Cutlery and porcelain clashed with one another. Teeth crushed, tore, and sheared away food materials. Masticating it, blending it with saliva, turning the food into an easily digestible pulp. It’s dinner time at the Dunkel house. Reina has her job at the bank. Yijun has her art career.

Ferdinand was dealing with increasing levels of responsibility and authority at the construction company. Thaddeus has a job at the bakery. I’m finishing school. Emile has school too. All was well with the Dunkel household, as it was meant to be.

With our disparate schedules we didn’t always eat together, but we did so at least twice per week. A purposeful move by our parents to make sure they were able to keep in touch with us of the junior generation.

Thad liked to grumble and make a big deal about how much of an onus he was, but he also wasn’t shy about making dinner requests. Taking it for granted that he’d be in attendance. Emile didn’t make as much noise, she was still young enough that our parents kept a close eye on her. Especially since she was the one girl in the family.

Tonight we were eating a butter-chicken casserole, with some green-bean salad as a side. Yijun had made some delectable soy milk pudding for dessert. Ferdinand was probing Thad about how his job at Grand-Basin’s biggest bakery was going. He didn’t mind the path his eldest son had chosen to take, he just wanted to make sure that Thad knew what he was doing, and was putting his best foot forward.

Reina was quietly chiding Emile to sit upright. Emile rolled her eyes, which resulted in more chiding from both mothers. My mischievous little sister was getting to be “that” age, and had apparently recently gotten into a bit of trouble in school.

“Parents, I have made a decision regarding which order I would like to join,” I said.

The family fell quiet. All three of my parents stopped what they were doing and looked towards me. I had to do my best to reman calm and even-keeled. I had not intended to draw this much attention. I had assumed that I would be able to simply inform them, without too much fuss. It seems I was perhaps mistaken.

“Oh? You have?” said Yijun. Her voice filled with concern and hidden edge of worry. I’d noted that my mother had seemed increasingly tense since the discovery of my powers. It had seemed odd to me, since she’d always known that I had powers. Yet it was unmistakably the case, that she was showing additional signs of stress since my appraisal day.

“...Yes…I have elected to join the Wandering Circus of Arcadia,” I said.

“Oh!...Oh, that’s wonderful. That's an excellent choice, hon…Er, that is truly what you wanted to do, right? I thought you wanted to join those Milkman fellows?” said Yijun.

“I…I changed my mind. I thought the Circus would give me a better foundation and better prospects…Plus, they travel a lot more broadly,” I said. Doing my best to convince my mother that my reasons for changing the order I would join, were positive ones.

“Are…Are you sure?” said Yijun. Frowning.

“Yes, mother,” I said.

“O-, Oh…Okay, then…Well, I’m happy for you then. I’ve heard that’s one group that’s surprisingly hard to get into,” said Yijun. The tension I’d noticed before seemed to slowly vanish. Making me intuit that I’d managed to avoid the landmine that she’d been worrying about.

“The Wandering Circus, huh…I’ve heard of that group…They’re actually pretty prestigious…I think they’re supposed to be one of the oldest magus orders in Tesson,” said Reina. Beaming.

“Way to go, son…We’ll be behind you no matter what group you pick. But, will they take you though?” said Ferdinand. Sounding concerned.

“I believe so…based on my talks with their recruiter,” I said. Deftly deciding not to mention the measures I had taken to ensure the order’s interest.

“Ah, well, in that case, godspeed son. Good luck out there…Yijun tells me that the world of magic can be a bit cutthroat and dangerous…and though I know you’ve no doubt made your own plans, don’t be afraid to call on your folks if you need us…That’s what parents and family…are there for,” said Ferdinand.

“Understood, father,” I said. Nodding. Feeling a bit touched, and a bit guilty.

I had proceeded with no issues before because unlike colleges, joining a magus order would generally bring no costs to one’s family. Instead, there were some benefits I could squeeze from any group I got for my family. Still, besides ensuring a lack of detriments to the Dunkels, I’d placed any concerns or needs that the family might have had in regards to this choice on the backburner. Focusing on my own priorities and needs.

I didn’t regret making that choice, but I did feel a bit bad about it now. It was always in moments like this one, where I found myself chiding myself for forgetting my current family was not the same as my old one. I was no longer the only person in the room concerned about my welfare.

While my parents had made it largely clear that the choice of which group I would join was ultimately up to me, I was now wondering if it had been inconsiderate of me to leave them completely out of the decision-making process. No matter…The deed was done and the matter was settled. With my family duly informed of my plans, I could now relax.

So long as nothing unexpected happened, things would progress as they needed to, and there was no further need for me to be concerned. The Blackcrests, and most other groups would balk before offending the family of one of Arcadia’s clowns. Meanwhile, I was already working on other measures to protect my family from other “less-rational”, and/or less deliberate, threats.

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From then on, things calmed down, and I stopped panicking. I would be vigilant, but I would not allow myself to be ruled by fear. I was busy meditating. Or rather than merely meditating, I had allowed a portion of my mind to focus on cycling aetheric-energy through my body and soul, i.e. the actual meditation.

Meanwhile, the rest of my mind collected, coalesced, and categorized the data it was receiving from the various installations I’d created over the years. As I grew older, my parents' concern over what I was up to, and who I was with, when I wasn’t in school, or under their supervision gradually decreased. It wasn't that they stopped caring, they just trusted me more...Which was a nice experience. Standing in stark contrast to my original mother putting me in increasingly complex, increasingly fortified, increasingly restrictive, cages, the older I got and the more of her objectives I succeeded in.

Eventually, I reached a point where I’d gained a level of personal freedom that I’d never experienced in either of my lives. I used that freedom to make frequent trips into Tesson’s sea of stars.

Touring the solar system in search of materials, absorbing solar energy and cosmic radiation, building a network of spiritual-linked, quantum-entangled, stealth satellites, space stations, and autonomous-resource acquisition drones. I cumulatively called these satellites, space stations, and drones the “Red-Cauldron”

Thanks to the Red-Cauldron, my understanding of this universe, and my understanding of Tesson itself were growing exponentially. My personal strength and military potential were also rapidly increasing because I was now able to harvest all manner of materials from asteroids, moons, and uninhabited planets. I was also able to store and draw on the power of the stars and the background radiation that leaked into this universe from other planes of existence.

*************************************************************************************************************

I had a minor breakthrough today. This time it was one focused on the enhancement of my motor-neural system and synapses. Increasing my agility and dexterity. Just as I was about to take a break for today and think about getting some lunch, there was a knock on my bedroom door.

“What can I do for you, Emile,” I said.

The door opened and a narrow, oval-shaped face, with large dark-brown eyes, a large nose, and full lips pressed together in a pout entered my room.

“I still think it's freaky when you do that,” said Emile.

“Apologies then…Anyway, did you need anything?” I said. Paying no mind to my sister’s fussing because by now, I knew she’d mostly spoken in jest.

“Ah, right…So, um…I was wondering…Would it be possible for you to maybe teach ‘me’ some magic?” said Emile.

“Hm? I suppose I could do so. That being said, I am curious why you didn’t ask Mother Yijun,” I said.

“Why would I ask mom?” said Emile. Looking at me blankly. Making me realize that I was the only one in the house who was aware of Yijun’s elevated level of magical energy.

“Never mind…” I said. Deciding to let the matter lie, since there was likely a reason Yijun had never actually spoken about her experiences with magic and the magical world to us kids and I wasn't the sort to pry.

“So, er, will you teach me?” said Emile

“Sure...Though, I ‘am’ curious as to what brought this on,” I said.

“Well, it sounds like you’re going to be leaving pretty soon, school barely teaches us anything practical in regards to magic, and well…You’re pretty much the only mage in the family…So I just figured…” said Emile.

“Ah, understood…Well, come here, then,” I said. Accepting my sister’s rationale and waving. Gesturing that she should approach because I saw no need for me to be the one to move when she was one asking for a favor.

Emile stepped into my room. Looking around curiously, though I had no clue what it was she was looking at. I’ve never really had much in my room. Anything that I regularly needed. particularly cared about, or wanted to keep secret, is stored in one of the fortified and secured personal subspaces I used as my inventory. Thus my room was generally pretty sparse, with only my bed, a desk, and a dresser stand filled with folded uniforms and underwear.

Once Emile was right in front of me, I tapped her forehead with my index finger.

“Ow, dude, what the…? Oh, what the what?!” said Emile. Eyelids fluttering, body trembling. Recoiling from the tap of my finger, and then freezing in place like a lagging machine.

“What was that?!” said Emile. Wide-eyed.

“A data-packet…Er, direct knowledge and experience transfer…You’ll master in days, things that would generally take you years to properly gain a foundation in,” I said.

“No, way! How is that a thing?! And do you have one that can help me ace my math’s course?” said Emile. Looking bewildered and then intrigued.

“Why wouldn’t it be a thing?” I said. Brow furrowed. Not bothering to directly answer her second question, because magic was actually fairly mathematics-heavy, so I’d be surprised if she was still having trouble with paltry classroom mathematics after properly assimilating with the data-packet I’d just given her.

My sister met my gaze, then eventually made a scoffing noise and shook her head.

“Okay, whatever…So, what happens now?” said Emile.

“Now, you leave…You let it sit for a bit, and over the course of a day, or maybe a few days, the information will properly gel with the data your mind has gathered the old-fashioned way,” I said.

“Er…Okay…Thanks, I guess,” said Emile. Absent-mindedly, scratching her arm.

“Don’t mention it…Like literally, don’t mention it…Ever. Or, at least, don’t mention it outside the house. This is the kind of thing that would be dangerous if knowledge of it spread to the wrong ears,” I said. Nodding. One eye opening, as I said the latter bit.

Emile gave me this strange look and then she shook her head.

“Hm, yeah….From what little of the data-thingy that I can see, I get why you wouldn’t want too many people knowing about it…Mums the word…Anyway, thanks and uh,...for what it counts, I’m gonna miss you, bro,” said Emile.

I smiled.

“I will miss you as well, little sister…and I shall endeavor to visit when I can…” I said.

“Heh, you do that then,” said Emile.