The next morning, at the break of dawn, Oscar practiced his techniques outside. Although Avril stated she would wake up at dawn, she was still sound asleep, hidden under a mound of fur. Not knowing when she'd wake up, Oscar stepped outside to check his condition and get more used to his Lower Knight Exalt powers.

Each of his kicks and punches created a clear sound as if it struck a hard surface though he only fought the air. Oscar completed a set of exercises and routines, going through his Reis techniques, usage of Eirin, and Prinstyct. He nodded in satisfaction and wiped the sweat from his brow. His condition was at its peak.

"That medicine must have been made from some incredible stuff. I thought it was barely working yesterday. I'll have to thank her with more fruit later." Oscar drank some water he collected from Ashen Grove. Looking around the desolate forest, he sighed. "Packing all the essentials in large quantities was a good move. Finding something to eat here…seems impossible."

The withered trees and desolate grounds were not a pretty sight. Oscar turned his attention to the two suns rising from the east, the only welcome sight in this place. He had no idea where he was. Even when he snuck out to stare at the stars at night, he couldn't recognize a single constellation or celestial body. Just where did he end up?

Oscar continued his training. His copper shield was a grade lower and cracked in the middle, so he had to rely on his body. Finishing his workout, Oscar noted the time to be midmorning and returned to the small abode. Inside, he shook his head in helplessness at Avril's sleeping figure. Avril was certainly having the best time.

"I should get some breakfast ready." Oscar took out some smoked meats, vegetables, and more fruits. Taking out two clay cups, he poured juice and set them neatly on the table with plates. He couldn't be idle waiting for her to wake up. Meditating in place, Oscar swarmed the Ein into the ataerstone and back into his core.

"Being at the peak is nice, but the feeling of advancement is nowhere. I wonder how long it will take for me to get there." Oscar said.

"We can hunt the beasts around us. Their cores will further our progress. You also have the red root core." Erden lazed around, licking his hooves.

"I'll save that for when I need to advance. The Ein within it is shockingly large."

A small yawn spilled from the mound of fur, and Avril emerged like a chick hatching from an egg. Her eye flickered lazily, barely holding itself open, and her hair was a mess, the worst bed hair Oscar had ever seen. Avril took out a comb and brushed her hair, making it neat. In a quick minute, she expertly braided her hair and tied it back into a bun with her bangs covering her forehead.

"Good morning," Oscar said, his voice low to avoid alarming her.

"Eh? You are….oh!" Avril's lowered eye widened, and she became lively instantly. She palmed her face, and her ears flushed red to the tip. "Sorry…usually, I wake up on time whenever I need to, but for some reason, I didn't."

"Don't worry about it. Sleeping on a mattress and soft blankets after a long time on the floor would do that. I am in a hurry, so let's eat breakfast and set out." Oscar drank some juice and started beating, tearing into the meaty morsels. Erden partook as well, eating off to the side.

Avril sat down on the other side, across from Oscar, and ate without reserve. Her mouth had crisp, crunchy sounds as she ate. Her ravenous nature was on full display. She gulped down her juice in one go and cleaned out the fruits to their cores in mere seconds. Oddly, she didn't touch the meat, consuming only vegetables and fruits.

"Do you not want any meat?" Oscar was satisfied and pushed the plate with some slices of meat toward her.

"It's alright. I'm satisfied with everything else." Avril turned away from the plate with a shaky face, her eyes darting away, unwilling to look at Oscar. "Oscar gave her such a good meal, and she was grateful. She didn't mean to be rude and refuse a plate, but she hates meat. How can she make this right?"

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"It's not rude at all. That's just more meat for me. You shouldn't feel bad because you can't eat everything I put on the table." Oscar pulled the plate back and ate the rest of the meat. So, Avril didn't enjoy eating meat….Oscar realized there was so much going on with her it was hard to keep track. "Was the juice good?"

"It was!" Avril regained her liveliness and smiled. "I only drink water from the nearby stream."

"That's good to hear. I have more, so you can enjoy them later. I'm curious, what did you eat for a year here?" Oscar asked. Avril's condition, attitude, and home made it clear she didn't have the best resources. So, how did she survive?

"Mostly, roots and moss. Sometimes I find a nearly hard walnut and crack it open. Though, there's barely anything to eat in it." Avril took out a large black potato-sized walnut. Its smooth surface and feel were enough to understand its hardness. She charged her hands with Ein and pounded on the walnut until it broke apart into pieces. In the center was a small white piece about the size of a pea. Avril held it between her fingers. "Here, try it. It's good once you get used to it."

Oscar held out his hand, and Avril dropped it onto his palm. All that effort was for such a small thing. Oscar stared at the broken pieces of the black walnut with a look of pity. He ate the edible white part and frowned, wincing his eyes. Bitter! This walnut was incredibly bitter, even more than his master, Draven's, occasional pure extract tea.

"It's ok," Oscar forced a smile.

"Liar," Avril pointed at Oscar. "You have to get used to it. There's no way you like it from the start."

"Moving on," Oscar rubbed his brow, feeling embarrassed at being caught. "Shall we go to the exit you mentioned?"

"Right! We should set off!" Avril stood up and pulled Oscar and Erden, who went along willingly this time. Once they exited the adobe, Avril took a deep breath with her hands on her hips and exhaled with a wide smile. "The two suns are rising, the winds breezing, and the forest silencing. She smiles and thinks about what will happen. A new adventure with her new companions starts now!"

'Are you sure about entrusting the way to her?' Demon said.

'Quiet.' Oscar and Erden said in unison.

"Now then, Oscar. Follow me, and I shall lead you to the exit. Don't fall behind, and don't leave me alone." Avril tapped his forehead, laughing. "Our adventure starts now!"

'You already said that…' Oscar sighed. Nevertheless, he followed her. Her speed was decent, and she used Ein to supplement the output. Along the way, he heard her hums and whistles of joy one would find in a picnic, not a daring journey to an exit. Sensing the emanations of Avril's Ein, Oscar got a good grasp of her power, a Lower Knight Exalt nearly at the peak.

"Avril. How old are you?" Oscar asked.

"Hmmm. I'm around thirty?" Avril said.

Oscar quelled the question about to spill from his mouth. From what he gathered, Avril had a rough past, and he didn't want to make her relive some memories if she didn't want to. Right now, she was his guide to the exit, so he should do his best to ensure she didn't lose motivation.

Suddenly, a monstrous Exalt Beast charged toward them from the side. Oscar grabbed Avril and stepped back, dodging easily. A large streak of blue filled, blurred, and flashed across his vision. Several withered black trees cracked loudly, and the beast's steps sounded like hammers on an anvil, shaking the desolate, cracked ground.

Oscar turned to Avril by his side. Her cloth, wrapped around her right eye, unfurled and dropped slightly, barely holding onto her face. What was this? Oscar unconsciously clenched his fists and slowed his breathing. Avril's right side of her face, centered above the unexposed right eye, was scarred with cuts and burns.

It was not the typical burn from flames. These burns were a whitish gray, which came from an ice burn. Oscar recognized the differences from when he saw drawings in a book on afflictions. Avril hadn't noticed yet, but she will soon once the cloth fell completely. Oscar stepped back and re-tied the cloth over her indigo hair.

"Are you alright?" Oscar tried to keep the subject off-topic.

Avril made an incoherent sound similar to a baby's soft cry, patted her hand over her right eye, and reached over to the tight knot Oscar made behind her. Her shoulders started to tremble. She asked in a quivering voice, "Did you see?"

"See what? I didn't see anything. I was behind you and noticed this was almost untied. Why?" Oscar lied. Her scars were truly horrifying. Talking about them would be too much. Still, he wondered who would do such a thing to Avril, or was she someone who deserved it?

No. That didn't matter right now. What mattered was that she helped him, and he should help her in turn. Oscar moved forward and said, "I'll take care of the beast. You don't have to fight since you're guiding me."

"Thank you…." Avril looked downcast, rubbing her right eye over the cloth.

Oscar sighed and went ahead to the Exalt Beast with Erden. He hadn't fought a Knight Exalt other than the red root and wanted more practice. Truthfully, though, seeing Avril's scars and burns ticked him off. Anyone could see they were all done in the manner of cruelty and torture. He had to blow off some of his anger, and the Exalt Beast was the perfect outlet for his frustration.