[How dare you treat a goddess like baggage! I cannot tolerate this rudeness! I am the goddess of the earth, and this earth is my life!]
Freya struggled while perched on Fernandez’s shoulder. Annoyed, Fernandez set her down on the ground. Her pale bare feet stepped onto the rough steel floor and sat down.
“It must be hot.”
[What do you think flows deep underground here? The blood of the earth is lava, so I am unaffected by the heat!]
Freya shouted confidently and then strode ahead. Hazart Ashin was an old, long-abandoned city, but thanks to the dwarves’ obsessive cleanliness, it had perfectly organized city blocks. Thus, aside from the occasional small pebbles or dust on the road, there were no major hazards.
Fernandez shrugged and followed behind her. So far, so good. Until they left the city.
[How dare you make a goddess walk on two legs! I can no longer bear this insolence! Until my carriage and ship are found, you must serve as my carriage!]
As they passed through the gates of Hazart Ashin and reached the abandoned mine, a northern wind swept in. The biting cold wind of the north howled through the mine. Freya, hiding behind Fernandez, panted and spoke.
Fernandez sighed and wrapped his cloak around her. He couldn’t tell if he was dealing with a child or if he had picked up a useful minor deity.
‘I want to leave her behind.’
-Information from the north is as valuable as gold; I can’t just abandon her.
‘That’s why I kept her. I regret it now.’
Fernandez carried the shivering goddess on his back, wrapped in his cloak. She proudly shouted from within the folds of his cloak.
[Yes! Learn to obey!]
“Do gods feel the cold?”
[I, I am the goddess of spring! Winter is my bane! And, and when I escaped from the Temple of the Gods, I had to take on a material body… It’s unavoidable! If I had remained in spirit form like that foolish clown, this wouldn’t have happened!]
“Should’ve done that.”
[Was that clown of any use?]
“…Not really.”
[Exactly. For a god to exert power in the material world, a material body is necessary. That clown was just a babbling, foolish specter. But I, the greatest among the Vanir, possess the eyes and ears of all things in the world!]
Freya declared proudly. As Fernandez walked, he suddenly stopped.
“You said the grass and flower buds are your eyes, and the breath of new life is your ears, right?”
[…Yes?]
Fernandez gazed at the snowstorm raging across the northern wilderness and fell into thought.
“In this season, grass and flower buds…?”
[Oops.]
So, he figured out the goddess’s secret! As soon as Freya exclaimed, Fernandez almost threw her off his back. He growled and whispered to her.
“You’ll have to prove your worth. Witch. I still don’t trust you, and I have a friend who knows how to extract divinity from gods.”
[Y-you dare threaten a god?]
“I’m just stating facts, take it as you will.”
[It’s not fear, but injustice! Fine, I’ll show you the power of a goddess!]
From his back, Freya shivered once, then raised her arms. The cloak fluttered and fell.
-Pop.
Flower buds burst forth in the middle of the snowy field. One, two… Like pink and yellow dots scattered across the white wilderness. A long dotted line of flowers appeared before his eyes.
[If I regain my full power, I could pave the entire path with flowers… But it’s winter!]
“…What exactly did you do?”
[I lit the way! Straight to where your southern comrades are gathered! Don’t worry about getting lost!]
“A compass that talks is just annoying.”
Fernandez grumbled as he adjusted Freya on his back. When planning operations and grand strategies, the most urgent resource is information. Even in this season, there must be land where new life is born. So, even if her information is incomplete, she’s not entirely useless.
But this annoyance was unavoidable. The goddess chattered away like a lively teenager.
“I don’t need a talking compass.”
[You rude man!]
Freya screamed and then clamped her mouth shut. In the welcomed silence, Fernandez followed the flower buds through the snow.
Ships were entering the ruined port of Hazart Palan. Four speedboats were docked nearby. The warriors of Hazart Palan, each gripping their weapons, glared at the incoming ships.
Life-and-death battles consume three times more stamina than regular activities. The warriors were exhausted, and the recent victory celebration had left them too relaxed to fight immediately.
Kirhas walked among them. The warriors instinctively obeyed her authority. The path cleared, and the approaching ships came into view.
“They’re not enemies.”
Kirhas quietly said to the man beside her. The man, who knew a bit of the southern common language, quickly shouted to his comrades. They’re not enemies! Not enemies! A mix of disbelief and relief swept through the warriors.
“No hostile intent, and there are old men and women among them. They look more like refugees.”
“Refugees… Escaping?”
“Yes, those who fled.”
The man stammered as he repeated Kirhas’s words to the warriors. The warriors finally lowered their weapons and sighed.
Now the ships were close enough to see the decks clearly. From afar, someone was waving their hand.
“Yar!!”
The warriors shouted in unison. Their Yar, Shieldmaiden Aeren, had arrived. Had she brought reinforcements from Hazart Turan? The warriors quickly rushed to help them disembark.
“Not help, but it seems they fled. Your Excellency will be disappointed.”
Kirhas coldly observed the scene. She couldn’t fully grasp Fernandez’s grand plan, but…
