The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Maia blinked, wondering what exactly she was doing. After being saved by the strange Avril, she ended up in a fancy inn, sharing a meal with two brats, a strange old man wearing a mask, and Avril. The enticing scent of the freshly roasted chicken wafted and nearly caused a drool to spill from her lips. The moment she took a bite, the herbs and spices danced on her tongue, and the juices overflowed, its flavor striking her like a rock to the head. The vast pleasure caused her to moan, unbelievably satisfying. She blushed, realizing she was in public, her face ripening like a tomato as several gazes turned to her.

"Is it good?" Avril held back a laugh, her quivering shoulders giving her away.

Too embarrassed, Maia silently ate her meal, unwilling to answer. The masked old man whispered to Avril, Maia's sensitive hearing unable to pick up their conversation, clearly hidden behind Ein. Avril shook her head as if denying the old man's words and smiled brightly, cutting up small pieces for the two brats who clamored in cheers, waving their forks around without manners, a bunch of little brats. Staring at her own greasy hands, she scoffed at herself, the lessons on etiquette all lost to her. She had no right to scold them.

The old man never averted his gaze from her, his green eyes on her. Who was he? She chewed slowly, pinching a part of the white nightgown and shuffling her feet on the varnished floor. Avril had lent her the comfortable nightgown for her to wear, but her sweat had already drenched it. Whoever the old man was, he terrified her. He didn't send any Ein to intimidate her. His stare alone reduced her to this state, absolutely inconceivable. One of the brats ran over to the old man, and he finally turned away, smiling widely and carrying the brat in a burst of hearty laughter.

"Um, pretty lady. My name is Gloria. Who are you?" The other little brat trotted over to her, grabbing her leg.

'How cute.' Maia instinctively thought that first. She jolted, her feet still on the floor, but her shoulders bounced, a chill crawling from her chest. The old man, carrying the boy, locked his gaze on her again as if waiting for her to attempt to harm the girl. Her instincts warned her. She could tell that lying was impossible, not in front of this old monster. "I am Maia. Nice to meet you, Gloria."

"Are you with us?" Gloria asked, tilting her head, her pigtails swaying to the side in an adorable pendulum motion.

"Huh?" Maia stood up, the little girl now clinging to her knee.

"That sounds like a good idea!" Avril chimed in, grinning from ear to ear. "I accept Maia to accompany us to our new home in Convecia City. She lifts her arms in excitement. The thought of a new companion fills her up with joy."

"Mom talks weird." The boy sighed, earning a pinch on his cheek from Avril. He hurried out his apologies repeatedly until Avril was satisfied.

"Yay!" Gloria joined in the cheers.

"Huh?" Maia said again.

From that day onward, she went along with them, mostly acting as a protector, though her beauty drew more trouble than it was worth. She simply went along with the flow, the old man's gaze not something she could say no to. How did it come to this? She often wondered when holding Renn and Gloria in her arms while Avril browsed the wares. Before long, she joined the sessions, offering her opinions and suggestions, clapping at the children as they wore the many variations they selected.

She avoided the old man they called grandpa, uncomfortable in his presence. In Convecia City, she settled in a small place of her own but spent most of her time at Avril's estate, sharing meals and helping out with the children. Avril sometimes spent late nights in the Alchemist Guild, making her babysit. As the children grew, she dropped them off at their academy every morning for their classes. Staring at their backs as they waved goodbye, Maia smiled warmly and felt at peace.

Avril was right. Life had its worth, after all. She didn't regret living on from that day when she gave up and almost died on the beach. But she spent her nights alone, her nightmares always waking her up in the dead of night, her sheets drenched in cold sweat. Avril seemed to catch on and always asked her to stay in her estate, but Maia wished to avoid troubling her further. It was her past life, and she would handle it alone, refusing to pass on burdens to her new life, to them.

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…….

Present day. Maia couldn't help but laugh at the cruel twist of fate, the halls resounding in her hysterics. A terrible feeling struck her—a horrid twist of a dagger in her heart. All this time, she buried the past, only suffering from it alone at night, yet as it turned out, it was always present at every waking moment. Avril was the wife of her most hated enemy, and the two children were orphans of a battlefield where she fought and allowed the destruction of Orbis by the hands of the insect.

She found it comical, almost like a tragic play unfolding before her eyes.

"Maia…." Avril said, a warming concern pouring from her voice. But that warmth, once soothing, now burned her as Maia wondered why she deserved such mercy and kindness from someone who should hate her.

"In all this time, I never did tell you about what I did. The old man must have known. That explains why he always looked at me like an enemy. You knew all along, yet you took me in. Was it to insult me or to put me down? No, you treated me like family, and I held you as a sister." Maia rose to her feet, her flat shoes stepping with a loud clack. Avril seemed distressed, and Maia knew it was for her, eyes that looked at her in worry, welcoming her to stay. Straightening her back and tying back her white hair, Maia narrowed her crimson gaze, "I was one of the jailers that kept your husband's master and brainwashed many, breaking many more minds. I was a commander in the siege of Orbis and knew the city would collapse into rubble, yet I fought on. Renn and Gloria are orphans partly due to me."

Avril said nothing, and Maia carried on, "But I do not apologize for any of that. I fought and did everything for the sake of my family, for my home, and for my empire. Forgiveness is wasted on me. I still suffer in my dreams, reliving all I lost due to that war and waking up crying. I hate your husband. I hate it all. But I can't place that on you, Renn, and Gloria."

She stepped down the stairs, standing in front of the exit. As she reached out, Avril called out from above, ending the silence, "You're right. I know that in your past, you committed heinous acts that garnered hatred from many, and you lost everything. But she doesn't hate you. I only know Aunt Maia, my sister who cares for Renn and Gloria."

Maia gripped the door handle, resting her forehead on the wood, tears dripping down the paint. "But I still see myself as Maia Claude. That is who I am and who I will always be."

…….

The door closed gently, and Avril sighed. She had hoped Maia would stay. However, she also had no right to keep her here. The exit remained shut, and Maia's presence disappeared, presumably too far away. Perhaps, in the future, Maia might return and reconcile. When that would be, she did not have a clue. With that, Avril smacked her forehead and headed for the dining room, taking a few deep breaths to put Maia aside for the moment. Opening the door, she faced her two children. For an odd moment, their younger selves overlapped, the small, cheerful selves under the shockingly adult and depressed figures.

'When they become such adults?' Avril went over and embraced them both, patting Renn on the back and caressing Gloria's head.

"Mom. Why didn't you stop her?" Gloria buried her face into Avril's shoulder, warm tears leaking out. "I don't hate her. I could never hate her."

"To think that she was at Orbis and was an enemy…." Renn said, leaning on her.

"Do you hate her, Renn?" Avril asked.

"No." Her son stated without hesitation. "I only hate her for not staying to talk it out."

"She has her own struggles. Right now, she and your father, they all need our help." Avril pecked them on the cheek and held their hands, warming them. "Do you hate your father?"

"No." Gloria and Renn answered together. Renn spoke up for both of them, "I'm grateful that he took us in, and that led us to meet you, but I did hate him for leaving you alone for decades. Every time I saw Mom become sad at mentioning Dad, I cursed him. But I can't now."

"Dad needs our help. I can slap him later for leaving us, but he returned in the end." Gloria put on a strong smile, one Avril knew to be forced.

"Good. Then, for now, pack your things. Your father's entrance caused a commotion. She thinks Convecia City will be too dangerous." Avril exited the dining room, passing by the broken light crystals, her steps crunching on the shards as she entered the darker half of the hall. In the wrecked room, Remulus sat in a corner, watching from a distance. Oscar had woken up, but his eyes were still desolate, unresponsive to her arrival.

"A-Avril…." Erden grunted, waking up. His pained groans leaked sprays of blood on the floor. Avril rushed to his side, inspecting the wounds. Before she could take out more bandages, an antler wing turned her to face him. Erden gasped, his chest heaving like heavy waves. He warned in a low, raspy voice, "We are not safe here. Go to the Lands of Zeret."

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