บท 7: CHAPTER 7
The Zerg killer from earlier was the last being in the room, aside from the old housekeeper.
Rhodes approached the old butler, released him from his restraints, and removed the gag. The old butler exclaimed, "Rhodes! Do my eyes deceive me? How did you accomplish this?"
"What do you mean?" Rhodes asked.
"How did you manage to defeat these robbers? Aren't you a human?" The old butler was visibly excited, as if he had stumbled upon a new revelation.
As far as he knew, Rhodes was merely a devout follower of the Midgard and held no power to even restrain a chicken, let alone handle a situation like this. Thus, his curiosity was piqued.
Rhodes replied, "Well..."
Before he could elaborate, Rhodes's mental tentacles delved directly into the old butler's mind, abruptly silencing his voice.
"It wouldn't be wise to erase the old butler's memory outright; Hela would surely investigate."
Rhodes contemplated briefly, deciding on an alternative course of action. "It might be better to replace myself with Amora, who is proficient in magic and physical skills. She can handle this situation entirely."
After a short time, his mental tentacles retreated from the old butler's mind.
"Amora has arrived, my lord."
A seductive voice sounded from behind Rhodes.
It was the enchanting witch, Amora, who had arrived in response to the news.
"Amora, you arrived just in time."
Rhodes turned to face her, briefly recounting the recent events. "I'll depart immediately, and once you've safely escorted the old butler back to Hela's mansion, you can leave as well. Understood, Amora?"
"Amora understands." The blonde girl nodded.
"Alright, I entrust this task to you."
Rhodes patted her shoulder, then, before departing, snapped his fingers resolutely.
"Click!"
The old butler regained consciousness instantly. Upon seeing Amora, gratitude filled his face. "Madam! Thank you so much! You saved my life!"
In his memory, it was the blonde girl who had broken in, dispatched the alien intruders, and rescued him.
"You're welcome. Rhodes and I are friends, and he requested my assistance," Amora replied with a charming smile. She swayed her seductive figure and turned to leave, saying, "Grandfather, let's go. I'll take you home."
The princess's mansion.
Upon receiving the news, Hela promptly returned to Asgard via the Rainbow Bridge.
She now sat at the head of the hall, her expression dark and somber.
Standing before her was the old butler, Alt, and beside him stood a quiet black-haired youth with clear blue eyes.
It was Rhodes.
Servants and guards lined the hall on either side, utterly motionless like statues.
"Your Highness, the death cloak is safely within this silver case. Thanks to Rhodes, it wasn't stolen by that treacherous Skrull!"
Alt presented the silver suitcase.
Hela remained silent.
She opened the case and confirmed that her cloak was indeed inside. Her stern countenance softened slightly.
Hela possessed immense strength, but the death cloak was her sole vulnerability. Its theft would have dire consequences.
"Your Highness Hela, based on the words of the green-skinned creature, he was hired by Laufey, the Frost Giant King, to steal the death cloak," Rhodes added.
"Despicable Frost Giants! I swear, I will exterminate every last one of them!" Hela's eyes gleamed with cold determination, her voice chilling.
The temperature in the hall seemed to plummet as a result of her rage.
The old butler and the other servants and guards present shivered. They hadn't witnessed Hela's wrath in a long time.
"Furthermore, the security of the mansion is far too lax. The intruder managed to infiltrate the secret room with ease. What kind of negligence is this?"
"The fault lies entirely with this old servant! I beg Your Highness the Princess for punishment," the old butler immediately confessed, a mix of panic and remorse.
"Consider this your initial punishment," Hela declared without excessive reproach. She donned the cloak and stood up.
The death cloak clung to her form like a tailored suit, perfectly fitting her.
"While wearing this cloak continuously consumes my energy, it's a necessary precaution for our safety."
Hela resumed her seat, her demeanor regal and poised.
Typically, the death cloak was stored in the secret room to conserve its energy for future battles. Hela would only don it during critical expeditions.
However, following this incident, she had resolved to keep it with her at all times to prevent any future thefts.
The old butler stepped back, and Hela turned her gaze toward Rhodes. "Rhodes, according to Alt, you detected the Skrulls' disguise. How did you manage it?"
She was genuinely curious about this young servant of the gods.
"Princess, if I may boast a bit, I'm adept at observation. That's how I discerned the Skrulls' disguises, and their altered forms had different weights than the real individuals, a glaring flaw," Rhodes replied without arrogance or humility. "Afterward, I subdued the would-be thief and learned from him that the butler had been kidnapped. I then notified my friend, the witch Amora, to assist in the butler's rescue."
Hela nodded approvingly.
She had never paid much attention to the god's servants.
After all, what could mere mortals compare to the godly warriors of Asgard?
Yet, Rhodes had altered her perspective.
"Yes, Rhodes, you've displayed bravery," Hela remarked, rising to her feet, her eyes filled with admiration. "You protected my death cloak, which is a significant achievement. I've always adhered to the principle of reward and punishment. Rhodes, what is your desire?"
"Everything is in the hands of Your Highness," Rhodes responded modestly, bowing his head.
"Very well, I shall reward you with two thousand runes and appoint you as my personal attendant," Hela declared.
The envy displayed by the many servants was palpable. They earned a mere five runes per month, whereas Rhodes had received two thousand runes in a single day, equivalent to decades' worth of income for them. Furthermore, he had ascended to the prestigious position of the princess's personal attendant.
"..."
Rhodes hesitated, the concept of being a personal servant didn't appeal to him. Cleaning and maintaining the study garden all day, with training in between, sounded rather monotonous. Being with Hela would likely entail running around, which didn't particularly suit him.
"What's wrong?" Hela inquired with a touch of displeasure upon observing Rhodes's hesitation. She expected him to be excited about her offer.
Rhodes replied, "Your Highness, I merely pondered for a moment."
Hela continued, "While you serve as my personal attendant, you may also continue with your martial training. You will have access to considerable resources for improvement."
This revelation eased Rhodes's concerns. He promptly agreed, "I am grateful for the princess's generosity and will serve diligently."
...
After the meeting at the princess's mansion concluded, the old butler, Alt, promptly arranged for Rhodes to move into a new room.
This room was adjacent to Princess Hela's own.
A personal attendant, naturally, needed to be close at hand for immediate service.
"Rhodes, this is a golden apple bestowed upon you by Her Highness the Princess. Consuming it will grant you the physique of a god instantly!" Alt presented a box to Rhodes.
Rhodes opened the box to find a golden apple inside.
"The princess recognizes your talent in godly combat techniques and decided to reward you in this manner," Alt explained. "In all my years of service to the princess, this is the first time I've seen her favor a servant of the gods to such an extent. You mustn't disappoint her! Work diligently!"
"Thank you for the princess's reward," Rhodes expressed his gratitude.
"The princess has also dispatched numerous godly guards. I must assist in their deployment. Rhodes, I shall take my leave now." Alt waved his hand and exited the room.
Hela couldn't ignore this incident. As a result, she sent two hundred Asgardian warriors to guard her mansion, ensuring that not even a fly could enter unnoticed.
Rhodes wasn't particularly interested in these matters. Instead, he was intrigued by the golden apple.
To his knowledge, golden apples were a sacred fruit grown in the Holy Garden, guarded by a massive dragon.
Consuming one of these apples could elevate an ordinary individual to godhood.
Rhodes held the golden apple in his hand and took a bite, driven by curiosity.
It was crisp, delicious, and exceptionally sweet. In three or five bites, he had finished the entire apple.
After waiting quietly for a quarter of an hour, he noticed no changes in his body.
Aside from a slight fullness in his stomach.
"Curious, why haven't I felt any changes? Could it be a fake?" Rhodes pondered with a furrowed brow.
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