The Scum Emperor's Redemption System - Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Paradox (2)
It was starting to feel oddly sweet, the warm comfort of the moment settling between them, when, of course, Alvator popped up out of nowhere, ruining the peace like a storm cloud on a sunny day.

“Hey, pretend to be asleep for a moment,” he hissed, his voice low and urgent.

‘But why?’ Argider wondered, utterly confused for a moment.

“Just do it!” Alvator’s tone left no room for argument.

With a sigh, Argider scrunched up her face, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. She hadn’t signed up for this level of drama, but there she was, pretending to be asleep as though she were in some kind of elaborate charade.

She exaggerated the motion, heavy eyelids, relaxed breathing, the whole works.

Her body was more pf like a piece of furniture at this point, but at least she could still hear everything.

“Ah, she’s fallen asleep now…” Elira murmured, her tone almost relieved.

Argider resisted the urge to peek, silently seething at the absurdity of it all. This better be good, she thought.

“Mom, we can’t kill Argider yet?” Kian piped up, his innocent voice cutting through the quiet air, clearly not understanding the gravity of what he was saying.

Elira gasped, the color draining from her face for just a moment before she quickly recovered. “Sweetie!” she hissed, shushing him in a way that was both urgent and loving. Her hand immediately went to Argider’s forehead, her fingers brushing softly against her skin. She checked for any signs of distress. Was Argider really asleep? Did she need more herbs?

“Don’t say it too loud,” Elira whispered under her breath, still glancing at Argider, her voice growing cold. “You know she’s not the main target. We still need her.”

Main target? Revenge? She bit her lip, trying to stay still and keep her breathing even, but her thoughts were a mess. The last thing she needed was some surprise assassination plot that she didn’t even see coming.

“I know, mom…” Kian replied in a voice that still carried an innocent whine. “But I just want to go home… I can’t stand this…”

There was a soft sigh, followed by the gentle rustle of fabric as Elira bent closer.

Argider could practically feel her presence near her. Elira’s fingers, careful but warm, lightly brushed against her cheek, as though confirming her breath was steady, her body still at rest. “Not yet, sweetie,” Elira murmured. “Not until we get our revenge. To your grandma.”

Revenge? Grandma? That was it. This wasn’t just some random family drama; this was way bigger than she’d expected. The layers of deception were unfolding, and she was right in the middle of it, playing the role of someone completely oblivious.

And just like that, the atmosphere shifted again. No longer sweet, but suddenly a whole lot more complicated.

Okay, but like, what in the hell did she just hear?! At this point, why was she even surprised anymore?! This child, this little kid, wants to kill her! And Elira’s fingers, why did they feel so sweet? What was even going on right now? And what exactly was the system trying to pull here?

‘Alvator, is this why you told me to be asleep?’ Argider thought to herself, a bit too shocked to even care about being quiet.

“Something felt off,” came Alvator’s voice in her mind, casual as ever. “At least you’ll have your emotional skills put to use…”

‘What if they kill me right now?!’ Argider’s panic shot through her. The thought was far too real, and far too terrifying.

“Not yet.”

Then they heard Elira walking to a corner, approaching one of the nearby plants that sat in a decorative pot by the window.

Argider watched, still groggy from her pretend-sleeping act, unsure of what was happening. She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as Elira placed her hand delicately over the plant’s leaves, her fingers glowing faintly with a soft, greenish hue.

What… is she doing?

The plant seemed to react, its leaves slowly curling and shifting, almost like it was alive in a way that didn’t seem natural. The tendrils began to grow and twist, slowly wrapping around Elira’s hand as if it were a loyal pet following its owner’s command.

Wait… magic? But magic was supposed to be gone from the world!

This was impossible. Magic had disappeared from the world, save for those with rare bloodlines, yet here it was, right in front of her. As she watched Elira manipulate the plant so effortlessly, something clicked in Argider’s mind.

Could it be…?

A cold shiver ran down her spine as a thought she hadn’t dared entertain before crept into her mind. Could I be…? Her heart was beating fast. The illegitimate daughter of Gander Morrigan?

Gander Morrigan, the infamous liege. The very same who was notorious for his ruthlessness in politics. The father of…

Her first wife. Esmeralda Morrigan.

“We’re here to kill your grandfather, Kian…” Elira’s voice was low, almost a whisper, but the words still carried a chilling weight. “The one who brought ruin to us all… Gander…”

For a moment, the only sound was the soft rustle of the plant’s leaves. Argider had been half-listening, but as Elira spoke those words, something inside her snapped her back to reality.

Grandfather? Kian’s grandfather?

Before she could process it any further, a sudden, uncontrollable sneeze ripped through her.

“ACHOO!”

It was loud, sharp, and completely unexpected. Argider sharply awoke, her eyes snapping open, her body jerking up in alarm. Oops, she thought, her face turning a deep shade of crimson.

The room went completely still.

Elira whipped around so fast, her face contorting into both panic and anger.

No one moved.

Then, as if on cue, all three of them began to panic in their own way.

Oops… I, uh…”

Elira’s eyes widened in a split second, and before Argider could even blink, Elira was already halfway to her drawer, yanking it open with a speed that was almost frightening. “You heard all that?!”