Family Dinner

V1 Chapter 3: Family Dinner

I heard mom's voice calling me, which broke my thoughts. "Jake, come down to have dinner!" she yelled. (Alright! Let's go. I am quite hungry right now). I packed my books and went down to have my dinner (I just hope there's meat). 

Yes, meat in this world is absolutely delicious, probably because there's magic flowing inside them too. I have never tasted anything like that in my old life. 

My body was growing nicely, and I looked pretty cute (I wonder if ill look like a model when I grow up). Pushing my thoughts away, I entered the dining room where my dad was already sitting.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw a silhouette of a person that honestly surprised me (When did he return??). I said, "Hi Clark," yes, I don't call him big brother. (I am his father's age damnit)

"Hi, Jake." He replied with a smile

"When did you come home?" I asked him with a confused smile, (I remember this is not his time for vacation, winter is three months ahead.) 

"I arrived a few minutes ago; my academy was hosting an event for some noble houses. So we were sent home for the duration," He explained.

Soon the scent of meat hit my nose as my mom started serving dinner. (Smells delicious), That increased my hunger two-fold, and I was eying my food like a wolf. 

As soon as everyone got seated, I pounced on the cooked meal. "You should learn the proper etiquette if you want to be a Knight," Clark said annoyedly. (Did I offend him or something?).

"Eh? But I don't want to become a Knight," I voiced, making my tone like a kid. My brother was in the Knights Academy of Ishara, and his only dream was to be a Knight. 

"What do you want to become then?" This time my dad asked me this question because he also went to the Knight's academy and dropped out from there to become an adventurer.

His eyes were glittering when he asked me that question (Does he want me to become an adventurer?), I just confusedly replied, "I have not decided yet."

"If not, Knight, you should become an adventurer like me!" My dad pressured me a little (This is getting out of hand now). As I thought about how to politely reject his proposal, my mother sternly replied. 

"Honey, he is just three years old right now. He should make a decision when he grows up!" (Thanks for the save, mom!)

My mom shut my dad up from further pressuring me to become an adventurer. Although being a free adventurer is always better than blindly order following Knights, I still don't want to answer my parents and limit my choices right now.

I want to explore the new world. This world has no Internet, so I have to explore it independently. 

Most people here don't even leave their hometown for their entire life. Even dad, an A-rank adventurer, hasn't even been to the Kindom's capital!

So, I can deduce that being an adventurer will not give me any freedom to move and explore the world. 

"Have you read all those books you bought?" dad asked me 

"Yes" (what's he up to now?)

"What is so interesting in them? I remember when I was young, I never liked books, and I  always went hunting with my friends," He asked me with a look of disbelief and nostalgia.

"I am really interested in magic," I said, and I actually was, as there was no magic on Earth.

"Just for magic?" He asked again (I can smell a scheme here)

"Yep," I replied

"You can learn it as an adventurer too," Dad said with an accomplished smile that said 'mission completed' (what the hell is wrong with him, why is he so obsessed with it?)

Before I could reply to him, mom sent a sharp glare at him that even scared me (No matter what world, a pissed-off woman is scarier than a thousand beasts). Turning towards my dad, she said with a smile, "Did you forget what I just said, Andrew?" 

(Oh shit, she called him by his name, he's dead now!) "W-what are you saying, June? I was just suggesting him," he replied. I think this is the first time I have seen my dad stutter.

"Stop doing that!" Mom said with a tone that she didn't accept any rejection.

I just continued my dinner while my brother Clark was just eating silently. (I should ask him about schools in this world, I want to know how much they are different)

After a while, I asked my brother, "What is it like in the academy?"

He looked at me for a second and replied, "It is harsh" (Aren't all schools harsh, though?)

"How so?" I asked, and I totally expected a childish answer from my brother, but what I heard surprised me.

"We are all just by ourselves, just surviving there alone is quite difficult," He replied with a serious tone which meant he was not kidding (What kind of school is that?)

I looked at my brother with a confused gaze as I asked again, "I don't understand" (I truly don't get the common sense of this word)

Clark annoyingly looked at me for a second (This fucking kid… Sigh~). "They are made to filter the best one out. I want to become a Knight, and I am a water-attack type mage. This means that if I am not on the top list of the school, no noble will recruit me as a Knight. Even the academy doesn't care about the rest of them." 

(This is a fucking production factory!) "What happens to the rest of the people?” I asked him again. (Why are my parents looking at me weirdly?)

"They say they are just cannon-fodder trash. Nobody wants them; even in my elementary school, many children have died, and they have even killed each other. We all just brand them as weaklings who didn't survive," Clark replied. (What the actual fuck, aren't they just 5~6 years old? They kill each other?)

Those words shocked me! I was just sitting with my mouth agape, still processing my brother's words. In the place where I had come from, Earth, I have never seen anyone killing or even remotely close to it.

"Now! Jake, the dining table isn't the place to discuss these topics. Clark, you calm down too!" mom said to us. I just ate my dinner silently, but my mind was in chaos (What will I even do here?). I was again harshly reminded that I wasn't in my old world. 

I don't particularly like humans, I have seen corruption and many disgusting characteristics of humanity, but it seems this new world is more ruthless than my last one.

(Can I even survive here?) I kept repeating to myself. I haven't even hunted an animal before, let alone taken a human life. (This is the world where only strength matters.)

I realized this fact of this word and made a determination in my mind. (I won't give up! I just want to live happily. As long as I become strong, it should be an easy goal!) With a determined gaze, I looked towards my father, who had finished eating. 

"Dad, I want to become stronger!" he looked at me with an amusing gaze, then asked with a playful smile.

"You can only use magic after awakening." (Ahh, this man is teasing me about when I said I liked magic, Fuck you.)

"No! Teach me swordsmanship!" I said, hiding my annoyance from him. 

I will become stronger, strong enough that no one messes with me. I'll use my power to not be targeted anywhere and live happily and protect my new family. 

My father was surprised, to say the least, then a smile formed on his bearded face, and he said. "That's my boy. I'll teach you from tomorrow onwards! Hahaha!"