Chapter 214

Chapter 214

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 214: I’ll Give You My Surname (4)

Rejane struggled to understand Aidel’s true intentions. Why the snacks? Why make Ceti the vice head of the family? Why celebrate their wedding anniversary at such an expensive restaurant? Was this a Last Supper? A final act of mercy? Or did he have another motive entirely?

Her racing thoughts were interrupted by Aidel’s bizarre eating display.

“Oh, it’s ready.”

“What is this madman doing with the food? Father, look at him!”

Rejane’s initial doubt and anxiety toward Aidel quickly gave way to fear as she watched him devour food in ways that defied comprehension.

“Aidel, stop this at once! How dare the head of a family behave so vulgarly!”

It was unheard of for a family head to act this way – they typically valued their reputation above all else.

“What are you creating in such an upscale establishment?”

“What’s wrong with sea squirt durian fish sauce risotto?”

“The mere description turns my stomach! Dispose of it immediately!”

“Since I made it, I’ll dispose of it in my stomach. Oop, ugh.”

“Aidel…!”

“Wow, even an Outer God would flee in tears at this sight.”

Ceti remarked, pinching his nose against the overwhelming smell. Rejane found herself nodding in agreement.

“The stench won’t dissipate. Do you have a death wish?”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t enough! Save your weird food experiments for when you’re alone!”

“Still better than overeating, honestly.”

“You’re asking for it today.”

The bickering between Aidel and Ceti continued.

“I’ll cleanse my palate with some steak.”

“Hey! I waited 30 minutes for that!”

“Mmm, delicious~”

“That’s it. I’m cutting your R&D budget.”

“You’re crossing a line!”

“Want me to revoke your vice head position, too? Go ahead – try me. You can’t manage the estate without me anyway.” He continued eating noisily.

Rejane felt dismayed watching this petty display of power politics between leaders of the Raniakae Federation’s ten great families.

“Mother, don’t worry. He’s always like this, though I didn’t expect biochemical warfare on your anniversary……”

“A gift? Ah yes, the gift.”

Aidel snapped his fingers, his tone suddenly serious.

“An anniversary requires a commemorative gift.”

Rejane tensed. A gift could mean one of two things: something that brings joy or something that brings trouble. If it was the latter, their real problems were about to begin. The next few moments would determine both her and Ceti’s futures.

“This may be presumptuous, but……”

Aidel produced a small box.

Rejane’s eyes widened. A box that size could only contain one thing.

With a soft click, he opened it to reveal a pair of silver rings.

“This is……”

“It’s your wedding anniversary – you should have wedding rings.”

Imperial Yellow Topaz – a gem thousands of times more precious than ordinary topaz. Its strong birefringence caused it to glow like fluorescent light with even the slightest illumination. Indeed, the pair of rings emitted a soft, beautiful radiance.

Rejane stared at Aidel’s gift, speechless.

“What do you think?”

“…… It’s beautiful.”

“They say topaz symbolizes happiness, patience, hope, friendship, and innocence. I had these 20th-anniversary rings custom-made to wish you both happiness.”

The gesture left Rejane dizzy with surprise. Though it wasn’t a love confession, she found herself as flustered as if she’d been confessed to by someone she admired. Such a gift from Aidel was completely unexpected.

“His arms will fall off. Take it, both of you.”

Ceti urged.

As Rejane accepted the box, she asked,

“……Did you two plan this together?”

“Who knows.”

Ceti replied evasively.

“These rings must be extremely valuable……”

“Compared to our family’s wealth, it’s nothing. Parents are worth more than money.”

Aidel and Ceti exchanged knowing glances, their earlier bickering forgotten in their apparent closeness.

“Try them on.”

“Ahem.”

“…….”

With both children encouraging them, there was no refusing. As Rejane slipped on the ring, she felt something inexplicable. She glanced sideways at Arnold, who was quietly scratching his head.

“We need a commemorative photo.”

Ceti declared, opening the screen. The multi-dimensional camera’s wide-angle could easily capture all five of them.

Ceti took his position while Aidel pulled a reluctant Cadric by the shoulder. Though Cadric groaned initially, he soon settled down under Aidel’s casual smile and reassuring pat.

“Ready, everyone! One, two, three, cheese~!”

“Thesis~!”

“Perfect. I’ll send it to Mom and Dad right away.”

Rejane slowly browsed through the photos Ceti sent. Her husband’s expression surprised her – instead of his usual stern look, he appeared somewhat bashful.

Why was that? She couldn’t understand. She had always thought him completely devoid of affection…

“You look really ugly in this one.”

“Who cares.”

Watching Aidel and Ceti’s playful interaction, Rejane reflected on their relationship. Their warm sibling bond was unlike anything in Adelwein, where family members could be cast aside the moment they became useless.

Yet she found herself warming to it.

“……”

Sighing, Rejane gazed down at her sparkling topaz ring.

Had she been wrong all along?

Filial piety – if that explained Aidel’s actions, everything made sense. Otherwise, she couldn’t fathom the meaning behind this gift.

“Father, you should wear yours too.”

“Ahem.”

As Arnold slipped the ring onto his left finger, Rejane felt an unexpected sense of relief wash over her.

Arnold fidgeted with the ring on his finger, feeling uncomfortable with its presence. Since Reika’s death, his hand had remained bare. He had carefully stored his first wedding ring alongside her memories in a safe to preserve it, while his ring from his marriage to Rejane lay carelessly discarded in a drawer.

A single love – that’s what he had promised himself. After losing Reika, he had vowed never to look at another woman again.

This new ring would likely join the other in that drawer within days…

His thoughts were interrupted when Aidel, his arm draped around Ceti’s shoulder, spoke up.

“Mother, I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“Yes.”

Aidel smiled, gently patting Ceti’s head.

“Ceti is my younger sibling. Though you’re not my biological mother, I’d like to treat you as my real mother from now on.”

Rejane’s shoulders quivered at his words.

Arnold was even more stunned than she was. Coming from Aidel, the family head, this statement carried significant weight – it meant he intended to bring Rejane into the council of elders. Such an inclusion would have far-reaching implications:

The right to participate in family decisions.

Access to family assets.

Integration into the Reinhardt medical community.

In essence, it meant accepting her as a full-fledged member of the Reinhardt family, regardless of her original surname.

“Would it be alright if I called you mother from now on?”

Rejane struggled to find her voice for a bit.

“…Yes, it would be.”

Arnold, already burdened by concerns over Brian’s license revocation, felt a wave of relief. Since Aidel had broached the subject, it seemed an opportune moment to address matters directly. After their meal, Arnold pulled Aidel aside for a private discussion.

“What are your plans for your brother?”

“I’m sending him to a distant star system – not to the outskirts, but somewhere he can live comfortably. He won’t be eligible for the council, which means he can no longer pursue my position as family head.”

“…Very well. See that you keep that promise.”

Despite Brian’s wrongdoings, Arnold couldn’t bear to lose any of Reika’s children. He sighed with relief at Aidel’s merciful decision.

Changing the subject, he continued.

“Aidel, you’re grown now, so you must have noticed – Rejane and I aren’t in love.”

“I know. It’s a marriage of convenience.”

“Some arranged marriages do work out well, like yours with your fiancée.”

“Most don’t.”

Arnold nodded reluctantly, gazing at the twinkling stars above.

“We began as strangers. It was worse than a blind date. Before we could even discover if we were compatible, there was only hostility.”

“Adelwein has lost its influence. The head selection ceremony is over. You needn’t be wary of Mother anymore.”

“That’s not the issue.”

“Then what is?”

“I’ve only ever loved one woman.”

Arnold removed the ring Aidel had given him and tucked it into his pocket.

“Your biological mother didn’t come from a powerful family. She wasn’t considered suitable for our family. Yet, I refused to consider a bigamous marriage. I wanted to dedicate everything to your mother.”

Lost in memories, Arnold’s words flowed freely.

“I met Reika during my academic years. She was innocent and pure, but I soon discovered her playful side. She particularly enjoyed teasing me.”

Aidel listened as footsteps approached, though they were drowned out by Arnold’s increasingly passionate narrative. He shared their love story – their meeting, falling in love, who confessed first, and the challenges they faced with their families.

“She had a talent for chemistry and biology, dreaming of becoming a scholar – whether as a biologist, chemist, or pharmacist. She spoke of finding ways to defeat the Outer Gods and told me to care for wounded soldiers. Such ambitious dreams from someone not yet in college.”

Arnold chuckled softly, placing his weathered hands over Aidel’s.

“You remind me so much of Reika.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. You’re pursuing the dreams she couldn’t fulfill. It seems like fate that you were accepted into Stellarium.”

As silence fell between them, Rejane peered from behind an oak tree, surprised. She’d always viewed Arnold as cold and distant, but now she saw him as a devoted husband. After two decades together, this was a side of him she’d never known.

It made sense – their families’ rivalry had created an emotional barrier between them. While Arnold mourned his former wife, Rejane yearned for her past love.

Two pure loves pushing against each other.

Rejane toyed with her ring sympathetically as the truly significant conversation was about to begin.