Orion turned his head to look at Aerialia, who was also waiting for his response with a curious and sceptical gaze, before refocusing his attention back at Aegis of the Arctic Deity.
Staring at the large pair of golden eyes, Orion opened his mouth, "I eat it," he responded.
Silence enveloped them for a few moments.
"Do you mean you harness the Vylkr energy by eating the Vylkr vines?" Aegis of the Arctic Deity asked after a few seconds of deeply pondering over Orion's words.
Orion nodded in response.
Aegis of the Arctic Deity hummed as if pondering deeply about Orion's words.
Meanwhile, Aerialia, who had also heard Orion's answer, couldn't help but widen her eyes in disbelief once she heard Orion's response and Aegis of the Arctic Deity's explanation.
She scrutinized Orion from head to toe again, as though she couldn't believe anything he had just uttered.
At that moment, Aegis of the Arctic Deity's voice sounded out once more in the air.
"Very well, if what you have said is true, then I hope you don't mind showing us a demonstration."
Orion shook his head in response.
"No, I don't mind, but I think it would be hard to get a Vylkr vine since we are too deep within the mountains," Orion said.
Aegis of the Arctic Deity snorted in response, "I have my ways, so don't worry about that," he said before using the same method that brought Orion outside the mountain, to create a small passage connecting the outside to the centre where they were now.
Orion noticed the tiny passage, enough for one or two Vylkr vines to pass through, and remembered that Aegis of the Arctic Deity could control the mountain, as he had mentioned earlier.
He had been so immersed in the explanation that he almost forgot.
Nevertheless, within three breaths, two one-star Vylkr vines slithered their way through the entrance, heading straight toward him.
Before the Vylkr vines could reach his legs, Orion bent down and grabbed onto one with his left hand. He twisted it before activating his gift, charring them to bits before successfully cutting them off.
At that moment, Aegis of the Arctic Deity closed back the entrance.
He naturally wanted to see how Orion would deal with the Vylkr vines and couldn't help but be surprised when he saw him grabbing hold of the Vylkr vines and charring them off with lightning using his bare hands, as though they were mere sticks.
Nonetheless, under the gazes of Aegis of the Arctic Deity and Aerialia, Orion brought the Vylkr vine to his mouth and immediately bit down on it before swallowing it and digesting the Vylkr energy.
He allowed it to flow around his body, gradually merging with the remaining Vylkr energy within his containers.
"It's true; you can really harness the Vylkr energy by eating the Vylkr vines," Aegis of the Arctic Deity said.
He exhaled deeply and added, "I'm sorry, but this is something that I'll need some time to digest."
Aerialia, however, continued to scrutinize his every being.
"Is there anything else you would like to ask?" Aegis of the Arctic Deity asked once more.
Orion nodded in response.
"Back when I defeated White Flame, a small white flame entered into my chest, so I was hoping you could give me an explanation of what it was," he asked, wanting to solve this problem since Aerialia had refused to give him any explanation before asking about anything else.
"The white flame that entered your chest is probably a residue from White Flame's failure to transform into a true god," Aegis of the Arctic Deity responded.
"What kind of residue is it?" Orion asked curiously, hoping for a more straightforward explanation.
"I cannot reveal the secrets of transforming into a true god, as it is forbidden for a human to possess such knowledge. However, I can tell you that the residue is related to the 'Divine Mysteries.'"
"What are the 'Divine Mysteries'?"
"The 'Divine Mysteries' is an unconscious and conscious plane of existence and nonexistence. Think of it as the home of the gods, where we draw our strength. I've shared the same information with the Prismerion warriors, and unfortunately, that's all I can disclose," Aegis of the Arctic Deity responded. "Nevertheless, it's impossible for me to extract the residue from you right now. You don't need to worry, as it's harmless to mortals and might even offer some benefits in the future."
Although Orion had some doubts about what Aegis of the Arctic Deity had said, he had no choice but to nod in understanding. He focused on seeking more information about the residue and knowledge of the 'Divine Mysteries' from Aerialia.
Since she already knew what it was and was one of the gods he knew, he had no choice but to find a way to lessen her grudge and make her speak. Even if he could trust that Aegis of the Arctic Deity was telling the truth, he still didn't fully trust everything that he had said and would only do so once he confirmed it from various other sources.
But considering the amount of time that would take, and since he didn't know how yet, he could only wish that a certain princess had the information he needed and was no longer required to hide true herself from him.
Just as Orion opened his mouth to ask another question about why Aegis of the Arctic Deity had left him out of the mountain immediately after the trial, he paused, watching as the large pair of golden eyes narrowed and focused his attention upwards.
After a few seconds, Aegis of the Arctic Deity withdrew his gaze and refocused it on Orion.
"Although I would like to keep answering your questions, it seems like something is happening above concerning you, which you would have to deal with first before we continue this conversation," he said.
"The tree nymph you brought previously has fully recovered and is currently searching for you within the garden. So, the Guardians of the Garden are in a dire situation that requires your help to prevent the garden from being destroyed," Aegis of the Arctic Deity added.
