As I reluctantly woke up to the sound of my alarm clock, memories of the previous day flooded my mind. Even after a good night's sleep, I couldn't shake off the events of yesterday. I rubbed my eyes and immediately checked my email, hoping for a message from the director. I grabbed my voice assistant and headed to the bathroom.
Inside the bathroom, I was engrossed in the holographic projection of my virtual assistant, Sky, displaying its new clothing. I wished I had received it earlier. In the past, I could dress my assistant myself, but now the AI does it independently. It's a shame, but companies do anything to please such organizations. I learned that mostly guys buy such assistants, while girls buy themselves a virtual assistant named Bea. Why should we be the only ones suffering from such policies? Of course, there are some outliers who dressed their assistants in indecent outfits, but they are rare. Now, wherever you look, girls dress their assistants so that even I'm ashamed. Oh well.
I tore my gaze away from my assistant and said, "Hello, Sky. Play the latest messages."
"Hello, Aaron. You have two new messages. One from the director of Games of the Future company, and the other from the Angus family. Which one do you want to read first?" Sky replied.
"Read the one from the family first," I said, even though I didn't want to hear what they had to say. But since I was going to contact them anyway, I decided to at least find out why they wrote to me.
The Angus family, my birth family, values their pride above everything else. I don't hate them, but I don't understand their mindset either. For me, the past is gone, and the family's history is no longer relevant. We're in the 30th year of the 21st century, and technology and progress have come a long way. But they stick to old traditions, causing us to drift so far apart that I can't even talk to my younger siblings, Allen and Janine.
"The head of family Angus - Albert Angus," said Sky. "My son, I implore you to consider the weight of your responsibility as the heir to one of the oldest families in all of Europe. Come home and begin to prepare for your inheritance. I believe the bride we have chosen for you will be the perfect wife. As soon as you return home, I believe we can come to an understanding."
"Okay, Sky. Please play the message from the CEO," I replied.
"The CEO of Games of the Future. Hi, Aaron, I'm excited to inform you that the contract is ready. The first launch will be after noon. End of message," Sky relayed.
"Well, that was short. But the most important thing is that the contract is ready," I said, finishing up my morning routine. I went to the kitchen where I had some leftovers from the housekeeper, turned on the news, and reheated my meal.
"Today, Virtual Gate announced that their machine will be available for sale next year. The projected price at the moment is 12,000 thousand dollars. It is not yet known if they will have any competitors, but we expect a reaction from the Asian giant, Xin Jishu. It is currently known that the company is collaborating with a Japanese conglomerate to create a game on this platform. It is expected to be ready by the middle of next year, which means we can expect the game to be released during the same period. And after that..." I turned off the TV. "So, they're already creating a game. I hope we can give their machine a run for its money."
After cleaning up my meal and washing the dishes, I prepared to call Alice. I thought it would be better to speak with her before making any decisions regarding my family's wishes. I wasn't sure how to act around her, but I took comfort in the fact that I would confess my feelings to her after this project. Whatever happens, happens. As I walked along the shore, I called Alice.
"Hey, Alice. How's life?" I said, feeling nervous. The only thing that gave me comfort was knowing that I would tell her how I feel about her once this project is over.
"Hey Aaron, how are you doing? Have you made a decision on what to say to your parents? It's really important," she said with concern.
"I know, but the last time I spoke to them was over six years ago when they tried to force me to return. I couldn't even talk to my younger siblings. All I could manage was telling them about the game I was working on, leaving out the fact that I was involved in creating a replica of the machine. Put yourself in my father's shoes, who is obsessed with the family's honor. I decided to tell him that my name will be remembered in history. It's how I truly feel," I replied, my enthusiasm palpable.
"You're still a child!" she exclaimed in a cheerful yet admonishing tone.
"I am who I am, and that's why I'm in this field. Alright, I'll see you at work," I said, preparing to hang up.
"Hold on, maybe you should reconsider. I..." she trailed off.
"I remember what happened before, so I think I'm better equipped to handle it than someone unprepared. And remember, I promised to tell you something after this. Don't worry, I'm ending the call now," I interjected, deciding it was better to cut the conversation short than prolong it pointless. I thought about asking her to assist me with the conversation, but I realized it was better to handle it alone. After all, I still wanted to share the news with my father that I had found someone to spend my life with. It was time to head to the station, and I would need to call Joseph to send a car for me.
As a professional in his field, Joseph arrived at the station early and waited for me with a small case. Inside was a ring and a pendant, which were required attire for family representatives. Some might find it strange that I was receiving these items, given that I had left everything associated with my family behind when I left them.
"Hello, sir!"
"Hello, Joseph! I told you in our last meeting to address me as befitting your age. You don't need to speak to me politely. At least I'm not currently representing my family. Also, why did you come to pick me up yourself? I told you to send a car, not meet me."
"I couldn't do that, sir. How could I not come to meet you when I haven't seen you for so long? And I can't address you as anything other than 'sir'. My family has been in service to yours for many years. However you may position yourself now, the fact remains that you come from one of the most noble families in all of Europe. I cannot disregard the etiquette of the nobility, sir."
"Alright, I hear what you're saying, but you're just like my father. At least tell me how your family is doing and how your health is. You're almost 70 years old now. It's time to think about retiring. If I'm not mistaken, you've taken care of three generations of my family, starting with my grandfather and ending with my younger siblings. And yet my grandfather has been retired for 10 years already. You have your own family too, enjoy your well-deserved rest. Given your persistence, I won't insist any further." Having said this, I stopped pushing the conversation. So Joseph and I drove to the Angus family residence in silence, each lost in thought about our previous conversation.
As we approached the house, I decided to wear a ring but not the rest of the family jewelry, hoping to convey my attitude as I arrived home. I didn't want to return to the family, but I also didn't want to reject them. That's why I decided to do that. My father should be able to figure it out right away. So, as I entered the hall, I was greeted by the head housemaid and several maids bowing in greeting. And right behind them, I saw Alain and Jeanine peeking over the railing of the second floor. I hadn't seen them in a long time, they were about 5-6 years old when I left home. It's a shame I didn't get to see them grow up. Taking my eyes off Jeanine and Alain, I looked at my parents walking towards me, hand in hand. I never understood their way of greeting someone. They always greeted guests as if they were in some Renaissance-era book."
"Finally, you have decided to come back, Aaron, but why are you only wearing the ring? Why haven't you put on the medallion? You, of all people, should know the traditions of our family. We are the ones who have been able to preserve the traditions and the pure blood of our family. We must maintain the pride of the noble lineage. From time immemorial, there has been a rule in our family that states, "Representatives of the main family must wear accessories representing the main branch of the house." And you are not only from the main branch, but also my heir, who will represent our entire family in the future."
"And here I thought you would greet me with a more welcoming attitude. Who cares if I wear this medallion or not? You know that I don't support any of this. In this age of technological advancement, you are suggesting that we cling to the old times. Even among modern royal families, only a few maintain any traditions. This medallion is something we need to forget already, it engraves what I despise the most, namely class discrimination. We live in a world where we must be tolerant at least in terms of class differences. I understood it better than anyone else since I left home over six years ago. I am already 24 now, I have seen the world beyond our family and the small circle of acquaintances. I have seen the life of ordinary people, gained work experience in different places, for which I can thank you, father. When you closed all my accounts, I went to work and realized what it's like to live a life where it doesn't matter who you were born and what tribe you come from."
"Enough! My father said, raising his tone.
My mother interrupted the conversation, "Calm down, my dear, let's all go to the dining hall." Her name is Eleanor and she comes from a noble family like my father. However, their traditions are gradually fading, in contrast to our family. An example of their passing traditions is my mother not following the tradition related to the birth of children. The Weinstein family's only daughter should have her second son return to their family home if the family's heir is a daughter, according to tradition. As you can see, my little brother Allen lives with the Angus family. Thanks to my mother, Miss Velma comes home with food. "Hello, son, you've grown so big, you know how much I missed you. Let's not argue. Your brother and sister also have something to say," she said, pointing to the dining hall.
Upon entering the dining hall, I met Allen and Janine's gaze. "Hello, brother!" they said in unison. "We've heard a lot about you from our mother. Why did you leave home when there's nothing shameful in our traditions? We missed you so much," Allen continued his tirade. My father had already brainwashed him, but I believed that once he learns what the world is really like, he too will want to live free from these outdated things.
"Don't be so formal, I'm your older brother after all," I said. "There's a lot in the world that you don't know because you're in a small circle of communication. Our networks are closed off from open networks. Among your friends, there are only those who are friends with our family, even your classmates in school come from the same circle of communication. You need to see and feel the world beyond this circle. You need to reach out to it, not close it off from yourself with a barrier of traditions. What I'm talking about is not something you can understand right now. You haven't felt the barrier yet," I said with disappointment as I felt a slight push behind my back.
My father's expression clearly told me to stop this conversation, so I stopped talking about the outside world.
"What can I get for you, gentlemen?" asked the person in charge of the dining hall. "Based on the chef's recommendation, I can suggest a dessert with freshly picked fruits. Also, if you're looking for a main course, the chef can quickly prepare Hamburg-style meat," he reported to us.
"Please bring us some tea and a few snacks, and there is no need to cook anything," our butler Joseph said. "As you wish, Sir Joseph," he said before leaving the room.
"So... I wanted to talk about why I decided to visit you. I want to start by saying that I'm leaving home today. I need to stop by because, for the first time in six years, I won't be available, even to Miss Velma. I have to leave town for work and plan to return in two or three months. I also want to share very important news with you. I plan to propose to a girl. That's all," I expressed in one breath. At the very least, I shocked them all, and at most, I possibly made them angry.
"You...you...how could you?" only my father's voice could be heard, and my mother sat with a face showing either happiness or sorrow.
"Brother, are you saying that you're getting married soon?" I heard Janine ask.
"You're my heir. How could you marry just anyone? Ugh," saying this, my father grabbed his chest.
"Dear, you need to calm down. It's excellent news that our son has found someone. He's already grown up a bit. At his age, we were already engaged. We can't influence his choice," my mother said.
"Saying this, my father grabbed his chest and left the room in a rush."
"I will also leave. Your father needs to come to his senses. Don't go anywhere, give your father some time. He will understand you. He never forgot about you, even though you left, abandoning us. I am still upset with you, but your father accepted your decision, thinking that you will come back to us after going through your own trials. If you leave without saying goodbye, my resentment will only GROW." My mother shouted at the end. I understand myself that it would be wrong to do so. Luckily, I need to be at the director's office after lunch. So, I still have over 3 hours to spare, and I can spend time with Allen and Janine for now.
"Allen, Janine. How are you doing? How is school?" - I decided to start a conversation to improve our relationship.
"Umm... Hm..." - I heard barely audible sounds from Allen.
"We are doing great. We are among the top 10 students in school," Janine answered me in a cheerful mood.
"Oh, yes, we are doing great," Allen perked up, and I was happy, but then he surprised me. "But how could you just leave us like that, brother? Mom didn't leave her bedroom for over a week. And after you left, Dad forbade us from going out without security. What were you doing all this time? Was it worth it?" - I can say that he almost gave me a lecture. I didn't expect to hear something like this from a 12-year-old child.
"You see, Allen, I left home after learning one not-so-good thing. I'm living pretty well now, considering that I'm earning a living for myself. I didn't want to hurt anyone; I just wanted to take a break from everything I found out. Maybe if I had thought a little and didn't act on impulse, everything would have been different. But for now, I can't fully explain what happened. Maybe later, but not now. Let's talk about something else, or let's play a game. You know, I earn money by evaluating new games, writing about their bugs and shortcomings. Let's see how good you are at playing," I said, taking out Sky from my bag.
About 2 hours later, my mother came into the room. She said that my father had finally calmed down. I didn't expect it to take that long. I will have to try not to shock my father so much in the future. When she came in, my mother said that they also found me a match, but since I had already found the one, it was suggested that I at least meet the one on the "Blind Date" before confessing. Well...