NOVEL NEXT Chapter 91 Tyler’s Past (Part 2)
Fortunate was young Tyler, for under local laws, individuals under the age of 14 bore no criminal responsibility.
Yet luck eluded him, as the stain of manslaughter forever bound him, leaving no school daring to accept him, let alone finding respectable work in society.
But for the grieving homeroom teacher who lost a son, this punishment was insufficient.
Not long after, Tyler inexplicably found himself confined to a juvenile detention center.
Juvenile detention centers exist to educate, save, and reform young offenders.
According to regulations, children under 14 should not be admitted, but rules have always constrained those without power.
Tyler's parents exhausted all their connections and sought help, but in the end, they could only watch as he was imprisoned in the juvenile detention center.
.
No one knew how the young Tyler endured that time.
All they knew was that upon his release, he seemed unrecognizable from his former self.
At 14, Tyler no longer resembled a child, his demeanor as experienced and calm as an adult who had weathered the social storms for over a decade.
Once expressive, Tyler now rarely revealed his emotions, only allowing an occasional stiff smile when in the company of his parents.
Soon, his parents discovered that he hadn't lost his emotions; rather, he no longer displayed them.
Whenever the occasion called for it, Tyler would laugh, scold, or express himself like a normal person, perfectly poised like a masked actor capable of "performing" any emotion required.
When no longer needed, Tyler reverted to an expressionless state, his emotions existing solely for the performance of gauging others' reactions.
His parents understood: their child had grown up, tragically ahead of "schedule".
Tyler matured, smoothing his rough edges, learning to assess situations and judge people.
He no longer pursued so-called justice and fairness; for him, the happiness and safety of his family of three were all that mattered.
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Tyler's parents spent their life savings to move hundreds of kilometers away to a new town, hoping for a fresh start.
Tyler, not disappointing their expectations, with excellent performance, gradually returning to a normal academic life.
With parents at work and child in school, the Tyler family finally regained a semblance of "ordinary" life after enduring hardships.
Although they had lost everything and had to start from scratch;
Although their finances were so tight they couldn't even afford to turn on the lights;
As long as they were together, they had the motivation to persevere.
Three years later, the Tyler family gradually escaped extreme poverty.
Tyler studied relentlessly, his excellent grades allowing him to skip two grades, returning to the level appropriate for his age.
Another year passed, and their home began to resemble that of an "ordinary" family, with Tyler joining the key class preparing for college entrance exams.
But just as everything seemed to be on the right track, fate played another cruel joke on Tyler.
His father fell ill.
Another graduation season brought unbearable news to the family.
The fragile foundation of Tyler's small household was once again pushed to the brink of collapse.
Having read Tyler's background information, the stupid loli finally understood.
All the incongruities in this young man now had reasonable explanations.
It is often adversity, not time, that fosters growth.
Stupid loli had encountered numerous Deathbound, who generally held little interest in a second chance at life.
Overwhelmed by the hardships of existence, they reasoned that even if granted another opportunity, their lives would remain unchanged. Thus, resigned to their fate, such an attitude was widespread among the Deathbound.
Yet Tyler was different, determined to fulfill the mission of the "Benevolent God." From the moment he entered the Prison Star World to the present, he had scarcely slackened his efforts.
Stupid loli could see that the driving force behind this young man was not the preservation of his own life, but the desire to avoid burdening his parents once more.
It seemed that the longing for redemption and atonement could surpass even the will to survive.
Tyler provided stupid loli with a new perspective. What astonished her even more was that, despite his experiences, he still possessed a fiercely passionate heart.
It is said that those who slay dragons ultimately become evil dragons themselves, an inescapable destiny for humanity.
Yet Tyler did not succumb to the selfish nature of "grown-ups."
Beneath his cold, unfeeling exterior and cunning calculations, traces of the young Tyler remained.
Otherwise, he would not have considered Avril's feelings; nor would he have risked the perilous journey to the Sandrift Goege to gather flowers.
After weathering the tempest, the fire within Tyler continued to burn.
Within the young man's heart, a flame still endured.
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━━━━━━━━━
〖Prison Star Calendar〗
〖Year 187, June 2〗
〖8:16 AM〗
〖Countdown to Confession Death: 18 days〗
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In Ira Village, Avril dedicated each day to caring for Granny Kana.
Her attentiveness stemmed from genuine concern and a desire to fulfill the dying wish of Rhode.
One ordinary day, as Avril brewed the usual medicine for Granny Kana, the concoction in the bowl adopted a faint Holy Luminescence.
Granny Kana's vision was poor, and Avril paid little heed, both assuming they had merely seen incorrectly.
If Tyler had been present, he would have been astonished to discover that Avril had unknowingly awakened the Combat Occupation of "Priest Apprentice" and even mastered her first Combat Occupation skill, "Potion Effect Amplification."
However, Tyler was not there, and the two continued their conversation, oblivious to what had transpired.
Granny Kana subtly inquired about the relationship between Avril and Banning, hoping to support their budding connection, but Avril, with her heart set on other matters, skillfully evaded the topic.
Four days later, Granny Kana had fully recovered, feeling even better than before her illness, and began urging Avril to explore the world beyond their village.
"Avril, dear, I suggest you visit Sunny Town—it's a marvelous place! Don't worry if you're not accustomed to it; you can always return here. Ira Village will forever be your home!"
Granny Kana's incessant chatter all conveyed the same message: urging Avril to journey to Sunny Town and find Banning.
Clever Avril understood Granny Kana's intentions but remained hesitant.
Elle, too, supported Granny Kana's proposal and began murmuring in Avril's mind.
– (Avril, let's go to Sunny Town!)
– (Avril, don't you want to grow and learn as well?)
– (Avril, if you stay in the village, you'll only drift further from Banning.)
Ultimately, under the combined persuasion of Elle and Granny Kana, Avril decided to venture to Sunny Town. This delighted Elle, who couldn't help but hum a tune in Avril's mind.
– (Humming… Off to catch a cheater… Off to catch a cheater!)