Cain woke up to the door opening and Targan walking in. He first looked at Rebecca happily sleeping before smiling and looking at Cain.
"I've taken care of everything, I even got our family some benefits because of the mess those two caused"
'Our family?'
Cain couldn't help but grin. , "I would expect you to come in here angry."
Targan sighed and sat down next to Cain as he looked at Rebecca. His face grew soft.
"Things like this aren't the first and it is not even close to the worst. She has been kidnapped multiple times, the kidnappers didn't dare do anything to her but they tried to exhort the family. It's why the elders wish to get rid of her so much, we have lost quite a bit because of such events but I've always made up for it."
He then took his eyes off Rebecca and looked at Cain
"Also, I just announced to the entire nobility that you are Rebecca's fiancé, so you are already married in everyone's eyes, which is the reason for me already speaking as if you're a Garsh. If you were wondering."
Cain lowered his head in thought before looking back at Targan "Well then, I'm glad I have a caring brother who protects his family"
Targan couldn't help but laugh, he laughed so loud he woke up his sister who sat up groggy on her bed.
"Brother? What are you doing here...Cain? Where am I?"
Rebecca looked around and saw she was in her room, she glanced at Cain who was smiling at her and she looked at her pile of stuffed animals on her bed. Her ears reddened and she turned into a tomato.
"W-W-Why is he here brother! Why are you two in my room!"
"You seemed to be quite drunk and were being taken advantage of, Cain protected you and I ordered him to bring you here, he watched over you until I could come here. Any questions?"
Her eyes widened as she shifted her eyes at Cain who was laughing to himself.
"Well then you two can leave now, as you can see I'm fine"
Targan and Cain stood up, but before Cain could walk out of the room Targan spoke.
"Wait please" Cain stopped and saw Targan turn to Rebecca
"I need your answer, do you want to marry Cain? I can only give you this one chance to change your mind"
Rebecca fell silent, and Cain was left standing at the doorway, it was awkward.
After no more than 5 minutes of waiting, she broke her silence.
"Yes"
'Good to know my time wasn't wasted' Cain smiled to himself, bowed to Targan and his sister, and began to walk out the door.
"Wait! Remember you have to visit again. Brother make sure you make Cain visit!"
Targan glared at Cain and they both stared into each other's eyes, nothing was said but they both knew what they had to do.
Targan had a look of appreciation towards Cain, his eyes having a warm gleam. Cain's eyes were the same as always, he was indifferent and his eyes seemed foggy like he was lost, but due to him hiding his emotions, Targan couldn't get a read on him.
Cain waved to both of them, turned around without saying anything, and left. He quickly entered his carriage and left the banquet.
...
Cain spent most of his time creating the serum for his body.
He let most of the operations of the merchant group go to Sarah and Michael.
Both of them improved drastically during this period, they could leave the army and run a successful small merchant group easily with all their experience.
They did most of the paperwork while Cain did all the business deals. They know how to run the business more than Cain at this point.
Cain also made sure to spend time with Rebecca, he honestly found it funny. Or did he truly enjoy it?
Nonetheless, it gave him a feeling of nostalgia and he was happy to talk to someone academically gifted.
He would have Anders take him to their manor every 3 days and Cain spent around 3 hours there every visit, he would talk with Targan related to his joining the family and then spend time with Rebecca.
They would spend time in the garden or her room reading books and talking about them. Cain was happy to expand his knowledge base and Rebecca was thrilled to finally discuss subjects with someone her age.
Cain also made sure to train Anders regularly.
Anders was now partially skilled in Truths Grace and it allowed him to break through to a mid-low rank augmenter body.
His apprentice was ecstatic and began to spar with Daniel and Mark for a day straight with breaks in between.
Both of them were surprised by Anders's strength and even tried to pester Cain about it to which he ignored them.
This led the entire team to do more training trying to catch up to someone they originally deemed to be a weakling. Cain liked that they were now training, with their skills staying sharp, the mission would go smoother.
This schedule went on for a month and a half.
The day that Cain designated as his birthday passed, no one knew this and all Cain did for himself was eat some of his favorite snacks while on the roof of his building and lounging about.
He would look up to the moons and his gaze would always settle on the gigantic black dot in the sky. It was always there but always seemed unnoticeable....forgotten.
He would watch the black hole as if his very consciousness was being sucked into it. Cain felt drawn to it, it was the most beautiful object in his eyes, nothing could surpass the beauty of this object in his mind, not anyone, not anything.
He spent hours looking at it, at its every detail, a feeling of peace swept over him as he did.
...
After Cain turned 20 he was almost at the end of the process to create the serum. He already configured it to his DNA and lowered all the latent risks substantially.
He spent the last week creating it and making sure it was a stable product he could actually use to strengthen himself.
Cain was now standing in front of Targan's office, he knocked and entered.
"Ah! Isn't it my brother, what can I do for you? Did you already see Rebecca?"
"Uh no... I came because I need a favor. Do you have any rooms made out of ancient stone, like the ones the Union uses to block out outside interface?"
"Greystone? Yes, we have some small rooms, the Union always sold some of their surplus to the Kingdom and Empire which my family could acquire for a price. It is used for contained environments yes, do you need to use it? I can let you use my private one but why do you need it, didnt you tell me you are only a grade 1? Are you breaking through to grade 2?!"
Cain acted nonchalantly "No no, I just need to use it for an experiment, I think outside forces are affecting it so I need a place that's isolated"
Targan stopped doing his paperwork and scribbled on a note before stamping it with his family seal.
"I guess you still are a plague doctor... go to the basement, a servant can bring you there. Give this note to a guard, and after you're done make sure to visit Rebecca, she loves it when you visit."
'A doting brother indeed.'
"Will do, thank you, brother!"
Cain hastily took the note and bowed to Targan before walking out and heading to the basement after being guided by a servant.
He found his way around and walked up to a guard, he handed the note to him and followed suit.
Eventually, they came to a room with a stone door, inside was an extremely small room that was poorly lit, if Cain spread out his arms they would touch the walls.
He thanked the guard and closed the door, he then took out multiple materials to start the ritual.