Village Head's Debauchery

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Ilse nodded softly in agreement with Orion's words.

Zera dried her tears and nodded in understanding. The burden she had been carrying no longer felt as heavy.

"Can we speak to the goddess of Twilight Chorus and Fortune?" Orion asked.

"I will bring her out," Zera responded with a nod.

A bright light emerged, enveloping her entire figure. Her body morphed, demonstrating her newfound control over it, and within seconds, the light faded. Zera was no longer standing before them, but the goddess of Twilight Chorus and Fortune had taken her place.

She stared intently at Ilse, her gaze sharp and frowning.

Ilse returned her gaze, scrutinizing her closely.

"The fake has finally revealed herself," Ilse said, her tone filled with mockery.

Rather than responding to the insult, the goddess of Twilight Chorus and Fortune simply said, "Give it back." Her voice was clear and emotionless.

"I should give what back?" Ilse asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Return the key to me. It is rightfully mine," the goddess of Twilight Chorus and Fortune said, gritting her teeth.

Understanding flashed through Ilse's mind. "Oh, I see. You didn't get the key. You know the rules as well as I do, so why should I hand it over to you?" Ilse responded, her gaze narrowing at her.

Before the confrontation could intensify, Orion interjected, "What key are you talking about?" He looked at both goddesses, awaiting an explanation.

Though their faces were similar, their appearances and demeanours were distinct, each shaped by their own experiences. It was as though two different goddesses were speaking to one another.

"The key is the only thing that can unlock my vault, and that is what she wants," Ilse replied. Seeing the look of understanding on their faces, she continued, "Long ago, there were cases where gods were split into two or more individuals, each retaining the same essence as the original. Due to our nature, such divisions only temporarily weakened us before we recovered. Many gods used this to increase their forces by multiplying themselves."

"At first, it seemed like a novel and effective strategy, but over time, problems arose. With multiple versions of the same god leading different races, the demand for resources became overwhelming, as each version needed the same things. That's when a battle broke out—not against other gods, but against ourselves. You could say it was one of the first devastating wars fought across the universe."

Ilse sighed, remembering their foolishness, which had led to unforeseen consequences.

"I was one of the gods who took part in that war. As a result, I placed a restriction on one of my most prized possessions—my vault. I created a key to open it, and for the key to work, my reincarnation must be the goddess of treasures and must have mastered the related laws before choosing to master any other laws or claim new titles."

"Secondly, she must pledge to guard the vault with her life. This ensures I cannot pity myself and hand over the key lightly. Thirdly, there can only be one key, and even the vault cannot replicate it. If an attempt is made, the vault will enter a sealed state, rendering it unusable for an extended period. The rules are strict to prevent what happened before from happening again," Ilse explained, her tone serious.

"Since she's been here far longer than I have, she would have been the one wielding the key. But from the looks of it, it seems she abandoned her name and title to tread a new path. Because of this, she's no longer recognized or can wield the key to unlock my vault. So, I see no reason to hand it over to her. Unless… you're planning to choose her… over me." Ilse glanced at Orion as she finished, her tone fierce and heavy.

The implications of her words were clear. If she handed over the key, she would no longer have access to the vault and would have to choose another path. She would cease to be the goddess of treasures, lose her purpose, and merely take up space as another divine being in Paradise.

It would also signal that Orion favoured the goddess of Twilight Chorus and Fortune over her. The consequences of this could be disastrous, potentially leading to conflicts that might spread to the Prismerions and other races from the pocket dimension.

Orion frowned. He realized this was why the goddess of Twilight Chorus and Fortune hadn't revealed her name yet. Initially, he hadn't bothered asking, as they had already confirmed she was Ilse, and there were more pressing tasks at hand.

Orion suspected she had taken on such a title due to their battle with the Will of the Divine Mysteries. He didn't put it past Ilse, whose pride and arrogance seemed ingrained in her very being, to enforce such a strict rule.

Still, he couldn't help but be curious about her current name.

"Can you tell us what your name is now?" Orion asked, looking at the goddess of Twilight Chorus and Fortune.

However, she didn't respond. Instead, she said, "You have no idea about half of what I've been through, so you won't understand the reasons behind my actions. I'm asking you nicely—give me back the key."

Suddenly, a bright light enveloped Ilse. When the light faded, Zera had appeared in her place.

"I'm sorry for the trouble my goddess has caused. Please understand that she's been facing the Will of the Divine Mysteries for thousands of years without rest. Now that it's over, and we're finally at peace, she's still trying to gather herself and rediscover who she is," Zera said, her tone apologetic as she bowed to them. Having grown up with both goddesses by her side, Zera knew them intimately.

Ilse snorted but remained silent.

Orion nodded, his mind searching for a solution to the problem.

Zera focused her gaze on Ilse and asked, "Is there any way you can grant my goddess access to the vault? She has long awaited a day like this, and I swear on my divinity that her intentions are pure."

Suddenly, Ilse's divine aura flared wildly, filling the room. But the only one affected was Zera, who collapsed to her knees.

"I can tolerate her presence and your defence of her, but if you don't want to get hurt, never speak about this matter again," Ilse said, her fierce glare fixed on Zera.

"Ilse..." Orion commanded.

In an instant, she retracted her aura. Turning toward Orion, biting her lip, she apologized, "I'm sorry for my outburst. I couldn't hold myself back."

"Zera is now part of Paradise, so I'd appreciate it if you avoid threatening her in the future. Is that clear?" Orion responded, narrowing his gaze at Ilse.

He might have been more cautious when speaking to Ilse in the past, but with General Reynold and Oberon present, he no longer felt the need to tread carefully during their confrontations.

Beside Orion, Reena pressed a hand to her chest, slowly stabilizing her breathing. Even though Ilse's aura hadn't been directed at her, just being in its presence had been frightening enough, giving her a slight glimpse into the power of a divine being.

Yet she couldn't fathom how Orion had managed to face confrontations with divine beings even before ascending to godhood.

Truly, her husband was the backbone of Paradise.

Despite her displeasure, Ilse nodded. "Yes, I understand," she replied.

Orion shifted his attention to Zera and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Zera nodded. "Thank you for listening to my request, goddess Ilse," she said, bowing toward Ilse.

Ilse sneered inwardly.

"I will speak with goddess Ilse to devise a solution for this. Until then, this matter will be postponed," Orion said.

"Thank you for your assistance, Supreme Leader," Zera said, bowing respectfully to Orion.

"You can explore the Golden Palace and meet with the other races from the pocket dimension. If you need anything or want to meet with me, you can reach me through the fragment I've given you," Orion said.

Zera responded with a nod.

"We'll be leaving now," Orion said. "Let's go." He turned and walked toward the door.

After giving a nod to Zera, Reena followed him. Ilse didn't spare her a glance as she moved forward.

They exited the room and made their way to where Aerialia was staying.

The door wasn't chained but was guarded by two golems standing like statues on either side of the entrance. Ilse led the way, and they entered the room, closing the door behind them.

Inside was a luxurious room furnished with a dining table, a sitting area with four comfortable couches, and a queen-sized bed. Two framed windows opposite the bed offered a beautiful view of the bustling city in the distance.

Aurora was lying on the queen-sized bed, her hair scattered on the puffy pillow, and her face was calm and peaceful.

Orion walked toward the bed and held her hand.

"Is she okay?" Reena asked, her voice tinged with worry and concern.