Joseph had undergone a marvelous transformation after the apocalypse had started. His negative feelings and his douchey behavior had somehow disappeared. However, it was hard to pin it on one thing, whether it was the death of his parents, the need to grow up and avoid death, the company of Jacob, and staying with him and his aunt. It was impossible to point at one thing that had started the change or even made it by itself to make a long story very short.
But, the aggregation of all these factors had, without a doubt, made him into a different person. The guy who used to swear to Mr. Michelis had now gone multiple times over to the old professor's house to make sure he had everything he needed. He even helped the old man get around the idea of cultivation.
For that, Joseph had to thank Linda, who had told him that becoming a better person was like a stair, with multiple steps, not one big jump. Therefore, she had insisted for Joseph to give back more to the community, help whenever he could, and lend a hand whenever he saw something, or someone, worth helping.
Linda knew of Joseph's past exploits from Jacob. Her nephew would often remark how much of an asshole Joseph had been every time Jacob had come home.
Therefore, even Linda was amazed by Joseph's change and kept helping him onto the right path.
Joseph, to be honest, didn't feel that change. He just thought he was acting a bit less like a douche, but that was for him. It's also true that some changes are harder to observe from the outside.
So, it was hard to say whether Joseph had really always been like that, just a bit douchey, or if he had undergone a big transformation.
Right now, Joseph's mind was blank.
Out of all the people Jacob had told the great news so far, his reaction was probably the worst.
"Joe, you ok?"
Jacob's aunt had taken the news without batting an eyelid. She had been so composed it had honestly even freaked out Jacob a little bit.
"Joe?"
"How—how can you come from the future?" Joseph was aghast.
"I didn't come from the future, to be precise. I reincarnated in my 15 years old body. It's different," Jacob should
"But—but!" Joseph spluttered.
"I came back because I died against the biggest monster on Earth, Joe. Your reaction should have been the most common one. Don't worry, take all the time you need."
Jacob got up and heated up some water, and made a coffee for everyone. He even popped a cigarette in his mouth while doing so, ignoring the protests of his aunt.
"Jake, but you are… old," Joseph said while looking at Jacob with different eyes.
"Yeah, kid," Jacob sat again, and this time his age seemed to somehow superimpose on the childish body. It was as if Joseph was looking at the projection of an older, more adult – even heroic – man behind Jacob.
"I—" Joseph suddenly remembered all the conversations he had had with Jacob, how the guy looked like he knew pain very well, even better than Joseph, who had just lost his parents.
Were those conversations suddenly all fake? Was Jacob even real if he was so old? Wasn't he more akin to a ghost, a protective spirit, than a real person in the flesh?
"That's the look I usually got from other beings once I was the last human—bewilderment, sadness, melancholy. There is a mix of everything, you know? Are you even something? Man, I still remember how that question threw me off. A Devil asked it to me during a casual conversation, insinuating that you could truly exist only among your kin. Of course, being a Devil, it was obviously done to throw me off and rope me in some weird deal, but it left an impression on me."
Joseph opened his mouth as if to protest.
"Joe, I am indeed very old. I know what you are thinking. It's actually comforting that someone gets a bit of the consequence of having me in this body."
"I—need some time, Jake—Jacob," Joseph adopted a more formal tone now.
"Ah! Kid, don't get all grandpa-y with me, come on! I may be old as f*ck, but I'm not decrepit, for God's sake. Cultivation, if you hadn't guessed yet, really lengthens your lifespan."
"Joe, Jacob is clearly an idiot. You couldn't spot he was an elder before, right? Then that's settled. He's just like that," Aunt Linda said from the back.
"Hey! That's hurtful!" Jacob said in mock-offense.
"I bet you he hasn't read a classic since the apocalypse in his past life," Aunt Linda declared.
"Ah! Instead—wait. Classics? Uhm, I read many books on Cultivation. Like, a lot. But classics…"
Jacob despaired.
Had he gone so many years without a good read, without the slightest bit of Seneca or Ovid? Really?
He immediately ran up the stairs while keeping the laugh to himself. He liked acting silly like that, and he hoped Joseph would start seeing him as a normal person soon enough.
…
Joseph looked at Jacob's back while the former went to his room, probably reading or napping.
"I—"
"Joe, give this Matriarch some face, please. Jacob is old, but he also witnessed so much he should have reverted to a larva."
"But you act as if it was nothing!" Joseph complained.
"Tsk, tsk. Younger generations are so foolish. Even when Mt. Tai is in front of you, you choose not to see it! Tsk! I knew since the first moment, Joe!"
"What?! How?!"
Aunt Linda looked around and went to retrieve her ebook reader. Then, he handed it to Joseph with a look of solemnity while doing so.
"Start from the Xianxia folder, kid. You have a lot to learn!"