The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

'Found him….' Emily did not believe her eyes were mistaken. The young boy lounging around on the bed and complaining had the same green hair and topaz yellow eyes as Frederick. She looked around, judging that she was in an illusion world.

"Girl. Do you hear me?"

Emily heard Albert's voice in his head and replied, "I do. I'm in an illusion, right Elder?"

"Hmm, it is just like Kan to do this. I was hoping you would find your friend chained up, but this will be trickier to get to him." Albert's voice was laden with a small hint of pride for his wayward grandson but mostly solemn because of the difficulty of this endeavor. "What do you see?"

"I'm in his family home. I found him, but he's a young boy. What is this illusion?" Emily looked on as Head Maid Roberta started to scold the young Frederick, who was forced to sit on the floor, repenting for his actions. Frederick was pouting and trembling at the lips from embarrassment.

Albert was silent for a moment before answering, "This is an illusion built upon your friend's memories. If my guess is correct, he will travel from different places in his memory related to the hatred that encompasses every part of his soul. This way, your friend will be in perpetual torment and feed more hatred that tightens Kan's grip on him."

Emily realized now why the people seemed so odd and weird at times. Frederick must have weak impressions of those people, so their manifestations in the illusion were not as vivid, leading to awkward words and barebone expressions.

But this Head Maid Robert was more animated. By seeing this scene of scolding in front of her, it was plain to understand how Frederick would have a stronger image of her.

"Why am I taken in as a new maid?" Emily was confused about how she was interacting in this world of memories.

"As I said. It's a world of illusions based on memories and happenings. It should try to reject you, but I'm holding it back. You are now in it and can interact."

"Introduce yourself." Roberta stepped aside and gestured for Emily to come closer.

Emily froze for a moment. She asked Albert, "Elder, what do I do? Can I talk to Frederick to end this?"

"I cannot help you because I'm too busy with Kan's assault; he's relentless. Play along with the memories. There must be a moment or several when your friend's consciousness will show. Do you think the boy right now is currently your friend or an image of himself?"

Emily came close upon seeing Roberta's slight annoyance. She looked at the young boy, who had a scowl on his face, with a twitch in her lip, thinking of disciplining this child as she did for Frederick. "Hello, young master….I am the new maid, Emily Nevena."

Her hands were slightly, and her face flushed, but she had to do as Albert said. The Frederick in front of her was not the current Frederick. It was just a part of the illusion.

"Emily? That's a weird name!" Frederick pointed at Emily with a wide smile.

Emily's brow popped some veins; she was close to hitting this little brat but managed to stop. However, Robert smacked Frederick for her.

"Young Master Frederick. Shall I inform Madam Ivanka about your behavior?" Robert readjusted her glasses; behind them were narrow eyes that stared at Frederick.

"Nope! I'll get up!" Young Frederick's face paled slightly, but his body sprang out of bed and stood at attention. He was terrified of his young aunt, who often scolded him. It was common for Roberta to use Ivanka's name as a threat to force Frederick to behave.

"Now then, Emily. Take care of our young master's needs. He's going to a banquet later, so he must not do anything drastic." Robert said to Emily.

Emily nodded.

Frederick heaved a breath of relief after Roberta left and looked at Emily with some interest. "You're quite pretty!"

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"Oh really?" Emily stoked her cheek with a smile. At the very least, this younger version of Frederick was somewhat more proper.

"It's a shame you're old."

Emily clenched her fist, cracking the knuckles. Forget what she thought earlier; she was mistaken about Frederick's good qualities.

"Anyway, help me dress." Frederick spread his arms to let Emily start dressing him up. This left Emily dumbfounded; was this what a maid was supposed to do?

"Can you hurry up? I can't be late for breakfast, or Father will be mad." Frederick turned to Emily. Why isn't this maid moving?

Emily searched around and found some clothes. She quickly clothed Frederick in it while constantly reminding herself that she had to play along. This farce of putting on the clothes was nothing more than an illusion; it wasn't real.

"How is it, young master?" Emily said.

"It's all crinkled, and you did the buttons slightly off! I'm going to be scolded by Father!" Frederick tried to fix his clothes with a scared face.

Seeing this impertinent brat complain made Emily feel newfound respect for all the maids and servants dealing with such people.

"Ah! I have to go!" Frederick sprinted out of the room.

Suddenly the room began to distort. Emily was shocked at what was happening and asked Albert what was happening.

"It's shifting to the next memory. Be ready!"

Emily felt like she was swimming through a swamp as the memory swirled, and she found herself in the main hall of the estate. She was beside Frederick, who was fidgeting.

"Young master, what is happening?" Emily decided to ask. She had no idea what was happening.

"I'm being forced to go to a banquet," Frederick said, annoyed. "You're my maid; how do you not know? You're going with me and attending to the carriage."

"It must have slipped my mind, young master." Emily kept up her mechanical smile. "I'm sure you'll have fun at the banquet."

"I can't trust the words of someone who forgets her job," Frederick complained.

"Frederick." A deep, authoritative voice called out for Frederick, who stiffened upon hearing it. It was a tall man with similar features to Frederick but had an expressionless face, Clarence Klein, Frederick's father.

"Father." Frederick bowed.

Emily realized what to do and bowed, "Master."

Clarence stared at his son, scrutinizing him. "This banquet is important. Do not embarrass the Klein Family. I have high expectations of you."

"Yes, Father!" Frederick answered like a military soldier. But there were beads of sweat on his forehead, and his small back was quivering.

Emily looked at this interaction between father and son, feeling sorry for young Frederick. She thought about how she and her father spoke and acted toward one another. It wasn't as detached or distant as this but casual and full of endearment.

'He grew up under these strict rules and this sort of father. Is this what nobles are like? It's no wonder he decided to be like a rogue.' Emily recalled Frederick's whimsical actions and unkempt clothes with a smile.

"Let us depart," Clarence said.

The scene distorted again. Next, she was in a grand banquet hall where many nobles dressed in beautiful clothes conversed and danced. However, their faces were very vague.

She stood near the walls, looking into the banquet. All the other servants, like maids and butlers, were also lined around the walls, waiting for their masters to finish and go home.

Clarence Klein approached Emily and the other man besides her, another servant but not well-imagined, and said, "Find my son. We're leaving."

Emily and the other servant separated to look for Frederick. She looked around the hallways but found nothing. After returning to the banquet, she noticed the terraces that overlooked a large garden.

In one of them, Emily spotted Frederick and moved to call for him but stopped upon seeing another girl.

The girl had teal hair and brown eyes. She and Frederick were sharing some treats, smiling and laughing together. Emily had never seen that kind of expression on Frederick before.

He smiled on many occasions, but none were as bright and tender as the one before her. It was all done toward this girl beside.

"Teresa…." Emily knew for sure. This girl was the one at the center of Frederick's drive for revenge. The one who loved Gilbert so strongly, she never noticed Frederick's love for her, but by then, it was too late, and she threw herself down.

'This must be the banquet Frederick mentioned. The place where he first met Teresa. The start of the tragedy. Is Frederick conscious here?' Emily sneaked closer to take a good look at the young Frederick. But she could not tell.

"Frederick." Emily barged in their good time, saying Frederick's name to probe for a reaction.

But the young Frederick did not show any signs of a shift or change in demeanor. He looked at Emily and scolded, "I am a young master! Also, can you come back later? I want to be with Teresa more."

Teresa finished her treats and said, "Frederick, you don't have to say that. Your maid must be here for a reason; let's play more later!" She had a pleasant voice that was uplifted by her enthusiasm and excitement.

"O-ok. I'll see you later." The young Frederick blushed and nodded.

After Teresa left, Frederick turned to Emily with a pout. "Why did you come here? I was having fun."

Confirming that this wasn't the true Frederick, Emily bowed and said, "Young Master, the Master wants you to return. It's time to go home."

"Umph." Frederick had a frown.

"Did you have fun, young master?"

"I did!" Frederick recovered with a wide smile. "I'm glad to have come here."

His little feet skipped ahead, leaving Emily behind. She looked at Frederick's back sadly, thinking of the pain he would experience later.

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