The Scum Emperor's Redemption System - Chapter 138

Chapter 138: The Emperor Is Taking Lovers?!
Argider leaned back in her chair, staring blankly at a stack of documents. Across the room, Maeve busied herself cleaning, her clumsy movements as chaotic as ever. Every few minutes, something would clatter or crash, and she’d whirl around with an apologetic grin.

“Your Majesty, I—I’ll fix it, I swear!” Maeve stammered, holding up a porcelain vase she’d just caught mid-fall.

Argider waved her off, stifling a laugh. “Maeve, at this rate, the palace will crumble before I do.”

“Perhaps,” Agnes said dryly, “if you focused more on your task and less on flailing about, we wouldn’t be in danger of losing royal artifacts.”

Maeve puffed her cheeks indignantly. “I’m doing my best!”

Argider chuckled, enjoying the dynamic between the two. It was rare for her to find moments of lightheartedness amidst the chaos of her new life, but these two provided it in abundance.

To outsiders, however, the sight of the Empress spending her mornings with her clumsy maid and stoic lady-in-waiting was baffling. Rumors began to swirl, and none were more affected by them than Esmeralda.

Esmeralda paced back and forth in her chamber, fuming. “What is she doing? Spending time with them of all people? It’s unseemly!”

One of her attendants timidly cleared her throat. “Perhaps it’s harmless, my lady?”

“Harmless?” Esmeralda snapped. “She’s already married 14 women, and now she’s consorting with a maid and a stoic statue of a woman? Unacceptable!”

Unable to contain her suspicions any longer, Esmeralda stormed toward the Emperor’s office.

Bursting through the doors, Esmeralda’s eyes immediately locked onto Maeve, who was crouched awkwardly under Argider’s desk.

“W-What’s going on here?!” Esmeralda shrieked, pointing an accusatory finger.

Maeve’s head shot up, bumping the underside of the desk. “Ow!” she yelped, rubbing her head as she scrambled to stand.

“It’s not what it looks like!” Maeve squeaked, bowing so low she nearly toppled over. “I—I dropped a quill! That’s all!”

Argider blinked, stunned by the sudden intrusion. “Esmeralda, calm down—”

“Calm down?!” Esmeralda cut her off, her face red with rage. “You’re insatiable! Fourteen wives aren’t enough for you, and now you’re taking lovers among the staff?!”

Argider groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Esmeralda, that’s absurd—”

Esmeralda wasn’t listening. She whirled on Maeve, her fury redirected. “And you! A lowly, average-looking maid? How dare you throw yourself at Her Majesty like this?”

Maeve’s eyes filled with tears. “I wasn’t—”

Before Maeve could finish, Esmeralda slapped her across the face. The sharp sound echoed in the room, drawing gasps from the crowd of servants that had gathered outside the open door.

Agnes, standing among the onlookers, pushed her way inside. Her icy gaze landed on Esmeralda. “Lady Esmeralda, you’ve overstepped.”

“Overstepped?” Esmeralda scoffed. “I’m protecting the dignity of this palace!”

Agnes stepped between Maeve and Esmeralda, her expression cold enough to freeze a flame. “By assaulting a loyal servant? Your behavior is disgraceful.”

Maeve sniffled, clutching her cheek. “I—I was just picking up a quill…”

Argider finally stood, her voice cutting through the chaos. “Enough!”

Everyone fell silent, turning to face her. Argider’s expression was a mix of exhaustion and exasperation. “This is ridiculous. Maeve wasn’t doing anything inappropriate. She’s clumsy, not cunning.”

Maeve nodded vigorously. “Exactly! I’d never—”

Esmeralda crossed her arms, glaring at Maeve. “Then why were you under the desk?”

“Because I dropped something!” Maeve wailed, her voice cracking.

Argider sighed, gesturing for Agnes to escort Maeve out of the room. “Take her to get some ice for her cheek,” she said gently.

Agnes nodded, guiding the tearful maid away.

With the room finally quiet, Argider turned to Esmeralda, her tone firm. “Esmeralda, I appreciate your concern, but this behavior is unacceptable.”

Esmeralda opened her mouth to protest, but Argider held up a hand. “Enough. You’ve embarrassed yourself and hurt someone who didn’t deserve it. If you have concerns, bring them to me directly—not in the form of a public spectacle.”

Esmeralda flushed, looking down at her feet. “Yes, Your Majesty,” she mumbled.

Argider sighed, rubbing her temples. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. And please, no more assumptions about my relationships. My heart is already exhausted as it is.”

Esmeralda nodded stiffly and left the room, her pride bruised but her anger somewhat quelled.

Alone at last, Argider sat back in her chair, staring at the scattered papers on her desk. The drama had been exhausting, but she couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“Fourteen wives, a clumsy maid, and a stoic lady-in-waiting,” she muttered to herself. “What a life I lead…”

Hours later, Argider found herself standing at the threshold of the palace’s bustling maids’ quarters. She rarely ventured into this part of the palace, a maze of clean but modest hallways filled with the faint scent of soap and lavender.

The walls were a soft beige, and rows of hooks held neatly hung aprons and bonnets.

A corner table held a collection of mismatched mugs and a steaming kettle, while an old but sturdy sofa sat against the wall, its fabric faded from years of use.

The hum of chatter and the clatter of dishes filled the air, but Argider’s focus was elsewhere. Maeve.

The thought of the teary-eyed maid haunted her. Maeve was clumsy, sure, but she had a heart so big it could rival the grandest chambers of the palace.

Argider felt guilty for not stepping in earlier, for letting Esmeralda’s venomous words pierce the girl’s spirit.

“Time to make this right,” she muttered, smoothing her dress.

After a few awkward exchanges with startled maids who hadn’t expected the Emperor herself to waltz into their domain, Argider finally spotted Maeve. She was sitting on a low wooden stool in the corner, clutching a damp rag in her trembling hands. Her shoulders shook, and her soft sniffles cut through the background noise.

Argider approached slowly, her footsteps light against the polished floor. “Maeve?” she called gently.

Maeve jumped, nearly toppling off the stool. When she saw who it was, her eyes widened, and she scrambled to her feet, bowing so quickly that she almost lost her balance. “Y-Your Majesty! I—I didn’t—”

Argider held up a hand to stop her babbling. “Relax, Maeve. I’m not here to scold you.”

But the words only made Maeve’s tears flow faster. “I—I’m so sorry!” she wailed, covering her face with her hands. “Lady Esmeralda was right! I’m useless and clumsy, and I don’t belong here! I should just quit before I ruin everything!”

Argider sighed, stepping closer. Without thinking, she reached out and gently patted Maeve’s head. The maid froze, her teary eyes peeking out from between her fingers.

“Maeve,” Argider said softly, “you’re not useless. You’re… a breath of fresh air in this palace.”

Maeve blinked, her tears momentarily forgotten. “H-Huh?”

Argider smiled, her tone playful. “Do you know how many people in this palace walk around like they have sticks in their backs? You’re clumsy, sure, but you’re honest and kind, and that’s worth more than any polished silver tray.”

Maeve sniffled, a small smile tugging at her lips despite herself. “You really mean that?”

“Of course I do,” Argider said firmly. “Besides, the palace would be a lot quieter without your antics. And let’s be honest—I think we’d all miss the chaos.”

Maeve let out a watery giggle, rubbing her eyes. “You’re too kind, Your Majesty. I don’t deserve this job. I’m just… I’m just a poor girl who got lucky.”

Argider raised an eyebrow. “Lucky? How so?”

Maeve hesitated, but the Empress’s kind smile encouraged her. “Well… I come from a really poor family. My father was a carpenter, but when he got sick, we couldn’t afford to keep the shop running. My mother tried to make ends meet by sewing, but it wasn’t enough.”

She paused, her gaze distant. “I thought I’d never escape that life. But then my childhood friend—her name’s Elara—she’s from a noble family. Her parents didn’t approve of our friendship, but Elara didn’t care. When she found out about my family’s situation, she pulled some strings and got me this job.”

Maeve looked down at her hands, her voice trembling. “I promised her I’d work hard and make her proud. But now… after today… maybe I’ve just proven everyone else right. I’m not cut out for this.”

Argider shook her head, her voice firm. “Maeve, you’ve proven nothing of the sort. If anything, you’ve shown incredible determination. You’re here because you earned it, not because someone handed it to you.”

Suddenly, Maeve dropped to her knees, bowing so low her forehead nearly touched the floor. “Your Majesty, please don’t kick me out! I’ll do better, I promise! Just give me another chance!”

Argider quickly knelt beside her, pulling her to her feet. “Stand up, Maeve. There’s no need for that.”

“But—”

“No buts,” Argider said, smiling. “You’re staying, and that’s final. I’m not going to let one bad day ruin your future.”

Maeve’s eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of relief. “Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll work harder, I swear!”

Argider patted her on the shoulder. “Just be yourself, Maeve. That’s more than enough.”

Unbeknownst to them, a group of maids had gathered just outside the room, peeking through the doorway. They watched the scene unfold with wide eyes, their whispers filling the hallway.

“Is Her Majesty… comforting Maeve?”

“I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“Do you think they’re… you know?”

A scandal was brewing, but Argider and Maeve were blissfully unaware.