Chapter 63: Good Wife

After a shocking revelation from Minoru, Rachel found herself a mixture of annoyance and happiness.

"When you mentioned a big secret, I was thinking of something else," Rachel said, smiling. "To think you have something like this behind my back."

Currently, Minoru, Ai, and Rachel are seated in the living room. Rachel glanced at the sleepy little girl, in Minoru's arms.

"James... It's already past her bedtime. Why don't you take her to her bedroom?"

Minoru nodded in understanding. "Alright," he said, walking away with Ruby.

Now, only Ai and Rachel remained, with Amelia standing behind her.

"So..." Rachel began, causing Ai to flinch.

"Try to relax since I won't bite," Rachel said with a hint of humor.

Ai nodded slowly. "Yes, Mother."

Well, she didn't know how to act in front of her mother-in-law. Furthermore, Ai felt immense pressure and a sudden loss of self-esteem. Though she usually exuded confidence, Ai now felt like an ordinary girl facing the mother of her boyfriend.

Knowing Minoru had lied about his background, Ai had anticipated meeting people from his past eventually.

However, Ai didn't know much about Rachel. Even without prolonged observation, Ai could tell she was a strong and capable woman. Unlike Ai, Rachel seemed to possess extraordinary capabilities.

'But to think it was his mother all along! Alright, let's stay cool as always. But when will he come back from the kid's room? Anyway, I wonder if the woman in the back is a real maid or just cosplaying? No, let's focus first,' Ai thought, and Rachel chuckled at her reaction.

"Don't worry, and talk to me casually, okay? We're talking as a family now, and you don't have to be afraid of making mistakes," Rachel said, somehow putting Ai at ease.

"Though I'm curious, how did you two first meet?" Rachel asked.

Ai smiled. "W-Well, when I met him, I thought he was a homeless person, so I gave him some food... uh..."

Should she fabricate a backstory or tell the truth?

"I see... Well, I know that James had a problem with alcohol before he somehow managed his drinking habit. I'm not surprised you might have found him in the street or even worse places. But how has James treated you all these years?"

Rachel knew Minoru well. But, she also wondered if Minoru struggled to balance his chaotic life with raising his kids. Despite his flaws, Rachel felt proud of him for stepping up to be a responsible father.

"Uh..." Ai hesitated. "The truth is, Minoru-kun..." Her smile faltered, and she considered lying.

"He what? Don't tell me he abused you?"

"I was raising the kids alone, and Minoru-kun only met them about a month ago—"

"What?! He just met them a month ago?! Are you kidding me James Moriarty?!"

Rachel's composure shattered, unable to contain her shock and anger at learning the extent of his neglect of his responsibilities. She no longer cared about his profession as a hitman or whatever. She would make him pay for his negligence.

Ai rose from her seat as she approached Rachel, her voice wavering, "M-Mother! Please, calm down. It was my fault too. I forgot to contact him, but later, I managed to call him after remembering that he left me a phone before—"

"Oh dear, you don't have to stand up for him. Whatever his reasons were, he can't justify his actions. Not knowing he has children is nonsense. That's why I had to apologize for his actions. But you don't have to forgive him either."

"Yes, he was wrong in this part but…" Ai's nervousness somehow dissipated as she looked at Rachel seriously. "Minoru-kun is trying to make up for his mistake, and that's fine with me since I'm not perfect either. Whatever his reason, which I don't know yet, please, I beg you to give him a chance. I believe that's how family should be."

Rachel paused, looking at her, then smiled. She never thought he had someone like Ai on his side. Rachel believed he needed someone like Ai instead of an all-powerful woman like Eileen.

"Sigh..." Rachel frowns a bit.

Concerning Eileen. Rachel was well aware that Eileen wouldn't be pleased either. That's why Rachel resolved to keep this secret no matter what until Minoru found a solution.

"To think that he found someone like you, Ai. I really thank you for that. I just hope that you keep this spirit even when you know something bad about him. Could you promise me that?"

Ai smiled, "Yes, I promise that even if the world is against him, I'll stand by his side."

Rachel nodded as she said, "Come here, daughter," and hugged her. "Looking at you, it must be hard for you to raise his kids, but you managed it alone and even tolerated his irresponsible act."

"Mother, that's okay for me though—"

"No, stop lying, okay?" Rachel said as she let go of her. "I'm far older than you, and I've walked in hardship too, so my eyes can see through your lie. Also, you don't have to tell me what happened in your past. But I'm trying to say that I'm proud to have such a strong daughter," she said as she patted Ai's head. "Good job."

"Y-Yes... thank you..."

Her past hadn't been kind to her, with a broken family and her mother abandoning her. That's why she became so wary that Rachel would be disappointed in her and find her unfit to be his wife. But when Rachel said she was proud of her, she felt truly thankful to have met her mother-in-law.

---

"I thought you'd stay at least for tonight?" Ai's disappointment was evident on her face.

Rachel smiled, "I'm afraid I can't stay that long. I have to come back and depart for Luxemburg in the morning. Oh dear... I know that a tiresome job will wait for me."

She then glanced at Minoru, as if it were his fault. He simply nodded, a gesture only she understood. Then, someone opened the door from the kid's room.

"So, hungry—"

It was Aqua. He paused in the doorway, all eyes on him.

"Hello..." he said with a nod. "Please forgive my rudeness that I didn't know we had guests. My name is Hoshino Aquamarine," he said with a slight bow to Rachel.

'What the hell is going on when I'm still in Mitsuha's body?'

All he remembered was falling asleep in Mitsuha's room, and then waking up in his own body because he was hungry. But now, there were guests. Of course, he had to greet them to save his mother's face.

"The way you talk..." Rachel said, her mouth agape. "You really are his son."

Unlike Ruby, Aqua positioned himself in this scenario with a maturity and intelligence far beyond his twin sister. This boy in front of her reminded her of when she saved that dying boy.

"Ah, Aqua, you're awake," Ai said with a smile. "Don't just stand there, your grandma is about to leave."

"Grandma?" Aqua approached the group slowly, then widened his eyes. "Holy— a real maid? Ahem!"

Aqua was genuinely surprised to see the beautiful and stoic maid a bit further from the group. He knew his father was rich, but he hadn't expected to encounter a professional maid, rather than a cosplayer.

"Ah... he's truly his son," Rachel remarked, noting Aqua's RESEMBLANCE to Minoru.

"I'm Rachel Wagner, Aqua. Okay, before I give you any money, do me a favor, Aqua," Rachel said with a sigh. "Promise me you won't become like your father."

"Nice to meet you, grandma. As for that, well, why should I become like him though?" Aqua said with an unamused face. "I'll be a surgeon, and that counts, right?"

Rachel hummed, finding Aqua's confidence similar to his father's. Meanwhile, Minoru leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, and Ai smiled awkwardly at Rachel's skeptical look towards Aqua.

However, what Rachel meant was that she hoped Aqua wouldn't follow the same path as Minoru.

"You boys don't have to send me off. Alright, see you later, Aqua." Rachel said with a smile.

The elevator closed as Ai accompanied Rachel to the basement, leaving the boys in silence.

"She seems to hate you or something..." Aqua glanced at Minoru.

"Probably," Minoru sighed. "Aqua, what did you find out about your bookshelves?"

With the information Rachel had provided before, perhaps... this phenomenon or what happened to Aqua and Ai might be related or have the same cause as the 'Magic' was responsible for creating the wormhole on Mars' surface. Minoru reluctantly acknowledged that the ghosts might now hold significance in understanding these events.

Aqua sighed before saying, "I thought you wouldn't ask. About that..."