Once I'd pocketed the Divine Fruit, we entered the carriage. She gestured for me to sit beside her. I felt the dark mana intensifying but ignored it, sitting beside her as requested. Initially confused, I soon understood.
She took my ears, making me blush. Her alluring scent, rosy and nostalgic, made me tense, despite my attempts to compose myself.
"You're quite something," she said, her voice sweet yet laced with a subtle warning. "You're the only one who's earned my trust so quickly; most of my servants don't last long."
"My lady, aren't you too close?" I replied, my playful tone gone, replaced with the apprehension of a hunted rabbit.
She moved closer, seemingly ignoring my comment. "And for standing up for your Empress." She smiled genuinely, her red hair cascading as the wind brushed against us.
Seeing her genuine smile for the first time, my heart skipped a beat. Damn the gods! If she hadn't been capable of killing me in one hit, I would've tried something. After her smile, I muttered, "Beautiful," and fell asleep on her shoulder, exhausted. The dark mana spread, weakening me further as my mental defenses faltered.
She blushed at my compliment; her cold heart felt a flutter for the first time. She sighed, dispersing the dark mana; it took time. She held me close, letting me sleep on her shoulder.
I awoke only once during the whole two-day journey and she left early needing to meet with important people.
Yawning, I smiled. What a successful start! It was difficult, but not excessively so.
Returning to my room, I examined the Divine Apple. Enough to easily reach Foundation Establishment. This fruit enhances early-stage strength for knights, mages, and cultivators; it treats sickness and more than doubles strength in early cultivation stages, hence their rarity—only a few hundred are produced every ten years. Only those with strong backing can usually acquire it.
One bite permanently doubles strength and bone density, and doubles cultivation speed for 24 hours. I'd intended to use it in the carriage, but exhaustion and dark mana intervened. The Empress' help was unexpected.
I never thought I'd see that side of her. The Empress, after meeting with the elders, lay in bed, displaying a complex expression through her normally aloof demeanor. Her beautiful blue dress highlighted her mature form; her eyes were on the window. She muttered, "Marquel, I'll be watching you closely from now on."
I took a bite of the Divine Fruit; it was sweet and delicious. My strength surged in every cell and bone. Cultivating immediately with the old technique doubled my normal cultivation speed. With a fourfold increase, the breakthrough would take only one day. Excusable, given my injuries, I sat and made full use of the 24 hours.
The time wasn't boring; it felt profoundly peaceful, day and night passing quickly. I reached the fourth stage of Qi Gathering; my Qi was much stronger than usual, doubling or even tripling my normal fourth-stage level.
Cultivating so efficiently was superb. If I hadn't pursued perfection in the Gathering stage, I'd likely be at the eighth stage, but with less Qi. This path was perfect indeed.
Smiling, I took out the Grabbing Shallow Technique, mastering it in a few hours. Now to return to my servant duties.