Village Head's Debauchery

The Floating Island

Third Border City

"Thank you for stopping by, I appreciate it," Flintor smiled warmly, his eyes reflecting gratitude. He couldn't resist stealing one last glance at Orion's entire family and chuckled quietly.

He had no clue what Orion did to maintain harmony or keep his family grounded, and he had no desire to uncover that secret, whatever it might be.

"You don't need to thank us; you're family, after all," Orion replied, cradling one of his sons in his left arm. "Take care; we're heading out now," he added.

Orion signalled to his wives to connect with each other before activating his gift and vanishing with streaks of lightning shooting into the sky.

Watching Orion and his family depart, Flintor turned on his heel and strolled back into the healer's centre. He knew that when Orion descended from the floating island, he would be tasked with maintaining order, requiring his full attention. In the meantime, he decided to cherish moments with his own family.

…....….

Second Border City

An immense lightning bolt streaked through Orion's compound, briefly illuminating his entire manor before vanishing, revealing Orion and the whole household.

As the women returned to the manor and resumed their activities, Orion gently passed the baby back to Celeste.

He observed Reena and Crystalia resume their bickering as they entered the door, then shifted his attention to Tala, who had been standing by his side since their arrival.

Tala's expression was conflicted as if she were deeply contemplating something.

"Tala?" Orion called out, breaking her reverie.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought," Tala replied, focusing on Orion.

"What's on your mind? Is it something I should know?" Orion asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

Tala appeared hesitant, struggling to find the right words. After taking a calming breath, she began, "I've been considering joining your team for the descent down the floating island. Despite being a two-star warrior, my gift would greatly benefit the exploration." Her confidence grew as she finished speaking.

Orion's expression turned solemn as he shook his head. "No, it's too risky for you to join. We might encounter gods' chosen even stronger than Captain Seig or divine apostles or demigods whose power we're unfamiliar with. Even if I wanted to bring you along, it would be unwise since you're still not ready to handle the Vylkr vines," he explained firmly.

Each exploration team member was skilled enough to handle Vylkr vines, rated between one and three stars. Adding someone like Tala, who could potentially be overwhelmed by two-star Vylkr vines, would be akin to signing her death warrant. The last thing Orion wanted was the guilt of a partner's death on his conscience.

As for Fifi, she was more than capable of defending herself, having honed her skills since she was young. While Orion still harboured concerns for her safety, they were less pressing.

"It was worth trying," Tala sighed, her tone firm as she added, "I promise to advance quickly so I can join you on the next exploration."

Orion smiled and nodded. "Let's head inside; the others are probably waiting for us," he replied.

"You can go on without me; I need some time outside to clear my head. I'll catch up with you later," Tala said with a smile, shaking her head.

Orion was about to respond when he sensed another presence watching them. He swallowed his words and simply nodded. "Alright, take your time to think. But don't keep me waiting too long, or I might have to drag you inside," he replied, glancing briefly at where Fifi had hidden before returning to the manor.

As Orion left, Tala turned her gaze to the setting sun and activated her gift. A green fireball formed in her hands, growing larger until it hovered two meters above her.

A familiar voice interrupted her concentration. "While I doubt the manor can be easily harmed, playing with fire like that might accidentally set the whole place ablaze," a familiar voice warned, startling Tala and causing her to lose control of her flames, sending them shooting off to the side.

Fortunately, before any real damage could be done, a wave of water materialized out of thin air, quenching Tala's flames and drenching her side. She collapsed to the ground, gazing up at the towering figure of Fifi, who had interrupted her thoughts.

"Are you alright?" Fifi asked, extending her hand towards Tala.

Tala grasped it and pulled herself to her feet, nodding. "I'm fine. Just a bit startled."

Even today, Tala couldn't fathom how Orion had managed to win over a partner like Fifi back in the Village. She knew Fifi wasn't considered attractive due to her muscular and voluptuous physique. Still, the fact that Orion had proposed to a three-star warrior before even becoming a warrior himself was something she would give anything to understand.

Fifi nodded. "I overheard your conversation with Orion," she responded.

Tala bit her lips silently.

"Well, would you like any advice that might be helpful?" Fifi offered with a smile.

Tala hesitated before nodding. Despite knowing that Fifi was now her sister, a woman of equal standing, she couldn't ignore the fact that Fifi was a four-star warrior and one of the first wielders of the Vylkr Fusion Armlet, standing at the pinnacle of strength within their territory before Stronghold Leader Zogar, a five-star warrior. Being so relaxed and free around someone of such immense power made her uncomfortable.

Fifi observed Tala's every move and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She wished Tala had the demeanour of Ursa, Sura, or Gina in moments like these. They never seemed to be bothered by her strength, except during training sessions.

Nonetheless, she cleared her throat and responded, "There was a time when I thought Orion didn't love me and only saw me as an unattractive three-star warrior. Which was the only thing I used to escape the unfair judgments of the Village's cultural standards. Heartbroken, I headed into the dead forest, believing nothing mattered anymore. Even though I had enough strength, the relentless wave of the Vylkr vines drained me until I couldn't stand against a swarm of two-star Vylkr warriors. But I didn't give up. I've trained my whole life to be better than everyone else."