Chapter 212

Chapter 212

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 212: I’ll Give You My Surname (2)

Rejane burst into Ceti’s room. Ceti, who had been absorbed in manipulating stock charts as if kneading dough, startled and toppled backward.

“Ouch… Mother? What’s wrong?”

“Ceti, we must leave immediately.”

“Why so suddenly?”

“We need to escape before Aidel imprisons you, too!”

Ceti immediately grasped the situation. Her mother was having a serious but misguided concern.

Having been born and raised in the Adelwein family, Ceti understood why her mother would think this way. The Adelweins were known for such extreme measures, even against their own relatives.

But the Reinhardt family was different.

They were harmonious. Happy. Even when there was discord, they never crossed certain boundaries because blood ties were sacred. Unless someone committed a grave offense, exile was never an option – it was their family principle.

With this conviction, Ceti spoke confidently.

“Mother, we’re safe. Nothing will happen to us.”

“Don’t be naive. Didn’t you see what happened to the eldest?”

“Brian was arrested because he tried to usurp our brother’s position as head. We haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Right or wrong doesn’t matter when we’re Adelweins! The world sees us as the criminal branch. What if Aidel uses that as an excuse to banish us to some distant planet?”

“My brother isn’t that kind of person.”

Ceti stated firmly.

“You may not know my first and second brothers well, but I know Aidel. We shouldn’t doubt family so easily.”

“But Brian-”

“As I said, he tried to seize leadership. In the Adelwein family, he would have been executed. Isn’t my brother merciful to only imprison him?”

Ceti rose from her chair, grabbed a handful of corn puffs from her desk, and placed them in her mother’s palm.

“Even if the worst happens, I can always escape then. Do you really think I’d starve out there?”

“That’s not what I-”

“Then trust both me and my brother.”

Ceti stood tall, projecting confidence.

Yet doubt lingered.

Rejane, unaware of all the complexities, clutched her chest repeatedly. The anxiety was like indigestion, leaving her unsettled.

In truth, she could escape alone even now if she wanted to.

But she couldn’t bear to leave without Ceti.

Though Ceti was born from a union she hadn’t particularly wanted, Rejane couldn’t deny that her daughter was her own flesh and blood.

Given their circumstances, she believed they needed to face whatever came their way together.

“Mother, I have a meeting with the company representatives now.”

“…Very well. We’ll discuss this later.”

Rejane’s shoulders slumped as she left the room.

But as she stepped into the living room, she froze in place.

There sat Aidel, coiled like a serpent in wait.

I had just returned to the main house after finishing my schedule when I spotted my mother in the living room. Given how rarely I see her – even less than my busy father – I couldn’t contain my excitement.

“Mother!”

I called out joyfully.

But something felt wrong. The moment she saw me, her face turned ghostly pale, as if she’d seen a specter.

“Mother, it’s been so long. How have you been lately?”

“Oh? I…”

“Are you not feeling well?”

I asked out of concern.

I thought if Ceti’s mother was ill, my younger sister would surely be struggling to manage everything. Instead of just focusing on ensuring smooth financial operations, I should step up and show proper filial duty on behalf of my busy sister.

“You look exhausted.”

“Do I? Work has been demanding lately…”

“Please, sit down for a moment.”

I guided Rejane to a chair and prepared her favorite chamomile tea. She accepted the cup hesitantly, staring absently at the steam rising from the swirling tea leaves.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, no… it’s just that the color seems deeper than usual…”

“I’ve started using higher quality leaves. The flavor should be richer.”

“…Is that so?”

Rejane waited patiently for the tea to cool, as she’d never handled hot beverages well. Even then, she brought the cup to her lips with noticeable caution.

A realization suddenly struck me as Rejane took her first sip.

“Actually, these tea leaves were a gift from your daughter-in-law.”

“Daughter-in-law…? Which…?”

“Zelnya.”

I recalled how, after my collapse, Zelnya had become concerned about my health and started giving me expensive gifts.

“These are from the Adelwein region. They’re famous for their distinct, addictive aroma unique to the northern Ronol planetary system…”

Puh!

Rejane suddenly choked, violently coughing and spewing tea leaves like droplets of blood. I jumped to my feet in alarm.

“Cough, cough!”

“Mother! Are you alright? Here, take some tissues!”

“Ugh.”

Her reaction seemed extreme for a simple choking fit. Something felt off.

“Does it taste strange?”

“Ah, well…”

To check, I took a careful sip myself.

The tea was wonderfully fragrant and sweet. Chamomile contains apigenin, known for its calming and tension-relieving properties. Given the tea’s superior quality, its effects were almost immediate.

Due to the calming effect of the top-grade tea, your Pron level has decreased by 10.

Stupid tea.

No, I shouldn’t be ungrateful about Zelnya’s expensive gift… That would be tasteless.

The calming effect is sustained. Your Pron level will decrease by 10 every 3 hours, totaling a 30-point reduction.

Ha, damn it.

I silently vowed never to drink chamomile again.

I finished my tea in one gulp now that it had cooled. Since I was already experiencing its effects, I figured I might as well complete what I’d started.

Following my lead, Rejane began drinking her tea more comfortably, letting out a contemplative sigh afterward.

“How is it? Acceptable?”

“Yes, it’s lovely. Really lovely.”

“If you enjoy it, I can give you more. You could keep it at work for when you’re tired.”

“No, please don’t!”

Rejane quickly shook her head.

“It’s too expensive. Your fiancée gave it to you as a gift – you should drink it yourself. She might be hurt if you gave it away.”

Such a thoughtful mother, I mused. She would likely treat Zelnya well as a daughter-in-law. Plus, since they both shared Adelwein bloodlines and a mutual distaste for Adelwein, they’d probably get along splendidly.

Then it struck me – had they ever formally met? After some consideration, I realized they hadn’t.

As it happened, my parents’ wedding anniversary was this month.

“Mother.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Your wedding anniversary is approaching. What do you think about having a family dinner?”

“…A family dinner?”

“Yes.”

I was well aware that my parents’ relationship was strained. This stemmed from their respective passionate loves elsewhere.

My father was devoted exclusively to my mother, Reika Reinhardt, while Rejane reportedly had loved another man before – though this wasn’t common knowledge.

Their discord was natural, given their hearts belonged to different people. But what choice did they have now?

Their loved ones had passed on, Ceti had been born, and the family was stable – there was no reason for divorce.

They simply had to continue living as they were. Even if love was absent, there was no need for animosity between them.

“… I’ve never celebrated an anniversary with that person. The head of the family is too busy – there’s no need to trouble him.”

“Even so, the family should meet occasionally, even if it’s just a pretext.”

“Ah, I see.”

Rejane rose unsteadily to her feet.

“I’ll arrange something for next week then.”

“Yes…”

“Will you be coming home more often now?”

“I expect so. I’ll certainly be here tomorrow.”

“Oh, I’m afraid I can’t be home tomorrow. I have an important matter… I’ll send some refreshments through Ceti.”

“Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

The following day, I purchased some premium cookies. After writing a gift message, I had them delivered home before heading to Callisto Academy.

I wouldn’t be seeing Brian for a while.

It was time to confront Cadric and uncover the true intentions behind his conspiracy.

As Aidel served the tea from Zelnya, countless thoughts raced through Rejane’s mind.

Why had he specifically mentioned Zelnya? Could the tea be poisoned? Or was it a subtle hint that she should leave?

She couldn’t decipher his true intentions.

Sitting blankly on the sofa, Rejane contemplated the situation. It seemed Aidel had appointed Ceti as sub-head and put her in charge of the economy merely to lower their guard. After all, a sub-head position could be revoked at any time.

The pattern was becoming clear: first eliminate the formidable Brian, then dispose of Rejane and Ceti.

If true, this posed a serious problem. Yet there was nothing they could do while Ceti remained so steadfast in her trust.

Moreover, Aidel had proposed a family gathering for their wedding anniversary next week. Rejane needed to understand his true intentions by then.

“I’ll send some refreshments from Ceti’s side,” he had said. That statement couldn’t have been meaningless.

Perhaps waiting until tomorrow would reveal something. With a throbbing headache, Rejane headed to the hospital at dawn the next day.

That afternoon, a small box arrived for Ceti, who was working from home.

“What’s this?”

It was a luxury box filled with fancy snacks. Inside the wrapping, a message was printed in delicate font:

To Mother. Thank you always. Enjoy it with Ceti.

Ceti felt emotion well up in her throat.

As expected of my brother! He’s not just looking after me, but mother too. He’s truly become the head of the family!

How could such a caring brother want to remove his mother and sister? It seemed absurd.

Ceti broadly smiled as she unwrapped the package.

“Wow.”

The contents were not only elegant but as abundant as her father’s hair. Just looking at them made her mouth water.

“Didn’t he say to eat it with mom? Well, I can have some too.”

Despite spending all day in front of her computer – attending meetings, coding, and analyzing charts – Ceti felt sugar-deprived. She picked up a tart and took a bite.

“Wow…”

It melted like a perfectly timed stock trade.

A wave of happiness coursed through her body.

This brand was definitely worth investing in. Ceti noted the name.

“Philopon Snack?”

Literally meaning “drug snack” – how did Aidel know about such a brand?

While buying stocks in the company, Ceti would occasionally indulge in their snacks.

Having not eaten since morning, her hands moved automatically.

Just one more, but, reaching out only to find nothing left.

She had eaten everything.

“Oh no.”

Ceti realized her mistake. Aidel had bought these for her to share with her mother, but they were so delicious she’d devoured them all.

Still, it wasn’t a disaster. Despite their high price, she could easily afford to replace them.

As Ceti tidied up the box and prepared to order more online, Rejane suddenly burst in.

Startled, Ceti slipped from her chair without even a scream, her heart rate spiking like a volatile stock.

“Mother? I thought you’d be home late…”

“I came back early because I was worried about you.”

“I’m fine. Nothing happened.”

Rejane’s gaze fell to the snack box on the desk.

“So these are the refreshments Aidel promised to send yesterday.”