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

A woman working at the Flocia Trading House was in truth a collaborator of the slave traders.

Their connection began two years ago.

The woman possessed what people called a “useless skill”—a talent so weak it was deemed useless. Because of that, the nobles within the trading company had treated her poorly, dismissing her worth. Her resentment had festered for years… until a man calling himself the Shrewd Merchant approached her.

His offer had been simple—and irresistible. The cooperation would more than double her income. On top of that, she’d be allowed to use her skill for a side business of sorts. She had been hired at nineteen and had worked for over five years since then. The bitterness of being branded a failure had long since etched itself into her heart.

So when the slave traders’ payments began to flow, and her betrayal turned into a quiet form of revenge against the company that had scorned her, she felt no guilt—only satisfaction.

That was why, when an urgent report arrived in the middle of her peaceful lunch break, it took every bit of restraint she had not to click her tongue in irritation.

“They caught some bandits by the river!”

“Oh? And what’s that got to do with the company?”

“Apparently, they were carrying one of our adventurer’s tokens. Might’ve been stolen, but the guards are coming to check it out just in case.”

“I heard they were the river bandits who’ve been attacking villages upstream…”

The moment she heard that the guards were coming, the woman’s expression stiffened. It didn’t take her long to realize what had happened. The man who was supposed to receive a “message” from the company with the adventure token had been captured. Worse, it seemed he’d already talked about the company.

The bandit wouldn’t have known about her—the company’s inside contact—but the very fact that the guards were on their way to her workplace was enough to make the woman’s stomach twist. Years of petty crimes had made her quick to panic.

“I need to retrieve the magic stone.”  Those were her immediate thought.

The item exchanged via the adventurer’s token is a magic stone with message magically engraved on it. And in times like this, recovering that message was part of her job.

The woman heads to the vault.

The section that stored goods meant for exchange through the adventurer’s tokens was more loosely managed than the rest. The Adventurers’ Guild frowned upon merchants and adventurers trading directly, so the system of adventurer’s tokens—something that could strengthen that connection—was kept deliberately small in scale.

Keys to the materials used for Adventure tokens are kept separate for each box. The woman borrowed a key from her superior, saying she would open another box. However, with her nimble hands, she also snatched the key to the slave trader’s box from the shelf.

Her quick work, thanks to her <Thief> skill, went unnoticed by her colleagues and superiors, who believed it to be a useless skill.

Even in her panic, she felt a flicker of smug satisfaction. 

The woman opened a box in the vault and breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, she sensed a presence behind her.

“Ah!”

Several rats jumped down from above. The creatures darted straight for the box, shoving their heads inside. Then—just as the woman reached for the magic stone inside the pouch—it slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor.

One of the rats seized the pouch’s drawstring in its teeth and bolted for the exit.

“S-stop!”

She felt terrified. They usually contained an important message after all. The woman didn’t know the details, but there was no way she could get away safely after losing it.

Suddenly, she remembered a slave trader she had met only once. That hulk like man had been staring at her when she was granted the <Thief> skill. She recalled those starving eyes, the look he gave that time was like he was holding back from eating her alive and was forced to watch his food go free.

—When I’m no longer useful… he’ll devour me.

It was only a fleeting thought, yet the fear that came with it dulled her reason even further.

“Damn it!”

The rats ran out the back door, round the corner, and down an increasingly lit road. When they ran out of breath, the beasts finally stopped. The pouch containing the magic stone rolled to the ground. It was picked up by a young boy.

◆◆◆

The God of Hunting , Uru, had called this method a hunt.

The bandit who was supposed to receive the magic stone had been captured—and that information was deliberately leaked to the trading company. The collaborator, believing the goods was compromised, would likely move to retrieve the message hidden in the vault.

The key was to mention the word “token” and to make them believe the city guards were already on their way. In other words, force them to panic—make them take the magic stone out of the vault on their own.

“…It really worked.”

“Told you.”

Uru, looking quite pleased with himself, gave a sly little wink. In his small, childlike form, he waved lightly at the rats sniffing around the corner of the alley.

“Of course, it wouldn’t have worked without their help.”

Uru added with a grin.

Uru is a deity of nature—one who could ask the trees, the beasts, even the smallest creatures for aid. This time, it was the rats who had answered his call.

A sulky voice echoed in my head—Loki clearly displeased at having his moment stolen.

『Eh, whatever. We gods could’ve slipped in ourselves if we wanted to. But then again, if something like Alvis’ golem core reacted to divine energy, that’d be a real pain. Using animals as intermediaries—yeah, I’ll admit, it’s a clever, harmless trick.』

Urubrushed back his braided hair, looking quite proud of himself.

“Fufu… Rion, it’s your turn now.”

His form began to fade into the air, dissolving like mist.

“Truth be told, I was this close to granting you a new power for this little hunt. But… it seems your mindset isn’t quite there yet, hm?”

I was about to ask again. But thinking about it, that wasn’t the time. I tucked my chin in and looked straight ahead.

The woman I was facing was a woman a little over 20 years old. She was out of breath, probably from running. A group of raven warriors were blocking the exit to the back alley.

“Tch.”

The woman clicked her tongue and readied her knife.

Her eyes were wide, and she looked frightened of something.

“Surrender. I don’t think you can… beat me.”

The woman raised her eyes.

“I-I’m no ordinary woman!”

Her body glowed faintly. A skill had been activated. The knife she had thrown head straight for me.

“Tsu”

I drew my dagger and shot down the attacker’s throwing knife. The woman drew another blade and attacked me. I twisted my body to avoid the attack and grabbed her outstretched arm with my left hand. I pulled with all my might, then I swept her leg away.

“Wha…?”

The woman’s cheek hit the ground with a thud. The fight was over in an instant.

“H-Help…”

The woman looked up and groaned. She seemed afraid of something.

Mia-san’s eyes sharpened, her voice became serious.

“Rion. Stay alert.”

“Yes, but…”

She really did look frightened—not because of us, but because of something else. Of course, I would not let her go now. But I guess, pitying her was a bit naive of me….

“It’s all right. As long as you’re willing to talk… that’s enough.”

The woman’s eyes fluttered shut, as if in relief.

The raven warriors arrived, leading a carriage. We helped the woman inside, and at last, I could exhale. It might have been a rather forceful method, but—we’d secured the magic stone, and another of the slave traders’ collaborators was now in custody.

『Rion!』

“.….Y-yes!”

Urged by Solana, I held the magic stone up into the sky.

The result was just as we had predicted. The magic stone I obtained was a special one, it’s engraved with a magical message.

“The power of the sun will remove the bewilderment cast by the monsters!”

The sunlight shone on the stone. Letters began to appear on the surface of the egg-sized magic stone.

“East District, Temple Parish, April… That’s today’s date and the location.”

I gasped. Felix-san peered into the magic stone and put his hand to his chin.

“Hmm. It appears… this is the slave trader’s next transaction. I believe the slave will be handed over here.”

Mia-san grimaced at my deduction and scratched her head.

“Surely it doesn’t include the location of their headquarters?”

“Yes. However, it’s an elaborate message. There’s a high chance that it’s an important transaction or something big will come up.”

We exchanged glances.

It would provide a clue to the enemy targeting Lu. Above all, it was obviously best to stop the buying and selling of kidnapped people. It would mean that a disaster like that of Nils’ sibling could happen again somewhere.

I naturally straightened my back.

“Let’s go, Felix-san, Mia-san.”

Our next move is happening tonight.

We’ll expose the enemy’s base —and stop the slave trade.

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

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For now, we head outside the noisy trading post.

There is a possibility that the enemy has hidden a message here. If we can find it, we might be able to find the slave traders’ base or the date and time of their next trade. The corner where the three of us hid was only a few dozen meters away from the trading post. But there were far fewer people around. This made it easier to hold a strategy meeting.

Mia-san was the first to speak, leaning her back against the wall.

“So basically, it’s a message engraved with magic, right?”

She crossed her arms, shaking the chains.

“Is that even possible?”

“Yes, research is being done for it. For example, unlike regular letters, the message won’t appear unless the sender knows a ‘password’ and there are various ways to devise it. Right now, the most promising idea is―”

Felix-san looked at me.

“It’s about engraving messages into magic stones. It’s still in the research phase back in the kingdom, but… it’s possible the slaver traders have already learned to use it.”

Mia-san added.

I recalled the faint glow I’d detected with my magic sense.

“Uhm… the object was about the size of an egg.”

“Then a magic stone seems most likely.”

Mia-san concluded. She ran a hand through her red hair, gripping it in thought.

“Should we bring Safi?”

I asked.

Safi, the blacksmith, had gone ahead to the temple to prepare—setting up her tools, sharpening stones, and all the other gear she might need to assist us later.

Mia-san shook her head.

“Not yet. It’s too soon for that. First, we need to get our hands on that message.”

Felix-san, who’s standing beside us, touched his chin thoughtfully. His eyes narrowed, glinting like needles. Of the three of us, he’d spent the most time chasing slaver traders. He knew their tricks, their habits, and their trails better than anyone.

“I can’t say for certain.… But if the message really is engraved on a magic stone, then it’s very likely they’re using the trading system of the merchants’ guild to exchange it.”

He glanced between us, then continued.

“The adventurer’s token I explained earlier was originally designed to help busy merchants trade with adventurers. When you present it, the guild hands over the requested item on the merchant’s behalf. And if that item happens to contain a magic stone with a hidden message—”

Mia-san snapped her fingers. Snap.

“—Then no one would think twice about it, because the recipient is an adventurer.”

Felix nodded.

“Exactly. They’re using the guild’s system to avoid the risk of meeting face-to-face.”

Even though it was the enemy’s trick, I couldn’t help but be impressed.

It felt strange, knowing that monsters are using human systems to communicate.

“There’s a clever mind behind this. Whether it’s a monster or a human working with them, I couldn’t say.”

I thought for a moment. Knowledge like this—how to twist systems and rules to your advantage—was also a kind of power.

“Felix-san, does that mean the merchants won’t hand over the magic stone without the token?”

He gave a single, short nod.

“That should be the case.”

If the token really worked like a voucher, then it was hard to imagine there being more than one of the same kind.

Felix-san opened both hands and showed them to me.

“The river bandits didn’t seem to have it either. Unless they threw it away, it’s likely they hadn’t received the token yet.”

Mia-san curled her lips.

“What a roundabout way to do things.”

Felix gave a wry smile.

“And thanks to that, we’re the ones left to deal with the trouble.”

I swallowed hard. Thinking about it, the slaver traders had always been one step ahead of us. But now, finally, we were starting to trace the movements of the people who had attacked me—and Lu.

It was only the faintest lead, but still… it’s a start.

Felix-san went on, his tone calm but deliberate.

“From my experience, there’s probably an accomplice inside the trading company as well. It’s a well-crafted system, but they’d still want a capable person on the inside—someone that will handle unexpected problems. Well, a maintenance worker, I should say.”

“Then that means we’ll need to be extra careful.”

Mia-san muttered. Felix-san glanced at me, a small, reassuring smile tugging at his lips.

“That’s right. This is also a good opportunity to capture this ally. I’d rather capture them than let them get away with it.”

I took a deep breath.

I closed my eyes and tried to process the situation.

“We don’t have a voucher that will grant us the magic stones. So, one option would be to use the name of a warrior group and force them to show us the warehouse—but if we do that…”

“The accomplice would interfere.”

Felix-san finished my words.

Mia-san scratched her red hair. After tilting her head several times, her eyes became glazed.

“Then.…. Aren’t we completely cornered?”

“In truth, if we make a fuss, their accomplice in the trading post will be alerted. If they destroy the magic stone with the message and then go into hiding, we’ll be back to square one.”

After Felix-san finished speaking, everyone fell silent.

It was at that moment that the gold coins began to vibrate.

『We heard you, Rion.』

After Solana’s voice was heard, the gods all spoke.

『Ha! So it’s a battle of wits now, eh?』

『It’s getting interesting too!』

『Everyone, stay cautious.』

Then, among the chatter, a refreshingly calm voice rose above the rest.

It was Uru, the God of Hunting.

『Scouts and vanguards always find creative ways to communicate. Tell me, how do you think a hunter handles this kind of situation? When the prey’s holed up and refuses to come out?』

For a moment, I could almost see him—his brown hair tousled, his grin sharp as a blade.

『He sets the hounds loose!』

That was the hint given to me.

The image flashed through my mind: a rabbit startled by barking dogs, bolting from a hidden burrow through a different exit.

“Ah…!”

I voiced the thought as it came to me.

And this time, both Mia-san and Felix-san snapped their fingers in agreement.

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

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The morning after the battle with the river bandits, a swift boat departed from the village where we’d anchored. It was faster than an ordinary vessel, and its mission was to carry word of the attack downstream to the city of Flocia.

Thanks to that, by the following evening, we met up with a military patrol boat sent from Flocia.

The soldiers aboard questioned us, but Felix-san quietly revealed our identity as members of the Raven Warriors. That ended the inspection quickly enough—but it reminded me again just how much the warrior group’s influence had grown since the last global message.

In the end, our schedule was delayed by only a single day.

On the fifth day since leaving the Royal Capital, we finally reached Lake Flocia.

“Whoa…”

I exclaimed as the warm southern wind brushed across my cheek.

Between the great river that flowed in and the vast lake itself stood a checkpoint. We passed through it, raised our sails, and sailed on a little farther.

Before long, a massive wall appeared to be jutting out into the water. The morning sun gleamed white along its stone surface, and above it I could see the spire of a temple rising within.

As the boat continued on the lake and the harbor came into view through a gap in the wall, I finally understood why this city was called the City of Abundance.

The harbor was alive with chaos and color, a forest of masts proudly stabbing into the sky. Every vessel seemed to flaunt its own purpose—some ready to row out across the lake and downriver toward the sea, others setting their sails to journey upstream once more.

Along the piers, mountains of cargo—barrels, hemp sacks, crates of all sizes were being loaded and unloaded. Bare-chested dockworkers, muscled and glistening despite the lingering chill in the air, hurried to and fro with practiced rhythm. It felt almost like the canals of the Royal Capital—but bigger, louder, and brimming with life.

As I watched, one ship leaving port caught the wind in its sail and came gliding toward us.

For a moment I panicked, thinking it might collide—but it passed by gracefully, skimming so close that its wake rippled against our hull. Its bow was aimed straight toward the heart of the lake.

“…An island?”

“That is Flocia’s labyrinth.”

Felix-san cleared my confusion. His words jogged my memory.

“Dungeon Island…!”

“Mm, that’s what it’s commonly called.”

The dungeon of Flocia lay separated from the city, built into a small island that floated on the vast lake. From afar, it seemed tiny—but beneath the surface, it was said to stretch far and deep, a maze filled with water-aligned monsters sealed away since ancient times.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to imprint the image of that island in my mind.

“…Huh?”

I looked down at the water’s surface and thought I saw something sparkling at the bottom.

Felix-san followed my gaze, then pointed ahead.

“We’ll be anchoring over there.”

Felix pointed to the edge of the harbor. It seems the merchants attacked by river pirates will be using a different pier.

“Farewell, heroes!”

The merchant’s voice boomed across the water as our boat drifted from the pier.

I don’t think he thinks I defeated all the river pirates, but… he probably knows that I fought them.

“Heroes, huh…”

I turned my gaze forward. In this city of Flocia, just like in the Royal Capital, there must be countless adventurers chasing that same word—hero.

From the boat receding into the distance, I caught sight of Nils raising a hand in farewell.

“…I hope he finds his sister.”

I murmured.

I lifted my hand in return, a faint ache tightening in my chest. In the end, we’d gone our separate ways.

Beside me, Mia-san crossed her arms, the chain wound around her wrist clinking softly.

“Honestly, it’s a bit of a waste.” she said.

Felix-san only shook his head.

“That’s not an option.”

Mia gave a small shrug.

“I know, I know. Just saying.”

The truth was, she and I had been quietly talking with Nils since the day before. It would’ve seemed odd if it were just me, so Mia-san joined in—under the pretense of a casual exchange of information between adventurers.

That was how we learned a few things. That he was a fairly high-ranking adventurer, a level thirty-four one. He came from a noble family in the borderlands.

“I’m from the frontier too.” Mia-san said softly. “And, well… even nobles there can be dirt poor. A little debt for the sake of your land, and next thing you know, your sister’s sold off as a slave…”

My heart sank as we found ourselves in similar situations.

We’d already asked what his sister looked like. We’d promised that if we ever saw her, we’d send word to his lodgings here in Flocia.

Felix-san, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke, narrowing his eyes.

“It may sound cold, but we can’t simply take anyone into our ranks. We share too many secrets among ourselves.”

His words made me think of Pauline-san, and the conversations we’d had—the myths, the sealed monsters, the truths hidden from most of the world. So many people were already being drawn into this struggle… yet everything still had to remain a secret.

Even if someone called us heroes, in the end, there would only ever be so many we could truly save.

“I know.”

I slapped my cheeks with both hands.

“But if we’re pursuing the same person, maybe we’ll meet again, right?”

The situation might be different by then.

For now, I’ll focus on moving forward.

Mia-san grinned and turned her attention to Felix-san.

“Well, we do have the same goal. So… where are we investigating today?”

“Speaking of that. It seems the captured river pirates will be receiving new instructions soon.”

Felix-san pointed to a magnificent building at the back of the port.

“It seems they’ll tell the time and location of the transaction there.”

◆◆◆

There were plenty of people there too, but the atmosphere was different from the bustling harbor.

It was a quiet kind of busy. The ones coming and going weren’t rugged dockworkers, but merchants dressed in fine clothes. They stopped at the counters to talk, and occasionally, one would be called into a room in the back.

The whole place felt like an adventurers’ guild—if someone had multiplied its refinement by a hundred.

“Is this place…?”

“It’s what they call a trading house.”

Felix-san replied.

I blinked in surprise. By the way, I am wearing the “Hat of Bewilderment.”

“C-could this be…the enemy’s base?”

“I doubt it. The Medis Trading Company is far too large and reputable to have any use for slaves.”

Apparently, this was where the enemy was supposed to deliver some kind of message to their comrades.

But in a place like this—could such a thing really happen?

As I watched absentmindedly, I noticed someone behaving a little strangely.

“They’re… exchanging something.”

I whispered.

A merchant handed over a small wooden tablet at the counter. Then he received magic stones, gems, and gold coins in return.

“Hmm. A bill of trade huh.”

Felix-san said. I’d only ever heard the term in passing. Tilting my head, I asked,

“A bill… of trade?”

“It’s something like a claim ticket,” he explained patiently. “When the goods are too large, numerous, or too valuable to transport directly, the trading house issues a bill. You can then redeem the goods elsewhere—or even buy and sell the bill itself.”

““Heh~””

Mia-san and I spoke in unison. Felix-san sighed and hung his head.

“Adventurer Mia… I would have thought you’d already know this.”

“Of course I did,” she said with a grin. “Just impressed by how neatly you put it, that’s all.”

Felix-san cleared his throat and continued, pretending not to notice her teasing.

“That one’s called an adventurer’s bill. It’s used for exchanging rewards, advance payments, or required materials. Magic stones and supplies are bulky—and transporting them takes time. So instead, they issue a kind of voucher, like: ‘Of the potions in this branch, ten thousand gent’s worth belong to you.’ The recipient then comes here to redeem it.”

Felix explained.

I caught my breath. An entire mansion, dedicated to handling such immense flow of trade.

“F-Flocia is…”

“A city of commerce as well,” Felix said with a small smile. “This region is a warm, fertile breadbasket. Without this kind of exchange system, even a shipload of wheat couldn’t be traded efficiently.”

I stood there, dazed, watching the steady rhythm of goods and people flowing past.

The capital, and even Alvis, were cities of adventurers. But this place—this was a city of trade.

“…Wait.”

Something stuck in my mind.

“So if something can be exchanged… does that mean if we use the system well, we can give something to them?”

Felix-san and Mia-san traded a look.

“True,” Felix murmured. “It’s possible they’re using the exchange system itself as an intermediary to deliver messages.”

『Rion.』

The gold coin at my chest trembled—God’s voice echoed softly.

“Uru?”

『You’re learning to draw more deeply on my blessing. I can lend you my power—and if you wish to track your enemies…』

I lowered my chin slightly.

Right. Skills weren’t only for use inside dungeons.

Skill, 『Divine Protection of the God of Hunting』was used. ————————————————————— 【Wild Heart】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Detection. With magical power consumption, effects can be further increased.

Skill, 『Sun’s Divine Protection』was used. ————————————————————— 【Golden Flame】 ………Improves physical abilities. Provides an even greater effect for a limited time.

The strengthened detection spread like a ripple through the entire building.

Then—faintly, deep within—I caught a small red glimmer.

It was the same eerie hue I’d seen inside dungeons.

“…I sense the presence of a monster’s mana.”

Mia-san’s eyes narrowed.

“Inside the trade hall? You sure about that?”

“Yes. It’s about the size of an egg, so it’s probably not a monster itself. More likely… something that retains a monster’s magic.”

【Wild Heart】could sense mana as well. It had reacted to golem cores before; anything imbued with a magical trace would be registered.

Felix-san,looking thoughtful, tapped his staff against the marble floor.

“If that mana came from a monster’s magical power, it might very well be the medium they’re using to transmit messages. If we can obtain it, we could learn where their base or the next exchange site is.”

The only problem was how to get it.…

We huddled together, whispering, we start planning our next move.

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

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The battle on the river had somehow been overcome.

Two boats had attacked from the upstream side where the gods and I were defending, and one more from downstream, where Felix-san and Mia-san had gone to assist. There were three of them in total.

The magical lights illuminated the now-quiet surface of the river. Once I stopped moving, my soaked clothes felt heavy and cold, so I quickly changed out of them.

The words of thanks for repelling the attackers ended quickly.

In a way, it was because our work wasn’t done yet. As the villagers and the raven warriors that are holding torches looked on, a loud voice suddenly rang out.

“Alright—!”

“Pull!”

Everyone began hauling on the ropes stretched across the river, each one tied to an enemy vessel. If we left them drifting, the current would carry them away.

I joined in, taking hold of a line myself.

“Heave… ho!”

『You can do it, Rion!』

Solana was cheering me on, but it was a bit distracting…

Because I was wedged in between Mia-san and Felix-san, I was practically standing on my tiptoes.

Before long, with a heavy thud, the enemy boat slammed into the riverbank. One of the capsized vessels lay on its side, its bow and mast jutting into the shore like stakes driven into the earth.

The bandits who had been tied up inside the ships seemed to have awakened from the shock of the impact.

“W-what is going on….”

“Rope…?”

“When did this happen…!?”

The bandits glared at us from within the circle of guards, their eyes burning with frustration.

“Damn it! You’re the ones who did this, huh?!”

“Was that… water magic?!”

Ah, I see—

They couldn’t see the gods. From their point of view, their ships must have suddenly capsized, they blacked out, and when they came to, they were already tied up.

“Y-you’d better behave yourselves!”

I tried my best to sound intimidating, though I wasn’t sure how much effect it would have given my height. The bearded bandits blinked at me in disbelief. Then, one after another, they began to wail.

“W-we lost to a brat like this…?”

“We thought it was just a bunch of merchants!”

Solana’s expression stiffened in irritation.

『What a rude bunch.』

Certainly, it was a surprise to the bandits. From their perspective, this was unexpected. Most of the warrior group had disguised themselves as merchants. After all, sending a group of more than ten armed adventurers downriver would’ve drawn too much attention.

“I don’t really mind. But still…”

If we really had been what we looked like—just a child and a handful of merchants—then that raid would’ve succeeded. They would’ve taken us all, bound us in chains, and sold us as slaves.

There were others who had anchored downstream from us and been attacked in the same way. They were actually a combination of real guards and merchants.

A shadow crept across my heart. That small difference, the illusion we created, had been the only thing separating survival from tragedy.

From farther along the bank, Felix-san came running toward us, his boots splashing in the mud.

“We’ve captured all the bandits downstream as well. 23 upstream and 12 downstream —three boats in total.” He exhaled sharply with a grim expression. “It’s a frightening number.”

I remembered what we’d heard just that evening— that the slaver traders from Flocia were pushing their raids farther inland, following the river upstream.

My hands trembled, and I clenched them tight to keep the shaking from showing.

“Felix-san. Mia-san.”

“Mm. Let’s start by hearing what they have to say.”

Mia-san answered.

Three of the bandits—apparently their leaders—were dragged off the boat and forced to their knees on the riverbank.

Among them was Zamza, the one I’d defeated earlier. He carried himself with a false calm, and when our eyes met, his lips twisted into a sneer.

“I’ve heard there were other raids farther downstream. Was that your doing?”

I asked, stepping forward.

The bandits exchanged glances and then gave a low, scornful laugh.

Zamza was the one who answered.

“And what if it was, huh?”

He tried to sound defiant, but the mocking glint in his eyes only stoked my anger. My voice trembled when I spoke again.

“Were you… taking people? Enslaving them?”

“Damn right we were!” Zamza barked, grinning wide. “Remember this, brat—your sisters, your parents, whoever you’ve got—we’ll make ‘em all slaves for payback, you hear!?”

He threw his head back and cackled, tongue lolling out like some beast drunk on cruelty. There wasn’t a trace of remorse in him. Just ugliness—raw and festering.

“You—!”

I took a step forward, but before I could say more, a searing white flash streaked past Zamza’s face.

A heartbeat later, red scattered through the air.

“…Eh?”

A single line of blood ran down Zamza’s cheek, and his eyes went wide in shock.

“I have something to ask you.” came a low, steady voice.

It belonged to a man—a swordsman, maybe about twenty years old.

He wore the rough leather gear typical of adventurers, his dull blond hair stirring softly in the night breeze. Tall, sharp-featured, so handsome—so much that at first glance, one might have mistaken him for a woman. But his broad shoulders and the way his hand gripped his sword at his side left no doubt of his strength. And his eyes—cold and piercing—were sharper than any blade.

“I’m one of the escort adventurers. From the fleet stationed downstream. My name is Nils.”

With that brief introduction, the swordsman straightened and faced the bound bandits once more.

“There’s one thing I need to confirm.”

He raised his left hand, one finger extended. In his right, the sword’s edge shimmered faintly in the torchlight.

“You said you were taking people—didn’t you?”

The air itself seemed to tighten, as if the night were holding its breath.

“I’m looking for my family.”

Nils knelt, leaning close until his face was inches from Zamza’s.

The bandits’ mouths worked soundlessly, gasping like fish pulled from the river.

“Look here. This, do you recognize it?”

From his pocket, he drew out a small object—a fragment of metal dangling from a thin, blackened chain.

Once, it must have been a necklace. Now, it is destroyed. The surface was scorched as though seared by fire, the delicate engravings and inlaid gems buried beneath layers of soot and rust.

“The woman who dropped this,” Nils continued, his tone tightening, “was taken by raiders—by people like you. Before you captured her, do you remember seeing it?”

“I—I don’t know anything!”

One of the bandits stammered.

“She’s my family. My sister. Her name is Dee.”

Nils spoke softly.  Even I found myself holding my breath.

Zamza, too, had gone pale under the weight of that presence.

So this is what people meant when they spoke of killing intent.

Nils’s eyes narrowed, his right arm tensed, the sword trembling faintly in his grip.

“W-wait!”

I blurted, unable to stand the suffocating tension.

Felix-san stepped forward beside me, planting his staff into the ground.

“…River raids are a grave crime,” Felix-san said firmly. “These men have already been captured. The law will judge them, and the investigation will uncover the rest.”

Nils let out a sharp snort through his nose and rose to his feet.

With a smooth motion, he sheathed his sword, then swept his gaze across the remaining bandits—everyone except Zamza. When they shook their heads frantically under his stare, he turned on his heel.

“…My apologies. I shouldn’t have interrupted your investigation.”

Without waiting for a reply, he strode away, his boots splashing faintly in the shallow water.

But his words lingered in my mind.

He’s searching for his family…?

“I’ll go talk to him.”

I uttered before I even realized it.

I couldn’t help it—I wanted to know more. And if he was really looking for someone who’d been enslaved, maybe the warrior corps could help somehow.

I caught up to him just as he was about to leave the riverside.

“…You’re looking for someone who was taken as a slave?”

I asked. Nils turned around, surprise flickering in his sharp eyes as he looked down at me.

“…Yes. My sister.”

For a moment, Lu’s face flashed through my mind.

If my own sister were kidnapped—if she were taken away like that—I’d probably search the world too.

Slavery… abduction… those were things that shouldn’t exist. They were cruel in a way that made your chest ache just to think about them. Still, I couldn’t just blurt out, we’re after the slave traders too. That wasn’t something I had the right to say—not yet.

“Did you need something?”

“Ah—um…”

The words caught in my throat, and I just stood there, frozen.

Nils gave a faint smile.

“A newcomer, huh? Then—may I give you one piece of advice?”

I blinked, startled, and nodded.

“Your heart is too kind.”

“…Huh?”

He glanced toward the riverbank where the captured bandits still sat tied up.

“Those bandits, earlier. An empty threat is no threat at all. I can tell you have strength in you—real resolve. That’s good. But you should learn how to use it. Sharpen your sense for when to show mercy, and when not to.”

I realized then— that killing glare of his earlier… maybe that had been part of his negotiation.

“So… that was on purpose?”

“Who knows.”

A faint smile tugged at his lips, but his eyes—narrowed and cold as winter steel—made my breath stagnate.

“There are times when getting the truth means you can’t choose your methods.”

The sound of metal jingled softly as he slipped the charred necklace back into his coat. Then he turned, the river mist curling around him as he walked downstream.

“If I frightened you, I apologize.”

He said over his shoulder, his voice is low but sincere.

I found myself staring in the direction he’d gone for a while.

Down by the river, the merchants from the downstream convoy were approaching, stopping to consult with Felix-san about what to do with the captured bandits and when to set out tomorrow. It seemed like they were sorting out the practical things now that the fighting was over.

Mia-san caught up to me, her red hair swaying in the lamplight. She narrowed her eyes, gazing after Nils’s fading silhouette.

“That guy—he’s got skill,” she muttered.

It made sense. Mia-san and Felix-san had been protecting the merchants downstream, so they must have seen him fight firsthand.

“Mm. It’s hard to believe he’s not more well-known.”

Felix-san added.

“He told me he’s looking for his sister.” I replied.

“Ah. So that’s why he’s traveling…”

Felix-san folded his arms, the metal of his gauntlets clinking softly.

“Honestly, as far as intimidation tactics go, what he did to that bandit wasn’t wrong. But… call it a hunch—something about him feels a little unstable.”

I nodded quietly. If nothing else, it meant we weren’t the only ones chasing the slavers. Maybe we could work together.

But then I remembered the cold, killing edge in his eyes—and the thought made my chest tighten.

My heart wavered, rippling like the moonlit surface of the river.

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

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The water I jumped into wasn’t as cold as I had anticipated. The Golden Flame protected me. And the water temperature was much warmer to the skin.

Come to think of it, it was the eleventh day of the fourth month. Spring had arrived. Plus, now that we are heading south, the water wasn’t as cold. This would give me plenty of room to swim.

I kicked the water. My improved physical abilities allowed me to swim like a fish. It was a night with a faint moon, but my eyesight was clear enough to spot the ships on the water.

The enemy’s boat hadn’t moved yet. Once I am directly below it, I grabbed the gold coin from my pocket.

 “Wake up—(gurgle, gurgle)!”

The gold coin burst into dazzling light, releasing the gods into the water.

“W–water!?”

—or at least, that’s what I think they tried to say.

Thor, burdened by Mjölnir, was the first to plummet straight down. Uru and Sigris flailed just as badly in the river’s depths. Solana was shouting something too, but all I heard was a froth of bubbles.

R-right… I hadn’t exactly told them we’d be fighting underwater, had I…?

“S-sorry…(gurgle, gurgle)!”

Not that my apology carried through clearly.

Beside me, while I swam, Loki pressed his fingers to his forehead as if massaging away a headache.

“Hey guys… you do realize, don’t you? We’re beings manifested by magic. We don’t have physical bodies. There’s no need to actually drown.”

“Ah—”

Almost simultaneously, the four gods stopped flailing. They exchanged glances, then patted themselves down as if confirming something.

Planting both feet firmly on the riverbed, Thor scratched his head with Mjölnir.

“…Huh. Now that you mention it, I don’t feel out of breath at all.”

“Of course not. We don’t need air—only mana. Honestly, you’d think it would’ve clicked that drowning is impossible when we can literally float if we want to. Still—”

Loki shrugged.

That was when Solana drifted closer to me, clearing her throat with a prim little cough.

“Ahem. Rion, a reminder—the Light of the Sun’s Awakening won’t manifest at night. With no sun in the sky, the spell has nothing to draw on.”

I nodded.

I understood—the gods couldn’t linger like they did in the temple.

“Good grief. Busy day, huh?”

Loki joked. Then, flicking his hand, he said,

“Mist”

A black fog rolled out and swallowed the two boats, muffling the sound and hiding its shape. It was the same kind of concealment magic we’d used against the golems. With the vessels cloaked like that, even if the gods unleashed their power there’d be no one nearby who can see—not even the villagers, nor the passing adventurers.

“What the—”

“There’s light down below!?”

“Never mind that —look at the fog!”

While the bandits are confused, I launched myself up through the water in one motion.

“Let’s go, everyone!”

I waded through the water with a splash and landed on the edge of the boat. The gods followed close behind me. The raiders stared in stunned silence for a beat, then their expressions hardened.

There were two boats, each about 15 meters long, with more than 10 people on board each.

“Die!” one of them shouted.

He swung his oar at me. I hopped aside easily and countered with a kick to his face. He hit the deck and slumped unconscious. The fellow’s level was almost certainly below twenty.

“…Do you surrender?”

I asked.

“As if!”

A throwing knife whistled towards me. I sprang to the mast on instinct. Spears and blades stabbed upward from below, but on such a cramped deck they could barely swing their weapons. Using their heads as stepping stones, I darted toward the prow.

“Alright…!”

I spun on my heel, slashing with my short sword.

“Wake up!”

The engraved words “Jinrad” glowed blue. Sylph, the wind spirit, leaped out, blowing all five of them away. The bandits were launched high into the air, and after a few beats of staying mid-air, they fell and turned into pillars of water.

“…Is it just me, or is that spell getting stronger?”

A nervous grin tugged at my lips. Safi’s rune magic was incredible on its own, but the spirits themselves… it felt like they were pushing themselves harder than ever before. A violet glow shimmered faintly in my chest—the same light I’d seen in Loki.

“What the hell’s with this kid!?”

A sword lunged for me. I struck it aside, and the golden fire blazing along my dagger roared in response.

Snap!

The blade split clean in two and tumbled into the river. Not a nick marked my weapon.

Yes… that had to be Safi the smith’s handiwork.

“W-what…?”

The scar-faced man stared at his trembling, numbed hand. Around him, the others faltered, fear flickering in their eyes.

I drew in a deep breath and shouted,

“Will you surrender!?”

“I told you already—we ain’t surrendering! Damn it!”

A huge man, head and shoulders taller than the rest, shoved through the bandits to the front.

“This haul’s worth a fortune! Take a good look around—do you think we’re backing off now!?”

He looked like someone who knew how to handle himself in a fight.

His bald head gleamed under the torchlight. His worn leather armor creaked with each of his steps and his half-lidded eyes carried a cruel, oppressive weight. Across his back bristled weapons—spears, swords, axes, all rattling with menace.

His level….

“I’m Zamza the Grimface. Level twenty-nine. Time to die, brat!”

He shouted. His hand reached over his shoulder.

Would it be an axe? A sword?

“Hehe!”

What he drew was a slender blade.

“A rapier!?”

His choice confused me. Hulk frame, brutish face—and yet he went for finesse over brute force. The surprise cost me a heartbeat.

Zamza lunged, the rapier’s tip flashing. The edge grazed my cheek.

“Not a fan of fighting in a boat, are you? Nowhere to move but forward or back!”

Thrust after thrust rained down on me. They were all sharp and relentless. I swayed left, then right, dodging each of them by hairsbreadths, but the narrow deck ultimately hemmed me in. The prow loomed close at my back.

“You’re good, kid.”

Zamza spat while pressing forward.

“Dodging all this, you’ve got some skill!”

I fixed my eyes on his blade, reading every twitch, every line of his attack. The next thrust came fast and lethal—

Clang!

I caught it with the guard of my short sword and flicked it aside. Zamza staggered back a step, sweat breaking across his brow.

“Y-you….Are you seriously just a kid!?”

On the other ship, chaos erupted. Bandits clung to the rails, shrieking in disbelief.

“What the hell—!”

“Impossible! What is that!?”

The entire vessel was rising, heaving up out of the river. And beneath it—stood Thor, the God of Thunder, hefting a ship more than ten meters long on his shoulder like it was driftwood.

“Hahaha!”

He flipped it as if overturning a cooking pot, slamming the boat upside-down into the water. A column of spray burst skyward and crashed back down in a drenching downpour.

“F-fuh-Thor!”

“Come on, Rion, once in a while it’s fine, isn’t it?”

T-too reckless…!

Bandits flailed in the water, only to be snatched up one after another by the gods. The rapier-wielding Zamza faltered, torn between me and the overturned boat. His composure cracked.

“Rion.”

A whisper, soft and close came. It was Uru’s voice. A warm brown glow welled in my chest.

“It’s about time I lent you something more. A hunter’s power isn’t just about sensing prey. Without the skill to stalk while being unseen, the hunt will be incomplete.”

When I moved, the sound of my steps vanished. My breath, even the whisper of the cloth against my skin was gone! Like— my presence was erased.

Zamza’s eyes flicked back to the wreck of the ship. To him, in that single instant, it must have seemed as though I’d disappeared entirely.

“W-where are you!?”

I slid in closer.

The wooden deck creaked underfoot.

“.…Behind!?”

With my presence undetected, I emerged behind him. And with all my weight, I slammed down the Hammer of the Thunder God.

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

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Our next destination was the city of abundance, Flocia.

On our previous journey we had relied on carriages, but this time was different. Flocia lay to the south of the Royal Capital, along the lower reaches of the great river that ran from the kingdom’s northwest to its southeast.

This time, we would travel by boat.

Two vessels prepared by the Warrior Corps drifted side by side downstream. The river is astonishingly wide—nearly a hundred meters across—so broad that the opposite bank wavered faintly in the distance.

The current is gentle, and the spring breeze felt wonderful. Unlike traveling by carriage, here we could bask freely in the sunlight. I found myself dozing off more than once, though I reminded myself I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. An important duty awaited me in Flocia after all.

“Hey, don’t keep yourself wound up too tight.”

Mia-san beamed at me.

The Raven Warriors had split evenly between the two boats, seven on each. Felix-san is on the other vessel, along with Safi, the gnome blacksmith who is traveling with us.

“First time on a river voyage, huh?”

I couldn’t help but follow the sails of another boat as it passed us by. Leaning casually against the railing, Mia-san gave me a knowing smile.

“Etch it into your memory. From the capital to Flocia, we’ll be keeping watch for you.”

The scenery slid past, carried away by the river’s flow.

Before I knew it, two days had gone by. Already the fields along the banks had grown noticeably greener. We began to see cattle grazing, and donkeys laden with goods hanging from either side. This must be the gateway to the fertile southern lands—the realm of abundance.

It felt like sketching in new lines on the map inside my head. It’s exciting. Maybe it really is the blood of my adventurer father stirring within me.

The river journey was expected to take four days. The following days drifted by just as peacefully. Even the gods who had been bouncing around with excitement at first gradually calmed down.

…Though honestly, seeing Thor more restless than me was a little hard to swallow…

“Are we… camping here for tonight?”

On the third day, the place where we drew the boats ashore caught me by surprise. It is a village, if it could be called that. I think it’s ten houses clustered together, surrounded by fields.

“There’s no walls…”

A rough wooden fence circled the area, but it looked more like it was meant to keep out animals than repel any real threat.

“Most frontier villages are like this.”

Mia-san explained as she deftly unloaded supplies from the boat.

 “Remember the outer market we passed in Kalmar? It’s the same idea.”

“…So they’re not worried about monsters?”

“At least, they trust Odis-sama on that point. And in truth, there’s no dungeon anywhere nearby. No reason for monsters to be wandering around.”

I made a mental note as I helped unload the cargo.

The bank here was small, but it seemed to be a common campsite. Another group had arrived and moored their boats farther downstream from us.

“Well, monsters aren’t the only danger out here…”

Mia-san’s words carried a hint of warning.

I sifted through what I knew, matching it with the current situation.

“You mean…river bandits?”

Mia-san nodded.

“Looks like you’ve been paying attention.”

A warm climate. A rich lake. Bustling trade.

The “City of Abundance”—Flocia—was painted in such bright colors. But it wasn’t just lively markets and cheerful crowds.

Money and people flocked there in numbers to rival or even surpass the Royal Capital. And where there’s wealth, there are thieves. Bandits preying on merchants, and a shadowy underworld ruled not by nobles but by the city’s wealthy traders.

The warrior corps’s sources suggested that some of those crooked merchants were in league with the bandit crews who haunted the lake. Several expeditions had been organized to wipe them out, but each time, the raiders slipped away, as if they’d been tipped off.

“Lately, there have been attacks on villages upstream of Flocia, haven’t there?”

“Yeah. By raiders on boats, no less.”

That was information we’d picked up along the river.

If it was true, then the bandit crews must be operating out of Flocia’s great lake.

“Villages like this one must be even more vulnerable—ah!”

I’d let myself get too caught up in the conversation. Still carrying a bundle of supplies, I bumped into someone.

It was Felix-san. As usual, he peered down at me through narrowed eyes.

“I’ve heard the same reports.”

Felix-san said. And then, after a pause, he added,

“Details have begun to surface. The raid happened three days ago. The village that was attacked—aside from a few elderly—was left nearly empty. Even the children were gone.”

“.…Empty?”

A chill ran down my spine. Not just taking goods or money, but abductions. And there were only so many reasons for that.

“.….To turn them into slaves?”

Mia-san twisted her mouth.

“If that’s the case, it’s awfully bold and reckless. The Temple of Odis can’t just look the other way.”

“Of course not.”

A faint crease appeared between Felix-san’s narrowed brows. He adjusted the small coronet on his black hair as though smoothing it.

“But it’s indeed puzzling. The slavers we’ve tracked until now never gathered captives in such a heavy-handed way. The kingdom bans slavery outright after all. To flaunt that so openly would only draw attention and make their future operations impossible.”

Then the gold coin at my belt gave a sharp vibration. The first voice, like distant thunder, belonged to Thor.

『If they’re making it harder to keep working, maybe that’s because they don’t intend to keep working. Maybe there isn’t a “future” for them to worry about.』

Solana’s calm yet serious voice followed.

『Perhaps they’re desperate. There may be reasons for taking slaves beyond their hunt for the power of Creation.』

And then, Loki’s sly tone cut in,

『Hmm…. Well, you’ve heard about that power to steal skills, haven’t you? To Ymir, maybe it’s like feeding. Not just “Awakening” or “Creation”. Even rare skills might give him more strength, or fuel him greater reserves of magic.』

The night settled heavy around us, leaving those unsettling words to linger. We knew about the attacks, but they’d all been farther downstream. I kept my guard up, telling myself not to relax too much.

“Rion!”

The shout yanked me out of sleep. It was Mia-san’s voice.

And then,

—BWOOOOO!

A horn blared through the darkness. I snapped my eyes open. Thanks to the Blessing of the God of Hunting, I could see clearly, even in the pitch black night. From downstream, torchlight burned atop approaching boats. And above the river, screams tore through the sky.

“For real? No way…. talk about tempting fate…”

Mia-san gasped.

A dragon with its mouth open was carved into the boat’s prow, threatening us with its jaws wide open.

Solana’s voice rang in my head.

『Let’s go, Rion!』

“Yes!”

I was about to run when a sound from the river stopped me. I used『Divine Protection of the God of Hunting』, Wild Heart —instantly sharpening my hearing.

Oars are striking the water surface. The bow cleaving black water. Tonight the sky was overcast, so the torchlight never reached the river. The water surface was a pocket of absolute night.

“I can hear them.” I murmured.

No doubt about it. New attackers are coming toward us through the dark river.

“Another boat—no, two more—are heading this way!” 

Felix-san stroked his chin with a sharp look in his eyes.

“So…. the boats downstream are just diversions.”

A cold shiver ran through me. Their plan was cruelly effective.

“We were the real target. While they draw attention downstream, the main force would land here. If we had run downstream to help, we would have been attacked from behind.”

Monsters are frightening, but humans can be just as terrible.

To abduct people using a trick like this…..

I clenched the gold coin pouch in my pocket.

“Mia-san, Felix-san…. please head downstream to provide support.” 

With my detection, I saw the two boats showed no movement. They are probably waiting for the diversionary force to cause more chaos.

Mia-san raised an eyebrow and stretched like a cat.

“Alright. Then….what are you going to do?”

I drew my short sword and pointed it toward the river.

“I’ll take the two boats on the water.”

Here I could use the gods’ power without reservation. Fighting on the water kept the risk of collateral damage low and kept prying eyes away.

Felix-san nodded.

“Understood.”

The warriors moved like lightning. At Felix’san’s signal, dark figures slipped off toward the downstream chaos.

“Rion!” he called once more as he walked with his staff.

“Let me tell you, Flocia’s dungeon is known as a water dungeon. You’d do well to get used to naval and underwater combat here.”

I raised my short sword and activated the Divine Protection of the Sun, and used the ability, Golden Flame. Warm fire wrapped around me like armor.

“Let’s go, Gods!”

I jumped into the water. I kicked off the shore and approached the enemy’s boat, which appeared as a black shadow.

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

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Through the dim corridor crept Ratbone Rata.

Cobwebs clung to the ceiling, and the sparse glow of mana-lamps only faintly lit his way. This place was once a noble’s castle, but since its abandonment, the underground halls resembled a cavern more than any human dwelling.

Outside, the sky was bright with spring, yet here the air clung cold and stale, as though winter itself had been left behind.

His leather shoes crunched on fragments of plaster, and Rata grimaced. His fine attire, his chestnut hair swept neatly backwards—such appearances would grant him entry even to the great merchant houses. But this was hardly the sort of place one would wish to visit dressed like that.

At the far end of the corridor, Rata halted.

“…It is me, Ratbone Rata. Begging your pardon for the intrusion.”

When the door swung open, the first thing he saw was the back of a massive man. Tangled strands of blond hair tumbled in curls down broad shoulders.

All around lay scattered burlap sacks and wooden crates.

With one hand the massive man hefted a barrel nearly the size of a child and poured its contents down his throat.

“What is it?”

The now-empty barrel clattered to the floor as the man asked, still without turning.

“…Ymir-sama, I’ve come with my report, and to see to the state of your supplies.”

Bowing, Rata cast a quick glance at the barrels and sacks strewn about. His downturned face twisted faintly—for all of it had been arranged by his own hand.

Ratbone Rata was the one who ran the slave trader’s business. Though he was a monster, he was a clever one, and could even disguise himself as a noble-born merchant such as this.

“…Has the food run out already?”

“There’s a little left.”

With a hand like a bear’s paw, Ymir gestured toward the boxes and sacks stacked in the corner.

A sigh slipped from Rata.

It was he who had arranged the transports that carried provisions into this ruined castle. A waterway from a nearby city ran beneath the place, making it convenient despite its desolation.

Until now, Ymir’s lairs had always been provided through noble patrons. But with the Raven Warriors beginning to reassert its power, he had chosen to move preemptively and go deeper into hiding.

——You glutton.

Rata carefully suppressed the clicking of his tongue. Like other monsters, Rata and the others could survive by feeding on magical power. However, as physical beings, they could also maintain their strength by eating.

He had offered Ymir food, thinking it would be cheaper than expensive magic stones, but perhaps he was mistaken. Ymir eat too much. He is more gluttonous than the World Serpent.

His master threw the second barrel aside, shattering it against the wall, then spoke with his back on him.

“What’s wrong with Jor?”

“She’s still healing her wounds.”

Ymir suddenly stopped eating. The air became chilly, like frost had fallen.

Rata gulped.

“I’m hungry.”

A chill ran straight through him.

“…Jor may still be of some use.”

“I see.”

Rata’s voice had slipped into a tone that sounded almost like a defense.

“W-we also brought you Surtr’s magic stone. Was it not enough?”

After the fierce battle in the mining town of Alvis, Flamebone Surtr had been slain. Its massive magic stone had shattered across the battlefield in crystalline shards. Disguised as a small creature, Rata had gathered several of them and brought them back to Ymir.

“Hm.”

Ymir gave a single sweep of his enormous hand.

The broken barrel staves and burlap sacks strewn before the sofa burst into flames.

“…That power should now be yours as well—like Surtr’s. The power to revive monsters, just as you did when you devoured a Skill.”

In truth, this had been Rata and his companions’ aim all along in the mining city of Alvis.

“Surtr was already at his limit. Consumed by rage, bereft of reason… even had he escaped his seal, with that massive body, there was no way he could ever cooperate with us. We could carve pieces from him, yes—but so long as he lived, he would regenerate. Keeping him alive as long as possible was the most prudent course. Still… once we were sniffed out, it was time to cut our losses.”

Rata’s long-winded explanation barely reached Ymir’s ears.

Ymir rose to his feet. Over two meters tall, his head nearly brushed the ceiling. His face, chiseled like stone from a cliffside, showed no expression at all. He picked up a charred barrel, and with one hand, he crushed it to splinters. And then—those splinters dissolved into motes of light. Into raw magic.

“…W-wha-?”

Rata stared, dumbstruck.

“C-converting matter into magical energy…?”

The shattered barrel turned into more particles of light and was sucked into Ymir’s mouth. Into the creator’s body.

“Some of my strength has returned.”

Ymir spoke while greedily savoring the light of raw magic.

Only now, too late, did Rata tremble at the truth—this was the primeval titan, the very first being of the world, slowly regaining his power.

“But still… it is nowhere near enough. I remain far from sated.”

Ymir lifted a weary hand and gestured toward the wall on his right.

Among the empty barrels and burlap sacks, a human arm jutted out. Every so often it twitched faintly, but there was no will left within it.

It was a slave, no doubt about it. One whose skill had been devoured, leaving nothing but a hollow body. The blessings of a Skill were bound so deeply to the mind that to have it consumed was as if a piece of the soul itself had been torn away.

“Rata.”

“…Y-yes, my lord.”

“I know the truth. You did not fight alongside Jor nor Surtr.”

“T-that…!”

Rata stumbled backwards—only to have his chest seized in Ymir’s massive grip.

“The network of slave traders you built… it is impressive. For that reason, I find you almost too valuable to waste. You would hate to see the fine organization you’ve so carefully nurtured for my sake… reduced to ruin, would you not?”

Rata had seen monsters over ten meters tall, yet none of them ever felt as immense as Ymir did.

“I understand. I can sympathize. You are my creation, after all.”

“.…..!”

“Your defiance…. amuses me.”

Ymir then released him.

Rata crashed to the ground, realizing only then that he had been lifted nearly to the ceiling. Until now, he hadn’t been able to tear his gaze away from that huge, unblinking eye.

Ymir turned his back on him and returned to the sofa, his tangled golden hair swaying down his shoulders.

“Bring me slaves. As many as you can.”

“S-slaves…?”

“The power of creation, the power of awakening—it will come. Until then…. I will feast. Gather them all. Bring them here.”

His audience with Ymir ended there. The heavy doors shut behind him.

Rata stumbled through the abandoned halls, trembling—yet slowly, the tremor twisted into a smile.

“Very well. None can oppose you. Then I shall entertain you as best I can, Ymir-sama.”

A low chuckle slipped from Rata’s lips. His mind already leapt to the gathering grounds of the slaves, linked to this place by the waterways.

“Soon… a great transaction is coming! From that city, I will offer you a flood of slaves to glut yourself upon, Kukuku….!”

The target was a fertile city blessed with water transportation and a lake.

The city called Flocia.

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

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A cold light illuminated the entire room.

My and Lu’s breath drifted into the air as white mist. In the center of the room was a giant orb surrounded by a fence. It must have been at least two meters in diameter. The orb was floating in a dug-out depression, somehow held by a mysterious force.

A cold air is emanating from the sacred object. It remained in the basement, making it much colder than the spring outside. I’m glad I brought my coat.

A thick layer of frost had fallen around the depression where the orb was floating. Lu and I were unable to speak for a long time. The orb hidden in the basement of the Raven Warriors’ base is truly mysterious.

“They call it the Frost Orb.”

Pauline-san said. Even the princess was wrapped in a thick cloak, her skin bathed in the pallid, bluish light.

“…Skill, Seal”

Pauline-san raised her hand.

The orb flared brighter. Ice crystals burst outward with a rush of frigid wind, forcing Lu and me to shield our faces. The name she spoke was the skill said to be only given to the royal line.

“Rion-san, Luisia-san, and, our esteemed Gods—this is the secret of the warrior order, the device that governs the dungeon.”

With her breath turning white in the cold, Lu asked,

“This is…?”

“Only one who bears the skill Seal can command this orb. Its power can strengthen the dungeon’s bindings—or weaken them.”

Pauline-san explained.

I could only stare, speechless, at the orb’s cold, gleaming light.

The source of power that bound monsters within the dungeon. In every unexplored region, ice had always been present. Perhaps this orb was the very source, radiating the “frost” that maintained it…

“The orb’s iciness is tied directly to the strength of the surrounding dungeons’ seals.  Increasing the coldness strengthens the seal and weakens the monsters. However, it also weakens the power that can be drawn from the dungeon, such as magic stones and items.”

My throat bobbed as I swallowed.

This was the kingdom’s method of sealing the dungeon. And Pauline-san is now entrusting us with knowledge of the crucial device at its core.

Pauline-san went on.

“By adjusting its strength, we’ve been able to manage the dungeon. To allow more adventurers to challenge it. Though the orb can alter the seal’s intensity, it cannot break the seal entirely. It was made only for governance in times of peace.”

Pauline-san turned back to face us, brother and sister.

My throat burned, and still no words came. It was Lu who finally spoke up.

“Uhm…..does this mean this orb controls the seal of every dungeon? Then… isn’t that an unbelievably important artifact?”

The princess narrowed her eyes.

“No, you may rest easy. This is not the only one. Smaller orbs like this exist in temples throughout the land. You would surely find them in Alvis and Flocia as well, each guarding their own dungeon seal.”

Almost as an afterthought, she added,

“But the one here in the royal capital is the largest, and by far the most powerful. From here, its sealing force can be channeled to the other orbs across the realm.”

Then….. that means the capital serves as the very heart of the seal….

“Since the sounding of the horn, this orb’s power has steadily grown stronger. I suspect some new effect may soon reveal itself.”

“…New effect?”

“I have my predictions. But let us wait until I can speak with certainty.”

The conversation ended there and it became quiet. Like phantom footsteps pacing across the frozen floor, the sharp, cracking sounds of ice echoed through the chamber.

The pale blue orb was larger than any magic stone, and I could sense its power. It had surely stood here for a thousand years, guarding the dungeon’s seal all that time. A divine relic, testifying both to the kingdom’s history and to that of the Raven Warrior’s Order.

Pauline-san then spoke, her voice touched with solemnity, bathed in the orb’s cold light.

“From now on, more of these secrets will be revealed to the people. The age when such truths could be hidden is gone. I believe it is the will of the High God itself—that the existence of such monstrous powers should no longer be concealed…”

Then after a pause, she eventually asked,

“Shall we leave?”

Her face looked a little pale—or maybe it was just the lighting?

◆◆◆

Stepping out of the great tower, the spring night air felt warm against my skin.

Above us stretched a sky full of stars. The moon cast its gentle light, outlining the temple in a faint silver glow. Torches, lit by the warrior order, burned steadily along the walls, their flames swaying in the breeze.

My body felt strangely light—perhaps because the weight pressing down on my shoulders had finally lifted.

“…Oniichan”

Lu spoke, but nothing more followed.

Even so, I understood.

We had brushed against a secret far too immense, and for a moment it left her feeling small, fragile—these words had simply came to my mind.

Before I realized it, we had stopped walking.

“We really are caught up in something vast, something important, aren’t we?”

The temple’s great tower stood against the backdrop of the moon.

I still didn’t fully grasp things like a thousand years of history, or the stories of the gods. But what I did know was this: the truth that the kingdom had hidden, the things once taken for granted, were beginning to change.

—I believe in you.

That was what Pauline-san said before she revealed the orb.

To show someone what had been hidden all this time. To reveal a secret.

When I thought about it… for a princess to do such a thing must have taken extraordinary courage. It meant she had decided to unveil something the kingdom had kept buried for a thousand years.

The truth of a myth where the gods had lost. The reality that powerful monsters lay sealed within the dungeons. By revealing such things, she was surely prepared to face criticism—and to shoulder the responsibility.

After all, the worldwide message had already foretold the rise of a colossal monster.

No one could go on believing forever in the old tale—that the gods had triumphed, and that the dungeons were simply benevolent gifts of magic stones and rare materials.

“…Oniichan, are you alright?”

Lu looked up at me.

Startled, I forced a smile onto my face.

“I’m fine—”

“Liar. You were lost in thought.”

She stood on tiptoe, as if trying to bring her eye level with mine.

“I know. I’m worried too and… a little scared.”

I had no answer to give.

So, without another word, the two of us simply started walking again.

“I kind of understand that my power is something amazing. That’s why I want to get used to it quickly, and I want to be useful to you, Oniichan. But…”

Lu’s gaze drifted past the city walls—toward the royal capital.

“What scares me… is the thought of you going somewhere far away and never coming back. And… I’m also scared that I can’t leave this place.”

It must have been her true feelings.

The world seemed on the verge of changing, and her own skill was tangled up in it. All those fears were probably wound together like threads of lint, lodged in my little sister’s heart.

“Lu…”

“Ah! I’m sorry, for always whining.”

I shook my head and smiled at her.

“It’s alright. Just believe in me too, Lu.”

Odin had called me a hero in that worldwide message. Others might call me that as well. But more than the thousand-year histories or myths, what I wanted right now was simply to ease my sister’s worries.

“Everyone… can you hear me?”

With my right hand, I pulled the coin case from my pocket.

I whispered my wish to the gods.

The gold coin grew hot, scattering dazzling light.

“Wah!”

Lu let out a cry of surprise.

Bursting forth around us were the five gods.

Thor, with his red hair streaming like fire. Loki, cloaked in black robes. Sigris, clad in azure armor, her hair the same shade of blue flowing like the night sky. The god of hunting, Uru, hovering silently in the air, and finally, Solana, wrapped in golden radiance, who clasped both my hand and Lu’s.

“Let’s go.”

“Eh—?”

Lu blinked, startled, just as Loki snapped his fingers.

A shimmer of divine brilliance engulfed us, and in an instant our bodies lifted high into the air. The ground fell away beneath us. The goddess’s gentle light cradled us, and she set us down atop the great tower.

The height of five stories above the ground. The night sky stretched close overhead, while the royal capital spread out below, its lights gleaming. Bathed in moonlight, the river winding through the land glimmered like polished silver.

“Wow…!”

Lu’s voice was filled with awe.

“I still can’t take you inside the capital.” Solana said softly. “But from here, you can see it all.”

The capital’s nightscape twinkled with countless lights, lively as though new stars had fallen from the heavens. Perhaps it was the influx of adventurers that made the city glow with such energy.

“…It’s beautiful.”

Lu whispered.

“Yeah. Our house is still there, too. It hasn’t disappeared. We’ll go back someday.”

Her eyes shimmered with tears. But she shook her head, wiped them away, and broke into a bright smile.

“…Mm!”

Even being called a “hero” out of nowhere, I didn’t yet know what that truly meant.

But step by step, we’d keep moving forward.

Beneath this star-filled sky, I remembered the vow I had once made to the goddess.

“You will be.” Solana said, turning to us as she floated in the air. “A hero—yet not just any hero. Only you can become this hero. The world grows more turbulent by the day… but this is where your path begins.”

Holding Lu close, I gazed southward. There lay our next destination—the bountiful city of Flocia.

“Let’s go, gods.”

The gods nodded one after another.

We would depart at dawn.

“Come back safe, Oniichan.”

Lu said softly.

I squeezed her hand, warm and firm in mine.

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

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With the Water Mirror of the World Tree Yggdrasil’s guidance, our destination was decided. We then returned to the Temple of Odis.

Before beginning the journey’s preparations, there is someone I had to properly report to —Pauline-san, the commander of the Raven Warrior Corps. She is always busy, and the only chance to meet her would be at night.

Mia-san said, “Just leave it to the warrior corps,” but I wanted to give my report in person. After all, she is the one protecting my family.

“The City of Abundance—Flocia, is it?”

The great tower of the Odis Temple housed the commander’s office. Even at night, the room was bright with magic-stone lamps. Her pen moved swiftly between words, scratching across the page. At an hour when most homes had long since finished supper and settled into rest, Pauline-san’s work still carried on.

“Thank you for waiting.”

She had just finished her letter, sealing it with melted wax and a stamped crest.

Then she lifted her face, and with a calm smile, she said,

“You’ve done well. I’m truly glad to hear such good news.”

Pauline tilted her head slightly, and the tall white hat she wore tilted along with her movement.

I steadied my breath, trying not to be overwhelmed.

Perhaps it was because she sat behind that enormous desk while I stood alone before her, but the tension tightened around me. When I finally spoke, my voice sounded higher than usual.

“They said a pair of powerful sibling gods are sleeping there. And… they might know the special magic needed to break the seal on the Awakening Horn, Gjallarhorn.”

I carefully chose my words, mindful not to sound rude. Pauline-san carried royal blood—she was a princess as well as commander.

I recalled exactly what the gods had told me, and continued.

“It’s not the same as rune magic. The gods called it Seiðr.”

“I see… In the old tongue, that means ‘that which has no shape.’”

Pauline-san tapped her pale cheek with a fingertip.

“Runic magic is magic given form —etched into letters. In contrast, magic without writing, magic without form….could that be what Seiðr means?”

I stared at her in surprise. Her explanation was almost word-for-word what the gods themselves had told me.

Pauline let out a soft laugh.

“Fufu. That was only a guess. But judging from your expression, I’d say I was right.”

“It seems that even in the Age of the Gods, there were differences in magic.”

I admitted.

“You mean differences in systems? Like sword schools huh.”

She nodded, urging me to continue, her wide eyes glinting with curiosity.

“Yes. Rune magic and Seiðr magic are both magic at their core. But….Seiðr was the one that excelled at binding hearts into vessels, at shaping things that had no shape.”

“And the ones who wielded that art were—”

“The twin deities of fertility. Freyr and Freyja, who now sleep in Flocia.”

When I finished my explanation, a dark weight lingered in my chest, like a knot I couldn’t unravel. I hurried on, covering it with words.

“If we can awaken them both, I believe I will finally be able to release the sealed god in the horn  as well.”

Another power to protect Lu. If, on top of the dwarves, we could gain the aid of new gods as well, it would be a tremendous reassurance. Perhaps I might even receive a new blessing myself.

Pauline-san rested her chin against her hand.

“Hm. Yet compared to Thor-sama, Uru-sama, Sigris-sama, Solana-sama—and even Loki-sama—the power of these two seems… somewhat different.”

Her eyes met mine. I lowered my chin in a small nod. I’d been thinking the very same thing.

“Rion-san. This is only speculation, but Seiðr magic may do more than bind hearts into vessels. It might also bend the will, ensnare, seduce. When I hear ‘shapeless,’ what comes to mind first is the spirit itself.”

“That seems to be the case. Memories, feelings… those too could be manipulated by it….”

If we wanted to draw out the horn’s true power, then those gods were indispensable. And yet—magic that could tamper with the mind was frightening to contemplate.

What if an ally suddenly turned into an enemy? What if even my own memories were rewritten without my knowing?

Even in the mining town of Alvis, a magic engineer named Ganis had been enslaved by mind-control. There were countless ways such an art could be twisted to evil ends.

The coin trembled in my hand, and Solana’s voice rang out through the chamber.

『Frey and Freyja have somewhat of a unique origin. They lived away from the center of the gods and humans, sandwiched between the land of titans and the land of the gods. As a result, their powers were unique. Perhaps it’s better to say that they are closer to nature itself.』

Solana paused for a breath before continuing.

『Like wind or water. There’s no fixed form like letters carved in stone, but an unseen presence, elusive to grasp. That is why their technique affect the mind. But—they are without question our comrades.』

Her words carried with them a warmth, a reassurance that washed away my unease.

『Remember, abundance—the ripening of crops—is a force that draws countless faithful together. It is what makes a god’s power so strong. And Freyr has a gentle soul, a kind-hearted brother who deeply cares for his sister.』

That’s true. Bountiful harvest is no small thing. In a town where heavy snows fall year after year, the truth of that weighed even more heavily on my heart.

『Eventually, they were welcomed as the main deities, and migrated south with their believers. That place is now called Flocia. Some of the gods even willingly joined the siblings.』

At that moment, the gold coin began to vibrate.

I sensed the slight presence of the Medicine God, Sigris. But it seemed she had given way to Solana, and no one called out.

“I see. Thank you, Sun Goddess, Solana-sama.”

Thanks to the goddess, much of my worry had lifted. Even Pauline-san’s expression looked brighter.

“It seems we’ll gain another powerful ally this time as well.”

I straightened my back proudly.

“Yes!”

Hope and unease still churned inside me. But as long as we had a goal, I would press straight toward it. To gain the strength to protect something, there could never be such a thing as zero risk.

The princess gave a soft, amused smile.

My cheeks flushed hot.

“Uh… was that strange of me?”

“Not at all. Far from it. It’s just… I believe you’ve grown stronger.”

Being praised so directly left me flustered, though I managed a laugh to cover it. At the very least, I’d gained the nerve not to look away. Pauline-san lowered her gaze for a moment, then stood up.

“I’m glad you came. There are some things I must tell you as well.”

Her footsteps tapped softly against the floor as she crossed to the wall. There hung a great map of the kingdom—stretching from the frozen tundra of the north, where eternal frost never melted, down to the green of the south. It was, in essence, a miniature of the World Tree Yggdrasil’s water mirror.

Red pins were stuck in several places.

“For the past two years we have sought the bases of the slave traders, but in recent weeks the flow of information has increased.”

Because of this, Pauline went on,

“The battles at Alvis, the defenses of the capital… these actions of the Warrior Corps have moved once-silent nobles and guilds to share what they know.”

“Then… these red marks—”

“They are the towns from which reports have come.”

Tracing the map with my eyes, I saw clusters of pins piercing the southern city.

“Flocia? That’s… the place we’re headed to.”

“It is laced with canals, most of them linked to the great lake. In other words, it is a hub of waterborne trade.”

I couldn’t help but murmur aloud, and Pauline-san gave a small nod.

“We believe the slave traders use the town either to pass their captives along… or to conceal them.”

My throat bobbed as I swallowed. Pauline-san’s green eyes narrowed, her expression both cold and tinged with concern.

“We have not yet pinpointed exactly where their base lies within the city. However, you may take it as certain that you will cross paths with them on this journey to awaken the gods.”

That meant the battle ahead would carry a double weight of importance.

To rouse Frey and Freyja, and gain their aid. And at the same time—

『Rion, now it’s getting interesting.』

『I’m ready to scout anytime.』

『No trick of magic will escape me.』

『Even as a Valkyrie, Freyja is someone I’m connected to.』

The voices of the gods overlapped, and Solana gathered them into a single thought.

『So—it is the beginning of our counterattack.』

Right.

Awakening Freyr and Freyja. Uncovering the slave traders’ hidden stronghold. Both would lead back to the same goal—keeping Lu safe.

“…Yes!”

Just as a knock sounded at the door, I answered with all my resolve.

The one who stepped in was—

“Lu?”

“I took the liberty of calling her.”

Pauline-san explained, already sweeping a cloak over her shoulders.

“Before you depart, there is something I must show you—one of the warrior order’s secrets. As you have trusted us, we too wish to place our trust in you.”

With those words, the commander led us out of her office. In her hand gleamed a large, weighty key. One that seemed meant for no ordinary lock.

Our destination——the basement, something of a hidden chamber on it.

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

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We stood before the familiar gates of the Western Dungeon.

Of the four dungeon in the Royal Capital, this one was the most dangerous. Its recommended level was twenty-five, and both the monsters’ strength and the quality of the magic stones on it earned it the title of a first-rate dungeon.

We had already conquered it once before. Even so, carelessness here could mean death.

I glanced at Felix-san and at Safi.

“Let’s go.”

Just as we were about to step inside, a thunderous roar rang out from behind us.

“Sealed off!?”

“What the hell’s going on!?”

“What about the inn fee I already paid!?”

The street behind us erupted with cries and curses. Safi flinched, and I also instinctively covered my ears. The alleys had been noisy enough, but this… this was chaos in its own right.

Felix-san let out a weary sigh.

“The dungeon will remain sealed until the Warrior Corps finishes their business inside. But if this happens several times in such a short span and especially on top of that golem incident… it’s no wonder the adventurers are furious.”

The crowd of adventurers looked ready to tear down the ropes and barricades at any moment. Guild staff and city guards scrambled frantically to calm them.

Taking advantage of the commotion, we slipped quietly through the blockade.

“Hey! That group just went in!?”

“T-those guys belongs to the Raven Warrior Corps…”

“Damn…!”

Felix-san and I both wore the warrior corps’ black robe, the two raven crest boldly decorated on the back is recognizable even from a distance. Of course, having a youngster like me tagging along should have drawn more than a few stares… and Safi, who looked no older than a little girl, stuck out even more.

And yet—

“……”

I glanced back. No one’s eyes were on me. It was as if Felix-san alone existed in their sight.

“Amazing…. this is really incredible.”

I adjusted the hat on my head. A black feather was tucked into it—the very same design as Safi’s.

“Right? It’s called the Hat of Bewilderment. It’s a collaboration between the technology of the dwarves and the magic of the God, Loki.”

Its effect was simple yet powerful. It made the wearer almost impossible to notice. Inside the hat, the lining was etched with a dense weave of rune inscriptions.

Safi, looking immensely pleased with herself, waved a finger.

“You know how sometimes your eyes pass right over something, but it just doesn’t leave an impression? Like a pebble by the roadside, or a small figure standing next to someone flashy. This item puts you in exactly that state.”

Back in the mining town of Alvis, slave traders had been hunting for my description. To counter that, the dwarves had created this tool to conceal me.

“With this, you can even walk the city streets without worry.”

“Thank you.”

“Fufun”

Casting a glance at the blacksmith, we descended into the exploration floors of the Western Dungeon. There, we met up with the Raven Warrior group that had been ahead of us and then we headed deeper. Since the Hat of Bewilderment is fragile, I had taken it off and entrusted it to one of the support.

We made quick work of the descent. With no need to grind levels this time, we reached the boss floor in what felt like no time at all.

“…Is it really okay for it to be this easy?”

This is a dungeon with a recommended level of level 25, just like the Alvis Dungeon. And yet, the lack of action left me oddly underwhelmed.

『Rion, you seem… unusually calm.』

Solana’s words made me blink in surprise.

“Do I… really?”

『Indeed. With the Blessing of the Hunter God, your scouting ability has become far more precise. And with Sylph and Salamander at your call, you can strike and defend even at range. I daresay everyone feels more secure with you at their side.』

Hearing that, I realized. I really was a lot calmer than the first time I came here. And the reason was simple. I had more options now. My level had risen. My speed and strength increased. Situations where I once could only hang on by the skin of my teeth were now ones where I could think about counterattacking. If need be, I could even withdraw entirely and pull back. Then there were the spirits I could summon with awakening.

Even the fireballs hurled by goblin mages were no threat when Salamander raised its blazing shield. And when Sylph unleashed blades of wind, monsters far off in the distance were cleaved clean in two.

『This is the fruit of training and experience. Those fierce battles you endured… they are what let you stay calm now.』

Praised by the goddess, a gentle warmth swelled in my chest. One of the warriors turned to me, a little hesitant.

“R-Rion-san, what level are you…?”

“Twenty-six.”

I answered plainly and he was left dumbfounded.

“That’s… incredible. I mean, I’d heard the stories, but… judging from the spells you use, your detection skills, and the feats I’ve seen and heard of—it wouldn’t be strange if you were level 30, no, perhaps even level forty…”

I straightened my back with a touch of pride.

“Thank you. But it’s not just me… The gods, and the spirits lending me their strength—they’re amazing too.”

The raven warrior was left speechless, while Felix-san let out a hearty laugh.

“Fufu, our boy is extraordinary in many ways.”

The eighth floor of the Western Dungeon had eight paths extending from a huge hall. If we liken it to a carriage wheel, we’d be in the center, with the framework supporting the wheel representing the path. At the end of each path were supposed to be eight boss rooms. We began heading toward one of them.

『Hmm. There doesn’t seem to be any sign of monsters.』

Solana spoke, and Felix-san explained.

“Maybe because an unexplored area has opened up, monsters no longer appear in the boss room ahead.”

“It’s usually closed, right?”

Felix-san nodded at Safi’s question.

A boss chamber without a boss, and on top of that, a newly opened unexplored area—of course they couldn’t simply throw it open to adventurers.

“Exactly. The passage is open now, but earlier, the corps’ engineers sealed off the corridor leading to the chamber with magic.”

The person walking ahead gave us a polite nod.

So that was the one—the magical engineer who concealed unexplored areas within the dungeon.

A dungeon engineer huh.

Having managed the dungeon for the kingdom all this time, it seemed that the warrior group had inherited such techniques.

At last, we reached the boss floor. It’s vast, brightly lit chamber, normally meant for battle. It is currenty empty, with an opening at the far wall. We stepped into the uncharted zone where the frost still lingered.

—Suddenly, a hand wrapped in chains pops up from the ground.

“Oh! Rion!”

The next to leap out was a head with fiery red hair. With a wild grin splitting her face, Mia-san pushed her tall frame halfway out of the hole. The Water Mirror of Yggdrasil can be reached through a hidden corridor beneath the floor. She must have come to guide us.

“I’ve been waiting. Nothing can start without you and the gods you see.”

My heart gave a jolt. I think even the gold coin trembled.

“…So it really is it huh.”

“Yeah. Just like back with the dwarves—clear as day, it’s a god’s reaction.”

Unable to hold back, we broke into a trot. We slipped through the hidden passage and entered the chamber of the Water Mirror. The entire floor was already brimming with magic power. It was like stepping onto the surface of a radiant lake. With each step, the light beneath our feet swirled upward, rising to the height of our eyes.

“This way!”

Some dwarves were waving from a high platform along the wall. We followed the invitation and headed up to the high platform, looking out over the entire room.

The water mirror, its surface of light, reproduced a panoramic view of the kingdom of Asgard. It depicted the entire terrain of the kingdom, from the fertile south to the barren, unexplored tundra in the north.

All across the terrain, spheres of light floated in the air. Each marked the site of a dungeon. Most shone colorless, but those tinged with hues were the ones where gods had awakened. In the royal capital, there were four such lights—red, purple, brown, and blue—each carrying the color of the god who slumbered within.

Far away in Alvis, a golden light gleamed as well.

“…So? How does it look?”

Safi put the question to the dwarves.

Four white fae, their delicate wings folded neatly against their backs, and four black dwarves, stockier and wingless, stood before her. One of the black dwarves looked about forty in human years. With his stern face, he could have passed for a stubborn old blacksmith if not for the way he bowed deeply to Safi.

“Safi-dono, and—most noble saviors who delivered us from peril! I, born of the black dwarves, do humbly present this divine instrument we have labored upon….”

Flustered, I waved my hands. The dwarves always started with such overblown gratitude that it left me at a loss.

“You don’t have to make such a fuss!”

“Ah—Is that so? Then… ahem! As you can see, we’ve tweaked the flow of magic a little, and sure enough, we were able to catch a response from a god!”

The gold coin trembled, and Loki’s voice spilled forth.

『I see… impressive work indeed…』

“It is an honor, truly. Until now, the device would only respond to gods whose awakening was strong enough to allow them speech. But thanks to our adjustments, it can now detect even those still sunk deep in slumber.”

The horn I carried—each time it was blown, its call spread far and wide. Humans couldn’t hear it, yet the sound, carried with magic, resounded throughout the world. That was why the sealed gods, even those still lost in slumber, stirred a little closer to waking each time they heard it.

The improvement the dwarves had made, in short, are—

“So… in other words, it can find gods who are regaining their strength, but not yet fully conscious?”

“Exactly!”

The older blacksmith nodded, then lifted his thick hand toward the glowing map.

“Over there.”

Beneath the high platform where we stood, four lights shone—this was the royal capital. But farther away, to the south, a new green light had begun to flicker.

“…Flocia, huh.”

Felix-san touched his chin thoughtfully.

“Well, well. If there’s a god there as well, things might turn rather interesting.”

A sly grin spread across his face.

Interesting? What exactly did he mean by that…?

『Rion, we’d like to see it for ourselves. May we?』

Hearing Solana’s voice, I drew out the coin case and let my thumb trace the embossed surface.

“Wake up!”

From the gold coin, the gods burst forth. Five deities hovered in the air, gazing down at the emerald glow.

“This place…”

Uru, the God of Hunting, murmured.

“A lake… and hills. Magnificent. Just from the lay of the land, one can almost hear the voices of living creatures.”

“Ahh,” rumbled Thor, the Thunder God, hefting his great hammer onto his shoulder.

“Fertile land, without a doubt. And this green light… I believe I can guess which god slumbers here.”

Sigris, the God of Medicine, let her blue hair ripple as the light from the floor shimmered against her armor of the same hue.

“This time, it seems we may be rescuing two deities at once.”

I jolted, my shoulders leaping before I could stop them.

“T–two of them!? You mean, we’ve found not just one god, but two at the same time…?”

Solana turned toward me, she gave a grave nod.

“Yes. The deities who dwells there are especial even among gods. They are brother and sister gods.”

Lu came to mind at once.

“Brother and sister…?”

“That’s right. Born at the same moment, bearing the same power, and worshipped by the same believers. Thus, they are siblings.”

Sibling gods…

The strange coincidence left me speechless. I could only stare for a while at the southern glow. Alvis lay north of the capital, but this next destination was to the south. If I remembered right, there was a great lake there, a thriving center of trade and farming, said to rival the royal capital in size.

“Rion-dono”

The dwarves, too, were gazing up at us. The voice belonged to the older blacksmith who had spoken earlier.

“Y-yes?”

“Allow me to pronounce an oracle here and now. Concerning the horn of awakening—the Gjallarhorn you bear.”

A little taken aback, I nevertheless nodded.

“To cut to the chase, we were able to figure out quite a bit with our technology. There is a god sealed inside and a spell has been cast to protect him. There were also mechanisms in place to prevent the god from escaping, but we have removed most of them so that you can remove the seal.”

But then, the elder added with weight in his voice,

“But unlike the coin you carry, it is not yet possible to call forth the god inside. That much is certain.”

The elder dark dwarf gave Safi a glance, silently retreated.

Safi folded her arms and shook her head.

“…We’ve tried, believe me. Even showed it to the dwarves who specialize in fine crafting, but it was no use.”

“I see…”

I couldn’t help a pang of disappointment. From my pouch I drew out the horn, tracing its faintly gleaming surface with my fingertips.

But there was no helping it. Since coming to the capital, the dwarves had done so much—hammering out tools, strengthening the divine relic World Tree Yggdrasil’s Water Mirror, fortifying defenses to protect Lu. They had been indispensable.

If even they could not find the answer, then…

“The technology is simply different. There is a god inside of that there’s no doubt about it. Yet the seal does not seem to be woven with the runes, the magic script we dwarves employ. It is another kind of magic altogether. To use an analogy of a lock, it’s like we’ve removed 90% of the locks, but there is one last lock that we just can’t remove.”

The dwarves turned their gazes toward the green light glimmering on the map.

“…And so, it must be Heaven’s own design.”

The words that followed sent a shiver through me.

“The sibling gods were masters of such sorcery. They will, without doubt, be of great aid to you…”

“Their names… what are they?”

The blacksmith fell silent, lips pressed tight. He raised a finger to them, as if to say that is not my place to speak, and gestured toward the goddess reflected in the Water Mirror.

Solana’s voice rang clear through the chamber.

“The brother’s name is Freyr. The sister is called Freyja.”

The goddess continued,

“Skilled in both sword and magic, they are the divine twins of fertility—the ones who blessed the land with greenery.”

“――Un!”

I tightened my grip on the horn I held.

“Gods’ awakener, we found the next destination.”

This time, the road would lead us south. Gentle hills, a vast lake—such was the land shown upon the Water Mirror.

I drew upon all my courage, steeling myself for the journey into this new realm.

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

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