#and it's giann von hagen

[khickuwa]

we'll watch orca documentaries and eat waffles for dinner until your tears dry up.

loosely based on @actualbird 's fic, "growing pains"

[actualbird]

// tot spoilers for future cn server content (i.e. giann, vyn's half-brother, artem's dad)

i wanted to put together the current roster of nxx boys' revealed parents and relatives so far!!

[cupcakesmoothie]

When you realise you haven't done your daily tasks:

2:50 am, Marius' art studio:

MC: Slams open the door*

Marius: Almost ruins painting* "E-eh? Jiejie, what-?"

MC: Aggressively ruffles his hair, leaves*

Marius: ???

Also Marius: Affection +1000

[lilasmari]

"Don't blame yourself"

[surely-galena]

I'm making slides for the bestie so she'll understand what I mean when I bring up ToT in our chat but in making this timeline, I realized that a super unexplored time is when Giann is gone but Neil isn't.

Like, how did Vyn feel at the time? Was it strange how close Artem and Neil were with each other (and by extension, did Vyn become sort of an odd one out)? Was Neil even a suspect then, or was everyone in shock about Giann? Were Artem and Vyn actually civil to each other at this point in time?

Similarly, that brief point in time before the disappearances (column 2) means that Artem has interacted with Giann before. I theorize that Marius only joined the team after Giann went missing, because he was away in Florence studying art, but since canon hasn't told us yet, for all we know, Marius could have been an online member for a while. But this means that Artem was at least familiar with all three founders before people even began to go missing.

Anyway, I think the pre-canon timeline has a lot of unexplored possibility and potential and it's really fascinating to think about :))

[dennavanhossen]

Von Hagen family

[jelloia]

// tot cn server spoilers

OH MY GOD GIANN'S FACE!! I HAVE WAITED YEARS FOR THIS MOMENT!! and he! does not! disappoint!

oh he's so fine... *cradles him in hand*

now looking at all the von hagen men together...

so many thoughts running thru mind... looking respectfully i swear

(also their outfits are all SO SLAY!!! ugh the suit designs... the incorporated traditional motifs... WAHH)

[self-insert-persona]

Vyn: We need more help. Maybe I should call my friends. Marius: … Your what? Vyn: My friends. Luke: Is he saying “friends”? Giann: I think he's being sarcastic. Xiao: No, no, no, this is delirium, He's cracked from being awake all night. Hey, Vyn! All of your friends are in this room. Vyn: I have other friends! You asked me to make new friends, I made new friends! It was a task. I complete tasks.

[rikumorimachisgirl]

The von Hagen men are really a whole new level of hot...

(Giann, Austin and Marius)

[kissofthemis]

AU where Giann returns and mc falls in love on sight, (poor Marius)

A clean, composed canvas. Every brushstroke carefully measured, every color meticulously selected.

Marius von Hagen was the sort of person who prepared every aspect of his existence in advance. In his position, he could not afford to not be over-prepared, as he was painfully aware that he had more enemies than friends. Whether the target was Pax, Z, or even just Marius himself, the amount of targets on his back required the young man to anticipate every possible situation, every possible outcome, and every possible next step... and to plan accordingly.

Of course, even the Pax Group's CEO was a mere mortal, and he could not account for the occasional obstacles or stumbles in his path. Even Marius von Hagen, of all people, could be taken by surprise. Usually he was able to fix those sudden little splatters and jagged strokes, covering them with his own colors and incorporating them into his greater picture.

Today, however?

Buckets and buckets, mismatched colors and hues, shades of all kinds, drowning the once sensible, orderly painting.

A torrential downpour of chaos descended onto Marius' precisely curated canvas, throwing his mind and his world into disarray.

When the door to the NXX meeting room cracked open, Marius had fully expected it to be Vyn trudging in late. As haughty as the psychiatrist could be, he was notoriously not a morning person, and Marius had made it his personal mission to give Vyn grief every time he was not exactly on time. (Perhaps more accurately, when he was not at least 3 minutes early. Was that unfair? Perhaps. Did Vyn deserve it? Absolutely.)

But the man who stumbled into the room was significantly taller, with hair significantly darker, and a face that was significantly less punchable.

Everything around him faded and dimmed, to backgrounds not fully developed as he focused on the person taking center stage in his painting. He thought Rosa might have jumped up behind him, but her startled words as she clung to Luke were not discernible. Luke's voice was mere static in Marius' brain, but he sounded angry and accusatory.

A figure moved out of the corner of his eye; judging from the size and colors, Artem. Of course, Artem would know who had just intruded on what was supposed to be a private meeting, for a top-secret group.

But Marius was not going to allow anyone to make a move before him.

All of the young heir's senses returned at once, and he darted forward, pushing his long legs to their limit so he would be the first one to the newcomer's side.

Much to his relief, Artem did not stop him.

"Giann!" Marius cursed himself internally for the way his voice cracked, for showing an ounce of weakness, but he would just hope that the other three people here would extend some mercy. "Giann, you're home!"

After all, his beloved older brother had been off the grid for so long, and now... and now he was in Marius' arms again!

Marius flung his arms around his brother, causing the older von Hagen to wince slightly. But Giann did not retreat; instead he leaned into Marius' shoulders and returned the embrace, albeit weakly.

What a funny scene, for Marius to be holding his taller, older brother like this.

"Sorry for making you wait."

"I'll tell you how to pay me back later."

Now that he was grounded, now that he knew for a fact that the person in front of him was his dear brother, now that he knew he was not dreaming or fantasizing or hallucinating or reminiscing, the rest of the background began to seep more fully into Marius' mind. He was able to transform the mismatched buckets of colors, weave them and brush them and mix them into something new. It was not what he had envisioned, these hues or shapes or patterns, but it was his. He could handle this again.

He would be stronger with Giann here, after all.

"Giann?" Rosa's voice was clearer now in his head. "Mister Giann von Hagen, sir?"

"How do we know it's actually him?" Luke's wary words came out in a low growl, and Marius whipped his head around immediately to provide a stinging retort.

"I also know Giann, as I worked with him on the NXX cases prior to your arrival," Artem reminded the others calmly, "and while I appreciate your caution, I do not believe it is necessary, Luke. That man is undoubtedly the real one."

Marius made a mental note that he owed Artem for speaking up on his brother's behalf.

"Mister Giann von Hagen, sir!" When had Rosa approached? Her footsteps were so quiet, despite the way her eyes were glowing with wonder and her body was practically quivering with excitement. "Ah, I mean... please pardon my interruption!"

"No need to apologize. If you're here, then I know you are a person who both Artem Wing and my brother trust." Giann straightened up to his full height (much to Marius' chagrin), giving Rosa a polite but feeble smile.

The way Rosa began bouncing on her tiptoes did not escape Marius' notice.

"Jiejie..." Marius whined as he adjusted his position, still standing (nearly) shoulder to shoulder with his brother. "You never address me so politely... I'm just Marius to you... just the brat... You don't even call me King...."

"King?" Giann echoed. "Is that the codename you chose for yourself?"

A deep flush illuminated Marius' face, stretching from ear to ear and covering him in a faint red glow. "I... For the Pax Group and our family name, obviously! I had to do them justice, you know!"

"Obviously. I know."

Still reeling as he tried to recover from being mortified by his brother in front of the woman he had a massive crush on, not to mention the other two dorks on the other side of the room, Marius averted his gaze.

But even without looking at Rosa, he could hear the excited lilt in her voice and imagine the way she was beaming as she continued to speak. "Marius has spoken so highly of you! I have had no doubt in my mind that you must be a wonderful person, and it is such an honor to meet you, sir!"

A gentle laugh left his brother's lips. "No need to be so formal. Clearly you and Marius are good friends, so you are already a friend of mine."

Good friends. Marius felt as though a paint scraper had been stabbed into his chest. "Let's sit down, Giann," he urged. "You seem really exhausted."

Giann did not argue, instead allowing Marius to guide him to the couches and seats further in the room.

"I am so sorry!" Rosa piped up as soon as they sat down. "You clearly need time to recover! Any of my questions can wait for a later time!"

Giann waved his hand dismissively. "I don't mind. Really." He smiled, with soft glow like that of a sunrise about to brighten up the world. "I want to learn about you. And about this young man, too." He nodded to Luke.

Whether Luke ever got to speak to Giann that day, Marius could not recall. He was too focused on the way in which Rosa's eyes sparkled, in the way in which she leaned forward when Giann spoke, in the way in which her hands fiddled nervously with the edges of her sleeves, in the way in which her left foot tapped with a mix of eagerness and anxiety, in the way in which her voice hummed when she responded to his questions, in the way in which her chest seemed to tremble as her rapid heartbeat burst against her ribcage.

She did not only bask in the glow of Giann's warmth and glory, but she returned it in full force.

Oh. Of course.

Giann was the true genius. Giann was the true leader. Giann was the go-getter, the organizer, the one who people loved. Marius was only ever a substitute, an inferior stand-in. Whether as president of Pax, or as a member of the NXX... Marius was never meant to stay. Marius' job was simply to ensure that nothing fell apart, and to keep Giann's name in good standing. To ease Giann's transition back into his rightful role when he returned. Marius was just... a child, a dreamer, an idealistic fool.

No wonder Rosa was enamored with Giann. Maybe she even loved him, or would love him soon.

A blank canvas, devoid of color, light, or life.

In all fairness, Marius preferred Giann von Hagen to Marius von Hagen, too.

[qiangweirosa]

meetings and beginnings

"A story of Vyn's first day in Stellis."

relationships: vyn & giann & ailine, giann/ailine tws: none! wc: 2021 extra: this was supposed to be a multichapter fic with ailiannovyn buttt i got lazy + vyn 5th bday is supposed to be about his name change so im posting this anyway

read on ao3!

Vyn jolted awake. He felt the plane shake, and a voice sounded over the speakers, the words only half-reaching his brain as he struggled to situate himself.

He looked out the window. Right. Stellis City. He must have arrived. 

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, internally wincing as he saw his transparent reflection in the glass, his appearance anything but presentable. A sigh left him and he tried his best to fix whatever he could.

Once that was done and his glasses were once more on his face, Vyn took a look at his belongings and made sure he had everything. The plane had landed by now, and everyone was already starting to stand up and gather their bags, but Vyn stayed seated for now. He pulled out his phone, turning it on and switching the airplane mode off. Notifications soon started appearing on his screen, the last one showing a message sent only a few minutes ago.

“ You should be landing soon, correct? ”

Right as he clicked on the message and opened it, the other person started typing again.

“ I knew it. ”

“ Take your time, we’re almost there. ”

Vyn sent a simple response, acknowledging the words before putting his phone in his pocket again. The door was finally open, and people were starting to get off. Vyn didn’t have to wait too long to leave the plane – not many people traveled from Svart to Stellis, if he was being honest –, and soon enough he was walking through the foreign airport, going through the final checks before being free.

The fatigue was starting to weigh on him, despite having dozed off for almost half of the flight, and he was looking forward to just settling down already. It was early afternoon in Stellis by now, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he wouldn’t be against a meal at the moment.

Just as he thought of pulling out his phone to check if he had gotten any new messages, a voice called out to him – though it did take him a second to realize he was being talked to. He’d need to get used to being called by his new name.

“Dr. Richter!”

He turned his head to see two figures approaching him: Giann Von Hagen, he recognized from their previous exchanges, though the woman beside him was unfamiliar. He still greeted them with a polite smile and nod, walking to meet them halfway.

“Mr. Von Hagen. I was just about to message you.”

The said Mr. Von Hagen waved a dismissive hand at him.

“Please, no need to be so formal. Just call me Giann. Oh,” he gestured to the woman beside him, “this is my fiancée, Ailine. I hope you don’t mind her tagging along with us.”

Vyn shook his head and watched as Ailine bowed before doing the same.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Richter. I’m Ailine Weiss. Giann told me a lot about you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, Miss Weiss.”

Giann insisted on carrying Vyn’s belongings for him, despite the man’s protests — and they soon arrived to the car that was meant to drive him to his new house. Once all of the baggage was settled inside the vehicle, the three of them sat in the back of the car as the driver started it up. Ailine spoke up first, most likely in an attempt to eradicate any chance of an awkward silence settling, Vyn noted. 

“I hope your journey here wasn’t too rough? Svart is quite a ways away from Stellis.”

Vyn was sitting next to the left car door, leaning slightly against it. He straightened up and leant slightly forward in order to look at Ailine while responding — Giann sitting in between the two was hiding her almost entirely.

“Ah, it wasn’t too bad, thankfully. I will just need to adjust to the time difference, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Ailine gave him a smile accompanied by a polite giggle — despite their efforts, Vyn could see their reservations towards him. They were clearly keeping up their professional fronts — not that he could blame them, though. They were practically strangers still, and Vyn was doing the same anyway. He didn’t think about it much longer though, as Giann cleared his throat and spoke up in turn. 

“We’ve been taking care of your house, so it should be all ready for you to settle in. All necessary appliances are present, and the water and electricity should be on already, but if you have any problems just give me a call and I’ll have someone fix it.”

Ailine added right afterwards, leaning forward the same way Vyn had earlier. 

“That reminds me, I’ve looked into some stores that sell furniture and decorations of great quality. I’ll have Giann send you their addresses later, if you’d like.”

Vyn hummed, a small smile dancing at his lips. 

“That would be lovely. Thank you for all the help you’ve given me, I appreciate it.”

The two reacted in tandem, chuckling in response and shooting each other a glance upon noticing that.

“It’s only natural. We hope to welcome you into Stellis as well as possible.”

Ailine expressed her agreement, and the small talk came to a stop. Vyn fell into thought, slumping ever so slightly against the car door again. He had looked into the neighborhood his new house would be in — Hemingway Heights, Giann had told him. The neighborhood was nice, from what he had seen. Well taken care of, and the area surrounding his street had quite a few stores, so he would have places to go at least. On top of that, it was the district made to promote higher education, which meant many universities and research institutions would be close to his living place. Giann had also sent him pictures of the house he had found him — it was more than enough, he thought. A definite downgrade from the Duke’s palace in Svart, but Vyn didn’t need such unnecessary space anyway. 

He was just glad to have a garden, and enough room to properly arrange everything he wanted. 

Images of Stellis’ streets flashed through the window as they drove, the quiet chatter between the two fiancés next to him serving as background noise to his thoughts. Soon enough though, they were stopping, and the door he was sitting next to was opened. He stepped out to finally take in his new house in person for the first time, taking note of every detail he could see. It was exactly as Giann had described it — he silently appreciated the man’s attention to detail and all the care put in meeting Vyn’s criteria. 

“You seem to like it, correct?”

The voice of the very man he was thinking about sounded next to Vyn, and he turned his head to meet a smiling face — quite smug-looking, if Vyn were to look closer — as Giann inquired. A chuckle left him and he pushed his glasses back up on his nose, looking back at the front before answering. 

“Yes. It’s exactly as you described. I must thank you again for all your efforts.”

“Please, it’s my pleasure. I’m glad to have met your expectations.”

The driver had already placed all of Vyn’s baggage on the front porch, and soon enough he was being welcomed inside, Giann and Ailine both following behind him. The house smelled nice, and looked clean — Giann wasn’t lying when he mentioned he had been taking care of it until now. He had asked Vyn thoroughly about his opinion on the arrangement, and while Vyn could see a few things he would move eventually, it was overall perfect. 

Once they had toured the house and garden, the group found itself once again in front of it and talked. Ailine checked the time and looked up at Vyn right as they were about to share their goodbyes. 

“Dr. Richter, I don’t suppose you’ve eaten since your flight, have you?”

After a hum of thought, Vyn replied. 

“I have not, no.”

Before he had the time to add anything, Giann cut in. 

“Well it’s already dinner time, so why not join us for it? My treat.”

Ailine gave a protest at the last part, to which Giann responded with a bashful laugh, and Vyn gave a smile. Who was he to refuse an invitation, after all? Besides, he had to admit he was really hungry, and wasn’t sure he wanted to make dinner himself. 

“Of course, I would love to.”

The smiles the couple sent him lifted his spirits, and they were soon on their way once more after they had decided on a restaurant to take him to, for his first meal in Stellis. 

Giann and Ailine had chosen a restaurant owned by the Weiss family, Vyn had been told on the way there, to guarantee him a great first experience, Giann said. The restaurant was clearly luxurious: and they were led to a private table, secluded from the other guests in the restaurant. Since Giann had already offered to pay — not without another complaint from Ailine —, he ushered Vyn to order whatever he wished for and not hold back. Silence fell among the three of them as they looked over the menu, and Vyn carefully weighed the different options in his mind. Finally they placed their orders, and engaged in more idle chatter — though Vyn found himself curious about his hosts.

“So, Miss Weiss, your family owns this restaurant?”

Ailine glanced towards him and nodded. 

“We do, yes. The Weiss family is known for its hotels and restaurants. It’s why we are Pax’s partners, actually.”

Vyn gave a hum of acknowledgement, chuckling to himself before looking towards Giann instead. 

“Seems like Pax invests in just about anything, doesn’t it?”

Giann laughed in return, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a wider smile than he had given Vyn before. 

“Well, it is a good idea to invest in several areas. It allows Pax to help development and to build relationships. I mean,” he gestured towards Ailine and their rings, “Ailine and I would have never known each other, nor gotten engaged, if our families weren’t business partners.”

“That’s true.” agreed the mentioned fiancée. 

Their dishes arrived not long after, Vyn enjoying his light — and free — dinner with the company of his two new acquaintances. 

It was already late into the evening when the group finished their dinner. Fatigue was catching up with Vyn — and he wanted nothing more than to lay down into his bed and get a good night’s rest. Giann and Ailine offered to drive him back, and at the risk of relying on them too much for a day, he accepted. He didn't have much of a choice anyway, really, what with still being unfamiliar with the city and having relatively no way to get to his house on his own — and there was no way he would risk trying out public transport this late into his first day in Stellis. 

Finally, he was back in front of his house, saying his goodbyes to the couple for the day. Giann looked at him through the window of the car, giving a final list to welcome Vyn properly. 

“You can get in touch with Stellis University from 8am to 7pm, weekends might be trickier though. As for myself and Ailine, well, just text me anytime and I’ll get to you as soon as possible!”

Vyn thanked him once more, nodding as Giann went on about everything he might need to know — despite Vyn already being aware of most of those anyway. It was a kind gesture, so he didn’t say anything. Finally, Giann was done, and he grinned.

“At the risk of repeating myself: welcome to Stellis, Dr. Richter. It was a pleasure finally meeting you in person.”

And Vyn smiled in response.

“It was a pleasure as well, Mr. Von Hagen, Miss Weiss. I will see you next time.”

The two drove off, and Vyn finally settled into his new bed, in his new house, in this brand new city, ready for his first night. 

[actualbird]

i just read marius' 3rd bday card and i was gutted by the entirety of the flashback scene like. what the fuck. he is SEVEN YEARS OLD. THESE ARE HEARTBREAKING THINGS FOR A SEVEN YEAR OLD TO SAY

I AM NOT OKAY

[redheadkittys]

...excuuuuuse me🤯...

...how dare them to make all men in this family so hot🔥...

[lilasmari]

Brother

[surely-galena]

Fridged: the Von Hagens

[vynegar]

marius 3rd birthday card excerpt

happy birthday marius!!! this excerpt includes the (HEARTBREAKING!!) flashback scene as well as a short scene that continued that storyline of the von Hagen family. i really loved this card and i hope you’ll enjoy this excerpt of it too!

disclaimer: this is a fan translation and i am not fluent in chinese, so keep in mind that there will be mistakes. feel free to let me know if you have questions, concerns, or comments.

do not repost without explicit permission. if you want to quote this or reference parts of the translation, credit and link back to me.

check my masterlist for more translations.

timestamps go along with the card video here. it’s not mine, please support the uploader Hikari Sherry Gaming by liking/commenting/subscribing.

Title: Fireflies and Darkness (萤影同归)

Context:

Lately, Marius has been busy at Pax with a project that Giann had been planning before he disappeared. Meanwhile, MC is planning Marius’s birthday celebration and wants to do it the way he would celebrate when he was a child. Marius describes how they would celebrate privately as a family at the von Hagen estate. Also, every year Giann would fill up a room with fireflies, which he said represented their mother celebrating Marius’s birthday. MC suggests they go to von Hagen estate to celebrate his birthday.

At the estate, MC and Marius end up cleaning out a study room. MC finds a box of Marius’s old exams, but among all the scores of 100, a 59 stands out. Giann’s name is signed at the top of the paper [where the parent/guardian is supposed to sign the exam, to show that they’ve seen the score and most likely went over it with their child]. All the answers would be correct though, they’re just off by one question. Marius eventually explains:

[16:23]

Marius smiled as he took the yellowed midterm exam from my hands. Nostalgically, he traced his finger over the unsightly number.

Marius: Before I talk about this exam, let me first tell you a story about a foolish little brother who protected his older brother in a childish way.

MC: ...

Marius: A long time ago, there was a family of a father and two sons. The matriarch of the family passed away when the younger brother was born. As a result, they were especially loving toward this younger brother who had never had a mother, and always reserved the best things for him.

MC: (This story...)

Marius: When the little brother was seven, the father transferred all of the assets left behind by the mother to the boy’s name. This sparked widespread discussion from the outside world, as they believed the marriage between the boy's parents was a dirty transaction. Otherwise, how could they force the mother to give birth to him while she was severely ill? Everyone could see that the young brother was more similar to his father, in both appearance and personality. For a short time, practically everyone believed that the father would leave the role of heir to the younger brother. Even though the younger brother thought that was ridiculous, the rumors still impacted his older brother.

MC: How could that happen...

Marius gently squeezed my hand in reassurance, indicating that I should continue listening to his story.

Marius: The younger brother noticed how much pressure his older brother was under at that time, how he often had sleepless nights. So the boy wanted to disqualify himself from becoming heir. That way, his older brother would be his father's only option.

He looked up and smiled, as if thinking it were funny, but my heart couldn't help but ache. The younger brother in the story was probably Marius himself. He was only seven years old, yet he had to deal with this kind of situation...

MC: So your silly solution was to get the questions wrong on purpose, to make everyone think you were dumb and unqualified to be his heir?

Marius knew that I guessed who the story was about. He smiled and pinched my cheek, nodding.

Marius: Yeah. But my brother was smart enough to catch on immediately.

MC: What did he do when he realized?

Marius: Well, he was angry of course. When we got home, he furiously dragged me into the study to ask me why.

As Marius recounted the story, it was as if I returned to that past along with him...

[flashback]

... and saw the seventeen-year-old older brother drag his seven-year-old younger brother through the long hallway, slam open the door, and "confront" him in the study. The misunderstood boy was forced in front of the table by his still-adolescent older brother, who was holding the exam paper and questioning him.

Giann: Marius, why did you answer the questions wrong on purpose?

Marius: ...

The boy gripped his sleeves and clenched his teeth – silent, as if that could let the incident pass by quietly. In reponse, Giann knelt down so he was eye-level with Marius, then sighed helplessly.

Giann: Marius*, as a child of the von Hagen family, grades have never been the number one priority. But there's a difference between not being gifted at something and getting it wrong on purpose. I know you're smart, and you got all the right answers. Something must have happened to make you do this. Am I right?

Marius: ...

Giann: Tell your big brother why you did this. If you just stay silent, I'll worry.

When Giann was angry, little Marius was able to hold back his tears. But when he was softly comforting him, the boy's tears finally overflowed.

The tears poured out before Marius might have even realized it. He hurriedly wiped them away, but the more he did that, the more the tears came. In that moment, all the fear and worries that he had been enduring during that time burst out.

Marius: I'm sorry, Giann... *sob*... I'm sorry...

Giann: ...

Marius: I made things so hard for you. It's my fault... that they won't let you be heir. I... I don't want those shares, I just want you and Dad... *sob*...

Marius stuttered out the feelings that he had been holding inside the whole time.

Giann: Marius...

Possibly because he had never seen Marius cry so grievously before, Giann hesitated when he reached out to wipe away Marius's tears... Then, he finally gave an aching sigh. Having grown up in the von Hagen family, he quickly guessed what Marius had experienced. And this was only the beginning. In the future, they would encounter more situations like this, which was burden they had to bear. But as long as their family trusted in each other, no rumor could shake the strength of their relationship.

Giann: Marius, Dad actually asked me for my opinion before giving the Pax shares to you.

Marius: You... already knew?

Giann: Yeah. And I agreed.

Marius: But... why?

Giann: Obviously because... my little brother is the best little brother in the world. And… you've never had Mom to take care of you. The funds used to establish Pax Capital** all came from Mom. So transferring the shares to you was probably Dad's way of making up for Mom not being there to protect you.

Giann thought that his words would make Marius stop crying, but didn't realize that it would make him sob even harder.

Giann: Huh? W-why... why are you crying even harder now...? Marius... Don't cry... Is it because I was mad at you earlier? Hey, I was just pretending, how could I actually be mad at you...

Seeing his brother's self-reproach, Marius shook his head while wiping his tears.

Marius: I've... always felt like I was the one who killed Mom. Because of me, Dad was misunderstood, and you've had such a hard time. It's all my fault... Giann, should I have never been born?

Marius gazed tearfully at his brother as he spoke his greatest fear aloud. His young mind didn't even know what answer he wanted to hear, but his doubts over his life had made him unable to endure it any longer.

[END PART TWO]

[PART THREE]

[22:29] Study

Giann pulled Marius into a hug. The boy's small body shook uncontrollably as he sobbed in his brother's arms.

Giann: What kind of a silly idea is that? You have no idea how much Mom was looking forward to you back then. She even made me promise that no matter what happened in the future, I would always protect you, so that you could grow up happy and healthy.

Marius: R-really?

Marius sniffled, like he still had his doubts. After all, the role of "Mom" had always been empty in his life. Giann, understanding how his brother felt, let go of Marius, turned and gripped Marius by the shoulders, then nodded his head seriously.

Giann: Yes, really. Do you remember the fireflies that are there for your birthday every year?

Marius: ...Yeah...

Giann: That was Mom's idea.

Marius: Why?

Giann: She said that if you can see the fireflies, then that was her celebrating your birthday.

Marius: ...

Giann: So Marius , you don't need to blame yourself. You're my precious little brother. No matter what happens, your big brother will do everything he can to protect you. Got it?

Marius: Got it.

[end flashback]

Marius: My brother always kept his promise to our mother to protect me. Even if he was pressured or wronged, he would always prioritize me.

The memory of the exam paper reminded Marius of Giann's disappearance and the stalled project. No matter how well he hid it, I could still sense his worry and disappointment. I hugged him gently. He stiffened for a moment, then patted my back like nothing had happened.

Marius: You don't need to feel bad for me. Yes, there were things I didn’t have before I met you, but I was well protected too. In a way, I really did grow up happy and healthy like my mother wanted. That's how I became the excellent person that you met.

MC: Yes, thank you for becoming so excellent.

[…]

[jump to 36:01, at the von Hagen Estate]

As for the remaining time, I shifted my focus to preparing for Marius's birthday. Everything was pretty much ready, and all that remained was the last step: the devices for attracting fireflies. I found many methods online that were simple and harmless for the fireflies, but...

MC: (Where do I go to find fireflies? Maybe I should ask Mr. Payton. After all, he's familiar with the von Hagen Estate.)

Just as I was about to look for Mr. Payton, I saw him return from the garden.

MC: Mr. Payton, you're back! I happen to have something to ask you.

Payton: By all means, what can I help you with?

MC: Do you still remember when Marius was a kid, how every year there would be fireflies on his birthday?

Payton: The fireflies? Yes, I remember. Those were a surprise that Master Giann would prepare for Master Marius.

MC: Do you know where the fireflies were from?

Payton: They live in the small forest behind the von Hagen Estate.

MC: Whoa, they're that close?

I had a feeling that the fireflies wouldn't be too far away, but I didn't think they'd be right at von Hagen estate.

Payton: It’s because those fireflies were all personally raised by Sir and Master Giann. Back then, Sir put quite a bit of effort into hiding it from Master Marius.

MC: So you mean, Uncle Austin knows about that story too?

Payton: Yes. When his mother departed, Master Giann was still just a child. He couldn't have done all of that by himself.

It turned out that everyone had put in so much work in order to protect Marius. However, growing up in such a loving environment was what allowed him to become who he was today.

MC: Are those fireflies still there?

Payton: They are. This ritual has been on pause ever since Master Marius left to study abroad, but Sir and Master Giann still work hard every year to maintain the forest and ensure the fireflies can survive.

MC: ...

Mr. Payton's words made me realize that it had been a long time since Marius celebrated his birthday at home. He went abroad at a young age, leaving his home to pursue the path of an artist, and then returned to bear his responsibilities when his brother disappeared... He was forced to grow up from a doted-on young master to an independent acting CEO. He protected his family members in his own way, but always forgot to protect himself.

Well, I could protect him.

MC: Mr. Payton, I want to recreate this birthday ritual. Could you help me?

Payton: Of course.

 * Translation note: Giann uses 小和, which is a way of making a nickname out of Marius’s name. I originally had it as “Mar” but changed it for consistency with “Will of the Trees” SSR.

** Pax Capital is Pax’s investment firm. We actually already knew that it was their mother’s legacy; this was the branch of Pax that we saw right at the end of chapter one (1-17), when Marius (still without a full face and name) chewed out the managers for investing in a shady business with his mother’s legacy. So with this card, it seems like our first glimpse of Marius was of him protecting the first piece of Pax that he ever got.