Kevin sat with his family, enjoying their simple morning breakfast of plain bread filled with boiled potato and accompanied by a humble serving of curd. As they ate together, he noticed his sister, Riya, engrossed in sliding her fingers across the glass slab they all used as a smartphone. Although it was an outdated model, they couldn't afford the more advanced holographic screens that had become popular in their world.
Meanwhile, his mother appeared distracted, her gaze fixed on something beyond the table. Kevin observed her absentmindedly crumbling the torn piece of bread into smaller fragments, a telltale sign that her mind was preoccupied.
"Mother, what happened?" Kevin inquired, his curiosity piqued as he savored a particularly delightful bite of bread.
With a soft sigh, Maria snapped out of her reverie, refocusing her eyes on her son. Though a hint of sadness lingered in the corners of her eyes, she mustered a smile and deflected Kevin's question. "Oh, nothing... How is the food?"
"It's really tasty," Kevin replied, his mouth still full as he savored another piece of curd-dipped bread.
Encouraged by his positive response, Maria placed another plain bread on his plate. Kevin didn't hesitate to accept it, appreciating the generosity of his mother's gesture. Though they were not affluent, they managed to afford three meals a day, and they made sure to eat their fill.
Maria appeared slightly troubled as she glanced at Kevin and spoke with a touch of concern. "Son, your uncle visited us again yesterday."
Continuing to eat, Kevin sifted through his memories of his uncle. The man was his father's younger brother and lived just a few blocks away from their home. In a way better house than this one and in a richer district. After his father's passing, his uncle had been instrumental in helping them secure this house, as their previous one had been lost due to his father's drinking habits.
"Did he want me to work in the mine?" Kevin asked, already aware of the reason behind his uncle's frequent visits. His uncle was employed in the mines, a stark contrast to his father's role as a cultivator before succumbing to alcoholism. His father had never shared his cultivation techniques, not even with his brother, leaving Kevin without access to that path.
It was fortunate that his uncle harbored no ill feelings towards their family, and Kevin genuinely liked him. However, he had no desire to work in the mines, which was why his mother appeared troubled by broaching the topic.
Maria nodded, her worry evident, but Kevin smiled reassuringly and said, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll go to his house today and tell him that I'll work in the mine, at least for now."
As he made this declaration, his mother's smile brightened, her eyes lighting up with surprise. "Really?" she exclaimed.
"Yeah," Kevin affirmed, his determination evident. He then shifted his gaze to his mother's veil, which concealed her beautiful smile from his sight, and posed a question. "Mother, why don't you stop wearing that veil? Father isn't here to stop you."
His mother shook her head, her resolve unwavering. "I made a promise to your father that I would continue to wear this for the rest of my life."
Riya, who had remained silent, interjected with frustration, "Mother, he's no longer here, and even when he was, why should you care about his promises? He didn't care about us and fucked around all his life."
Maria's eyes flashed with anger as she reprimanded Riya, her voice firm. "Do not speak of your father like that, young lady." Riya closed her mouth, chastened by her mother's reproach.
"Mom, at least consider not wearing it inside the home," Kevin pleaded, frustration evident in his voice.
Once again, Maria shook her head, closing the discussion. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
Kevin exchanged a frustrated look with his sister, both of them longing for their mother to shed the veil that seemed to symbolize their father's presence and control. It was a topic that often sparked tension and left them feeling helpless, unable to understand their mother's unwavering dedication to a promise made long ago.
The remainder of the breakfast passed in silence, though Riya attempted to provoke Maria into scolding Kevin for spending the night outside and drinking. However, Maria simply reminded Kevin not to repeat his actions, to which he nodded in agreement. Riya grew increasingly annoyed by their nonchalant interaction.
Riya was the first to finish her meal, quickly rising from the table to prepare for her morning practice. As a college athlete in her final year, she excelled in football. Kevin found it intriguing that in a world where individuals could become superhumans overnight, there was still room for conventional sports like football. It seemed that only a fraction of the population possessed the necessary attributes to become cultivators, while the majority of people remained as ordinary humans with similar interests and hobbies, much like in his previous world.
It wasn't that these individuals couldn't cultivate rather, they lacked access to cultivation techniques. Kevin was aware that the country he currently resided in had a relatively low number of cultivators, while other nations boasted much higher percentages of cultivators within their populations.
Lost in his thoughts, Kevin swiftly finished his breakfast and made his way to his uncle Stuart's house. He was eager to have a conversation about working in the mines, where his uncle was involved in the extraction of Spiritite Crystals, a valuable resource used by cultivators for purposes unknown to Kevin. His father had secured this job for his uncle, recognizing the benefits of working in an environment rich with cultivation resources. The exposure to such energies was believed to enhance the vitality and overall health of the human body.
Previously, Kevin had harbored aspirations of managing the store, but the unfortunate reality was that there was nothing in the store to manage. There wasn't even a single pen to sell in that store. In order to kickstart the store's operations, Kevin needed capital or merchandise to sell. Thus, he had made the decision to join the mining job today, hoping to earn some much-needed cash to invest in the store and make it a viable business venture.