When I got home, all I wanted was a long nap that I’d been putting off for too long.

I was mentally drained from the Written Exam, which seemed designed by someone with a twisted sense of enjoyment in others’ suffering. The Field Exam was no better, infested with nightmarish spiders.

I had planned to spend the rest of the day resting, but that plan was quickly derailed as soon as I opened the door.

My mom greeted me enthusiastically. “Sweetie, congratulations! We’re having a dinner party tonight to celebrate. Your dad and brother are coming home!”

I responded with a nod. “Walson is coming home? I haven’t heard from him in ages...” I’d been unable to reach him through phone calls, messages, or email.

Mom began to smooth my hair with her hand. “Go take a shower and rest a bit; you look absolutely exhausted.” She placed a hand on her face. “I know how hard the Written Exam was. I saw how much you were studying.”

“You weren’t worried about me during the Field Exam?”

“I trust you on the field. My concern is with your academic tests.”

“...”

“So, what do you want for dinner, sweetie?”

I considered the question for a moment and replied, “Fish.”

----

I lay in my bed, exhausted but not quite tired enough to sleep, staring at the ceiling and contemplating the future. My thoughts wandered back to the first timeline and how bleak it had been.

I had been confined to this room for months, and now, looking around at the emptiness, I found myself missing my pet fish. When I was younger, I loved watching "Finding Nemo," "Finding Dory," and "Finding Marlin." I had an aquarium with twelve fish—six clownfish and six blue tangs—named Aradia, Tavros, Sollux, Karkat, Nepeta, Kanaya, Terezi, Vriska, Equius, Gamzee, Eridan, and Feferi. I would spend hours watching them swim gracefully and enjoyed feeding them.

The connection I had with those fish was so deep that I cried more over their loss than anything else. My brother Walson had used magic to shatter the aquarium, killing all my beloved fish. That incident and the following week made me seriously consider harming him. Walson, cold and indifferent, never even apologized.

As I thought about my brother, he walked in, opening the door. Walson had a handsome face that I hated to admit, with black hair and brown eyes like mine, and a robust build. He carried a large sword on his back.

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He flicked on the light, casting a bright glow over the room, and said, “Little brother, you’ve grown.”

“Walson, you’re hard to reach. Did you bring the Unicorn Mana Core?”

“Unicorns don’t just appear out of nowhere. I’ll need to travel south to hunt one down. I’m quite busy and have other commitments.”

“Are you too good to help me out, big-shot B-Rank Adventurer? My classmates’ families are rich and support them. I can’t even afford a decent Magic Item. I’m just asking for a Magic Core.”

Before our conversation turned into an argument, I added, “The Duke Family will be sending a honey trap named Anna your way. Don’t get caught off guard—Jessica can be very jealous.”

“Where did you get this information?”

“I have a reliable source who prefers to stay anonymous. Do with the information what you will.”

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind.” Walson leaned against the wall. “Do you really want to be an adventurer? The job is dangerous, and the guild and its associates are worse than a public restroom.”

I replied sarcastically, “Yes, there’s a sea of job options out there. Almost everything is automated now, except for nurses, overseers, and lawyers. Given my limited choices, being an adventurer is my best bet.”

“Society is broken,” Walson sighed. “The only reason adventurers haven’t been replaced by drones is that humans are easier to replace.”

“I like to think we’re making progress. Maybe one day robots will harness mana and render us obsolete.”

“Well, society won’t be fixed in our lifetime.”

“Stop being such a downer, Walson.”

I couldn’t help but wonder how anyone could find a negative person like my brother attractive.

---

Dad, Mom, and Walson were all seated at the dinner table, which struck me as unusual since we usually ate in front of the TV.

I looked at the plates: Mom and Dad had Salisbury steak, while Walson had vegetable soup. My plate held a generous serving of fish and chips.

I took my seat and waited for dinner to begin.

Dad spoke up first. “Congratulations, Wally! I can’t believe you passed and got into Anubis Academy! You’re on your way to becoming a great Adventurer. Anubis Academy is your golden ticket to success!”

Mom added with a smile, “I told you, Anthony, that he could do it. I’ve always believed in our son. It would have been nice if he could have gone to a school closer to home, though.”

Walson commented, “I’m surprised he scored high enough on the Written Exam. Still, good job, little brother.”

I gave a modest smile and replied, “I guess I just got lucky.”

Dad then asked, “Do you know which Guild you want to join? I could recommend the Blue Wolf Guild since I work there.”

As I heard Dad’s question, I felt a sense of déjà vu. Hadn’t this come up before in the first timeline?

Walson interjected, “The Blue Wolf Guild is too small. He should aim for one of the top four guilds after he graduates from Anubis Academy.”

Dad countered, “The larger guilds have higher mortality rates. The War God Guild is known for burning through new adventurers quickly.”

Walson replied, “For your growth and career, you need to face challenges and become tougher. If you graduate from Anubis Academy, I wouldn’t mind you joining the Steel Steeds Guild.”

Dad sighed, “You’ve always been stubborn and ignored my advice. The burden of being a high-ranking adventurer is tough. Why would I want that for my sons?”

Mom interjected sharply, “Anthony, that’s enough! We should be celebrating our son’s achievements, not arguing.”

Dad seemed to deflate, “Alright, Claire... Boys, dig in.”

Walson nodded and began sipping his vegetable soup.

I watched him drink his soup mechanically. Walson had told me that in the future, he couldn’t stand the sight of meat after all the monsters he’d killed.

Being a high-ranking adventurer clearly takes its toll.