TL: Tsubak
ED: Julsmul
Asgard was different to the world Tae Ho used to live in.
Gods and magic actually existed, and it was a word that had an invisible strength and even made prophecies.
Because of that, Tae Ho couldn't shake away the uneasiness that passed through his chest.
'What's wrong?'
"Master?"
Cuchulainn and Adenmaha asked almost at the same time, but Tae Ho just frowned instead of answering either of them.
'It must be an illusion, right?'
This place was Vanaheim. It was a place that was harder to communicate with than even Midgard, a realm being protected by the Great Barrier.
There were several mysteries in Asgard. That's why uneasiness was like having a premonition backed up with proof.
Like having sensed a change from faraway or a force was transmitted like a current of water.
"Master, are you hurt somewhere?"
Adenmaha asked with a worried voice and then put her hand on Tae Ho's forehead.
'Rather than worry, it seems like you are feeling more excited and happy at the contact.'
The jab didn't reach Adenmaha, fortunately. Because of that, Adenmaha was enjoying her happy time but soon regained her composure and tilted her head.
"You don't have a fever."
"I'm fine. I was just thinking of another thing."
Tae Ho pushed away Adenmaha's hand as he had also gotten a hold of himself and said. It seemed like it really was a delusion.
'Hm, did you feel something uneasy?'
"That's right....but I don't think it's something much. Or a mistake."
The door of the carriage opened up as he answered Cuchulainn. It was Hildegarde, that had finished searching the surroundings.
"We will depart immediately."
Hildegarde simply revealed her business and then rode on a horse instead of entering the carriage and started to take the lead. The warriors of Freya's legion also rode on their horses and took an escorting formation.
"Depart!"
The carriage and the escort group started to move at Hildegarde's terse order. And then, Cuchulainn spoke once again.
'Even if it bothers you, it must have been a delusion like you said. Rest for now. You must already be familiar with the divine power of the previous Idun, but that isn't the case with Bragi-nim's. Perhaps, a flaw was created in your soul and body while receiving an unfamiliar divine power.'
"Yes, that is also possible."
It was a really convincing story. As Tae Ho nodded at Cuchulainn's words, Adenmaha, after guessing their conversation, said,
"Master, are you going to rest now? You said that we would depart tomorrow morning, right?"
"That is the schedule Hildegarde set up for us. It's barely noon, but they would go to make preparations to sail once again. Being shut in our rooms will be helping them."
It took about four days by ship to come to Vanaheim from Freya's legion. It may take a similar time when they returned, so they needed the process to check the condition and objects of the ship.
In addition, the warriors of Freya's legion weren't Steel Warriors. They also needed time to release their fatigue of travelling.
"Umm, then don't we have to bring back Merlin's belongings?"
Adenmaha looked up at Tae Ho next to him and said carefully. She growled against Scathach like a cat to a dog- Of course, this was only what she thought, but when others saw them, they saw that Adenmaha suffered one sidedly- but she was in a really good relation with Merlin.
In addition, if she took something, be it small or big, it became of help to Tae Ho and Idun's legion.
So whatever the case, Adenmaha had started to think about managing the legion after she became a Valkyrie of Idun.
Tae Ho really treasured Adenmaha, but Cuchulainn clicked his tongue and said,
'What else do you want to take from here? Just sweep it all.'
They had already retrieved more than many dozens of weapons from the trace of the Great War.
Tae Ho drew a smile and looked at Adenmaha.
"It would certainly be good if we can make some time....and we even know the general location from what we heard from Merlin."
It seemed like it would certainly be good to retrieve it now that they were in Vanaheim.
Adenmaha smirked as Tae Ho agreed but then said with a regretful voice,
"If we knew we were going to come to Vanaheim, it would have been good if Merlin came with us."
Tae Ho thought of the same thing, but he couldn't do anything about it at this point. As the visit to Freya's residence itself was too sudden, he should be glad that he had at least brought Adenmaha.
"Well, you shouldn't worry too much. He has already retrieved the most important thing that was in Vanaheim."
"You are speaking about Gallatin, right?"
"Right. Gallatin. That's one of the most precious objects among the ones Merlin hid in Vanaheim. The other ones are somewhat good, but even so, they won't be normal as they have been through Merlin's hands."
Merlin was a strong magician and an excellent blacksmith. Even the mass-produced Liberatuses boasted of a performance that was much superior than average magical tools.
But of course, Tae Ho's battle power wouldn't increase by having a few more mass-produced Liberatuses but it was different for Idun's legion. If he distributed Merlin's weapons to the new warriors, then their individual battle prowesses and survivability rates would increase exponentially.
'Then you should just take it now. When else will you come to Vanaheim? The path to here is that far and harsh.'
It was a distance that took over a week even if one rode a fast ship. Tae Ho nodded.
"I was going to request to Hildegarde when we reached our lodging as it would be good if we had a guide."
He heard the general story from Merlin, but it was still an unfamiliar path for them. If there was someone that was knowledgeable of this land, then searching the secret investigation lab of Merlin would be much easier.
Adenmaha listened to Tae Ho's words and said in a good mood,
"We have to eat lunch, so let's go slowly. It's not that anyone is chasing after us, right? I'm also curious as to what they eat in Vanaheim."
It seemed like Adenmaha was looking at the secret lab of Merlin as going on an excursion.
Tae Ho's eyes remained on Adenmaha. The inside of the carriage was bright, but humming next to Tae Ho made her seem like a cat.
"Now that I see Adenmaha, don't you have motion sickness for being in the carriage?"
Because the sea and the carriage moved the same.
Adenmaha had rejected looking at Tae Ho in the face, pretending to have gotten sea sick.
Adenmaha blinked with a surprised face at his question and barely managed to open her mouth.
"Uh....now, now that I see I slightly.....huugh?"
Adenmaha slightly closed her eyes and leaned towards Tae Ho, and Cuchulainn criticized her as always.
'She acts disgustingly bad.'
But still, Cuchulainn was being considerate of her as he spoke in a voice so low Tae Ho didn't hear it.
At that moment, Tae Ho thought about using the 'Eyes of the Dragon' but then changed his thoughts. He fixed his sitting posture and then pulled Adenmaha to make her lie down sideways. And obviously, Adenmaha's head landed on Tae Ho's thigh.
"Rest. I will tell you when we arrive."
"Yees."
Adenmaha covered her face with her long hair while answering.
Tae Ho stroked the head of Adenmaha and looked at the front once again. He didn't get the uneasy feeling like before, but it was still hard to look away.
"May Idun's blessing accompany you."
Tae Ho prayed in a low voice while looking at the newly engraved rune of Idun in his wrist and slowly closed his eyes.
-
Siri stood in the hall of Valhalla that was connected with the wooden dock and looked at a distant place. Several warriors of Ullr's legion were lined up behind her.
They were the force that was selected to be dispatched to the front lines.
'How regretful.'
Siri thought of Tae Ho and put on a bitter smile. It was because she wouldn't be able to visit Idun's legion for a few months while she was away in the front lines. Having departed from him without saying a proper farewell was really regretful.
But right at that moment-
"Heey Siri."
"Bracky."
Siri looked at the direction the voice was heard at and smiled. Bracky, who was bigger than the already massive warriors, smirked and approached her.
"It's been a while. Did you rest well?"
"Somewhat. What about you?"
"I had a fun time in Anaheim."
Bracky laughed treacherously and looked at a distant place. Siri let out a sigh reflexively at him, who looked like a fool, and then shook her head and started to imitate Heda.
"So that was the case. You had a fun time. How good of you."
She had learned from Heda because she had said that it had great effects and that really was the case.
"Wh, what is it? I feel like i'm being treated like a moron."
There certainly wasn't a curse mixed in her words.
Siri just looked at him with lukewarm eyes instead of explaining to him, and Bracky couldn't endure it anymore.
"A-anyways! We got to be together this time, too. Don't you think that there's a solid tie between us?"
"Well, it's not that there is none."
Actually, it wasn't that she had been in almost all the battlefields like with Tae Ho, but she had still been in quite a lot of battlefields with Bracky.
Just taking into account the time they had spent in an expedition, Tae Ho came first and Bracky would be the second. Rolph, who hadn't been with her recently, would take third place.
While Siri was counting the numbers by herself, Bracky looked at his surroundings and then blinked and asked,
"Isn't that Tae Ho guy here? He has almost always been with you. Or went with Ullr's legion."
Because the one-man-army of Idun's legion couldn't go out on an expedition alone. Tae Ho had always joined in another legion for an expedition since he was a lowest-ranked warrior, especially in Ullr's legion.
But of course, the situation had changed now. Tae Ho had become the commander and new warriors had entered Idun's legion.
But even so, Bracky just ignored that fact. It was because the new warriors were all lowest-ranked and it was impossible for them to stand on the same battlefield as Tae Ho, a superior-ranked warrior.
Siri didn't answer immediately and checked her surroundings and then approached Bracky and said in a low voice,
"He went to Vanaheim after receiving a call from Freya-nim."
It was something that shouldn't be hidden, but it still wasn't something that could be said openly.
Bracky thought of the beautiful face of Freya at the words of 'Freya's orders' and drooled like a fool, and Siri looked at him once more with lukewarm eyes.
And a few seconds later, Bracky said after he barely managed to regain his bearings.
"Mm, he's quite busy lately. Is it different if you are a commander of a legion?"
"Of course. And Tae Ho is a superior-ranked warrior while we are still intermediate-ranked."
At first, Siri was an inferior-ranked warrior and Tae Ho was at the lowest rank but when did this gap get created?
Siri put on a bitter expression unconsciously, but Bracky didn't follow suit. He rather snorted and said bravely,
"Good, good. We will catch up to him soon. Siri, you should also work hard as you will want to be with him from now on."
"Let's work hard."
Siri thought why the warriors of the mortal world liked Bracky. An existence that gave one strength just by being with him. Someone that was like a vitamin.
Siri laughed and tried to speak about the frontlines that they were about to go to. Siri had already gone once when she was an inferior-ranked warrior, but it was the first time for Bracky.
But of course, they had stayed in the fortress next to the front lines, but that was rather like visiting as guests instead of protecting it like warriors. There could only be a difference in it.
But it was when Siri was about to open her mouth.
"Siri! Bracky!"
"Ingrid-nim?"
They turned their heads to look at the urgent call and saw that Ingrid was fast approaching them. She, who didn't normally have any change in her stone-like expression, was putting on a face with perplexity and anxiousness.
"The two of you, follow me. It's an urgent task."
Siri and Bracky turned to look at themselves at the sudden order, and it was at that moment-
The sound of a horn trumpet was heard from a far place.
It was the signal indicating an emergency.
-
Skuld, who was flying towards Vanaheim, twisted her body in the air. She transformed from a swan back into a woman and then looked at the direction the front lines was at.
She was the future.
She was the one that reviewed the thread of fate made by the past Uld and the present Verdandi.
The uncertain future one faced no matter how many times they untied the thread and made it anew.
Skuld transformed into a swan once again. She flew towards Vanaheim, as she didn't have much time anymore.
-
The God of Thunder, Thor, glared at the front lines and the God of Hunting, Ullr, clenched his lips at the roars that was heard from far away.
The roars of beasts.
The cry of a predator that made one's organs freeze.
They were similar to a wolf's, but Ullr shook his head. It wasn't Fenrir. The roar of the world wolf wasn't that weak.
The canine of hell, Garmr.
The beast that got out of the hands of Hela.
It wasn't complete, but wasn't weak either. It was the strongest and biggest roar that was heard since Asgard has started searching for the soul fragments.
"It's not only one soul fragment."
Ullr said, and Thor understood his words.
The number of Garmr's soul fragments that Odin had estimated numbered about fifteen.
Among them, Asgard had merely attained six of them.
There wasn't a clear method for Asgard to know how many fragments the giants had gathered and how many more they have acquired.
"But it's still incomplete."
It wasn't to the point to wake up the world wolf that was in its long slumber. They hadn't gathered that amount of fragments yet.
But it had certainly drawn near. If even one or two more fragments were added, the thing they were deathly afraid of could certainly happen.
Thor felt doubt. Why did the giants wake up Garmr when they didn't have enough soul fragments? Just why did they reveal the fact that they had gathered almost enough fragments?
"Thor! Ullr!"
A voice was heard from behind, and the two of them turned around hurriedly. Hermod, the younger brother of the two and the God of Wind and Messages, hurriedly landed on the fortress of the front lines. He, who had the look of a youth, reported to the two Gods.
Things were happening in Midgard.
The roar of Garmr was spread once more, and the giants in the front lines started to move.
-
Hugin and Munin were currently in Midgard.
The two crows transmitted to Odin what they heard and seen from the sky.
There were changes occurring in several places of Midgard. It was a similar thing that happened when Garmr's soul fragment was discovered.
In addition, it wasn't only one or two this time. About five soul fragments were emanating its strong presence at the same time.
The distance among them was far. It wasn't close at all. It was impossible to retrieve all of them at once with just the warriors that were down in Midgard.
Odin, who was sitting in front of Mimir's lake, gazed at the head of Mimir.
The head of Mimir, which was on top of a wide and plain boulder, opened its mouth and spoke.
It was a story he had kept repeating since long before, and that didn't change much but there was a variable added into it.
Odin agreed. The several crows aside of Hugin and Munin told him of the many things that were happening in Midgard and Asgard.
Giants were appearing in Midgard. Now that the fomoires had disappeared, there was only one person that could do what they did.
The God of Fire and Lies, Loki.
Odin saved his words for a moment. He looked at a distant place and said with a bitter smile.
"It's finally started."
The time has arrived now.
Odin stood up from his place. He didn't stay seated anymore.
Gungnir.
The spear of Odin that boasted an absolute accuracy. A strong weapon suitable for the King of Gods.
He could hear the voice of Freya searching for him urgently, and the voices of Thor and Heimdall were also heard.
The head of Mimir spoke once again.
And Odin didn't speak back this time. He looked at a distant place with his only eye and then placed the horn trumpet he was carrying on his waist in his mouth.
He'd been the God of War before the King of Gods.
Odin blew the horn trumpet.
It announced the start of war.
< Episode 34 - Vanaheim (5) > End
TL note: Thanks for reading~