Chapter: 217
“So, are you saying that Odin used the Valkyries to steal the souls of the dead?”
“Yes, exactly! I tried to stop him, but that old man Odin is just too stubborn!”
“I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
At my cold words, Freyja quickly covered her mouth.
What Freyja has to say doesn’t really matter.
What’s important right now is that Odin had the audacity to invade the realm of souls that I’m responsible for.
So.
“You’ve crossed the line, Odin.”
“Hyek….”
No matter how anxious he is because the destruction of the gods is approaching, there are things that can and cannot be done. How dare he pull such a stunt!
I can’t forgive him. I really can’t forgive him.
“Were you that anxious in the face of destruction? That fool Odin. But it serves him right. Now, he won’t be able to cross between the Pantheon and the human world!”
“Uh? Oh, um… Odin started doing that quite some time ago, you know?”
I tilted my head at Freyja’s words.
“What do you mean by ‘some time ago’?”
“Yes. It was well before the rumors of destruction began to circulate.”
Hoo. Hmm. Hmm… I see, I see.
“This piece of trash…!”
“Hyiiik!!! I was wrong!!!”
Even though I hadn’t directed that at her, Freyja flinched and shrank back. Did I inadvertently leak some murderous intent? Freyja trembled as she huddled close.
Ahem. No. Instead of going around in a rage… it would be better to extract as much information as possible from Freyja.
Honestly, smashing everything to pieces is an option… but wouldn’t that just end up causing innocent people to suffer too?
I may not be fond of the gods who run amok, causing trouble for Baal, but I still have to be discerning about who should be punished and who shouldn’t.
Sometimes, I just want to forget everything and destroy everything… but if I acted recklessly, this world wouldn’t survive.
Didn’t Indra say something like that? That we shouldn’t give up on this world… Hmm, was that it? I think that was the vibe. Anyway.
I slightly tempered my rage and posed a question to Freyja.
“What did Odin do with those stolen souls?”
“Well, that, um….”
Freyja hesitated for a moment before cautiously speaking up.
“Uh… they say he uses the collected souls to create soldiers called Einherjar…. He can use Odin’s power so that even when their bodies are destroyed, they can be resurrected and made into soldiers, and he uses them in battles against other gods…”
“Soldiers?”
“Yes. I heard that while the power of each Einherjar is pitifully weak compared to that of the gods, they can be amassed in such great numbers to drain the power of other gods. At the same time, he can absorb their devotion to strengthen himself.”
“Wow….”
I rubbed my forehead at Freyja’s revelation.
So, at this moment, he’s stealing souls that should be going to the afterlife, not by outright killing them, but by recycling them into soldiers, accumulating belief from them, and at the same time throwing them into fights with other gods to launch a war of attrition?
Did he really think he could pull that off without me catching wind of it? Or did he believe that those soldiers held enough value to make me… me and the underworld gods his enemies?
And how on earth did the Valkyries manage to deceive the Grim Reapers and steal those souls?
I’m utterly baffled.
“How did they trick the Reapers?”
“The Reapers?”
“Yes. It wouldn’t have been easy to fool the eyes of the soul-retrieving Grim Reapers and snatch away the souls.”
If even once the Grim Reapers caught wind of someone taking souls, you bet word would get around the afterlife!
How on earth did they manage to pilfer souls without being spotted by the Grim Reapers?
“Well, um… in places like battlefields where wars happen, a lot of people die, right?”
“Yeah, a lot.”
“In such battlefields, way too many souls get released, so the Grim Reapers usually gather all the scattered souls at once after the fight is over.”
Hmm. Well, that makes sense for the Grim Reapers.
Considering how many folks lose their lives in a battlefield, if they were to carry off the soul of every single warrior as they fall, how many Reapers would need to be dispatched to handle it… It would honestly be a waste of manpower.
In this regard, handling it all at once post-battle is quite efficient.
“So, they would hover over the battlefield in the form of crows, secretly attacking those with deemed useful souls to kill and steal their souls. Things like moving a blind arrow to hit them, or giving a subtle twist to a sword or axe for a fatal wound. By killing those who shouldn’t die and snatching their souls, the Grim Reaper wouldn’t even notice.”
“You’re saying they’re killing people who shouldn’t die?”
“Yes. Generally, they kill elite warriors who were meant to survive the battlefield… and then steal their souls. Since they don’t die of natural causes, the Grim Reapers will find it odd and be baffled, and in the chaos of so many corpses piled up, it can be tough to notice one soul missing.”
Hmm. That’s quite the clever tactic they came up with.
“Did Odin devise such a method?”
“Uh? Oh, yes. That was Odin’s idea. I opposed it since it was way too dangerous. I warned that if we weren’t careful, it could lead to hostility from the underworld, potentially putting the Aesir themselves in jeopardy… but he insisted it was vital for the Aesir.”
Odin. That sly bastard.
With his cunning, he’s reduced to stealing souls? What a fool!
“Then… how many of the Aesir gods are involved in this scheme?”
“This scheme? Uh… probably just Odin himself and the Valkyries acting on his orders, and the commander of the Valkyries… me… ah…”
“Oh? You were involved too?”
“W-well! I mean! Firstly, I’m the Valkyrie commander! When I give orders, it’s mandatory for them to report back to me! It’s not like I wanted to do any of this! It’s the burden of middle management! Those above pressuring me! Those below having to carry out the orders! So even if I don’t want to, I had no choice! Yes! That’s how it is!!”
“So, did you do it or not?”
At my firm words, Freyja bowed her head.
“I did… I gave the order…”
“Then you too bear guilt. Are you aware of this?”
“Oh, I know! But please allow me to defend myself!”
“Go ahead.”
As I spoke coldly, Freyja darted her eyes around, let out a small sigh, and then lay flat on the ground, saying,
“Please forgive me! I’ll do anything!! Just spare my life!!”
She poises herself as if to give some elaborate defense, but in the end, she’s just groveling for her life.
Her appearance may be beautiful, but her behavior is disgraceful.
But hey, if she’ll do anything, there must be some utility there.
“Anything?”
“Yes? Yes! Anything!”
“And you said you’d do anything right now?”
“Hyik!”
At my chilling words, Freyja flinched slightly and stammered.
“As long as you don’t say the word ‘die,’ I’ll do anything!”
“Fine. I won’t tell you to die. You’re probably in a position where you can’t refuse Odin’s orders.”
“Yes! Yes! That’s true! So please be lenient on what I’ve done!”
Freyja was begging more pathetically than I had anticipated. Whatever happened to the most beautiful woman of the Aesir? She’s become one with the floor!
But, it doesn’t really matter to me!
“Alright. Then I’ll put you to use. In return, I’ll spare your life.”
“Really?!”
At my words, Freyja shot up in joy and looked at me.
“Ah, um… if it’s possible, could you spare the Valkyrie children as well?”
“What?”
“Hyiiiiiik!!”
Once again, Freyja lay flat on the ground.
“I’m so sorry! But… the Valkyrie children were just following orders! The one at fault is Odin! They’re basically like my daughters! If possible, please don’t impose too harsh a punishment on the Valkyrie children… I’d really appreciate it!”
Hmm. The Valkyries. While it’s infuriating that they stole souls…
They are fundamentally low-ranking gods who can’t refuse commands in the first place.
If I consider this, there might still be room for some leniency.
“Fine. I’ll let the Valkyries live.”
“Really?! Thank you!”
“However, they must be punished.”
“I plead for mercy from the Goddess of Life… Please don’t punish me too harshly.”
Freyja once again lay her forehead on the ground. How humiliating for a goddess.
But she did wrong, so she deserves punishment. Let’s see… So.
“I’ll use you to punish Odin later. Afterward, I’ll give you and the Valkyries tasks. That will be your punishment.”
“If it’s something that lets me smack that old man upside the head, I’ll happily do it! But tasks… what kind of tasks?”
Freyja inquired with a hint of hesitation. I smiled at her and said.
“It won’t be that difficult.”
Just no retirement involved.
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