Chapter 178

Chapter 178

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 178: What Happened At The Meeting (1).

The news of Zelnya’s appointment as head of the family spread quickly, resulting in an overwhelming display of congratulatory flowers crowding the hallway outside the student council room. The sheer volume made it difficult to pass through.

“They certainly went overboard.”

“Just ignore them.”

Zelnya closed the door without sparing the wreaths a single glance.

We retreated to the lounge, where we sat alone, drinking tea. I had brought ginger tea in a thermos since Zelnya had mentioned feeling under the weather. As she sipped her tea, she displayed a message on her screen:

Aidel von Reinhardt will be brought into our family as a son-in-law.

“My parents presented this as ‘advice.’ What are your thoughts?”

Unbelievable.

“They’re offering quite an honor.”

“Did you see this coming?”

“There were hints during my conversations with my father, but…”

The timing seemed premature.

It became clear that the Adelwein family viewed me as a threat.

“You’ve figured it out. Yes, this is indeed a trap.”

It made perfect sense – what better way to silence a powerful family’s direct descendant who knew too much about their corruption than through marriage? Becoming their son-in-law would give them the perfect excuse to restrict and monitor my movements.

If I were to marry Zelnya now, my research and everything else would come to an immediate halt.

“How did you respond to your parents?” I asked.

“I told them I understood, for now, claiming I had somewhat convinced you. That should keep them quiet for a while.”

Still, something felt deeply unsettling.

“Is this an arranged marriage?”

“Yes.”

An arranged marriage – a union forced by family circumstances, regardless of the wishes of those involved.

The fact that Zelnya confirmed this meant the Adelwein family had already been negotiating with my father behind the scenes.

“Wait a moment.”

I hastily sent a message to my father. The reply I received was… not entirely discouraging.

I did speak with the Adelwein family. However, as I’ve said before, I won’t force you into anything. Whether you choose that girl or marry someone else of your own accord – the decision is yours.

Perhaps it was because he had experienced both a love marriage and an arranged one that he was willing to give his son complete freedom of choice. For this, I felt deeply thankful.

I turned off the message and looked at Zelnya. She set down her tea and spoke with unexpected directness.

“Let me be frank. If I were to start trying to seduce you now, how long do you think it would take for you to fall for me?”

“Zero seconds.”

“What?”

“Even one second would be too long.”

I gazed directly into Zelnya’s amethyst eyes.

She was pretty, cute, and utterly lovely.

Though I couldn’t be sure if I was viewing everything through rose-colored glasses, these feelings – ones I hadn’t experienced two years ago – were gradually intensifying.

Nevertheless, I maintained my composure.

My bold response seemed to catch Zelnya off guard, causing her to lean back in her chair. She cleared her throat and let out a slightly embarrassed laugh.

“Vice President, you’ve become quite the comedian.”

I simply continued smiling.

It was time to set my plan in motion.

“First, I need to visit your family home.”

“Are you insane? You want to walk straight into the lion’s den?”

“Stay calm. I’m not suggesting we go right away.”

I began explaining my reasoning carefully.

“You’ve already reported that I’m somewhat interested in you, right? Now that you’re the family head, there will be a formal succession ceremony soon. If I don’t attend, it would only raise unnecessary suspicions.”

“That’s… a fair point.”

In any case, to obtain the ‘Egg of the Star,’ I needed to enter the Adelwein household. Since the official engagement hadn’t happened yet, it would be better to go now rather than risk getting caught later.

“Is the celebration party next week?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“Just a guess.”

“You can come then. But whatever you do, don’t draw attention to yourself, understood?”

I nodded.

“By the way, would it be alright if I brought one android to carry luggage?”

“That’s fine.”

“Perfect.”

After leaving Zelnya, I rushed to the laboratory.

Rustila and Merlin would be in class at this hour. When I opened the door, I found Ire working alone on her research. She turned around as she noticed my presence.

“Ire, I need your urgent help with something.”

“What is it?”

I explained the situation.

“…I see how things stand now.”

“I suppose I should go too.”

“About that…”

I lowered my voice to a whisper to prevent anyone from overhearing. As I explained, Ire’s face gradually turned red.

“Do we really have to do this?”

“In this cycle, you have no connection to Zelnya. If you go without any disguise, it might raise strange suspicions. People might think… like there’s an affair…”

“Oh, I get what you mean! Don’t say any more.”

Ire heaved a deep sigh.

“Fine, fine! I’ll do it!”

“Thank you. It’s just for one day.”

A week passed quickly. With just two weeks remaining until the sophomore midterms, I found myself on planet Adelwein, taking a brief respite from my tasks.

“What brings you here today?”

“Aidel von Reinhardt.”

“Ah… please, come in!”

I proceeded at a measured pace. Behind me, soft footsteps crushed the grass beneath, creating a gentle rhythm.

“Sonia.”

“Yes? Yes, Master.”

“Not Master—Young Master.”

“Yes, Young Master…”

The maid headband bobbed in acknowledgment.

This was a markedly different Sonia from the one I knew—somewhat artificial in demeanor. Of course, this was to be expected, as it was actually Ire disguised as an android.

The disguise was impressive: a maid uniform paired with a deep blue wig, airplane tail-like antenna decorations, and white contact lenses. Every prop was of exceptional quality.

The God of ‘Wisdom and Curiosity’ seemed thoroughly amused by this charade.

The real Sonia? She was likely engrossed in matrix calculations back in my laboratory. After all, there’s a reason she’s called a ‘multi-purpose’ android.

Meanwhile, Ire, in her Sonia costume, fidgeted nervously with her skirt hem. I found myself sighing for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Why so hesitant? Has someone hacked you?”

“N-no.”

“Fine. Let’s go inside and do this properly.”

“……”

“Sonia, respond.”

“……Um, okay.”

“Lower your voice.”

“O-kay.”

Now, she truly resembled Sonia.

As I entered the main hall, I spotted Zelnya amidst a crowd of people clinking champagne glasses. She wore an elegant brown dress with futuristic elements integrated with a wearable computer.

Her proportions were stunning, especially considering her petite frame. The outfit suited her perfectly.

I caught myself staring, momentarily transfixed.

“Young master?”

I mentally shook myself – this wasn’t the time to get distracted.

For the ten great families, succession parties were momentous occasions, typically celebrated with great pomp and attended by the parents’ entire social circle.

The group surrounding Zelnya likely consisted of acquaintances of the former Adelwein family head.

“Sonia.”

“I know.”

From this point forward, I needed to play my part flawlessly.

I made my way deliberately through the crowd.

When Zelnya spotted me, her lips curved into a knowing smile.

Step by step, I approached.

With a single graceful gesture from her, the crowd parted like the Red Sea. Zelnya, having orchestrated this modern miracle, walked toward me, her heels clicking against the floor. She placed her hand delicately on my forearm.

“What kept you?”

Her expression, gestures, and gaze were impeccable – not a single detail out of place.

“I’ve been waiting for ages.”

“My apologies. The schedule was tight.”

Zelnya nestled into my arms.

According to plan, I had seemingly fallen for Zelnya’s scheme, and we had recently begun a relationship. Somewhere in the distance, our carefully choreographed performance began, designed to convince any watching members of the Adelwein Elder Council of our authenticity.

“Who is that gentleman over there?”

As we embraced, the guests began buzzing with questions, their voices overlapping.

“This is Aidel von Reinhardt. My classmate from Stellarium and my boyfriend.”

“Oh!”

The guests’ expressions transformed at her revelation.

“So this is the renowned Aidel Reinhardt!”

“The new head of the Adelwein family and the distinguished scion of the Reinhardt family – in love! This is truly worth celebrating!”

“Miss Zelnya, please allow me to propose a toast to your happiness!”

The guests’ eagerness to curry favor intensified.

When did you start dating? How did you meet? How serious is your relationship? The questions, particularly from female guests, came in rapid succession. Managing these inquiries was yet another challenge we had to navigate.

Then, a composed male voice cut through the chatter.

“A pleasure to meet you, Young Master Reinhardt.”

I took in his appearance:

White hair.

Purple eyes.

Despite his slight, lean frame, his eyes held the sharp, penetrating gaze of a predator.

This was certainly no butler.

The man gave me a measured nod.

“Welcome. I am Zelnya’s father. Thank you for attending the succession ceremony.”

Jerome von Und zu Adelwein.

At last, I stood face-to-face with one of the legendary ‘Five Kings’.

“I am Aidel von Reinhardt, a fellow student at Stellarium College with your daughter. It’s an honor to meet the head of the Adelwein family.”

“Ha ha, no need for such formality. After all, you might become our son-in-law someday.”

Jerome laughed warmly, clapping my shoulder with a firm hand.

“Now that I see you in person, you’re even more handsome and tall than I’d heard. They say you’re quite brilliant, too. You and our Zelnya make an excellent match, wouldn’t you agree, everyone?”

“Absolutely, Chairman!”

The guests enthusiastically laughed while I managed a polite smile.

“For those who may not know, Aidel von Reinhardt is a true hero of humanity. His research has dealt devastating blows to the Outer Gods. And he gets along splendidly with my daughter. Yes, splendidly indeed.”

The guests nodded in agreement.

This man is cunning, I thought. He is already laying his trap.

Showing any hesitation now could complicate matters later. In situations like this, one must not merely agree but take the initiative.

“Father-in-law, I know we’ve just met, but I have a request.”

“Haha, what formality! You might be my future son-in-law. If it’s reasonable, consider it done. Please, speak freely.”

I bowed at a perfect right angle before speaking.

“Then, please grant me your daughter’s hand.”