"It's simple. Thy first option is that I will agree to thy plea and let her live. However, in return, I will personally destroy the crimson blade at the cost of my soul, thereby forever erasing myself and the blade from this existence. The second option is for thee to step out of the way, allow me to cleanse this abomination from the earth, and in return, I will release the restriction from the crimson blade."
"I will forever relinquish whatever control I have over the crimson blade. Not only that, but I will also provide thee with every piece of knowledge I possess, including details about the transformation of a god into a True god, 'Divine Mysteries,' and the 'Great War.' I will accompany and guide thee throughout the rest of thy journey so that I can have my avenge that god, Naka, for tainting my existence and creating such an abomination," Aerialia said.
After hearing Aerialia's words, Orion frowned even deeper.
Aerialia's options left him with a difficult decision. He could either turn a blind eye to whatever fate awaited the Princess of the Garden, ensuring her demise. By choosing this path, he would earn Aerialia's complete trust and companionship, and gain full control of the crimson blade.
Alternatively, he could intervene and save the Princess of the Garden, sacrificing both the crimson blade and Aerialia.
Orion shook his head in disagreement with Aerialia's proposed choices. "Isn't there any other way we can settle this?" he asked.
Aerialia stared at Orion with an icy glare.
"Unfortunately, there isn't. I am only willing to comply with those two choices and nothing else," Aerialia declared.
Seeing that there was no way to reason things out, Orion made a decision.
For most people, these two choices would have been the most difficult they'd ever faced. Having Aerialia's help and the Crimson blade was undoubtedly the best support one could have in such a challenging time.
However, for Orion, who had always wanted a family and a settled life since arriving in this world, his wife and children, especially his unborn children, meant everything to him.
As such...
It wasn't even a choice he pondered over.
Orion shifted his eyes away from Aerialia's hateful gaze. He turned around, bent down to grab the Princess of the Garden, and helped her stand up to her feet.
"Orion…" The Princess of the Garden uttered, staring at Orion with wide eyes.
Just by observing him as he helped her stand back up, she could tell that Orion would rather lose his chances of gaining the complete trust of a god and forfeit the Crimson blade, a 'Divine Artifact' even more valuable than she was, than lose her.
Wasn't that stupidity beyond doubt?
Even considering the fact that she was currently carrying his child, she couldn't fathom why he would choose her over those extraordinary opportunities. After all, from what she had heard from Saria, she knew that Orion had many unborn children back where he came from.
Therefore, she could only stare at him in confusion as he assisted her back up to her feet.
As such...
The Princess of the Garden couldn't help but part her lips and ask, "Why?"
"Why what?" Orion asked, a brow raised as he wiped away the tear stains from her cheeks. Gazing into her inquisitive eyes, he immediately grasped the essence of her unspoken question.
Letting out a deep sigh, he spoke, "When you first introduced yourself to me, I'm sorry for being dumb enough not to realize it was your real identity..."
"It's not your fault."
"It's not," Orion affirmed with a nod of agreement.
"But given the current situation, I don't think that should be an excuse. So don't worry too much; you are not going to die, neither now nor tomorrow, as even death has no right to claim your life because I don't permit it," Orion said.
He brought his lips closer to her ears and whispered, "...Much less does a goddess have any right to the same." As Orion pulled his head backwards, he observed the wide-eyed stare of the Princess of the Garden before her eyes began to release more tears as she muttered, "...Orion."
Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Orion, hugging him tightly.
Orion reciprocated, allowing her to sob softly within his shoulders. He spoke gently, "I'll make sure that we find you a beautiful name after this, that's if you want, of course."
Orion paused, watching as she nodded her head before continuing, "But, until then, you'll always be my Princess... my beloved Princess and the mother of my children."
The Princess of the Garden's arms tightened around Orion as various emotions raged uncontrollably within her, causing her to weep harder.
Aerialia, who had been observing everything from beginning to end, couldn't help but deepen her frown as the hatred and anger within her eyes intensified.
An idea immediately sprang to her mind, causing her to narrow her eyes fiercely as she muttered, "Fine," before diving forward. Her body passed Orion and collided with the Princess of the Garden within a second.
Orion felt as though the Princess of the Garden forcefully detached herself from his body. He looked forward and saw her tumbling backwards on the grassy soil before immediately becoming unconscious.
Orion shifted his head backwards to find Aerialia missing. However, the Crimson blade was still present, causing him to grit his teeth in anger and frustration before racing toward the Princess of the Garden and holding her in his arms.
"You better not do anything that you'll end up regretting, Aerialia," Orion warned as he gently rubbed her cheeks, attempting to rouse her from her slumber.
….….
"How are you here?"
Aerialia heard a voice as she floated around, her two wings widely unfurled as she observed the inky void, which she immediately understood was the Princess of the Garden's consciousness.
"Thou said it thyself, thou art me. A being created from mine essence, blood, and soul, so I don't think that it should be surprising to thee that I should be able to take possession of this body despite being this extremely weakened," Aerialia responded.
Although she still had some doubts before, now that she thought about it, everything seemed to become clear to her.
"Dost thou still think that all of this is a coincidence?" She asked as she stopped moving and stared at the inky void before her.
