Shadow Ascendancy

Luxandria, a city of luxury and excess, stood as a haven for the world's wealthiest and most powerful individuals. Its grandeur was embodied in sprawling mansions, towering skyscrapers, and a lifestyle of extreme luxury. The streets dazzled with beautiful lights, lined with exquisite shops selling the finest goods. Countless restaurants offered the most decadent cuisines. Luxury cars adorned the roads and the wealthy homes of the rich showcased modernity at its finest.

Amidst the affluent, however, coexisted the impoverished families of Luxandria. Among them were the Belshers, who, for generations, had earned a reputation for providing diligent service to the wealthier families. The Belshers, burdened by their meager income and limited resources, saw this as their only means of survival in Luxandria. The family, consisting of 122 members, found themselves caught in the grip of poverty. Ninety-five of them toiled away in laborious, low-paying jobs such as dishwashing, janitorial work, and other menial tasks that reflected their lack of wealth.

Rin Belsher, a young man in the family, possessed a rare gift—a remarkable ability to learn and adapt swiftly, a skill not found in other Belsher members. Since childhood, Rin had displayed an uncanny talent for acquiring new skills effortlessly. If not for his family's legacy, he might have soared to great heights by now. Alas, one's fate is not easily altered.

"Hey, you rat!"

A piercing scream from upstairs snapped Rin out of his thoughts. He was currently enjoying his ten-minute break from his duties as a yard worker at the Costa family estate, where his tasks involved collecting garbage after large events and occasionally tending to the lawn.

"Yes, Mr. Costa? How may I assist you?" Rin responded to the impudent call of Dave Costa, an arrogant and privileged young man. Dave held significant influence within the Costa family, for whom Rin worked.

"One of the guests clogged the toilet with a massive dump. Why don't you come clean it?" Dave smirked, relishing in demeaning Rin. Dave was well aware of Rin's family background and reveled in taunting him, often using him for menial tasks while embarrassing him in front of the girls he brought to the Costa estate to boost his own image.

Obediently, Rin followed Dave to the clogged toilet, his disappointment lingering as he performed the task. While cleaning, a sense of unfulfilled potential gnawed at him, as if he were destined for more than just being a mere toilet cleaner or yard worker. The flame inside him, yearning for greater heights, had never been fully ignited. Thus he had resigned himself to serving the Costa family for a meager paycheck that barely sustained his beloved mother and younger sister, whom he cherished dearly. Despite their hardships, the three toiled relentlessly to make ends meet.

Nonetheless, Rin eagerly awaited the following day, for it was payday. On these occasions, the Belsher family gathered at a random member's house to share their accomplishments and recount their various activities throughout the month.

Rin's thoughts were interrupted by the smooth, melodic laughter emanating from the ladies gathered in the living room adjacent to the toilet he had just finished cleaning. He hurriedly made his way out of the restroom, ready to attend to his other tasks. Little did he know that the women had noticed his presence and were about to engage in mockery.

The two women, both in their early twenties, exuded elegance and possessed stunning, lustrous hair. With her exquisite curvaceous figure accentuated by a form-fitting skirt, Marie Costa caught Rin's eye immediately. She was a short beauty with golden hair and piercing navy blue eyes. Accompanying her was her friend Shealyn Reams, not as stunning as Marie but still an attractive woman. Rin had harbored a profound infatuation for Marie for a long time, often daydreaming about one day capturing her heart. Lost in admiration, Rin's reverie was abruptly disrupted by Shealyn's voice.

"Hey, Marie, so you have a Belsher working at your estate too? The head of my family recently hired ten new maids, and believe it or not, they're all Belshers!" Shealyn's words dripped with intent to belittle Rin, having noticed his lingering gaze on Marie. She was well aware of Rin's presence, as he had been working there for two years and had become familiar with many of Marie's friends due to their habit of sending him on errands.

Marie turned her head to Rin and said, "Yeah, that loser has been here for a while now. I don't understand how someone can live like that." Marie's voice dripped with disgust as she looked at Rin, who belonged to a different world. Having never worked such jobs in her life, she looked down upon people like Rin. In her eyes, only the rich and powerful were worthy of her attention, and Rin was far from that. Her disdain for him was palpable.

"Hey, Rin, why don't you make yourself useful and go buy us some drinks? Some of my friends are coming over, and we'll need an errand boy, so you'll have to stay late," implied Marie. She treated Rin like her personal servant, relishing in his submissive gaze. It was important to her that every interaction with Rin reinforced his subordinate position.

Wanting to join in, Shealyn added with a mocking expression on her face, "Try not to be a perverted creep while you spend the night. You're only here to serve us as an errand boy, so don't get any strange ideas." Shealyn took pleasure in making Rin's life miserable. To her, poor people like Rin were inconsequential and disposable.

Rin nodded and took the money for the drinks from Marie. He maintained a calm and composed exterior, but inside, he seethed with anger towards Shealyn and harbored a shattered heart for Marie. Nevertheless, he obeyed their commands. This job was what sustained his family, and he knew that even if he switched to work for another family, the treatment would likely be the same or worse. At least here, he got to catch glimpses of Marie, The most beautiful woman in his eyes.

As Rin walked out through the estate gate, the guards looked at him with disgust and mockingly whispered to each other in the background.