"Son, we need to talk."
My father looked more serious than usual as he spoke. It was the kind of look you give your son when you find out they have been getting into trouble at school.
"Come with me."
I nodded, and the two of us retreated to his and my mother's bedroom. This room used to be a storage room, but my parents converted it into their bedroom. Though it was a bit cramped, they decided to make do.
I think this was because they felt guilty about everything that happened. Both Sophia and the former Damien were used to a life of luxury. Before everything that happened, my mother didn't know how to cook or clean, but after a while, she gradually got used to it.
My father, being unathletic, wasn't used to physical labor, plus the harassment he has to endure at work. It took a while before they both adapted to their current situation. My father gestured towards the bed for me to take a seat.
I took a seat, and he drew out a chair and sat in front of me.
"Son, I'm about to teach you an important lesson. One that my father neglected to teach me. You're a smart boy, and I don't want you to end up like me, so listen up," he said, his face never losing its seriousness. "Son, do you know what the most important thing in this world is? And I'm not talking about your family or friends or anything like that; I mean real power."
The most important thing in this world? I thought about his question for a while, then answered.
"Do you mean awakeners?"
A smile bloomed on his face, and he let out a small chuckle.
"You're close, but that's not it exactly. The answer is guilds. They are the single most important entity in this world. My father didn't teach me that; he clung to the old ways and forced me to follow in his footsteps."
"But why is that?" I asked. "Why are guilds the most important thing?"
I couldn't understand his logic. Clearly, awakeners would be the answer since they were the ones who hold all the power, but maybe there was something I was missing.
His smile seemed to grow wider as he spoke.
"The fact that you ask that question means you're smarter than most. You see, son, in the war against the demons that happened a hundred years ago, most of the land on earth was destroyed. This continent, Asmora, is the only land that exists on this earth. Less land means there are less resources to share. You see, when rifts first appeared, elves, dwarves, vampires, demi-humans, and a few other races were the first to arrive. We lived with them peacefully, and they blended into our society.
But all that changed when the demons arrived and brought with them monsters and dungeons. That's when things started to change for the worse, inciting a war.
After the great war, when the heroes defeated the demon king, we humans were forced to fight with the other races for resources since we all shared one continent. It was hell, and another war started because of it, but everything started to change once teleportation technology was discovered.
We could travel to different planets and look for resources. Most of these planets were inhospitable because of the monsters that lived there, so they could only be ventured by registered heroes.
That's where guilds come in. The mana crystals and beast crystals we get from these worlds are the only thing keeping us alive. And guilds are the ones who control them. My family owned an oil rig, which we used to compete against these crystals, but we were no match. It took bankruptcy for me to finally realize just how important guilds were."
My father had a hint of regret in his eyes as he spoke. I understood what he was trying to tell me, and indeed he was right. This was a perspective I wasn't able to get from playing the game since it was heavily focused on the MC. But he was right. Guilds were the most important.
"The reason I am telling you this is because you're an awakener just like your mother. After you graduate from the hero academy, you have two choices in front of you. You can either join an existing guild or you build your own guild.
This might be my own selfishness speaking, but I would love it if you build your own guild and restore our family's reputation, but the choice is yours to decide what you want to do. But as your father, I will do my part to help you in case you decide to build your own guild."
My father stood up, rested his hand on my shoulder and gave me a soft pat. He then began speaking a bit more boastfully.
"Despite competing with guilds and magic crystals, I managed to run a successful company at least for a short while. Running a guild is mostly business, so from today until you start school, I'll be teaching you everything I know."
This was a better outcome than I could've hoped. Jonathan knew things about this world that I didn't. Frankly, I couldn't remember everything that took place in the game or all the details, so I began jotting down the important things I could remember in a notebook.
"Thank you, father. I would be happy to learn from you."
Jonathan smiled and patted my head, looking at his son with a proud smile.
After that, he began his lessons, starting with the basics of business. I absorbed all the information he gave me like a sponge. We spent the whole day talking and learning until my mother returned home and night fell.
My parents were planning to meet up with a few old friends, so it was just me and Sophia at home, just as I planned. It was currently raining heavily outside. This was another part of my plan. I made sure to check the weather report to make sure everything was all set.
Tonight was the perfect night to proceed with my plans. I wouldn't likely get another chance to do so. This was a crucial moment, one that I have been planning for months.
I leaned on the wall outside our bathroom. Sophia had stepped in a while ago to take a shower, and I had planned to ambush her. Soon the shower stopped, and a heartbeat later, the door clicked open.
Sophia had one towel covering her naked body and another drying her face as she stepped out. It took a few seconds for her to finally notice my presence. When she finally did, she jumped in surprise, and her face flushed red.
"Damien! What are you doing?!"
"Waiting for you," I said as I stepped in front of her.
Though she was a bit older, I was a head taller than her. Smiling warmly, I brushed away the wet strand of hair sticking to her soft cheeks which elicited a death glare from her.
"What do you want?"
"Sis, get dressed, we're going out."