"I want to know what you know about the 'Aegis of the Arctic Deity,'"Orion asked.
He wanted some information from the Princess of the Garden that could serve as clues to understand the identity of the 'Aegis of the Arctic Deity.'
The Princess of the Garden shook her head in response to Orion's question.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about the Aegis of the Arctic Deity. The only information I have is that he is the god below the Garden, responsible for taking care of the mountains and ensuring that the Vylkr vines don't breach the mountainous barriers," she explained.
The reason for her concern when Orion and the others ventured below the Divine Lake Essence, and her scepticism about their success stemmed from her limited knowledge about the divine being beneath the Garden. She was unsure of whether he was malevolent or benevolent.
Orion raised a brow in response.
"You don't know?" he asked, a frown forming. He assumed that the Princess of the Garden, having spent a significant amount of time in the Garden, might have some knowledge about the Aegis of the Arctic Deity.
"Yes, I don't. However, I believe the only ones who might have a clue about his identity are the Guardians of the Garden," the Princess of the Garden replied.
"The Guardians?"
The Princess of the Garden nodded in response. "Yes," she confirmed.
"I have attempted to descend several times myself to discover the god's identity below, but they consistently thwarted my descent, blocking my path every time," the Princess of the Garden explained. "If you want to know who he is, your best chance is to ask the Guardians of the Garden. However, considering your current relationship with them, I doubt it would be feasible."
The Princess of the Garden turned her eyes to the side, gazing at the Guardians of the Garden who remained in their positions.
They clutched their weapons, focusing on Orion as if anticipating any sudden, unnecessary movements from him.
Sensing the tension, Orion also shifted his attention towards the stoic and alert Guardians of the Garden.
A deep sigh escaped Orion's lips. He would need to find a way to mend his relationship with them to extract information about the Aegis of the Arctic Deity.
Putting that concern aside, he redirected his focus to the Princess of the Garden. "How long have you been here?" Orion asked.
The Princess of the Garden became thoughtful for a moment.
"I've been here for about 7,500 years," the Princess of the Garden responded.
Orion acknowledged with a nod. Queen Selene had informed him that they had all been trapped there for about 7,000 years. Yet, he sensed a hesitation in her words, leading him to believe the duration might be longer. Regardless, 7,500 years was an incredibly long time, especially for mortal beings like themselves.
"Can you recall who Naka is?" Orion asked. Despite his doubts, he wondered if the Princess of the Garden might possess knowledge about Naka, considering her lack of familiarity with the Aegis of the Arctic Deity.
The Princess of the Garden furrowed her brows, delving into deep thought for a moment.
"I remember one thing; when I first woke up, I found myself in a glass pod filled with a strange transparent liquid. Despite my initial confusion, I kept my composure, thinking I knew who I was and wondering why I was there. It was only when I heard a man's voice that I lost consciousness minutes later. The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by the Guardians of the Garden in this Garden. "
"It took me a few thousand years to recognize the disparities between who I thought I was and who I am. I eventually realized that I wasn't Aerialia, the goddess of the hunting moon. Although I've affirmed that thought several times, there are moments when I wish it weren't true," the Princess of the Garden explained, turning her gaze toward Aerialia with a smile.
"However, seeing you here shattered my hope, so I no longer cling to any illusions about who I thought I was," she unconsciously clutched her gown tightly.
"I am merely a failed copy of the real thing."
The surroundings fell silent as the Princess of the Garden finished her words.
Although Aerialia maintained a stoic expression, witnessing someone who looked exactly like her confess such thoughts with such intensity prompted her to release a deep sigh inwardly.
Meanwhile, Orion felt as though his mind was in complete disarray.
The Princess of the Garden's words seemed like thunder striking from the once clear sky, leaving his body trembling as he struggled to articulate his thoughts.
"Do you... remember what the man said?" Orion asked, his voice trembling as he stared at Aerialia with anticipation.
The Princess of the Garden thought momentarily before responding, "The only thing I remembered him saying when I woke up was, 'The subject is alive. Divine Mysteries failed to properly integrate. She's awake.' That was all; I couldn't remember anything else because I became unconscious before I could recall anything further."
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
Orion felt as if his head had exploded, and his body was struck again by a wave of lightning.
As Orion began to piece his thoughts together, he couldn't help but conclude that Naka might be a... man-made god!
Aerialia and the Princess of the Garden soon noticed Orion's strange behaviour.
"What's wrong? Did you discover anything from her words?" Aerialia asked with a frown on her face.
"Orion, is there anything wrong?" The Princess of the Garden asked with concern in her voice.
"I... think that I might have discovered why we couldn't uncover Naka's origin previously," Orion replied, slowly regaining his composure as he stared at Aerialia and the Princess of the Garden.
From everything that the Princess of the Garden had said, from everything that had transpired up until now, from Naka's unknown origin, he could only come up with one conclusion that seemed more plausible the more he thought about it.
"You know who Naka is?" Aerialia asked with wide eyes, staring at Orion in shock and surprise.
