Category: Hazure Skill “Alarm”, jitsuwa fūin kaijo no nōryoku deshita. Ochikobore no shōnen wa, nemuri kara sameta megami-tachi to yasashī saikyō o mezasu

As soon as we were admitted into the castle, a guide was assigned to us.

We were quite a large group, so we moved through the royal palace in a long procession. At the front is Pauline-san—the Ninth Princess. We followed behind her (me, Mia-san, Felix-san, and then more than twenty members of the Raven Corps).

The castle, built upon the foundation of what had once been a great temple, was incredibly tall. We had to climb steep, endless flights of stairs. Perhaps the nobles and the king had lifts of their own.

At last, we entered a grand hall.

I knew I shouldn’t stare, but my eyes kept drifting from one sight to another. The polished floor faintly reflected our figures. The stark white light of magic-stone lamps scattered and shimmered across its surface. The walls were carved with the likeness of the god Odis, and above us stretched ceiling paintings praising that same chief deity.

—A fabricated mythology.

The thought surfaced unbidden, and my throat tightened.

The sound of our footsteps changed as we stepped onto a carpeted corridor. The gazes I felt from the sides were those of nobles sizing us up. It seemed we had gained some allies within the palace, but this was no place for carelessness.

Mia-san leaned closer and whispered,

“…Hey, don’t you think they’ll take our weapons? Normally, they would, right?”

Pauline-san answered without hesitation.

“It’s fine.”

She kept her gaze forward, not even shifting her eyes.

“It’s not impossible that there are nobles aligned with Ymir. The slave traders had that much influence within the kingdom.”

That was true. We had come in such numbers precisely because we had to be wary of an attack from the nobles.

Mia-san curled her lips slightly.

“Heh. Even with the king here, huh?”

“That is how strong the nobles’ power is. To the point that even the king’s orders are not always given the weight that it should have.”

At that moment, our guide came to a halt. After offering a deep, respectful bow, they opened a set of massive black doors. A great chamber lay beyond.

The first thing that came to mind was a boss floor in a dungeon. The high ceiling and the wide, pillar-sparse rectangular space felt strikingly similar. The differences were the wine-colored carpet covering the floor—and the central area, enclosed by a low barrier. Within that partition stood a desk. This was likely a council chamber, where those wishing to speak would step forward to that position.

Chairs were arranged around the enclosure. From where we stood, the seats closest to us were empty. The farther back it went, the more people filled them—and directly opposite us sat a man wearing a crown. His silver hair and green eyes bore a clear resemblance to Pauline-san.

From the gold coin, Solana’s voice spoke up—

『Rion…』

“Yeah.”

It was the king.

Broad-shouldered, draped in a thick, heavy-looking robe.

The mere thought of meeting his gaze felt almost irreverent—yet I had no idea what proper etiquette demanded. In the end, I simply relaxed my body and stood as straight as I could.

Then, from the horn, another voice spoke.

『That will do.』

It was Heimdall.

『As long as you do not lack respect, there is no such thing as ‘correct’ way to conduct yourself here. After all, you are about to overturn everything.』

Pauline-san stepped forward and dropped to one knee.

“Your Majesty, it has been some time.”

The warriors followed suit, kneeling in unison.

Mia-san and I were completely late.

No one had explained anything to us!

Panicking, we hurriedly copied the others.

Then, the king spoke.

“Rise.”

Pauline-san stood, and at the king’s command. To ‘proceed’, she stepped forward to the center of the enclosure.

A heavy silence fell over the chamber. All eyes turned toward the princess. Her tall white headdress stood dignified and resolute.

“I will now speak of the truth behind the myths. Some of you may have already felt a sense of unease after the message delivered in the name of the god Odis.”

Her voice did not falter.

The man she had addressed as Your Majesty is also her father. And yet, her words rang out clearly, unwavering.

“The powerful monsters that were said to have been completely defeated in the myths—have appeared in both Alvis and Flocia. If the gods had truly triumphed, such beings should not exist.”

She paused.

“What this reveals is the deception of the myths. The gods did not seal the monsters within the labyrinth as a result of victory. They were on the verge of defeat—overwhelmingly so—and thus sealed the monsters away to delay their loss.”

A ripple of unrest ran through the nobles. The king remained impassive, his face is unreadable.

“And now, that seal has been weakened. It is being undone by a faction of the resurrected monsters. This is precisely what is occurring in Alvis and Flocia at this very moment.”

Pauline-san pressed on, her voice steady.

“This means that the battles interrupted by the ‘sealing’ have now resumed.”

A murmur swept through the chamber—confusion, disbelief, even veiled accusations. Words fell upon Pauline-san like a storm. 

Dressed in the robes of the Odis temple and crowned with her tall headdress, Pauline-san stood there declaring a story that denied the very myths themselves.

“Adventurers alone are not enough to fight. Yet, the people must be protected.”

Even the nobles raised their voices, reacting with a mix of outrage and incredulity.

“How dare you deny the myths!?”

“What proof do you have?!”

“Why should we nobles be the ones to protect commoners in the first place?!”

“Skilled we may be, but the ones who should die first are the peasants!”

Pauline-sam did not flinch. The verbal stones hurled at her seemed to shatter harmlessly against her resolve.

Solana spoke softly,

『She’s strong.』

“Yeah.”

『She must have faced countless battles in the temple while we were fighting, and emerged victorious in all of them.』

Pauline-san tapped her staff against the floor.

“Your Majesty. At this moment, many dugeons face the threat of releasing even more monsters. I ask that you command the soldiers across the kingdom, as well as the knights in the castle who possess combat skills, to join the fight.”

The king raised his right hand. The nobles’ voices fell silent instantly.

“…As king, I already know what you know.”

A ripple of astonishment swept through the nobles.

“But to make the nobles—those with real power—believe this truth, you’ll need proof.”

Pauline-san turned her gaze toward me.

“The proof is here. I will show the ancient gods who have awakened to resume the battles.”

She tapped her staff against the floor and smiled.

“I will open your eyes and let you see for yourselves.”

I placed my hands on the gold coin and the horn.

“Wake up!”

Light scattered in a dazzling cascade.

The gods sprang into the air. Solana, Thor, Uru, Loki, Sigris, and Heimdall. Some hovered above the floor, some stood firmly upon it, manifesting within the royal hall itself.

A voice trembled as it escaped.

“T-this…..G-Gods?”

Perhaps it was not doubt so much as astonishment—a reflexive gasp of confusion and wonder. But the gods themselves presented undeniable proof.

—Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Thor and Heimdall. The two massive deities laughed, a booming sound that seemed to pierce the ceiling and reach the very heavens. Several nobles collapsed to the floor in sheer shock. It was a laughter no human could ever produce—raw, overwhelming, shaking the very core of the heart and inspiring awe.

“I am Thor!”

Thor pointed to his chest with a gigantic thumb. Lightning crackled from Mjolnir, held tightly in his right hand.

“I am Loki.”

“I am Sigris, the Valkyrie.”

“I am Uru, the God of Hunting.”

“I am Heimdall.”

Solana hovered in the air, hand pressed to her chest.

“I am Solana, goddess of the sun.”

The nobles stood frozen, their minds reeling. First struck by the princess’s words, then disoriented by the king’s acknowledgment, and finally rendered speechless by the very appearance of the gods themselves.

Mia-san glanced at me.

“.…This whole sequence huh.”

“Yeah. The preparation Pauline-san mentioned, it was probably just to get the king’s agreement first.”

The corrupt nobles had stripped the royal capital of real power. Yet the king still retained some measure of authority—perhaps because so many nobles had abandoned the castle.

Pauline-san had already secured her advantage in advance.

Felix-san spoke softly beside me.

“Well, the trade-off seems to be the reestablishment of the king’s authority, I suppose. And it seems the plan to convince the nobles worked beautifully.”

Within the enclosure, Pauline-san raised her voice.

“If you protect the people here and now, it will be a tremendous achievement for you, the nobles who remain in the capital. Just as the chief god used the word ‘hero’ in his message, in a city where many nobles have departed, your influence will grow.”

I could understand, in a vague sense, what she was doing. She was dismantling the assumptions of the myths, making it clear that the kingdom could no longer operate as it had. And yet, she offered them an opportunity to earn glory through action.

—It had the feel of a negotiation, yes, but it was brilliant.

As if to drive the point home, Thor spoke.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Ooooh!” 

A roar of excitement swept through the chamber. This time, it was exhilaration, not outrage. The gods’ encouragement had reached not only the nobles but even the soldiers guarding them.

Mia-san smacked her forehead with a sharp thwack.

“The utterly useless nobles fled the capital long ago. The ones left are at least willing to try to protect the city. In that sense… it might actually work out in our favor.”

I nodded, and felt my chest burn with the same heat.

“Un!”

Of course, not everyone was convinced. Some remained confused, others scowled. Yet many of the nobles—especially those who looked like warriors—were visibly stirred, caught up in the excitement.

The chamber swelled with energy.

Solana drifted down gently beside me.

“Rion”

Her voice, paired with her sharp gaze… I felt a sudden, tense awareness. Something unsettling was about to happen.

“.…Could it be…. monsters?”

Just as we were advancing, so were our enemies.

—Oooooooo!

A low, rolling roar traveled on the wind like distant thunder. One voice followed another, chaining endlessly. The royal castle sat at the city’s center, yet the cries of the monsters came from every direction—east, west, north, and south.

Solana grabbed my hand.

“Even here, I can feel Ymir’s magic seeping up from below. That monster is strengthening the command that loosens the seals—it is growing stronger by the moment.”

Led by the goddess, I slipped between the ranks of the warriors and stepped out onto the terrace of the chamber.

From up here, the buildings below seemed laughably small. Every bird flying past was beneath us. And under the open blue sky, the monstrous cries echoed. Black smoke spiraled upward from the direction of the Western Dungeon.

I realized that everyone in the chamber was looking at me. I drew the horn from my pouch. Its faint glow—left from the power Rue had infused yesterday—seemed to hum with readiness.

I turned to the goddess and asked.

“Other dungeons too? All across the world?”

“Most likely.”

I stood overlooking the royal capital, feeling the eyes of the chamber on my back.

Taking a deep breath, I blew into the awakening horn, the Gjalhorn, letting its sound ride on the wind.

【Master of the Horn】… fully unleashing the power of the awakening horn, Gjalhorn.

The tone spread across the capital—no, across the world.

Immense magic poured forth, and beneath the blue sky, bands of light danced like the aurora.

“Everyone—”

I called out, turning around. Pauline-san smiled at me.

The first battle—the war of words—was over. Now, the fight against the monsters unleashed upon the capital would begin.

“Gods, everyone, let’s go!”

Leaving Pauline-san and a few guards in the chamber, we gathered on the terrace. The power of the gods wrapped around us in light. Together with the dozens of warriors from the Raven Corps, we soared into the sky.

Below us stretched the city where I was born and raised.

A feeling of grandeur lit up my chest. Wrapped in light, flying above, everyone in the capital was surely pointing up at us.And so, the battle to protect the royal capital began.

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

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Early in the morning, the carriage carrying us raced over the cobblestone streets of the Royal Capital. We passed through the slums where we had once lived and followed the canal westward. Our destination was the castle at the very heart of the city. At last, today had come—the day we would speak of the “truth behind the myths.”

With every step closer, the castle loomed ever more imposing, rising high as if to challenge the sky itself. Its vast width could no longer be contained within our field of vision. The white walls shimmered in the morning light. The central tower towered above us, gazing down with an almost oppressive authority.

Solana’s voice broke the silence.

“…It truly is enormous when you see it up close. Far more than I imagined.”

I gave a small nod.

The highest point must have easily reached fifty meters. As for its width, it was impossible to grasp from the carriage window alone. Countless buildings and roofs overlapped one another, and yet, somehow, the castle lost none of its solemn grandeur.

I spoke softly.

“You can see it even from outside the capital… it’s unbelievably huge.”

Between here and the castle lay multiple layers of dry moats and walls. Within them, it was said, hundreds of people lived.

From the coin, Solana continued—

『There was once a temple in the royal capital that connected the heavens and the earth. Most likely, this castle was built upon its foundations.』

No wonder it was so vast. It stood atop a structure from the age of myth, expanded and rebuilt over centuries by human hands.

This time, Loki spoke with a note of admiration.

『Perhaps there were surviving followers of Freki, the god of art and architecture? Or maybe some human inherited his power through a skill and created something like this? Either way… this must have been the greatest work of their lives.』

The carriage approached a dry moat that yawned like a cliff, then began to cross the bridge spanning it. A statue of the god, Odis cast a stern gaze down upon us. Halfway across, we passed a lavishly adorned noble’s carriage coming from the opposite direction. An unpleasant memory stirred in my chest. The Royal Castle was a place where nobles gathered—in other words, the very people who had once ruled over the Eastern Dungeon.

A murmur slipped from my lips.

“Nobles.…”

From the seat across from me, Pauline-san, who had been resting with her eyes closed, spoke.

“The castle, in its proper role, is the center of governance. There was a time when nobles held lavish parties night after night, but their numbers have greatly diminished. Or rather—”

The princess gave a small shrug.

“Most of the nobles who indulged in such pleasures have already fled the capital. Perhaps they sensed the threat of war in the adventurers now gathering here. Those who remain are the royal family, and a handful of nobles who still care, at least somewhat, for the country.”

Pauline-san cast me a brief glance.

“The fall of House Warlburg, which once controlled the Eastern Dungeon, is also a significant factor. People are more willing to listen than before. Of course, whether they will accept the true myths is another matter entirely.”

Besides the princess and me, two others rode in the carriage.

Felix-san and Mia-san.

All of us wore the raven warrior cloaks, the mark of the warrior order. Three more carriages followed behind us, and in total, about thirty members of the Raven Corps were on their way to enter the Royal Castle.

Mia-san ran a hand through her red hair.

“Are we really allowed to walk into a place like this?”

She had been shifting uneasily the entire time.

It was a secret thought, but she looked like a cat ready to bolt out the window at any moment.

“Rion, are you okay with this?”

“It’s my first time too…”

“Guess so. I’ve got zero confidence when it comes to manners or etiquette.”

Felix-san cleared his throat softly. Perhaps he was nervous as well—his movements were stiffer than usual.

“I would ask that you remain composed. Pauline-sama has spent her time, even while we were in Flocia, negotiating with nobles and other members of the royal family in preparation for this day.”

Mia-san and I exchanged glances. Almost in unison, we gave a solemn nod.

““W-we understand.””

“Mm. Basically, we’re going to ask not just the adventurers, but the nobles too, to defend the capital, right? But just to be clear, are we really going to say it—that the current myths are a lie?”

Pauline-san lowered her chin slightly, then tapped the floor of the carriage with the staff in her hand.

“In the royal capital, aside from the soldiers each noble commands, there are also knights tasked with protecting the city.”

Solana spoke up.

『Knights huh. You mentioned before that they’re a force distinct from adventurers.』

In response to the goddess’s question, I chose my words carefully.

“They do fight monsters alongside adventurers sometimes. There are cases like the ‘Blood-Red Sunset’—when monsters appear outside the dungeon. But how should I put it… they don’t take on requests like adventurers do, and they’re not part of the Adventurers’ Guild either.”

Pauline-san nodded.

“Rebellions have often broken out in the frontier regions. For that reason, the capital maintains forces that are meant primarily to fight other humans. If adventurers are ‘handymen’ who take on all kinds of requests, then knights are ‘soldiers.’ And to move them, orders are required.”

“I see. And those orders can be given by the royal family—or the nobles.”

“Precisely. To mobilize the castle, to draw all of it into action, we need a powerful premise—that this is a crisis.”

Mia-sam leaned back against her seat.

“So, that’s the truth behind the myths, huh.”

The carriage came to a halt at the castle gate. The grand iron doors stood imposing before us—so solid that even Skoll in his rampage might have struggled to break them. The guards at the entrance, upon seeing Pauline-san, immediately allowed us through. Our carriage rolled forward across the bridge spanning the second dry moat.

The princess leaned in and whispered.

“I’ve already gathered the nobles, Rion-san.”

“Y-yes, I understand.”

I tightened my grip around the gold coin in my pocket. The horn rested inside my pouch.

“Seeing is believing. Please—open the eyes of the nobles and the royal family.”

As the princess spoke, the carriage at last arrived at the entrance of the castle.

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

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After finishing the meeting in the orb chamber, Lu and I stepped out of the Great Tower. The morning sunlight wrapped around us, while a fresh spring breeze swept gently across the grounds.

The temple courtyard was wide. Perhaps because of the flowerbeds—or maybe the herb garden behind them—the air carried a faint scent of greenery.

A smile bloomed on Lu’s face.

“It’s such a nice day, Oniichan.”

“Yeah.”

I smiled back at my little sister.

“Why don’t we take a walk along the inside of the wall for a bit?”

“Okay!”

Lu is still not allowed to leave the temple grounds. The power of creation within her was being targeted by slave traders, and if Odin had his eyes on her as well, then it was even more important to keep her somewhere heavily guarded.

But because of that… we had already kept her confined to this small world for nearly two months.

“In the Royal Capital… I bet the flowers at our neighbor’s place are blooming right now.”

She was talking about the house across from our old home in the capital. It had been a poor district, but the people across the street always planted flowers by their doorway.

I hesitated to say something easy like “We’ll be able to go back soon.”

So instead, I changed the subject.

“…Look, flowers are blooming in this flowerbed too.”

Lu had noticed the flowerbed beside the chapel.

“Really! The red bellflowers and white dora are already blooming!”

She tugged my hand. The bed was full of red and white blooms, bursting with color. Lu puffed out her chest and looked up at me, her eyes sparkling.

“How’s it look?”

Her braids swayed proudly as she asked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Amazing! Did you grow all of these, Lu?”

“Yes! From the far side of the chapel all the way over here.”

Lu had always been diligent, and she had taken on many tasks around the temple.

We walked along the flowerbeds, Lu occasionally crouching to remove pests from the flowers or pull weeds from the soil.

Just as we were thinking it might be time to head back, we froze.

A metallic sound reached our ears.

“…Is that… a blade?”

At my words, a high-pitched sword rang out again.

Lu’s voice trembled as she whispered, clearly uneasy.

“Where’s it coming from?”

With the blessing of the God of Hunting, the ability ‘Wild Heart’, I could easily pinpoint the source of the sound. I relaxed my expression to reassure my sister.

“It’s okay. It’s coming from the training grounds.”

The Raven Warrior Corps had a training facility in their base. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, but the sounds of combat drills were already sharp and clear.

“Oniichan… can we go see?”

“You can. But that’s where people fight.”

“I just want to watch. I want to get used to it.”

Lu gripped my sleeve tightly, her brow furrowed. Still, her eyes were unwavering, and I could feel her determination.

—If a battle were to break out near her, she’d have to escape on her own.

She wanted to familiarize herself with the atmosphere of combat, just in case.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

We approached the training grounds. The area was enclosed by sturdy stone walls, but it had no roof. That was probably why the sounds carried so clearly.

Every so often, a clatter of chains rang out.

I called through a gap in the wall.

“We’re coming in!”

Peeking inside, I saw exactly who I expected.

Mia-san’s red hair streamed behind her as she crouched low. She manipulated the chains coiled around her right arm, drawing a hand axe toward her with precise control.

Our eyes met.

“Rion!”

The moment Mia spoke, I let out an “Ah—,” and Lu covered her eyes.

Gon!

A block of ice dropped onto Mia’s head with a solid thud.

“Ow…!”

Her training partner—Felix-san—shook his head, clearly exasperated.

“Apologies! But if I may be frank… that was an opening on your part, Mia.”

“…I know.”

Mia-san answered while rubbing her head.

It seemed that she and Felix-san had been sparring seriously, exchanging blows of magic and chain axes from roughly twenty meters apart. Both were breathing hard, clearly exhausted. Their training had clearly been no ordinary exercise—it had been a real duel.

The two of them slipped past us and crouched near the wall, drinking water as if it were the most delicious thing in the world.

Felix-san spoke up.

“Rion. Have you finished your conversation with the commander?”

“Ah… yes.”

We shared what had happened in the Orb Chamber with both of them. There were no restrictions on speaking, and I trusted that they could keep things contained.

Mia-san wiped the sweat from her brow.

“…I see. So we’ve been training for three hours since morning. No wonder I’m exhausted.”

Lu and I widened our eyes in surprise.

“T-three hours?”

“Seems we overdid it. A bit of overwork on our part.”

Both of them were drenched in sweat, their bodies pushed hard—but you couldn’t say their fighting spirit had wavered in the slightest.

It was as if their resolve was radiating out along with their body heat.

Mia-san snapped the lid on her water bottle.

“Rion, how was the battle in Flocia?”

“…Even with Solana’s help, it was close. I hear the city suffered a lot too.”

“It was rough. Honestly… it wasn’t enough. Truth be told, we couldn’t really handle them.”

Then she grinned.

“That’s why we train. So next time, we’ll be stronger.”

Lu hesitated, then asked softly:

“Um… Mia-san… aren’t you scared?”

Mia-san and Felix-san exchanged a glance. Almost wordlessly, they smiled at Lu.

“Little sister… yes, it’s a bit frightening. But to be honest, I’m a little excited too.”

“…Huh?”

Mia-san straightened up, speaking as she went.

“I thought we’d be facing giant snakes or fire giants… but it’s a primordial titan instead. Still, having something like that around… it makes adventuring feel more like an adventure.”

The two of them rose and walked back toward the training area.

“Alright then. Shall we try again before noon?”

“Mia, be careful about the timing when you coordinate.”

“I know.”

They squared off once more, keeping a careful distance, eyes locked in silent challenge.

The gold coin and the horn trembled. Perhaps they were reacting to the nervous energy in my own heart.

『Rion.』

Heimdall’s voice echoed from the horn. I reached first for the gold coin in my pocket, then to the horn in my pouch.

“Wake up!”

From the coin sprang Thor, from the horn came Heimdall.

The two war gods stood before me, bathed in the brilliance of sunlight.

“Shall we lend a hand, boy?”

I nodded, and Thor strode toward Mia-san and the others.

“Then I’ll take care of Mia’s side.”

After seeing the god off, Lu pointed toward a bench near the entrance. Her lips were pressed together tightly, determined.

“…Oniichan. I’ll be over there, practicing how to refine my magic too.”

“You too, Lu?”

“Yeah. I want to practice so I can draw out more of Freyja-sama’s power of creation and my own magic.”

Just then, from Mia-san’s side, the heavy thud of a giant hammer hitting its mark echoed through the air.

Heimdall let out a dry laugh.

“Luisia, that’s a wise idea. You carry Freyja’s power, creation itself, and immense magical energy within you—but…”

He continued.

“Think of it like a spring and its floodgate. If the power is the water, the energy exists inside you, but it cannot reach the outside without passing through the ‘floodgate.’ And… the floodgate you can open right now isn’t very large yet.”

Lu fixed her sky-blue eyes directly on the god.

“I… I want to be strong too.”

“Yes. Practicing how to bring your magic to the surface will help you protect yourself. The floodgate will open wider with time.”

Heimdall handed the horn to Lu.

“I want you to gradually infuse magic into my awakening horn, the Gjallarhorn. To awaken gods across the world, immense power is needed. The vast energy you’ve inherited as Freyja’s reflection should be stored within the horn.”

Lu nodded and dashed toward a bench in the corner.

Heimdall turned to me.

“Then… shall we get to it as well?”

Tomorrow, we would go to the castle and reveal the truth of the myths.

But for today, we spent the hours training, preparing for what was to come.

◆◆◆

Luisia pressed a hand to her chest.

Rion and Heimdall faced each other, crouched low in combat stance.

Her brother’s expression was nothing like the one she remembered from their childhood backyard training sessions. The Rion who once read picture books to her, who had swung wooden sticks alongside her, was gone. This Rion—undaunted in the presence of a god—was a true warrior.

Heimdall’s sword clashed against Rion’s dagger.

Sparks flew.

It was as if the forge itself had been placed on the anvil, and the blade being honed was the Boy with the Horn.

Luisia remained seated on the bench, captivated by her brother’s display.

“Oniichan… you’ve become really strong.”

She pressed her hand to her chest again and spoke softly.

“Freyja-sama…”

—What is it?

“I want to be stronger too… How can I learn to use Freyja-sama’s power?”

As she asked, Luisia poured her magic into the horn, starting with her own method.

The basic approach was the same as when she used her ability, Creation. Drawing the magic from deep within her body, she guided it into her arms and pressed it into the horn she held with both hands.

Gradually, her arms became wrapped in a soft green light.

The power pulsed as it flowed into the horn. The awakening Gjallarhorn seemed to recognize its purpose, swallowing her magic willingly.

—You likely have both talent and the accumulation of all your previous training.

A gentle voice, Freyja’s, echoed from her chest.

—You have been striving to master Creation all this time, haven’t you?

Luisia shook her head.

“…That alone… might not be enough.”

A shadow flickered across Luicia’s heart.

Her brothers were working so hard—for her.

But through Creation, she could feel Ymir’s overwhelming strength. She was the one who had bound that massive being with shackles during the battle in Flocia. At the time, she had been caught up in the fight, but the sheer magnitude of power she felt through her magic had been etched into her memory.

“Freyja-sama… before you dwelled within me… what were you doing?”

There was a hint of hesitation from the goddess. If Luisia were captured, everything would be lost. Freyja was trapped inside her.

—I would reside in bodies that could host a god, from one to the next.

“So… each time the previous host died, you would move to the next body?”

—Yes.

Luisia clutched her chest sharply, then forced a smile and shook her head.

“It’s nothing. Really.”

The training grounds were filled with the sound of effort.

Luisia resumed her practice, choosing to trust her companions—for now.Yet her hands trembled. Bit by bit, she was beginning to fear that everyone around her might get hurt… all to protect her.

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

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By the time we finished sending messages and organizing our belongings, a full day had passed since we returned to the royal capital. Lu had already regained consciousness. And just as Freyja herself had said, once Lu awoke, the goddess stopped speaking altogether.

The skill 『Miko』 must be completely suppressing Freyja. In a sense, it really was a cage—one that sealed a god within a human body. Yet at the same time, my little sister could draw out Freyja’s power of creation and her magic.

That skill, 『Miko』, was unbelievable. It wasn’t coexistence. Lu clearly held the upper hand.

Solana had speculated that the ability might originally belong to Odin, the chief god who ruled over the other deities. And now that very sister of mine had been summoned with me to the underground chambers of the temple.

“Ah-choo!”

The room my sister and I were standing in was the chamber that housed the Frost Orb. Soon, a conference would be held here to establish contact with temples across the land. For the moment, the only other person in the room was Pauline-san, the one who had summoned us.

When I spoke, my breath came out in a pale cloud.

“It’s cold…”

Even though spring was already in full bloom outside, a thin layer of frost coated both the walls and the floor here. I gently rubbed Lu’s back, checking to make sure her cloak and scarf hadn’t slipped.

“Lu, are you okay?”

“Yeah…”

She hunched her shoulders, burying half her face in the scarf. Cold air slipped through the gaps in my own mantle as well. Both of us shivered.

“Oniichan… Freyja-sama is saying something too.”

“What did she say?”

“She says, 『My apologies for the trouble.』”

“I… see…”

I let my head droop in defeat. Freyja really did seem like a rather gentle, absentminded sort of goddess. By concentrating, Lu could actually speak with Freyja, who resided within her. The reason we had been summoned here was probably so the gods dwelling in the coins and the horn could hear the discussion as well.

Shaking off my thoughts, I turned my gaze toward the Frost Orb at the center of the chamber.

A sphere about two meters in diameter floated within a carved recess in the floor. Pauline stood beside it, holding her right hand over the orb.

If you listened carefully, the princess was quietly chanting.

“Sacred Orb… join with the power of the World Tree, and let the voices from afar reach this place!”

The orb flared to life.

Brilliant white light filled the entire room.

Pauline-san smiled and beckoned us closer.

“We will now exchange information with the temples in the frontier. Please listen as well.”

“Yes!”

I answered promptly.

Tapping her staff lightly, Pauline began the meeting.

“Then we will start with the report from the temple in the mining city of Alvis.”

Every city that housed a dungeon also possessed a Frost Orb. Depending on the location, the orb’s size and power varied.

Originally, they were sacred artifacts used to regulate the seal on the dungeon. But by channeling magic through them, the orbs could communicate with one another. It seemed this, too, was a power awakened by the horn.

The princess smoothly handled the reports arriving from each region.

Lu and I exchanged glances.

“Oniichan…”

“Yeah… It sounds like the monsters in the dungeon are becoming more violent everywhere.”

For instance, monsters stronger than usual had begun appearing within the dungeon. In other cases, the same creatures had grown far more cunning. In some cities, monsters had even burst out of the labyrinth and onto the surface, forcing high-ranking adventurers to hunt them down.

As Pauline-san listened to the reports, her expression gradually grew more severe.

Finally, when the last of the regional updates had finished, she spoke.

“It seems Rata’s words yesterday have been confirmed.”

The princess lowered her gaze.

“This is strange. An anomaly has occurred, yet no traces of the titan’s ashes have been discovered. No evidence at all. And even in cities where the slave traders had no bases, the disturbances in the labyrinths are happening just the same…?”

The orb continued to glow with its pale white light.

The sight suddenly reminded me of the battle in Flocia, and the realization struck me like lightning.

My eyes met Lu’s. My sister gave a small nod.

“Pauline-san… could it be this?”

I pointed toward the source of the seal.

“The Flocia orb—the monster… Ymir—he shattered it and ate it!”

The Frost Orb was a divine artifact that controlled the seals. That meant the seals could be strengthened… or weakened.

Pauline-san let out a strained breath.

“Impossible…!”

The gold coins trembled, and the gods began speaking one after another.

『That Ymir guy is more capable than I expected.』

『Are you saying that by absorbing the orb, he gained the ability to manipulate the seals just like the orb itself…?』

『What a troublesome bastard.』

『This…』

All the gods residing in my coins began speaking at once, and my head quickly started to spin. And as if that weren’t enough, Heimdall’s voice boomed from the horn.

『Fuhaha! Indeed… this is troublesome!』

His voice was thunderously loud.

Lu and Pauline both covered their ears, though it didn’t help much when the sound echoed directly inside our heads.

Lowering his voice slightly, Heimdall continued,

『However, there must be another mechanism at work. Even if Ymir absorbed the orb’s power, affecting every dungeon in the kingdom would be far too sudden.』

He had a point…

Lu tugged lightly at my sleeve.

“Freyja-sama says… she has something to say.”

Even Freyja now…

Having so many gods appear was reassuring. But they all had such strong personalities that I sometimes found myself completely overwhelmed.

“Um… I’ll just repeat what she said, Oniichan. She thinks ‘Ymir might be using Yggdrasil’s Water Mirror.’”

Yggdrasil’s Water Mirror.

That was another divine artifact created in ancient times. It was said to exist in the deepest layers of each dungeon, once used by distant gods to communicate with one another—much like the Frost Orb had just done. The one who picked up the idea was Loki.

『…Hmm, I see. That’s certainly possible. Yggdrasil—the Tree of Magic—extends its roots through every dungeon. If even a single part of the roots becomes tainted with poison, eventually the corruption spreads throughout the entire root system.』

After saying that, Loki fell silent.

I rested a finger against my chin, thinking.

“So… a divine artifact meant to transmit messages… is being used to send commands to every dungeon, telling the seals to weaken…?”

When the voices faded, the chamber of the orb felt even colder. In my pocket, the gold coin trembled faintly, giving off a slight warmth. Solana’s way of encouraging me.

“…We’ll just have to solve things one step at a time.”

Pauline-san planted her rod firmly on the floor.

“For now, the danger levels in each dungeon remain within what the temples and adventurers can manage. But if they exceed that point—then the power of the horn will be absolutely necessary.”

I nodded.

“So now we know how the enemy intends to move.”

“…Heh, yes. That we do.”

Pauline-san gripped her staff tightly. She looked tense.

“Tomorrow, we will go to the Royal Castle and ask the royal family and the nobles to take part in the battle.”

Bathed in the orb’s pale light, the princess’s cheeks looked whiter than usual.

Even during the discussion earlier, many voices from the other temples had demanded explanations about what happened in Flocia and Alvis. The lies surrounding the ancient myths—like the seals themselves—were reaching their limit.

And when the horn sounded again…

When gods emerged from labyrinths across the world…

The old myths would truly come to an end.

That was the feeling I couldn’t shake.

“Oh my, there’s no need to look so worried.”

“To be honest… I’m a little excited. The end of these lies may become a kind of awakening for the kingdom.”

We left the chamber of the orb and stepped outside the tower.Warm spring sunlight greeted us, and from somewhere in the distance came the steady sound of soldiers training.

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

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The cage was to be kept in the underground of the Great Tower. The small room, about five meters across, was dim and chilly. Next door lay the chamber of the Frost Orb and cold seeped through the walls and floor. My breath drifted in white clouds.

At the far end, a desk held the cage. Inside, a single mouse sat with its eyes closed. The room held only the three of us: Pauline-san, Safi, and myself.

Even Rata sensed that someone had arrived.

“…What is it you want?”

At last, the mouse opened its eyes. And a man’s voice came from its mouth.

Pauline-san stepped back a few paces, her eyes widening.

“This… this mouse… is speaking?”

I nodded and gestured toward the cage.

“This is Ratbone Rata, a monster. Safi set a trap—well, technically a mousetrap—inside the Flocia Temple, and he got caught there. We brought him here.”

I had sent a letter beforehand, but Pauline-san stood frozen, pinching a lock of her silver hair between her fingers.

Well… that was understandable.

After all, who would expect a monster that had tormented us so fiercely to be caught in a temple’s mousetrap? Even I hadn’t imagined it. When I last saw him, he had the sharp eyes of a sly merchant… and now he was a tiny mouse.

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

『 A strategist undone by his own schemes, Ratbone Rata.』

The goddess’s tone carried a hint of mischief. For efficiency, all the gods had returned to the gold coin and the horn, conserving their magic.

“You tried to stop Rion as he headed for the tower during Flocia’s final battle. Though defeated, you escaped and now aimed for the Odis Temple in Flocia. Using your transformation ability, you snuck in as a small creature, hoping to sow further chaos. But—”

“Kkik!”

The mouse clicked its tongue in annoyance.

Solana continued.

“What you didn’t expect, however, was that thanks to Rion’s sister, Luisia, the Frost Orb which Ymir should have destroyed, had already been restored. Because of that, you were right beneath the temple… directly under the seal’s cold aura, and you grew disoriented. And when you fled into the underground chamber… you walked straight into a trap.”

The mouse, Rata, rolled his golden eyes toward us.

“…To be caught in a trap this simple.”

He muttered, shaking his small body in self-mockery. Perhaps he even shrugged.

Pauline-san stepped forward, questioning.

“Even though I’d heard the report, I never imagined… this is the monster?”

The mouse’s fur was a dull gray, about the size of a cat. Its golden eyes were sharp and venomous.

Pauline-san planted her staff on the floor, steadying herself.

“Little one, Safi… is it truly safe to keep him in this cage? If I’m not wrong, he’s a troublesome monster, able to change his form at will, right?”

Safi pouted, her green hair bouncing as she crossed her arms.

“Of course it’s safe! Ever since we discovered what this mouse really is, it was—well, a huge ordeal! I used every bit of my skill and all the gods’ magic to make this cage so sturdy that even a hundred giants couldn’t break it! And as for his transformation ability? It’s sealed with divine magic and my runes!”

The dwarf blacksmith’s pride practically steamed from her. I remembered the nights on our journey, the ringing of hammer on metal deep into the night. I smiled at her with gratitude.

“Thank you. After all, this mousetrap was your creation to begin with. I’m sure it’s more than sturdy enough.”

“Y-yes, of course.”

Safi said, puffing out her chest.

Pauline-san blinked, eyes wide as she looked between Safi and me.

“Ah… I see.”

The princess murmured, as if coming to some realization.

…? I wasn’t sure what she meant.

Meanwhile, Rata opened and closed his tiny mouth in irritation. For such a small body, his oversized fangs were a little intimidating.

“So?”

His golden eyes glinted sharply. Rata continued.

“What do you want? I am the slave trader known as ‘The Merchant’ and I’d like to welcome you to my house. Though… it is a bit cramped. Still, the plain, rugged cage is not my responsibility.”

A fierce, almost intimidating presence radiated from him. I stepped forward, positioning myself in front of Safi and Pauline-san.

“I’ll ask again. Ymir said in Flocia, ‘From now on, it’s competition.’”

Rata remained silent.

“I think he’s planning to attack us soon. I want to know when and where he’ll strike.”

The mouse let out a mocking chuckle.

“You think I’d tell you?”

…Well, of course not.

After all, the real reason we brought Rata to this room was to show him to Pauline-san. The questions were just an afterthought.

During our journey from Flocia, we’d asked him the same questions over and over. According to Loki, it didn’t seem like Rata was hiding anything. It is most likely that he simply didn’t know.

For a monster, Ymir—their creator—was absolute. There was no discussion, no negotiation; only Ymir could know his own plans.

The mouse snorted.

“…Oh? A new divine presence, is it? If you’ve awakened Freyja, have you also learned of Odin’s betrayal?”

I forced myself to remain expressionless.

Rata erupted into laughter.

“Kkik! Just like a thousand years ago. You will fail, driven by distrust and greed.”

His voice carried so strongly that the guards peered through the doorway.

“Slaves… the very essence of them… I made a fortune! Watching them ripped from their families, screaming and crying… so weak, so foolish… it was glorious!”

Pauline-san’s grip on her rod tightened until her knuckles whitened, anger radiating from her.

Safi’s face had turned pale.

This monster—the so-called slave trader, their de facto manager—was before us.

I drew a steadying breath.

“Rata.”

The laughter stopped instantly.

“I’ve wanted to ask for some time. Why… why do monsters attack us? Ever since the age of myths?”

“You displease us. But… kuk… from the perspective of a titan like Ymir, this world itself was born of stolen creative power. If we don’t tear it apart, carve our anger into it, we are not satisfied. And those of us created by Ymir… we follow the same path…”

I recalled the scenes of the myth. Odin had taken Ymir’s heart—his power of creation—and begun to shape the world. For Ymir, it was vengeance. What had been taken should be reclaimed. Odin, too, had his reasons. If Ymir hadn’t been stopped, the gods themselves would have been destroyed. He was a terrifying creator who devoured his own creations.

The monster’s grin shifted, becoming wistful and self-mocking.

“…The primordial titan, huh.”

The mouse rose on his hind legs and stared at the ceiling.

“Rion, was it? My senses as a monster are… unusually unsettled.”

“…Huh?”

“A monster’s intuition. Soon, creatures will emerge from the dungeons. Not just in the Royal Capital… but from every dungeon across the land.”

The unexpected words left me momentarily stunned. Not just the capital, not just a single city… It will be a movement on a much larger scale?

From the gold coin, Solana’s voice rang out, demanding an explanation.

『Why the sudden confession? What’s your intention? 』

“The secret to being a shrewd merchant… is repaying debts. The debt for sparing my life will be settled this way… the rest is revenge.”

Rata narrowed his golden eyes.

“I never liked Ymir to begin with. The slave organization I built… it’s finished now. ‘To devour everything,’ they said—how fitting.”

And with that, Rata fell silent.

We left the underground chamber, and returning to the light above brought a small sense of relief.

Pauline-san broke the silence first.

“Through the Frost Orb, we should also contact the Odis temples across the land. Ymir’s offensive may have reached them sooner than expected.”We nodded to each other and moved quickly, aware that time was already against us.

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

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Inside the sanctuary, the gods stood in a single line.

At the center stood Heimdall. He looked over all of us and smiled. Every movement he made seemed to say, “There’s no need to panic.” As if carried by that calm presence, the anxiety I felt about Ymir and Odin gradually eased and melted away.

“Let’s organize the flow of events.”

Heimdall started. He raised a finger and lightly waved it, then continued as he addressed those of us seated on the long bench.

“To confirm the situation accurately. As you know, I myself was wounded during the battle and was sealed inside a horn—much like how Solana was protected within a gold coin.”

Floating lightly in the air, Solana tilted her chin in a small nod.

“Indeed. A seal that lasts a thousand years is a burden even for a god. Even for a powerful deity, if they’re left deeply wounded and trapped within the ice of seal, it would risk complete disappearance.”

I absentmindedly ran my fingers along the horn. The awakening horn, Gjallarhorn, had once contained this very god. And the reason was the same as Solana’s.

Without hiding inside their own divine artifact, they wouldn’t have survived the long seal.

Mia-san brushed back her red hair and muttered,

“…So it’s kinda like a bear crawling into its den to hibernate for the winter?”

Felix-san, sitting beside her, looked startled by her sudden comparison. Solana wore a slightly exasperated expression as well.

Uh… the Gods wouldn’t get angry about that, right?

Heimdall burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! That’s a good way to put it! Yeah, it’s something like that. A seal is far too cold for beings like us. But if we dwell within a familiar divine artifact, it’s like hiding in a burrow, making things a little easier to endure!”

After saying that much, Heimdall narrowed his eyes.

He seemed like a broad-minded, easygoing god, but there was always a sharp, intellectual light in his cool gaze. It was like the stars in the night sky—cold, distant, and as if they could see through everything.

“…But in my case, there was another spell placed on me as well. Isn’t that right?”

Looking up at Heimdall, I nodded quietly.

“You mean the Seiðr magic.”

It was the kind of magic that the sibling gods Freyja and Freyr excelled at. Because it was a magic that manipulated the mind, it must have affected Heimdall powerfully—after all, his very consciousness had been housed inside the horn.

Now, the awakening horn Gjallarhorn in my hands felt more tangible than before. The gemstones embedded along its surface shone proudly.

And then I voiced out,

“Heimdall. To awaken you, we had to break the Seiðr magic placed upon you.”

After all, the reason we went to the Flocia in the first place was to undo that very Seiðr spell.

Heimdall smiled, as if praising a student who had done well.

“That brings me to a question. Why was I sealed so thoroughly in the first place?”

I tilted my head. Come to think of it… he was right.

“I can guess who did it. Either Freyja or Odin. Those two are the only gods capable of magic strong enough to seal me. But… well, most likely Odin.”

By now, Heimdall’s presence seemed to fill the entire temple.

The large god’s voice echoed through the high ceiling.

“I am the god of awakening. If nothing had been done, I would have eventually escaped the ice of the seal on my own. After all, I was protected within a divine artifact.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

“Mm. After all, you’re the god of awakening.”

“Exactly. Originally, the awakening horn, Gjallarhorn, is a divine artifact that drives the gods into battle. When it sounds, it strengthens their power, and even minor wounds are fully healed. If the gods are sleeping within the ice, then its call becomes their revival—their awakening.”

“Well then, let’s assume all of you were Odin. If a god like that existed on the surface—and you didn’t know when he might awaken on his own—what would you think?”

We all looked at one another.

If he could awaken allied gods, that would be an incredible power. Normally, he’d be a powerful ally.

But from Odin’s perspective…

Heimdall’s eyes met mine. Encouraged by his gentle smile, I ended up answering on behalf of everyone.

“…A nuisance, maybe.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Heimdall nodded approvingly.

“That’s right. In the first place, Odin’s plan to redo creation exposes a weakness in the authority of the chief god. Even now, many gods would likely side with Odin…”

I was so surprised my voice rose involuntarily.

“Really!?”

Beside Heimdall, Loki gave a wry smile, while Thor lowered his eyes. Solana spoke with a look of regret.

“There were gods who saw humans as nothing more than pieces on a board. And even for those who did not… if asked which survival should be prioritized—the gods’ or humanity’s—”

Pauline-san let out a sigh and shook her head.

“You mean there are actually few gods who care enough about humans to wage a decisive battle against monsters solely to protect them—to stake their own existence on it?”

“…If they were to learn of Odin’s scheme, I believe there would be gods who would turn to his side.”

A heavy silence settled over the sanctuary.

Mother stared at the statues of the gods enshrined in the hall as if clinging to them for reassurance. The gods that the Kingdom of Asgard had worshipped for so long… to think some of them might have harbored such thoughts.

For Mother, it must have been a terrible shock all over again.

I was surprised too—and saddened by it.

Solana’s golden eyes suddenly gleamed.

“Of course, I’m not one of them.”

Thor, Uru, Loki, and Sigris all nodded in agreement.

Heimdall folded his arms as well.

“Neither am I. And that’s exactly why Odin feared the possibility of my awakening. If he intends to redo creation, I’d be a problem. For instance, if I gathered new followers and raised a rebellion against him… that’s probably the scenario he wanted to avoid most.”

It was the same conclusion I had reached—though I hadn’t thought it through as clearly as Heimdall had. Odin didn’t want his plans interfered with. And Heimdall, who could awaken the gods one after another, would be a major obstacle to him.

Heimdall clapped his hands once.

“The mood’s gotten a bit heavy. So next—just as I promised—let’s talk about something more hopeful.”

Heimdall spoke smoothly, his words flowing as naturally as water from a spring.

Now I understood why he had once been called a master strategist.

“Rion, in this era—where was the awakening horn, Gjallarhorn?”

I answered.

“My father found it. In the ruins of a dungeon hidden in the western wastelands.”

“I see. Odin probably couldn’t move the horn himself. Nearby, Ymir—whom I had been fighting—must have still been there. And the horn itself should originally have been sealed within thick ice.”

If that ice had melted… then it might have been because of the titan’s ashes.

Creatures like the ratbone monster, Rata—beings that could survive even with very little magical power, in other words relatively weak monsters—seemed to have become active before Ymir did. Rata must have built the slave trader network and then used the titan’s ashes to revive its companions and its master.

If we could ask the person himself, we might learn the details more clearly.

A thousand years had passed since the sealing.

Because of the titan’s ashes and the monsters’ own power, the enemy could no longer be completely contained. And if only the gods remained sealed, then the delay Odin had forced upon the final confrontation was finally reaching its limit.

Heimdall then asked,

“Odin should have been wary of the horn and of me. So why didn’t he take action even after humans obtained the horn?”

“Uh… well…”

Heimdall loved speaking in riddles.

He would give hints and try to make me think things through myself. In that sense, he really did feel a bit like a teacher.

I pressed a finger to my chin and tilted my head in thought.

“…Because he needed gods to awaken in order to oppose Ymir?”

“That’s part of it. Buying time was necessary. But Odin’s true objective is the redoing of creation. The moment you awakened Luisia and she gained the power of Creation, Odin should already have been able to act.”

The realization hit me.

Nearly two months ago, I had awakened Lu’s skill. That was when my little sister gained the ability to use Creation.

“Odin’s scheme is to capture the power of Creation this time in a way that ensures it cannot escape. That’s why he granted Luisia the skill, Miko. Freyja is already a part of her now and thus, she cannot escape. And Luisia’s skill has already awakened.”

Heimdall’s words were pressing a question upon us.

Then… why were we still safe?

At any moment, Odin could have come to reclaim Lu’s power. There was nothing stopping him.

“And that, is where the answer lies.”

He spoke with certainty.

“I believe it was outside Odin’s calculations that humans would recover the horn. To him, both me and the Gjallarhorn, were powerful pieces—but pieces he could not afford to use. In other words, expendable ones. Yet humans were the ones who discovered it.”

Heimdall narrowed his eyes, almost as if the thought dazzled him.

“Through their own spirit of adventure.”

I thought of my father.

He used to smile in that same way.

“The horn your father discovered was passed down to his son through one of his companions. Odin never devised such a plan. It wasn’t necessary for his true objective. And yet humans… through their own sense of adventure, obtained the key that could stand against both gods and the titan.”

I lowered my gaze to the horn in my hands.

Two months ago, in the capital, it had been given to me with such burning intent.

“Odin seems to respect the fact that you discovered it on your own. And perhaps… he hopes that you will accomplish what he abandoned, the defeat of Ymir.”

A shiver ran down the back of my neck.

Expecting victory… yet never abandoning his own original strategy.

Perhaps that explains the occasional messages, the hints, and even the action of giving Solana her gold coin. I glanced at the statue of Odis. Its stern gaze pointed toward the sky.

—Now, it’s up to you to try.

Perhaps that was what we were being told from the heavens above.

Then Thor let out a bellow.

“Quite the charitable way of thinking, Heimdall.”

His massive eyes fixed in a glare toward Heimdall.

Even the air seemed to crackle, as if thunderclouds had gathered behind Thor. The floor and walls trembled under the intensity of the two gods’ standoff.

Heimdall’s eyes sparkled, the faintest glimmer of amusement in their depths.

“That’s right. It’s more than hope.”

He looked directly at me, as if weighing my understanding.

“If Odin’s goal was simply to create a girl capable of wielding the power of Creation, then that goal has already been fulfilled. Yet, Odin has not made his move. Perhaps… he’s allowing himself to believe, just a little, that we can repel the monsters.”

I considered the possibility.

It was, admittedly, an optimistic view. Information about Odin’s plans was always scarce. Yet, he had not yet acted. No attempt had been made to seize Lu.

I raised my gaze to the statue of Odis in the chapel, the severe eyes unyielding as ever.

“…He still trusts us… a little?”

I whispered.

“That… and more.”

Heimdall’s voice carried a quiet certainty, stronger than any faith or hope I had ever felt.

“The adventurer seized the opportunity with their own hands. By discovering my horn on their journey. That is something even the gods themselves had almost forgotten, humans proved their resolve.”

The god stepped closer, the sunlight glinting off the sword etched upon their form.

“Do you have the will to fight?”

“Yes!”

I shouted, springing to my feet in haste.

The god raised a hand toward me, and I felt the same warmth and gentle reassurance as the first time I ever blew the horn.

“Good answer. A boy with a true heart.”

Skill『Alarm』 has been activated. Achievement unlocked. A new power has been granted.

I raised the horn, aglow with a radiant light, to eye level.

“This…”

Magic flowed from the god’s hand, wrapping around my body like a warm embrace. A voice echoed in my mind.

【 Master of the Horn】 ……Draws out the full power of the alarm horn, Gjallarhorn.

“The more magic you pour into it, the farther the horn’s call will reach. If you can muster an extraordinary amount of magic… you could awaken the gods from every dungeon.”

Heimdall made a knowing smile.

“In other words, the trump card to rally allies… it’s far from exhausted.”

Pauline-san, still seated, let her rod rest on the ground.

“…I agree. It may be optimistic thinking. But if we act on the belief that Odin expects us to triumph over Ymir, then… I think it’s far from a bad proposal.”

Pauline-san tilted her head to the ceiling.

“We need to keep watch over Luisia from the Heavens, where the Chief God resides. That said… our first priority is to repel Ymir when he strikes.”

I nodded. Even if it was an optimistic outlook, the work ahead didn’t change. If hope existed, all the better. First, we deal with Ymir.

“Ymir said in Flosia, ‘From now on, it’s competition.’ Soon enough, he’ll make a move.”

Pauline-san smiled, as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders.

“In that case, our focus must be defense. We reveal the truth of the old myths, and enlist the royals and nobles as our allies.”

For a thousand years, these secrets had been protected… now we would overturn them. It was frightening, yes, but to protect Lu… there was no choice. I squared my jaw in resolve.

“And we’ll also need information on how Ymir, who escaped from Flosia, plans to strike next…”

To defend properly, we had to anticipate her next move. Perhaps we’d have to commission the Adventurers’ Guild for reconnaissance.

Heimdall raised two fingers.

“Then the next steps are twofold: increase our allies… and gather more intelligence.”

At that moment, warriors burst into the room.

“Pauline-sama!”

“What is it?”

“Apologies for interrupting… about that mouse—”

Mia-san and I exchanged a glance, and simultaneously said, “Ah.”

Pauline-san tilted her head in confusion.

“…Huh? A… mouse?”

Her jade-green eyes went wide, blinking in disbelief.

From a corner, Safi puffed up proudly, index finger raised like a trophy.

“I caught it! And it’s not just any mouse… it’s a monster! One of Ymir’s lieutenants called Ratbone!”

Pauline-san stared blankly in shock, her tall hat tilting askew.

I scratched my head and spoke up.

“I’ll guide you! We captured one of Ymir’s top lieutenants, an executive in Flocia who knows him well.”

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

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『Hahaha!』

A loud, cheerful laughter echoed from the awakening horn—the Gjallarhorn—I had pulled out. It rang like a colossal bell, boisterous and exhilarating, lifting the spirits of everyone around.

It seemed everyone could hear it too.

Mia-san’s jerked as she glanced around, startled.

Lu, sitting on the bed, widened her eyes and whispered,

“O–Oniichan…?”

Slowly, Lu’s eyelids droop, and she’s about to collapse back onto the bed. Solana supported her, gently draping a blanket over her.

Light continued to pour from the horn clutched in my hand.

I called out.

“Wake up!”

I called the god forth from the horn. Light shot into the air, and from it emerged a man. The first thing I noticed was his reddish-black hair. It was thick like a mane, and flowed back. I absentmindedly thought it reminded me of the sky just before dawn. He wore armor primarily in shades of red. At his waist hung a sword, the golden embellishments on its hilt gleaming as they caught the light.

“Good morning.”

The god Heimdall greeted us with a wide, cheerful grin.

At first glance, he reminded me a little of Thor—both tall, sturdy, exuding the presence of a war deity. But Heimdall’s smile carried more brightness than solemnity. His cool, clear eyes brought back a faint memory of my father.

And—well, the room, already cramped, felt even smaller with his immense frame filling it completely.

“…Whoa. Yeah, this room really is too small.”

With a thud, the god collapsed into the cramped space.

I scratched my cheek, glancing at Solana. Four gods had poured out of the coin—and on top of that, there were humans too. Mia-san, Felix-san, Pauline-san, and even my mother were all packed into the room. The dwarf, Safi, had been shoved into a corner, only her discontented eyes visible.

Pauline-san let out a soft sigh.

“…It really is far too cramped. Luisia seems to have fallen asleep as well. Let’s move everyone to the chapel.”

◆◆◆

At the base of the Raven Warriors, a grand chapel had been set up. A statue of Odis-sama stood solemnly, its stern gaze fixed on the heavens. The gods gathered at the very back of the chapel.

Loki floated lightly into the air, his eyes scanning the statue of Odis.

“Doesn’t really look like him… a bit more handsome than the real thing, I’d say.”

Heimdall strode to the base of the statue.

“I’ve heard Freyja’s account.”

Everyone who wasn’t a god—including me—sat in the front rows of the chapel.

Back when we lived in the Royal Capital, I had experienced something similar: morning gatherings where the faithful assembled in the chapel to hear the priests expound on the teachings of the gods. Only this time, it was the gods themselves speaking directly.

Pauline-san and the others sat on the long benches in the same way. Safi perched at the edge, her legs crossed daintily.

A strange feeling settled over me.

Gods, dwarves… things I could never have imagined just a little while ago. The white walls and high ceilings reminded me of the Royal Capital’s cathedral, making it all the more striking how far removed this moment was from my life before. The thing that had changed the most, perhaps, was my feelings toward Odis-sama.

I looked up at the statue and murmured to myself.

“Chief God…”

I realized we could never look at the statue of Odis the same way again. Perhaps many others felt the same.

The gods defeated the monsters—that was what the myths said. But here we were, with the World Serpent Jörmungandr and the primordial titan Ymir rampaging through the city.

Even on the way back to the Royal Capital, I had heard countless rumors.

—Odis-sama is loosening the seals on monsters to punish the nobles for their arrogance.

—No, no. He’s simply testing the strength of adventurers, giving them a chance to become heroes.

Debates like these were happening in villages everywhere. The green light shooting toward the capital was visible from far and wide so it was only natural that people would be worried.

Heimdall spoke, breaking the murmurs.

“Now then, listen up.”

The god who owned the awakening horn, Gjallarhorn, gestured toward his own face with his thumb.

“I am Heimdall, the God of Awakening. I want to talk about what we’ll do from here.”

Heimdall relaxed his expression and looked up at Solana.

“That said… we didn’t get a proper chance to speak during the journey. Daughter of the Sun, will you introduce me?”

“Of course.”

Solana lowered her altitude, floating closer to Heimdall.

Though their faces were now at the same height, her feet barely reached his knees. The golden-haired goddess extended one arm toward Heimdall.

“This god is one who fought alongside us. Using the Awakening horn, Gjallarhorn, he can amplify the powers of other gods. He is a god of war, but also brilliant in strategy—what you would call a ‘tactician.’ Thor, by contrast, is more of a commander on the battlefield.”

Thor, who had been squeezing himself into the corner, rubbed the tip of his nose.

“Well… I’m not exactly cut out to be a tactician.”

Even at a moment like this, having a god so laid-back made things feel a little lighter. I couldn’t help but smile.

Thor shot a glance at Heimdall.

“But there’s no doubt about our strength. When it comes to battle, Heimdall and I are the top two.”

I recalled the relationships among the gods.

Even among gods, there was a kind of hierarchy.

The Thunder God Thor possessed the greatest amount of magic and raw strength among the six awakened gods. Slightly lower in strength and magic were Loki and the hunting god Uru. The fertility gods, Freyr and Freyja, fell somewhere between Thor and Loki.

The medicine god Sigris had the lowest magical power. But the Valkyries, also the god of medicine, existed in numbers and worked closely with humans. Through cooperation, they could make up for the difference in power.

Solana’s true power was roughly on par with Uru and Loki. But she is gradually growing stronger. The other gods said it was because she is the “youngest god.” Normally, gods don’t level up like humans, so it was considered unusual—even remarkable.

And Heimdall—he was a god on the same level as Thor.

Basking in the sunlight, standing tall and proud, his presence radiated both solemnity and reassurance.

Heimdall continued.

“The enemy is formidable. Then we… must increase our allies. Isn’t that right, Princess?”

The question was directed at Pauline-san, who lowered her chin respectfully.

“Yes. Preparations are underway to lend strength from the royal family, the nobles, and temples across the land. But… if Odin becomes our enemy…”

The princess looked down.

The god who had awakened smiled, flashing his white teeth with a brightness that seemed to fill the chapel.

“On that point, I’d like to talk about possibilities. You see, I’m a bit more hopeful about Odin’s intentions.”Heimdall raised a single finger, as if signaling that an important discussion was about to begin.

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

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I was taken aback .

“….Redo?”

Lu—no, Freyja’s words hung in the air, leaving us confused.

“Freya-sama, what do you mean…”

The goddess residing in my sister’s body smiled.

“It’s a rather long story. And…just call me ‘Freyja’ from now on, Hero of the Horn.”

I looked around the room.

We, surrounding Freyja-sama—no, Freyja—were divided into two groups. Standing at the front, me, Mia-san, Felix-san, Pauline-san, and my mother were all confused. Everyone tilted their heads or frowned, unable to grasp what was going on. But the gods in the back all looked stern. Solana, standing next to me, is also staring wide-eyed at Freyja.

Solana was the first to respond.

 “Freyja… Do you understand what that truly means?”

In Lu’s form, the goddess lowered her head slightly.

“Of course. I understand it well enough. Even if it meant betraying humanity, Odin had already made his decision.”

And so, Freyja continued. She lowered her gaze and looked out the window, her expression distant.

“When I discovered his scheme, I fled the heavens, taking with me the key—the Power of Creation.”

When she turned back toward me, her green eyes burned with unshakable resolve. Placing both hands over her chest, the goddess spoke again.

“I am the Goddess of Fertility. Before the world was covered in the ice of the seal, Odin took me into the heavens for protection.”

Freyja’s voice did not waver as she went on.

“So that the people who escaped the sealing ice could preserve their lives. As a fertility goddess, I granted them the blessings of crops.”

I remembered the myth passed down only among the royal family. It told of a goddess who shielded us from the biting cold of the ice—preserving our lives when the world had nearly frozen over.

So it really had been Freyja. To maintain a lush land like Flocia, pushing back the sealed frost, perhaps the power of a fertility goddess had been necessary. In truth, within the dungeon in Flocia, water was purified and fertile fields were cultivated.

Everything pointed to her.

“At that time, there wasn’t even a kingdom called Asgard yet. The descendants of the humans who fought against the harsh environment and the monsters that escaped the Seal on the surface are what you now call the nobility.”

I caught my breath.

“They say powerful skills tend to appear more often among nobles….”

“That is likely because they descend from bloodlines that survived such an age. In the kingdom’s earliest days, combat skills were essential. And Odin, taking the name Odis, spent nearly two hundred years guiding humanity to create a new mythology—and the Kingdom of Asgard itself.”

It was the continuation of the myth the god had once shown me. Or perhaps, it was the true history of the kingdom’s founding.

“Many gods who once held great power are now sealed within the ice and forgotten. Thus, all the people of the kingdom became followers of Odin. In that way, Odin came to possess an enormous number of believers.”

Freyja’s gaze grew distant, as though she were looking back across centuries.

“And through them, he recovered the magic power he had lost in the sealing.”

My eyes met Solana’s.

A god and a human forming a bond and through that connection, it  strengthens divine power. It was similar to the vow I had made to become the “Kindest Strongest”. Odin had done the same. However, its on a scale far beyond mine. Over the course of centuries, he forged bonds with all the surviving humans and reclaimed his power.

Come to think of it, receiving skills from the god Odis in exchange for offering faith—it wasn’t any different from the way Solana and I did things.

Freyja continued,

“Once Odin had gathered sufficient magic power, he granted me a portion of it, along with the ability ‘Creation,’ and commanded me to make another world.”

“W–wait a second!”

Without thinking, I stepped forward and waved my hands. The scale of this conversation had just leapt to an entirely different level.

“Uhm, I’m not even sure where to begin asking.”

I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my forehead. Some of Freyja’s revelations confirmed suspicions I had long held. But at the same time, they had given birth to countless new mysteries.

“S-So, to begin with, when you say ‘redoing the creation of the world’ you mean, actually creating a brand-new world?”

“That is correct.”

“And Odin gave you the magic power for it, along with the ability ‘Creation’?”

“Yes. It was then that I learned of Odin’s true scheme.”

I paused to think.

It was something small—almost insignificant—but something about it caught at the edge of my mind.

Solana was the one who spoke next.

“Hmm. Yet in the end, Freyja escaped with that power intact. Did Odin never intend to carry it out himself?”

“I do not know that much…. However—”

Freyja shook her head slowly.

“It seems Odin intended to control me with his vast magic power. It resembled seiðr magic and I am no stranger to spells that manipulate the heart. Before I could be reduced to a mere puppet acting upon his commands, I reclaimed my freedom and fled the heavens.”

Her green eyes swept across us both.

There was no hesitation in them—only fierce determination.

She had escaped not merely with her life, but with the power to create a world.

“To conceal my whereabouts from Odin, I divided most of the magic power meant for creation into a duplicate vessel. And I continued to reside within those who possessed bodies capable of housing a god—like this girl, Luisia. I’ve been waiting, for a very long time, for the moment of awakening.”

Moisture gathered in the palm of my clenched hand. I had known that Lu was entangled in something immense. But perhaps the scale of it far exceeded anything I had imagined.

Calm down.

I drew a slow breath deep into my belly. This was like a negotiation—start by confirming the basic premises.

After glancing at the others for silent permission, I spoke.

“Please explain it to me once more. What exactly is this ‘redoing of creation’?”

“Just as the words imply, i means remaking the world. The gods shaped this world, and now you dwell within a portion of it. To ‘redo creation’ is to craft another one—an entirely new world.”

For a moment, my mind went completely blank.

“Create a world?”

“Yes. To create another world, separate from this one. And only the gods, along with the heroes chosen by Odin, would dwell there. And then—”

Freyja faltered, her voice trailing off ominously.

My own voice trembled as I forced the question out.

“W-what about everyone else?”

“The remaining humans would be left behind in this world. A world abandoned by the gods and the heroes. They’ll be left to coexist with the monsters.”

When the shock is truly overwhelming, I did not even feel goosebumps.

“Only Odin and the exceptional among humanity would migrate to the new world. Even if they were to return here by some means, it would likely require waiting another thousand years.”

It was a wonder I didn’t stagger.

I stood there, numb.

“That means….”

My voice faltered. Solana finished the thought for me.

“Is Odin abandoning this world?”

The Sun Goddess’s eyes blazed like molten gold.

“Yes”

“Why?!”

“The enemy is the monsters. And yet we produce monsters from among our own allies as well. With that in mind, can you not understand the Chief God’s judgment?”

“.…!”

Freyja’s faint, sorrowful smile revealed everything.

She did not share Odin’s view—that much was clear.

And yet…. perhaps, just a little, she understood the reasoning behind it.

From the corner of the room, the Thunder God, Thor spoke up.

“It was that bastard Ymir. He can turn humans, dwarves, any living thing, into monsters. And in the last apocalypse, we never truly united in the end. Those who betrayed us became monsters.”

His voice rumbled with anger, like distant thunder.

“The monsters never run out. Because they’re born from our own ranks. Heh…. so that’s the logic, is it?”

Thor clicked his tongue.

“Damn it. I thought we’d learned what unity meant in the land of the dwarves. But it seems Odin never counted on that.”

And so, he would cast this world aside.

Was that truly the conclusion reached by the god we had revered as Odis-sama?

A sharp tap echoed as a staff struck the floor.

Pauline-san clutched her staff tightly, as though using it to keep herself standing, her fingers wrapped around it in a white-knuckled grip.

“T-that can’t be…. that would mean…!”

My mother, standing beside me, staggered as well and collapsed onto a chair in the corner. Her face had gone deathly pale. For someone who had served Odis-sama, this must have been utterly unimaginable.

It wasn’t just her. I was shaken to my core as well. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, Freyja’s clear, gentle smile made it feel as though she was speaking nothing but the truth.

Pauline-san cleared her throat.

“—My apologies. I lost my composure.”

Freyja turned her gaze back to me.

“Rion, the reason you are granted the skill Alarm was surely so that, in time, you would draw out the power of Unsealing and awaken me—the goddess who fled with the power of Creation—who lay sleeping within your younger sister. .”

Solana spoke up, her voice low and sharp.

“So…. Odin had already discovered that you were dwelling within Luisia.”

I realized it then.

This meant the skill was essentially a seed. Plant it within a human, wait for it to sprout and grow, and eventually it would bear fruit. I had nurtured the power of Awakening that Odin had given me.

And in doing so, I awakened the goddess who had taken residence in Lu. After that, all Odin would have to do was reap the harvest.

I remembered hearing that Odin had gathered skills from other gods and scattered them among humans. The gods had once said that humans grow fast.

Perhaps the Awakening skill in Odin’s hands wasn’t yet strong enough to rouse a god or the power of Creation directly. It had to take root in a human and mature there first.

I recalled how Odin had always looked down on us from above.

Was he searching all this time for the Freyja who had fled? For years…. no, centuries?

I spoke, my voice steady despite the weight of the revelation.

“.…So Lu is being targeted by Odin too? To reclaim the ‘Power of Creation’?”

Freyja nodded firmly.

“Yes. Luisia’s skill, Miko, is a skill that wields the power of the god dwelling within her. Now that I have awakened, Luisia can exercise the ability of Creation. And—”

The goddess raised her hand, letting her gaze soften as it fell upon her small palm.

“Miko is also a kind of cage. I am already a part of Luisia’s skill. I can no longer leave her side.”

Thor crossed his arms, his voice heavy.

“For Odin, that means, if he captures Luisia, Freyja can’t escape.”

I lowered my eyes, shivering despite myself.

If Odin were to regain the Power of Creation, a new world would be forged—and our world would be abandoned. If Ymir were to gain the Power of Creation, that terrifying monster would grow even stronger—and it would come for us. This world… it would be devoured.

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

“I can’t let it go to either of them.”

Lu—my sister—or any human, for that matter, should never be a tool for a god. 

I lifted my gaze, and Freyja’s eyes met mine. The goddess offered a small, sorrowful smile.

“While I was hiding among humans, I wanted Odin to see them. To witness how people live, how they go about their days… and in seeking me within them, perhaps he would understand.”

But that wish had failed, hadn’t it?

If Odin’s thinking hadn’t changed at all, then….

Freyja’s smile vanished, replaced by the unflinching green of her eyes staring straight at me.

“Rion…. you cannot let Luisia fall to either the monsters or the Chief God.”

I squeezed her hand tightly and nodded.

I wanted to stay in this world—with Lu, with my mother, with the gods, and with my friends.

Now, I held my sister’s hand—or rather, Freyja’s hand.

“I’ll protect her. Absolutely. Both you and my sister!”

Freyja let out a soft, gentle laugh.

“Thank you. You are a fine warrior.”

There was a trace of someone familiar in that smile…. My father or perhaps its someone I had parted with in Flocia. My chest tightened just a little.

Freyja released my hand and pressed her right hand to her chest.

“Soon, Luisia will awaken.”

She left the rest unsaid.

The goddess sat on the bed, and when she opened her eyes again, they had turned a pale, sky-blue.

“Hn?”

Lu blinked rapidly, and I held my sister close.

“It’s alright, it’s alright….”

I will protect her. Absolutely.

We aren’t just going to be crushed. No, we’ll show Odin and Ymir what we’re made of.

—— ——What a resolve!

At that moment, the horn in my pouch trembled.

I remembered.

The gods we had encountered on our adventures weren’t just Freyja. Even if the myths were filled with despair, we had found hope along the way.

I pulled the horn from my pouch and shouted the name of that god, the one who bore the power of Awakening.

“HEIMDALL!”

The alarm horn, the Gjallarhorn, was enveloped in the glow of awakening.

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

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The door to the room swung open, and Pauline-san and my mother stepped inside.

Seeing Lu awake, both of them widened their eyes. They immediately noticed something different about my sister. Pauline-san, also the captain of the Raven Warrior Corps, furrowed her brow and spoke.

“Welcome back from your journey, Rion. And… Luisia—something happened, didn’t it?”

I nodded firmly.

“I… I used my Alarm skill on the goddess who was inside my little sister…”

Lu—or perhaps it was truly Goddess Freyja now—smiled gently at my mother and Pauline-san standing at the doorway. Her sky-blue eyes had shifted to green.

Mia-san, Felix-san, and even the Safi were in the room, all quietly watching Lu.

I stood as well, looking at my sister, and spoke.

“Y-you are… Freyja-sama, right…?”

“Yes. I’m afraid it will take a little longer for Luisia to fully wake up. For now, I’d like to explain.”

It clicked immediately.

Freyja is indeed borrowing Lu’s body… the goddess was residing within her.

Pauline-san’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Freyja… Yes, we received word earlier. You mean the one you awakened in Flocia, correct? The very being who now resides within Luisia?”

Nodding several times, Pauline-san’s tall hat sway with each of her movement. In an instant, she understood—truly impressive for a princess.

The coin in my pocket trembled, then leaping into the air on their own, the gods came out.

““““FREYJA!””””

My eyes flickered and my ears rang.

Thor, the Thunder God; Loki, the God of Mischief; Uru, the God of Hunting and Sigris, the Medicine Goddess—they had all appeared at once, shouting at the top of their lungs.

Of course, the room that had only held sleeping Lu suddenly felt tiny. I saw Sigris’s waist armor push Felix-san almost out the door.

Solana, the only one who seemed unaffected, floated lightly. She hovered parallel to the floor, pressed close to the ceiling, looking down on the chaotic gathering below.

Her golden hair rippled as the goddess let out a sigh.

“…Again, huh.”

Yeah… that sounded about right.

Freyja, residing in Lu, deepened her smile and waved gently.

“My, my, everyone. It’s been a while.”

Uh-, is it really okay to sum up a thousand years as “it’s been a while”?

“Alright, everyone, line up!”

For the time being, I asked the gods to move away from my sister’s bed. Thankfully, Pauline-san had prepared a slightly larger room. Even though the gods hadn’t shrunk to doll size, we could all fit in somehow.

Around the bed against the wall, we lined up: me, Mia-san, Felix-san, Pauline-san, and Safi. The gods huddled in the corners and by the doorway.

It might be irreverent, but somehow, I felt I was getting used to organizing the gods.

Mia-san narrowed her eyes and muttered softly.

“You’ve grown strong, Rion.”

“…Don’t say that.”

Thor cleared his throat loudly.

“…So, then.”

His wide eyes fixed on Lu—or rather, Goddess Freyja—without blinking.

“There’s a mountain of things I want to hear, but first, I need to know: is the owner of that body, Luisia, safe?”

I had been wondering the same. Freyja-sama, the one using my sister’s body now, could only be the one to answer that.

Is Lu truly alright?

She lowered her chin and spoke calmly.

“She is fine.”

“Good, that makes things simple. That girl is Rion’s precious sister, you see. Can you… like us, step outside of her body?”

“That is…”

For the first time, Freyja’s expression darkened.

“That… cannot be done. This girl’s skill binds me tightly to her body.”

From the ceiling, Solana descended toward me. The goddess pressed a hand to her mouth, her face serious.

“It’s because of Luisia’s skill, Miko, isn’t it?”

I found myself asking, my voice tense.

“So… you can’t leave Lu’s body?”

“Luisia’s skill does more than merely host a god. It also ‘captures’ the deity within her.”

“Let me give an example. Freyja is a god of immense power. Imagine that power as a massive hammer. Luisia, through her skill, grips the handle tightly. The hammer cannot leave her hand by its own will. Through her own training, she might one day loosen her grip—allowing Freyja to manifest outside her body like we do—but in her current unconscious state, that is almost certainly impossible.”

I think not only I, but everyone listening must have been taken aback. It wasn’t just that Lu was hosting Freya—she almost seemed to be controlling her.

Solana’s eyes swept over all of us lined up in the room.

“Most likely, your suspicions are correct. Luisia’s skill <Miko> doesn’t merely host a god—it grants her the ability to govern the deity’s power as well.”

…Incredible.

Truly, she is a miko. A human child, yet she can wield power on par with a god.

Freyja finally spoke.

“While she slept, I was able to glean some understanding from this girl’s memories. I know that even in this era, you all face threats from monsters. But everything is—”

The goddess’s gaze, now through Lu’s eyes, swept across us.

“It is also part of Odin’s—whom you call Odis—strategy.”

Pauline-san spoke up without hesitation.

“A strategy? What do you mean?”

Freyja’s voice was calm, yet heavy with authority.“It is a reset. If Ymir’s goal concerns the end times, then Odin’s goal is a ‘redo of creation.’ He seeks to remake the world—another world entirely. To discard failed creations and begin anew.”

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

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After leaving Flocia, it took us four days to reach the Royal Capital.

The wagon came to a halt at the Odis Temple, where my little sister waited. I leapt from the wagon, hurrying toward a nearby priest.

“Lu…!? Where is she?”

“Ah… up in that tower…”

I bolted toward the tower, racing up the stairs without caring for my own breathlessness. Since the temple gates opened, I hadn’t been able to calm myself. Freyja—the goddess of fertility, who I had woken up in Flocia—might now be within my sister.

I heard footsteps behind me. My companions were probably running up the stairs.

And shouting—Mia’s voice rang out.

“Hey, Rion! Wait up!”

I’m sorry. But I can’t stop now.

I arrived at the room where Lu was. A priest stood by the door, wide-eyed at my sudden appearance.

After asking permission, I knocked on the door. No response.

“…Rion-dono. Your little sister has been asleep this entire time.”

Hesitating for only a moment, I opened the door.

“I’m coming in!”

There she was—Lu, bathed in light streaming through the window, asleep.

My chest tightened painfully. It felt as if time had been rolled back. Back to before I met Solana. Back when I was still just the “Wake-Up Caller of the Royal Capital” and Lu was unwell, forced to stay in bed—that cold winter morning.

But now, spring had long since arrived. The sunlight washing over the bed, the gentle breeze from the window—they were warm and kind. Yet Lu, still asleep, seemed forgotten by the season, frozen in that long-ago winter day.

“…Lu.”

I called her name.

I had steeled myself for this moment, but it still hurt.

During the battle in Flocia, the green light had flown toward the Royal Capital. When it burst, it radiated magic—most of it seeming to pour directly into Lu’s body.

Had my recovering little sister simply been unable to withstand the sheer magnitude of the magic? Days had passed since we left Flocia, yet she hadn’t woken up.

I dropped to my knees and gently took her hand in mine.

It’s warm.

Relief washed over me.

“I’ll start, Goddess.”

I activated my skill. And answering me was the gentle, radiant sun goddess herself.

『Yes. Do as you will, do what you think is the best.』

Using Alarm, I sensed two presences from Lu. One was my little sister herself. With the skill’s Wake up ability, I might be able to rouse her fully.

The other… was something capable of lifting a seal.

When I analyzed the seal, I gasped.

The Goddess of Fertility, Freyja can be unsealed.

The voice rang in my head. I remembered this feeling.

Just two months ago—before Lu had even awakened her skill—I had sensed a similar presence. Back then, even using a seal appraisal, I couldn’t discern what it was. But now… it was unmistakably Freyja-sama.

Had I grown stronger? Or was it because Lu had absorbed her magical power?

I gripped my sister’s hand tightly and called out.

“Wake up!”

A golden light enveloped Lu’s body.

The brilliance intensified.

Mia-san and the others, arriving moments later, shielded their eyes at the doorway. I, too, could barely keep mine open.

Then, a voice brushed against my ears.

“…Uuh”

My eyes gradually adjusted.

Lu’s body twitched. Her eyelids opened, revealing her sky-blue eyes.

“…Lu!”

When I let go of her hand, Lu slowly sat up on the bed. She looked down at me, kneeling before her.

From a distance, it might even seem as if a traveler had knelt to greet a princess on her throne.

It felt… slightly strange.

Her eyes were hazy, yet her lips curved into an unexpectedly mature smile.

“Nice to meet you.”

Lu tilted her head slightly, one hand resting over her chest. Her blue eyes, her chestnut hair, her features—all were still Lu’s, yet somehow, the aura she radiated wasn’t the Lu I knew. Her eyes gradually changed, turning a pale green.

I could only stare in stunned silence and whisper,

“…Lu?”

“…Who… are you?”

My heart thudded, pounding in waves.

I felt the coin in my pocket tremble. The gods must have realized it.

Yes… I know too.

All I had to do was remember who was sleeping inside Lu.

“I am Freyja.”

Though the voice came from my sister, it sounded impossibly dignified.

Lu—or rather, Goddess Freyja—rose from the bed and bowed deeply.

“Thank you for waking me, Horn-Bearer.”

Without delay, she moved to the matter at hand.In my sister’s face, the goddess named Freyja let out a quiet, subtle smile. Her cheeks twitched just a little, and it was a graceful and delicate yet a natural expression. It was a look that I had never seen before on my sister.

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

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