Author: Yume Neiji

We immediately boarded the carriage and headed for the Royal Capital.

This was the location where the next god would awaken. The sacred object that indicated this location, the “Water Mirror of the World Tree Yggdrasil,” was located in the Western Dungeon.

The temple we were in was outside the Royal Capital’s walls, in the northeast direction. To reach the dungeon we were aiming for, we would have to go all the way around the capital’s long walls.

It might be past noon by the time we arrived.

We had a light meal, I made the gods return to the gold coin in my pocket and then we prepared ourselves. As I jumped into the carriage, another person got on from the opposite entrance.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

 From the carriage door, Safi appeared.

“S–Safi?”

“What? I should at least check how that sword I gave you is holding up. And besides…”

She tapped a finger against her head. The small hat she wore bobbed, the black feather tucked into it swaying lightly.

“I need to test this little thing’s effect, too.”

Safi handed me a hat of the same design.

“Don’t break it.”

“O-oh, I won’t…”

Soon after, the carriage set off. Inside, it was just the three of us—Felix-san, Safi, and me.

The coach passed through the temple gates and sped toward the Royal Capital. Beyond the windows, the Eastern gate of the city wall came into view—the very place where, only a month ago, I had fought Skoll.

From the outside, the entrance to the Eastern dungeon looked repaired, once again open to adventurers as though nothing had happened. The surrounding buildings told another story though. They are burned down to their foundations, with only charred pillars left standing like grave markers. The massive scar carved into the city wall was still visible too, likely from when Skoll smashed the gate with his great club.

『.…The wounds run deep huh.』

At Solana’s voice, I lowered my chin. Perhaps the goddess too was remembering that battle.

“Yeah.”

The Eastern gate receded into the distance.

After a time, Felix-san spoke.

“The Adventurers’ Guild hall suffered damage as well, but thankfully there were no casualties among their ranks. With the tyranny of Gideon gone, the Eastern district has, in fact, grown more peaceful. However….”

Felix paused, resting his hand thoughtfully on his chin.

“How should I put it… the adventurers’ trade—particularly around the western dungeon—has shifted somewhat. Well,  once we arrive, you’ll understand soon enough.”

I tilted my head, puzzled.

The carriage made a wide arc around the city walls, and before long, the Southern Gate came into view. We hadn’t entered through the Eastern Gate earlier, precisely to avoid the risk of a familiar guard peering inside the carriage. After the battle with Skoll, our family was said to have left the capital, seeking shelter with distant relatives. It would take more explaining if someone recognized me.

Once the gate was cleared, the sound of rushing water reached my ears.

The Southern district of the Royal Capital lay close to the canals. Every so often, the carriage passed between rows of buildings, and through the gaps, I caught glimpses of the flowing current. It made me recall the time I’d walked that same canal road with Mia-san.

“Eh?”

We passed through the main avenue, drawing closer to the western side of the capital. This area should have been bustling with adventurers as always.

Well, it was still bustling—but something felt off.

The noise and commotion hadn’t changed, but the adventurers themselves had. Their gear, their expressions… it’s different. Some wore heavy furs, some carried enormous axes the likes of which I’d never seen in the city. Others went about lightly dressed, bows strung across their backs, the kind of archers that were just as rare here.

It just didn’t add up…..

The monsters in the capital’s dungeons were predictable. You don’t need a massive axe unless you are to fight giant ones, and you won’t rely on bows unless you faced long-ranged beasts. Neither of those monster types existed here.

So why—?

“What’s with you!? That’s why northerners are such a—”

“Look who’s talking! You sound like some country bumpkin from the South! You newcomer!”

The reason for this argument, or rather the angry shouting, became clear. By my side, Safi tilted her head from side to side, frowning at the unfamiliar scene.

“What do they mean? The equipment, sure, but…”

“They’re not from the capital. They’re all from outside…”

From the harsh tundra in the north, people who must have come from the very edge of habitable land. And from the warm and fertile south, travelers who had crossed half the realm to be here.

I had been running around the city countless times as an errand boy, but never had I seen so many from so far away.

And in contrast—the adventurers I was used to, the ones of noble birth, the familiar faces of the capital—they were nowhere to be seen.

I blinked, once, twice, trying to take it all in.

“W-why…?”

“You recall the message the gods sent to everyone, right?”

I move my gaze away from the window and look up at Felix-san, who is sitting across from me.

“…The message about a ‘Hero’?”

——When the apocalypse is overcome,

——the heroes shall be blessed by the gods.

It seems this message was heard in the Royal Capital as well. As a result, the word ‘hero’ came to be associated with many adventurers.

“The events in the mining town of Alvis are also the subject of rumors in the Royal Capital. Of the giant snake that appeared, and how it was defeated along with the horn. And…”

Felix-san rubs his arm.

“The immense magical power used to defeat the monster caused many of the surrounding adventurers to level up.”

In the wake of that battle, all of us—Felix-san, Mia-san, and I—had grown stronger.

My own level had risen from level twenty-two to twenty-six. Mia-san had advanced to level thirty-two, and even Felix-san, who’s already formidable, had reached level forty-one.

It’s said that once you climb high enough, gaining further levels becomes exceedingly difficult. The body can only absorb so much magical power—the so-called “growth limit”—and the closer you get to it, the harder each step upward becomes. Which was why the others were so astonished.

Though if I were to be honest, the fact that I had jumped four levels in one stroke was hardly less strange. And yet, it wasn’t only us. Even adventurers who had merely witnessed the World Serpent from a distance found themselves empowered, their levels raised by the unleashed surge of magic.

“I’ve heard the same phenomenon occurred during the battle with Wolfbone Sköll. But at that time, the range in which the magical power was released was much smaller. And most of the adventurers had been directly engaged in combat, making it difficult to distinguish from an ordinary level-up.”

I gazed out at the boulevard.

Liveliness. Yes—that word fit the bustling streets, teeming with travelers and new faces.

“The chief god had sent message twice already. And twice, a great hunt has truly come to pass. Such things must have stir the ambition of adventurers.”

“And so…”

I murmured.

“Indeed. One might call it… the great migration of adventurers.”

I swallowed hard, a shiver racing up the back of my neck.

“In search of the next big thing, skilled adventurers began their journeys to become heroes. And the Royal Capital, being a key transportation hub, became overflowing with such travelers.”

A tale of a monster appearing on the frontier and the hero who defeated it. It must have ignited the spirit of adventure that lay dormant in the Kingdom of Asgard. Investigating dungeons and repeating the same thing every day. Instead of that life, adventurers set out on a true adventure.

『I wonder how much of this is Odin’s plan.』

Solana murmured something under her breath, but it was not something I could easily grasp.

The gold coin vibrated again, and I could hear Thor’s voice.

『Having so many adventurers must be Odin’s trump card. He’s been distributing skills for 1,000 years and creating teachings to help us dive into the dungeon, so he could use them as a fighting force in times like these. If that’s the case, then this situation could be seen as his way of sending us reinforcements, or… is it another plan?』

I clutched my gauntlet tightly.

No matter what era comes, I will survive and return to my family. And then I will solve the mystery of Lu’s power.

“Well, we’ve arrived.”

Felix-san signaled for the carriage to stop.

We looked up at the entrance to the Western Dungeon.

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

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The white robe of the temple fluttered wildly with each of Lu’s stride. My younger sister walked steadily ahead. Her white robe flutters but somehow—mysteriously—her little hat never once toppled off.

“Honesty, Gods are annoying at times. Mu!”

Lu pouted.

“They are always, always dragging Oniichan around! I want to see you too!”

I probably should have scolded her for the outburst, but instead a wry smile tugged at my lips.

The new blessing that Solana had granted me—the Sun’s Awakening Light, has power that extended the duration of lifted seals, and astonishingly, it even worked on the gods themselves. It wasn’t permanent, of course. But for several hours they could walk freely under the sky. For deities who had been bound for so long, it must have felt like a long-awaited chance to breathe the outside air again.

“Thor-sama is always teaching you rough things! And Loki-sama, he just teases you! Sigris-sama even made you drink some kind of weird medicinal bath! And Uru-sama… he talks to birds and animals and— it’s kind of scary!”

Uh-, such terrible things were being said about them….

Ever since they had been able to step outside again, Thor and the others had removed the veil of mystery that has been covering them.

“T-they really are amazing gods, you know?”

“…I know. I even heard some of it from you, Oniichan. But still…”

Lu puffed out her cheeks, sulking in earnest.

“You’ve only just come back, and now you don’t even get to rest.”

“Oh”

I realized. Lu was worried about me.

“I still think Solana-sama is the best! I mean, I was shocked she turned out to be a goddess, but…”

Lu spun around, her eyes shining.

“I’m still cheering for you, Oniichan!”

The gold coin in my pocket gave a sudden vibration.

“…Goddess?”

The coin only trembled again, the way it always did when she was on the verge of saying something. I tried calling out to her, but no reply came.

Come to think of it, ever since we’d gone to see Safi, Solana had been strangely quiet.

“…Is something wrong?”

『…N-no, nothing at all.』

As I tilted my head in thought, I noticed my mother approaching from the front. She was dressed in the same white temple robe as Lu, with two other women in identical garb following behind her.

“Good morning, Mom.”

Before I could say more, Lu quickly stepped forward, her expression shifting into a proper, formal one.

“Good morning, Mom. Melinda-san, Mariela-san.”

She recited their names smoothly, then went right on.

“I’ve already replaced the old magic stone lamps in the temple. I also looked at the vegetable garden, and since the frost has stopped falling, the mana grass is doing well. And also… ah, Pauline-san was looking for Mariela-san earlier.”

During her time at the temple, Lu had been working diligently alongside our mother. I’d always known she was a hard worker despite her frail health, but… knowing she’d only just recovered from two years of illness, I couldn’t help but worry.

I bit back the urge to say, “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“If there’s anything else that needs creating, please let me know!”

She raised her voice cheerfully as we passed Mom and the others, then she turned to smile at me. Her braids swayed, almost as if they were waiting to be praised.

“You really do seem like a proper temple attendant now.”

“Right?!”

Un… she really had brightened up.

That word ‘creating’ she mentioned must have referred to the skill she’d awakened.

“I’ve been practicing with Pauline-sama, making all sorts of things. As long as I have a mana stone, I think I can create just about anything now.”

We crossed the plaza of the warrior corps’ base that is surrounded by high stone walls. The place Lu led me to was a towering structure called the Great Tower. It was so spacious that the word “fortress” came to mind. It’s an imposing huge building with five floors.

“This way.”

She guided me up the stairs and into a small chamber. Inside, there was only a single desk and two chairs. What caught my eye, though, were the ornaments laid neatly upon the table. There is the statue of Odis-sama, the spear-bearing chief deity. A finely crafted horse caught mid-gallop. And an apple so fresh and lifelike I almost believed it real until I picked it up.

“I made them.”

Lu said proudly.

“…All of these?”

“That’s right. Hehe, while Oniichan is away, I practiced so I could get used to handling my magical power.”

Skill: 『Miko』; Ability: 【Creation】. The skill that resides within Lu is a special one that allows her to create matter from magical power. It’s the very ability that created the world.

“I wasn’t very good at it at first, though.”

Lu pointed toward a small box set on the floor. Inside were trinkets as well—though their finish was a little rough compared to the ones displayed proudly on the table.

“And… I wanted to show you these too—”

She trailed off as she slipped out of the room. A moment later, she bustled back in, carrying a pair of porcelain cups in her hands.

“I baked some sweets! Oniichan, will you eat with me?”

Her thoughtfulness made my chest tighten with quiet joy.

“Thanks Lu.”

I helped her prepare the tea. There was even a device in the room for heating water with a magic stone. Normally such tools required delicate control, but when Lu held her palm over it, the stone obediently warmed to just the right temperature.

“…You really are amazing, Lu.”

Life in the temple, learning to wield a new Skill—none of it could have been easy. And yet, the way she calmly heated the water, her profile that’s lit by the glow of the magic stone, she looked completely at ease.

“I told you, didn’t I? I’d get stronger and wait for you. You’ve had it even harder, Oniichan.”

Soon the steam began to sway in the cool air. I bit into one of the cookies she’d baked, washing it down with the warmth of the tea. Ever since we’d returned to the capital, everything had been so frantic for weeks that I hadn’t had a moment like this—to simply sit and talk with my sister.

“I want us to come back to the capital like this again, with Mom too…”

The words slipped out before I could stop myself. And the moment I heard them, I realized I shouldn’t have said it.

“Yeah…”

Lu’s response was also lackluster.

“Returning to the royal capital” is easy to say, but it was difficult for Lu. After all, the enemy might be trying to steal my sister’s skills.

That careless topic cast a shadow over the table.

The fine furnishings, the sweetness of the tea—none of it could quite hide the way both of us were remembering our old home located in the east of the royal capital. By the time the cups had gone still and the tea no longer gave off steam, I heard the sound of footsteps climbing the tower stairs.

“So this is where you were.”

It was Felix-san. His already narrow eyes squinted further as he tilted his head slightly. Beneath his black hair, the coronet on his forehead caught the light with a glint.

“Rion-san, forgive the suddenness, but… could you come to the Western Dungeon?”

The Mirror of Yggdrasil, the sacred water-mirror, was housed there.

I set down my teacup and rose to my feet.

“There’s been a reaction from one of the divine relics. A new god has been detected.”

“I’ll go!”

I glanced toward Lu. My sister met my eyes and gave a firm nod.

“It’s alright. Go on, Oniichan.”

“We’ll finish our talk another time.”

I gave her hand a tight squeeze before following Felix-san down the tower stairs.

Far away, somewhere within the depths of the world, another god was awakening.

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

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The small hammer was raised. With a straight hand, it struck the red-hot short sword.

Clang!

A satisfying metallic sound. I let out a sigh. My breath drifted in the chilly air. First thing in the morning, I was captivated by the work of the dwarf blacksmith.

The sound still lingered in my ears. Before it could fade, the small hammer struck again.

I forcefully tore my gaze away from the dwarf blacksmith, Safi, and her work.

The room of the Odis Temple in the Royal Capital had been remodeled into a “workshop” by the dwarves. A forge fueled by magic stones, a bellows to pump air, hooks with various weapons hanging from them.

I stood among the equipment, watching as my weapon was being reborn.

“Huu…”

The blacksmith, Safi, lifted her face from the anvil. She wiped the sweat from her brow, looking up from her short height.

“I said you could watch, but… don’t you ever get bored?”

“Ah, s-sorry…”

I guess it must be distracting.

I was about to leave, but Safi hastily shook her head. Her dark, round eyes trembled.

“N-no, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m grateful to you, so… feel free to watch as much as you like.”

Smiling, Safi turned back to the anvil. Placed on it is my blue crystal short sword that I had been using for ages. It had been through many fierce battles, and I’d even attempted something as reckless as hitting a flame titan. That’s why Safi suggested repairing it.

The red-hot short sword now had its crystal removed. It’s exciting, as it felt like new power was being pumped into it with each hammer strike.

“…I’m truly grateful to Rion. No matter what we dwarves make or do, it’s never enough to make up for the debt we owe you.”

As I listened to the satisfying sound of the hammer, I was reminded of something that happened not long ago.

We had returned to the royal capital. It was now the fourth day since we returned from Alvis, and around 20 days since the battle at the mining town. A lot had happened up until then.

The journey to the mining town of Alvis was to “awaken” the dwarves. But there was also the magic engineer who had sent reinforced golems to the royal capital. The dungeon in the mining town itself was a mining site for the “titan ashes,” which could break the seals that covered the world and unleash monsters.

Even now, I can hardly believe we made it back alive. In the very end, we fought Flamebone Surtr, who tried to burn the entire world to ashes.

“…Everyone in the dwarven kingdom of Alfheim thinks of you as a hero too.”

“N-no, not at all…”

I quickly waved my hands in denial.

“If it weren’t for the dwarven kingdom, we never could have defeated Surtr, and besides—”

I touched the gold coin in my pocket. Somehow, it felt lighter than usual.

“The one who really saved everyone… was Solana.”

The seal that covered the world— beneath it, even when dwarves were “awakened,” they would soon turn back into silent stone statues. It was the goddess—Solana, who saved them.

“‘The Sun’s Awakening Light,’ huh. I’ve heard it so many times I’ve memorized it by now.”

Safi gave a wry smile and paused her work. She had been at it since morning, and her green hair clung to her forehead with sweat.

“The principle goes like this, right? You draw magical power from the sun hanging in the sky and make it so that the dwarves’ unsealing never ends—almost permanently.”

According to the goddess, Safi’s body looked as though it was wrapped in a film of magical energy.

If the seal covering the world was a kind of ‘coldness’ that froze everything, then the dwarves were protected by the sun’s ‘warmth.’

“A letter came earlier, too. The dwarven kingdom of Alfheim is doing well. The dungeon has been reopened to adventurers, but the dwarves seem to be hiding themselves skillfully.”

The dwarven kingdom ended up hiding in the bottom of the dungeon. There were supposedly many passages and entrances in the dungeon, but since they were originally built by the dwarves, they could apparently be resealed.

Some adventurers also spotted a giant monsters. Naturally, they were curious about the dungeon’s secrets, but Felix-san handled things well. As a result, the Raven Warriors were not allowing anyone to enter the unexplored area.

“Haa~…”

I let out a long, long sigh. I collapsed onto the shelf in front of me.

Safi was shocked, still raising her hammer.

“W-What’s wrong?”

“…Yeah… I thought, this has become a really big deal.”

A global message that came from the sky, and the subjugation of a colossal monster that seemed to respond to it. The Raven Warrior Corps was deeply involved in both incidents. That’s why, in the mining town of Alvis, the corps was tasked with restoring order amid the confusion.

The golem engineer, a man named Ganis, and the lord who had allowed him free rein were to be held accountable for their crimes. The raven warriors likely used that as leverage in their negotiations as well.

The revival of the dwarven kingdom of Alfheim and the restoration of the Raven Warrior Corps standing. If I were to summarize the results in the mining town by force, that’s what it would amount to.

“Isn’t that great? The mysterious adventurer who defeated a colossal monster. Appearing with the awakening horn…. Who is he really? Doesn’t it sound just like a storybook?”

I gazed up at the ceiling. The glimmers of light here and there came from magic stones embedded in the pulleys and cranes.

What we had gained as allies was the dwarves’ craftsmanship and engineering. Besides Safi, about ten other dwarves had come from their kingdom. They weren’t here at the moment, but they were the ones who had remodeled this entire room. Incidentally, there was even a fabric sign hanging at the entrance. Apparently, it’s called a noren. Written on it were the words “Safi Group”. One of Safi’s apprentices had worked hard to prepare it.

Just like I said earlier, between the goddess and the dwarves, it really feels like I’ve wandered into a story.

And then there’s that word—hero.

“Yah!”

Safi brought her hammer down on the red-hot short sword with a sharp strike. The final sparks danced around for a moment before returning to the blade. She gripped the short sword with a pair of smithing tongs and plunged it into cold water. Then, as she pressed the blade against the rotating whetstone, it regained its luster—almost like magic.

“—Alright, that’s enough for today!”

I received the blue crystal short sword. This weapon had truly become my partner now. It felt perfectly natural in my hand.

“Go swing it somewhere and see how it feels. If anything’s off, I’ll fix it up again.”

“Thanks.”

“Fufu, just wait. With dwarven skill, I’ll make sure you get the best armor possible, too!”

Safi squinted one eye shut and turned back to her work.

“…So, Rion, do you just like watching this sort of thing?”

“Yeah. I think it’s amazing… and kind of calming.”

Safi froze.

“C-calming…?”

“Yeah. More than anywhere else, really.”

A resounding clang! rang through the workshop—loud enough to make me flinch. It seemed Safi had struck the anvil by mistake, hard enough to make sparks jump.

“I-I see! So that’s how it is!”

“…Well, it’s just that, anywhere else…”

Before I could finish, voices called out from the workshop entrance.

—Rion, where are you?

—Come spar with me!

—Or maybe talk magic with me instead?

—I’ve got a new herbal bath ready for you…

I’m pretty sure my shoulders jumped a good inch hearing them.

“Oniichan, where are you?”

The next voice made me answer before I could stop myself.

“Lu!”

I clamped my hands over my mouth.

—Uh, too late.

I heard the sound of a large group of people—Gods, I mean, rushing in from the entrance.

“There you are, Rion!”

A massive palm slammed into my back.

It was Thor, the thunder god.

Then came Loki, Uru and Sigris. Each of them took turn to jostle me around.

Thanks to Solana’s new power, the Sun’s Awakening Light, the gods could now stay outside the gold coins for far longer.

Not forever because the seal still held them but enough to change everything. And as a result—well, this is what happened…

“Rion!”

The chorus of voices echoed at once.

Well, I was being fought over by gods. To be honest, part of the reason I’d been hiding in Safi’s workshop was to escape from exactly this.

“Oniichan, here you are!”

This time it was Lu who appeared at the workshop entrance. She wore the familiar white vestments of the temple, her chestnut braids swaying beneath her soft, flat cap.

“Oh.”

My sister turned her gaze to Thor and the others, smiling sweetly.

Wait… are the gods backing down from her?

“I’m borrowing Oniichan. You’ve all been hogging him nonstop… I waited four whole days after we came back, you know?”

“B-but, today we were supposed to spar—habits are best corrected early—”

“Ex-cuse-me?”

Thor instantly choked on his words. Lu took my hand and tugged hard.

“Come on Oniichan! There’s something I want to show you!”

Her sky-blue eyes sparkled with energy.

Seen off by Safi, I let my sister pull me out of the workshop.

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

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The cheers and smiles of the dwarves warmly filled the hall. The white dwarves flitted through the air while the black dwarves on the ground clapped their hands. Our companion, the dwarf blacksmith, Safi, was also overjoyed at their reunion after 1,000 years.

“…But…”

Felix-san suddenly spoke up. His narrowed eyes were hard to tell from a smile, but he was looking down, seemingly in deep thought. His coronet glittered beneath his black hair.

“The revival of the dwarven kingdom is without a doubt a tremendous gain in terms of strength. But…”

But, what?

Brushing dust from her red hair, Mia-san raised an eyebrow.

“What is it? Supplies? Negotiations with the lord? That kind of thing?”

That’s what I thought too.

After all, there were matters to confirm—the fact that titan ashes had once been mined here, or that a golem master might have been involved. As a member of the Raven Warriors, Felix-san was probably concerned about such shady dealings in the dungeon.

“That’s part of it, and…”

A gust of wind whistled down through the crack in the ceiling. The sun was out and spring was near, yet the morning breeze still carried a chill.

Hunting God Uru let his brown pigtails sway as his eyes narrowed.

“…Felix, I think you have good instincts as a scout. We gods feel the same way.”

It was Thor who picked up the conversation, nodding gravely.

“I thought the same thing when we fought the World Serpent. ‘What’s Odin planning to do about all this commotion?’ I wondered.”

I blinked in surprise. Sure, we knew monsters were lurking there, and we’d defeated them… but still—

Thor’s crimson eyes locked on me.

“Think about it, Rion. Part of the dungeon collapsed, and a serpent that huge crawled out. Have you ever heard of such a thing happening before?”

I shook my head hard. If a monster like that had ever emerged from a dungeon so close to town, it would have been a major incident.

“—Ah!”

That was when I finally understood what Thor had been trying to say.

A major incident had just taken place in the mining town of Alvis—and not long after the trouble at the Eastern Dungeon near the capital.

“…When you say ‘commotion,’ you mean the world itself beginning to fall into chaos?”

The gods each gave a small nod in unison.

Sigris, the God of Medicine, planted her spear on the ground and spoke first.

“Rion, the world as it is now—in the Kingdom of Asgard—has kept the true myths hidden. That the gods nearly lost. That they covered the world in sealing ice to postpone defeat. And on top of that, they maintained a fragile peace.”

Memories of everything I had been taught since childhood flashed through my mind.

—The Odis Temple, said to oversee the dungeons. The nobles who received divine skills from Odis-sama himself.

“Of course, I don’t think everything was going smoothly. But even so, I believe the world was stable. As long as people believed in the myths, even if they were false, they would be protected.”

Sigris spoke up. Felix-san suddenly looked up hearing that.

“…Yes, that’s right. If that many monsters appeared, it wouldn’t be surprising if everything that’s been said about the dungeon up until now would be called into question. If things went wrong, the authority of the temple and the royal family would be shaken, and in turn, the entire kingdom would be destabilized… is that it?”

At that moment, we felt like the air was shaking. We snapped our heads upward as if jolted by an unseen force.

To all adventurers

That was the chief god, Odis-sama—no, Odin-sama’s second general message.

◆◆◆

At the river that flows at the foot of the Alvis mines.

One tributary flows into the town of Alvis, providing river transport for metals to the royal capital. The other diverges away from the town of Alvis, snaking through the mountains before finally reaching the northern plains.

Just now, a woman in a black robe emerged from the river. Water dripped from her chilled body, her pale hands gripping a tree and pulling herself up. Finally, the woman reached the shore and exhaled. Perhaps because her body was so cold, her breath didn’t come out with white breath.

Then the sound of hooves came.

“Hahaha! What a shame!”

The man who arrived on horseback was dressed in fine attire.

“Rata…!”

“I’m relieved you survived. Losing you right after Surtr would have been… troublesome, to say the least.”

From atop his horse, Rata extended a hand toward Jor.

“Where the hell did you go…?”

Jor glared at the shrewd merchant with thinly veiled resentment.

“Oh, now, let’s not call it desertion, shall we? For the sake of my honor, I must remind you—combat isn’t my line of work. Rata is a master of trade, a whisperer of secrets, and a handler of uh-… delicate transactions I could say. I’m the one who runs the slave operations, remember? You, on the other hand, wouldn’t even know how to read the first stroke of a ledger.”

Dripping with water, Jor dragged herself forward inch by inch. Like a black serpent that slithered past, a wet trail marked the ground behind her.

“…So? Did you get it?”

“Yes. I slipped in under disguise and borrowed Surtr’s magic stone. Once Ymir-sama consumes it—his power to break the seal will awaken.”

Still, it came at a cost.

Rata glanced toward the mountain, visible through the gaps between the trees, and gave a small shrug. The roar from earlier felt like a lie. The mountain peak now stood quietly, bathed in the soft light of morning.

“Well then, shall we go? The Raven Warriors aren’t fools. I heard hoofbeats not long ago.”

“…Tsk.”

Dragging her body forward, Jor gripped the horse’s side with her pale arm and hauled herself up behind Rata.

“…Hurry up and go.”

“Wait a moment.”

As Jor looked puzzled, Rata pointed to the sky above.

◆◆◆

To all adventurers.

The words began in the same way as the general message I had heard some time ago.

My skin broke out into goosebumps.

A monster bringing about the end of the world has appeared in the mining town of Alvis. But there is no need to fear any longer. With the sounding of the horn, heroes have arrived, and they have triumphed over the powerful monster.

Heroes…?

Those words sank into my heart.

Mia-san and even Felix-san, who  is usually cynical, were listening intently to the message. There is something about this god’s voice that stirred reverence in all who heard it.

Adventurers, use the skills you have been granted. Defeat the monsters. So that you may become heroes.

Go forth and become heroes.

Those words—left behind by the antique shop owner… no, by Odin-sama—flitted through my mind.

When the apocalypse is overcome, the heroes shall be blessed by the gods.

The message ended there.

It had echoed through the clear sky, and surely, it had resounded across the world in the same way.

For a single moment, there was silence. Then, from far off in Alvis, cheers could be heard.

“H-heroes?”

I couldn’t help but mutter.

Solana floated up. She closed her eyes and listened to the cheers that were ringing out from her ears.

“I see.”

The goddess’s gaze wandered into the sky, as if searching for something.

Thor crossed his thick arms.

“So, that schemer had two goals in mind.”

Raising his firewood-like fingers, Thor addressed us.

“First, we need to win the initial battle, which means defeating Flamebone Surtr. He’s the source of the titan ashes, and he’s a powerful monster, too.”

Perhaps Odin-sama had been planning this development from the moment we boarded the carriage to Alvis—or perhaps from the moment we heard the dwarves’ voice in the western dungeon.

This thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Thor pointed his chin to the sky.

“And there’s one more thing…listen.”

The cheers of the adventurers echoed through the heavens. Even without the blessing of the Hunting God, I could hear them from far away, all the way in Alvis.

I stroked my goosebumps. The feverish groans made the screams seem like a lie.

“Everyone… they are not scared anymore?”

“Kukuku, well, isn’t that simple? Because they heard the voice of a god, they’ve come to believe that even the appearance of monsters is part of the gods’ will.”

It may be just as Loki said.

The people of Alvis witnessed the moment when the World Serpent, Jormungandr, disappeared.  

—The moment when the mythical monster was defeated.

The message also announced that the terrifying monster that had shook the earth had been defeated.

“I can sense their strong trust in god even now. In fact…stronger than before.”

Solana spoke.

The adventurers of this town may be thinking this right now. A world unlike any before, a world like a heroic tale, has begun.

For instance, harvesting magic stones worth hundreds of gold coins from towering monsters. Or adventurers, even those without noble blood, being recognized by the gods for their achievements. Or seeking strength through rare materials and items never before seen. A world overflowing with such opportunities.

“Hmph!”

Thor snorted through his nose.

“In short, by awakening creatures straight out of the mythic age, parading them around, and having us strike them down in spectacular fashion, he’s fired up the adventurers. Word of today’s battle will spread—far beyond the royal capital.”

“B-but… why? Why would Odin-sama do something like that?”

Thor did not answer that.

I lifted my gaze to the clear blue sky.

Most adventurers dove into dungeons to fight monsters and claim magic stones as resources. But, of course, many also sought to make a name for themselves.

“…One thing’s for sure—Odin has no intention of returning the kingdom to the safe, stable world it once was.”

The words from the divine message lingered in my ears—hero and blessing. A blessing awaits the hero who survives the apocalypse.

But what lies… beyond the apocalypse?

“A hero huh…”

The words he muttered softly seemed to be carried away by the passing wind.

◆◆◆

A plump old man walked through the increasingly bustling town of Alvis at an unhurried pace. The backpack on his back shook with each of his steps. The antique dealer slowly looked back toward the mine.

“Hohoho. The apocalypse――there isn’t much one can carry beyond the apocalypse.”

The old man shook his backpack as if it were heavy.

“Tools, people, and skills.… You can’t just pack everything up and take it with you like what I can do with this old back of mine.”

He turned slowly into a deserted alleyway.

“Until I decide on my next journey and what I’ll bring with me—I’ll leave the treasures of my creativity to you.”

The old man dissolved into the hustle and bustle of the sky, leaving behind a raven’s feather.

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

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