My Scumbag System
Chapter 73: The Judas Kiss Tastes Like an Almond Milk Latte
CHAPTER 73: THE JUDAS KISS TASTES LIKE AN ALMOND MILK LATTE
The coffee shop bustled with weekend patrons. Natalia spotted Emi immediately—her vibrant blue hair styled in that signature look with the two strands sticking up like antennae made her impossible to miss. Emi waved with unbridled enthusiasm when she caught sight of Natalia, her entire face illuminating with genuine joy.
How can someone be so sincerely happy to see another person? Natalia wondered. It was a quality she’d always found both mildly irritating and strangely comforting about Emi.
"Nat! Over here!" Emi called out, as if her enthusiastic waving hadn’t already made her location abundantly clear. "I already got you your usual! Triple shot latte with almond milk, right?"
Natalia slid into the chair opposite her friend, managing a smile despite the knot of nerves in her stomach. "Thanks, Emi. That’s perfect."
"You look absolutely gorgeous," Emi gushed, her reddish-brown eyes widening with sincere admiration. "That sweater is just divine on you! And there’s something different—you’re practically radiating. Like, seriously glowing. Must be all that intense training paying off!"
Natalia took a long sip of her latte to conceal the blush creeping across her cheeks. If you only knew the real reason I’m "glowing."
"So," Emi leaned forward, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, her eyes dancing with excitement, "tell me absolutely everything! How’s it going with that amazing Cryo-Lich Ring? Have you completely mastered it yet? Oh, and what about Satori? How’s he doing with his new Aspect? That fire thing? That whole situation was completely wild!"
Natalia blinked, momentarily overwhelmed by the rapid-fire barrage of questions that tumbled from Emi’s lips. Classic Emi—pure, unfiltered enthusiasm without even the faintest hint of social restraint or self-consciousness. Natalia strategically decided to address the last question first, carefully easing open the conversational door just as Satori had suggested.
"Satori’s doing surprisingly well. He’s actually been putting in serious training hours. We’ve been..." she paused, meticulously selecting her words, "working together sometimes."
Emi’s eyes widened to saucers. "For real? You two are actually getting along now? No way!"
"Things have... changed between us." Natalia maintained a neutral tone, but something in her expression must have betrayed her deeper feelings.
Emi gasped dramatically, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh my god, Nat! You actually like him now!"
"What? No, I—" Natalia began to protest instinctively, then caught herself mid-denial. This was the perfect opening she needed. "I mean, he’s not as terrible as I initially thought. He’s... different now."
"I knew it!" Emi clapped her hands together in unbridled delight, nearly bouncing in her seat. "The way you looked at him that day at the training facility. And how completely annoyed you got when he was talking to me. Those are classic jealousy signs!"
Natalia’s jaw dropped in genuine shock. "I was absolutely not jealous!"
"You totally, completely were!" Emi giggled, a musical sound that drew attention from nearby tables. "But it’s perfectly okay. I think it’s adorable. You two would make such a cute couple... even with the whole stepbrother situation." She delivered a playful wink.
"Emi!" Natalia hissed, instinctively glancing around to ensure no one had overheard this mortifying conversation. "We’re not a couple. We just... tolerate each other now."
"Mmhmm." Emi’s expression was knowingly skeptical. "That’s definitely why you’re turning crimson every time I mention his name. Sa-to-ri."
Natalia groaned, burying her face in her hands. This was veering completely off her carefully constructed plan. She was supposed to be the one guiding the conversation, not being read like an embarrassingly transparent novel.
"Look, can we please talk about something else?" Natalia pleaded, desperate to regain control. "How are you doing with your healing Aspect? Are you feeling prepared for the entrance exams?"
Emi graciously allowed the subject change, launching into an animated explanation of her recent training breakthroughs. Natalia nodded and inserted comments at appropriate intervals, but her mind raced frantically. Perhaps this approach was fundamentally flawed. Maybe she needed to be considerably more direct.
No
, she firmly reminded herself. Satori specifically said to let it develop naturally. Trust the plan. Trust him.
As if responding to her thoughts, Emi circled back to the topic of Satori. "So, does your stepbrother ever talk about me?"
The unexpected question caught Natalia completely off-guard. "What?"
"Satori," Emi clarified, a delicate blush tinting her cheeks. "Does he ever mention me? He was incredibly sweet that day, asking about my healing Aspect and everything. Most guys don’t show any interest in support abilities."
There it is. The perfect opening.
Natalia inhaled deeply, fighting to ignore the sharp, possessive twist of jealousy coiling in her gut. "Actually, he does mention you. He thought you were really fascinating." Each word felt like poison on her tongue, but she forced herself to continue. "You should text him sometime. I’m certain he’d be delighted to hear from you."
Emi’s eyes lit up with undisguised excitement. "Really? You honestly think so? I don’t have his contact information though."
"I can give it to you." Natalia extracted her phone, her fingers moving mechanically as she shared Satori’s contact details. "Here you go."
As Emi eagerly added Satori to her contacts, Natalia observed her friend’s animated expression. Sweet, innocent, trusting Emi. So vibrant, so full of genuine kindness and warmth.
What am I actually doing? Am I truly setting up my best friend—my only real friend—to become just another piece in Satori’s growing collection?
But then Natalia remembered Satori’s compelling words about his Sovereign’s Covenant. How they needed exceptional women to build his power base. How Emi’s remarkable healing abilities would make them all stronger, safer. How they would rule this world together.
It wasn’t manipulation, she desperately told herself. It was strategic recruitment. A mutually beneficial alliance. Emi would ultimately benefit too.
The justification felt painfully hollow, but Natalia clung to it with determined desperation.
"Thanks so much, Nat!" Emi beamed radiantly. "You’re absolutely the best friend anyone could ever have."
Natalia forced her lips into what she hoped resembled a genuine smile. "That’s what I’m here for."