Chapter 204 - Asgard, the Realm of Deities

Eira Green:

I continued to analyze the floating rune spheres, relics steeped in ancient magic, projecting images of murals and engravings dating back to ages past. It was both magnificent and daunting to comprehend. These records came from a time even before my own creation. Although I was young compared to some of the oldest beings, the amount of knowledge and history encapsulated in these runes was nearly unfathomable. Each one held fragments of the past that few, even among the Asgardians, could fully understand.

Many of these artifacts and rune spheres I had discovered in Sisika’s laboratory. My former lady had an almost mystical obsession with the murals and records from the previous era. She would try to translate and interpret these remnants with unmatched dedication. However, even for superior beings like us, this task was challenging. The records were not only difficult to understand but also impenetrable for those who lacked the skill to interpret the language of mana at its oldest, most primal level.

Only a few Aesir, the Great Royalty of Asgard, held the right to access the complete knowledge, with the lineage of the Odinsons standing as the most powerful among them all. As Lady Sisika’s assistant, I had permission to access some of these ancient runes and scrolls, though the secrets of the most potent magics remained locked away. Not even I, despite my position, could replicate any of these arts if I came across Odinson’s records; only the Aesir held that power.

The mana hologram now projected a set of runes so ancient they predated even the human civilizations in the realm below on Yggdrasil. Each of these runes was a window into the past, a living record, a sort of diary left behind by ancient divine beings. However, interpreting these runes was not just a matter of literal translation; it required a rare skill, a Soul Aspect powerful enough to interpret the very essence of mana that composed them.

Unfortunately, aside from the Body Aspect, I only possessed the Life Aspect. Having more than one Aspect was a remarkable achievement, something few superior beings managed, but still, knowing that the true interpretation of these runes lay beyond my reach frustrated me.

And the Eyes of Jormungandr grant the user all six Celestial Aspects…

I returned to the problem Sisika had left behind.

“Nathan Evenhart…” I murmured the boy’s name.

Over the past few years, we tracked him and eventually found him. I must admit, I was surprised when I saw the soul of the one my mistress was enamored with. He was just a thirteen-year-old boy the first time I laid eyes on him.

A human boy is the bearer of the eyes of that World Destroyer, and, on top of that, his soul is married to Sisika’s, creating a bond between the two.

"A human becoming friends with a deity… more than friends… husband and wife…" I murmured, rubbing my temples, trying to organize my thoughts.

Sisika had sacrificed herself prematurely to glimpse the boy's future, and the consequence was that she could no longer coexist with her reincarnated body. Now, she was just a new being, devoid of memories. But, knowing her and her mastery of the Soul Aspect, it was possible that, somewhere deep within her new existence, she had found a way to transmit her memories. Perhaps something lay dormant, waiting for the exact conditions to awaken.

I turned my attention back to Sisika's notes. Even if I tried, I couldn’t read any of her findings without the power of her own Celestial Eyes. She had sealed everything meticulously, encoding her journal in a way that only she could decipher.

Sisika was a master of the Soul Aspect and devoted all her free time to unraveling the past. All this was driven by an ancient search, for a single person who had appeared in her dreams since childhood. All of this... for one name.

"Icarus..." I whispered, recalling how she once spoke to me. It was the only secret she had ever shared with me, a word that carried immense weight, but to me, remained a mystery.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

‘Knock, knock.’

Someone tapped softly on my door. I had been so focused that I only just noticed the sound.

"Lady Eira, I’m coming in," announced Elanir, my personal attendant.

She carried a silver tray with a crystal goblet full of fresh water and a small piece of bread. Knowing her, she had likely gathered the ingredients from the mountains near the mansion. From the aroma, she must have flown at dawn, preparing the bread with utmost care. All that effort... for a piece that fit in the palm of my hand.

"You didn’t have to prepare anything. I said I wanted to focus on my research," I remarked, accepting the tray Elanir brought.

"Forgive me, Lady Eira. I was just concerned. You dismissed all the servants and passed your duties onto your younger brother."

I sighed, but before she could continue, I felt another presence approaching. A phoenix landed on the balcony, visible through the window, and transformed into its humanoid form.

"Lord Lars has arrived," Elanir commented, though we both knew I had already noticed.

"I'll need some time with him, Elanir. If he's come directly to the balcony instead of using the main entrance… I can already tell I’ll have more work than I planned," I said, unable to hide my exasperation.

In the next moment, I heard the rumble of thunder. Another phoenix descended at speed, erupting into a storm of dark thunder before taking humanoid form.

"Prince Thorsten…" I murmured, realizing that things had just become even more complicated than I’d anticipated.

Thorsten was the heir to one of the principal Vanir clans, an ancient and powerful lineage. Among the Vanir, each clan was comprised of multiple families, with the heir of the main family bearing the title of "prince" or "princess." His presence here could only mean one thing: this would be a high-stakes meeting, and my research into Sisika's secrets would have to wait.

I rose from my desk, walked to the door, and stepped out onto my balcony. My private garden stretched out before me, adorning the entrance to my quarters on the two-hundredth floor of the tower. My family’s mansion, imposing and solitary, rested atop this tower, rising amidst a vast, deep ocean.

Looking around, I saw floating islands scattered across the sky like suspended mirages in a magical firmament. Below, the sea roared, its waves creating a constant melody, a natural symphony that filled the air. But what fascinated me most was the sky above—a true oceanic realm, reflecting light in deep aquatic hues. Within these celestial waters, some clans had their homes, entire civilizations inhabiting the sky as if it were a vast underwater kingdom.

To my right, the immense Great Verdant Forest stretched upward, inclined toward the sky-ocean, with trees growing lush and mysterious, continuing into the celestial waters. In the far northern reaches, I could see the colder regions—a land of ice and snow, home to clans who preferred it, especially those who embraced their animal forms, finding a natural refuge in the tundra.

My home was far from Asgard’s main city, where the royal family ruled. The view of this vast, diverse world, with its unique civilizations and landscapes, was both a comfort and a reminder of my isolation—a sanctuary amid Asgard’s vast and mysterious ocean.

“What brings you two here?” I asked, attempting to smile despite the apprehension gnawing at me. Prince Thorsten took a seat on a bench, clearly in a foul mood.

“I’ve just returned from the human world,” Lars said, and I seized the opportunity to lighten the mood.

“Oh? Did you bring me a gift, Lars?” I teased, laughing, but he merely adjusted his gloves and gave me a serious look. Lars, with his perpetual appreciation for cleanliness, was always dressed in pristine formal attire and white gloves.

“He didn’t tell me anything,” Thorsten grumbled, irritated. “Ever since I was forbidden to pursue the human with Sisika, he’s been keeping completely silent.”

At that moment, Lars decided to surprise me. “I had a brief encounter with Nathan Evenhart,” he announced, and caught entirely off guard, I choked.

“You—you what?” I stammered, still in shock.

With his usual elegance, Lars simply conjured a bench of marble as white as snow and sat, unruffled. The marble was so pristine I could see my own reflection.

“Relax,” he continued with a faint hint of disdain. “I was disguised. I accompanied Grand Lord Sigmund.”

A heavy silence filled the air. Thorsten, beside me, looked equally stunned.

“Grand Lord Sigmund… in person?” My voice came out almost as a whisper, tension evident in each word.

This wasn’t just anyone. Sigmund Odinson, cousin to the Great King and a true legend of the Aesir lineage, had descended personally to the human world? This was more serious than I could have imagined.

“Nathan Evenhart… he’s alive?” I asked, trying to keep my composure.

“Alive and well,” Lars replied. “Grand Lord Sigmund went down to meet him, even going so far as to sell the boy a coat.”

I was floored. “Wait… you’re telling me that an Aesir deity descended to the human world and disguised himself as a clothing store vendor just to meet this boy?” I could barely believe it, but I knew no one here would dare joke about our rulers.

“What else, Lars? I need to know everything,” Thorsten said, impatience clear on his face. “Why did he want to meet the human personally? And why did he take this task from me?”

Then, a cold, authoritative voice echoed behind us, freezing each of us in place. "Is there any reason more important than seeing the human who's taking care of my niece?"

The voice belonged to someone I’d never imagined would visit my home. It was Grand Lord Sigmund Odinson himself, Sisika’s uncle.