"I wish to talk with you."

Van looked at the woman who just unveiled herself. If he wasn't mistaken, this was clearly the queen. For her to sense Van, who made sure he did not create any noise since hiding here hours ago, and yet as soon as the queen arrived, she was able to pinpoint his location.

Still, Van remained cautious and did not step out of the crown of the tree.

"I am alone, High Human Van," the Queen said as she sat towards a nearby bench, "I wish to talk with you, alone. Why would I go to the lengths of covering myself just so I can pull you to a trap? My husband is also fast asleep, a trait of royalty."

"...Why all the secrecy?" Van then finally decided to leap out of the crown, landing a couple of meters away from the queen, "You could have just talked to me tomorrow, I am sure we would have had the chance to talk with each other alone."

"Artemis-- how do you really know this name?"

The caution on Van's face slightly disappeared as he immediately let out a light gasp upon hearing the Queen's sudden question. "Oh, I am sorry. I have forgotten I have not been introduced yet-- you may call me Nori."

"...Van," Van nodded as he introduced himself, "I have already told you, Artemis is my other half; she carries my child."

"She... is pregnant with your child?"

"Yes... do you know of someone named Artemis?"

"I do," Nori closed her eyes as she let out a short but deep sigh, "Artemis is the name of the progenitor of our race, mother to the first forest giants, Ymir and Vanya."

"...Progenitor? Forest giants? I thought you were a Frost Giant?"

"I am both," Nori said as she opened her palm and pointed it on the ground, summoning a small tree, "My father is of the forest giant's."

"...I see," Van could only let out a sigh as she heard Nori's words. If the Artemis that she knew was the progenitor of the Forest Giant, then it could not be Artemis. It would have had to be tens of thousands of years ago.

"Thank you for telling me this information, Queen Nori," Van then said with another sigh, "But the Artemis you know of is clearly--"

"My daughter is named after one of her children, Vanya."

Queen Nori then hurriedly stood up as soon as she saw Van about to leave, "None of the other giant races know of our history and origin, as our kind like to keep to ourselves. Even my husband does not know of this."

"..."

"My father is the chieftain of our tribe, and even amongst the Forest Giants, my lineage comes from a special bloodline," Queen Nori quickly stepped in front of Van, "Our blood is the strongest, due to this, we have always been told that the women in our family...

...shares a subtle similarity to our progenitor's daughter, Vanya; as well as to the progenitor herself."

"That's..."

"I thought you were one of the humans that killed Ymir at first since the only ones that know of our history are us... and the ones who assassinated our ancestor. But I could feel the tremble of your heart just by the single utter of Artemis's name."

Queen Nori then completely took off her robes, revealing the pair of sharp blades that were hidden on her waist, "You do not have to be alarmed, this was just for precaution. I know now that you are not one of them."

"What... are you saying?" Van could not help but squint his eyes as confusion slowly enwrapped his mind.

"Our progenitor only died soon after my child's birth, along with her son, Ymir."

"They... were still alive?" Van could not help but blink his eyes a couple of times in disbelief.

"They resided in Midgard before we were told they died by the hands of a group of humans that lived there."

"Wait, I am confused. I thought you said Artemis was your progenitor? How could they still be alive?"

"Why would they not be? Most of the progenitors of the other races are still alive and living amongst us one way or another," Queen Nori also blinked a couple of times upon seeing Van's confusion.

"Ymir was of no loss to us," Queen Nori then added, "He had started losing his mind a few hundred years ago, dragging the habitants of Midgard into unending war and demise. Our progenitor went there to convince him to stop, but in the end, she too died at the hands of the humans there.

My husband does not know of this, but the humans were also the ones who blew up the River. They have already waged war against all of the other races that once treated them like they were nothing."

"Humans? Not High Humans?"

"You… you know nothing, don't you?" Queen Nori once again let out a breath of disbelief as she looked at Van, "Once a human becomes a High Human, they will intuitively side with the Vanir-- no longer thinking of themselves as just a mere human. Just…

...who are you, High Human Van?"

Van clearly knew who he was, but upon hearing Queen Nori's words, he was starting to have doubts about what his role is in this new world. According to Charlotte's story, she went near the reservoir before she was swallowed by the growing orb of light; and then she was sent here thousands of years ago.

Was it possible that the difference between the time they were swallowed and the time they were sent here... was exponentially magnified? It was slowly starting to make sense.

Him, who ran to the expanse of space, was the last one to be swallowed by the light, and thus he was also the last one that was sent to this place. Charles also said they only arrived in this place around a hundred years ago-- since Charles could teleport, he was also probably one of the last ones swallowed by the light.

If that was the case... then does that mean the progenitor of the Forest Giants and the Artemis he knew were the same person?

Doesn't that mean... that she's dead?

With that realization, Van could not help but let out a slight gasp; his stuttered breaths slowly piercing the cold air of the night. His gaze then once again turned towards Queen Nori.

And now, looking at her face, his theory was slowly making more and more sense. The only thing that made him skeptical was the fact that Artemis was already dead… along with his child that he hasn't even laid eyes upon.

No.

"Vanya… were Ymir and Vanya twins?"

"Yes?" Even with her own question unanswered, she still answered Van, "It was said Artemis gave birth to them tens of thousands of years ago. And from Ymir and Vanya, came the frost giants that--"

"Is she alive? Is Vanya alive!?" Van did not let Queen Nori finish her story as he floated in the air, looking her straight in the eyes, "Is my daughter alive!?"

"Yes, Vanya lives in… wait, daughter?"

"Where is she right now?"

"Vanya currently resides in Vanaheim. But did you just call her your daughter?" Queen Nori's eyebrows slowly furrowed as she glared at Van with hostility. She doesn't even know why she is still answering Van's questions even though she was slowly starting to get frustrated by him, "Even if you are a High Human, I do not appreciate this kind of disrespect. Vanya is one of the most beloved gods in--"

"Vanaheim…" Van muttered as he looked at Vanaheim, and as soon as he did so, a window popped out in front of him.

[New Objective: Meet the Mother of the Forest Giants. Reward: 1,200,000 EXP

Failure Penalty: -2,400,000 EXP]

The System didn't have to tell him anything, he was going to meet with Vanya one way or another. But still, he could not help but be weirded out by the System's objectives. Was he being watched by Evangeline? Is that why the objective was always popping out whenever it was convenient?

His mother was also the one who pushed him away when Hermes's body exploded. Is it possible… she knew that this would happen? Was this once again all part of her plan?

Will it be Evangeline all along once again?

"...will not be tolerated. If we were in front of the elders of the forest giants right now, you would be executed in the spot even if you are a High--"

"Queen Nori."

Once again, Queen Nori's words were interrupted by Van, "If I am right… then I am also your progenitor."

"That's…"

"Ymir and Vanya are probably my children," Van then gently descended to the ground as he let out a wry chuckle,

"This…

...is so messed up," Van muttered before he disappeared, leaving Queen Nori by herself in the garden. She came here to get answers from Van, but the only thing she was left with was more questions.

"Just… what is going on?"

***

"King Raufey, I have a request."

The day after, the King had prepared a feast for their most prestigious guest-- Van. And without even an hour after it started, Van had approached the King even as they ate. The soldiers that were guarding the King were on alert at first, but they all ceased as soon as Raufey raised his hand.

"Speak, what is this request of yours?"

"I wish to be escorted to the territory of the Forest Giants."

"The… forest giants? I am afraid that even I am not privy to their current location. They are nomads who do not stay in one place for a long time."

"The queen…"

"What?"

"I would like to request the queen to come with me."