Author: Yume Neiji

Night had fully fallen over Flocia.

After yesterday’s chaos, the calm that settled over the city felt almost unreal. Perhaps even the slave traders’ faction had been forced to lie low. The dungeon had been sealed off, and the city guards were out on the lake, keeping watch for river bandits.

I lay on my back in bed, staring up at the moonlight streaming through the window, replaying the day’s events in my mind.

—Oniichan!

Maybe it was because I’d been able to talk with Lu, but my heart felt lighter tonight. Her voice echoed in my head, and before I knew it, a quiet smile tugged at my lips.

“Hehe.”

Through the power of the Frost Orb, Lu and Pauline-san had projected their images to Flocia. They’d only appeared as small, doll-sized figures shaped from magic—but still, I hadn’t expected to see my sister here of all places. The surprise alone had made me ridiculously happy.

—Are you hurt!?

—And what about the gods!? Tell me everything!

She was as worry-prone as ever, bombarding me with questions right there in front of everyone. I hadn’t known where to look at the time—but even so, hearing her voice had eased something in my chest.

Maybe Nils-san felt the same when he spoke about his own sister.

His frustration, his anger… I think I understand them now.

—Did you find Freyr-sama?

Lu and I had talked about that too. Each time a god awakened, it meant one more power that could help protect her.

I shifted restlessly on the bed, something faint tugging at the edge of my thoughts.

“Rion.”

Solana’s voice drifted out. The goddess jumped out, light spilling from the gold coin as her tiny form hovered by the side of my bed.

“Can’t sleep?”

“…Yeah.”

I must have been staring off for a long while.

Flocia is a city of water. When I closed my eyes and focused, I could clearly hear the sounds of canals and passing boats. Somewhere out there, people were still working by the glow of mana lamps.

But that wasn’t the only reason I couldn’t sleep.

Ever since talking with Lu, something had been tugging at the back of my mind. I tried to sort through it, bit by bit. Perhaps sensing that I wanted to talk, the goddess floated a little closer, her faint light rippling like water across the sheets.

“Solana, before we went to the land of the dwarves—no, way before that—we studied this kingdom’s mythology together, didn’t we?”

“Mm. I remember.”

Solana answered with a soft nod.

“When the kingdom was founded, the entire world was still shrouded in the ice of sealing. The magic Odin released had covered everything far more completely than it does now.”

I closed my eyes, letting old lessons rise from memory. When the war between gods and monsters had turned toward defeat, Odin made a choice—to unleash his final magic and freeze everything: gods, monsters, and humankind alike.

The seal of ice was said to react most strongly to those with great magical power. Humans, who could survive even with little or no magic, were the first to slip free from that frozen prison.

Yet even then, the world had not been freed from the ice.

There was an ancient tale—one passed down only through the royal bloodline, from the kingdom’s earliest days. In that story, a certain goddess had shielded the people from the biting cold that blanketed the earth. I’d come across the record once, long ago, when Lu and I were studying the temple archives before setting out for the Dwarven Kingdom.

My mind wandered back over everything we’d seen since then—the abundance of water flowing through the dungeons, the lush greenery surrounding Flocia.

“Both Freyr and Freyja are gods of fertility and harvest…”

Looking at Flocia, it’s clear. The rivers, the crops, the very life that pulsed through the city—this was the work of deities who guarded all that sustained the world. The maze at its heart was proof of that blessing.

“I see. Rion, what you mean to say—”

Solana murmured, her golden eyes glinting softly.

“When the world was sealed in ice, when all life was frozen still, the goddess who sustained humanity… might have been none other than Freyja herself.”

“Yeah…”

I nodded.

To keep people alive—to preserve the fields, the water, the harvests—surely it had to be a goddess of fertility, of life itself.

Solana alighted gracefully at my bedside, her small form settling against the pillow.

“The gaps between the myths I know and the ones guarded by the Warrior Corps… Perhaps what lies between them is a missing myth—a story long forgotten by both gods and men.”

From the golden coin, I could sense the presence of the other gods listening in. Part of me wanted to ask Odin himself… but I knew he would never descend to answer. Not yet.

“It just— it bothers me….”

I muttered. Rolling over onto my stomach, I met Solana’s gentle gaze. Her tiny form glimmered faintly in the moonlight.

“Because I think… the battles ahead of us will have even deeper ties to those old myths.”

“…You’re right. Let us think this through.”

I pictured the ancient scenes—the visions Solana and the others had once shown me. And now, with the thought that the mysterious goddess might have been Freyja, those distant, mist-shrouded moments began to take shape.

“Solana, in your story, when the world was sealed in ice… there were still monsters roaming the surface, right?”

The goddess nodded slightly.

“But there aren’t any now. The roads are peaceful—proof enough of that.”

I turned my eyes to the window, to the moonlit streets of Flocia.

“So maybe that means… someone fought them. Someone wiped out the monsters that were left on the surface.”

Solana raised a hand to her chin, thinking.

“Hmm… it’s possible. The strongest creatures—those who might have challenged the gods themselves—were drawn into the dungeons, trapped there when the seals fell. Others, lured by battle, like Flamebone Surtr, entered willingly, . The monsters that remained above ground would have been weaker and manageable.”

Her golden eyes flickered.

“If humans had joined forces, they could have defeated them one by one… slowly reclaiming the surface of the world.”

It was all just a theory—only imagination. And yet, maybe that was how it all began. A gathering of survivors, warriors, and magicians who banded together to reclaim the frozen world… and in time, that gathering became the Asgard Kingdom.

The nobles of today often possessed exceptional combat skills. If their ancestors had been heroes from that age—those who fought to drive out the monsters—then it all made sense. After all, this kingdom was born for that very purpose: to hunt the remnants of the monsters and protect the world that remained.

“But, Rion—”

“Mm, I know.”

I exchanged a look with Solana.

“Why haven’t such stories been passed down to the present day though? A legend like that should have been passed down—perhaps not just among the royal family, but through the people as well.”

“Exactly…”

I murmured.

It didn’t add up. A tale that grand, that vital to the founding of the kingdom, should’ve survived somehow—through song, through scripture, through the faintest rumor. And yet, the silence of history itself felt like it’s been sealed.

Maybe someone had hidden it, they erased the story from history itself.

But could that even be done?

To tamper with so many memories, to seal away a legend shared by an entire kingdom… what kind of magic could possibly reach that far?

I turned the thought over and over, debating with Solana about every possibility, until the soft toll of the temple bell echoed from above. It was already late. We’d been talking far longer than I’d realized. We had to get up early tomorrow too.

“Let’s sleep, Solana.”

“Mm. Good night, Rion.”

The goddess shimmered, dissolving into a golden light before returning to the gold coin.

I rolled onto my side, burying my face in the large pillow. Back home, we all used to sleep in the same room. Now, lying alone in this quiet chamber, I couldn’t tell if the feeling in my chest was loneliness… or a kind of strange, peaceful luxury.

—Rion Heimdall.

A voice came without warning.

I shot upright in bed.

“…W-who is it?”

Silence.

No reply followed.

I listened hard, but all I could hear was the faint sound of water flowing through the canals outside, and the sigh of wind through the shutters. It hadn’t come from the gods resting in my coin—that much I was certain of.

It was a woman’s voice… soft, distant, and unfamiliar.

Then—

I dreamed.

Light like a sky full of stars surrounded me, glittering in a boundless darkness.

There, in the center, stood a woman encased in crystal ice. Her long, golden hair spilled down over her bowed face, hiding her features from sight.

I tried to call out to her—again and again—but the sound dissolved, swallowed by the stillness, as though I am speaking underwater.

By the time I found my breath, morning had already come.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Nils-san and I threw ourselves into training.

It might have been the first time since my father that I’d trained with a true swordsman.

I pushed myself to the brink of exhaustion, drawing on the Golden Flame until my magical power nearly ran out, learning the delicate balance of offense and defense right at the edge of my limits.

It was only because Nils-san was such a skilled swordsman that he was able to fight me while wrapped in Golden Flame. Because of him, true full-strength training was possible.

Golden Flame greatly enhances physical abilities for a limited time. It seems that precisely because it’s so powerful, I ended up relying too much on speed and fighting roughly. Come to think of it, even in my fight with Flamebone Surtr, I gave in to his temptation and nearly suffered a serious injury.

The blessing skill granted by the gods are powerful, undeniably so. But relying on it alone would only take me so far. Even in the most desperate moments, I couldn’t neglect the importance of reading my opponent, of strategy, of seizing the unexpected chance.

—That was Nils-san’s lesson.

“Let’s call it a day.”

Before I realized it, the sun had dipped toward the horizon, painting the training yard in shades of gold and amber.

Nils raised a finger, then went to return his wooden sword to the rack.

The evening breeze swept through, cool against the sweat on my skin. By the end, I’d even managed to land a few counterattacks on him, though, to be fair, only while the Golden Flame was active.

“You’ve got solid fundamentals.”

“I’ve been practicing every day.”

“That’s good.”

A faint smile softened his expression. The corners of his eyes eased just slightly, and for that brief moment, it was easy to see the kindness beneath his usual sternness.

“But still…”

He paused, his gaze settling on me. The warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by a cold, sharp focus.

“Powerful monsters and people will use tactics, deception, and feints.”

“I… I understand.”

“If there’s something you truly want to protect, then don’t shy away from any means necessary to do so.”

Nils-san returned to the inn, escorted by members of the warrior corps.

As for me, I made my way back to the temple. I changed out of my sweat-soaked clothes and wiped myself down with warm water.

When I stepped out of my room, I ran into Felix-san.

“Training huh?”

“Yes. It’s been a while since――”

I was startled. Right, tomorrow, once our scouting and preparations are done, we’ll be entering the dungeon again. Perhaps he is about to warn me not to overdo it before such an important mission.

However, Felix-san just smiled.

“That’s all right.”

Leaning lightly on his staff, he glanced around, as if checking to make sure no one else was nearby.

“…I’d like to ask you about Nils-dono. If he’s willing to cooperate, I’m considering adding him to our party. What do you think, Rion?”

“I think that’s a great idea.”

Felix-san nodded, as though he’d expected that response from the start.

“…Then allow me to be frank. I still believe there are a few things about him we should be cautious of.”

Apparently, Felix-san had spent the morning questioning Nils-san about various details—his homeland, his past, the sister he was searching for. Those much, we already knew.

But there was one thing still unresolved, the contact that Nils-san had mentioned. The “ally” who was supposedly providing him with information. That person had yet to make any kind of appearance.

“But if you vouch for him, Rion, then I’ll trust your judgment. It seems you carried out that ‘adventurer-style introduction’ of yours quite thoroughly.”

He gave a playful wink and I couldn’t help but pout a little.

“Y-you were watching?”

“Yeah. You’re good. You were completely outmaneuvered, though.”

“Oh, come on…!”

Felix-san laughed heartily, clearly enjoying himself, then motioned for me to follow.

“Now then, this way. There’s something about this temple you should see. It’s a bit cold down there, so I suggest putting on a warm cloak.”

After changing into a warm cloak, I followed Felix-san up to the spire of the temple. It must have been the fourth floor above ground—high enough to overlook the entire city. From this height, the great lake mirrored the glow of the setting sun.

The edge of the world wasn’t marked by a horizon of land, but by the distant line where water met sky—burning red in the twilight.

“Wow…”

It was a sight I could never have witnessed in the royal capital. My chest tightened, full of awe, and I found myself unable to move.

The gold coin at my side trembled, and Solana’s voice echoed softly in my mind.

『A vast lake huh. It’s almost like the sea.』

“The sea…?”

『Mm. You’ve never seen the sea before, Rion?』

I shook my head.

“No.”

『I see. The scenery of this lake is somewhat similar.』

In the Kingdom of Asgard, the southern edge of the continent met the sea, while the far north stretched into a barren tundra. My father had shown me those places once. Well, just an adventurer’s map.

So I knew about them… but I’d never actually seen them. I wondered if both ends of the world were as beautiful as this lake before me.

『I hope that one day we can show it to you.』

A smile tugged at my lips.

“Thank you… goddess.”

I stepped away from the window as Felix-san beckoned me toward the center of the tower. He opened a heavy door, and a chill breeze drifted out from within.

If the tower were a hollow cylinder, then this chamber would be its core. The moment the door swung open, the air grew sharp and cold, prickling against my skin.

I shivered involuntarily.

…It felt almost like the cold air inside a dungeon.

“Go on.”

Hugging my arms around myself, I stepped into the room. At its center stood a stone pedestal, and resting atop it was a small orb—glowing faintly white, a thin layer of frost spreading outward from its base.

The sight stole my breath.

“This is…”

It’s the『Frost Orb』.

I recognized it immediately—the same kind of divine relic Pauline-san had shown me back in the royal capital. But this one was much smaller, no larger than a clenched fist. The capital’s orb had stood nearly two meters tall.

“It’s freezing in here, isn’t it?”

The familiar voice made me turn.

Mia-san and Safi were already there, both wrapped snugly in cloaks against the chill. Beside them stood another woman, one I hadn’t seen before. She wore a tall, formal hat, and there was something about her—her silver hair, her clear blue eyes—that reminded me of Pauline-san.

But she was older, perhaps by a decade or more.

She bent slightly to meet my gaze.

“An honor to meet you, Hero-dono. I am the cousin of the Ninth Princess, Pauline-denka.”

“I can slightly use the Seal skill. That is why the protection of Flocia’s Frost Orb has been entrusted to me.”

So she truly bore one of the royal bloodline’s hereditary skills. No wonder she was stationed here—in a city so vast it served as both a temple and a fortress for the warrior order.

“Shall we begin?”

At Felix-san’s cue, the woman placed her hand gently atop the orb.

The cold deepened instantly, and the Frost Orb flared with a blinding white light. When the brilliance scattered, two silhouettes shimmered into view above the pedestal—hazy at first, then sharp enough to recognize.

“Lu? And… Pauline-san!”

I could only stare in stunned disbelief.

There, projected in miniature above the glowing orb, were my sister—and the Ninth Princess herself, speaking to us from the royal capital.

“Oh my, it seems the connection worked.”

Pauline-san said pleasantly, waving with her usual calm grace.

Lu looked around in wide-eyed wonder before spotting me. Then she began bouncing up and down excitedly atop the orb’s light.

“From the capital’s orb, we can channel magic to the other branches. As an experiment, we tried seeing whether that same flow could transmit images and voices as well.”

Now that she mentioned it, I remembered her saying something about testing a new function back in the royal capital. Just as the divine horn had reawakened the gods’ presence, perhaps the sacred relics they’d left behind across the kingdom were beginning to regain their power too.

“Now then…”

Pauline-san cleared her throat softly before letting her gaze sweep across all of us. From her side of the connection, she was probably seeing us as small shimmering figures, just as we saw her.

“Felix. What we are about to begin is a strategy meeting. But first, let’s make sure everyone here is up to date.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Felix-san gave a crisp nod, then began his report.

He explained about Nils-san—how we’d met him, his skills as a swordsman, and his offer to assist in the dungeon investigation.

“…Ah, the swordsman mentioned in the earlier reports. If his abilities are proven and he’s not one to be ignored, then adding him to your ranks may be a wise choice. Understood.”

Leaning on his staff, Felix-san stepped closer to the wall. There hung a massive frame—larger than an adult could span with outstretched arms—and within it was a detailed map.

“The map of… Flocia?”

Felix-san gave a single, grave nod.

“We’ve located the slave traders’ base.”

The air in the room seemed to drop several degrees at those words. He pointed to a section on the map—right over the dungeon of Flocia.

“Their stronghold lies within the Flocia dungeon, just as we suspected. Our scouts discovered an entrance leading to a hidden area from the fourth layer. However, tracing several faint lines radiating from the lake’s outline, it appears there are multiple concealed passages scattered around the lake that connect to the same secret zone.”

The map of the lake was dotted with tiny islands, each marked with careful ink strokes.

From what Felix-san explained, some of those islands concealed secret passages leading directly into the dungeon.

“…No wonder the river bandits were never caught.”

Mia-san muttered, her lips twisting in frustration.

She was right. If the slave traders were connected to the river bandits—and both had access to those hidden routes into the dungeon—then they essentially possessed an escape network no one could trace.

“The hidden area within the dungeon appears to extend all the way beneath Flocia itself.”

I froze.

What—there was an exit from the dungeon inside the city?

“You mean it runs under the lake?”

“Most likely. Flocia’s dungeon has a recommended level of thirty, and its deepest point—thirteen layers down—reaches near the lake bed. You can think of it as a network of tunnels spreading outward from the dungeon’s core.”

We all stood there, speechless.

“B-but… why?”

Weren’t dungeons supposed to be sanctuaries—refuges built to protect the faithful from monsters?

Alvis’ dungeon had once been the palace of the dwarves, but if the reports were right, then the Flocia Dungeon sprawled beneath the lake itself… a vast maze beneath the waters.

The coin at my side vibrated, and the god’s voice resonated gently in my mind.

『A escape route.』

Uru spoke.

『Yeah. Sounds like something those sibling gods would’ve done… though I’d bet it was the brother’s idea.』

Loki seconded. Their voices overlapped in my mind, followed by a calmer, softer tone—the voice of Sigris, the God of Medicine.

『Freyja-sama, the Goddess of Fertility, is deeply loved by his brother, Freyr. It’s likely he created the escape path to protect her—just in case. That would explain why the deepest layers connect to it.』

『Even if that’s the case… then what?』

Another voice chimed in—Loki’s this time.

Even he sounded subdued, his usual teasing remark was replaced by something thoughtful, almost grave. The gods’ voices echoed one after another, their surprise mirroring our own.

It seemed even they hadn’t expected this truth about this dungeon.

『And those hidden paths might not be the only ones. For us gods, the greatest escape route always leads upward.』

His words lingered in my mind, stirring a quiet unease. I started piecing things together—the slave traders’ testimonies, what we’d seen in the dungeon, and what we now knew about Flocia’s structure. The fragments fit together almost too neatly.

I raised my hand.

“Um, just to confirm… Is there any chance the slave traders were lying in their statements?”

Felix-san glanced at me, mildly surprised.

It was possible, after all. If the enemy had fed us false information, it might be part of a larger deception. And if that were true—then verifying it wasn’t just caution. It was strategy.

“It’s possible. But personally, I believe their statements are credible.”

“Why’s that?”

Mia-san asked, crossing her arms.

“Because, before the interrogation began, I happened to hear the voice of the god Loki in my mind. When I followed his advice… the slave trader broke almost immediately.”

From the coin at my side came that all-too-familiar, mischievous voice.

『Fufu, just a little trick, that’s all. The overseer nearly drowned once, you see. So he’s terrified of water. Fear can sometimes become the best oil to make the truth slip free.”

I couldn’t help but shiver.

This god really was scary sometimes…

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Safi’s green hair bounce as she coughed politely into her hand, trying to defuse the tension.

“So—if the information is accurate, how do we attack?”

Right. If the dungeon stretches out under the lake in so many places, we’d be facing an enormous area.

Safi trotted over and craned her neck to study the map on the wall.

“As an engineer… and, well, a black-dwarf, I can pretty much lay the underground layout. If you give me the dungeon map, I can extrapolate routes.”

“But that’s just one piece.”

Felix-san interrupted.

“The hidden areas likely spread all across the lake. The warrior corps alone won’t have enough manpower to clear them.”

The image of Pauline-san, projected through the orb, gave a small, decisive nod. It almost felt as if her eyes met Felix’s through the shimmering light.

“Let’s recruit allies from among Flocia’s adventurers.”

Pauline-san spoke decisively. Both Mia-san and I widened our eyes in surprise.

“Is that… really all right?”

“Yes.”

That answer carried the weight of something immense—a decision that would break the silence the Warrior Corps had kept for so long. It meant revealing the dungeon’s secret to the public.

 Pauline continued, her voice calm but firm.

“The kingdom has already begun to change since the Great Message. Colossal beasts have awakened, and adventurers are migrating across the land. We can no longer cling to the way things were.”

Toward the end, her words sounded almost as if she were speaking to herself—steadying her own resolve.

Revealing the hidden areas of the dungeon to adventurers meant exposing the frozen monsters, and possibly even the gods themselves, to mortal eyes. Pauline-san knew that. Still, she chose to move forward—to fight.

“It’s time for the Raven Warrior Corps to steel themselves as well.”

Felix-san bowed deeply.

“Understood. Then, tomorrow….”

“Yes. Announce the discovery of the dungeon’s hidden sectors, and call for volunteers among the adventurers.”

We will gather a large force and set out into Flocia’s unexplored zones. It would be the largest dungeon expedition I’ll be a part of.

Clutching the gold coin, I held back the tremor in my hands.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Today was set aside for interrogating the river bandits and organizing the gathered information. That meant no exploring the dungeon. Unfortunately, that would give the slave traders a moment to breathe —but there was no way we could just charge into that dungeon unprepared and blind. That much was clear.

“Right.”

Even so, there were still things I could do.

In the courtyard of the Odis Temple, there was a space set aside for training. Given the size of the town, it had probably once served as a base for a knightly order or a warrior’s guild.

I gripped the short wooden sword in my hand and gave it a sharp swing before taking my stance.

My gaze locked onto the training dummy before me, and in my mind, I replayed the movements of the sahagin I’d seen yesterday—and the spells cast by the overseer.

“Hah.”

I closed in on my target, shifting my weight—feet coiling like springs, ready to change direction at any moment.

The wooden blade struck the training dummy with a sharp crack—just as I felt a gaze on me.

“Diligent of you, reviewing your moves already.”

It was Nils-san. His golden hair swayed gently in the breeze, his finely shaped face calm and unreadable. But his eyes were focused, watching my every movement with quiet intensity. He was probably here at the temple to exchange information with the warrior corps.

“Uhm…”

I began, turning toward him My chest grew warm, and before I realized it, words slipped from my mouth. The memory of yesterday’s battle flickered in my mind. I hadn’t seen anyone wield a sword like that since my father. Not even the town’s warrior corps could match Nils-san’s skill.

For a moment, standing there in the training yard, I felt as though something long lost had returned—like the training I once shared with my father had somehow begun anew.

“I get it.”

Nils nodded before I could even finish my words.

“For some reason… I was thinking the same thing.”

He walked over to the corner of the training area and picked up a wooden sword of his own.

“Let’s spar, Rion.”

We took our positions, about two meters apart, facing each other.

A quiet breath slipped from between my lips as I steadied myself. I raised my wooden short sword and fixed my gaze straight ahead.

It was only practice—not a real fight.

And yet, my heartbeat quickened far faster than it had even when I’d faced monsters. Part of that tension came from the difference in reach.

My weapon was a thirty-centimeter wooden blade, modeled after a short sword. Nils-san, on the other hand, held a wooden longsword over a meter in length.

To be honest, I wasn’t without confidence. After all, training against opponents with longer blades was one of the things I’d practiced the most.

“…Haa.”

I let out a slow breath.

With his sword held at mid-guard, Nils-san stood as if carved from iron—unyielding, without a single opening.

A soft breeze brushed past. Somewhere nearby, a bird called out.

But between us, the air was anything but peaceful.

Then, Nils-san shifted his stance. The blade of his wooden sword rose from mid-level to beside his face, the tip angling straight toward me. That moment—when the guard changes—is supposed to be when the body is most vulnerable.

Every instinct in me screamed to move. My mind’s alarm bells rang loud and clear. And yet, focused on the tension of the duel, I had only one choice left—to dive in.

“—!”

A thrust came—I dodged. If I could slip into his guard, the range would favor my short blade. My smaller build even gave me the advantage of striking upward from below. But the next instant, the world spun.

I hit the ground hard, staring up at the sky.

Instinct kicked in and I rolled to soften the fall. A dull ache spread through my leg—he’d hit me there. Not with the blade, but cleanly, efficiently, knocking me off balance. Even without being cut, I had scraped myself from my own momentum.

“Leg sweep…?”

Nils-san hadn’t even moved much from where he started.

He looked down at me with that same calm, piercing gaze.

“Is that the end of it?”

“Not yet!”

I shouted, forcing myself back to my feet.

That exchange told me everything. He’d baited me—deliberately changing his stance, drawing me in. I thought I had seized an opening, but in truth, I walked straight into the trap.

“Use your skill.”

Nils-san spoke, his wooden sword meeting mine with a sharp crack.

“But—!”

“There are things you’ll never understand unless you fight at full strength.”

His presence was overwhelming—like standing before a towering wall. The way he moved, the quiet authority in every motion… it reminded me so much of my father that my heart began to pound in my chest.

Then fine. I’ll give it everything I’ve got!

Golden flames burst forth, wrapping around my body. It was the “Golden Flame”—a skill I rarely used outside the dungeon, and almost never against another person.

Nils-san shifted his stance once more. At first glance, it looked utterly relaxed—his arms hung loosely at his sides, the blade angled downward, his left hand resting lightly on the hilt.

A stance that said, come at me from anywhere.

『Rion—』

『Quiet, Solana. A warrior has chosen his fight.』

I drove my foot into the ground, launching forward.

Our timing aligned perfectly—his upward strike met my blade as I twisted, turning the blow aside.

The wooden swords groaned under the pressure, a sharp creak echoing through the courtyard.

For the first time, I thought I saw Nils-san’s eyes widen slightly..

“Here I come!”

I darted around him—then leapt, sliding low to strike from below.

The temple courtyard suddenly felt far too small for the strength coursing through me.

“…Impressive skill.”

Nils-sa met every one of my blows head-on.

Each strike was deflected so precisely that it didn’t even feel like he was blocking me. It was as if my blade was being guided—drawn harmlessly into the flow of his sword.

Our wooden weapons clashed against each other, the sound sharp and grating.

“Twin Scatter Strike!”

My opponent unleashed a skill of his own.

Twin strikes swept toward me from left and right—so perfectly timed they seemed to close in like jaws. I caught the left one, just a fraction slower, and knocked it aside, leaping back to open the distance.

Sweat burst from my skin, trickling down my neck.

“Your swordsmanship is… straightforward.”

Nils-san uttered softly.

He reset his stance, blade held steady at mid-guard. Not a drop of sweat marked his calm, unshaken face.

“To deceive, to mislead—to strike where your foe least expects. You lack that instinct. It was the same with the river bandits. You can’t yet bring yourself to be cold to your enemy.”

The wooden sword he leveled at me might as well have been a real blade—sharp enough to pierce straight through my chest.

“Kindness without resolve is no different from weakness.”

Was that Nils-san’s way of giving me advice?

The moment he called it “weakness,” I stepped toward him again. A few swift strides brought me into striking range. His wooden sword came down in a sharp arc, and I met it with my dagger.

The weapons splintered on impact, shattering into fragments that left us both unarmed. More shards flew toward him than me, and Nils-san winced, shutting one eye against the spray.

I felt a pulse of light awaken in my chest— a brown radiance, reminiscent of the Blessing of the God of Hunting.

—Circle around him!

If it were my father, perhaps he might have said something like that.

But he was gone before he could ever teach me the art of strategy. Even so, I wanted to face this man head-on—no tricks, no hesitation.

“Why do you waver? An enemy shows no mercy.”

He moved first.

In an instant, he seized my outstretched arm and hurled me off my feet. The world spun—sky, ground, sky again. If there had been spectators, they might have called it a flawless throw, almost beautiful in its precision.

Through the dizzy blur, I caught a glimpse of Nils-san’s startled face as he realized what he’d done.

“S-sorry!”

My back slammed hard against the cobblestone with a dull thud.

Nils-san rushed over and reached out his right hand, pulling me up with a firm, apologetic grip.

“.…I went too far. And I said more than I should have. For someone my level…. that was downright childish.”

He really did look regretful.

Rubbing my aching lower back, I took a moment to think.

“I’ll make it up to you later.”

“In that case—”

Before he could say anything more, I dashed to the corner of the training yard. I came back carrying two fresh wooden swords.

“Please, teach me again.”

For a moment, Nils-san just blinked at me. He was caught off guard this time for real.

Then, as if unable to help himself, he let out a small, rueful laugh.

“You’re a serious one.”

Nils-san said with a faint smile.

“This is part of strategy too, isn’t it?”

I made a point of smiling—brightly, well, deliberately. And somehow, in that moment, I understood why Luu always smiled at me that way.

“I want to become stronger. No…. I have to.”

Nils-san gave me a slow, approving nod.

“Very well, then I’ll train with you, boy.”

It had been a long time since I spent time with a swordsman like my father.

That day, I devoted nearly all my training hours to Nils-san.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The canals, the lake, and the dungeon. What began as a slave-trading chase had spiraled into a struggle that engulfed all of Flocia. By the time we’d carried the wounded river bandits out of the dungeon and brought them back to the town, I think the date had already changed.

The area around the Temple of Odis was in an uproar. After all, nearly thirty injured people had been rushed in at once.

We are now sitting in a small chamber within the temple. I’m here to recount everything that happened yesterday to Safi, our companion who couldn’t come with us.

“U-Undine!?”

I couldn’t help but cover my ears.

Safi’s big, dark eyes went perfectly round as her mouth dropped open in shock. For someone with the body of a five or six-year-old child, how could she possibly produce a voice that loud?

I was sitting, so my height was exactly the same as Safi’s when she was standing.

“Y-yes…”

Her reaction was so over the top that I could only nod timidly. I shifted uneasily in my chair.

“We found her in the dungeon. Once she woke up, she offered to help us right away.”

By the way, in the span of just one day, this temple room had turned into Safi’s workshop. A magic-stone furnace, an anvil, a spinning grindstone. Materials brought in from outside had been fashioned into a workbench perfectly sized for her small frame, and various tools now cluttered its surface.

“I—I mean, I was surprised at your great performance. I-I can’t believe it, even we dwarves find it difficult to handle!”

Sapphie took a magnifying glass—apparently also called a magnifying glass—from the workbench and peered into the crystal on the gauntlet.

“Whoa, it’s for real. The water-spirit, Undine, is definitely inside. How the heck did you pull that off?”

“Is it really that difficult? I always thought ‘water’ related ones is not that scary….”

Safi raised a finger with all the gravity of a professor unveiling an experiment.

“Normal water, that is. Heavy rain, flooding rivers, tsunamis, groundwater in mines. In any case, water spirits can be very dangerous if you anger them. Their true nature is to flow. They don’t want to stay in one place, they must move. And their movement is much stronger than wind. If a spirit like that went into a crystal easily… just how did you do it?”

Safi tilted her head, setting both the gauntlet and her “magnifying glass” back on the workbench.

“Loki granted me a new power. It’s called Spirit’s Friend.”

“Huh?”

She swayed her head side to side, clearly unconvinced.

“Hmm… sure, divine power helps, but it’s only an aid, isn’t it? Maybe you were just born that way. There were people in the ancient age too, who naturally drew in the power of spirits and gods.”

My heart skipped a beat.

It reminded me of Lu.

Skill 『Miko』. The powerful skill that resides in my little sister contains the “power of creation” that gave birth to the world. The two of us, brother and sister. Just as our father’s skill is called『Awakening』, maybe our bodies, our very natures, carried a trace of similarity in how we handled power.

Safi spent a while examining the gauntlet I had handed her, studying it with quiet focus.

“—All right!”

At last, she passed the armor back to me.

“No issues. The equipment’s fully attuned to the new spirit. You should thank your sister for that.”

We exchanged a smile, and I quickly set about re-equipping myself The gauntlets slid snugly onto both arms, and I sheathed the short sword across my back.

I took of the warrior corps’ cloak and was left with just black leather armor guarding my torso. The Hat of Bewilderment was folded neatly and tucked away into my pouch.

“—Rion.”

Just as I was about to step outside, lost in my thoughts, Safi called out to me.

The dwarf blacksmith rubbed her cheek awkwardly, eyes slightly widened—she looked more startled than I was.

“What is it?”

“Ah, um…”

Was she… nervous?

Her dark eyes darted about before she finally spoke.

“W-well… just make sure you come back safe, okay?”

“…Yeah!”

I nodded firmly and started up the stairs.

A moment later, an exasperated “Ugh, honestly!” echoed up from the basement. It was Safi’s voice, half a yell, half a sigh.

The temple clerics nearby all turned in alarm.

The gold coins trembled faintly, and then, almost in unison, everyone began to murmur the same words.

『Do not return, Rion.』

『You mustn’t go back.』

『Ah… how adorable.』

『Even Loki find this amusing—but teasing them now would be rather boorish, wouldn’t it?』

W–what do they mean…?

Well, I think it’s fine—probably…

Then, the voice of the Sun Goddess reached me.

『…Rion.』

“What is it, Solana?”

『Mmm… n-no, it’s nothing.』

I nearly tilted my head in confusion again.

But I stopped myself—if it were Father, what would he do in a moment like this? For some reason, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something unseen was moving behind the scenes— something quietly unfolding beyond my reach.

“Really? I didn’t… do something wrong, did I?”

『I-it’s fine, really!』

Still puzzled by the goddess’s tone, I made my way toward the courtyard.

Once my gear check was done, it would be time for training.

I listen to the gods’ voices, review yesterday’s movements, and make sure my body remembered every step.

◆◆◆

Mia leaned against the temple wall, stifling a yawn. Her hair, tipped and flicked outward like a cat’s ears, fell across her face as she brushed it aside. Within the grand sanctuary—where the statue of the High God Odis loomed above—voices of protest rang out, echoing off the marble walls.

“The canals are under our jurisdiction!”

“Is it true that a military vessel entered the dungeon!?”

They’d been going on like this since morning. No wonder a yawn kept threatening to escape.

The battle that had broken out during the night had clearly thrown all of Flocia’s communication networks into chaos. One after another, the town’s powerful figures had come storming into the Temple of Odis.

The Water Transit Bureau.

The Adventurers’ Guild.

The major trading houses.

All of them shouting over one another, snapping at the priests who tried in vain to calm them down. They are all demanding the same thing: “Send out the Raven Warriors!”

“As the Flocia Water Transit Bureau, we lodge a formal protest against this temple’s actions!”

One official shouted, his face red with indignation.

Mia shot a sharp, sidelong glare at the shouting middle-aged man.

Among Flocia’s power brokers, some were known collaborators of the slave traders—and this particular bureau was high on her list of suspects. The Water Transit Bureau controlled everything that moved along the canals. If river bandits had managed to sail warships upstream, or if military craft had been lurking within the waterways at all, it would’ve been under their watch.

“W-what are you staring at!?”

The bureau chief snorted, clearly cowed but unwilling to show it.

“An adventurer like you! Do you have any idea how much gold we pour into the Guild!?”

His heavy footsteps echoed as he stormed out of the temple.

The Temple of Odis—now the operating base of the Raven Warriors—was set to be completely closed to outsiders by this afternoon.

And just then, the afternoon bell tolled.

At the priests’ urging, the town’s dignitaries, still bristling with indignation, began filing out one by one.

“.…Mia, do you have a moment?”

Once the temple had regained its usual hush, Felix approached her.

Mia gave a feline grin.

“You look just as worn out as I am.”

They had split the work earlier. Mia keep watch over the uproar in the sanctuary, while Felix and his team handled the interrogation of the captured river bandits.

Felix gave an easy shrug, the small coronet beneath his dark hair catching the light.

“We’ve finished questioning the overseer. We also heard from Nils-dono. Still, research and inquiries are what I do best.”

The temple was divided into two parts: the public halls, where the statue of the god Odis stood in solemn grandeur, and the inner corridors used only by the clergy.

Felix led Mia into one of the small rooms in the back before continuing their conversation.

“The unexplored section of the Flocia Dungeon is far larger than we expected. It appears to have multiple exits, all connected through the lakebed. We’ll share the full survey results once they’re confirmed.”

A furrow creased his brow.

“…We may no longer be able to keep the truth of the dungeon—and the secrets of its seals—hidden from the public.”

Mia leaned her back against the wall.

Skills were gifts from the gods, after all. Because of that, adventurers tended to hold a special reverence—almost a fondness—for the god, Odis-sama.

“Well, it can’t be helped, can it? I don’t think adventurers are so narrow-minded that they’d get angry just over that.

Perhaps that was what Felix had wanted to hear. The opinion of someone who spoke not just as a member of the Raven Warriors, but as an adventurer.

“I understand the worry, but some things just aren’t worth fretting over.”

Felix gave a small nod.

“True enough. Between adventurers, that boy, the gods, and the dwarves—well, it feels arrogant to say so, but devising a plan that fits them all is proving…. difficult.”

He trailed off there, falling silent as though deep in thought.

“There’s one more matter I wanted your opinion on. About Nils-dono….”

He crossed his arms, eyes fixed on the wall in front of him as though the right words might be etched there.

“You’re wondering if he can be trusted?”

Mia finished it for him.

“Yes. If we bring him in, that would make him an official member of our party.”

Mia gave a wry smile at his tone, as if surprised to hear such hesitation from him.

“Hey, I’m an adventurer too. Just because you’ve fought alongside someone once doesn’t mean you can trust them completely. I’m not that naïve.”

Then she fell silent and gave him a meaningful look. The kind of look that said “you’ve got something more to tell me, don’t you?”

“There are two things that I find strange. First—his so-called ally. Nils-dono claims to know about the slave traders, and even that they have a base of operations here in Flocia. But if someone like that truly existed, they should’ve crossed paths with the Raven Warriors long ago. We’ve been hunting the slave traders relentlessly for two years now.…”

“I see….”

Mia murmured, brow furrowing.

“The second is.…. the timing. It’s too perfect.”

He let out a small, self-deprecating laugh, shoulders lifting in that familiar, ironic way of his.

“You could call it a hunch. It’s true the slave traders have grown more active lately—and for a powerful swordsman to appear at just this moment….”

Mia scratched the back of her head, her hair rustling.

“You’re saying the story sounds a little too neat?”

“Mm. As members of the Raven Warriors, it’s part of our duty to keep intrigue at bay. Doubting what lies beneath the surface—that’s my role, after all.”

But then he paused, his tone softening.

“Still, it’s all just conjecture. Nothing more. All the same, if he’s to be our ally, I’d rather keep him where we can see him—within our own party. That’’s why I wanted to hear your impression of him.”

Mia could still remember the killing intent Nils had towards the river bandits. Must be from the desperation of having his sister taken as a slave. That kind of anger could drive a man to rash decisions. The risk wasn’t zero.

Even so—

“I think we can work with him.”

Mia’s answer was clear and unwavering.

“Even if he’s hiding something, so what? Our enemy is the same, isn’t it? Fighting side by side toward the same goal—even if it’s only temporary—that still makes us a party.”

She grinned, jabbing Felix lightly in the side. The gesture said what words, “Don’t worry so much.”

“Don’t carry it all on your shoulders. Even this older-sister adventurer thinks about half as much as you do, you know.”

Felix winced, a hand pressed to his side where she had poked him, his mouth twisting in mild embarrassment.

“For the record, I’m technically older than you.”

“Oh really?”

Mia blinked in honest surprise, earning a sigh from Felix. He lifted his gaze, and she followed it upward—toward the stained glass high above.

Sunlight streamed through in rich colors, scattering across the temple wall in a mosaic of red, gold, and blue.

“The last opinion we need is Rion’s.”

“.…Hey, Felix”.

“Yes?”

“You don’t have to worry so much. Rion is already thinking about that kind of thing. Adventurers get used to meetings and farewells. It’s part of life.”

The two of them stepped out of the room. Just then, they caught sight of a figure heading toward the courtyard— the swordsman, Nils.

From that same courtyard came the steady thwack of wooden blades meeting air.

Rion was training.

“I see. Perhaps the boy has his own way of judging people.”

Felix smiled.

Soon, the sound of the wooden swords becomes “two.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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