The Alchemists - zChapter 1027

“How would you talk to them?” Rose asked Rune with a concerned look. It was obvious that she couldn’t believe him. She thought the man was just trying to make her feel better.

“I have my way, don’t worry.” Rune sat back on his chair and motioned them to continue eating. “Let’s finish breakfast and talk later.”

Seeing how the man looked so calm, finally Rose and her parents felt a bit relieved. They went back to their seats and continued eating. Once they were done with breakfast, Rune asked Rose to his room and talked.

He wanted to explain some things to her to help ease her worries.

“Do you need a new phone?” He walked to the corner of the dining room and picked up Rose’s phone from the floor. It had been damaged by the impact and the screen was broken. He held out the phone and asked her, “Should we throw it away and get you a new one?”

Rose nodded. “Yeah.. I don’t need it.”

Rune walked toward the trash bin and tossed the phone there. He held out his hand and motioned Rose to come. “Let’s go upstairs. I have something to tell you.”

Rose furrowed her brows. She wasn’t used to seeing Rune acting this way. Somehow, today, the man looked firm and imposing. Where did this change come from? She was wondering.

She always knew that Rune was confident, but today he looked more confident than usual. Rose felt intrigued.

“Father, Mother.. I need to talk to Rune,” she said to her parents.

Duke Fournier nodded. “Okay. I need to go see His Majesty to discuss something. Your mother will join me.”

“Okay, see you later,” Rose said. She turned around and reached Rune’s hand and walked together with him out of the dining room and went up to the second floor.

“He looks like a good man,” commented the duke. His wife sighed. She was still feeling objection because Rune came from the lower class. However, she agreed with her husband that Rune looked like a nice guy.

He was cool and collected, amidst the situation they were in. He was also very modest and humble. He didn’t seem to be in it for Rose’s money. Like what Rose told her yesterday, Rune actually could make a lot of money from his inventions but he was not interested.

“Rose told me that Rune is actually a scientist, not just a mere fixer,” Duchess Fournier replied to her husband’s words.

“Is that so?” The duke looked interested. “What does he do? I mean.. what is he working on right now? Maybe we can help him to get recognized.”

Duchess Fournier sighed. “I don’t think he wants to be recognized. He seems to be so nonchalant about making money or getting recognition from the public. Rose said he is working on some medicine and many pharmaceutical companies are interested in them, but he turned the offers down.”

“That’s… unusual,” said the duke.

“I agree. Rose said, Rune is not interested in money, so we don’t have to worry that the man is chasing her for her money,” the duchess added.

“I never met anyone who doesn’t like money,” said the duke. He massaged his temple. Now, his perception of Rune Schneider changed a little bit. He thought the man was very interesting.

“It’s a relief that he is not after our money, but…” Duchess Fournier bit her lip. “… how would he provide for our daughter if they get married and have a family? It will all be on Rose.”

Duchess Fournier went silent. Her husband was right. What do they need more money for? She should only think about their daughter’s happiness.

Growing up wealthy, and surrounded by immense wealth their whole life, the duchess and duke were aware that money couldn’t buy happiness.

Shouldn’t their focus of priority now be the wellbeing and mental health of their only daughter?

Rose was experiencing so many heartbreaking events and now she needed their support more than ever. If she was happy with Rune, and the man treated her well, then the duke and duchess must support their relationship.

***

Meanwhile, Rune and Rose had reached his room. The man sat on the sofa and patted the side next to him, giving a sign for Rose to sit.

“What is it that you wanted to tell me?” Rose sat gracefully and asked Rune without further ado.

The man looked at her intently. “Which one do you prefer more? A wealthy man or a poor man?”

Rose didn’t understand his question. “What kind of question is that?”

“Which one do I want… as a what?” Rose asked back. She stared at the man with confusion written all over her face.

“As your boyfriend,” Rune replied. “If you need me to be the rich Schneider, we don’t need to refute the claim. Let’s just pretend that I am a member of that family. I will make it happen.”

“How?” Rose was baffled. Now she saw the man as an enigma. She just realized that she didn’t really know Rune.

Yes, she had met some of his family members, but they were all enigmas on their own.

His nephews were surrounded by bodyguards, his sister married a powerful man from the mafia, he had a close friend who was also the adopted brother of a famous supermodel, JM, and JM was dating Rune’s nephew.

Now, he could easily say that he would make it happen if Rose wanted him to be a wealthy man?

“You don’t have to worry about the how,” Rune explained. “Now, I just need to hear from you, what do you want, and I will make it happen. I want you to trust me.”

“I do trust you, but…” Rose bit her lip. It was so hard to believe this.

“But?”

“I’m not troubled by those things,” Rune replied. “I don’t mind.”

“But…”

“Rose, look at me,” Rune became impatient. He touched her hand and squeezed it gently. “If I told you that my family is actually wealthy, will you still use me as your fake boyfriend?”

Rose was stunned when she heard his words. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“My family is quite wealthy. That’s why I don’t need the money. I won’t ever sell my inventions to any pharmaceutical companies, and I can live without having to work for the rest of my life.”

Rose stared at Rune without blinking. She couldn’t believe her own hearing.

“Rose…” Rune squeezed her hand again. “Did you hear me?”

“C-come again?” Rose’s mind went blank.

Rune didn’t expect that his confession would invite this reaction from Rose. He wanted to laugh but at the same time, he felt sorry for her. Rose must be feeling shocked.

Rose pressed her lips in shock. “How… how come?”

“Well.. my nephews intentionally created a profile on that dating website to get me blind dates. I was too busy to find a girlfriend and they decided to ‘help’ me. Of course, to avoid getting all the gold-diggers in New York City to swarm me, they chose to hide the fact that I come from a wealthy family. You did the same too in your profile, didn’t you? So, you must understand why we did it.”

Rose nodded. She too claimed to be a poor artist on her dating profile back then.

Ruse continued his words, “When I went back from the Amazon, they told me they had found me a perfect girl. That was you.”

He smiled faintly when he remembered the event. “I was skeptical in the beginning, but I went anyway. However… when I saw you, I realized that they were right.”

Rose didn’t say anything. She looked at the man intently, trying to not miss any single word from his lips, even though it felt so difficult. Her mind was all over the place.