I left the tower and made my way toward the carriage waiting in the courtyard. When I saw who was waiting, I almost froze.
“S-Solana…?”
The goddess had changed her clothes.
She wore a dress of deep blue, different from her usual attire. The hem fell just below her knees, giving her a mature, refined air. Her golden hair gleamed in the sunlight, loosely tied at the nape of her neck. With her ears exposed, she seemed somehow more lively, more spirited than usual.
Even her feet were different.
Normally, her pale feet were bare, but today they were shod in a pair of charming shoes.
“I-I hope… it’s alright. I was told by all the gods to adjust my outfit. Shaping the body with magic was tricky at first, but—”
I suddenly realized.
Could it be that the gods had been smirking earlier because they already knew Solana had dressed up…?
“You… you look amazing.”
“R-Really?”
Solana’s smile bloomed like a flower.
Her golden hair fluttered in the spring breeze, and my head began to spin.
In a quiet corner of my mind, I remembered that the outfit was partly meant to disguise her from the eyes of the other gods. Yet, the goddess before me—so different from usual—made my heart race uncontrollably.
The coachman cleared his throat.
“Shall we depart?”
He gave me a sly, knowing smile, and all I could do was nod in response.
We climbed into the carriage and set off toward the royal capital. The check of the magical runes that Safi had told me to perform was quickly done.
Passing through the gates of the royal city, our carriage rolled past the temple, and there Solana sensed a trace of magical power.
“Hmm… no issues.”
And that was it. After that—free time.
Safi, truly… thank you for giving me the push I needed.
We descended from the carriage at the North Plaza of the capital.
“Thank you very much!”
I called out. The coachman waved and drove off. We’d be picked up here again in the evening for our return.
Alright, time to focus!
I braced myself, and when I did, Solana’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“…This is incredible!”
The North Plaza had transformed into a bustling market.
Stalls filled the square, filling the air with mouthwatering aromas. Others had laid mats on the ground to sell their wares. People bustled back and forth. Even though monsters had been spilling out of the dungeon, and powerful creatures had appeared in the heart of the city, the market’s energy remained undiminished.
Her golden eyes met mine, shining like sunlight.
“Rion!”
Solana usually floats above everything, so it felt strange—almost refreshing—to be the one she looked up at.
I held up a finger in a small show of pride.
“Today is when the ‘Spring Market’ is held.”
From the vernal equinox to the summer solstice, the royal capital hosted a market like this.
“Spring is when winter ends and trade picks up again, so every year the market in this season is lively.”
“You know a lot. As expected from you.”
“Hehe. I’ve been running around the capital for a long time after all.”
There was another reason we’d come to the northern district. Compared to the east or west, I hadn’t had to make as many trips here as a trouble-shooter. Officially, I was “out of the capital,” so running into someone I knew might be a little awkward.
I glanced at the goddess.
“…Is this really okay?”
Everyone was busy preparing for the decisive battle, and here I was, flustered over what amounted to a date. How could I feel this way toward a goddess? Would the other gods—or even Lu—think it unbalanced, unfair somehow?
I started to worry, but Solana grabbed my hand before I could spiral further.
“C-Come on! I want to enjoy everything!”
“…Yeah.”
I replied, letting myself be pulled along.
To the goddess, the market was like a treasure chest. After all, not long ago, she hadn’t even tasted human food. She lingered at each stall, studying the goods and hesitating over what to buy. We shared a sweet treat of candied apples, eating together as we wandered.
I remembered going to the market back when Lu had been full of energy. But Solana’s radiant smile was different—walking beside her now, my chest sometimes warmed in a way it hadn’t before.
As we browsed a row of stalls, one of the shopkeepers beamed at us.
“Well, well, young man. How about this brooch for your lady?”
“F-F-for her…!”
My face burned crimson while Solana looked on, utterly bewildered.
The shopkeeper laughed heartily.
“Ah, she seems the more decisive one here. Surely she would appreciate a gift like this?”
Before I realized it, I’d bought the brooch, swept along by the moment.
Solana held it up to the sky, delight sparkling in her golden eyes, and immediately pinned it on. Her usual dress already had gold embroidery, so I could tell she liked things that glittered and shone.
“Thank you, Rion.”
“Yeah.”
I replied, smiling back.
As expected, my pace was all over the place. Even now, my head was spinning.
But setting aside missions, strategies, and all that, walking through the city with Solana was… enjoyable. Was this truly me, enjoying myself? Or was it the part of me warning, “You shouldn’t be doing this”?
I didn’t even know anymore.
I stopped in my tracks. From deep within the market, a scream rang out.
“Someone—help!”
At the sound, I stepped in front of Solana.
“…Solana. Behind me.”
“I can protect you.”
“Not now. Behind me.”
Her eyes widened slightly, but she nodded.
“Y-Yes… understood.”
I activated the blessing of the God of Hunting, Wild Heart.
Someone was pushing through the crowd, running toward us. Three of them. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, and small curses slipped from their lips.
“Catch him!”
“He stole something from the shop!”
“The most expensive one—a jewel!”
The situation crystallized instantly.
The lead man surged forward, as if to throw me aside. The royal capital was full of adventurers striving to become “heroes.” Naturally, among them were a few troublemakers.
“Move, brat!”
The lead adventurer reached toward me. I twisted my body, evading his grasp.
“Hah!”
I grabbed his outstretched arm with my right hand. As his balance faltered, I planted my foot and sent him sprawling to the ground.
His companions shouted at me.
“You little—!”
Both of them were sent flying, blasted by a surge of golden light. The adventurer slammed against a wall, unmoving.
Solana, her hand still extended, stared blankly.
“I… didn’t mean to…”
Everyone around us was frozen, their eyes wide.
Of course—if a child just took down three adventurers, it would be hard not to stare.
I glanced at the fallen adventurers. None of them showed any sign of getting back up.
Scratching the back of my neck, I muttered,
“Now… call the guards!”
I grabbed Solana’s hand and sprinted toward another section of the market.
At this rate, the guards who arrived would pepper us with questions, and we wouldn’t be let go for hours.
As we ran, I stole a glance at her.
“S-Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because… I can’t make this feel like a proper… date.”
She bounced her golden hair and smiled at me.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“I enjoy being with you.”
Those words lifted the weight that had been pressing on my chest, if only for a moment. Without thinking, our hands stayed intertwined, held together for a little while longer as we ran.
◆◆◆
Time passed in the blink of an eye.
We resumed our stroll through the city, wandering among its streets and alleys.
Solana was still captivated by everything—the brooches, the human foods, all the small wonders. Even in the age of myths, it seemed she had little contact with mortals. Every stall, every trinket, every scent of the market was completely new to her.
Drawing on my knowledge of the city from my days as a trouble-shooter, I led her beyond the market as well—through canals, past waterwheels, along charming little shops. I held her hand as we walked. It was a little embarrassing, but somehow it made the distance between our hearts feel smaller.
And then, the time of sunset arrived.
“Solana, over here.”
I guided the goddess to one last place—a secret spot that only someone like me, who had run these streets for years, would know.
We climbed a building near the city wall.
A five-story tower, the tallest in the area.
It had once housed a bell, but since the bell had been removed, it was now simply a high place with a breathtaking view. A quiet, almost secret spot where few people came.
When we reached the rooftop, Solana’s eyes widened.
“Wow…!”
The sunset painted the sky in gold and crimson. I loved sunrises, of course, but after a day of running around and exploring, the evening glow felt just as magical.
Solana and I leaned against the railing, taking in the view.
The city stretched out below the walls, rooftops glowing in the sunset. Smoke began to curl from chimneys, steadily increasing in number as everyone prepared their evening meals.
Solana turned to me.
“Rion, thank you for today.”
I smiled.
“No, thank you. I had a wonderful time too.”
For a moment, our conversation fell silent. The sound of the wind felt strangely loud. We both opened our mouths to speak at the same time, then laughed quietly and let the words go unspoken.
The sky slowly shifted toward night, and the sun’s glow lingered on our faces.
“…Rion, I—”
“I—”
We spoke at the same time. Then we shared a brief laugh before I finally spoke.
“Solana… I love you.”
A simple, straightforward confession. The words carried my feelings naturally, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Solana’s golden eyes softened. She looked both shy and delighted, a look I’d never seen before.
“Yeah… I love you too.”
Today, we had wandered the city together for the first time. But I felt that the change between us had begun long before that.
Solana pressed a hand to her chest.
“…From the moment we first met,” she murmured.
She lowered her gaze. Her long lashes caught the sunset, glimmering faintly in the golden light.
“To be honest… I was full of doubts. The world had changed fundamentally from the one I knew, sealed away as it was.”
Yet she looked at me then, and her gaze was steady.
“You accepted me… as your goddess, as someone to swear to. If it hadn’t been you I met then, everything now would have been different.”
Her eyes softened as she smiled.
“Thank you. To accept me back then… it must have taken courage, I think.”
Her golden eyes met mine. I couldn’t let my voice tremble here.
“I… I’m glad I met you too, Solana.”
Our gazes locked, my chest burning with warmth, and I didn’t know what to do next. Without thinking, I took her hand and drew her close. Our bodies pressed together, both of us as warm as sunlight.
Her words brushed across my cheeks, along with the strands of her golden hair.
“…Let me make a vow too.”
“A vow?”
“Yes. Just as you swore to me to be ‘gentle and strongest.’”
Solana stepped back slightly, meeting my gaze with unflinching clarity.
“I will be with you, in every moment. No matter what happens, I will always come to save you.”
Her words looked ahead to the battles yet to come. We would face Ymir, and we would have to protect the world. If we didn’t, no future—no matter how hopeful—could ever arrive.
“I’ll get stronger too… strong enough to protect everyone—especially you, Goddess. Always, even more.”
So close that our cheeks almost touched, Solana smiled softly.
“You’re warm.” she murmured.
“Mm…”
“Truly, your body is warm and kind.”
Warm?
My entire body felt like it was on fire. I was determined not to let her see how flustered I was.
A cool breeze brushed our faces, but even through it, I sensed something ominous in the shifting air. My body stiffened instinctively.
Solana’s shoulders trembled slightly as well.
“…Did you hear that?”
“Yeah.”
Through the night wind, something reached us from afar—a howl, or something very much like it.
We instinctively let go of each other.
The goddess leaned over the tower’s railing.
“…It’s a howl imbued with magic.”
I drew in my chin and stared at the sky from which the sound came. The sunset’s red still lingered faintly on the horizon.
“From the west.”
The unnatural howl sent ripples of unease through the city.
A thought crossed my mind—the giant wolf among the revived monsters. Fenrir, if I recalled correctly.
Solana rested a hand on her chin, her golden eyes narrowing in thought.
“It’s very far away… But if it is a monster, why announce its position like this? What intent lies behind it?”
“The west… huh.”
“What is it?”
“I just realized… it’s the same direction as the ‘Crimson Sunset’.”
The place where my father had died.
A spark of insight struck.
“The place where Ymir was during the battle at the royal capital… wasn’t it most likely the ruins of a dungeon?”
The site of the ‘Blood-red Sunset’ had also been a former dungeon.
There was so much we still needed to uncover about the enemy.
Where are they now?
How had they managed to tear through space itself to send monsters into the sky above the capital?
I spoke the thoughts rising in my mind.
“If the Blood-red Sunset was at the dungeon ruins, then it’s not an ordinary dungeon. Plenty of people could hide there. And underground… there should be a communication device for the gods, right?”
“The Mirror of Yggdrasil huh… there must be one.”
All the conditions were lining up. The enemy had exploited the Mirror of Yggdrasil during the battle at the royal capital.
We nodded to each other, understanding.
“Then this might be the very place where Ymir was hiding during the battle at the capital!”
“We’ll need to investigate.”
West—the place where my father had fallen, where the Blood-Red Sunset had occurred. It was also where the alarm horn, Gjallarhorn, had been discovered.
I shook my head, clearing it, forcing my focus back to the task at hand.
Back to the fight.
There might be clues to victory at the enemy’s base.
“Solana.”
I held out my hand to the goddess.
“Yeah, let’s go!”
Hand in hand, Solana and I ran toward the stairs leading down from the tower.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeneijiworks.com
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