As they proceeded down the long corridor, Kazuki could feel eyes on them from every direction.
Glancing toward the sources, he spotted various Valkyries staring their way. Some gazes were brimming with curiosity, others openly suspicious—a wide spectrum, but none of them conveyed much warmth.
Just as Waltraute had told them, the Biblical Factions were clearly not well-liked here.
'Well, I guess it can't be helped... Their chief god's on death's door because of our side's fuck-up.'
Eventually, they arrived before a particular chamber. Gerhilde knocked on the door, and a woman's voice answered, "Yes," before it swung open.
The one who opened it was a gentle-faced Valkyrie wearing glasses, who appeared to be a secretary. She ushered them inside, where they entered an office roughly the size of the Gremory estate's sitting room.
A pair of four-seater sofas faced each other across a table, with what looked like a secretary's desk nearby. Further in, past that, was an even larger desk, and seated behind it was the mistress of the room—a raven-haired beauty.
"So you've come..."
She was every bit the stunning woman they had glimpsed over the communicator—no, even more so in person.
"Or should I say, welcome? Members of the Biblical Factions. I am Brynhildr, eldest of the 'Nine Sisters.'"
Faced with the beauty and sheer presence of the woman known as the strongest Valkyrie, Kazuki found himself swallowing hard, unseen by anyone.
Kazuki, Serafall, Artoria, and Rossweisse took their seats on one of the four-seater sofas. Facing them were Brynhildr, Gerhilde, Waltraute, and Siegrune, with Ortlinde, Schwertleite, and Helmwige standing at attention behind them.
First, Gerhilde reported on their encounter with the monster swarm and its successful annihilation. When Brynhildr learned that Kazuki had single-handedly taken down a Nidhogg, she fixed him with a deeply intrigued stare.
Going with that flow, Kazuki's party introduced themselves, and even Brynhildr could not hide her surprise at the presence of Serafall—one of the Four Great Demon Lords herself.
"First and foremost, as someone who was present at the scene, I'd like to apologize for our failure that left Odin-sama gravely wounded."
Kazuki bowed his head as he spoke, and Brynhildr's gaze settled squarely on him.
"No, what matters is that you managed to break through Loki's barrier and come here. So, where is Odin-sama?"
Kazuki gave Rossweisse a nod, and she produced the medical capsule containing Odin's from a void space, explaining its function.
"I see. So as long as he's inside this, he remains safe."
"Yes. However, this is the absolute limit of what we can do. Brynhildr, we heard you have a lead on a cure for Odin-sama. What exactly is it...?"
When Kazuki asked, Brynhildr furrowed her brow and looked toward the ceiling.
"Mm... About that. Something troublesome has occurred."
At Brynhildr's words, Kazuki's group exchanged uneasy glances.
"Brynhildr-neesama, what in the world has happened...?"
Rossweisse asked nervously, and Brynhildr's face twisted as if she'd bitten into something foul before she began explaining what had transpired.
"There is a Valkyrie named Eir. She is deeply versed in medicinal herbs and is renowned as the foremost healer in all the Norse realm—one who could even bring the dead back to life. She should know the method to dispel Fenrir's Curse…"
"However..."
"'However' what?"
"...Eir has been taken away by a god belonging to the 'Neutral Faction'—Thor."
"!!!!"
The strongest war god of the Norse, the Thunder God Thor.
At the sudden appearance of such a colossal name—and the fresh trouble it undoubtedly heralded—Kazuki could only look up toward the heavens.
Eir—one of the battle-maidens, the Valkyries, and the most renowned healer in all the Norse realm.
If anyone could dispel Fenrir's god-killing "Curse" and save Odin, it was her.
But at present, she had been abducted by the mightiest war god of the Norse, the Thunder God Thor, and was being held captive by the "Neutral Faction" to which he belonged.
And so…
"You want me and my group to assist in rescuing Eir?"
"That's right. I'm not saying you have to handle everything yourselves. One of the 'Nine Sisters,' Grimgerde, has already infiltrated the Neutral Faction to extract Eir. While Grimgerde carries out the rescue, I need you lot to draw the attention of the Neutral Faction Thor, especially."
So the groundwork had already been laid. Still... Kazuki flicked a glance toward Serafall, who caught his look and gave a nod.
"Brynhildr-dono, we understand the situation. For the sake of saving Odin-sama, we will spare no cooperation. However, there is just one promise we want from you in return."
As Serafall spoke up, Brynhildr's gaze sharpened with suspicion.
"And what might that be, Leviathan-dono?"
"...That even should the worst happen and Odin-sama passes, you will not close off the path of peace with us."
At Serafall's words, Brynhildr's shapely brows furrowed with open displeasure.
"Hooh... Forgive me, but do you truly understand your own position? Whose fault, exactly, is it that things have come to this!?"
"That's right. It's certainly my responsibility. But can you honestly say you bear no responsibility whatsoever?"
Serafall countered Brynhildr's bark with icy calm. Her attitude left Brynhildr with a bewildered expression.
"What do you mean by that?"
"If this were a matter of guarding your chief god, ordinarily a full escort detail should have been attached. Yet the one you dispatched was Rossweisse, and Rossweisse alone. Even if you placed your absolute trust in her, this is abnormal. In fact, it's at a level that warrants suspicion of conspiracy."
"...What are you trying to say?"
Brynhildr fixed Serafall with a glare burning like a blazing inferno. In return, Sera met her with a gaze as cold as the depths of winter.
"You Valkyries are nominally part of the 'Open Faction,' are you not? But I've heard that you personally despise us of the Biblical Factions. Perhaps, just perhaps, you're actually part of the 'Isolationist Faction,' same as Loki?... In which case, could it be that you—truly belonging to the Isolationists—intentionally assigned only a single guard in order to bring harm to Odin-sama...!?"
Whoosh!!
A sudden eruption of flames surged toward Kazuki and his group.
But…
Crackle—snap!!
An equally sudden blast of frigid air flash-froze the oncoming inferno, which shattered with a crisp, crystalline sound. The frozen shards crumbled to dust, fluttering down between them…