Aware of the importance of not pushing his luck too far, particularly given the sensitive nature of the situation, Orion agreed with a nod. "Yes, that's acceptable," he replied.
The Village Chief's expression brightened at Orion's agreement, and he extended his hand for a handshake. After the friendly grip, the Village Chief released his hold and gestured for Orion to accompany him.
"Come on, let me show you where you'll be staying for the upcoming hours until your task is completed," he said, guiding the way with a sense of urgency.
However, Orion trailed behind, fully aware that the upcoming days were about to become quite demanding. Nonetheless, despite the impending busyness, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, knowing that he stood to gain significantly from this situation.
Gazing upon the numerous tree nymphs in the area, Orion cast a final glance at Anara's tree. Shaking his head, he diverted his focus to trailing the Village Chief. He understood that to uncover whether she was pregnant with his child, he had to bide his time until she awakened.
And as he pondered, a sudden realization struck him – if she was indeed pregnant, is she was indeed pregnant then, didn't that mean...
Orion's eyes snapped open as he thought about Dariya. 'Shouldn't she be in the same situation?' he pondered. But then he quickly dismissed the thought. He had fucked Dariya long before he even conceived the idea of even attempting to penetrate Anara's flower.
So, if Anara was indeed pregnant, then did that imply that Dariya should also be carrying his child?
However, the pressing issue at hand was that he hadn't heard her complain about a burning stomach when he had ejaculated inside her.
Orion raised his left hand to scratch his head, deciding to set aside his current thoughts and focus on the task at hand for the moment.
In spite of the duration of their journey, Orion had grown accustomed to trekking. With each step, he followed behind the Village Chief until they reached an incredibly large hut.
It appeared even larger than the one his family currently resided in, not to mention the ones in the Village Chief's compound. Glancing at two comparatively smaller huts nearby, Orion redirected his attention to the Village Chief as soon as he heard his voice.
"This is the Warrior's Garden," The Village Chief motioned for Orion to accompany him. "Rather than explaining its purpose, why not let me show you?" he continued as he stepped forward, opening a smaller door that appeared to be attached to a much larger, locked door.
After entering, Orion followed suit, but the instant he set foot inside and surveyed his surroundings, he felt his feet involuntarily freeze in place.
Orion was certain that anything he didn't yet understand in this world would eventually be explained. This included the Village Culture, and whether the caravans were similarly influenced by such a culture or if they had their own distinct traditions.
These were among the many things Orion desired to uncover, aside from the origins of the caravans. However, despite having adapted to his new life in this village, he couldn't help but stare in utter bewilderment at the scene before him.
Numerous peculiar plants, each bearing fruits unfamiliar to him from his time in the forest, adorned the room. Some resembled colossal flowers, their tops almost brushing the roof, while others mimicked regular trees, their fruits distinct from both kalna and Lipry.
In short, it resembled nothing less than an arboretum reminiscent of his college days, or perhaps it wouldn't be an exaggeration to label it a breathtaking botanical garden.
"Here, it's safe to eat," The Village Chief suddenly said, tossing him a fruit he had plucked from one of the smaller plants.
Orion caught the greenish, soft fruit that resembled an orange, but with small, shiny, greenish, pointy bumps all over it.
Raising it to his lips, Orion took a bite and was taken aback by the soft, sour taste that left a bittersweet tang on his palate.
"Now hand it over to me," The Village Chief instructed, once again extending his hand to retrieve the fruit he had given Orion. "Come on, let's keep moving."
As they continued down the narrow dirt road, the Village Chief suddenly halted and turned to Orion. "Do you still remember what you just ate?" he asked, with a smile on his lips.
Orion quickly nodded in response. After all, he had consumed the fruit just moments ago, and the lingering bittersweet taste still lingered on his tongue.
However, as he was about to confirm, a strange sensation struck him. His mouth hung agape, and he struggled to recall the appearance of the fruit he had ingested just minutes ago.... or was it seconds?
An alarming realization washed over him as he realized that he couldn't specify exactly when he had consumed the fruit.
"Exactly," The Village Chief said, a knowing smile gracing his face. He continued, "While only a handful of individuals possess the gift to manipulate memories, which we would use to spread the rumours, these fruits are a result of the warriors' explorations."
"Although these discoveries are infrequent and often yield little, the significance of these fruits lies in their unique effects. Although harmless, the very act of consuming them erases any memory of their existence moments later," He said. "This led us to keep the knowledge of it within a specific group and prevent its unintentional spread across the village, which could cause unforeseen issues that could have been easily avoided. However...."
"However, we only use them as rewards for those who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the village. Given its taste, which is comparable to the Kalna and the Lipry fruits, it is generally embraced with appreciation." Orion shifted his attention toward the source of the voice and beheld the figure of the former Caretaker, Caretaker Hrok.
"There was even a time when I had forgotten that we had planted such fruits here. I only recalled their existence when a tree nymph informed me about it. So, there must always be someone watching over this area. Since I am now retired, I've taken on the responsibility myself," Caretaker Hrok said with a grunt, emerging from the dense vegetation.
He stretched his leg over the small wooden makeshift fence and onto the narrow dirt road.
