Chapter 158: Episode 39/Chapter 2: Hela (2)
TL: Tsubak
ED: Julsmul
"You came."
After following the shining butterfly and passing through the fog for some time-
Odin's voice was heard suddenly, and then the fog filling his sight disappeared completely. Behind him, fog filled up the surroundings completely, but there was none of it in front of him as if a line was drawn.
Odin's voice was heard from the front.
There was a big lake there and a wide boulder at a side. As for Odin, he was seated in front of that boulder.
Tae Ho followed the lake and stood in front of Odin. The big head that was on top of the boulder bothered him, so he unconsciously activated the 'Eyes of the Dragon'.
[Mimir's head]
It was the head of a giant, but the color of his name was green. Tae Ho removed the 'Eyes of the Dragon' and expressed etiquette in front of Odin. Odin leaned back on a root that surged up the ground and asked,
"DId you leave Nidhogg alone?"
"Cuchulainn is with her."
They could never leave Nidhogg and Ratatoskr alone as they couldn't know what the sly Ratatoskr would try to do.
'You can't entrust a fish to a cat.'
Tae Ho agreed with Cuchulainn's words. Instead of leaving a sheep and a wolf in the same place, he'd decided to leave Gae Bolg in her hands.
"That's a wise decision. You have done well."
Odin smiled and complemented Tae Ho. His smile bore the message that Tae Ho's coming alone had been a test.
"Odin, there's something I want to ask."
"Speak."
"I want to know about Nidhogg, Ratatoskr, and Hraesvelgr- precisely speaking, about Ratatoskr."
"Right, we didn't have time to speak properly until now, and my misunderstandings have also run deep."
They'd kept running since they escaped the root, so there was no time to speak about the situation properly until now.
Odin looked at a distant place and opened his mouth slowly.
"There are several wonders and mystics in the world. I have certainly killed the giant Ymir and cleaned off Midgard with my brothers, but they weren't created from complete nothingness. Because of that, I can't see through all the things in the world. There are overwhelming parts too."
He had offered one of his eyes in the lake of Mimir to fill his wisdom and hung on a branch of the World Tree for nine days.
But there was still a region of nothingness. It was impossible to completely understand the world even for the King of Gods.
"Just as you know, Nidhogg is an ancient dragon that was born alongside the World Tree. It possesses strength enough to destroy the world, but as it's an existence that's caught in the roots, it was an existence with low danger rates. I misunderstood it....no, her, as someone that hoped for the destruction of the world, but the truth was different. That's when I realized my nothingness."
She had turned to resent the world because she'd gotten harassed by Ratatoskr for a long time, but she still had a white heart. She was bright and pure like a clean sheet of paper.
"Hraesvelgr, King of Birds, lives in the highest branches, and unlike Nidhogg, it's not an existence that's lived since ancient times. It belongs to the ones that want to maintain the world, but it doesn't have much interest in the world. It's only interested in the highest branch that belongs to its territory."
The ones that lived in the highest branch were beasts that had the attributes of birds. Because of that, Odin also didn't put his interest in its territory, the highest branch.
"Ratatoskr is the only existence that can freely move in the World Tree. We don't know how it was born with such strength- no, permission, but whatever the case, it's the only one that can freely move between Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr."
Hraesvelgr's region wasn't a restricted area like the highest branch. Because of that, Odin could also go there if he became determined to do so.
But the roots was different. One could freely cross the line and enter the roots, but it was different if they wanted to get out of it. It was impossible even for the King of Gods, Odin.
"You should know it as you have fought it yourself, but Ratatoskr isn't a beast that is particularly strong. In addition, I have left it on standby as the only thing it does is move between the root and the branches. I was planning on using it when I needed it."
But of course, Ratatoskr was so big it could overwhelm normal giants or warriors with its big body that reached tens of meters, but when the King of Gods looked at it with his eyes, it wasn't that strong of an existence. It was a beast that could barely be faced against intermediate-ranked warriors.
"Ratatoskr isn't someone that hopes to destroy or maintain the world. It is exactly in the middle. I think it didn't bully Nidhogg because of a sense of duty but because it was simply its hobby."
Tae Ho opened his eyes widely at Odin's words. Having been ordered by someone may have been better, but Tae Ho felt like his blood flowed backwards when he thought about how Ratatoskr had harassed Nidhogg for a long time just for its enjoyment.
Odin said in a lower tone as if trying to calm down Tae Ho.
"But I'm planning to watch it a bit more. I already felt that I should reinspect what I already knew."
Odin saved his words. It wasn't certain as to what kind of organization would be behind Ratatoskr. It wasn't something to be rash about.
"Have your doubts been resolved?"
"Thank you for answering."
Odin nodded with a satisfied face as Tae Ho expressed etiquette and then pointed at the wide boulder.
"Right, I will now introduce you to the head of Mimir that is my friend and adviser."
"Idun's warrior."
The head of a giant that was placed in the boulder - the head of Mimir - said in a low voice. It's voice gave one the feeling that it was a machine as it didn't have any tonal fluctuations.
"He was born as a giant but was much closer to a being that wanted to maintain the world. In addition, I kept him close to me as it was really wise and asked advice from it. But unfortunately enough, he ended up losing his life in the negotiation of peace that resulted in a fight against the Vanir."
"In the negotiation of peace?"
Odin smiled bitterly as Tae Ho grew surprised.
"It's because there were some problems with the prisoners of war we exchanged with each other, but don't worry too much as it's all in the past. You should know it well as you have visited them directly. They are our reliable allies."
Tae Ho thought of the chief of the Vanir, Heimstream, and nodded.
But there was a part that bothered him. The Vanir had sent Freya, Freyr, and Njord as captives of war. You could know just by looking at Freya, but they were all talented and powerful Gods.
The Vanir had sent the greatest ones among themselves as war prisoners. It meant that they were being sincere.
But if a problem occurred to the point that someone lost their life, then that meant that there origin of the problem was on the Aesir rather than on the Vanir.
And just like Tae Ho had guessed, the origin of the problem was on the Aesir.
The race of the Aesir, that didn't want to send someone outstanding like the Vanir, had sent the fool God, Hoenir, that was really handsome, but his head was empty.
They had sent an advisor with him as they would notice in an instant that Hoenir was a fool, and that advisor was the giant Mimir.
But even if it was the wise Mimir, he couldn't hide all the childishness of Hoenir in all places.
The Vanir realized that the Aesir had sent an useless captive unlike them and killed Hoenir and Mimir in madness, and because of this, the Vanir and the Aesir had to resume a short war once again.
But whatever the case, this was all in the past, just like Odin had said.
Odin looked at the head of Mimir and continued speaking.
"Mimir is dead, but his wisdom still remains in his head. That's why I retrieved his head and placed it here. It's because in this place, Mimir is able to think and speak like he did in his previous life thanks to rune magics and the power of the lake."
Mimir, who became an existence not unlike a machine after losing his life, turned into a more excellent advisor.
Some Gods doubted that Odin had planned all of this to be able to use him freely for himself, but this was all mere suspicion. Clear proof didn't exist anywhere.
"I checked the situation outside through the head of Mimir."
Odin rolled his fingers and a hologram-like video appeared in the air.
There were worlds piled up like floors with the World Tree at its center, and they were Niflheim, Midgard, and Asgard respectively, going from below to up
"The Magician King destroyed the core of the World Tree, and Asgard perceived great changes due to it. That aftereffect made the force Thor was leading get isolated among the giants, and several fortresses of Valhalla were destroyed as well."
It was like Cuchulainn had guessed.
The core of the World Tree wasn't a big weakness that could destroy Asgard in an instant like the Magician King had thought, but it was enough to deal big damages to it.
"When Valhalla got sealed up, the giant kings that were hiding in Jotunheim until now started to appear. They are cowards that just looked at everything in fear that their forces may decline, but because of that they could maintain their strength until now."
The ones called as giant kings were really strong. There were even some that were stronger than the Five Fingers, the closest subordinates of the Magician King.
"But unfortunately, this is everything Mimir's head knows. With Freya sealing up Valhalla, the connection Mimir had with the three sisters was cut off and Hugin and Munin, that served as my eyes and ears, went to Valhalla after receiving a call from Freya."
Their eyes and ears were closed right now. It was fortunate enough that they got the recent information.
"Just like you've seen, the situation is really harsh but we have to find our own path."
Odin looked at Tae Ho again.
"Our current objective is to retake Niflheim or protect it. Hela, the queen of the dead, is a long loyal person of Asgard, so she will gladly lend us her army of the dead."
Compared to what was known from the God of Fire and Lies, Loki, he could be said that he was a loyal follower that has been known from a long time ago.
He didn't throw away her loyalty towards Asgard even though he faced disregard and insults for hundreds of years.
And that was the same for Hela.
Even though she'd always been suspected because of her father, she still kept her loyalty towards Asgard.
"If we place our hands on the strength of Niflheim, Midgard comes next, but there are now some doors in the new Great Barrier compared to the old one. We will enter Midgard through one of those doors and gather the warriors of Valhalla that are scattered and subjugating the giants."
Tae Ho thought of Bracky and Siri that had left for Midgard first. Perhaps, they may still be fighting against evil spirits in Midgard even now.
"The last is Asgard. It will be different based on the situation, but we will concentrate on regrouping with Thor and recapturing Valhalla."
They would gather strength from Niflheim and Midgard and take back Valhalla.
It was a dream-like proposal. There were too many mountains to climb over.
But Odin's smile didn't disappear.
"If I was alone, I wouldn't have been able to even imagine it. In the first place, being in this place alive is a miracle of itself. I will thank you once again. It's all thanks to you, Idun's warrior."
"I'm much obliged."
Tae Ho bowed and expressed etiquette. Odin's words were all true but even so, he felt embarrassed being complimented like this.
Odin smiled once more at Tae Ho's humble attitude and then moved his hand.
"The reason I called you here is because I have something to give you. Take this."
The thing Odin took out from the air was a sealed barrel of alcohol. Tae Ho reflexively activated his 'Eyes of the Dragon'.
[Skaldskapar Mjadar]
[The Mead of Poetry]
He couldn't easily guess its effect, but it didn't seem to be a normal object as its name was shining in white and gold.
"I will tell you an old story."
Odin buried his body in a root and started speaking.
"When the fight between the Vanir ended, we held a ceremony at the end of the peace treaty. Us Aesir and the Vanir spat saliva in a big barrel."
Tae Ho forced himself to put a normal expression. It was questionable as to how that was exactly related to the peace treaty, but they must have done the ceremony because it held some meaning.
And it really did have a meaning behind.
"We created a human named Kvasir with the saliva of the Gods that was gathered that way. He was a really clear and beautiful God as he was born from the saliva of Gods that contained wisdom and wiseness in it. We ordered Kvasir to roam Midgard to transmit new knowledge to the humans."
When the fight between the Aesir and the Vanir came to an end, Midgard had become a land of wildness. It was because the Gods poured all their attention in their battle and couldn't care for the humans.
"But unfortunately, Kvasir ended up losing his life in a trap set by the wicked dvergars, Fjalar and Galar. Those evil bastards mixed the blood of Kvasir with honey and that became the Mead of Poetry."
Odin turned to look at the Mead once again and said while smiling.
"For the Gods, the Mead of Poetry is merely a sweet and delicious alcohol. Although that enough makes it special, if humans drink this alcohol, they can receive part of Kvasir's wisdom and become an outstanding poet."
The effects depended on who drank it.
And the only ones Odin named were the Gods and the humans. He didn't mention the ones that were in between them yet.
"What will happen if a warrior of Valhalla drinks this alcohol? I think that you know the answer as you possess the rune of Bragi."
Odin tilted his head as for Tae Ho he immediately came up with an answer.
"Strengthening....of a saga...."
"You got it right. The Mead of Poetry has an effect that strengthens one saga of a warrior of Valhalla."
It had the same principle of Bragi's rune, the God of Music and Poetry, that strengthened your saga.
"It's good to strengthen a big saga and then strengthen a small saga meant for revenge, and it's also good to focus all of its strength in one saga and make it stronger. I will leave the decision entirely on you."
Tae Ho's saga was Tae Ho's story so the one that could make the most correct decision was himself.
"Thank you. I will think of it well and choose."
"Right, if it's you, you will be able to come with a good choice."
The Mead of Poetry wasn't the trump card Odin had thought about, but it would certainly bring Tae Ho's strength to a higher level.
Odin dropped his shoulders as if he felt exhausted and said,
"We are in a hurry, but we still need some rest. We will depart tomorrow morning, so until then, rest with Nidhogg."
"I understand. Let's meet tomorrow."
The lake of Mimir was wide, but it wasn't to the point that could accommodate Nidhogg. In addition, the location of the lake of Mimir was a secret spot that even few of Odin's closest Gods knew about. Letting Tae Ho, who was only a superior-ranked warrior, enter this place was already an exceptional case.
Odin finished speaking and then lightly raised his fist and hit his chest, and Tae Ho also did the same.
"For Asgard and the Nine Realms."
"For Asgard and the Nine Realms."
Tae Ho turned around. It was already deep in the night.
-
As soon as he returned, Nidhogg faced him with a cute smile.
But there was a weird part.
"Tae Ho master, come. I have been doing well with Cuchulainn-oppa."
"Cuchulainn....oppa?"
Tae Ho opened his eyes sharply reflexively and then turned to look at Gae Bolg that was being held by Nidhogg.
Cuchulainn then spoke with a proud voice.
'She listened to my words well. She's pretty and nice.'
"Ehehe."
Nidhogg blushed and twisted her body as if she was embarrassed at the words 'pretty and nice'.
He had left Cuchulainn to keep apart a sheep and a wolf, but he ended up leaving a fish to a cat.
Cuchulainn laughed while Tae Ho looked at him with lukewarm eyes, and Nidhogg just smiled merrily as if she was happy that she was with the two of them.
And Ratatoskr frowned alone as he was looking at this from afar.
< Episode 39 - Hela (2) > End
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