Episode 173

I attempted to foster friendship between them by bringing up a shared interest.

“Are you familiar with Ire’s sponsor?”

“No, I’m not.”

“It’s the Altair star.”

Altair, also known as the Weaver Star, was one of the three stars that formed the Summer Triangle alongside Vega and Deneb.

“You understand how constellations work, right? The stars within a constellation aren’t isolated - they’re interconnected. When bound by ‘neutrality,’ they create an even stronger alliance…”

“Yes, I’m aware, those three stars form a ‘triple star.’ I’ve heard it provides additional advantages when fighting Incarnates.”

“Exactly.”

Rustila turned to look at Ire with curiosity.

“I had no idea you were connected to the Altair star.”

“Didn’t I mention that before?”

“No, I don’t recall hearing about it.”

Ire tilted her head, puzzled.

“Ah, that must have been in the last cycle.”

“Previous cycle?”

“Never mind.”

Ire sighed quietly. She sometimes struggled to keep track of which information she had revealed in different cycles.

“Um, Hazlen-”

“Please, call me Ire.”

“Oh, right. Ire, I notice your Constellation’s reaction is quite weak. My Vega barely responds either.”

And therein lay our problem.

Stars of neutral alignment should naturally recognize and interact strongly with each other. However, Altair showed no response to Vega’s ether waves.

“Perhaps it’s because the ‘Star-line’ has been severed,” I suggested.

“Star-line?”

“It’s the connection between stars - a powerful communication network linking constellations. Neutral stars should share particularly strong Star-lines.”

In mathematical terms, a star line functions like the edge of a graph, with the stars themselves serving as nodes.

Ire’s Constellation resembled an isolated node. The Outer God had cut all edges, leaving it completely disconnected.

“How did that happen?”

“I was born and raised on a frontier planet in the east, overrun with Outer Gods.”

Ire calmly shared her story - how she acquired her Constellation, only to later become infected by an Outer God. Despite her desperate struggles, she ultimately failed and was imprisoned in Alcatraz. Then came the story of meeting me there and receiving life-changing treatment.

As Rustila learned the details of Ire’s circumstances, her expression filled with genuine sympathy.

“That must have been incredibly difficult for you.”

“It’s alright now.”

Ire assured her, turning to look at me.

“From here on, only good things will happen.”

“Yes, I hope so.”

Watching the two girls smile at each other, I felt a sense of relief wash over me.

Indeed, as long as the protagonist is happy, that’s all that matters.

“Is there a way to restore the Star-line?”

“Not many methods are known currently.”

“Well, you never know. If we maintain a good relationship, things might naturally return to normal.”

The two speculated that maintaining close proximity over time might restore the connection. This was promising news - our defense against Laplace was gradually taking shape.

“Shall we begin working? Please, take this seat.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I prefer sitting by the window anyway.”

Ire offered her seat next to me to Rustila. She was aware of the subtle relationship between Rustila and me and tactfully stepped aside to encourage our connection.

This gesture naturally earned Ire a favorable impression from Rustila.

I took a step back to observe the laboratory: Rustila was diligently studying the manual, Ire was assisting her, and Merlin was just beginning to grasp thesis writing.

“Everyone’s working hard.”

It was a promising start.

Hard work deserves compensation.

“Merlin, excellent job on the equipment manual.”

I decided to reward Merlin first, placing an envelope of money on her desk.

Upon opening it, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Is this really for me?”

“Of course.”

“Wow, this is my first time earning money!”

“Getting paid for doing what you love is the best feeling.”

Money is indeed the most effective short-term motivator. This would surely increase Merlin’s interest in research.

However, my funds were limited.

At this rate, my personal assets would soon be depleted.

It was time to establish a steady income stream.

Fortunately, I knew just who to ask for help.

Ceti had joined the business department.

She was expanding her knowledge across various disciplines, building a diverse portfolio that included stock investments, real estate management, and even launching her own company.

Then, one day, she approached me.

“Hey, I paid it all off.”

She handed me a document.

“What’s this?”

“Read it.”

Upon inspection, I realized it was the record of Aidel’s gambling debts - now completely cleared. She had paid everything off.

For a moment, I was speechless.

“…Are you an angel?”

“Ugh, that’s disgusting. Stop with the nonsense.”

“No, really - it’s strange. Why would you pay off all my debts just because you like me?”

This was unexpected. In the original story, even after Aidel’s exile to a frontier planet, Ceti had been too focused on managing her own wealth to concern herself with his debts. Moreover, without the Constellation’s economic support, accumulating such funds should have been impossible.

“Don’t flatter yourself. You think I did this for you? I’m doing this to become the family head.”

It made sense. The head of the Reinhardt family controlled most of its authority and assets. This was her strategy to curry favor with her father and the council of elders.

“So, why did you seek me out? Here to borrow money?”

“Something like that.”

“Oh, please.”

Ceti frantically scratched her head, messing up her hair in frustration.

Before she could leave, I quickly added.

“Dear sister, do you think I’d be so irresponsible as to simply borrow your money? I’m here to propose a deal.”

“A deal? You came to make a deal? Should I smack you?”

“Now, now, little sister. Let’s handle this like civilized people. We’re both adults here.”

“You bastard. I’m still a minor.”

“Oh my! ‘Bastard’? Such language is unbecoming.”

“You’re the one making me talk this way!”

I understood why Ceti was so agitated, and it wasn’t just about the money request.

By this point, Ceti should have been launching a major business venture to cement her position within the family.

“You’ve started a company, haven’t you?”

“H-how did you know?”

“It’s written all over your face. I can practically hear you thinking, ‘I’m the chairman, ahem.’”

Ceti’s face drained of color. Her carefully guarded secret had been exposed in an instant.

“Shall we try guessing what kind of company it might be? It’s probably in the medical field. After all, the Reinhardt family is renowned for medicine. If I were in your position, I’d develop a comprehensive business model encompassing the entire medical system.”

“Where did you hear about this?”

“I just figured it out right now.”

I maintained an innocent grin, pretending to know nothing.

“Am I right, perhaps?”

I watched as ripples of concern spread through Ceti’s eyes. She was still such a kid - it was endearing, really.

“In any case, you must need substantial capital. I understand that. And I want you to know that I’m not so irresponsible as to keep asking you for endless loans.”

“But you were irresponsible!”

“Since entering Academia, I haven’t spent money on anything frivolous.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Ceti’s tone softened noticeably.

This was my opening - time to press forward.

“Think about it, little sister. For the past two years, I’ve been conducting research as a student. It required substantial funding, especially in the beginning when there was no government support. Could I have made it this far without you?”

Ceti fell silent.

This was the moment to elevate my sister’s importance. I pressed on with my argument.

“The answer is no. You’re essentially both a benefactor and a major shareholder in my research. You might not have noticed since you haven’t closely examined my papers, but I’ve always included your name in the acknowledgments. Thank you for your investment.”

“Acknowledgments?”

“It’s a section where we express gratitude to those who contributed outside the main thesis.”

Ceti let out a scoffing laugh.

“At least you recognize that much.”

Good. She was halfway convinced.

“But this time, I really can’t help. I’m preoccupied with the family head selection this year. You’re aiming for the headship anyway, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Liar.”

But it was true.

Why would I want to become head of the Reinhardt family? I barely had enough time for my research as it was.

The benefits of becoming a family head were minimal. At most, my children would become direct descendants, and the majority of family assets would transfer to my account.

And as they say, with great money comes great responsibility.

“Even if I became head, I’d quickly spend all the money. The only difference would be that instead of gambling, it would all go to research.”

“So you’re saying I should become head?”

“Exactly.”

I, Aidel von Reinhardt, desire pleasure (research) without responsibility.

While my approach might seem questionable at first glance, it was actually the most practical solution. I had no desire to become family head but needed research funding. Meanwhile, Ceti wanted the position and possessed the skills to manage and grow wealth.

If we each got what we wanted, it would be mutually beneficial.

“Even if I become head, I’ll grant you property rights.”

“…Are you serious?”

“The two things I hate most are gambling and lying. Remember that.”

“What a load of crap.”

She chuckled softly.

“So essentially, you’re suggesting we work together?”

“Exactly.”

“But becoming head isn’t something we decide. It’s the adults’ decision. Whether we like it or not, you and I must compete as family members throughout this year. Any talk about property distribution comes after that.”

“That’s true.”

Once the succession battle began, our biggest obstacle would be Brian, the eldest son.

He’d graduated from Stellarium Medical School and enlisted as a medic in the southern region, following our father’s path. He’d been building his credentials to lead the family business for years and naturally enjoyed strong support from the elders.

“If you want to change the current situation, you’ll need substantial investment capital.”

Ceti nodded.

“That’s where I can help.”

“How?”

“If you need investment capital, you just need to find willing investors, right?”

Our collaboration could begin immediately. Ceti had the ability to grow money, while I had valuable connections from my research and student council work.