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.

Though slightly regretful, she had no regrets.

"Well, little Eidel?"

"Aunt. That title is a bit..."

"Why not? I'm calling a child 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 wore pleased 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 slight smile.

"The three papers you recently published align with your stated goal of driving out foreign influences. 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 had fought well despite losing.

Fione concluded her speech.

"Therefore, after comprehensive deliberation, this council hereby designates Eidel von Rheinland as the next head of the family. That is all."

The next moment, applause erupted.

Fione set down the speech and picked up a white garment. It was a lab coat 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 coat. It was a special garment bearing the Rheinland family seal. It was identical to the one worn by the current family head, Arnold.

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 kid looks good!"

Eidel in his lab coat was enough to captivate any woman's heart. 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 hearts?"

"No, Aunt."

"You know, right? For back problems, see your uncle; for pregnancy, your younger aunt; and for problems down below..."

"Aunt!"

"Yes, come to me. Our Eidel knows well, doesn't he?"

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

"Eidel, there are still adults who dislike you. If you want proper recognition, you'll need to keep working hard. You understand?"

"Yes, thank you for your concern."

"Good. Now go see your father."

And so Eidel had a private meeting with Arnold.

"...So it's you after all."

"Indeed."

Arnold reflected on the past.

Just three years ago, the situation had been completely opposite. Eidel, living 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. Those who stay in their good graces have a better chance of becoming the head. Eidel had proven himself purely through ability, without any of that.

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

Eidel nodded. Arnold continued to convey only the necessary information. He pointed to Eidel's left hand and added:

"Remember that you were able to become the family head partly thanks to that ring. If your fiancée hadn't been attending medical school, you might have lost to your brother."

Eidel thought of Zernya's face.

The medical community is closed. Connections and university background play important roles.

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

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

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.

"My third son is now the junior head. There will be no reversal except in cases of criminal activity or other exceptional circumstances. We will finalize the succession process over the next year, so I ask everyone to forget the past process and support him in every way possible."

Some nodded, while others just sighed. Brian was among the latter. He rose from his seat 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 had disappeared into the darkness.

Cartrick quickly followed after him.

Brian had gone up to the rooftop. Leaning against the railing and looking up at the night sky, he looked forlorn. It was like seeing herself from moments 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?"

"What's wrong with physics? He proved himself through ability."

"Brother, I've said this before and again today. 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. The council's opinion tilted at that point."

"We don't know yet."

"What don't we know?"

Brian walked past Cartrick and slumped down on a bench. He looked as bored as 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 hair's breadth.

"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."

"His fiancée?"

"The Adelbein family has a shady background. We can use that. Or since both of them are family heads now, we could 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 much."

From the beginning, Brian had been testing Cartrick.

***

"Father, there's a problem."

"Speak."

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

Arnold sighed.

"As expected of my firstborn. You've pinpointed it exactly."

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

When both parties are family heads, one must give up their position. 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 Erika was hesitantly about to speak outside:

"Erika, you'll need to help me."

"Yes? Yes! Of course, young master!"

Erika trembled. Having known him for nearly 30 years, she instinctively knew that her master was currently in a very tense state.

"Cartrick, there's no need to be anxious. The Adelbein family's influence is no small matter."

"But brother, isn't it usually the woman who gives up her family business in these cases?"

"What era do you think we're living in?"

Mathematically speaking, the probability was fifty-fifty. Either Eidel would become a son-in-law who joins his wife's family, or Zernya would marry into the Rheinland family. However, Brian was confident it would be 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 would be a power struggle in the Adelbein council.

A fight between the collateral branches 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 of success are over 90%. In any family, there are more collateral branches than direct lines.

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, and don't feel too disappointed."

"Thank you, Great-uncle. Uncle."

The elders who had supported Brian handed over checks, saying they appreciated his efforts. Their relationship was amicable thanks to frequent interactions. Having supporters meant there was still possibility.

"Congratulations on becoming the family head, Eidel."

Next, the two brothers greeted Eidel. Eidel had already taken off his doctor's coat.

"Why did you take off the coat?"

"It's hot."

"You're not making an impression."

"I'm a theorist, not a doctor. Do I really 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 coat, or dress like a beggar. What matters is that I am me."

"Eidel. You don't understand the importance of that coat. If you just wear it, everyone in the south will bow to you."

"Then if we put it on anyone, would people bow to them?"

Brian and Cartrick were speechless. It was too absurd. The new family head showed no dignity whatsoever. Eidel casually folded the coat 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 marry, one of them would have to give up their position as family head.

"Looking forward to it."

"Invite us to the wedding, Head."

The two brothers waved goodbye as they 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 a man wants to practice polygamy, if one of the brides is a family head, she must give up her position and marry into his family. That was the law of the Federation.

Eidel was planning to practice polygamy.

And Zernya didn't particularly object to this.

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

***

Rezein 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 establishing a branch family.

For Rezein, this 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 disliked them. Since they didn't treat her as their mother, she had no intention of playing the role of a mother.

Therefore, Rezein's future depended on how Eidel would treat her.

"It's over now..."

After treating him so coldly, things couldn't possibly go well.

In the end, she would have to set aside any talk of revenge against the Adelbein family and leave with Seti.

Just as she had made up her mind and entered Seti's room:

"Sister, from now on, I'm appointing you as my deputy head."

"What? You said you'd just let me manage finances."

"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 Rezein were left speechless.

And thus, the deputy of the junior head—

The "show" head Seti was born.