The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar blinked in surprise. He did not expect to receive an apology from Serena, confused about why she made one now. There was no memory of her mistreating or hurting him in any way during their past. Perhaps he forgot. Frowning, Oscar delved deeper into his memories to find one but turned up empty. He asked her softly, comfortingly, "What do you have to be sorry for?"

Serena fidgeted around, rubbing her gloved hands together at the seams as if an itch was underneath. She nervously rubbed the back of her neck, awkward chuckles and cheeks blushing a soft pink. When her gaze met him, it instantly tore away, a frightful reaction. She downed the entire cup of water in a second, coughing and patting her chest, which heaved erratically. She seemed to have calmed down and faced Oscar with a shaky, anxious stare.

"I-I'm sorry for my actions when we were young." Serena blushed deeper, sinking her head deeper into her arms. She said meekly from within her wall of hands, unwilling to open them, "How embarrassing. Absolutely embarrassing. Looking back, everything I did was so shameless! I behaved so shamelessly toward you."

What was she saying? Oscar tried his best but couldn't force the impulse to laugh. The straightforward and confident Serena was currently behaving like a frightened bunny, shy and meek. He bellowed out in laughter, holding nothing back. Gripping his stomach, Oscar felt it start to cramp. The entire time after receiving the letter, he had been nervous and worried about how to face this old friend and persistent pursuer. And when she apologized, his worries deepened.

But her reason and appearance blew them all away. Oscar wiped the tears from his eyes and drank a cup to calm himself. Serena's head was further buried into her arms, the redness filling the tips of her ears, and he realized his actions might have been interpreted incorrectly. Coughing to clear the air from his lungs, he reached out and tapped his fork on her plate, gaining her attention as she lifted her face upward, just barely for her green eyes to show themselves.

"There's nothing to apologize for that. You were young and in love. I guess the only part would be the persistence you clung to me, but I bear no ill will toward you. Besides–" Avril's smile appeared in his mind, and he also released a few awkward chuckles at the memories he shared with her, "-I can somewhat understand why you acted that way. Though, frankly, it was a bit shameless to behave so strongly when we weren't even together."

"So you do admit I was shameless!" Serena gripped her cheeks, leaning her head back. "Ever since I learned you were alive, I couldn't help but constantly remember everything I did. I would have sleepless nights thinking about how to face you."

"You're still not facing me." Oscar pointed out.

Serena groaned and whipped her head back to confront him. She slowly lifted her hands from her face until they settled on the table. A deep blush still resided, and her eyes attempted to dart around, but somehow, she held it straight and forward. After a deep exchange of gazes, Serena smiled softly again, lacking the former assertiveness from the past, and sighed in relief.

"Actually, I have another reason for seeing you other than to apologize and catch up on what happened." Serena readjusted her hair, placing the hairpin into place.

"Oh? Pray tell, what else is there?" Oscar eyed the basket of freshly baked bread, sensing the warmth even from his seat. But eating one now during their conversation was rude. Holding himself back, he waited for Serena to continue.

"I'm sorry again. It's more of a selfish reason. I needed to see if I had any lingering attachments and feelings for you. Thankfully, to myself and my husband, there are none. I can rest easy now." Serena had a bashful look, one more akin to a lovestruck maiden. At first, Oscar found it awkward to see her make such a face for someone other than him because that's all he knew of her. But soon, he was relieved and glad to see her happy since the tragedy at Ashen Grove.

"That's great. But polygamy and polyandry are viable choices." Oscar said jokingly.

"Ha-ha…." Serena emphasized her hollow laughter, clearly not enjoying the joke. "If you are hungry, eat the bread. I don't recall you holding back on a meal at any time. Go on and enjoy."

Oscar swiped some bread, ripping it in half, a wisp of steam rising from the torn halves, followed by slight bubbling noises from the aerated bread expanding. He enjoyed the soft and warm doughy goodness. Serena giggled and joined in. The waiters came in moments later to lay down their appetizers, salad, and soup. Everything ignited the tastebuds on his tongue to dance and scream in joy. After a few minutes, he had already finished his food while Serena was still partly through hers.

"I heard you got married. Congratulations." Serena nibbled on a piece of lettuce. "If there was any chance you were alive and made it back here, I thought you would have beelined straight for Celestina. You were ever so persistent when it came to her."

"In a way, I thought so too. When I was first trapped in Ashen Grove, I yearned to get back home, not just to my friends and family but also to her. However, the years stretched on." Oscar said softly, thinking about the long nights around the fire with Gol-4 and Erden, the battles for survival he fought against the Grove's wrath, and more. He recalled meeting Avril for the first time in that withered forest, half her face covered by the cloth but her golden eye shining brightly from the other. Indeed, the years acted as water to a quenching fire, allowing a new one to be kindled and lit. "Time changes a lot of things."

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"Hoh. I'm curious now. What sort of woman managed what I couldn't? The younger me should take notes from her." Serena rested her chin on her hands, eagerly waiting for Oscar to tell the story he had told many times over.

Oscar sighed and re-narrated everything he had been through since his entrapment. Once he was finished, Serena lamented loudly about his troubles and thanked Avril, Erden, and Gol-4 for being there for him, a most kind gesture. It was his turn to listen now. Serena explained over their entrees about how she underwent depression after his supposed death. To distract herself from the loss, she delved into her Exalt practice and the family business, earning the reputation of the Lady of Coins, taking advantage of the ten years of the initial armistice to trade and ferry goods before the blockade.

Her husband happened to be her escort on one of the trading ventures since actions from the other three empires could still occur, just off the books and using proxies. He was surprised to learn the husband was the second grandson of Volstolf Rubinberg, the Head Captain of the Drakiri, the royal guards. Whenever she spoke of him, her face lit up brighter, and Oscar smiled at her good fortune. It seemed he would have to thank her husband later for pulling her out of the pits of depression as Avril had done for him.

Cutting into her chocolate cake with candied rose petals, Serena swept her gaze over Oscar and asked, "Since you are attending the Summer Gala, will you need a custom outfit for the occasion?"

"The Pavilion Master already took care of it. Mrs. Bertin is handling my suit." Oscar replied.

"Mrs. Bertin?!" Serena scowled. "Ah! Why didn't I contact you earlier?! She works a rival."

"Really? Well, you're already rich enough as it is." Oscar shrugged, biting into his cake.

"There's a world of difference if a hero like you asks for our services. Geez. I'll need to do some damage control. Our clothing lines are sure to suffer." Serena stuffed a large piece into her mouth, pouting her thin lips.

"Don't people know you're a friend?" Oscar drank a sweet mixture of fruits, a heavenly taste.

"Do you think I'm that vain?" Serena accused him and jabbed a finger in his direction. "It's one thing to utilize connections and another to use another's name, especially yours, for benefit. I won't sully your reputation."

"I don't mind. Use my name." If it helped her, then he didn't care.

Serena blanked out, then rubbed the corners of her eyes, a reddish tinge on them. "You're always such a blockhead. Straightforward and a bit of an idiot." She rose to her feet and walked toward the exit. "I'll exit first to avoid being seen together lest some unsavory folks spread rumors." She turned her head and gave him a bright smile. "I'm glad you're back. See you at the Summer Gala."

Catching the tails of her red hair before the doors closed, Oscar wondered if she was in a hurry. He waved a waiter over and asked if they had any leftover desserts for him to take home. They brought him a sizeable box filled to the brim with chocolates, cookies, and cakes, a delectable feast for the nose and eyes. In high spirits, he departed from the Paradise Tower and enjoyed a few of the city's busy streets, buying several foods for the children to enjoy. Their smiles and gratitude reminded him of the children in the Burning Valley who enjoyed a newfound peace.

'I wonder if the war will ever reach them here.' Oscar thought as he wandered through the streets. A few minutes later, he arrived at his overly large estate full of empty rooms and untraversed halls.

"Welcome back! My Lord! How was your outing?!" This time, Arlen, the light-green curly-haired maid, greeted him enthusiastically, a lively skip in her steps. She was slightly taller than the petite Sirsi but shorter than the tall Eris. Oscar revealed the box of goodies and told her to share it with the other servants. Practically prancing around, the maid exclaimed, "Thank you! I never had such amazing sweets before."

Inside the estate, the Pavilion Master returned after a day of being missing. His bald head reflected the light from the chandeliers. Remulus sniffed around and asked, "I smell a good snack."

"The maids have it. Will the Great King Exalt steal from some servants?" Oscar relaxed on the couch.

"Bah. I can procure them myself. In any case, Erden told me about your nightmares." Remulus patted Erden's head on the side. His beast friend sure loved cozying up to the Pavilion Master, and Oscar felt slightly betrayed. Knowing his thoughts, Erden snorted and moved over to his side. Oscar happily stroked the white fur.

"Can you identify a source?" Oscar asked, hoping the Pavilion Master had a solution.

"I searched and probed your room. The entire place is encased in a barrier, so outside influences are a nonfactor." Remulus scrunched his hairless brow and watched their surroundings before speaking again, "I personally checked every servant and guard, but we can't rule out an insider. How about I guard you in your sleep?"

"Would you do that for me?" Astonished, Oscar was overwhelmed.

"You've been influenced by Draven too much. Of course, I'd do that for you. You're my grand disciple." Remulus crossed his arms. "By the way, Caires sent an order for you to visit when you return."

"Why are King Exalts so eccentric and stubborn?" Oscar compared them to the King Exalts in the Lands of Zeret and found the beast King Exalts was far more, in a way, mature.

The days went by. In the mornings, the cycle of maids from Eris to Sirsi to Arlen tended to him. From afternoons to late nights, Oscar threw himself deep into his training, receiving direct guidance from Caires on Duality. He surprised the old Ancestor by finely controlling the process by having Demon manipulate parts of his Ein, working to bring the Ein out. During his periods of sleep, the shadowy figure no longer crept into his dreams. He didn't know whether it was because he scared her off or the Pavilion Master's presence steered it away.

Oscar woke up one morning, refreshed from the few days of good sleep, and peered out the window. Dawn rose in the two suns. Finally, the day of the Summer Gala arrived.

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