“So - Laura, how’d you know my brother Jason? And how long have you been dating?” Sitting in a spacious and comfortable tent near the forest in the “farm” hidden under the garden at the back of the inn, Mack asked Laura with a gossip loving smile.
“It’s been a couple of months, not long but not short either. We met at the Grant Academy. I enrolled as a regular student and have been there for a few years, while Jason was an audit student.” Lauran Jensen smiled as she helped the family slowly rotate the barbeque rack with a giant fish on it: “It’s actually a pretty messed up story - at least in the beginning - one of my younger cousins, who was also one of those overly proud ones with bully-ish tendencies challenged Jason and his friends for a duel. Then I was dragged into it because of some familial duty clauses.”
“Duel? Why do you have duels in an academy?” Jason’s father asked: “I thought this was the magical engineering school, Jason?!”
“Yeah, well, there are self defense courses as well, because people can use magic to do bad stuff as well. So you’ve gotta be prepared. ” Jason chuckled as he tried to come up with a good excuse to cover things up, while giving Laura Jensen the look of him asking for help.
“That’s true, actually only some of the students take more battle oriented courses.” Laura Jensen chuckled and said: “My courses consist mainly of the ones related to arrays and energy theories, and Jason and I end up in some of those courses together …”
“Which is like - electrical engineering and computer science.” Jason nodded immediately: “I also take some courses in alchemy and basics of enchanted materialogy, which are like chemistry and - basics of materialogy.”
“Hey, Jason, we’re not stupid, alright?” Jason’s mother shook her head: “We know full well that you did not learn martial arts just for exercise, and you did not go to the Grant Academy to become a magical engineer.”
“Geez, mom, why?” Jason put his palm on his face.
Laura Jensen couldn’t help but laugh harder.
“It’s okay, Jason, we’ve accepted that you’re a cultivator now.” Jason’s father laughed out loud as well: “And we know you’re not going to be an engineer. When cultivation and magic are real, why fixate on anything that would provide you with a stable life and income?”
“Wow Dad, didn’t know you could even come to terms with this.” Mack shrugged: “I guess I could seriously consider going into the field of creative writing - ”
“Don’t get carried away, Mack.” Jason’s mother immediately said: “There are still things that we would not approve of. Actors or comedians? That seems more okay now.”
“Aaaanyway, Laura, what happened after the duel?” Mack immediately changed the topic: “It’s a group duel right? Jason mentioned it to me once or twice, but what happened exactly? You know, from your point of view?”
“Well, I don’t know what he told you. But he was indeed pretty good.” Laura Jensen patted Jason on the shoulder and said: “In fact, he defeated me, though my heart wasn’t in it because I did not like the way the duel was started and I was very angry and frustrated with how my cousin was acting. After that we met each other in an arrays club, and it just started from there.”
“Arrays club?” Mack laughed and looked at his parents: “Mom, Dad, he’s still a geek, just not an engineer.”
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“Yeah, well, want me to show you my weapon again?” Jason shook his head: “It’s a geek’s dream, I think they already know.”
“I’ve heard of the word ‘geek’, but what does that mean?” Laura Jensen looked at Jason and asked: “I vaguely remember that it is sometimes used in derogatory ways, but somehow it’s gained a positive meaning?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure either. I think overall it just means people who are passionate about things like comics, fantasy stories and video games.” Jason scratched his head.
“Okay, son. It’s wonderful that you are here visiting us, and with such a wonderful girlfriend.” Jason’s mother took a sip of her tea, then asked with a smile on her face and asked in Mandarin: “What happened? Are you unhappy about something?”
Jason’s eyes instantly turned red, but he still shook it off: “No, it’s fine mom, don’t worry about me.”
“Oh, son. You can tell us.” Jason’s father softened his voice and said: “I know we had our troubles, but I still want you to share with us.”
Laura Jensen saw Jason’s change in emotion and was about to help him explain: “Actually…”
“NO! No, it’s fine.” Jason grabbed Laura Jensen’s hand and said: “It’s fine, I was just upset about something, but it’s better now, nothing we can’t solve. Just remember, our Boss is very very powerful, he’ll help me.”
“That’s nice to hear. We’re relieved. But we’d still like to advise you that you should not put too much burden and stress on yourself.” Jason’s father sighed and said: “And how about coming to visit more often? So that we don’t recognize that something was bothering you everytime.”
“Yeah, yeah, of course, Dad.” Jason chuckled and said.
“Fish is done, we’re good to go!” Laura Jensen picked the fish up from the fire and put it on the metal plate set on the side.
“Alright!” Jason rubbed his hand, then conjured two long and thin knives in his hands: “Let me slice it up.”
Everyone watched as Jason sliced the well roasted fish up into many pieces and put the pieces onto stone plates.
“You’ll be alright. I don’t understand your choice. But I’m just glad to be here with you.” Laura Jensen’s voice resounded in Jason’s ears.
“Sorry about that.” Jason delivered his response through magical means without letting his family hear it: “But I just don’t want them to worry. I’ll stand with them if it gets bad. But if Boss fixes it without anyone noticing, then there will be no reason to drop this information on them.”