Ch.196Polygamy (1)

Seti let go of everything.

It was over.

She had failed to become the family head, and all the glory went to her third brother.

She felt a bit regretful, but had no regrets.

“Now, little Eidel?”

“Aunt. That title is a bit…”

“Why not? A child is a child.”

Arnold’s younger sister, Fione Rheinland, chuckled as she climbed onto the podium. The elders of the council sat in chairs behind her. Some had pleasant expressions, while others frowned.

Fione unfolded a paper and spoke.

“Name, Eidel von Rheinland. You have rebuilt the Aether Belt and developed the quantum gravity resonator, saving countless lives. This achievement is worthy of being recognized as one that greatly changed human history.”

Cartrick gritted his teeth, while Brian silently stroked his chin.

Seti raised her head with a smile at the corner of her lips.

“The three papers you published this time align with your goal of driving out foreign media. The council highly values your sincerity and sense of purpose. Furthermore, you have sufficiently proven why you need the position of family head.”

Yes, she fought well despite losing.

Fione concluded her speech.

“Therefore, as a result of the council’s comprehensive judgment, we hereby designate Eidel von Rheinland as the next generation’s head. That is all.”

The next moment, applause erupted.

Fione put down her speech and picked up a white garment. It was a gown typically worn by doctors or scientists.

“Come here, our little one.”

“Aunt. Please.”

“Try it on. Let’s see if it fits.”

Eidel sighed and put on the gown. It was a special garment stamped with the Rheinland family crest. It was identical to what the current head, Arnold, wore.

As Eidel rolled up his sleeves, he asked:

“Aunt, am I a doctor now?”

“Yes. A quack doctor.”

Fione chuckled. Seti also trembled at the corners of her mouth upon hearing this.

“The guy looks good!”

Eidel, dressed in the gown, was enough to captivate the hearts of many women. He looked like the protagonist of a medical drama. Even Seti, his blood relative, thought he was handsome.

“Our little one, are you going to break many girls’ hearts?”

“No, Aunt.”

“You know, right? If you have back problems, go to your uncle; if you get pregnant, go to your younger aunt; and if you have problems with your lower body…”

“Aunt!”

“Yes, you should come to me. Our Eidel knows well, doesn’t he?”

Eidel pressed his forehead and tried to return to his seat. Fione gave one last piece of advice.

“Eidel, there are still adults who dislike you. If you want proper recognition, you’ll have to keep working hard. You know that, right?”

“Yes, thank you for your concern.”

“Good. Now go to your father.”

And so Eidel had a private meeting with Arnold.

“…So it ended up being you.”

“Indeed.”

Arnold reminisced about the past.

Just three years ago, the situation was completely opposite. Eidel, who lived as a good-for-nothing, was destined to be expelled from the family if he couldn’t prove his abilities.

But now.

“You’ve done well.”

The council’s influence plays a role in selecting the family head. If you make a good impression on them, your chances of becoming the head increase. Eidel proved himself purely through ability, without any of that.

“From now on, you are the junior head of the Rheinland family. When you graduate from college, I will officially hand over the position.”

Eidel nodded. After that, Arnold only conveyed necessary information. He pointed to Eidel’s left hand and added:

“Remember that you were able to become the head partly thanks to that ring. If your fiancée hadn’t attended medical school, you might have lost to your brother.”

Eidel thought of Zernya’s face.

The medical community is closed. Connections and universities play important roles.

Having Zernya as his wife. That was a means to cover up Eidel’s shortcomings as a physics major.

Zernya seemed to think she was only receiving help from Eidel. But in reality, Zernya was also helping Eidel.

Both outwardly and inwardly, they were a couple who needed each other.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Eidel returned to his seat with a smirk.

“Everyone, listen.”

Arnold grabbed the microphone and raised his voice.

“Now my third son is the junior head. Except for special circumstances like crimes, this will not be reversed. We will finalize the succession process over the course of a year, so I ask everyone to forget the past process and support him in every way.”

Some nodded, while others just sighed. Brian was among the latter. He stood up as soon as the succession ceremony ended.

“Brother, where are you going?”

“I’m leaving. It’s all over now.”

Brian was the first to leave. Some elders who still supported him tried to stop him, but it was too late. He disappeared into the darkness.

Cartrick quickly followed him.

Brian had gone up to the rooftop. He looked forlorn, leaning against the railing and looking up at the night sky. It was like seeing himself from a moment ago.

As Cartrick approached from behind, Brian spoke.

“So it’s really over now.”

It was a lament.

“Brother, let’s just pack our bags and leave.”

“What are you saying?”

Cartrick flared up.

“Do you want to watch a physics major ruin our family like this?”

“What’s wrong with physics? He proved himself with his abilities.”

“Brother, I’ve said it before and I said it today too. Rheinland is a medical family, so a doctor should be the head. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten?”

Brian turned around and said:

“His future wife is a doctor. At that point, the council’s opinion was already swayed.”

“We don’t know yet.”

“What don’t we know?”

Brian walked past Cartrick and slumped down on a bench. He looked bored, like someone suffering from depression.

This couldn’t end here. Everything about the Rheinland family was at stake. The family fortune, the center of the medical network, universal reputation and authority. They were about to lose everything by a narrow margin.

“Brother, let’s talk about this one thing.”

He had to persuade Brian.

“Both you and I have ambitions. Isn’t it a shame? Do we just have to watch that guy take everything?”

“You heard what Father said earlier. Unless he commits a crime, it’s impossible to bring him down.”

“Then we make him a criminal.”

At that moment, Brian glared at Cartrick.

“Are you serious about that?”

“Well, I…”

Cartrick’s mind raced. He didn’t want to become morally compromised just to become the family head.

“His fiancée.”

“Fiancée?”

“The Adelbein family has a shady background. We can use that. Or since both of them are now family heads, we can discuss who will give up their family business…”

“Yes, the latter. The latter sounds good.”

Brian clapped his hands and stood up. He changed his attitude, raising the corners of his mouth as if he had been waiting for Cartrick’s answer. A dry smile was clearly visible.

Cartrick was confused by his brother’s sudden change in attitude. Brian patted his shoulder and said:

“Cartrick, I was waiting for you to say that.”

From the beginning, Brian had intended to test Cartrick.

***

“Father, there’s a problem.”

“Tell me.”

“I have no complaints about Eidel becoming the head. But I heard his fiancée is also a family head.”

Arnold sighed.

“As expected of my firstborn. You’ve pinpointed it accurately.”

As it happened, Eidel’s fiancée was also a family head.

When both are family heads, one must give up their family business. That was the law of the Federation.

“I plan to discuss this matter with the Adelbein family soon.”

“I hope for a good outcome.”

Brian didn’t press further and left the office. Then he reviewed the conversation he had with his father. Just as Erica was hesitantly about to speak outside, he said:

“Erica, you’ll need to help me.”

“What? Yes! Of course, young master!”

Erica trembled. Having known him for nearly 30 years, she instinctively knew. Her master was currently in a very edgy state.

“Cartrick, there’s no need to be anxious. The influence of the Adelbein family is no small matter.”

“But brother, in these cases, isn’t it usually the woman who gives up her family business?”

“What era do you think we’re in?”

Mathematically speaking, the probability is fifty-fifty. Either Eidel becomes a son-in-law who joins his wife’s family, or Zernya comes to marry into this family. However, Brian was confident in the former.

Precisely because Zernya was an only child.

“Even without Eidel, we have two direct descendants who can inherit the family business, right?”

Brian patted Cartrick’s shoulder again and smiled.

“This will be interesting.”

Soon there will be a power struggle in the Adelbein council.

A fight between the collateral line trying to marry off Zernya and the direct line trying to bring in Eidel.

As long as Zernya doesn’t give up her position as family head, the chances are over 90%. Because in any family, there are more collateral members than direct ones.

After finishing their strategy meeting, the two brothers went to find Eidel. The brief reception was coming to an end. The council elders were about to board their spaceships to return to their respective homes.

“Travel safely.”

“Yes, don’t feel too disappointed.”

“Thank you, Great-uncle. Uncle.”

The elders who had supported Brian handed over checks, saying they had done well. Thanks to their regular interactions, the relationship was amicable. Just having supporting forces meant there was still a possibility.

“Congratulations on becoming the head, Eidel.”

Next, the two brothers greeted Eidel. Eidel had already taken off his doctor’s gown.

“Why did you take off the clothes?”

“Because it’s hot.”

“You’re not showing your style.”

“I’m in a theoretical position, not a doctor, so why do I need to wear it?”

Eidel chuckled and then yawned.

“Brothers, clothes don’t have much meaning beyond warmth or hygiene. Whether I wear a uniform, this gown, or look like a beggar. What matters is that I am me.”

“Eidel. You don’t understand the importance of that gown. If you just wear it, all the people in the south will bow to you.”

“Then if you put it on anyone, will people bow to them?”

Brian and Cartrick couldn’t say anything. They were simply dumbfounded. Eidel showed no dignity as a family head. It was then that Eidel casually folded the gown and tucked it under his arm.

“I’ll wear it when I do important experiments later. I don’t need to wear it now. Everyone already knows I’m the junior head.”

“…So when do you plan to marry your fiancée from the Adelbein family?”

“Around when I graduate from college? Since I’ll graduate early, it’ll be within this year.”

Brian and Cartrick exchanged glances and grinned. Within this year. That was a good sign. When the two get married, one of them must step down from the position of family head.

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Call us on your wedding day, Head.”

The two brothers waved goodbye and left. One to look for territory in a nearby planetary system, the other to go to the Adelbein main house.

But they didn’t know.

In cases where the man wants to practice polygamy, if one of the brides is a family head, she must step down and marry into his family. That was the law of the Federation.

Eidel was planning to practice polygamy.

And Zernya didn’t particularly oppose this.

In other words, their plan was flawed from the start.

***

Rejein was restless.

Seti had failed to become the family head. It was customary to give money to children who failed to become the head and send them to another planetary system. In simple terms, it was branching out.

For Rejein, branching out was tantamount to a purge.

Over the past few years, she had been harsh to the first wife’s children. She knew she shouldn’t have been, but she still disliked them. Since they didn’t treat her as their mother, she had no intention of playing the role of a mother.

Therefore, Rejein’s future life depended on how Eidel would treat her.

“It’s over now…”

After treating him so harshly, things couldn’t possibly go well.

In the end, she had to forget about revenge against the Adelbein family or whatever and take Seti somewhere else.

It was at that moment, as she was entering Seti’s room with determination:

“Sister, from now on, I’m appointing you as the acting head.”

“What? You said you’d just let me manage finances.”

“Actually, that was a lie. So please manage the family for me.”

“You bastard.”

Eidel threw a white garment at Seti and ran away. It happened so suddenly that both Seti and Rejein were left speechless.

And so, the junior head’s junior head.

Show-head Seti was born.