Village Head's Debauchery

She spoke, "I've already dispatched a message to the Crystalforge Clan's elders, and they will arrive soon to deal with the ancient artefact." 

She lightly touched the artefact, then withdrew her hand. "There's no need for you to worry. Your heroic actions in saving me and the royal family yesterday were more than enough. The Crystalforge Clan will take it from here."  She refrained from asking for Orion's assistance directly, her caution regarding him growing, especially now that he had revealed his strength to be on par with her own.

To ensure they could obtain information about the outside world and find a way to leave the mountain, they couldn't possibly convince Orion that nobody in the Crystalforge Clan or the entire Prismerian Kingdom could challenge his strength, no matter what.

Orion, however, effortlessly saw through her deception. If the Queen, the most powerful individual in the Crystalforge Clan, couldn't remove the artefact, then who could? The answer was quite straightforward: no one.

Had the Queen been able to, she would have already disposed of it, or at the very least, be actively working to remove it, rather than allowing it to stay around her neck up to this point. 

Yet, even though he detected her lie and suspected she was putting up a facade, Orion nodded in understanding. 

"I did what I believed was right yesterday, so you don't need to concern yourself. If a similar situation arises again, I will make the same decision without hesitation," he assured her.

Queen Selene smiled upon hearing Orion's words. Despite her continued caution regarding Orion, his sincerity did offer some relief.

"If that's the case," Queen Selene responded thoughtfully, "I'll gladly accept your help without hesitation." She continued, "But before that, I hope you can share your knowledge about the world beyond this mountain." She secretly released a sigh as she awaited Orion's response.

Orion detected the hint of pleading in Queen Selene's voice and realized that she wished to commence their conversation on this topic.

Certainly, Orion would have willingly shared fragments of this information, but his knowledge of the outside world was quite limited. Apart from his village and the surrounding territories plagued by Vyklr vines of varying strengths, he shook his head and let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Queen Selene, but I don't think I can provide this information..."

"Mr. Orion," Queen Selene promptly interjected before Orion could finish his sentence, "Please, I'm not asking for much. Even if it's just a small piece of information, I'll gladly accept it. The Prismerian Kingdom has been isolated for thousands of years, far longer than any of us, even our ancestors, can remember. So, even if we may never see it for ourselves, we'd be more than satisfied to hear about it.."

Initially, her voice was resolute, but as she continued to speak, it began to quiver. She couldn't help it because, in the face of the imminent upheaval that was about to engulf the Prismerian Kingdom and could potentially claim numerous lives, including hers if she failed to be cautious, her strength had already dwindled to that of an ordinary Prismerion. 

Thus, with an outsider seated before her, someone who had ventured beyond the mountain, how could she not feel a profound sense of regret for not knowing what lay in the world beyond?

Consequently, she found it increasingly challenging to hold back her emotions as they seeped through those cracks.

Elysia's body tensed as she observed this, well aware of Queen Selene's fragile emotional state from years of service. Understanding the potential ramifications if her Queen were to break down and express her emotions during this important meeting, Elysia immediately called out, "Mr. Orion!" She bowed her head at a perfect 90-degree angle, effectively interrupting the proceedings.

Queen Selene turned her head with a furrowed brow, somewhat surprised by Elysia's abrupt interruption, as it deviated from her usual behaviour.

Orion's attention was abruptly pulled toward Elysia, and he also regarded her with surprise, clearly caught off guard by her sudden voice.

"Please, I understand your reservations about the Prismerian Kingdom and its inhabitants," Elysia implored. "However, considering the strength you've demonstrated and the Queen's unique circumstances, I believe there's no problem you couldn't handle. Therefore, on behalf of the Prismerian Kingdom, I beg you. Please, even if it's just a brief description, share with us your knowledge of the outside world."

Elysia only realized the weight of her words after she'd finished speaking, and her gaze was met by two of the most powerful individuals in the entire Prismerian Kingdom. 

This realization sent a shiver down her spine, to the point where she dared not lift her head.

Queen Selene bit her lip in frustration, her hands unconsciously clutching a piece of her gown that lay against her thighs as she observed Elysia's bowed figure. 

Every word Elysia had just spoken were the words the Queen herself wished to convey. However, how could she, the Queen of the Prismerian Kingdom, the current strongest Prismerion among her people, stoop to such a level and utter such words?

It was unseemly, beneath her dignity.

No, it was more than unseemly; it was wholly unfitting of her exalted status.

Thus, seeing her personal maid, Elysia, utter such words on her behalf, Queen Selene was not only angry at herself but also deeply disappointed for allowing her emotions and internal struggles to become so painfully obvious, allowing Elysia to discern her inner turmoil.

"Elysia, are you fully aware of the repercussions that stem from interrupting a royal gathering?" Queen Selene asked, her eyes narrowing as she played her part with regal authority.

Elysia nodded, her lips quivering, her entire body shuddering even more under the Queen's scrutiny. "Yes, Your Highness, I am fully aware."

"In light of this most unacceptable interruption, I trust you are prepared to accept the consequences, are you not?" Queen Selene remarked, closing her eyes and heaving a silent sigh at the sight of Elysia's trembling form.

"Y.. es..."

"Runaway Cities…." Orion spoke.