“Oh!” Miles was surprised when he heard what Adam said. He was already shell shocked when his mother said Merlin wouldn’t be able to come this year because the Evelyn he knew would bring Merlin no matter what. But now that he learned where Merlin was, everything made sense.

“Yes, his team made a breakthrough,” Evelyn said. She wanted to continue but looked at the room, then to Mercer.

“No stranger here. Adam is a high-level military officer and can access any of this information as long as he wants it.” Mercer said then looked at Miles, his gaze stood on Miles but didn’t say anything in the end.

“Merlin said they found a technological device in one of the planets. It is certainly not human technology.” Evelyn explained.

“Aliens?” Miles couldn’t help but ask. In the endless universe, the possibility of other races being born was certain. But humans had searched for years without any clue. Miles always thought the alien race was so far away from Earth, thus they didn’t know anything about each other. But now a device made by an alien race has been found, it wouldn’t take long to communicate with each other.

But where is Merlin? How far is the planet from Earth? And how far is the alien planet from there?

“Hmm, I remember now. She told me the first expedition team found something on the device. She wanted me to analyze the living tissues left on the device.” Adam gave away the super confidential information as if it was nothing. At first, Miles didn’t understand who she was, but later he realized who she was, Mother AI.

“Living samples? Deliberately left?” Evelyn asked with a frown.

“At first, we too thought it was deliberate, but later the expedition team simulated it and realized it was an accident that happened by a miracle. They can’t even tell how the sample is preserved in space.” Adam shook his head. He hadn't seen the sample yet, so he couldn’t say anything.

Miles listened at the side and didn’t comment. He didn’t know anything about the subject, thus couldn’t give any useful information even if he wanted. Mercer also didn’t speak, and only looked at them while they spoke. As one of the three generals of the Unity, he knew all the things they were saying, thus he wasn’t surprised. Marcela on the other hand didn’t care what they were talking about, she was chatting through her AI wristwatch.

Miles noticed it was a Psychic Wristwatch, and she was just looking at the screen and text was appearing on its own. Of course, it wasn’t that simple. Marcela was speaking with her AI telepathically, while AI was writing the texts.

Miles shook his head, and focused on what the grown ups were talking about. After talking a little longer, they decided to end it there.

After the talking was done, presents were given starting with everyone presenting their gifts to Mercer. When it was Miles’s turn, Mercer looked at him coldly but hugged him anyway. Mostly because Evelyn was staring at them.

When Mercer opened the box and found out it was a jar of honey, a cold glint passed through his eyes. ‘Is this brat mocking me?’ He thought, then an idea came to his mind. He opened the jar and dipped his finger, and tasted the honey.

“Lone Cave honey?” He looked at Miles incredulously.

“Oh, not bad.” Mercer praised Miles. Miles was surprised that he was right. ‘Old people really do like this honey.’

Then it was Adam’s turn, and Miles gifted the plant sample he found. Adam took the sample and removed it from the glass cover. Miles found it in the secret lab where he found the double elemental armor. At the time he thought it was just a tree bark, and ignored it. When he was thinking about what to get for Adam, he remembered the little piece of bark and decided to give it to his uncle.

Adam took out the tree bark and his pupils were contracted to the size of a dot, they almost could not be seen. He looked at the sample and his eyes turned normal. “Miles, this is priceless!” Adam exclaimed in surprise.

“Oh, is it something valuable?” Evelyn asked with curiosity.

“It is from at least a dozen millennia ago. The sample preserved by the sentient race. It might as well have belonged to the race that lived in Portal World before the monster destroyed them.” Adam then added, “I need to do more experiments to be sure.”

Miles was glad that Adam liked it. Since it was something Adam took fancy of, he wouldn’t mind its value.

Miles gave the golden boxing gloves to Malcolm and he loved them. Since it was an ornament, its tier was hardly related, and Malcolm didn’t mind either.

The plainest gift was his mother’s but she didn’t care at all. She probably had something similar or could find something much more valuable, but Miles had nothing else he could give. He wanted to share information about orbs with two elements but he couldn’t without giving himself away.

When it was Marcela’s turn, she looked at Miles expectantly. Even though not as good as her’s, the gifts Miles bought for others were more than good. Now it was her turn, she got excited.

Miles gave her the dagger orb, and she charged it with her Psychic AI wristwatch. The orb melted and formed a dagger in her hand. From tip to down it was white. There were blue ice-like stones at the handle. It was pretty, but its tier was too low.

“This thrash?” Marcela asked as she eyed Miles. “You got me a middle-tier dagger?”

“Yep!” Miles nodded listlessly. He was too lazy to argue with Marcela. Since he couldn’t afford it, he wasn’t going out of his way to buy something valuable, risking bankrupt. Marcela was never nice to him, so Miles didn’t care at all what she thought about him. Just to make his mother happy, Miles bought her a gift as well, but that was it.

“Hmmph!” Marcela snorted and uncharged the dagger. She threw the orb at the side of the couch and sulked where she was standing. Now that Miles had given his gifts, it was time to receive them.

Mercer gave the first gift. He didn’t like this grandson very much, but he had to buy something. When Miles opened the box he found a card. “There are two Millions UD in the card. Spend well.” Mercer said with a face that seemed like trying to hide his shame. He didn’t know Miles would bring him something so valuable, thus he also didn’t think much about what to buy. Now that they were exchanging gifts, he couldn’t find a new one. With no other choice, he gave the card anyway.

“Thanks, grandpa.”

Adam gave him a chip. “In this chip, there is an arrow technique you may find useful,” Adam said and winked. Miles thanked and hugged him.

Malcolm gifted him a core. It was an electric element of Frenzy-Rank, so when Miles decided to change his AI wristwatch, he could build it with this core. Even its color was the same as Coin’s. It was priceless. “Thank you, dad!” Miles hugged Malcolm.

Evelyn gave him an empty serum. Miles looked at it stupidly and wondered what it was. “Um, this is?” Miles asked.

“It is an empty vial of Mind Serum. Since you have used/stolen Strengthening Serum and lived, you can also use this one. But without testing, I am not allowing you to use it. So when you feel ready, come to my office and I will pay for it.” Evelyn said with her brows furrowed.

“Thanks, mom!” Miles laughed sheepishly. He stole the serum from his mother after all.

Miles looked at Marcela and waited. “What? After you bought me that trash, you want me to give you something?” Marcela shouted and left the room. ‘Such a troublemaker.’ Miles shook his head and ignored her. When the night ended, Adam was about to leave. Miles decided to go with his uncle so Adam could drop him at his home.