Kael stood at the edge of the rooftop, wind rustling through his silver-white hair. He closed his eyes, taking a deep, tranquil breath.
"Sara... I feel so light today," Kael murmured.
A warm golden light flickered beside him, and Sara materialized in her physical form. She crossed her arms, looking at him with a stern frown.
"If you cultivate like that again, I won't stay inside your mind!" she warned.
Kael opened his eyes, looking at her in confusion. "Why?"
"Because you will consume me!" she exclaimed.
Kael stepped back, making a strange face. "Hey, I'm not some flesh-eater or monster!"
Suddenly, Kael's golden eyes flickered into a dangerous crimson before snapping back to gold. A sharp, burning pain shot directly through his left eye.
"Argh!" Kael cried out, covering his face with both hands as he sank to his knees.
Sara rushed forward, her voice filled with worry. "Kael! What happened?!"
"I don't know!" Kael gritted his teeth, tears of agony leaking through his fingers. "My eye suddenly burns... I saw a strange red haze in my left eye!"
Sara quickly handed him a water bottle. "Here, splash your face!"
Kael unscrewed the cap and splashed the cold water over his eyes. The soothing cool eased the burning sensation, allowing him to take a ragged breath.
He sat down on the concrete floor, rubbing his face. "That... really hurt."
Sara stood frozen. Hearing that Kael saw a crimson substance in his eye sent a wave of unease through her.
Noticing her stiff expression, Kael asked, "What's wrong?"
Sara forced a gentle smile, suppressing her concern. "Nothing... everything is fine."
Kael stood up and walked back to the railing, looking over the sprawling skyline. "This city really is amazing."
Screeech—
The heavy iron door leading to the rooftop opened. Rexon stepped out, adjusting his coat. He looked past Kael and glanced at Sara.
"What are you two doing up here?" Rexon asked.
"Nothing much," Sara replied softly.
Kael turned to head back downstairs. As he passed her, Sara called out, "Kael!"
Kael stopped and turned around, and Sara stepped closer to walk alongside him.
Rexon watched them, a bright, genuine smile appearing on his face. "I hope you two live a long and happy life together."
Rexon then called out, "Master, take this extra mask." He tossed a silver mask over, an exact copy of his own.
Kael caught it and put it on, perfectly concealing his face.
As Kael and Sara went downstairs, Rexon sat down on the stairwell steps. He unmasked himself, pulled out a chocolate bar, and began eating it.
He pulled out a small notepad, looking at the data on his screen. "I really admire Sara... She's a System ranked second among the top ten systems in existence."
Rexon let out a quiet sigh, finishing his snack. "Must be nice. I wish I could be like that."
He wiped his hands, tossed the wrapper into a nearby dustbin, and vanished in a flicker of spatial energy, returning to Kael's house.
Down in the executive boardroom of the Redgrave Group, Kael stood at the head of the table, leading the high-level corporate meeting.
The board members and managers listened attentively as Kael broke down complex market strategies and tech specifications with effortless confidence.
"Look at the Chairman," one employee whispered to another. "He's so confident today."
"Yeah, he must have thoroughly studied all the data," the other replied in awe.
Inside Kael's mind, he was just as amazed as they were. How do I know so much about tech and business without Sara helping me?
What Kael didn't realize was that during his rooftop cultivation, he had inadvertently absorbed a vast repository of Earth's knowledge from Sara's core—spanning advanced technology, psychology, strategy, and social dynamics.
Meanwhile, in the Chairman's private cabin, Sara sat gracefully on the leather sofa.
I'm genuinely surprised he absorbed all that knowledge during cultivation without causing any damage to my core, she thought to herself.
A gentle knock sounded at the heavy dark oak door. Riya, the executive assistant, stepped inside carrying a stack of files.
"Ma'am, please take these," Riya said respectfully.
Sara stood up with a polite smile. "Don't call me 'ma'am.' Just call me Sara."
Riya's body went stiff, her voice trembling nervously. "I-I couldn't do that, ma'am! It wouldn't be proper."
"I'm not the owner of this company," Sara said gently. "So you can just call me by my name. By the way, what's your name?"
"R-Riya," she stammered.
"Well, Riya... tell me about this new product everyone is working on."
Riya smiled, gaining a bit of confidence. "We're developing an AI-powered toothbrush. It's completely waterproof and virtually indestructible. The built-in AI connects to a smartphone app, scanning the user's oral health and giving real-time feedback on how to treat specific dental issues."
Sara listened carefully. "Are you releasing all these features in a single model?"
"Oh, no," Riya explained, placing the files on the table. "The first model will feature the core AI scanner that detects buildup and sends health alerts. Future variants will introduce advanced features, like adaptive bristle tension and cross-cleaning modes."
Sara nodded, quickly understanding the concept. "How did you manage to fit an AI core, optical scanner, and Bluetooth module into such a tiny toothbrush handle?"
Riya beamed. "That was our biggest problem! But the Chairman provided a complete schematic. When our lead engineers saw it, they were stunned. The solution was so simple and brilliant!"
Outside the cabin, the elevator doors opened. Uncle Vrenj stepped out into the hallway.
"Where is Kael?" Vrenj asked the secretary.
"The Chairman is currently in an important meeting, sir," she answered politely.
Vrenj shook his head slightly with a small smile. "I just stopped by to check on him, but it seems he's completely tied up."
Without disturbing Kael, Vrenj turned and walked back down to the main entrance. Stepping outside, he paused and looked up at the massive skyscraper. The building's exterior was sleek black, crowned by the Redgrave Group logo gleaming in pure gold.
Vrenj smirked wistfully. "Adrian... you always loved this black and gold combination. Even in places where it wasn't strictly necessary."
A black luxury car pulled up to the curb. The driver opened the rear door, and Vrenj stepped inside as the car smoothly pulled away from the headquarters.
A short while later, the meeting ended.
Kael walked back into his private office, where Sara and Riya were waiting. He removed his mask, tossed it onto the desk alongside his papers, and collapsed into his leather chair.
"Man, that was exhausting," Kael sighed.
He noticed a warm mug sitting on the desk. Without thinking, he picked it up and drank the sweet coffee in one big gulp.
"Ah... sweet," Kael exhaled. "Thanks for making this for me, Riya."
Sara froze instantly.
Riya gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "M-Master! You accidentally drank Sara's coffee! It was sweet because I made it specifically for her!"
Kael froze, looking at the empty cup, then at Sara's blushing face.
Panicking, Kael scrambled out of his chair and bowed deeply in apology. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"
Riya watched him, biting her lip. The Chairman bowing so frantically... is actually kind of cute.
Sara cleared her throat, trying to compose her stiff posture as her face turned warm. "I-It's okay, Kael."
Riya quickly bowed to both of them. "I'm so sorry! If I had warned you sooner, this wouldn't have happened!"
Sara walked over and gently patted Riya's head with a warm smile. "It's alright, Riya. Really, don't worry about it."