"A fine answer." Rakasha said. "Well, we'll have to find out ourselves whenever we enter the Frost Tower… Drake, my friend, don't worry about it. You've done enough."
"Well… Alright." I said. "Anyways, Aria. What else did the prophecy said?" I asked her.
"Aside from the Bridge, that you're the Dragon King, of course. However, you're not fully awakened yet… I suppose you'll be able to tap into your inner strength as you brave the challenges of the tower." Said the woman with a gentle smile.
"Hm… I see, wait, is that it? She simply predicted who I was?" I asked.
"Not only that. She knew you would come. She built this island and even the walls and this town, and even left her family in the safely of this island away from the outside world just to guide you." Aria said. "It is not merely as you think. For now, do you desire to explore the tower right away?"
"Yeah, we don't have much time right now…" I said. "I was planning on doing everything right now."
"Hm, the tower has a time dilation where time goes faster compared than outside, making the world outside feel slower." Said Aria.
"Is that so?" I wondered.
"Indeed, it is a mystery why this happens, but the time dilation is probably 1:24. An hour outside is a day inside the tower." Aria answered.
"Incredible, that's an immense time dilation!" Said Benladann.
"Due to this, those that fail the test of the tower often come back very quickly, even though for them, it felt like hours." She answered. "Similarly, there is a special chamber in this town's underground which connects to the tower's space and time, and therefore, it has the same delay. If your purpose is saving time, accompany me, we can talk more leisurely down there."
Aria quickly led us downstairs, as we reached an underground palace made entirely out of ice crystal. It was lustrous and beautiful, there was a large snowflake-shaped table where we sat down. Immediately after having stepped here, the amount of divinity spread everywhere multiplied. It felt as if… was this a Divine Realm?
[It appears that this area, connected to the Frost Tower, might also have its properties, which are similar to a Divine Realm. There is a possibility that this Tower, somehow, is a Divine Realm by itself.]
I see…
"Aria, are you a goddess by any chance?" I asked her right away.
"Why yes, did you tell so easily? I am Rank 8." Said Aria with a smile. "I am not near as strong as the Rank 10 Ancestor, my mother was Rank 9. I suppose my idle life has made me slack off. I only meditate to cultivate, so I've grown very slowly these last thousands of years. Compared to your incredible growth speed, I am not really good."
"R-Rank 8?!" Yuki cried in shock.
"Huh, so someone stronger than Drake…" Pekora said.
"No way, Drake's stronger anyways, he's a dragon." Said Tisha without any arguments other than that.
"The reason of her being so strong must be because of this reason, isn't it?" Asked Rakasha. "The aura Aria emanates is not normal at all.
"A Rank 8 Magus! I never thought you were one!" Charlotte said. "Why do you keep this a secret, Aria?"
"I apologize. I keep it a secret from outsiders." Said Aria. "Although the amount of Gods is not that many around the world, being less than a hundred, it still important to keep our identities as gods intact, there are gods that hunt younger gods to absorb their powers. This is why I remain low and don't bring attention to myself. I hope Drake is doing the same."
"I am, don't worry." I said, reassuring her.
"I am glad to know that." Aria said happily. "Now, do you have any more questions before I begin the explanations about the Frost Tower?"
"Yes… Is the Frost Tower… a Divine Realm?" I asked.
"Hmm… You're very sharp, aren't you?" Aria giggled. "Partially. It is a large fragment of the Venerable's Divine Realm. Inside the tower, there's a whole different space. The cause of this time dilation is also this."
"So it was a Divine Realm just as I thought!" I said in surprise. "But a Fragment? I didn't knew such a thing was possible… But then again, it was the doing of a Venerable, of course absurd things can become possible for them."
"That's right, Drake. My Ancestor was able to master various powers. Manipulating and fragmenting her own Divine Realm was one of the various abilities she leisurely used to set up things for the future ahead. She was wise and knew she had to prepare for a grim future where things would be unleashed. You're one of those destined to come here and perhaps… Maybe perhaps, complete her trial." She said.
"Maybe perhaps, huh? I guess she doesn't have that much faith." I sighed.
"One of the futures showed you winning, another, showed you losing. It is not possible to accurately dictate a future as there are many possibilities. The ancestor probably only used this power within her Mirror to see information." Said Aria. "Hence, I cannot give you a concrete answer. Perhaps telling you that "You're going to win" might make you overconfident to the point you'll lose, or if I fell you "You're going to lose" that might give you the courage to win… Or not, and fail miserably just as I would had said. This is why I prefer to remain neutral. I am sorry."
"Ah, no worries…" I said while shrugging.
"Then, are there no more questions?" She asked.
My group looked at one another, Charlotte has been the most silent.
"I suppose there is none based in your silence. Then let's begin with a basic roundabout about the Frost Tower. Trials are automatically generated as well, so I cannot guide you through them, but I can tell you its requirements, and certain things… tips and tricks, maybe." Said Aria. "Yeah! Let's call it like that."
