Just as Rion and the others had dashed into the side tunnel, their companions were disappearing into the dungeon as well. The dwarf blacksmith, Safi, blinked rapidly. Darkness stretched out in every direction; she could see nothing.
“…Is anyone there?”
She whispered, almost afraid to break the silence—and in response, a dim, hazy light flickered into being before her eyes. And emerging from that glow was a face—pale, with drooping eyes that gave it an unsettling air.
“Hey there!”
“Ahhhhh!”
Safi screamed. Loki, clad in a flowing black robe, laughed quietly at her panic.
“Well, well! I didn’t expect you’d be so easily startled.”
“Lo-Loki…sama—!”
Tears welled up in Safi’s eyes as she glared at him, but Loki remained unbothered. Slowly, he made small orbs of light hover around him, illuminating the area in an instant.
“Looks like everyone else ran off into a different side tunnel.”
“Huh?”
Safi looked around. All she could see were walls of red earth and scattered rubble. There was no ally in sight—just Loki. Her face paled further when she realized even the boy with the horn—Rion—was nowhere to be seen.
“W-where’s Rion? And…Luisia’s not here either.”
“Don’t worry. Luisia’s being protected by Heimdall as she escaped, and Rion has Solana with him.”
A sharp pang pricked at Safi’s small chest. She shook her head violently, trying to cast out the intrusive thoughts.
“Y-yes! Then… I can relax.”
She forced herself to say. Even the god Loki didn’t tease her this time. Perhaps turning his back was his own peculiar way of showing kindness.
“Everyone’s safe—Mia, Felix, and all the members of the warrior corps. Though… there are a few unexpected guests.”
He added, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.
“But…it appears that they don’t intend to cause a commotion for now. Rion has leveled up, and with so many gods wandering the dungeon, they have to be cautious.”
Loki continued, folding his arms and resting a hand on his chin. A faint, intrigued smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“But to think he’d lock himself in with us! Coordination is clearly not their strong suit. He’s not a monster, so in a dungeon, he’ll be prey as well. It must be difficult for the God of Harvest.”
Safi tilted her head, puzzled.
“What are you talking about? Unexpected guests… who do you mean?”
“Nothing to worry about. Harmless, for now, I suppose,” Loki replied with a casual shrug.
Then, from deep within the dungeon, a low, menacing growl echoed. Safi ’s face went pale as she stumbled backward.
“There are monsters.”
“Ymir himself doesn’t seem to be here anymore, thankfully.”
Safi lowered her chin. The Primordial Titan carried a presence all its own—a weight and aura that even she could sense. And yet, that presence was absent here. And precisely because Ymir could not be felt from the outside, they had risked venturing into the dungeon. Of course, there were traps to worry about—but information on Ymir was necessary. Only two weeks remained until the end of the world, and yet they still had no idea how she had managed to send monsters into the Royal Capital.
Loki continued, his tone calm but deliberate.
“If Ymir had been here before, he would have practiced twisting living things to create monsters.”
“Monsters… like the ones that appeared in the capital square?”
“Exactly. Fenrir and Hati, the ones out front, were likely stationed here as guards. But judging by the scene, Ymir no longer considers this place important. Calling us here when he abandoned it was probably just a light reconnaissance—to measure our strength, nothing more.”
Safi tilted her head, frowning. She had thought she’d die when the vertical shaft collapsed.
And he calls that “lightly”?
“Even if left alone, this was where Ymir first appeared. He probably expected someone would investigate eventually.”
With that, he began walking toward the source of the low, menacing growl.
“Y-you’re going that way? I—I don’t want to!”
Safi protested.
“Hehe… then trust in the escort of a god, little blacksmith.”
Loki said, his voice teasing.
Before she could react, Loki scooped Safi up into his arms. Floating effortlessly, he drifted deeper into the dungeon, carrying her into the unknown.
◆◆◆
A glint of steel cut through the dim light. The wolf that had lunged at Heimdall was cleaved in a single strike.
“Grrr—”
The creature’s pained growl lingered for a moment before it collapsed to the ground. In an instant, its body turned to black ash, crumbling away until nothing remained but a small magical stone that rolled across the floor.
“Enemies are cruel indeed.”
Heimdall muttered, frowning. He brushed blood from his blade and spoke deliberately.
“A mere beast… twisted into this form, turned into a monster.”
The wolf had been almost ordinary—except for its bloodshot eyes, its elongated, jagged fangs, and above all, the hateful growl that marked it as something far beyond a natural animal.
“To see my old home so thoroughly despoiled.…”
Heimdall murmured, shaking his head and letting his dark hair fall around his shoulders. Sheathing his sword, the golden embellishments still gleamed proudly even in the dim light.
Behind him, soft footsteps approached. Dressed in her priest robes, Luisia followed hesitantly, keeping her distance as she trailed after Heimdall.
“W…was that… a monster?”
Luisia’s voice trembled. Perhaps this was the first time she had seen even a small magical creature. Heimdall simply nodded.
“Yes. It is a monster—but not an ordinary one.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Most likely, the wild animals that originally lived here have been transformed into monsters.”
The wolf Heimdall had just cut down had already turned to black ash and vanished. Monsters require a flow of magical energy through their bodies. The moment their consciousness is lost, the flesh can no longer sustain itself.
“The Primordial Titan… twists living things into monsters. Even if it has lost the power of creation, it seems that as a creator, it retains the ability to corrupt and distort life itself.”
Luisia gasped.
Heimdall sensed her limits. Kneeling down, he brought himself level with the twelve-year-old girl, his dark eyes calm but serious.
“…It’s frightening, isn’t it? Tell me, will you keep your eyes closed until we reach our destination?”
At nearly two meters tall, Heimdall could easily carry Luisia in one arm as they moved.
Startled by the large hand extended toward her, Luisia shook her head quickly.
“I’m fine. Even you and Oniichan are moving through this place!”
She pushed gently against his hand and added,
“…Freyr is probably somewhere inside the dungeon.”
“You can sense that?”
“Freyja-sama within me tells me.”
Luisia answered, pressing a hand to her chest.
“When I was attacked… if he had been carrying me, it would’ve been… difficult, I’m sure.”
Heimdall was surprised twice in quick succession—first that she had noticed Freyr, and second by the bravery in her voice.
A soft green glow of magical energy enveloped her small frame. Through practice, Luisia had learned to channel Freyja’s power. Her growth was astonishingly fast, as though her consciousness were beginning to merge with the goddess herself.
“Skill Miko….”
Luisia spoke over him, eyes bright with determination.
“The next time that person shows up… I’ll have something to say myself!”
Even so—Luisia seemed entirely serious about scolding Freyr. Her sky-blue eyes shone with unyielding determination.
“Ha… ha ha ha!”
Heimdall laughed, a sound that burst like sunlight through the gloom.
“W-what is it?”
Luisia asked, startled.
“No… it’s marvelous! It seems there is a warrior within your heart as well.”
Heimdal replied, narrowing his eyes with amusement.
Rising to his full height, Heimdall added,
“I apologize. I will not underestimate you again. Please forgive me.”
Luisia returned his smile. Side by side, a young girl and a god began to move through the dim dungeon.
“You were the one who created the ‘Frost Orb’ even in the fertile city of Flocia, and bound Ymir’s hands, weren’t you?”
“Yes”
“…Indeed, you are remarkable.”
A low, distant groan reached them, carried on the wind. The monster’s growl was long and drawn out. Its echoes bounced through the vast dungeon, making it impossible to pinpoint its origin—but somewhere, perhaps, their companions were fighting against it.
“Oniichan.”
Luisia pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the steady thump of her heart—thump, thump—as if to reassure herself.
—If the time comes…
The whispered thought brushed against Heimdall’s ear.
“Luisia…”
Heimdall began to speak, but then shook his head.
Her slender shoulders trembled, a fragile battleground between fear and courage. Her longing for her family seemed to straighten her small frame, giving her a quiet strength. He needed to get her back to her companions—and to her brother—without delay.
“…Let’s hurry to our destination. While the Yggdrasil Water Mirror remains, we should be able to reunite with the other gods.”
And perhaps, at that place, the secret of Ymir’s power would finally be revealed.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com
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