Ch.194Succession War for the Family Headship (9)

The two robots continued fighting until Arnold appeared.

“Enough! What’s this commotion on such an important day!”

“I apologize.”

“I’m sorry, Head of the Family…”

Arnold quickly scanned the room. After assessing the situation, his gaze turned to Brian. Brian hastily lowered his posture.

“Brian, isn’t Erica exclusively yours? She’s your limbs, your face. Keep her in check properly.”

Brian bowed his head without complaint. Despite his calm exterior, he was burning inside.

“Brian, Cartrick. The third son seems half-asleep—wake him up. Tell him to wash his face and sit properly, as he’ll soon be meeting the elders.”

“Understood.”

As soon as Arnold left, Brian nudged Cartrick.

“Second brother, have you been well?”

“Y-yes.”

At the same time, he instantly read Cartrick’s expression. His complexion wasn’t particularly good, though it didn’t seem to be a health issue.

“What projects have you been working on?”

“Just… various things.”

Judging by his vague answer, he probably hadn’t done anything impressive. Getting good grades or doing volunteer work—that would be the extent of it. Brian was well aware of Cartrick’s level of talent.

“Brother, both you and I are doctors. One of us needs to become the family head. Otherwise, all the great achievements the Rheinland family has built up will shrink in an instant.”

“Right, of course.”

“As I’ve said before, I don’t mind if I don’t become the head. So Cartrick, I hope you’ll do your best.”

Brian patted Cartrick’s shoulder and smiled. Cartrick returned a bitter smile. His lips were cracked like an old tree.

Eventually, the two brothers approached Eidel. Cartrick shook Eidel, who was nodding off with his chin propped up.

“Hey, wake up.”

There was no response.

“It’s been a while. What have you been doing these past two months?”

Eidel nodded with half-open eyes. There was no focus in them at all. He seemed possessed by some spirit.

Eidel was reading a paper he held in one hand.

“What are you looking at?”

“Erotic fiction.”

“You’re still half-asleep.”

Cartrick twisted his lips and shook his head. That’s when Eidel clicked his tongue.

“Cartrick, you don’t understand the aesthetics of arousal.”

“You’ve finally gone mad. Should I write you a medical opinion?”

“No.”

Eidel said.

“Cartrick. You don’t know how erotic this thesis is. Once this paper is accepted, the federation’s population will increase. Why? Because all the spirits will retreat. People will become happier, and economic levels will rise.”

“…”

“And when people become economically prosperous, they have sex. So writing this thesis is equivalent to creating babies. Since it describes the process of making babies, it’s an erotic novel. Proof complete.”

“What is this madman saying?”

In truth, Eidel was half-delirious from overwork. And when one becomes delirious, they tend to talk nonsense instinctively.

“Also, a woman poured her love and time into me for this thesis. I felt her devotion. You probably haven’t met such a woman anywhere. Look, see the passion and sincerity in these ink marks.”

Cartrick slowly backed away. Eidel got up from his seat with a grin.

Cartrick turned around to look at Brian. Even Brian, who usually managed his expressions well, had turned to stone. Seti was trembling her lips.

Cartrick finally caught his breath and spoke.

“Eidel, don’t tell me you wrote a thesis for your assignment?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re joking.”

Crunch. Seti munched on popcorn. Cartrick continued.

“How long do you think you can deceive the elders?”

“Deceive what?”

“Don’t play dumb. You’re terrible at studying.”

Finally, Seti couldn’t hold back her laughter and doubled over. Cartrick glared at Seti, who was holding her stomach and giggling. He then shot a look at Eidel and said.

“At your level, heaven and the constellations know you can’t achieve such feats. What? A thesis that will change the world? I can’t listen to this anymore. Why don’t you stop pretending and just come clean?”

“What pretense? I’m a person who’s a corpse without trust.”

“Right, Eidel. I knew you’d say that.”

In Cartrick’s memory, Eidel was a shameless being. Someone who didn’t help the family. Someone who only wasted resources. And someone who took away the mother he loved.

He didn’t like how nonchalant Eidel was despite all that.

Since becoming an adult, he had avoided meeting him. But now there was no need for that. Once the position of family head was decided, this guy would be expelled from the Rheinland family.

So.

“Hey, Eidel.”

These words are the last act of mercy.

“I knew you’d be like this, so I invited physics experts from our school today.”

“Your school… Callisto Academy?”

“Yes. The physics professors from there will evaluate the thesis you wrote. Let’s see how well you defend it.”

Brian was a bit surprised.

At the same time, he saw hope.

“Third brother, how many papers did you write?”

“Hmm. Three.”

Three papers in two months.

Unless they were minor papers of kindling quality. To publish with decent quality, it takes at least a few months per paper. Three papers was an impossible story.

Unless, of course, he was possessed by a spirit who loved research.

“You worked hard. Good job.”

“Wow, as expected, big brother knows something!”

Brian inwardly mocked Eidel.

Soon, the presentation order was determined.

Seti, Cartrick, Brian, and then Eidel. After finishing her popcorn, Seti quickly brushed her teeth and went up to the podium.

Seti cleared her throat and looked around.

The most noticeable person was her mother, Rezein von Adelbein. She kept crossing her arms and moistening her lips. She looked restless.

‘Don’t worry, mother. I want to become the family head too. I’ll do my best to be sufficient.’

Seti took a deep breath and opened her presentation materials.

***

“This concludes my project results presentation. Thank you.”

As soon as Seti’s presentation ended, the elders cheered. This crazy sister had earned 1,000 trillion credits in just two months.

I couldn’t help but gape at the results.

Realistically, it’s impossible. It can’t be done.

Compared to Seti, am I just ordinary?

[“You’re the same, kid.”]

Suddenly, I looked behind. I could see a woman with white hair smiling brightly.

It was Rezein, Seti’s mother. She was predicting the possibility of her daughter becoming the family head. Judging by her pleased expression, she must have determined the conditions were favorable.

Yes, I’d be quite happy if Seti became the family head.

The next person was Cartrick. He displayed his presentation materials with a stern expression. I smacked my lips in disappointment.

In the story, Cartrick is portrayed as someone who feels inferior to Brian. And for good reason. While Cartrick isn’t a fool, Brian’s talent is just too innate.

“The case records I personally wrote…”

“Who told you to take notes here?”

Some ill-tempered elders clicked their tongues. Cartrick bit his lip and moved to the next slide.

There wasn’t much after that either. Volunteer activities from the past two months, awards, disease research… just things like that. The response wasn’t very good.

But it was admirable.

Cartrick showed evidence that he had lived diligently in his own way. I don’t like the attitude he shows towards me, but I want to commend his efforts.

“…This concludes my presentation.”

As soon as those words fell, I clapped. Clap, clap, clap. The hollow sound echoed over the podium.

Damn, why is no one else clapping? Everyone had a good reaction during Seti’s time.

I glanced around. Cartrick was furrowing his brow at me. He soon sighed and returned to his seat.

“I’m next.”

As soon as Brian opened his mouth, the posture of the adults straightened.

Indeed, I understand now.

The reason the adults didn’t clap after Cartrick’s presentation wasn’t simply because he was lacking. Their hearts were already with Brian. Seti was just an exceptional case who did too well.

Brian, who had stepped onto the podium, slowly began to speak.

“…As I mentioned before, I was acutely aware of the deficiencies in the medical system. And during this project, I was able to address those deficiencies to some extent.”

He continued calmly.

“It was through ‘MayDoc’.”

“…What did you say?”

“Isn’t MayDoc a company created by Rezein’s daughter?”

I quickly turned to look at Seti. Seti’s expression had subtly hardened. Brian explained further with a raised corner of his mouth.

“My goal is simply for more people to enjoy more medical benefits. The Rheinland flag must wave at the center of those benefits. As long as that’s possible, I don’t care about any position.”

“Ohhh.”

This isn’t good.

First, Brian’s presentation level is substantial. It’s compelling enough to captivate even me, who prided myself on my presentation experience.

Second, he utilized a competitor’s creation. One might ask how this benefits Brian. But Brian showed magnanimity. He proved that he prioritized the prestige of the entire Rheinland family over becoming the family head himself.

Not everyone can have such ambition.

It was the quality of a family head.

“My sister’s company was providing a truly useful service. Thanks to it, sensitive and expensive medical equipment could be swiftly introduced to frontier planetary systems. And that’s not all. Hospitals far apart can also move necessary equipment and personnel as needed.”

The presentation flows like water. Everyone was being drawn into his presentation in a trance.

“That’s all.”

As soon as those words ended, applause erupted. I clapped along while checking Seti’s complexion.

“Are you okay?”

“Fuck.”

Seems like she’s not okay.

“In the end, it’s about medical standards rather than money.”

“Yes, of course. The influence of the Rheinland family comes from medical care.”

“The first son’s generosity is truly remarkable. To do something good for a competitor for the sake of the family and public interest.”

The interim evaluation from the council of elders was devastating. Everything was rolling in Brian’s favor.

“Lastly, we have the project results presentation from young master Eidel von Rheinland.”

I stood up with an uncomfortable feeling. That’s when Seti grabbed my sleeve.

“…Brother.”

Seti moved her lips. The meaning is felt without words. Seti probably saw through Brian’s true colors. She pleaded.

“We seem to be screwed.”

“We don’t know yet.”

“I know we are, so try something. Anything.”

“…Alright.”

I moved my steps.

***

Cartrick was inwardly cursing Eidel.

The guy who clapped alone when no one else did. The guy who drew more attention because of it.

He had definitely humiliated him.

But it’s okay.

As he had warned Eidel in advance, he had created connections in the physics department and invited professors from his Callisto Academy.

He had paid a hefty sum to bring them.

“Professors, it’s that friend.”

“Hmm.”

Just as Eidel’s presentation was about to begin, the two professors sitting right next to him burst into laughter and spoke.

“In all my life, this is the first time I’m attacking a paper I co-authored.”

“Indeed, Professor Apron. Hahaha!”

Cartrick’s face contorted like a modernist artwork.