Chapter 151: They Were Wrong

The next day, Reinhard sat across from Emily and watched her ignore another sponsor message. Her phone had been vibrating since breakfast.

Emily finally turned it face down and sighed. "I think my phone hates me."

Reinhard smiled. "It probably just wants attention."

"It has received enough attention."

"Fair."

He leaned back for a moment, then looked at her carefully. "Honey, how do you feel about taking a trip today?"

Emily glanced at him. "Where?"

"To visit your old doctors."

Her expression immediately changed.

"Why?"

Reinhard stood, walked over, and crouched in front of her. He gently placed both hands against her cheeks before giving her a shameless grin.

"Of course," he said. "But do you know what I think? I don’t care."

Emily stared at him.

Reinhard’s smile softened as he continued, "Did any of them understand how you felt when they kept telling you no? Did they understand what it was like to be told again and again that you should give up, that there was nothing left to try, and that your life was already decided?"

Emily’s fingers tightened around the edge of her chair.

Reinhard’s thumbs brushed gently across her cheeks. "They got to say those words and go home. You had to live with them."

Emily trembled slightly and said nothing.

"So this time, let hubby do the talking," Reinhard said, his grin returning. "You can sit there and watch their reactions. Or you can stay home, and I’ll record everything for you."

Emily immediately shook her head. "No."

Reinhard raised an eyebrow. "No to staying home?"

"No to letting you go alone." She looked down briefly before meeting his eyes again. "If this leads to a negative reputation, then it should lead to both of us."

For a moment, Reinhard simply looked at her.

His expression softened, and he gently kissed her forehead before standing. "That’s my wife."

A familiar blue window appeared before him.

[Investment Opportunity Detected.]

[Target: Emily Ashcroft.]

[Current Rank: B.]

[Current Value: A+.]

[Objective: Get five doctors to admit they are wrong.]

[Difficulty Grade: D.]

[Success Probability: 80%.]

Reinhard stared at it for several seconds before smiling.

"D-Rank."

Emily looked at him. "What?"

"Nothing. Apparently humiliating five doctors is easy."

"Please don’t call it that."

"Fine." Reinhard offered his hand. "Educational outreach."

Emily laughed as she took it. "You’re impossible."

"I’ve been told."

...

Before leaving, Reinhard took out five silver rings.

Emily examined one curiously. "What are these?"

"Return Rings. Each one can store a designated coordinate and return the wearer there."

He slipped one onto her finger.

"I set this one to our home."

Emily looked at the ring, then at him. "You already planned for that?"

"Of course. I want everyone in the family to have a way home if something goes wrong."

Emily smiled faintly. "You really think about everything."

"Almost everything."

"That’s not very reassuring."

"It should be."

They left shortly afterward.

Their first stop was a private medical center in central Aurelius, and the moment Emily walked through the doors, several employees recognized her.

Whispers quickly spread through the reception area.

"That’s Emily Ashcroft."

"The Top Five Emily Ashcroft?"

"She really recovered?"

"I heard her Gnosis was destroyed."

Reinhard noticed Emily’s hand tighten slightly around his.

He moved closer and casually took her hand.

"You don’t have to worry about them," he said quietly.

"I’m not," Emily replied, although her fingers tightened around his.

A receptionist hurried over. "Miss Ashcroft, welcome. I’ll call Dr. Marcus Vale."

Several minutes later, Marcus appeared.

He stopped when he saw Emily, then quickly smiled. "Miss Ashcroft, it’s wonderful to see you again."

Reinhard glanced at him. "Did you know my wife?"

"Of course."

"That’s strange," Reinhard said with an innocent smile. "She doesn’t remember you being this friendly."

Several nurses nearby immediately lowered their heads to hide their smiles.

Marcus’s expression stiffened. "I was always concerned about her condition."

Emily looked at him. "You told me there was nothing else you could do."

The room became quiet.

Marcus looked at her for several seconds before sighing. "Yes."

Reinhard nodded. "Do you still believe that?"

Marcus looked at Emily again.

She was no longer the woman sitting in a wheelchair with everyone waiting for her to accept a hopeless future. She was standing before him as one of the most famous Awakeners in Aurelius.

"No," Marcus finally said. "I was wrong."

[1/5.]

Reinhard smiled. "Thank you."

Marcus frowned. "You really came here just to hear that?"

"Pretty much."

Emily covered her mouth, but the smile still escaped.

Marcus shook his head. "You’re surprisingly petty."

"I’ve been working on it."

...

The second doctor, Helena Ward, had once been one of the most respected Gnosis specialists in the city.

She reacted very differently.

The moment she saw Emily, she smiled brightly and walked forward. "Emily! It’s wonderful to see you again. I’ve been following your recovery."

Reinhard stopped.

"Really?"

Helena hesitated. "Of course."

"You were following her recovery?"

"Yes."

"That’s great." Reinhard smiled. "Where were you when she needed you?"

The assistants nearby suddenly became very interested in their tablets.

Helena’s smile became strained. "Medical circumstances were different at the time."

"Of course."

Reinhard nodded. "Then you won’t mind admitting you were wrong."

Helena looked at Emily.

After a moment, she sighed. "I was wrong."

[2/5.]

Reinhard nodded approvingly. "Excellent."

Helena stared at him. "You really are enjoying this."

"Only a little."

Emily laughed quietly, and Helena shook her head.

"I suppose I deserve that."

...

The third doctor, Victor Hale, refused to admit it.

He listened to Reinhard’s question with his arms crossed before calmly answering, "I don’t believe I was wrong."

Emily remained quiet.

Victor continued, "I made my diagnosis based on the information available at the time. Her Gnosis was shattered, and the damage to her nervous system was severe. Every reasonable prognosis suggested permanent disability."

Reinhard nodded.

"Yet she’s standing here."

"That doesn’t invalidate my original diagnosis."

Reinhard studied him for a moment before smiling. "Fair enough."

Victor seemed surprised. "You’re not going to argue?"

"No."

Reinhard turned toward Emily. "Come on, honey."

As they walked away, Emily glanced at him. "You weren’t angry?"

"I was."

"Then why didn’t you argue?"

Reinhard shrugged. "Because I can’t force someone to admit they’re wrong. They’ll have to figure that out themselves."

He looked back toward the doctor.

"Besides, we still have two more."

Emily smiled. "You’re keeping count."

"Of course."

...

The fourth doctor was Adrian Moss, and unlike Victor, he admitted his mistake almost immediately.

He looked at Emily for several seconds before giving an embarrassed laugh. "I suppose I owe you an apology."

Reinhard’s eyes brightened. "Oh?"

Adrian rubbed the back of his neck. "I remember telling you that you should prepare yourself for a future where you might never awaken again."

Emily nodded. "You did."

"I was wrong."

[3/5.]

Reinhard frowned. "Wait."

Adrian looked confused. "What?"

"That’s three."

Adrian stared at him. "You’ve been keeping count?"

"Obviously."

Emily started laughing, and even Adrian couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

"I suppose I deserve that," he said.

Then he looked at Emily more seriously. "I’m genuinely glad you’re doing well."

Emily smiled. "Thank you."

That answer felt different from the others.

There was no attempt to gain something from her.

He was simply happy for her.

Reinhard noticed, and so did Emily.

...

The fifth stop was Marvell Medical Center.

Emily became quieter the moment they entered.

This was the place where she had spent countless hours being examined, tested, and told that nothing more could be done.

Reinhard took her hand.

They walked toward the examination wing together.

The door opened, and Doctor Alfred stepped outside.

He saw Emily and stopped.

For several seconds, he didn’t speak.

His eyes moved over her silver hair, her straight posture, and the healthy body that no longer needed the wheelchair that had once defined her daily life.

"Emily," he finally said.

She smiled. "Hello, Doctor Alfred."

Alfred took another step toward her, still looking almost stunned.

"I never thought I’d see you like this."

Emily’s smile became softer.

"Neither did I."

Alfred gave a quiet laugh, but there was sadness in it.

"I remember when you came here."

"I remember."

"You kept asking whether there was something else we could try."

Emily lowered her gaze. "You told me there wasn’t."

Alfred closed his eyes briefly.

"I did."

The memories were still clear to him.

Emily sitting in that wheelchair.

Her hands resting quietly in her lap.

Her asking the same question after every failed treatment.

Her refusing to stop searching even when every answer became another disappointment.

Alfred had genuinely believed he was helping her by making her accept reality.

Now the woman in front of him had become one of the strongest and most famous Awakeners in Aurelius.

He shook his head slowly.

"I don’t know how you did it."

Emily glanced toward Reinhard.

Her fingers tightened around his.

"I had someone who believed I could."

Alfred followed her gaze.

Reinhard didn’t say anything.

He simply stood beside her.

Alfred understood.

Emily hadn’t merely recovered.

She had found someone who refused to let her worst day become the definition of her future.

He looked back at her.

"I was wrong."

Emily’s eyes trembled.

Alfred continued, "I thought I was helping you accept reality. I thought if I made you stop hoping, I could save you from being disappointed again."

He gave a faint smile.

"But I was wrong about what your future would look like."

He lowered his head slightly.

"I’m glad you proved me wrong."

Emily’s eyes became wet, but she smiled.

"So am I."

A blue window appeared in Reinhard’s vision.

[5/5.]

A second notification appeared immediately afterward.

[Investment Objective Completed.]

[D-Grade Investment Successful.]

[Calculating Investment Returns...]

[Reward Calculation Complete.]

[Reward Granted.]

Reinhard glanced at the screen before looking back at Alfred.

The doctor smiled faintly.

"Whatever you’re doing now, keep doing it."

Emily nodded. "I will."

...

They left the hospital and walked through the busy streets of Aurelius.

People recognized them almost immediately.

"That’s Emily Ashcroft!"

"Reinhard too!"

"Are they coming from Marvell?"

"Did she really visit her old doctors?"

"I heard she did."

Reinhard smiled as the whispers followed them.

Emily shook her head. "They’re already talking."

"You’re famous."

"I know."

"Top Five."

"I know."

"Married to me."

Emily looked at him. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything."

She laughed and lightly pushed his shoulder.

They continued walking hand in hand until Reinhard’s expression changed.

Another blue window appeared.

[Reward Calculation Complete.]

[Reward Granted.]

[Legendary Reward Granted: 4x Royal Mana Infusion — Advance-Grade.]

[Effect: Consuming the infusion releases a large amount of Mana comparable to that possessed by a C-Rank Awakener.]

[Additional Reward Granted: Enlightenment Grapes ×2.]

[Effect: Temporarily greatly increase understanding of Mana, Gnosis, and personal abilities.]

[Additional Reward Granted: Mana Infusion Fruits ×2.]

[Effect: Provide direct Mana when consumed and can significantly increase the user’s Mana reserves.]

Reinhard’s eyebrows lifted.

Then the final reward appeared.

[Additional Reward Granted: 5 Years Mana Infusion in Heavenly Pillars.]

[Effect: With five years of Mana rushing through the orbs, eight out of twelve orbs have now been filled.]

[Heavenly Pillars: 8/12.]

[Effect: Heavenly Pillars grant Reinhard a 400% overall enhancement when activated.]

Reinhard stared at the notification.

Then he smiled.

Emily noticed.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

She narrowed her eyes. "You’re smiling."

"I had a good day."

Emily squeezed his hand. "So did I."

Reinhard looked at her for a moment before gently squeezing back. "Then let’s go home."

Emily leaned against his arm as they continued down the street, leaving the hospital and the doctors behind them. For years, they had told her what she couldn’t become.

Today, they had finally admitted they were wrong.