Rail Star Universe

Morning light slowly crept through the gaps in the worn-out curtains, filling the room with warm golden rays. Kael opened his eyes slowly. His blurry vision began to focus, revealing a pale wooden ceiling and walls stained with damp patches. A faint smell of candles and dust filled the air, reminiscent of neglected old homes.

He blinked several times, trying to make sense of where he was. As he rose from the small bed with its rusty iron frame, he rubbed his face with pale, thin hands. His body felt heavy, as if he had been asleep for far too long.

"Is this... my room?" he murmured in a hoarse voice.

Kael's eyes wandered around the small room. Near the window stood a simple wooden desk. On it were a few scattered sheets of paper, but one letter stood out. It was placed carefully, as if waiting to be found.

Kael stepped forward slowly, his body still wobbly. His foot almost tripped on the worn carpet on the floor. He reached for the letter, broke its fragile seal, and began reading the neat handwriting.

After reading the letter, Kael exhaled deeply, his eyes fixed on it. Slowly, memories began to seep back. Melissa, his sister, the girl he had promised to protect after their parents passed away.

"Hm..." Kael stared at the letter again. "So she went to Dunwich."

He folded the letter and placed it back on the desk. His mind began to process the information slowly. He moved towards the small wardrobe near the desk. Opening its doors, he found neatly stacked clothes, most of them worn but still clean. He searched deeper, looking for something.

No money pouches. No spare dollars or coins. Nothing was left.

"Oh…" he muttered softly. He closed the wardrobe slowly, then leaned against it, trying to digest the situation. "Even the emergency funds too?"

Kael stood in silence, trying to piece together the fragments of facts in his mind. Melissa couldn't have been careless with finances—she was always more meticulous than he was. However, their situation had been far from stable recently. Had Melissa used the money to fund her journey on an economy-class steam train? Perhaps to cover food expenses for the six-day, one-night trip? he thought bitterly.

["Makes sense, considering train tickets aren't cheap, and she might have planned to bring back a nearly depleted salary to patch up expenses."] Kael sighed heavily, trying to calm himself before moving away from the wardrobe. Without wasting time, he stood up and walked to the bathroom, letting the cold water wash away his tense body.

After bathing, Kael donned a formal outfit: a tall hat, a crisp white shirt, a precisely tailored black suit, matching trousers, and a perfectly tied black tie. He gripped a black cane firmly, as if it symbolized his resolve for the day. Without a word, he left the apartment, walking through the bustling crowd with a calm demeanor, though his body felt weak.

At the corner of Dunwich East garment factory, the atmosphere was filled with the hum of sewing machines and the damp smell of fabric, mingling with the rustle of cloth rolls and the scent of new thread. Melissa sat among the other female workers, holding a needle and thread, her eyes fixed on the lace she was slowly stitching. Her fingers moved, though they felt stiff and tired after six days of work.

Next to her, a new friend, Clara, sighed deeply while setting down her embroidery. "Melissa, have you started getting used to this job?" Clara asked, looking at Melissa with a tired smile.

Melissa glanced at her friend and nodded slightly. "A little. But my fingers feel like they stop working every night."

Clara chuckled softly, though her eyes showed understanding. "You're not alone. On my first day, I cried in my room because my hands were almost numb. But you know what? Over time, we'll get used to it."

Melissa sighed as she smoothed the folds of fabric on her lap. "Maybe. But I never imagined that stitching lace all day could feel like this. I thought it was just about patience, but it turns out... it's exhausting."

Clara nodded. "That's the job. We might be paid to create something beautiful, but rarely does anyone see how hard we work for it."

Melissa paused for a moment, staring at the lace she had almost finished. "I just hope all this is worth it. I have to send money back home."

Clara gently patted her shoulder. "And you will. You're strong, Melissa."

Despite her exhaustion, Melissa gave a faint smile, then returned to stitching, trying to ignore the pain in her fingers.