The guests whistled and shouted with joy. The atmosphere heated up instantly.

"You want to marry my daughter?"

"Yes, I'm confident I can make her happy for life."

I spoke plainly. Jerome's expression momentarily furrowed before returning to his original gentle demeanor.

"Young Master Rheinland, may I ask you one thing? Has the succession of the family head been confirmed in the Rheinland family?"

"Not yet."

"Then that means you don't know if you'll become the family head yet."

I nodded.

Jerome continued.

"When someone who isn't a family head marries someone who is, tradition dictates that the couple follows the surname of the family head. If you marry our Zernya, you would become part of the Adelbein household."

"What if I also become a family head?"

"That would be something to consider when the time comes."

In truth, bringing up marriage itself isn't a major issue. The core matter is which surname the couple will take. Especially when both are family heads, one must relinquish their position after marriage.

Though I had no intention of becoming family head, I continued the conversation showing willingness to do so. This allowed me to predict Jerome's next words.

"When is the Rheinland family's succession ceremony?"

"It begins in late April and ends in early July."

"Are you confident you'll become the family head?"

"Absolutely."

"Then let's not rush things. Let's talk slowly, following proper form and procedure. It's not too late to hold the ceremony after we know each other a bit better."

Jerome chose to retreat temporarily. A prudent decision.

It would take a bit more time for Zernya's succession to be fully completed. The new head of a prestigious family goes through a process similar to a regency. Usually this period lasts three months at minimum, or a year at most.

If I were selected as the Rheinland family head while already engaged, it would mean two family heads marrying each other. That would be awkward for Jerome. It was evidence that he wasn't underestimating me.

"Stellarium is quite far from here. It will be dawn by the time you return. Why not stay here tonight and leave early in the morning?"

"Thank you for your hospitality."

I exchanged further greetings with my future father-in-law before continuing conversations with the guests.

People flocked around me, likely because I had essentially just proposed to Zernya.

It was then that Zernya poked me in the side.

"Come over here for a moment."

She tugged at my collar sharply. Some of the less formal female guests squealed excitedly.

We left the main hall and headed to the terrace on the third floor. Ireh, in disguise, naturally followed behind me. Zernya whispered:

"What on earth were you thinking, saying that in front of my father?"

"It was for your sake."

"For my sake? Explain so I can understand!"

"We need to create an escape route in case things go wrong."

My answer silenced Zernya. I sighed and put my hands in my pockets.

"I told you before. No matter what problems arise in this family, I'll protect you."

Zernya's eyes widened.

"You..."

"Whether it's a fake marriage or whatever, I know what I'm doing could be poison for me. I know you're reluctant about it and feel sorry for me. If something major happens to the Adelbein family while we're married, I'll get caught in the crossfire too."

"You, don't tell me..."

"So let's think about it the other way around."

Even if the Adelbein family falls, with Rheinland's support, they could become great again.

Then Zernya's planned "reform" would be complete. By the epilogue, Adelbein would be reborn as a family free of corruption.

That's not all.

There's also the remote possibility that Zernya could lose her battle with the council of elders and be purged from the family.

Purged members disappear without a trace.

Even direct descendants aren't exceptions. The Adelbein family is thorough when it comes to protecting the family.

I will serve as an escape route through the Rheinland name to prevent any harm coming to Zernya. That's the right thing to do, the proper way between people.

Zernya wasn't one to misunderstand what I just said.

"...Eidel."

Her wide eyes gradually regained their composure.

Zernya blinked her crescent-shaped eyes and took a step closer to me. The already close distance became completely intimate.

Looking up at me, Zernya slowly extended both arms. I didn't reject her touch. Taking my hands out of my pockets, I naturally stroked her shoulders.

This once wary cat had slipped into my arms. She was small and petite. I felt I could wrap just one arm around her and lift her up if I wanted to. Like holding an actual kitten.

Zernya stroked my back and exhaled. I whispered in her ear.

"...Is this acting too?"

"Try to guess."

I could have spent Pron to read her mind. But that would be like looking at the answer key before reading the problem. I didn't particularly want to do that.

Instead of using Pron, I embraced Zernya more deeply.

I could feel her heart pounding.

Ireh stood like a folding screen, giving us privacy.

***

Though still in the succession process, Zernya had become the family head. She personally guided Ireh and me to the guest house. Her attitude in hosting guests showed not a hint of imperfection.

Zernya looked back and forth between Ireh and me before saying:

"Robot, you seem much more subdued than before."

"...What do you mean?"

"Never mind if you don't remember."

For a moment, I was startled.

I thought Zernya had noticed that Ireh was disguised as Sonia.

Fortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.

"There are many other guests staying in the guest house besides you two. Androids will patrol regularly. There are also CCTV cameras, so it's best not to do anything suspicious. Understand?"

"Understood."

Ireh bowed her head. Her tone was plain, just like Sonia's.

While Zernya left saying she had business to attend to, Ireh and I unpacked. Immediately after, Ireh took out her gun and shot a spirit bullet at the CCTV camera on the ceiling.

Click!

The camera hit by the bullet appeared fine on the outside. She probably fired a "pause bullet." A bullet that temporarily stops time for its target.

Even after that, Ireh looked around more before quietly opening her mouth.

"It's safe now, or rather... this place is safe now. We can talk normally."

"Good. Let's rest briefly and move when the dawn deepens."

We had a separate objective. To steal the "Star's Egg" from the "Third Treasury" located in the basement of the guest house.

The Star's Egg.

On the surface, it appears to be a simple jewel whose value is currently unknown to most, but in reality, it's an artifact with tremendous capabilities. Simply put, it's a hidden wonder.

"My outer god will love this."

[— The "God of Wisdom and Curiosity" shows interest in your words.]

The reason we need to obtain the Star's Egg or Fire's Egg is simple.

It helps with research.

Ireh, who had been looking around the room, awkwardly asked:

"So... where do I sleep?"

"Oh."

There was only one bed.

And it was a single size at that.

To sleep two people, we'd have to press tightly against each other.

"Why did she guide us to a room like this?"

"Did you forget? Right now, Ireh, you're disguised as an android."

"This damn..."

Ireh muttered discontentedly.

"You take the bed, Ireh."

"Where will you sleep?"

I sat down on the floor with a thud and said:

"I can sleep here."

"You'll catch a cold that way."

"This isn't the street. Would I really catch a cold from one night like this? Just go up and sleep."

"You don't need to be considerate just because I'm a woman."

"You're my senior."

"We're only a year apart."

"Tsk."

Ireh seemed upset at that remark and dove onto the bed. I said:

"If necessary, I can stay up all night reading research papers. Tomorrow's the weekend anyway. I can quickly return to my normal routine."

"If you keep living like that, you'll die early."

"I'm going to die at the hands of outer gods anyway."

Ireh got off the bed again. She approached me decisively, stopping exactly three steps in front of me.

"...I've spent more days sleeping on the floor than not."

"So have I."

"When I lived on a frontier planet, sleeping in a shantytown was my daily life. The ceiling collapsed once, and another time my house flooded while I was sleeping."

"Same here."

Ireh sat down in front of me with a plop. She gave me a gloomy look and sighed repeatedly. That expression—the face of someone who might find a kindred spirit.

"If you sleep on the floor, I'll sleep on the floor too."

"And if I sleep on the bed, will you sleep there with me?"

"What are you saying...!"

"I'm joking, just joking. If both of us get on that bed, it'll collapse."

I checked the time. We had agreed to move at 3 AM. There were still four hours left.

"Would you like to sleep first?"

"No thanks. I'm not sleepy."

"Then shall we work on research papers together?"

"After coming all this way, that's a bit..."

"Or should we go for a walk together?"

Ireh nodded and adjusted her maid headband.

"Let's go, Master."

I mean, Young Master.

***

Ireh and I calculated the distance between the spaceship and the guest house under the pretense of taking a walk. After stealing the "Star's Egg," we planned to load it onto the spaceship at the first opportunity.

"Now."

Ireh took out her pistol and shot one spirit bullet each into her head and mine.

[— The "Stealth Bullet" completely conceals your presence.]

This was our chosen method because disabling each of the numerous surveillance cameras in the basement with "pause bullets" would consume too many coins.

As we descended to the Third Treasury, we encountered an unexpected figure.

Kashu von Adelbein.

Zernya's great-uncle who was believed to be dead.

"Rheinland, how did you get here...?"