After a few days, Ai returned to Odin.

“I’m back.” She said entering the hall.

“Lady Ai, Lord Odin is in the smithery; head that way.” Said one of the Odin Familia.

“Thanks.”

Heading down into the smithery, Ai found a familiar heat emanating from the corridor. When she arrives at the door, she opens it to find a blazing blue flame made from Brynhildr and Odin hammering away.

Clang!!

Clang!!

Clang!!

It was a sight to behold, but from watching Cirrus forge to watching Odin forge, she couldn't help but think about what was taking so long.

“Have you slain the creature?”

She looks next to the door to find Sigurd exhausted.

“I have dealt with it; has it still been causing problems?”

“No, but it did infiltrate our home and steal wood from our sacred tree.”

“Oh? Good thing I dealt with it.”

"Yes, but did you also perhaps find its lair? We would like to recover the sacred wood.”

“No, I found it in the wild.”

“Oh well… It seems we have to look for its lair.”

Ai took a seat next to him and waited until the forging was finished.

“Oh yeah, I learned that the land is poisoned.”

“…What?” Sigurd looked at her, dazed by what she said. “How?”

The look of surprise on his face was enough for Ai.

“Seems the poison from that spirit seeped into the land deeply.”

“Damn… No wonder Immunity has started to pop up more. We will need to cure that.”

“Wouldn’t Lord Odin have noticed? From what I am told, he is a god of knowledge."

“Yes, but he has a… one-track mind.”

“Ah, he hyper-focuses on things, huh?”

“It seems you know someone like that as well, huh?”

“A few. Cirrus was like that when he was making a magic tool to hide Callisto.”

“Hm… Callisto. I have to ask but—”

“If it’s something personal like—”

“No, no.” He shakes his head. “Nothing of the sort. I wanted to ask how... How scary was it to learn that a demigod was to be born?”

“Hm.” Ai lightly nods. She leans back against the wall. “It was... horrifying.” She closed her eyes. “I can still remember the feeling I had when Artemis told me. First, my blood ran cold; next, my knees began to buckle. The world around me began to spin before I caught myself. I had to lay down and fully process it.”

“And Cirrus?”

“He felt the same, but after calming down and figuring out how it happened, he said we could not stay in Orario.”

“The best and most logical option.” Sigurd nodded.

“Yes… hey Sigurd, why are you asking? Like really? Are you and Brynhildr trying for—”

“Something like that,” Sigurd said softly. “She is... well nervous about having a child. She knows they will turn out a girl and be named Aslaug.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Her lineage has been that way for generations. When Aslaug becomes an adult, they will take on the name Brynhildr.”

“So it’s a title and not a name?”

“Both. The same could be said for me. Sigurd is a title and name given to the strongest male warrior.”

“Hmm… that’s interesting. But if Brynhildr isn’t ready to have a child, you shouldn’t push her. She will be ready on her own time. Besides, kids take up a lot of your time. Won’t you like to spend more time with her, getting to know her and treasure her?”

“Yeah.” He smiles warmly. “Thanks for listening.”

“Not at all.”

 

After a few hours, it was finally over.

“Fuuu…” Odin holds up the blade. The blade was far different than before; no longer was it half ruby and emerald but a brilliant topaz.

The yellow blade shone brilliantly and gloriously, with runes engraved onto its spine and edges.

“It looks like a holy blade,” Ai said, getting up. “But why is it yellow?”

“Because I couldn’t put it back in its original form. It has been broken beyond repair. So I simply reforged it into something new and better.”

“So what? The curse is even stronger."

“Of course.” He sheathes the blade. “I kept the handle and guard the same. There's no point in replacing what doesn’t need fixing. Here you go.” He holds it out.

“Did you gain some muscle after smithing a bit?” Ai said, walking up and grabbing it.

“None of your damn business. Take it and go.”

“Hm. You could be nice, you know.”

"Yes, but then people would stay far longer than I would like.”

As she leaves, Sigurd comes up to Odin.

“Lord Odin, she has informed me that the land is poisoned.”

“Hah? How would she know?”

“She is a demi-human and a first-class adventurer. We should at least look into it, considering the ones who have leveled up all had the development ability Immunity.”

“… Fine. We will need a large army anyway, with consequences for our actions. Now I want to make an empire and see how far I can make it stand and prosper.”

 

After taking Gram back, Ai leaves the Familia home.

As she walks away, she glances at it and wonders how the upgraded curse was.

“…I have time.”

She goes off a good distance from the town.

She found a deep enough cave and knelt.

Ai places her sword and bags down; she then holds Gram in her hands. The weight was about the same.

"Fuu, okay, let’s see.” She slowly draws it out, and in a single motion, she fully draws it.

Shing!!

Even in the darkness of care, it still shines brightly.

“Even in the dark, you still—!!!!!!”

Pain rushed through their hand and up her arm. She could feel her muscles, blood vessels, and tissues crying out in pain.

Clang-Clatter!!

She drops Gram onto the ground.

“Huff! Huff! That…” She looks at her arm to find it throbbing from it. “I gave birth to a child; this isn’t shit!" She grabs it again.

“!!!!!!”

She grips it tightly and begins to bear the pain. This new Gram will be the weapon she will need to pass Elysium’s trial.

 

Five hours later, the sun was setting.

“…” Charon waits patiently on the hill under the ash tree.

'Mother is taking a while.’

“Sorry, I’m a bit late!” Ai said, coming up the hill with a fresh look.

“It is fine; did you perhaps take a bath?”

“I did! I was a bit sweaty, so I took a bath to clean up."

“Very well, let us go. (Pay my fee and I shall take you.) [Porthméas].”

Charon gets on, and as Ai does as well, it covers her.

“Oh~ this is pretty neat!”

“Let us depart.”

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

Ai didn’t even feel the speed; it was as if the world was moving while she stood still. Charon drove straight; they phased through the trees as if they were air.

'Charon's speed is just slower than Fafnir's, but regardless, it’s still very fast! Even going through trees will cut down on the time too!’

“Say you don’t mind if I take a nap, do you?”

“Not at all. You can sleep as long as you wish.

 

Along the way to Elysium, Ai asked Charon a question.

“Say, Charon, are you the only one collecting souls?”

“I am.” They nod.

“Isn’t that a hard, if not an impossible job?”

“No. It isn’t. I am merely picking a direction and traveling there, all the while collecting souls along the way.”

“Oh, I thought you would collect all the souls of people dying?”

“That will come later.”

“Later? Can you even travel that fast?”

“I have my second magic.”

“How many magics do you have?”

“Only two. The other spirits Father has created have a different set amount. I do know for sure that the knights, at least, all have two. Their primary magic is named after their names, then their second magic, which is armor magic.”

“Oh, so Cirrus gave them armor magic as well, huh?”

“Hm.” Charon nodded. “Father even gifted them with special weapons he got from a man holding the title of God of the Sword. Father, of course, with the man's blessing, changed his design to fit what he needed.”

“Oh wow, the guy didn’t get angry."

“From what father told me, he was laughing and smiling at what he had done so the weapons could now be used in the physical and spiritual worlds.”

“… Uh.” From just that alone, Ai was even more intrigued and scared at what Elysium had made. “So they cut the body and soul?”

"Yes, but do not worry,” Charon assured her. “They are to be used for the most dangerous of situations and a future conflict.”

“Do they have a name? And does Cirrus have one?

“Father does, but it’s more of a spare to his primary weapon, his divine spear. As for the names, they are called Shōuchūtō—Cosmo Sword.”

“Oooh!” Ai liked the name.

 

After 9 hours of travel, they arrived at the valley.

“We are here, mother.”

“Huh?” Ai slowly opens her eyes to see three knights by the gate. “Oh thank you!”

They both get off the motorcycle, and it disappears into the air.

“Oh! It’s big brother Charon!” Aries said.

“Hey Charon, how was your hunt?” said Gemini.

“It was good. I've gotten a good amount of souls.”

“How nice. Say, where did you meet Lady Ai?” Leo said, looking at Ai.

“Hello!” Ai waved at them.

“Ah, I met Mother out in the Frontier,” Charon said.

“The Frontier, huh?” Leo looks at Gram, who is on her back.

“Yes. I went to get a weapon to help with the trial.”

“Hmm…” Aries looks at Ai. “Yes… You are a level 9. Charon, go on and show her to our Lord”

“Hm, follow me.”

Ai follows Charon as they walk up to the Torri gate.

“Special privilege: Charon, location, Elysium.”

Ai followed them through the gate and arrived back at Elysium’s throne.

“…Hm.” Elysium looks up from his desk and looks across the room to find Ai with Charon. “Well, I didn’t expect this. Charon, you brought Ai.”

“Hm, I met Mother when I was in the frontier. She said she—"

“I’m here to undergo your trial!” she said with a fierce look in her eyes.

Elysium makes grins ear to ear.

“So you made it to level 9.”

“Yes, I have! Is um…" Ai looked around. "Is Art here?’

“Nope. Congratulations, you made it first!”