CHAPTER 50: CH-50

I stepped into the dining room, doing my best not to look surprised. I was the only one who knew what really happened, so keeping a neutral expression was important.

Just to be safe, I activated the ’Francis Card.’

My face relaxed, and the way I walked became more composed.

The table was set with an elegant spread—perfectly poached eggs, smoked salmon, buttered croissants, and fresh fruit arranged like art on porcelain plates.

And there he was. Sitting at the head of the table with his usual stoic expression, slowly lifting a cup to sip his coffee.

His hair, his posture, the way his fingers curled around the mug—it was exactly him.

What the hell happened? How was this even possible? Either that was a ghost, or I was dead and this was god’s idea of a prank.

My head throbbed—probably from all the existential questions before breakfast. Good thing I used my acting card early, or I would be sweating bullets by now.

Daniel looked up with an unreadable expression.

"You’re late," he said, in that same monotone voice. "Sit down before the food gets cold."

"Yes, Father."

The chair scraped against the floor as I lowered myself to the table.

My mind raced through possibilities: cloning, illusions, regeneration some advanced trick, or... did the explosion somehow not kill him?

The image of blood and shattered brain matter lingered, the metallic scent still clinging to my memory.

Wait. What if this person was a fake?

It could be that whoever was backing Daniel had discovered his death—and to maintain control over the Mercer Group, they sent a replacement in his place.

I kept pretending nothing was wrong and ate my breakfast.

Ellie and Ella were acting the same as usual. I had made sure to indoctrinate them not to show any hint of adoration toward me when others were around.

He set his cup down and met my eyes. Just that stare felt like being watched by a predator. The old Daniel had presence, sure, but this one radiated danger.

This strengthened my suspicion that I was dealing with a fake. If that were true, then not only I, but Ellie, Alice, and everyone else in the mansion was in danger.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t strike without proof. Doing so would only turn me into a murderer in the eyes of the law. The authorities would hunt me down for sure.

"When will you take the ranking test?" he inquired.

It sounded like a simple question on the surface, but I knew better.

The plan to have me killed once I was outside the city was the first thing that crossed my mind.

"Aren’t you going to answer?"

I forced a half smile and replied, "I’m still not planning to take the test for now. I rather wait until things settle a bit."

"No," he shook his head. "You need to take it right away. If you really get a high rank, it’ll help the company’s reputation."

His words might as well have been an invitation to my funeral.

Meanwhile, Ethan looked like a man who just watched his inheritance go up in smoke, along with his dignity.

The brat’s face contorted in anger. On any other day, I would have thrown a few jabs to make it worse, but I just didn’t have it in me today.

Before I could explain myself, Daniel spoke.

"Take your test today—and this isn’t a request, it’s an order. It’s time for you to carry your weight in this house."

Carry my weight? At this rate, I would be the one being carried... in a coffin.

[DING!]

[Mission: Hide your fangs. Conceal your true rank during the test.]

[Reward: Unknown]

That was the answer. Let them underestimate me. Fewer strong enemies, fewer problems. Stay low-key now, dominate later.

"I’ll take the exam today."

No hesitation. Just enough conviction to look obedient.

Acting against his wishes now would be dangerous. It would only make them desperate enough to send assassins to finish the job.

Daniel dropped the topic, and breakfast ended uneventfully. He and Ethan went off to the company, Ella to her academy.

As for me, I didn’t go straight to the testing center.

I found Ellie in her study, sitting cross-legged on the floor surrounded by piles of art books.

She looked up as I entered, and in a heartbeat, she closed the distance between us and kissed me.

"Ace... I’ve been holding back since this morning," she gasped, practically begging for my attention.

Gently lifting her chin, my lips met hers again, letting the moment last a bit longer.

Being this close to her made it hard to concentrate. Every nerve in me wanted to forget all my problems, and just enjoy her.

"Aunt Ellie, now is not the time for this," I said, straightening up and forcing my most serious expression.

She looked disappointed as she mumbled an apology. "I didn’t mean to be clingy, I just..."

"It’s alright, Aunt Ellie. I know you just want to be spoiled by me, but I’m really busy right now."

"By the way. Have you noticed anything strange about father this morning?"

She raised her eyebrow. "Strange? No... he seems completely normal."

"What about the bedroom? Did you notice anything unusual?"

"It was fine when I went to get dressed; he was asleep, so I was careful not to disturb him."

That only made things stranger. Not a trace of blood? Maybe I imagined all of it yesterday.

’Hey system, I interrogated Daniel yesterday, right? And his head exploded into pieces.’

[Affirmative]

Thank God the system confirmed I’m still sane.

"Did he say anything to you?" I pressed further.

"Not really. Our schedules are usually like that. Sometimes we don’t even talk for weeks if he’s deep into a project."

This investigation was turning out to be far harder than I anticipated.

We talked for a while, and I searched for any clue I could find, but there was absolutely nothing.

"Aunt Ellie, do you have a way to get out of this mansion for a while? Like, maybe take a vacation?"

She nodded. "We have a vacation home in Hail Valley."

"Is that place safe?"

"Yes, more or less. They call it a valley, but it’s man-made, so it’s still inside the city’s safe zone."

Good, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear.

"Auntie, I want you to head there now and stay for a week. Don’t forget to bring Ella and Alice."

She looked confused, but nodded anyway.

One problem taken care of. Now I didn’t have to worry about their safety.

Next, I prepared to head to the testing center to get my license. A low rank would make me less of a priority target, and I was also curious about the unknown reward.

About thirty minutes later, we arrived. My eyes were immediately drawn to the towering structure of the Seeker Association.

It was easily one of the biggest buildings in the area, with multiple helipads on the rooftop—ready for emergency responses.

Huge LED screens on the front displayed live broadcasts, Seeker rankings, and promotional footage.

Nothing less from what is probably the wealthiest and most powerful organization in the country.