Ch.190Succession War for the Family Headship (5)

The laboratory was wallpapered in pure white.

The research equipment arranged in the spacious room was uniformly eerie, like artifacts made by foreign gods. About six or seven undergraduates were operating the equipment, creating or experimenting with something.

It resembled a well-organized workshop rather than an entertainment facility. Erika, who had expected a debaucherous scene, couldn’t help but be quite surprised.

It’s not promiscuous.

But somehow, the atmosphere was decadent.

“Welcome to Young Master Eidel’s laboratory.”

“…An undergraduate student has a private lab?”

“That’s correct.”

Erika felt a chill.

For reasons she couldn’t quite understand, she shouldn’t enter this place.

Reflexively pushing Sonia away, Erika grabbed the doorknob as soon as she had a chance to escape.

Click, click.

It wouldn’t open.

“W-why won’t this open…?”

“Because it’s locked from the inside.”

Only then did the door lock enter her field of vision.

Erika, soaked in shock, shouted.

“Are you crazy? Who installs a door lock on the inside? If you forget the password, you can’t get out!”

“That’s how graduate schools are.”

Thud.

Sonia took a step closer. Erika stepped back.

She couldn’t go far. The space was limited, and no android could withstand Sonia’s grappling skills, honed from years of beating up Eidel.

“Save me! Save me!”

Sonia subdued Erika in one swift move and brought her before Eidel, who was training new recruits, forcing her to kneel.

“Welton and Mathers should first learn how to use this equipment, and Senior Edward should check the formulas… What’s this?”

“Young Master, please look at this. I found it outside and brought it in.”

“It’s an android. Where is it from?”

“Don’t be surprised. It’s a free graphics card sent from the family.”

Erika’s pupils contracted.

Graphics card? Is he thinking of me as a matrix computation device?

Me, a 5th generation android that’s no different from humans except for being metal-based?

“Ah, so it’s a free GPU.”

“No! I am neither free nor a graphics card!”

“Yes, it’s a super graphics card capable of algorithm optimization. Young Master, since it’s provided by the family, you don’t need to worry about rental fees.”

“Nooooo!”

“Please stay still. Where’s the power port?”

Sonia brought a long electrical cord and inserted it into the small socket on Erika’s nape.

Coincidentally, the two robots were made by different manufacturers and were incompatible.

“I-I’m saved. Thank you, Constellation, Young Master! You haven’t abandoned me yet!”

“Where’s the adapter? Ah, found it.”

Erika, who had been relieved, let out a short “Ah.”

And so Erika was transformed into a graphics processing unit. Once connected to the terminal, she couldn’t refuse the commands injected into her. That was the fate of computers, and the reason why androids could never be completely identical to humans.

“Kyaaaah!”

Today too, Eidel’s laboratory is peaceful.

***

Brian, who had been writing a medical opinion, threw down his pen and looked up.

“What did you just say?”

“I’m sorry, Young Master. I have nothing to tell you…”

Brian let out a hollow laugh.

It had been nearly two weeks since Erika (Unit 2) hadn’t returned. What should have taken three days at most was clearly delayed, meaning something had gone wrong.

“Creating unnecessary trouble.”

“I’m ashamed, Young Master. But I really can’t contact her. Something’s definitely wrong. The signal shouldn’t be cut off at the college in the first place…”

“Is that supposed to be an excuse?”

Brian growled lowly. He rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

Androids belonging to specific groups typically wear badges. Company-owned ones have company logos, and family-owned ones have letters symbolizing that family.

No space pirate in this vicinity would have the guts to steal an android labeled with the Rheinland family crest.

Therefore, the inference narrowed down to one possibility.

“It must be that bastard Eidel’s doing.”

“Is there definitive proof that Young Master Eidel did it?”

“Normally, I’d agree. But what period are we in right now?”

“Ah… It’s the period when the young masters are competing for the family head selection.”

Money, honor, power. It’s the time when it’s decided whether all of Rheinland’s assets will be transferred or not. Even if it’s not the case, everything must be viewed from that perspective.

“It doesn’t have to be Eidel specifically. If it’s not him, we’ll falsely accuse him and interrogate anyway.”

“Yes, your words are most wise!”

Having quickly finished his schedule on the frontier planet, Brian put on his doctor’s coat and rose from his seat.

He had to be on duty starting tomorrow anyway.

He needed to go to Stellarium.

To make a good impression on his father and the professors, it was better to move first.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Upon arriving at the Stellarium planetary system.

Brian looked up at the sky as soon as he got off the shuttle. The building of the college-affiliated hospital was immediately visible.

“The medical school, natural science college, and engineering school are all adjacent here. Do you know why?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it.”

“Think about it.”

“Is it because medicine is also categorized as natural science? It enables interdisciplinary research with departments like biology or Constellation Bioengineering…”

“That’s part of it, but it’s also because many people collapse in the natural science and engineering departments.”

“Why?”

“Graduate students.”

“…Oh.”

Brian sighed, rubbing under his eyes.

“Even living as a fellow is tough. I understand their feelings well since I’m in the same situation. Being a graduate student is truly not meant for humans.”

“But you have a future, Young Master. This is your last hurdle. Once you become a clinical professor, your life is essentially set!”

“Do they still promote people first just because they’re royalty these days? That shouldn’t happen.”

Brian chuckled. Despite his words, it was certain that he was already designated. All the professors stationed at the university hospital bore the Rheinland name.

“Is this it?”

“Yes, we’ve arrived.”

Stellarium College of Natural Sciences building.

The two headed to the physics department building to find the missing Unit 2.

Finding Eidel’s location wasn’t difficult. There was an electronic board showing the location of each laboratory.

3rd floor, Room 304. Undergraduate research lab.

Since undergraduates aren’t usually given separate labs, it was definitely a space where Eidel would likely be. In fact, he had also heard the location from his father.

“He’s very thorough.”

Erika (Unit 1) still thought Eidel was acting.

But Brian was different.

Unlike before, his father’s protection of Eidel had increased. And the confident attitude and professional vocabulary Eidel displayed in the last presentation.

There might be another possibility.

[Room of Truth]

“This is it.”

Brian cleared his throat with a “Ahem.”

After knocking, an android wearing a maid headband appeared and bowed her head.

“Hello, First Young Master.”

Eidel’s exclusive android, Sonia.

“What brings you here?”

“Nothing special, I’m on duty today. I was wondering how my third brother is doing on my way.”

Sonia nodded.

“The Young Master is doing well. Thank you for your concern on his behalf.”

“Since I’m here, I’d like to see my brother’s face.”

“I’m sorry, but the Young Master has gone on a business trip.”

Brian’s eyebrows twitched.

“Business trip?”

“Yes. He went to meet a professor in Callisto.”

He almost snorted right there.

“May I wait inside until my brother returns?”

“Didn’t you say you’re on duty?”

“I have some time before that.”

“Young Master Eidel will return tomorrow. I, Sonia, strongly recommend that the First Young Master attend to his duty first.”

“Then, please contact me when my brother returns.”

“Understood.”

Brian left without looking back. As soon as they turned the corner, Erika burst into laughter she had been holding back.

“Young Master, I detected my clone’s transmission when the door opened. The room must be made of iron, which blocked the signals!”

“Yes, that’s right.”

This confirmed it.

Unit 2 is inside.

With the fact confirmed, veins bulged on Brian’s forehead.

“Arrogant bastard. He’s been hiding his fangs all this time.”

“It seems the business trip story is also a lie. He’s just a sophomore, what kind of achievement could he have? In my opinion, he’s trying to thoroughly hide after failing to deceive you!”

“You said you detected a transmission earlier. What did your clone say?”

“Well…”

Erika received the signal just before the door closed. Soon her expression turned to shock.

“Save… me…”

“What the hell is that guy doing?”

“The transmission cut off again after that. It seems there’s a limit to the amount of information that can be exchanged.”

Erika requested.

“Young Master, let’s just go back and raid the lab. You can expose how the Third Young Master is deceiving the family head and the council of elders! Then you can become the family head!”

“No.”

Brian raised his hand to stop her.

“Now that I know Eidel is cunning, I need to proceed more politely. Barging in would be rude. There’s no benefit in giving him something to nitpick about.”

The method he chose was to visit three times.

The day after his duty, Brian squeezed out time from his busy schedule to visit Eidel’s lab again.

“Young Master Eidel has gone to the Iryuel Academy.”

The second visit was also in vain.

“He’s traveling between west and east.”

“He must think he’s the sun.”

“But I’ll be the one standing in the south.”

“Your words are most wise!”

And he visited again the next day.

“Eidel? He went out to buy engagement jewelry.”

This time, a girl with dark green hair, barely 150cm tall, appeared and said so. It seemed she had gone out with Sonia.

“He left in the morning, so he should be back soon. Would you like to wait inside?”