

Even for dinner, Martha said she hadn’t finished the bread she brought, and it would be a waste not to eat it. Sonia knew that taking her mother to those upscale restaurants would only make her suffer, so she and her mother sat in the park eating bread.

Before 6 o’clock, Sonia sent Martha to the train station.

The return ticket had been bought and bound to Martha’s bracelet, and just needed to be checked at the checkpoint.

Just before reaching the checkpoint, Sonia suddenly said, “Why don’t you stay for a night? I don’t have class tomorrow, so I can accompany you for another day.”

Martha looked at Sonia in surprise, her lips moved, but in the end she shook her head and squinted her eyes into a narrow slit. “No need. It’s a waste of money to refund the ticket, and I can’t get used to living here. I can’t understand what others are saying, and I have to rush back to feed the chickens at home…Oh, I almost forgot…”She took out a tightly hidden small bag from her bosom, didn’t open it, and directly stuffed it into Sonia’s hand: “There are three silver coins inside…”

“Mom, I—”

“I know you don’t lack, but I can’t spend this money at home either.”

Martha tightly held Sonia’s hand, “Mom is useless, I can’t help you with anything. But Linda, rest assured, I won’t drag you down. You can live in the capital with peace of mind. I’m doing well in my hometown. The neighbors will help me with anything. Just remember to write back, but don’t send money. Keep it for yourself, and maybe the post office will take your money…”

This time, Sonia didn’t correct Martha for calling her by her nickname ‘Linda’ again. She quietly listened to her nagging and suddenly understood why her mother didn’t wait for her at school. After Martha finished speaking, she calmly said, “I will bring you to Garlean in the future, and live a rich life.”

Martha smiled and nodded, “Mom believes in you. But you must also remember that no matter what happens, Mom will be waiting for you at home with a good meal. The big city is too complicated, isn’t it nice to live a simple life at home…”

Sonia watched her mother’s slightly hunched back gradually recede, eventually disappearing into the crowd.

Suddenly, she slid to the right, avoiding a man who was about to bump into her. The man looked surprised, muttered something under his breath, and hurriedly left.

“Indeed, the big city is too complicated,” Sonia murmured softly, “But I am precisely that kind of complicated person.”

She turned around and left the train station, striding back to the brightly lit and bustling city of Garlean.