Village Head's Debauchery

"And if we fail?" Stronghold Leader Zogar inquired, his gaze fixed on Orion as he leaned back in his seat.

"If we fail, we'll still have our 'paradise' once the tree nymphs finish their task, alongside the expansion of the Orion Cities. Remember, this is our world, so regardless of the outcome, we shouldn't fixate too much on the prospect of failure," Orion replied confidently.

"I agree. Our best defence is to attack, so why wait for them to attack us when we can do so first?" Stronghold Leader Seth responded, agreeing with Orion's words. If what Orion had said was true, then there should be various individuals close by rushing towards their direction right now. So why avoid and hope for the best when they could attack and gradually dominate those around them or those who wished to fight them? The only thing he hated about Orion's explanation was the revelation and truth about Naka.

They had always thought him to be their saviour; however, now he didn't really know how to feel, knowing that the god he had served all his life wasn't really who they had imagined him to be. Everything was now a lie; they needed to spread out into the world to uncover more truths about his current situation.

Stronghold Leader Zogar exhaled, nodding in understanding.

Everyone also nodded in understanding, agreeing with Orion's and Stronghold Leader's words.

"So this leaves us with the Vylkr artefact? Since we don't know how long it will take before it fully forms, I think it's safe to say that the Vylkr veil phenomenon isn't going to die down anytime soon until the Vylkr artefact has fully formed," Caretaker Naida said, her tone serious.

"Yes, our prediction for the Vylkr veil phenomenon is now useless. So unless we know when the Vylkr artefact will fully form, all we can do is wait until it has fully formed," Caretaker Nala responded, nodding solemnly.

Everyone's expression suddenly became grave as they remembered that they truly didn't have any way of knowing when the Vylkr veil phenomenon would dissipate due to the emergence of the formation of the Vylkr artefact.

Orion shook his head in response, "That's not necessarily true because I know when the Vylkr veil phenomenon will be over, and the artefact will finish its formation," he responded, remembering what Aerialia had told him during their discussion. For now, only he and his family knew about Aerialia. He hasn't yet mentioned Aerialia to the key figures and the others for safety reasons, especially now that they were preparing to reconnect with the outside world.

Despite not doubting their loyalty to this territory, Orion didn't want to take any risks. Among themselves, there was no way for him to know those who would be willing to betray the Orion Cities. However, when they come in contact with other races outside of their territory or even gods, he could tell the sincere loyalty among them. For now, Aerialia was his last trump card in case things went sour, a situation he never wanted to experience. Thus, he needed everything to be done smoothly.

Everyone heard Orion's words and shifted their attention towards him.

"When is it then?" The Village Chief asked, eagerly awaiting Orion's response.

They all listened attentively, hanging on Orion's words.

"Before Aegis of the Arctic Deity left, he told me that the formation of an artefact normally takes a week to a month. However, for one as intense as the formation of the Vylkr artefact, it should be over within or after a month," Orion responded.

"So that means all we have to do now is wait and prepare to go collect the artefact," The Village Chief said, exhaling tiredly as he reclined comfortably in his seat. Obviously, they couldn't monitor the progress of the formation of the Vylkr artefact due to the Vylkr veil phenomenon, and sending Orion's sky into the sky in these conditions would be nothing short of foolishness. So the only thing they could currently do was prepare to search for it after the Vylkr veil phenomenon had died down.

"Yes, that's all we have to do. Also, as mentioned before, this entire event may have attracted others to our location, so we should be ready to face them or tactically retreat depending on who we are dealing with," Orion responded.

The Village Chief, Village Chieftess, and others in the room nodded understanding.

"Now that everything is settled, are there any other questions?" Orion asked, sweeping his eyes across the entire room.

They all shook their heads in response.

Seeing no further queries, Orion nodded decisively. "Since there are no other questions, I want you all to remember that Aegis of the Arctic Deity's death will be kept a secret until further notice. If this information is leaked to anyone, it is unimaginable to foresee the chaos that would erupt when people find out that the god protecting them has met his end. Regardless of their position, anyone found divulging such a secret to the public will be immediately expelled from the Orion's Cities," he said before turning his attention back towards the Village Chief.

"Now that we're done, our village will have its annual festival, which will also serve as Orion's coronation as the new Village Chief. So, please, everyone should ensure they prepare for Aegis of the Arctic Deity's remembrance ceremony, which will occur before it," the Village Chief announced.

"Of course, I am aware that we all have our cultural differences, which is why Queen Selene and other representatives of the races within the Orion's Cities will be given the option to choose whether to be present. They can personally meet with the newly appointed Village Chief with their respective gifts after the festival," he added, briefly focusing on Queen Selene to ensure her understanding before shifting his attention towards the rest of the key figures, who all nodded happily at the prospect of the festival despite everything that had transpired.

"And for the final announcement before the meeting is officially over, all in favour of bringing High King Eldric to become one of the key figures, raise your hands," the Village Chief concluded.