Ch.186Succession War for the Family Headship (1)

[The direct descendants of Rheinland must come down to the home planet system by the designated date to have an audience with the elders of the Council.]

[Arnold von Rheinland]

Upon receiving the email, Brian chuckled. The android attending to him beside him bowed her head and said.

“Congratulations, young master.”

“Why do you say that, Erica?”

“Because I am certain that you will soon become the family head, my lord.”

He couldn’t stop laughing at her flattering words.

“Tell me why you think so.”

“Yes, young master. Young Master Katrick’s achievements fall short compared to yours, and Young Master Eidel and Miss Seti aren’t even medical school graduates. Since the Council wants a capable doctor, there is no one more suitable than you.”

“Is that so.”

Brian took off his coat and sat in his chair. Tap, tap. He drummed his index finger on the desk, lost in thought. He muttered quietly.

“…I should probably visit the Adelbein main house.”

“Is something the matter?”

“I suddenly have business to attend to. Let’s get moving.”

Erica scanned Brian’s face through her visual sensors. He wore a serious expression. It was completely different from his usual gentle smile. Erica asked with concern.

“Has something serious happened regarding the Adelbein family?”

“…Eidel.”

“Pardon?”

“If I don’t keep him in check, I can’t guarantee victory.”

Erica still didn’t understand his meaning and tilted her head in confusion.

“I don’t quite understand what you mean, my lord. Young Master Eidel isn’t even a doctor, is he?”

“Erica, father’s reactions lately have been unusual. I can tell from reading the news articles too. I have a rough idea of how many insane things Eidel has done in succession. If it’s all true, my chances of winning are only about 90 percent.”

Brian flew to the northern planetary system via warp at superluminal speed. His mouth was parched the entire journey. No matter how much water he drank, it made no difference.

Getting into the Adelbein main house wasn’t difficult. He rang the doorbell at the front gate and waited. After a while, a middle-aged man who had become a Council member came out to greet them. It was Jerome Adelbein.

“Please come in, Young Master Brian.”

“I apologize for visiting without notice.”

Jerome shook his head.

“It’s fine. Rather, it’s an honor for us to meet the first son of the Rheinland family. Aren’t you the renowned doctor of our time who saved countless lives following Lord Arnold Rheinland on the southern front?”

Jerome received him with nothing but praise. The corner of Brian’s mouth twisted. Erica also chimed in, shrugging her shoulders.

“I guarantee that Young Master Brian will accomplish great things in the future.”

“I’m sure he will. But what brings you here…”

“It’s nothing major. I heard that your only daughter is to marry my brother, so I came to congratulate you.”

“My goodness.”

Jerome’s mouth fell open. His face showed that he was touched.

“A message would have been more than enough!”

“Not at all. Since we’re about to become in-laws, I should have met you at least once. I didn’t think I would have time later. I sincerely apologize for not contacting you beforehand.”

“Not at all. Well, I can’t just keep family standing here. Hey! Escort them to the reception room immediately!”

Even as they headed to the reception room, Brian continued to turn things over in his mind. And he arrived at one answer.

He must get Eidel married off by any means necessary.

To ensure he could never become the family head.

Brian, seated, greeted politely.

“Congratulations on your daughter becoming the head of the Adelbein family, Elder. With such an intelligent person taking the position, both families will surely prosper.”

“I’m grateful for your kind words, Young Family Head.”

The form of address had changed. From ‘young master’ to ‘young family head.’

He must be testing me.

Brian took his time, sipping the tea served by the android. His glasses fogged up. As he set down the teacup, the fog gradually disappeared from the edges. By then, Brian’s thoughts had also become clear. He spoke.

“There is one thing I would like to propose.”

“Please speak freely. We’re not strangers, are we?”

“Well, how about my brother Eidel comes here to live with the family head?”

Jerome paused in the middle of setting down his teacup.

“…You’re suggesting he become a son-in-law who joins the wife’s family.”

“That’s right.”

Brian was usually skilled at reading people’s expressions. Jerome seemed quite amenable to the idea. Thanks to that, he could continue the conversation calmly.

“If the family head, your daughter, were to marry into our family, who would lead the Adelbein? It doesn’t make sense. So I think it would be best for my brother to live here from right after the ceremony.”

“Hmm, there is some logic to that.”

Only then did Erica, who had been dazed, catch on to Brian’s intentions.

To think he would prepare even for this contingency. Truly wise. As long as he becomes the family head, the Rheinland family will continue to prosper.

“Very well. Let’s proceed with the engagement during the Rheinland family head selection ceremony, and once that’s over, we’ll have the wedding.”

“Could we not hold the ceremony right away?”

“There are no wedding plans yet. My daughter is so busy during the semester that the earliest we could formally hold the wedding would be when her vacation begins.”

“How about taking him in as a son-in-law right after the engagement?”

“At the engagement stage, we don’t usually discuss matters like joining the wife’s family or living arrangements. Especially when the ceremony hasn’t even been held yet. It seems too early to discuss such matters.”

This isn’t going well.

Brian carefully concealed the complaint that had risen to his throat.

“…I understand.”

He had no choice but to back down. He had already made his mark, so for now, he had to be satisfied with this.

***

After Brian left, Jerome let out a faint sigh. His wife Trisha, who had been secretly listening to the conversation, came out and asked.

“Honey, why did you turn away an opportunity that rolled right in?”

“Because it could be a trap.”

“Explain so I can understand.”

Jerome, who had slumped into a chair, chuckled.

“That Brian, it’s my first time meeting him, but unlike the rumors, he’s quite cunning. He was trying to sell his brother to our house to secure the position of family head in his own family.”

“I noticed that much too. What’s the problem?”

“Woman, think about it carefully.”

Trisha carefully reconsidered the recent conversation. But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t see what was wrong. It didn’t seem like the Adelbein family would be harmed just because Brian had sold out Eidel.

“Do you think a man with that level of intelligence wouldn’t know anything about what’s happened in our family? Huh?”

“You mean what Master Kashu did?”

“Yes!”

Jerome raised his voice.

“That Brian is like a flower snake. He seems gentle, but in fact, he carries the most deadly poison in his fangs. Now he’s not only selling his own flesh and blood to another family but also trying to devour our family.”

Jerome understood this type of person best. Because he himself was such a person.

“If he becomes the family head, he’ll probably try to dig up everything that’s happened in our family. He’ll use Eidel as a pawn in that process. After our Council gets purged, Zernya will become nothing but a puppet.”

“Does that make sense? If we play our cards right, we could even end up controlling the Rheinland…”

“No, woman. If that guy becomes the family head, we’ll be at a disadvantage.”

“Why?”

“Think about a universal fact. When a child of a prestigious family becomes the head through competition, what happens to the remaining siblings?”

“They’re given enough money to prevent them from coveting the family fortune and position, and sent away to other regions… Oh!”

Suddenly, one fact flashed through Trisha’s mind.

The strategic marriage between the Rheinland family head and a branch member of their family to create binding ties.

That is, Rezein von Adelbein. The fact that she was Arnold’s wife.

“I hear that Rezein always badmouths the main house. Saying she was married off to a man she didn’t even like. The complaints are heard from ten million light-years away.”

“…If Brian takes control of the Rheinland, he’ll send his father’s wife and her daughter here.”

“Exactly. And that daughter is said to be close with Eidel Rheinland. What if that daughter interferes in family matters as the aunt of the child Zernya will bear?”

“Without a doubt. That would be the end of the Adelbein.”

Historically, there had been many similar incidents. That’s why the Jerome couple couldn’t help but feel a chill down their spines.

This matter concerned their family and livelihood. They needed to proceed cautiously.

“In that case, would it be better if Eidel became their family head?”

“If that guy becomes the head, the Adelbein will just be handed over, woman!”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you see my daughter’s expression at the banquet that day? She was half-fallen for that gigolo-looking face! After all, Zernya is still a girl!”

In fact, Zernya had maintained an expressionless face throughout, but she couldn’t fool Jerome’s eyes. Fidgeting with her fingers, or repeatedly glancing at Eidel. Those were clearly signs of attraction.

“That can’t be. Whose daughter is she? She should have better judgment than that.”

“Yes, let’s hope so.”

Zernya, who had become the family head, was currently engaged in “cutting ties” with Kashu Adelbein. She had excluded him from the family register again and provided compensation to the victims’ families for the biological experiments. She didn’t shy away from uncovering the truth either.

Thanks to this reform, the backlash against the main house was being minimized.

Jerome had high regard for his daughter’s intelligence at the very least. She would handle the family’s internal issues well. Therefore, what needed immediate attention was the Rheinland family head selection ceremony.

“Cunning ones like Brian move strategically. For now, let’s set aside the talk of him becoming a son-in-law and decide our next move after seeing how he acts.”

Trisha nodded.