"Congratulations on defeating your opponent, Father. It looks like your promotion is in the bag."
At the dinner table, Gerard raised his glass to toast Grove.
Grove was in high spirits. He turned down no offer of a drink and downed several glasses of strong liquor in succession. His head was swimming as he tugged at his collar, exposing the lower part of his reddened neck.
Feeling the heat escape through his pores into the air and the coolness it left on his skin, Grove let out a long sigh.
"Your brother's emigration was a great help in defeating Lothar this time. It was a narrow victory," Grove said with a sigh.
Gerard's eyes darted around, and he said flatteringly, "It was your foresight, Father. You had Lancelot sign the emigration consent form more than a month in advance, and that's how you were able to defeat Lothar. In the end, it was all thanks to your wise decision."
"Haha, you rascal." Grove smiled, clearly agreeing with Gerard.
Of course, he also felt some regret.
Lancelot was gentle and well-behaved, and he was dutiful enough toward Grove, making him the best choice to care for Grove in his old age. Gerard might have spoken sweetly, but he was selfish and self-serving. There was no telling how he would behave when Grove grew old.
But compared with greater power and status, none of that mattered.
With power, what was there to fear about the future?
Gerard needed things from his father, so he would keep playing the dutiful son.
"By the way, what's Lancelot been busy with these past few days? I haven't seen him since," Gerard asked curiously, taking a bite of food.
"Who knows? He won't get lost, anyway. There are floating assistants everywhere." Grove waved a hand, looking unconcerned.
"I'm worried he'll do something drastic and affect your promotion," Gerard hurriedly explained.
"It's all right. Your brother isn't that fragile. Besides, my position is all but settled. There won't be a problem."
"That's good. Here, Father, have some of this. I went all the way to the neighboring city to buy it especially for you."
"That was thoughtful of you!"
Father and son ate, drank, and chatted, enjoying each other's company.
Suddenly, the communicator on the table vibrated.
Grove glanced at the caller ID, and his expression froze. The number belonged to none other than Stead, deputy director of the Food Safety Bureau and the superior of Grove's immediate superior.
At Grove's rank, he had almost no dealings with someone like that at work.
Why would such an important man contact him personally?
Could he have recognized my accomplishments over the years and decided to give me a major promotion?
At that thought, Grove, who had still been a little drunk, sobered up at once.
He first gestured for silence, then took a deep breath and answered the call. With a fawning smile plastered across his face, he said enthusiastically, "Hello, this is Grove. What can I do for you, Director?"
"Haha, Grove, your family has produced quite a remarkable person. Why have you kept it from me all this time?" Stead's tone was warm and familiar.
"A remarkable person?"
Grove was completely baffled. He turned his gaze toward Gerard.
But the next moment, he dismissed the ridiculous idea himself.
Apart from eating, drinking, gambling, sleeping with prostitutes, and going to nightclubs, the boy was good for nothing. He could never be the "remarkable person" the director meant.
"Director, the person you mentioned is..."
With no other choice, Grove asked cautiously.
"Your second son, Lancelot. You didn't know? He used a genetic serum and successfully awakened a superpower. He was even rated as having A-rank potential. His future is boundless," Director Stead added.
"What? Lancelot?"
Grove's head buzzed. "Impossible," he said in disbelief. "Director, you must be mistaken. Lancelot doesn't have the money to buy a genetic serum. Could it be someone with the same name?"
Yes, it must be someone with the same name!
Grove couldn't believe that his frail second son had suddenly become a superpowered individual.
And one with A-rank potential at that?
Wasn't that pure fantasy?
"Hmm? What kind of father are you? You didn't even know your own son had awakened a superpower? Do you think I'd joke about something this serious?" Director Stead said, annoyed.
Grove panicked at the senior official's anger, but because of it, he also began to believe that Lancelot really had become a superpowered individual.
"All right, contact Lancelot first. If you get the chance, you can bring him over to my house for a visit. My daughter admires superpowered individuals more than anyone." Director Stead's tone softened again, and after saying that, he hung up.
Grove held the communicator, staring blankly in silence.
Gerard noticed something was wrong and didn't dare speak. He wondered whether his younger brother Lancelot really had taken his own life.
After a long while, Grove finally came to his senses. He hurriedly opened his contacts, found Lancelot's number, and called.
"The number you have dialed has been deactivated..."
The emotionless mechanical voice made Grove feel as though he had been plunged into an ice cellar. His face turned deathly pale, his lips trembled, and his eyes were blank and helpless.
"Father, did Second Brother really..." Gerard asked in a low voice.
"Fate, why must you torment me like this?" Grove suddenly stood up and roared at the top of his lungs.
"My condolences, Father. Second Brother may be gone, but I'm still here, aren't I? There's also Third Brother and Fourth Sister. You must take care of yourself!" Gerard hurriedly stood up and patted Grove gently on the back.
But Grove raised his hand and slapped him across the face. "Condolences, my ass! Your brother isn't dead! Not only is he alive, he's awakened a superpower! He's a superpowered individual now! One with A-rank potential!"
"A superpowered individual? A-rank potential?" The slap sent Gerard staggering, but when he understood, his eyes lit up like a dog's at the smell of shit.
"That's good news, Father! Now that Second Brother has become a superpowered individual, won't our whole family rise to glory?"
"I'm just afraid your brother resents me." Grove sighed, filled with regret. If he had known Lancelot had the talent to become a superpowered individual, nothing would have made him do something so stupid.
With a superpowered son of A-rank potential backing him, wouldn't his own career have soared?
"Father, you're worrying too much." Gerard sounded quite confident. "Second Brother has always put family first. Isn't the fact that he acted so decisively proof that he cares?"
"I'm sure that as long as you're willing to admit you were wrong and show some sincerity, he'll definitely forgive you. I know Second Brother too well. His soft heart is his greatest weakness."
Gerard's words gave the dejected Grove a shot of confidence. His spirits lifted, and he muttered to himself, "Right, I'll admit I was wrong first. I also need to move Lancelot's household registration back. I have to become his guardian again. Only then..."