Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Daughter They Optimized Away: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

I stared at the forum until my fingertips went cold."Give up what is mine. Receive what I desire?"But what did I even have?All I had were grades that never rose high enough.All I had was a debt I could never pay off.All I had were chores that never ended.All I had was my name sitting under that cold red mark on the scorecard by the door.Maybe none of that was worth anything. Maybe none of it could buy what I wanted.After hesitating for a long time, I was about to close the page when I heard my parents talking outside."What happened to Mia this time? Why did she mess up again? Is the pressure getting to her?" Mom's voice carried its usual exhaustion as she sighed. "Her total score was three full points lower than Ava's. Her ranking dropped, too.""At this rate, even Westbridge Academy will be out of reach."Dad let out a low, dismissive laugh.Then I heard the calculator reset with a hard click.My entire body flinched on instinct.I knew that sound too well. Dad

The forum disappeared.The countdown had officially begun.It was late at night. Cold air slipped through the gaps around the old window.Strangely, the sharp ache from the cold began to fade from my body.At first, I did not think much of it. I assumed I had gone numb.But the next morning, while I was making breakfast for the family, hot oil from a fried egg splattered onto my hand.I hissed and pulled back.The burning pain I expected never came.There was only a dull sensation, as if the pain belonged to someone else.I stared blankly at my reddening finger.So it had already started.Panic rose in my chest.The forum said I would become an academic machine.When that happened, would I still be me?Would I still recognize Mom, Dad, and Ava?So I secretly took the allowance Grandpa had given me and slipped into a gift shop on the way home.I wanted to buy gifts for my family.When I became a machine with no feelings, at least those gifts could stay with them in my p

The moment I said it, something inside me split cleanly away.All the negative emotions inside me vanished.Then I pulled away from my body and found myself watching that other "me" like a bystander.The "me" who had been trembling from shame suddenly straightened her back."I" raised my head and said calmly, "Confirmed. Executing instruction: return home."Dad's throat bobbed. The insults he had been about to throw at me stuck in his mouth.In the end, he only snorted roughly."Good. Let's go.""I" followed him step for step.Every stride looked as if it had been measured with a ruler.When we got home, Dad threw his keys onto the shoe cabinet and said angrily, "From now on, you study at home. Try getting any crooked ideas again.""I" gave no reaction to his words.Instead, I walked straight to the desk and sat down.Mom opened her mouth, then frowned in confusion.Something was obviously wrong.There was no child left in my face at all.Dad saw that "I" did nothing ex

Dad stared at "me" while his fingers began tapping the table unconsciously.That was his habit whenever he calculated gains and losses.Eight thousand dollars was not a small amount."Can you guarantee a prize?" Dad asked, wavering."Based on current mastery, the probability of winning is 87.3 percent," "I" stated calmly. "This is a controllable-risk investment with clear returns."Dad fell silent and picked up the calculator on the table.Ava finally could not take it anymore. She shot to her feet."Dad! She's lost her mind! What if she gives up halfway through? The money will be thrown away!"Her face flushed as she screamed, "I'm the competition candidate this family invested in!""I" was in no hurry. I simply offered a condition Dad could not refuse."A performance-based wager can be signed."If I fail to win, I will voluntarily assume double the registration cost."The calculator keys clicked rapidly.I watched Dad calculate input and output, probability and sunk cost

"Please, don't."That forum was the devil.But Ava's fingers stopped. Trembling all over, she tapped the link.[Please enter your wish.]Ava gritted her teeth and typed with shaking hands.[I want to know what happened to my sister Mia Lawson. Why did she become like this?]The screen went dark, then lit again.[Evaluating request...][Analyzing tradable assets...][Exchange approved.][You will receive: Mia Lawson's complete memories before and after the transaction.][Cost due: within the next three months, you will live through the pain Mia Lawson endured.][Warning: sensory experience may cause severe physical and psychological discomfort.][Do you accept?]I shook my head desperately and tried to throw myself forward to snatch the phone away.But I could do nothing.Ava wanted the truth.She took a deep breath and pressed Yes.In an instant, an enormous flood of images forced itself into her mind.At last, she saw the old me washing her clothes with rotting, cra