Under August's watchful gaze, Sona and Rias successfully made Hati and Sköll their new familiars. Much like Fenrir, these two young wolves were classified as pawns, and each consumed four Evil Pieces in the process.
With the matter of Loki settled and Mjolnir, which Odin had transported from afar, now in his possession, August found himself reaping a bountiful harvest from this escapade.
After passing through the magical teleportation array, the group returned to the House of Demon.
However, upon seeing the colossal figure of Fenrir, everyone was struck dumb—none more so than Odin.
Odin didn't care much about Loki. After all, Loki's strength was middling at best, and his real talent lay in behind-the-scenes scheming. While troublesome, Loki was manageable. Fenrir, however, was a different story. The God-Devouring Wolf, coupled with the ominous prophecy of Ragnarok, was what truly gave Odin pause.
"August, what on earth happened here?"
Sirzechs, standing before the mighty Fenrir and observing Hati and Sköll beside Sona and Rias, was utterly bewildered.
"Oh, it's nothing much. Loki got himself eaten by Fenrir, who's now decided to join me. And his two pups have become Sona and Rias's familiars."
With that single statement, August delivered a bombshell that left everyone stunned into silence.
When Sirzechs finally processed what he had heard, he was overjoyed. Well, isn't my brother-in-law impressive! This is Fenrir we're talking about, and he managed to tame it? And my sister even got herself a miniature God-Devouring Wolf!
Ajuka was equally taken aback. His original intention had been for August to suppress Loki and seal Fenrir away. After all, the God-Devouring Wolf was far too dangerous. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect August to not only tame Fenrir but to do so quite successfully.
Out of everyone present, only Odin seemed to be in a state of shock.
Good grief, so it's the Norse who've suffered the biggest loss here, he thought. Not only had they lost a god, but Fenrir as well.
Losing Fenrir would have been bad enough, but the real trouble was that Fenrir now had a new master. With Fenrir under his command, August had effectively made Norse dealings with him a delicate matter. Odin could see it clearly: Fenrir had regained its full strength and was beyond his ability to control.
Now, the devils had truly risen to a formidable force. They had originally only had two beings who surpassed the ordinary limits; now they had added another. A clan with three such beings was terrifying, indeed.
But then Odin noticed the group of beautiful women not far away and got an idea.
This young man seems to have a fondness for pretty women. If push comes to shove, why not gift him one? Even if it doesn't sway him, it might at least yield some intelligence. And extending a gesture of goodwill now is better than facing future conflicts.
Little did August know that Odin was already plotting to play matchmaker.
"Hey, August, we're still on good terms, right?"
"What are you trying to say, Azazel?"
"Oh, nothing much. It's just that now that Fenrir is with you, I was wondering if I could ask for one of his God-Devouring Fangs. Just one, that's all."
At these words, August didn't react, but Fenrir beside him immediately bristled with displeasure.
So, you want to pull out my tooth?
In an instant, a murderous aura descended upon Azazel.
Azazel froze, stiffening all over. When he glanced up, his eyes met Fenrir's fierce gaze.
A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Oh, great, I'm done for.
"I-it was just a joke! A joke!"
Azazel stammered as he nervously backed away. I really got ahead of myself there, making such a request right in front of him.
August couldn't help but laugh. That's Azazel for you—always keen on research, eager to try anything.
"Roar~"
Fenrir snorted dismissively before turning away.
After all, it was one of the world's top ten powerhouses. Now, with the added dark powers of the House of Demon, its strength was beyond measure. A mere Governor of the Fallen Angels didn't even register in its eyes.
"Fenrir, maybe you should shrink a bit. It's a little inconvenient having you this big."
"Awooo~"
With a howl, Fenrir's body began to shrink, eventually reducing to the size of a large Tibetan mastiff.
Although Fenrir was still a massive wolf, its current form, reduced to the size of a large dog, was much more manageable than its previous monstrous proportions.
Everyone around was astonished. Fenrir really had been tamed; otherwise, it would never be this obedient.
As for Fenrir's new master, everyone present silently acknowledged it. Regardless of how August had managed it, Fenrir was now his. Anyone attempting to reclaim the wolf would surely incur August's wrath.
To defeat Loki, tame Fenrir, and in such a short amount of time—August was a formidable figure. No one wanted to make an enemy of such a person.
However, ignoring the issue of Fenrir did not mean they were indifferent to it.
"You're quite something, kid," Odin said, addressing August. "In all of Norse history, no one has ever tamed Fenrir. You're the first."
"Just a minor trick, nothing impressive," August replied modestly.
Odin nearly choked on his own breath. "Nothing impressive?" So, according to this kid, Odin wasn't even up to that level?
"Kid, while you may have tamed Fenrir, don't forget, Fenrir is still a creature of Norse mythology."
Indeed, no matter what, Fenrir's origins lay in the Norse world—there was no disputing that.
"So, are you planning to reclaim Fenrir?" August's eyes narrowed.
At this, August, Sirzechs, Ajuka, and Serafall all furrowed their brows. Fenrir now belonged to August, meaning it was indirectly tied to the Underworld. Furthermore, August was the brother-in-law of both Sirzechs and Serafall. For the demons, this could only be a good thing.
"No, I have no use for it back in Norse lands. If Fenrir were to stay there, it would only make us more uneasy."
"What exactly are you getting at, Lord Odin?" August asked, his expression cautious.
"What I mean is, since you're an outsider who's tamed Fenrir, the Norse world might have some opinions about it. So, I've come up with a proposal."
"Let's hear it," August said, intrigued.
"This is our finest Valkyrie, and I propose we marry her to you. This way, Norse mythology and the devils can establish formal diplomatic relations. It would give us an acceptable explanation for all of this."
In an instant, August was stunned. The same went for Sirzechs and the other demon lords, as well as Azazel.
A beauty as a gift? And a Valkyrie, no less?
"What?!"
Rossweisse, the woman in question, was absolutely flabbergasted, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Odin would one day offer her as a gift, and to a man who had tamed Fenrir and killed Loki, no less.
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