Her words had an immediate effect as the lights around her swarmed toward Orion, tugging at his clothes.
Though initially surprised, Orion took his time to examine the tiny specks of light now gathered around him. As he scrutinized their forms, his eyes widened in astonishment. He discovered several small figures with wings, each emitting a radiant glow that would have gone unnoticed had he not looked closely.
Judging by their pointed ears, Orion couldn't help but think they resembled pixies more than fairies.
"You can rise too," The Princess of the Garden said, her gaze shifting to Madam Seraphina.
Madam Seraphina immediately sensed that the words were directed at her. She stood up, straightened her back, and resumed her posture.
The Princess of the Garden refocused her eyes on scrutinizing every inch of Orion's body, from head to toe. With a warm smile on her face, she locked her gaze with him and asked, "What is your name, child?"
"Orion," he responded, his curiosity piqued by the woman's interest in both him and Saria. Nonetheless, he remained cautious, as he wasn't yet sure of what to expect.
The Princess of the Garden redirected her gaze away from Orion, refocusing it on Madam Seraphina once more. "Please, give us some space. I wish to speak with the child."
Madam Seraphina's eyes widened briefly before she swiftly regained her composure, nodding in understanding.
She glanced at Orion as if signalling him to behave, then turned and left. She walked toward the entrance of the garden, waiting for him to join her when they were done.
"Follow me," The Princess of the Garden instructed, drawing her gaze away from Orion. She turned and began to lead the way forward.
Orion stole one last glance at Saria's tree, noticing that the pixies remained behind, circling the tree's bark and branches as though guarding it. Then, he shifted his attention forward and followed the Princess.
Quickly catching up with her, as the woman had been strolling leisurely and taking her time to appreciate the scenery, Orion sensed her awareness of his presence. She turned her head with a smile as they continued walking forward.
"You know, when I heard a heartbeat echoing throughout the garden, I thought something was wrong or about to happen," The Princess of the Garden remarked.
"So you can imagine my surprise when my fellow guardians told me that the heartbeat came from a tree. A tree with a heartbeat... how absurd, I thought." Although he didn't expect the mysterious woman to dive straight into a conversation, Orion kept his ears perked, keen to hear what she had to say. Judging by her composure and that of Madam Seraphina when she left, he could tell this was a rare and unusual situation.
"'So, I came out to see what it was, and to my surprise, right in front of me, I saw a tree pulsing with a vibrant heartbeat… A tree that had a nymph," The Princess of the Garden said, causing Orion to abruptly halt in his steps. He regarded the Princess of the Garden cautiously, his mind racing with various thoughts.
How did she know that Saria was a tree nymph? That was what Orion desperately wanted to know at this moment.
After all, he had witnessed the confused look on Madam Seraphina's face when he had placed Saria into a tree. Besides, the bewildered expressions of the Prismerian Healer's Council leaders when he mentioned using a tree to save Saria's life had left him convinced that they had no idea what or who a tree nymph was.
The mere fact that someone here knew, unlike the rest, immediately put Orion on high alert, his guard raised to the utmost.
The Princess of the Garden noticed Orion's abrupt stop and turned to face him, recognizing the frown on his face. She asked, "So if you don't mind, I'd like to know where you come from."
Regaining control over his composure, Orion remained cautious in the presence of this mysterious woman who seemed to possess uncanny knowledge. He realized he needed to restrain himself and avoid saying anything he might regret, even unintentionally.
As such, he carefully articulated his words and replied, "I come from beyond the mountain, from a land far, far away from here." Orion observed as she narrowed her eyes at him.
"From where?" The Princess of the Garden asked.
Understanding her question, Orion shook his head in response. "I'm sorry, but where we are from doesn't have a name."
"Oh!" The Princess of the Garden said, nodding in understanding. "So, it's not like the Prismerian kingdom then."
Orion silently confirmed with a nod. The mystery surrounding the woman before him left him reluctant to share more details.
The Princess of the Garden furrowed her brows at Orion's words. Though she sensed he wasn't lying, she still found it strange. She would have doubted how a group of humans survived outside the mountain without assistance if she hadn't discovered the existence of the tree nymph.
This realization led her to conclude that there must be more tree nymphs where the young man had originated if they could let one roam freely.
Focusing her gaze on Orion, she locked her eyes with his and asked, "You are a human, aren't you?"
This time, Orion's thoughts immediately froze in place. Unlike everyone else who could discern he wasn't a Prismerion based on his hair, none of them seemed able to identify him as a human for some inexplicable reason.
He speculated that this might be because they had been trapped within the mountains for an extended period, causing them to have limited knowledge of the outside world.
Based on what Elysia had said, that was about seven thousand years ago.
"How can you be sure that I'm human?" Orion asked, quickly regaining his composure. "Furthermore, I don't believe you are a Prismerion either. So, who are you exactly?" He gestured toward her hair, making it evident that he could discern she wasn't one of them based on her appearance.
