Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion - Chapter 253: Sweet Honey to Lashing Vines

Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion - Chapter 253: Sweet Honey to Lashing Vines

Oscar froze in front of the bed. In his view was the fake Celestina, his wife in his illusion, welcoming him in to join her on the bed. He audibly gulped, but his throat felt incredibly dry as rushed breaths escaped his lungs.

Celestina looked utterly dazzling with her loose and revealing toga wrapped around her slender, smooth body, bathing in the moonlight from the windows. A single strand of hair went out of place, and her hand swiped to tuck it back while giving Oscar a confused look. "Oscar, what's wrong? We should get to sleep."

"Um..." Oscar was rendered speechless. He repeated to himself over and over that this was an illusion and not real, closing his eyes to get the image out of his head. But when he opened them again, he saw Celestina right before him. "Huh?"

In a forceful tug from his fake wife, Oscar joined Celestina in bed, facing her directly, so close that their noses were only a thumb apart.R/ê/Ad lateSt ch/a/pters at nô(v)e(l)bin/.c/o//m Only

"I said to join me. Don't make me repeat myself." Celestina scoffed teasingly with a radiant pair of emerald eyes that exuded power and authority. Her current expression resembled the normal behavior of the real Celestina, showing her strong-willed self with a bit of sweet-honey kindness mixed in.

For a moment, Oscar's heart stirred, seeing the hints of the usual Celestina he knew, the one he'd always met with in the Neptune Archives. Without his knowing, his arms wrapped around her in a loving embrace, bringing her closer in a daze. But his eyes shuddered at his wayward hands that refused to let go of this illusion.

'Curse this illusion.' Oscar strained himself, wanting to tear his arms off but to no avail. No matter how much he struggled, his own body did not listen, as though he was not allowed to separate. Suddenly, a pair of hands cupped his cheeks.

In the next moment, he felt a soft sensation on his lips, a slight peck. He saw Celestina seem amused at his reactions and then buried herself into his chest, rubbing her head as she embraced him in return.

"Oscar?" Celestina lifted herself from his chest and stared into his obsidian eyes. She kissed him again, to which he offered no resistance. "You know. Mother and Father keep asking me when they would see their grandchildren."

"...." Oscar remained silent at Celestina's face blushing harder.

"We should make more effort." Celestina tugged on his toga, about to undress him.

"Celestina!" Oscar shouted. His loud voice shook Celestina and halted her hands as she stared at him blankly. With more time bought, Oscar regained his composure and said, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Celestina pouted. She squeezed Oscar's clothes and looked in disbelief. "We should have children."

"I know. I know." Oscar played his part and made up an excuse on the spot. "But I feel a bit sick, so I need plenty of rest."

"So you are sick!" Celestina checked Oscar's face, feeling his forehead. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Oscar patted Celestina's back to soothe her. "I didn't want to ruin the day. You had fun, didn't you?"

"I did." Celestina sighed and lovingly caressed Oscar's hair. Then a wide grin formed on her lips with a teasing look in her eyes. "Then, instead, just kiss me."

"What?" Oscar thought he had gotten out of trouble for now, but Celestina made a bold request.

"Kiss me~" Celestina talked like a spoiled child, bringing her lips close to Oscar's but not a step further. She was teasing Oscar to initiate.

With the enticing rosy lips right by his own and the enticing aroma from Celestina's hair, Oscar cursed at his body for not listening to him as his lips moved forward to kiss her.

"Mmm~" Celestina moaned as her eyes closed. The sound of which nearly shattered Oscar's reason.

'This is not real. This is not real. This is not real. This is not real.' Oscar repeated in his mind as he continued to kiss the fake Celestina. Their embraces tightened, and their legs intertwined.

"Fortress?" Oscar mumbled, and his eyes shined. "I'm not sick. I'll head off to the fortress."

If he was a worker at the large fortress, then he should have access to go inside. The only play he had at the moment was to go toward the cellar door to the dragon gate and maybe find some clue. The chances were great that the dragon gates didn't exist in this illusion world, but he had to try.

After a heartening breakfast by Celestina, Oscar bade farewell to his fake wife and ran toward the fortress.

"Hey, Oscar!" A voice called out to him.

Oscar turned and glanced at the man in confusion, but perhaps this was the setting he was in, and the man was designated as his friend. Not knowing his name, Oscar could only give a vague hello. "Hey!"

"Geez, you look so happy in the morning. Let me guess! It's your wife!" The man laughed heartily. "I still can't believe a stone face like you got together with the most beautiful woman in the town."

Feeling irked that even in this illusion world, someone said things like this, Oscar smiled coldly. "Worry about yourself."

"Worry about what?" The man sighed. "I need to pick up the pace and get married soon, or my name would be a laughingstock."

Oscar chuckled, realizing an opportunity had come. "What would they call you?"

"I can imagine things like Shriveled Dave." The man, Dave, spat on the ground.

"Well, Dave. I hope for your happiness." Finally, Oscar got the name of his supposed friend. The two chatted along the path until they reached the fortress entrance.

Looking at the massive stone fortress, Oscar saw the metal gates, which he had torn down in the real world, had a blooming tree engraving on each side. After so long, the engravings must have faded as the metal rusted and was battered by the elements of nature.

After receiving his uniform and changing, Oscar realized he was a cleaner in the basement area. How perfect that he had access to the area he needed to enter. However, unlike the desolate ruins, these halls were lively, with soldiers resembling the rusted knights moving around, prisoners in their cells, and other workers like him.

'Where is it?' Oscar made himself busy and cleaned the floors while trying to navigate through the basement. He passed through several hallways while pretending to work until he saw the familiar door which contained the cellar door. However, it was flanked by guards.

Right now, he was a weak villager without a hint of Ein or Reis. Going in there was suicide, and Oscar did not want to discover what would happen if he died in the illusion. He cursed and decided to bide his time, waiting for the perfect moment.

Hours passed as Oscar continued to work and circle the room to check on it, but the guards remained unmoving. 'Come on! Even if it's an illusion, you should behave like humans.' For some reason, his complaint worked, and the guards decided to leave for an unknown reason.

'I don't know what's happening, but this is my chance!' Oscar ran ahead toward the room, but the fortress shook, and he tumbled to the floor. He clutched his bleeding forehead and looked around.

Out the window, he saw vines and trees start to sprout out of nowhere, upheaving the village, and tossing buildings in the air. Even from the distant fortress, he could hear the people's screams and the guards' yelling.

"Run!" An announcement reverberated through the fortress. "It's here!"

Oscar didn't know what 'it' was and the situation, but he got to his feet and ran toward the cellar door. He tried to make his way to the cellar door, but vines began to cover the fortress, and one crashed in from outside and crushed his head.

'Huh?' Oscar's headless body dropped to the floor, but his mind still reeled from what had happened. 'Am I going to die?'