Orion nodded in understanding, now realizing why nobody here had recognized him.
After all, if the only description they had of humans was that they were humanoid beings, then it would be challenging for them to identify him as a human, especially when he could easily disguise himself as a Prismerion by concealing his hair and wearing enough clothes to hide the gem's supposed location.
"Was Naka also one of the gods from this world?" Orion asked, his gaze fixed on Queen Selene with seriousness as he awaited her response.
Having the answer to this question might solve many of the mysteries that had been troubling him.
In response, Queen Selene shook her head.
"I don't know. There were many races and gods that survived the Great War, and keeping track of all of them would have been an impossible feat for us during that time," she replied with a deep sigh.
Orion nodded in understanding, though he couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. For a moment, he thought he was getting closer to unravelling the mystery of who Naka was.
Nevertheless, since the Queen had more to say, he continued to listen.
"After my ancestors sought refuge under Naka, he naturally became our new god, and we treated him with reverence and devotion," Queen Selene explained. "But that was until we made a foolish decision to betray the only god who had taken us under his protection..."
"What did your ancestors do?" Orion asked with curiosity.
"They were foolish enough to be deceived into colluding with the White Flame in an attempt to overthrow and kill Naka."
Orion's eyes widened in surprise as Queen Selene recounted her ancestors' audacious act. He understood that challenging a god was no trivial matter, as White Flame had shown him the immense power of a god.
To Orion, it seemed that they were either exceedingly bold or exceptionally stupid.
"Although their actions might have been arrogant and reckless," Queen Selene continued, "I can't entirely blame them. They were one of the few races that survived the Great War, a conflict that involved fifty thousand races and fifty thousand gods. It's reasonable for them to believe that they could take on a god with the help of another god. However, as you might have guessed, they lost and found themselves at Naka's complete mercy."
As she spoke, Queen Selene's voice carried a sense of dejection and regret.
She noticed Orion's gaze and continued, "Naka, as benevolent as he was, was willing to forgive them. But they committed an unforgivable act, one that even Naka could not overlook."
Unconsciously, she gripped the side of her armrest, her other hand tightly clutching a part of her gown.
Recognizing Queen Selene's efforts to maintain her composure, Orion pressed further, his curiosity growing. "Queen Selene, what did they do?" he asked, eager to learn the details of their offence.
The queen collected herself and turned her focus to Orion. "Our ancestors weren't the only race that Naka took under his protection. Among them were the Nymphs."
Orion felt a lump in his throat as he began to connect the dots.
"My ancestors broke the one law that Naka had given us, which was to not harm the other races under his protection. In their quest to reach Naka and end his existence, they took the lives of the Nymphs, pushing the already almost extinct race, who had barely survived the Great War, to the brink of annihilation. The Ancient Codex describes the event as horrific," Queen Selene explained. As she spoke, her gaze grew distant.
"As punishment, my ancestors awoke within this mountain with little to no memory of how they got here, and the god they once allied with, White Flame, now roams above their heads with a burning desire to end their lives. So, you could say we deserve the punishment we've been given," she continued.
"However, after countless millennia, we finally have someone visit us from outside the mountain. Naturally, we should be thrilled that there might be a way for us to leave this mountain. But once again, we are about to do something foolish, opting for war instead of working together to find a way out of here."
Queen Selene refocused her gaze on Orion.
"That's everything I can tell you. Do you have any other questions, Mr. Orion?" she asked.
Orion immediately said, "So, you already knew about the identity of the injured woman in my hands when I arrived in the palace?"
He realized that despite the close scrutiny he'd been under in the castle, no one had questioned him about Saria's identity or how she had managed to enter and recover while being in a tree.
It appeared that this secret was known to only a few, as neither Madam Seraphina nor the rest of the Prismerian Healer's council had recognized her.
"Though we had several guesses, we naturally didn't know that she was a tree nymph, as this event had taken place a long time ago. That's why we needed your opinion to verify our thoughts, and you've just confirmed it," Queen Selene responded with a bright smile, the second time Orion had seen her smile so radiantly.
Orion began to speak but stopped himself, sighing softly before refocusing his attention on the Queen.
"I have one more question," Orion asked.
Although he had unintentionally revealed some information to the Queen, he trusted himself not to fall for something like that again.
"What is it?" Queen Selene asked, curious about his question.
"If your ancestors were trapped within this mountain alongside the White Flame, then how is there a Garden below this mountain as well, and who is the Princess of the Garden?" Orion asked.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Orion, but I'm afraid that's the one question I won't be able to answer," Queen Selene replied.
Orion frowned and asked, "And why is that, Queen Selene?"
"Please understand, Mr. Orion, it's not that I don't want to respond to your question. The problem is that I am unable to because, just like you, I have no idea who the Princess of the Garden is or how a Garden such as this came into existence. In fact, no one does," Queen Selene explained.
