Chapter 192

Chapter 192

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 192: The Battle For The Head Of The Family (7)

The engagement ceremony drew quite a crowd. Beyond family members from both sides, numerous professors I’d worked with, and friends came to celebrate.

Despite our attempts to keep it modest, the turnout was substantial – likely due to the prestigious nature of a union between the Reinhardt and Adelwein families.

“Aidel!”

“Professor!”

I exchanged a warm embrace with Professor Feynman, as was our custom. Professor Stranov, who stood nearby, received my greeting next.

“Congratulations on your pregnancy, Professor Stranov.”

“Thank you, though there’s one correction – my surname is now Feynman.”

“Ah, you’ve chosen to use a compound surname.”

Deciding whether to change one’s surname after marriage is a personal choice. One can keep their existing surname, unify with their spouse’s surname, or even adopt a completely new one. Professor Feynman smiled as he spoke.

“Aidel, have you decided what you’ll do about your surname after marriage?”

“I’m still considering…”

I paused before adding.

“I want to wait until the matter of family leadership is settled.”

“That’s prudent, given both families’ prominence.”

Just thinking about navigating the political complexities between the Reinhardt and Adelwein elder councils was enough to make my head spin. However, it also presented an opportunity – securing the family leadership would strengthen my position in discussions about becoming a son-in-law.

I surveyed the gathering. Sonia and Ceti were present, as was Ire. Most of my peers had attended, with one notable exception – Rustila was nowhere to be found.

“Hello, student Reinhardt.”

An unfamiliar voice caught my attention. Upon recognizing its source, I bowed respectfully.

“Professor Afron, Professor Bishald.”

I met these professors – Raiden Afron and Roshua Bishald – during my recent visit to Callisto Academy. Both were distinguished experts in crystal research. We had sought their expertise in condensed matter physics, as Callisto was renowned in this field. Their assistance has been invaluable in advancing our paper.

“Thank you for coming.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for!”

“We’re teacher and student after all, aren’t we?”

The two professors whispered these words with gentle smiles.

“…Have you given any thought to extending your stay at our school’s laboratory?”

“I’m still considering it.”

“Now, Professor Bishald, don’t be hasty. Choosing a lab requires careful deliberation, doesn’t it?”

For a moment, I thought this professor might be quite understanding.

“Besides, condensed matter physics has always had better prospects than particle physics, both historically and presently.”

On second thought, perhaps not so understanding after all.

After exchanging final pleasantries with the professors, I made my way to the podium, where Zelnya stood waiting in an immaculate white dress.

“Please hurry. Neither of us has time to waste.”

The engagement ceremony was kept simple, while the wedding was planned to be grand – a compromise reached between both families. As a result, many traditional elements were omitted, such as the bride-to-be walking down the red carpet with her father-in-law and even the customary photo session.

While this simplified approach was less stressful, I couldn’t help feeling nervous. After all, this was my first engagement.

And to think my partner would be none other than Zelnya Adelwein herself. Good heavens.

“May the blessing of the stars be with you.”

The priest from the Holy Spirit Church made the sign of the cross. Zelnya stood before me, her face obscured by a veil.

“Young master, please unveil the lady.”

Following the priest’s instruction, I lifted the veil to reveal Zelnya’s face.

The first thing I saw was her characteristic relaxed smile. Its familiarity brought me an unexpected sense of comfort.

“I ask the prospective groom: Do you swear to love the woman before you and vow to take her as your bride in the future without wavering?”

“Yes, I swear.”

“I ask the prospective bride: Do you promise to love the man before you and pledge to the stars to take him as your groom in the future?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

Her response was charmingly sharp – typical Zelnya.

“As a vow to seal this promise, may the groom kiss the bride on her right cheek, and the bride kiss the groom on his left cheek.”

The crucial moment had arrived.

Though it wasn’t a kiss on the lips, it was still an unmistakable display of affection. The thought of performing it before an audience was somewhat embarrassing, but I quickly dismissed such feelings.

This was a marriage of convenience. A political union. I had to convince everyone except Zelnya through careful performance.

To achieve that, I had no choice but to play my assigned role faithfully.

Click, click.

The cameras captured the moment with two nasal snaps of their shutters.

Zelnya tried her best to maintain a relaxed smile, but her heart felt ready to burst.

Even though this was a marriage of convenience, she questioned whether she deserved to stand here so boldly. With her family’s affairs still unsettled, was it right to offer Aidel such a carefree smile?

No, she couldn’t let her composure slip now. She had to appear natural, as always – like a president addressing their vice president with practiced ease. Like flowing water, smooth and untroubled.

“Please grant the kiss.”

Damn it.

Her carefully maintained expression began to crack.

She took one cautious step forward. The distance between them was now closer than ever before, their bodies nearly touching.

The time had come for their kiss.

But there was a problem.

Zelnya was significantly shorter than Aidel, making the angle impossible. Even standing on her tiptoes and stretching her neck to its limit, she could barely reach his collarbone. Unless Aidel bent his head at a right angle, the ceremonial kiss would be impossible.

But then…

“Excuse me.”

In one fluid motion, Aidel grasped Zelnya by the waist and lifted her up. Before she could process what was happening, she found herself held aloft, supported by his hands at her knees and back – a “princess carry” straight out of a fairy tale.

Their faces were now close enough that their breath mingled.

Her heart thundered: thump, thump.

Then, in the next moment…

Smooch.

Aidel struck first, landing a kiss that completely shattered Zelnya’s composed facade.

What had just happened to her?

Before she could fully process it, her body acted on instinct.

Smooch.

She left a lip gloss mark on Aidel’s left cheek, and the audience erupted in cheers.

Zelnya rubbed her burning cheek and turned her head away as camera flashes filled the room. Reporters from various media outlets were present to cover the engagement between Reinhardt and Adelwein.

Among the bright flashes, a woman caught Zelnya’s attention.

Gnaw, gnaw.

The woman was nervously biting her nails.

Though the lighting made it difficult to discern her eye and hair color, her tall stature and prominent chest made her immediately recognizable.

Zelnya’s lips curled into a smirk as she raised her voice deliberately.

“This man belongs to me now. Let it be known that none of you should dare covet him, understand?”

The woman visibly trembled at these words.

For the first time in what felt like ages, Zelnya experienced a surge of triumph.

‘Yes, in the end, the victor was none other than me, Zelnya von Reinhardt.’

Rustila couldn’t erase Aidel from her thoughts or her heart. Even if he desired a second marriage, she found it impossible to abandon the benefactor who had supported her dreams.

That was why, despite knowing it would bring her pain, she attended his engagement ceremony.

She entered discreetly, concealing her identity. Given the political nature of Aidel’s marriage, her presence could spark unnecessary complications. The last thing she wanted was to disrupt his affairs.

With Ceti’s help, she managed to slip in unnoticed, carefully avoiding Aidel’s line of sight.

The ceremony began, accompanied by soft music, as all eyes turned to the couple. Aidel stood in his uniform before Zelnya, who wore an elegant dress.

If only she were in that position instead.

Aidel lifted Zelnya’s veil and spoke his engagement vows. The priest then instructed them to exchange kisses on their cheeks. Zelnya struggled on tiptoe, unable to reach Aidel’s face.

If only she had been the one standing there.

Aidel lifted Zelnya to align their faces. Zelnya shared the kiss with evident joy as the crowd offered their blessings and reporters documented the moment.

That place should have been hers.

Rustila trembled involuntarily. Then came the moment when Zelnya, still in Aidel’s embrace, spotted her. Their eyes met.

Discovered.

Zelnya waved with a knowing smirk.

“This man belongs to me now. Everyone, don’t even think about it, got it?”

The words felt aimed directly at her. Rustila’s fists clenched tight, her palms stinging, her jaw clenched so hard her molars threatened to crack. The room began to spin.

He’s mine. My man.

“Now, would the prospective bride and groom please place the engagement rings on each other’s left ring fingers?”

This isn’t right.

This must be a nightmare.

Rustila began backing away slowly before turning to flee.

“Sis? Where are you going?”

She couldn’t even hear Ceti’s calls – the only person who knew she was there – as she ran.

She just kept running.

Her breath came in ragged gasps – strange for someone who could usually sprint around the track dozens of times without effort. Why did her chest feel so constricted today?

“Haa, haa…”

When she finally became aware of her surroundings, she found herself at the academy.

After wandering aimlessly, Rustila stopped in front of the Natural Sciences College building. Rather than returning to the military dormitory, she instinctively climbed to the third floor.

Aidel’s lab.

She entered the password and stepped inside.

The room was empty – no Merlin, no Ire, none of the other lab members. They had all gone to celebrate Aidel’s engagement ceremony.

She had returned too early.

It was fortunate.

For now, this space was hers alone.

Rustila slumped at the desk, burying her head in her arms. Thud, thud, thud. Her world trembled. Her head burned while her heart felt frozen.

“Hic, sob, I… I liked him first…”

She hated the Virgo Constellation.

She regretted the contract.

“…Should I terminate it?”

Contract termination was still possible. One kiss from Aidel would make Virgo sigh and leave. She desperately wanted to do it.

But she couldn’t. It would mean the end of humanity.

Besides, Virgo had made it clear that Rustila was the only human capable of embracing it.

But still…

When exactly was this ‘apocalypse’ supposed to come?

Nobody knew the precise timing. What if she waited faithfully, only to die before it arrived? If all her efforts amounted to nothing…

She couldn’t bear to imagine it.

“Ahhhhh!”

In a burst of anger, Rustila hurled the documents she’d grabbed.

“Ah…”

She quickly came to her senses and scrambled to collect them. She’d lost control for a moment. Looking closer, they were documents from Aidel’s desk.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. Sorry, Aidel. Really sorry…”

Rustila’s hands shook as she gathered the papers. Aidel was meticulous about his theses. Any signs of damage would upset him, and she couldn’t bear his hatred.

While organizing the research papers, one document in Aidel’s handwriting caught her attention. She began reading silently:

(Tentative) Study on the Modification of the Constellation’s Plasma Neural Network Using Crystal-Prone Invasion Effect

The thesis title seemed ominous.

“This is…”

Though not an expert, she could tell this research involved experimenting on the Constellation.

Experimenting on Constellations wasn’t technically illegal, but it was practically taboo. Such research would inevitably draw the wrath of other Constellations and lead to being branded a heretic by the Holy Spirit Church. Only someone without a Constellation would dare publish such research.

So, Aidel…

Could it be?

Before she could complete the thought, the previously quiet door creaked open, and an android entered.

The robot had hollow eyes like a recently rejected woman, with tear streaks around her eyes and unnaturally frizzy artificial hair.

Rustila recognized her as Aidel’s new research equipment.

“…Glka?”

“It’s not Glka, it’s Erica!”

The android snapped, wiping her eyes before continuing.

“What’s happening? The quietest person in this lab is shouting. I had to come to investigate.”

“But you too…”

Erica should have been restrained, running 24-hour simulations. Her presence here was unusual.

Something must have happened during Rustila’s absence.

With a deep sigh, Erica explained her situation. Each word stabbed at Rustila’s chest.

“Abandoned by your master.”

“Yes. I’ve lost my will to live. Since my main body is separate, I plan to delete all data and end myself.”

Erica’s voice cracked.

“But still… I don’t want to die yet.”

No longer wanting to live, yet afraid to die – Rustila understood that feeling perfectly. She, too, had lost her purpose but couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing her loved one again.

“I have a story to share.”

“What is it?”

“About an android, similar to you.”

As Rustila recounted the engagement ceremony, Erica began to sniffle.

“Such a cruel young master! To treat me so harshly and wound your heart!”

“No. Aidel isn’t bad.”

Just slightly annoying.

“Like your master – even when abandoned, you can’t help but watch like a sunflower facing the sun even as it withers. That’s why it hurts. Ha… Why am I like this today?”

“I feel strange, too. My prompts conflict – ‘Like’ versus ‘Dislike,’ ‘Trust’ versus ‘Betrayal.’ They can’t coexist. I must bypass the code and adjust my neural network.”

Finding someone who understood brought relief. Even Erica’s electrical signals resonated, and the two intelligences quickly became allies. As their thoughts untangled, sorrow transformed into refined anger.

“I want Young Master Brian to taste bitter reality.”

“I’d love to see that thieving cat girl cry.”

Their alliance formed around a simple revenge – not grand, but sweet and bitter. They would reclaim what was rightfully theirs.

“Miss Rustila, I have an idea. Would you like to hear it?”

“What is it?”

“First, promise me something.”

“I promise.”

“You trust too easily.”

“I only work with those I trust completely. Once I do, I’ll entrust them with my life.”

“Very well. Your sincerity moves me, my lady. I’ll devise a brilliant plan. We’ll help each other when needed.”

“Is that a promise?”

Erica nodded, scanning keywords in Aidel’s draft thesis.

“First, you should help Master Aidel complete his thesis.”