The death of A mother, The birth of A child

My name is Rum. It is said that my mother loves alcohol so much that she pursued being a bartender even against the wishes of her parents. She had me when she was 25, and she raised me for five years.

She died due to an accident on the highway.

From then on, the I was placed in the care of my grandparents. They were strict business tycoons whose sole purpose is to wipe down enemies in the business world. Since I was the only child of their only daughter, I was raised to become a capable heir by the same people who raised my mother.

I could understand why my mother grew up rebellious. Her parents were the type who only provides and works all day long. They raised me in the same way too, so I knew the feeling well.

I inherited the Roseon Industries when my Grandmother died. Grandpa decided to retire after she died.

That as the only time I saw the loneliness and sadness in his eyes. I think he deeply loves my Grandmother, but is unable to express it well. Now that she is dead, he seem to have lost the will to live.

A year later, my grandfather died peacefully on his sleep. I stood over his grave which was also beside his wife and daughter's Graves, in a huge masoleum.

I was the only one left in this cold world.

Striving to protect the hard works of my family, I worked tirelessly. I had no time for any sorts of drama like romance or shit. I'm constantly trying to survive the attacks of my own relatives and the schemes of competitors.

I couldn't let my guard down, so I was still an unmarried woman at age 50.

That's when I decided to adopt a child.

"This is Zyrin. He is ten years old this year. Type O blood, had no records of hereditary diseases, and he is very smart."

Zyrin, the child I raised to become an heir. The child I learnt to love and care for, the child that smiles even though I am incapable of showing him the same emotions.

The child which I watched as he grew up from the small ten years old to the thirty years old man who is capable of turning tides in the business world and leading the company into a brighter future.

The child who also became my end.

"Why did you do this?"

The smiles on his face was now replaced by a cold look. His eyes which reminded me of my mother's own had only sharp hatred in them.

"I am the child born from the son who came from the womb of your grandfather's illegitimate daughter. My mother was also his daughter's daughter but she was discriminated and shamed!"

"So you are my nephew?"

"Who wants to be family with you? I despise the lot of you in the Craften family. You pretentious pricks who had nothing on your mind but honour and fame. You couldn't even spare my mother!"

He clenched his fists while he sat there. I calmly stood up, feeling quite dizzy.

" In my old age, I wanted nothing but to give you everything. "

" What? "

Picking up the small watering pot by the side of my table with calm yet unsteady hands, I watered the cactus near my window.

" My mother died when I was five. By then, I did not know where to go and what to do. Grandpa and Grandma came to pick me out of the misery I was in only to put me into more misery."

Placing down the pot, I turned to look at the window, counting the last minutes I still have left. The poison he placed in my tea should be fast acting, but the training I had when I was young prevented it from killing me then and there.

" I had to live fearing the next days of my life. I did not want to ever wake up only to be sent into a cold room where I had to spend my day being poisoned and tortured in order to mold a perfect successor. I had to endure humiliation and gaslighting, learning to resist the physical pain and the mind play in the name of succession. Overtime I forgot who I am and what I was here for. I only want to survive. "

I looked over, seeing the horrified look on his face.

" If I truly hated you and was truly as heartless as the rest of the family, I would have molded you the same way they had molded me. You should have been thankful grandfather left your mother and grandmother alone. They must have been killed by the relatives because they feared that if they were able to kill me, grandfather would take you guys in and he would still have a sucessor. "

" You must be lying. "

He growled. I was too old to argue with a young man, so I just looked out of the window again, feeling the peaceful breeze upon my face.

'Whether you believe me or not, does it matter? My work is done after all. Even if you did not poison me, I would have expired eventually. "

" But I poisoned you! Are you not angry?! "

Anger? I would never feel anger for this person.

He is the son I raised afterall.

But I don't need to say it, he wouldn't believe it after all.

My vision started to turn black. I held my head with my hand with a chuckkle.

" I hate this. I really hate how much I loved a child like you."

My body tilted to the right and I fell down with a thud.

"Ah, sweet death. No pain, No more suffering."

Then I passed away.

But my death did not last.

'Is that breeze against my face? there's breeze in the afterlife? '

or is it my brain playing tricks on me? I read once that the brain replays the memories inside it after one dies, which makes us relive our past.

But when she opened her eyes the world around her made her feel speechless and surprised.

She saw the bluest of skies she had ever seen, the fluffiest of clouds that she could ever gaze upon and tons of multi-coloured peony flowers.

"Ah!"

Is that... is that a Kunpeng*? (A Chinese mythical creature which is said to have two forms, the Kun and the Peng.)

"What in the world-Ah!"

She shielded her eyes from the light that flashed from the side and flew to another.

"Fireflies-No, those are blue humming birds."

A swarm of blue humming birds flew above her, all of them glowing blue.

it was amazing. Later, she saw gold glowing far ahead and when it got closer, she was amazed to find out that they were butterfllies.

Something casted a huge shadow above her, so she looked up from playing with the butterflies in facination.

"Woah!"

Huge, elegant looking koi fishes swam above her in the clouds. White koi fishes with orange patches, with red patches, and orange koi fishes with black patches and white patches were also present.

But the most beautiful among them is the sole black koi fish that has golden patches all over it and long fins with the same golden colour streaking the fins.

"So beautiful..."

This dreamland is so amazing.. She never felt so overwhelmed with beauty before.

Then out of knowhere a pink lotus bloomed above the heavens and a holographic

peony appeared in front of her.

[Welcome to the Roseon Palace]

"Wait come again?"

That is when she met the creation who called itself a SYSTEM.

"Where am I and what are you?"

[I am a System. This is called the Roseon Plains. You are my host, which will become the hope and salvation of many worlds.]

"Roseon Palace? My company? Pardon me but I still cannot comprehend the reason why I am here. I am dead, am I right?"

[Unfortunately yes. But rejoice! You were born for greatness. Death is nothing but a superficial phenomenon which led you to this new chapter of your destiny.]

" What is my purpose? If I am here after death, then I must have a purpose. "

[Do you want to access the purpose of the system? If so, please listen to the terms of service and the agreement.]

"Yes please."

The screen in front of her closed and another holographic screen appeared in front of her. This time it was all in golden writing and golden screen.

[I will now narrate the terms of service and agreement.]

"This will be long... "

And she was right. If she was not a person who had patience comparable that to a god whose believers always go to pray and grieve, she would have been bored to death.

Also, the days of being a C. E. O. helped.

" So you're saying that I was only a character whom fate dictated as a stepping stone for the son of fate which is Zyrin. He would also marry my enemy's granddaughter?"

Rum pursued her lips.

[Are you sad?]

"No, I just think it's a bit disgusting. To think he would marry a person from the Schmidt Household who sent assassins to kill both him and I. I wonder how he would react if he found out that those people were the same ones who colluded to kill his mother? "

The system remained silent.

" Alright, are you done restating the terms of service and the agreement? "

[Yes.]

A grin appeared on her face, and to the system it seemed calculative.

" So, it's time for me to state my own conditions too. "

[Pardon? You want to state conditions in front of the system of God?]

" Ofcourse. Or is it not possible to put down my own conditions before God?"

[Technically yes. He is God afterall.]

'hoh? What a nuisance. do they think I'm a pushover?'

" Then I also cannot help you."

she shrugged.

[What? did you not hear the terms of services?]

" I do not really care. I only love my self preservation. If I cannot even put down my own conditions, then I don't see any reasons to agree."

[Then we will have to kill your soul.]

" Then that's a loss."

She shrugged and closed her eyes whilst she lay suspended on air.

[This!]

This Human! How dare she put forth such request?! Is she trying to become someone higher than the system itself? Filthy lowly being.

Even as she lay there, she could feel the animosity of the system. If she did pass this tribulation, she would first remove this system.

Such as filthy thing trying to control her.

"What now? I'm waiting for death here."

[You fucking filthy thing!]

In her subconcious, Rum rolled her eyes in distaste.

After a long time, the system finally agreed with a final threat to Rum.

"Now we're talking."

This is where it starts.

'I am not a sitting duck after all.'

"First of all I want complete control over myself and my actions. If you try to even sabotage me, I want you to bear punishment."

[How dare you human being!]

"Well, we can stop now if you want."

The system became silent for a moment, before it commanded Rum to continue.

"Second, I want to preserve myself first than anything. If the situation gets sticky and it isn't going to harm my mission, then I can just walk away."

[Continue.]

"Third, I want to have one wish at every world. Any type of wish. In exchange, I will make sure to fulfill my missions as requested with swiftness and a 99 percent chance of success."

[99? Why not a hundred?]

"I'm leaving a leeway fro myself."

[TSK.]

"Third, I want to be immortal. If you guarantee this, then I can guarantee the 100 percent."

[I have never seen such arrogance before. Be careful not to burn yourself playing fire like this.]

" I play with fire all the time. I do not fear getting burnt. "

[Tsk, such arrogance.]

" Fourth, I want to have my own privilege to obtaining answers to questions I necessarily need answers to. Do not worry, I won't ask questions about your origins, God's secret or anything that could threaten you."

[Hm, I can let you have that.]

Bingo. She was not aiming for his answers, she was aiming to answer them by herself. She's a master of gathering information from enemies like this afterall. Sooner or later she would figure out how to get rid of this chain called system and the Deity it serves.

"Fifth, I want to carry my ability the Crow's Beak with me forever."

[Oh, that disastrous thing. Huh, Ofcourse a weak human like you would need it. Fine, this will also be accepted. This is all of it right? I do not take kindly to the act of greed.]

"This will be the last one."

[Go on.]

"I want to have eight abilities which I can carry forever."

[You really are greedy. Fine, I can also give you this.]

"First, I want the Perfect face value. You know what I mean about this. Second, I want the ability to have the space manipulation ability. Third, I want to have the perfect offense and defense abilities. Fourth, I want to have the mind read ability. Fifth, I want to have the ability to use magic. You can do this right? Sixth, please let me have unlimited luck. Seventh, let me have alchemy and eight, tracking skills would be great. "

[I can give you first, second, fourth, and fifth. third, sixth and seventh needed to be learnt by yourself in the hall of Champions.]

" Then I will change those three. "

The system grew speechless. Why did the lord choose this woman?

[Go on.]

" I will change alchemy for the ability to resist any type of psychological and emotional attacks. I will also change the third ability for the ability to read into the past actions of people. Then lastly, I will change the sixth ability for the ability to turn any type of food and drink resource edible."

[done.]

" then let us make the new agreement contract. "

'

Do you think I won't remember signing the contract? '

[Alright.]

" Oh before that, I want you to swear by your God's name that this contract will never be revoked ever under any circumstances."

'This shitty human is too meticulous. She's worth the title of a cutthroat demon.'

the system then pledged using the name of its God and then signed the revised contract with Rum after she reviewed it.

" Now what do I need to do? "

[Hell is about to go down so prepare yourself, Human.]

What hell has she not seen yet? if it really is hell, she would be impressed!

Hundred thousand Years in the Hall of Champions later

The big doors opened and out came a reformed Rum. She carried the air of dignity, elegance and pride whilst standing near the entrance wearing white shirt and black pants.

Her soul was young again. Maybe age 20.

[You're back. Would you like to rest or head out?]

The hateful system whose name was Hyros greeted her with indifference when she got out. Rum grinned at the glowing ball sheepishly.

"Well I want to go and rest. But you won't be so happy about that would you?"

[Yes. You are wasting time.]

Rum sighed and returned to the main room of the Roseon Palace.

"Alright, let's go and clean up after bastards."

She layed down on the big comfortable bed and dove into the first world she had to clean up.

"I would never have this thing as my daughter."

'Huh?'

Rum opened her eyes and saw carpeted floors. She adjusted her vision and looked for the source of the voice.

Sitting beside an automatic fireplace on a velvet couch was a tall man with cold emerald eyes. It seems to be looking at her.

" But what should we do about her, Milord?"

The handsome tall man pursued his lips in thought for a moment. But Rum could see that he was just doing it for sarcasm.

"Since everybody had seen her enter this place then just raise her and kick her out after she's capable enough. Place her in the farthest part of the house, feed and educate her and then make sure she survives."

"Yes, Milord."

She was then led out of that gorgeous and elegant Victorian era core room.

Silently, she followed the maids to a very secluded part of the house where silence reigned.

"This is your new room Miss. If you need anything just press this button and someone will come for you."

They silently went out, even dodging eye contact with her on the way.

When the servants left, the calmness on Rum's face dispersed.

"System, what type of bullshit is this?!"

[What?]

"I'm a child!"

[Yeah? I didn't tell you?]

Rum felt coldness creep from her foot to her neck and then her face. She could almost feel the system's malicious smile.

[You will start as a child in every world you go. To do your mission well, we took great lengths to make it easier for you to infiltrate the subject's circle. Isn't it great? Anything you do will be pardoned, because you are a child!]

A murderous expression appeared on Rum's face as she balled her fist, realizing the system has totally ripped her off.

"You!"

A malicious looking man whose face is obscured in the darkness smiled wide with triumph, looking at the huge screen in front of him which displays an upset little girl with black hair and icy blue eyes.

i

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