Village Head's Debauchery

Stunned, Nadia scrutinized the two mysterious individuals seated before her once more. She found it difficult to detect any falsehood in Orion's voice and could only wonder if he was tricking her.

After all, how could tree nymphs not be exploited but instead enjoy the highest privileges within a force containing so many powerful individuals?

Obviously, he might be trying to lower her guard, enticing her to come to this 'Paradise' willingly. It might be a trap, and there was no way she would fall for it.

"I wonder why you're asking such a question, Miss Nadia. Are there perhaps..." Orion's words trailed off, unfinished, yet their meaning was clear to everyone present.

Fifi couldn't help but adopt a more serious expression.

Noticing the tense shift in Orion's tone, Nadia inwardly scoffed but decided to play along. She nodded and began explaining the nymphs' situation to Orion.

"From my current information, more than half the nymphs within the Bastion of Wailing Gnarled serve as slaves in the Tidal Depths Kingdom and a few in the Bastion of the Ashen Hope. If your words are truthful, then surely you wouldn't allow such injustice and would ensure they are released, with the ruler of both forces punished," Nadia responded, her voice tinged with sorrow.

Orion remained silent momentarily before nodding, "Alright, I will see what I can do and thoroughly investigate this matter before making any decisions."

He quickly messaged Aurora and Brane, informing them of the situation. Fortunately, he received a prompt reply that they were already looking into it.

Nadia nodded in acknowledgement. Even though she didn't take Orion's words seriously, she hoped he might help resolve the situation. Still, she was torn about believing his words about this 'Paradise.'

"Is there anything else you would like to know?" Nadia asked.

"I would like to know about the tainted origins and why they resemble the resident forces," Orion asked, voicing one of the questions troubling him as he awaited her response.

"They resemble us because they 'are' us. Alongside the innate energy we are all born with, another energy manifests as we grow stronger: Vylkr energy. This energy is so violent and chaotic that it begins to corrupt our bodies, causing the Death plague to manifest. To prevent falling victim to the Death plague, we rely on the Voidheart, which regulates and filters Vylkr energy," Nadia explained.

"But not everyone can endure this process, and even those who can eventually reach their limit succumb to the Death plague. In its early stages, they are afflicted with strange impulses and a primal desire to consume everything around them."

"Then, their features transform, becoming monstrous, and they gradually lose the ability to form coherent sentences. As time passes, they barely resemble anything of their former selves until they completely transform into a tainted."

Orion and Fifi were astounded as they listened to Nadia's words. Although they had already uncovered that the Death plague was a natural consequence of the races here producing Vylkr energy within their own bodies, its effects were far more severe than expected.

"However, once an individual begins to transform, there are only two ways to completely halt the transformation and free themselves from the fate of becoming a tainted," Nadia added.

Orion's ears perked up at her words. "What are they?"

"The first is to kill themselves and offer their heart and other vital organs for the sake of future generations. Due to the ongoing transformation, these organs can resist the Vylkr energy, and the Death Plague, helping us grow stronger. Therefore, they are valuable resources for each force and ensure our survival," Nadia explained. "The second is to force one's way into the Mirror Realm."

Hearing Nadia's explanation, Orion's heart stirred.

'The Mirror Realm? How is that possible? Could there be a god here helping them suppress the effects of Vylkr energy and delaying their transformation?' Orion's mind raced, trying to come up with an answer, but he arrived at nothing.

Orion composed himself and asked, "How do you force your way into the Mirror Realm?"

"Fortunately, I haven't entered the Mirror Realm yet, and I hope I never will. However, I know that only those in the final stages of corruption, on the verge of transforming into a tainted, can find their way there-sometimes through dreams or visions."

"If they succeed, they can reverse their transformation, regaining a stability of mind. But if they fail, they lose their sanity and are forcibly expelled from the Mirror Realm. Then, we hunt them down before they cause harm to nearby forces or bolster the Harbingers' ranks."

A sad smile curved on her lips as she finished.

"Who are the Harbingers?" Orion asked.

"I don't know who or what they truly are. Unfortunately, no one does. All we know is that they command the tainted and may hold the secrets to curing the Death plague," Nadia replied, a flicker of hope in her eyes before it dimmed.

"But countless races have tried to break into the Harbingers' domain, and everyone has perished-from the strongest to the weakest-until they were wiped from existence. The Bastion of Wailing Gnarled, Ashen Hope, and the Tidal Depths Kingdom are the only remaining forces, and unless we do something, we too will face erasure sooner or later."

A sudden silence enveloped them.

After hearing Nadia's detailed explanation, which confirmed his suspicions about the strangeness of the Pocket Dimension, Orion fell into deep thought.

'A Mirror Realm within a Pocket Dimension, and one that even mortals can access under certain conditions?' Orion wouldn't have believed such a thing possible if he hadn't heard Nadia's confirmation.

Nadia remained silent, allowing them to process her words. Yet, her curiosity about them grew, and she sensed they might genuinely be from a place free of the tainted Harbingers, though her doubts about them lingered stronger.

"I want to learn more about the Voidheart and how it works," Orion asked.

Nadia nodded and explained what she knew about the Voidheart, her words mirroring what Mira had previously mentioned.

"If you want more in-depth knowledge, I can arrange a meeting with our Lead Artificer, Mira.

She will be able to answer all of your questions."

"Can you set that up right after this?" Orion asked.

"Of course. I'll arrange it immediately after our meeting," Nadia nodded.

"I'd also like to know if you can tell us how these fruits are produced," Orion added, picking up a fruit from one of the baskets across the table and placing it in front of Nadia. Nadia's face flashed with surprise as she noticed the two empty medium baskets and the wine jar. She had been so focused on the discussion that she hadn't noticed.

'They ate everything, even the wine,' Nadia thought, astonished. The feast was meant to last a few days, so seeing it finished within an hour left her speechless. Regaining her composure, Nadia replied, "This is called the Kalnir Nourishing Fruit, one of our primary sources of sustenance here in the ocean. They are cultivated by none other than the tree nymphs, my sisters."

'I knew it,' Orion thought. The shape of the fruit resembled that of a Kalna fruit, confirming his suspicions with Nadia's words.

'Did the properties of the fruit change because they can naturally generate Vylkr energy? If that's the case, then harnessing other energy types affects the properties of the fruits. But why wasn't the change this drastic when the tree nymphs began harnessing Celestial energy?' Orion pondered. 'Or was it due to their strength?'

Since Vylkr energy was on par and even more incredible than Divine energy, higher than any other energies within the first ten ranks, except the Primordial energy, it made sense that the Kalna fruit would undergo such a significant change.

Orion couldn't help but wonder what might happen if the tree nymphs began harnessing Divine energy or became divine apostles. Would the Kalna fruit gain a unique property like the Kalnir fruit, or would it transform in another drastic way?

Orion was curious to find out.

Orion took out the Kalna fruit he had previously removed from his mountain before the meeting began. "Do you recognize this?" he asked, handing the fruit to Nadia.

Nadia eyed the fruit with a frown, sensing a familiarity with it.

After a brief hesitation, Nadia took it and scrutinized it before glancing back at Orion, her eyes

betraying her curiosity.

"You can go ahead and taste it," Orion encouraged, smiling slightly.

Nadia returned her gaze to the fruit and took a bite. Instantly, her mouth was filled with a

tingling sweetness that tantalized her taste buds, and a refreshing feeling spread through her

entire body, improving her mood.

As she chewed, she felt a sudden warmth in her cheeks and realized tears were streaming

down her face.

Startled, Nadia quickly reached up to wipe away her tears, not wanting to display such

vulnerability in front of the individuals before her. But no matter how much she tried, the

tears continued to overflow.

"What's wrong with me?... My heart feels immense happiness and pain at the same time... I don't know which I should focus on first," Nadia said, her broad smile contrasting with a pained gaze.

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