Observing her patient anticipation, with a scrutinizing gaze fixed upon him, Orion took a deep breath and revealed, "I consumed the vines."
The moment those words escaped his lips, Orion witnessed her eyes expand in surprise, then shift to shock, before settling into trembling fear.
If it weren't for the fact that he was currently resting his head on her thighs, he suspected she might have risen and slowly backed away from him.
Repeatedly swallowing her saliva, the Princess of the Garden felt her body, especially her arms, quiver involuntarily as she peered down at Orion and asked, "You... You consumed the Vylkr vines in order to... to absorb their vicious, chaotic energy into your body?"
Orion nodded in agreement, exhaling deeply as he noticed her expression freezing, unsure of how to convey her conflicting emotions.
"This is the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my entire existence," the Princess of the Garden suddenly exclaimed, her head hanging low as she snapped out of her daze. "Still," she added, "there's no other explanation that makes sense for the absurd scene I just witnessed than this."
She then locked eyes with him and continued, "Whatever happens here must remain a secret because it would be a big problem if something like this became exposed to the kingdom..." She didn't want to make this pact, especially with a stranger, but she remembered their agreement, and she was determined to do whatever it took to see it through.
Orion nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, I promise not to display such abilities while I'm here," he assured her. He had already sensed from the Princess of the Garden's reaction how the residents of the Prismerion kingdom would respond if they discovered his control over Vylkr energy.
Hearing Orion's response, the Princess of the Garden felt her worries at ease. She had his word, and that was enough to put her mind at ease. She turned her attention to the guardians who had surrounded them, ready to intervene if necessary. "You can all stand down and return to your duties," she instructed them. "As you can see, there's nothing to worry about."
She paused for a moment before adding, "And I believe I can protect myself if anything were to happen."
The guardians initially resisted the Princess's order, insisting on tailing Orion until he left the garden. However, her withering glare gradually eroded their confidence until, one by one, they conceded and turned away.
They dispersed, some returning to their garden duties, while a few opted to stay hidden, ready to intervene if Orion made any reckless moves or attempted to harm the garden as he had in the past.
Meanwhile, the others contemplated how to assert themselves the next time the Princess tried to threaten them.
However, they realized that it would be easier said than done, as they lacked the courage to challenge her authority.
Watching them leave until they disappeared from her view, except for the five guardians she had ordered to remain, the Princess of the Garden let out a sigh of relief.
Then, she refocused her attention on Orion. "Can you stand up?" she asked.
Orion shook his head and replied, "I think it will take a while before I can." At least, he was thankful he had already removed his clothing before attempting to create his first container.
She nodded in response to Orion's words and began running her right hand through his dried, bloody, black hair, patiently waiting for him to regain control of his body and stand up.
…....…
After his refreshing bath in the lake and donning his clothes again, Orion felt invigorated as he made his way back to Saria's tree.
While he wasn't entirely sure of his current strength, the surge of power he felt coursing through his legs and hands indicated he was more than capable of defending himself and making a quick escape with Saria once she was healed.
Coming to a halt in front of Saria's tree, Orion reached out and placed his palm on it. The vibrant glow surrounding the tree intensified, and a grin crept across Orion's face as an idea blossomed in his mind.
With practised control over the strange energy within him, which he now recognized as his magical energy, but somehow distinct, Orion channelled it around the hand resting on the tree.
While Orion couldn't precisely predict the outcome of his actions, the tree responded by pulsating with an even more intense light, enveloping almost half of his arm. Satisfied with his attempt, Orion withdrew his arm and proceeded to make his way toward the exit of the garden.
Although he couldn't communicate with Saria directly, he surmised that the intense humming light might be her way of signalling that she was alright.
"Wait!" The Princess of the Garden suddenly exclaimed, noticing the radiant light converging on a branch of the tree.
She strained her eyes to get a better look, realizing it was some kind of fruit that appeared to have materialized from the tree's branch. It was a fruit unlike any she had ever seen before.
Orion heard the Princess of the Garden's words and turned around. Following her gaze, he spotted a Kalna fruit and a Lipry fruit materializing at the tip of one of the branches.
A wide grin spread across his face as he patiently watched the two fruits fully form.
Once they had taken shape, he channelled the strange energy around his legs and leapt high into the sky.
Almost instinctively, the world around him seemed to slow down, and Orion, with impeccable clarity, could discern everything, including the exact positions of the fruits.
He stretched his arms and plucked them from the branch before gracefully plummeting back to the ground, using the technique that Stronghold Leader Zogar had taught him.
"Hmm, even though one of them is unripe, given her current condition, it's still good enough," Orion mused as he inspected the Lipry fruit. He then turned his attention to the Kalna fruit.
