Chapter 13: Hazardous Situation

For once, Freya was not sitting on her throne at the top of Babel, looking down on the world below. She was seated at a table in a luxury tea room. The kind of place that only a wealthy clientele could afford. Even more when someone wanted to have a small salon privatized, but it was the only way to be quiet without driving the rest of the clientele crazy, and to have some privacy to talk.

On the table in front of her was a luxurious tea set, which emitted the fragrance of a premium beverage, as well as various fine pastries. If the goddess of beauty was enjoying all this and showed by her smile that she was delighted to be there, it was not the case for the other person.

Loki, invited by Freya, would have preferred to be elsewhere. Even if she didn't like answering the other goddess' invitation as if she was her little puppy, she knew that ignoring her wouldn't be any better, and she could maybe scratch out some information.

Well, what the fuck you want? began the Trickster in a tone that did not hide her irritation.

Come on Loki, don't I have the right to invite a good friend to spend some time with me?

You and I aren't besties.

Oh? Truely? Well, I remember a time when we were... closer. She said in a deliberately more sensual voice.

Loki looked away and couldn't hold back the annoyance that marked her face.

Just because we bang in the past doesn't mean we're friends.

Your words hurt me, Loki.

Yeah, yeah... just spill the bean.

I didn't want anything more than a little conversation, or if you could have given me a new distraction today.

Loki didn't say anything, but gave her her toothy grin.

Ha... It's Thor, isn't it? You just can't stand it when he doesn't dance like you want him to.

I admit it, I'm curious. He's just arrived in town, with a familia full of potential, that changes a lot of thing. There's Astraea too, but he's also very close to you and Hestia.

I knew it! You're afraid he'll influence that little bunny you like. Guess what ? I finally found what you're looking for.

Oh, I'm not surprised at all, my dear Loki. Freya knew that Loki wasn't an idiot, and that after their little conversations before and after the Monsterferia, the redheaded goddess was bound to dig into the matter on her own.

But it's not like it's any of my business, I already promised not to interfere.

Oh, I trust you on that. But if you've investigated the boy, you know how easily he can be loved, even within your own familia. And I think it would be in both our interests if your lovely Sword Princess didn't get too close to him.

Everyone knew that within her familia, Loki had her favourites and that the blonde swordswoman was yhe one she love the most, even if it was sometimes quite one-sided.

Leave my Aizou out of it! I already don't like the way you handled her!

The mere knowledge that Aiz owed Freya a personal debt made Loki angry, because there was no way of knowing what a twisted woman like her would ask of her. And besides, it would be when she least expected it.

Ara? But I didn't manipulate anyone, it was Aiz Wallenstein who came to us on her own. And this time I really didn't do anything to push her. I offered her a deal, she accepted it and got exactly what she wanted. Don't forget, Loki, that no matter how much control we try to have over our children, they are still independent beings, capable of making surprising decisions. But after all, isn't that one of the distractions we were looking for?

The goddess of beauty was repeating a commonplace. The gods could count on a kind of respect, but mortals were not lobotomised slaves, everything was a deal. Power, fortune, fame and the like for the mortals, entertainment and amusement for the gods. Even Freya did not have absolute control over her familia. Whit ther will to please her at all costs, her children were capable of initiative, sometimes confusing.

Loki did not let this deter her and put on hier smiling, trickster face again.

Oh yes, Freya, they don't obey us blindly. And if you think the little bunny will do what you want, you'll be in for quite a surprise. Hestia too, if she continues to behave like an idiot with him. Who knows, maybe when he gets tired of your games, he'll prefer to come to me.

For the time being, it was Freya who lost her smile and offered a cold look to the other goddess, for whom obtaining this expression from her interlocutor was already a victory.

You wouldn't dare go back on your word and claim this child, Loki, would you?

The tone was clearly threatening this time and she would have no hesitation in taking the necessary measures if that was the case.

Nope! We have an deal and I'll respect it. But it won't work if he comes to me himself. After all, as we say, our kids are sometimes unpredictable and I can't always control whit who mine become friends. And if you count that shrimp of a goddess' kids have also become friends with Thor's, he might even go to him.

It seemed ridiculous at first, but the possibility existed. Bell in Thor's familia, this would be the worst possible thing for the goddess of beauty. Because she couldn't make any moves without the other big thunder piece of meat knowing about it and starting hostilities.

In a confrontation with Thor's familia, if she went by numbers alone, she would win. Her familia was larger, there were more high levels, Ottar's disproportionate power and the fact that his children would become fanatical soldiers for a simple caress from her. Yes, she would win against Thor, but the price would undoubtedly be high, she would lose many children, with the possibility that Ottar himself would not emerge unscathed. And it was also necessary to count on the fact that Thor was perfectly unpredictable.

Moreover, such a war without clear provocation would put her in a fragile position in her relation to the Guild, a situation that someone like Loki would be able to exploit. If Freya weakened, the trickster would step into the breach without a second thought, as she had once done for Zeus and Hera. After all, as she had pointed out earlier, they were not friends.

No, for the moment, with him, she was just in a little cold war and preferred to keep it that way, at least until her plans for Bell had come to fruition. Even if the protection he was indirectly offering Hestia forced her to reconsider some of her plans.

This is all supposition. He still doesn't realise Hestia's behaviour and mistakes. He is... much too nice for that.

Yes, she had to pull herself together and not make assumptions, for now, the situation was calm and there was no sign of movement.

But as we say, people are unpredictable. Look at Astraea's return, nobody expected it.

And the way you put it, you didn't know either. For someone he says he loves like his own daughter, he doesn't seem to keep you informed of his plans.

If she doesn't have more information, perhaps she can plant the seeds of dissension between the two gods.

And I don't keep him informed of all mine, that's part of the game after all. She replied in a voice that left room for doubt. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other business.

And with that, the goddess of mischieve greeted her hostess before leaving the premises, having the pleasure for once of being the one to leave the other in the lurch. This conversation with Freya had not pleased her at all, but she had known how to turn things around so as not to be fooled. However, she knew that she would have to be more careful in the future. First, she would have to rethink things a bit with her familia, including telling some of them to be more careful in their dealings with Hestia's children. Secondly, she would have to decide whether to tell Thor or not, with the risk that it might damage relations between him and Freya, which would not be a good thing for anyone. She sighed deeply, thinking that this story would give her a lot of work to do.

The goddess of beauty left the establishment shortly after Loki. This little meeting had been fun, but had not given her as much information as she wanted. Thor's presence seemed to give wings to the goddess of mischieve who must have felt that the balance of power was tipping in her favour. The god of Thunder was a link, between her, Hestia and now Astraea. In the past, Loki had been alone and isolated, her alliances going only as the circumstances dictated. But now Thor had been added to the equation and his familia had some arguments. Hestia had started to make progress, even if everything was almost carried by Bell's strength, and Astraea had to be counted too. If all of them joined forces, they could form a powerful counter-power to hers. But she had not said her last word, she still had some cards to play. And in any case, once Bell was hers, once her precious Odr had joined her in this eternal bond she so desired, all this would no longer matter.

But Bell was not yet with her, he was not ready. She had to think about her next move with him. There was no shortage of options.

Spreading the rumour that he had a skill that allowed him to progress so quickly? That might work, planting seeds of doubt in his mind and pushing him to confront Hestia, the revelation of the little goddess' lies could severely undermine the bond of trust between them. However, it would attract the attention of many deities willing to do anything for a bit of entertainment and as Loki had said, it could push him right back to her or Thor.

Attempt to approach her as Syr and move on to a more active seduction in her guise? An option she had strongly considered, but since her little confrontation with Astraea she strongly suspected that the latter was more or less watching Syr's movements.

The goddess walked at a leisurely pace, passing through small alleys to get more peace and quiet. As usual when she went out, she was dressed in a long cloak and a hood that hid her body as much as possible, in order to minimize the effects of her presence. But even so, it was better to go through sparsely populated areas so as not to attract attention. Freya was not ashamed of her body, but she had found that walking down the street normaly had... certain effects. The last time she'd done it, she'd unintentionally caused a riot, over a hundred stiff necks and about fifty divorces. It was great fun, but incompatible with the need for discretion she was currently seeking.

Lost in her thoughts, the magnificent goddess did not see the shape at the corner land and gently hit her. She almost lost her balance, wavered, but remained standing. The other person fell on his buttocks and the bag of vegetables he was carrying spilled gently onto the ground. For a moment, the goddess wondered why her followers who were protecting her in the shadows had not intervened to prevent the accident, but she understood when she met the scarlet eyes of the person in question. It was Bell she had just hit. And her protectors had probably preferred to let the goddess take advantage of this opportunity with her favourite. As for the boy, he had noticed her presence shortly before colliding with her, which had allowed him to move aside, just enough not to knock her down.

Excuse me, are you all right? he asked with a worried look. She was the one standing, he was on the ground, but he was still worried about the others before himself. Further proof of the purity of his soul, further confirmation to Freya that he was the right person. It was still too early to claim the young man, but since fate had decided to put him in her path today, she might as well enjoy it a little.

Yes, I'm fine my boy, but it's rather for me to ask you that, it's you who fell after all. The goddess said, extending a gloved hand in Bell's direction to help him up.

Y-Yes, I'm fine... thanks...

The young man accepted this outstretched hand and stood up, not without meeting the gaze of the person in front of him, beautiful eyes and an intense look that made him blush. But Freya's gaze could not have been less intense, not towards him. From the moment she took his hand, she felt a violent shiver of pleasure run through her body and fortunately she had her cloak on, which concealed her thighs as they gently clenched.

Oh, how she was dying to knock Bell to the floor or slam him against the wall and do whatever crazy things she had in mind. And she could be... very inspired whit that. But no, it was too soon, she had to hold back, to do contain herself. When the time came, it would be all the more delicious.

Regaining her composure, she observed her precious soul and was able to discover that this whore of Ishtar had not lied. Bell really seemed immune to her charm. His cheeks were red, his eyes were embarrassed and he seemed to have some difficulty in speaking. But this was nothing more than a normal reaction from a shy, kind, adorable young man with no experience with women.

This confirmed some of her information. After the incident with Ishtar, she had conducted her own investigation and given the surveillance she had the young man under, she had come to guess, or at least suspect, quite a few things. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place and despite the unexpected, the goddess' plans could move forward.

Bell began to pick up his things and the goddess helped him gently, silently, but with graceful and precise gestures. The rabbit thanked her by bowing politely and then left, saying he was in a bit of a hurry.

As for Freya, she was in heaven, this lucky meeting had put her in a very good mood and the day could not have been more perfect. Well, she was incidentally a little frustrated now, but she would find a way to calm down... or satisfy herself.

It was in this state, excited in many ways, that she resumed her journey through the alleys. As she walked, she heard an angry female voice coming from another alley a little further up.

Fuck, where did he go again?

The person appeared before her from a perpendicular alley. Freya recognized her without much trouble, it was Mei Yun Qiang, the captain of this dear Thor's familia. She was alone and looked a little upset. Freya had taken a tiny bit of interest in her. Her soul was not as beautiful and pure as her dear Bell's, but it had a beautiful colour, like a ball of pure plasma. The goddess was hungry and the perfect snack presented itself.

Excuse me, have you seen...

Mei had spotted the figure and approached her. She had come to do some shopping in the area with her god and had lost sight of him. But as she approached and spoke, the person in front of her took down her hood and she stood in awe of the face framed by long silver hair. Freya!

And unfortunately, Mei hadn't paid any attention and had looked her straight in the eye. As for the goddess of beauty, she was not above sending her charm. The shivati was speechless, frozen in place, unable to look away from that face. Her body might be hidden under a cloak, but she could make out its shape with every movement.

So this was the power of a goddess of beauty? To Mei it was as beautiful as it was terrifying, she felt that what was in front of her was no longer a being, even a divine one, but desire itself that had become personified. She wanted to speak, but no sound came from her throat, her voice was blocked, her muscles tense.

Freya was approaching her and she was unable to look away and run. Excited by her encounter with Bell, in a state of euphoria, Freya was clearly intent on taking over Mei and getting all sorts of sound out of her pretty throat, as well as her master's plans. Once close enough, the goddess reached out a hand and lightly stroked the human's cheek with her fingertips.

Although she was gloved, Mei felt no difference. At that simple touch, her body spasmed and she couldn't control it. Her whole body was burning and she could clearly feel that it was in a very advanced state of excitement. Freya had only touched her cheek, but it felt like she had touched an erogenous zone. In fact, she almost felt as if her whole body had become an erogenous zone.

Freya's charm was a formidable weapon, capable of drugging anyone, no matter what the person's attractions. But depending on one's state of mind, preferences, and mental toughness, it went more or less quickly. Mei had a strong mind, but she was naturally attracted to other women, so Freya could only get her easily.

Why don't you be a good girl and tell me what Thor is up to? Then we could take the time to know each other... just the two of us.

And there was hardly a mortal who wouldn't kill himself for a few intimate moments with Freya. Mei felt a frustration like she had never known before, her body was suffering from a severe lack, combined with a burning desire, with the conviction that only the goddess in front of her could deliver her from it. It would be so easy, all she had to do was tell her everything and she would be swept up in this pleasure that was reaching out to her. Why should she deny herself this? Why should she obey Thor?

Obey Thor...

Thor...

Her father...

For a moment, a very short moment, she had a vision again, the same as when she fought Udaeus. She saw Thor, on a battlefield, dressed in his runic armour, holding Mjöllnir in his hand, which was radiating with lightning. The god of Thunder in all his glory and power.

A vision that lasted a short while, but a short while that allowed her mind to recover slightly. A brief moment when Freya's grip diminished, a brief moment she did not miss.

The young woman suddenly took two steps back and shouted.

LIGHTNING!

She had activated her instant lightning magic. Of course she hadn't attacked Freya, she wasn't crazy enough for that. No, she had activated her spell... on herself, inflicting her body a violent electric shock.

The goddess of beauty watched the scene wide-eyed. This girl had just inflicted a lightning shock on herself to break the hold of her charm. She had heard stories of adventurers inflicting wounds on themselves to regain their senses in certain situations, but this was the first time she had seen it for herself. And Mei was the first one who was doing this to break her charm. This girl had a lot more willpower than she had thought.

Unfortunately, she didn't have time to think about it any further when the next trouble came.

MEI! The cry came from Thor, who was also looking for his daughter and had just found her when he saw her strike herself with her own lightning.

He rushed towards her and caught her before she fell to the ground and turned his head. When he saw Freya, he easily understood what had happened.

FREYA! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DAUGHTER! the god of thunder screamed as his voice became incredibly powerful and resonated like thunder. He took a step towards her, his eyes began to glow and the sky of that beautiful sunny day was suddenly filled with dark clouds that covered the entire city.

YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!

The thunder rumbled violently in the clouds as they began to swirl. The god raised his right hand to the sky and began to shout.

MJÖL...

STOOOOOOOOOOOP ! Mei screamed as she got up and stood between Thor and Freya, raising her arms in a cross to block him, stopping the thunder god in his tracks.

Mei! What are you doing? You're not going to protect that bitch!

But I don't care about her! It's you I want to protect! If you call Mjöllnir, if you activate your arcanum, you will break the rules of the gods, you will be sent back to the Tenkai without ever being able to return! Father! Are you going to leave us? For HER?

Mei's words hit home and the colossal deusdea calmed, the clouds dissipated and the tension quickly subsided. Drawing on her strength, the shivati approached him and he took her in his arms.

Father... let's just go home...

The young woman felt her mind waver and she fainted in Thor's arms, who then carried her and took one last look at the other deity.

We're far from over Freya. The voice was much calmer, but the threatening tone left no doubt that hostilities had taken another turn.

In the heart of Babel, in the throne room, Ouranos, the lord of the Guild, had tensed up hard in his stone chair before the pressure suddenly eased and he almost fainted, alarming the black-cloaked figure beside him.

Ouranos!

It's all right, Fels. It seems to be over.

What happened?

The one who now presented himself as the fool was once known as the sage, the only mortal to achieve such a level of mastery of magic that he had attained a form of immortality. Even if this had made him a mere skeleton animated by magic. As a result, a mage of his talent had sensed better than anyone else the power that had almost been released and it had terrified him.

We came very close to disaster. Thor almost released his arcanum and the devastation could have been terrible.

But wouldn't he be sent back to the heavens if he tried to do that?

There is a short time between breaking the rules and being sent back to the Tenkai. That short time would be more than enough for him to do a lot of damage. A single full-powered Mjöllnir strike would destroy half of Orario.

If he had still had lungs, Fels would have been breathless. Ouranos was not the type to use exaggeration.

Would he really have that?

It's hard to say, depending on the circumstances, Thor can be very impulsive and short-tempered.

But why did he...

Oh, I have a pretty good idea of that, Fels. Right now, there's only one person in the city capable of making him lose his temper like that. And I'll have to intervene before the situation gets any worse. In fact, I should have done so much sooner. Call Royman. First of all, I want Ganesha here first thing in the morning, his help should be useful in mediating. Then I formally summon Thor and Freya before me tomorrow!

As your wish, Ouranos.

Once Thor and Mei had left, Freya felt her legs weaken and she fell to her knees. She wanted to calm down from the excitement of her encounter with Bell, well, she was served!

"Lady Freya!" shouted two people as they rushed to her side. They were Hogni and Hedin, those in charge of her protection today. The two elves had not intervened earlier and had only just regained their composure. When Thor had begun to unleash his strength, they had both felt a fragment of his power and understood that they were facing a being of pure power, something fundamentally destructive and against which they were absolutely nothing.

I'm good. replied the goddess of beauty, standing up and trying to regain her composure. Except that no, she was not good at all! She had totally screwed up! How could she have been so stupid? Had the meeting with Bell caused her so much euphoria that she had forgotten all caution?

To her sorrow, yes. She had let herself go and made a foolish and reckless choice by going straight for Thor's precious daughter. She had forgotten that he could be angry and impetuous in certain situations. If Mei had not intervened, Thor would have struck. He would have been sent back to the Tenkai, but she would have been sent back with him.

In this situation, she would have had only two choices and neither would have been good. The first would have been to do nothing and take the attack, but her physical body would have been so damaged that her arcanum would have automatically activated to regenerate her and send her back to the heavens. Her other option would have been to voluntarily activate her arcanum to use her powers as Queen of the Valkyries to defend herself, but she too would have broken the rules. And since she was responsible for the situation, she could not have invoked any form of self-defence.

So, mentally scourging herself for her own stupidity, the goddess returned to Babel to the comfort of her luxurious flats. Seeing that his goddess did not look well, Ottar demanded a full report from the two former elf monarchs. And no one would say no to Ottar when he made big eyes.

After their explanations, many members of the familia were troubled, worried, angry, but none were as angry as Allen Fromel. For committing the crime of daring to threaten their goddess, he asked, almost demanded, that their entire familia leave to exterminate Thor's familia without delay. And under the circumstances, if Freya had demanded it, they would have all gone on the attack. Ishtar had not resisted them, and the god of Thunder would not have done better.

However, before the goddess could make a decision, an official messenger from the Guild came to her children and delivered a letter bearing the seal of Ouranos. It was Ottar who took the message and brought the letter to his mistress.

Freya opened it and read the contents, which did not help her mood. What it contained was easily summarised, an official summons from Ouranos, the sort of thing she could not escape. If the Guild lord started to move, it would not help her business. All the gods had sensed Thor's power, and all knew very well that despite his short-tempered nature, it was probably because of her. Ouranos was stepping forward, but he would quickly have the facts checked and that would only confirm the legitimacy of this summons. And right now, Thor was probably getting one too.

My goddess, what are your orders? Ottar simply said, bringing his mistress out of her thoughts.

For now, I want everyone to stay quiet, no fighting, no provocation. And I want my orders to be strictly followed. It is out of the question to give Ouranos more reasons to bother me. You and Allen will accompany me tomorrow to the Guild. And leave me alone for tonight.

Yes, Lady Freya.

And in accordance with his orders, he left the premises, leaving the goddess alone. If Freya sometimes deliberately left the interpretation of her will vague, in order to see what her children would do, it was not the case this time. She had made it clear to Ottar and Ottar made it clear to everyone.

It was all moving fast, too fast, and that bothered her greatly. There was too much attention focused on her and she didn't like it at all. Freya picked up her glass of wine, swirled it around a bit, and then threw it away.

Thor... Only you could drive me crazy like this...

Losing herself in her thoughts, the goddess began to think intensely about the different stratagems that would allow her to manage this situation. All this made her lose precious time that she could devote to her dear Bell and this annoyed her to the core.

And as Freya had assumed, Ouranos had had the facts checked and confirmed that the cause of Thor's upset was indeed Freya. The Guild Lord was waiting as usual, sitting on his throne. Ganesha had arrived a little early, Shakti in his shadow. But the two gods had concluded that they could not decide anything without first talking to the two concerned.

Thor arrived first. The god of thunder had a dark and closed face. A serious look that contrasted with the smiling face he usually presented. Behind him, Mei and Ekkrit walked in silence. It was difficult to see the Nezu's expression between his hood and his often neutral face. But the shivati was having a hard time masking some anger. Thor had told her not to feel guilty, that she could do nothing against Freya's charm. She still felt ashamed that she had almost given in to the goddess. She was a proud and determined warrior, and all it took was one look and a touch from Freya to turn her into a horny animal.

Freya arrived a few minutes later, her face adorned with her usual smile, for it was out of the question for her to openly show her annoyance. Ottar walked behind her, with his usual calmness. Allen was also following and he was not hiding his hostility at all. His angry face and the way he showed his fangs were quite telling. But he remained silent in spite of everything, not wanting to commit a blunder that could embarrass his goddess.

Well. began the lord of the Guild. I suppose I don't need to explain in too much detail why you have been summoned. Rivalries between gods or familias are one thing. But when they threaten to blow up half the city, it is no longer tolerable. Thor, what do you have to say for yourself?

Not much, I'm afraid. I saw my beloved daughter in a situation that I considered intolerable and I lost my temper. I got carried away stupidly and I am sorry Ouranos. I will not make you any great false promises, but I will do everything I can to ensure that it does not happen again.

Thor had chosen to admit his mistake and to play the honesty card, something Ouranos appreciated, although he had to assume his role as lord of the Guild.

I hear you Thor. However, my priority is Orario's safety. If you are unable to control yourself and are a threat to the city, you and your familia will have to leave.

I understand Ouranos. The god of thunder simply replied. This gave Freya the impression that she had the upper hand in the matter, but she was about to find out that she did not.

Freya. said the master of the house, turning to the goddess of beauty. Perhaps you can explain to me what you have done to Thor's children to arouse his anger.

The goddess did not lose her usual smile, determined to present herself as a victim of the anger of the impetuous Thor.

Nothing bad, we didn't even exchange a few words, I just offered her a little chat and it just seemed... unexpected to her.

Basically, she was trying to get across the idea that she couldn't really be held responsible for the effect her charm naturally had on people. The shivati gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, angry too. No, Freya knew what she was doing when she had spoken to her.

Freya. Ouranos replied in a cold voice. Don't think that just because I regularly turn a blind eye to your many infractions, that means you can do anything or try to make fun of me.

I don't see what you could blame me for, Ouranos. If you're referring to my charm and the effect it has, it's related to my inner nature and not my arcanum, that doesn't constitute an open violation of the rules of the game.

Huh? So you want to play like that Freya? Very well. First, we can talk about your unauthorized overuse of the divine mirror.

The goddess's smile suddenly became tighter. Sure, using the divine mirror without Ouranos' permission was a fault, but she was still light on her feet and could always argue that she had no choice, as she was attracting too much attention by going out. Unfortunately for her, Ouranos was not finished yet.

And we could also mention your part-time job as a waitress.

This time the goddess could not keep a straight face and her surprise was clearly visible. Ouranos knew about Syr? But how? Noting the goddess's surprise, the other god continued.

Oh? What is it, Freya? Did you think your secret was absolute? Do you think I'm deaf, blind and stupid!

She could tell from Thor's face that he didn't understand what Ouranos was talking about, and that was the only thing that suited her in this mess. Saying that she was shocked was an understatement, Ouranos had literally just thrown in her face that he knew all her little secrets since the beginning.

I tolerated all your deviations, because they were harmless games. And if I was not severe after your assault on the entertainment district without any valid reason, it was only because Ishtar had badly chosen her alliances and had plans that I did not like. Therefore, your attack came at the right time. Do you think that because you occupy the flats at the top of Babel, that makes you the queen of this city?

Freya was not offended, that would be too weak a word to describe her state. Ouranos was scolding her like a child caught doing too much mischief. And she didn't like that feeling at all.

Let's be clear you both. I have no intention of letting a new Dark Age happen, any more than I would let the city streets become a battlefield again. If you continue like that, I will have no qualms about banishing you both!

The god of the Guild was clearly reminding them who was the real boss here. Ouranos let the gods take care of themselves in most matters and only intervened as an agent of stability. But if there was real trouble, he would not hesitate to be more active.

But your childish rivalry is not yet far enough along for me to get there. Thor didn't do anything in the end, but Freya's provocation remains obvious, so the blame is shared in this story. And if I have summoned you, it is not only to reprimand you, but to find a solution to this problem.

Although silent, Ganesha was listening to everything and was also thinking about the problem on his side. How to reconcile Thor and Freya, two gods as different as fire and ice? The problem was first and foremost one of taming sensitivities. The root of the problem was that Thor had never given in to Freya, which hurt the goddess' pride. But the story would not be solved in a bed. Neither of them wanted to lie down before the other, even to have peace.

However, it was Thor who took the first step after a long sigh, surprising many people. The god of thunder turned towards the goddess of beauty and spoke.

I have other things to do and so do you, I think. Contrary to what you seem to think, my life is not about finding ways to ruin yours. We're asgardians, Freya, so let's settle this like asgardians. I challenge you to a holmgang!

Freya's eyes widened in surprise. Thor's request was unexpected, but in the end, it suited his character. The holmgang was a sacred tradition of the Asgardian gods, a ritual duel of honour, as well as a way of settling feuds. It was a good way to bury uncomfortable rivalries, as it allowed for scores to be settled without either party being harmed, and the loser could admit his wrongdoing without tainting his honour. But it also meant that Thor wanted to put it behind him and be done with it.

So be it, I accept the challenge.

Ganesha and Ouranos were not gods of Asgardian tradition, but they knew the challenge in question.

While I'm fine with the idea of you settling scores in a clear manner, I'm not really interested in watching you unleash your powers to fight each other in the Gekai.

In that case, let's adjust things. Ganesha said, silent until then. Let's replace this with a duel between your champions.

That's an adaptation that suits me. Freya replied, and she could tell from her silence that Thor had nothing against it. Logic would dictate that our captains fight for our honor, but sending Ottar would go against mine.

Normally she would have no hesitation in sending her champion to crush the competition, showing everyone her overwhelming dominance through the boaz, but the holmgang was a sacred tradition where honour was of great importance. If she messed up, her honour would suffer and the other gods would make her understand, especially Loki, her main rival for power, who was an Asgardian herself.

Even if she had abandoned this aspect of her nature in the mortal world, she was still the Queen of the Valkyries and therefore had to act in a certain way depending on the circumstances. By accepting Thor's ritual challenge, she also had to accept its constraints.

In that case, Ganesha continued, let's have two Level 6 fight, Allen Fromel versus Mei Yun Qiang.

The cat people could not suppress a cruel smile. He was going to have a chance to vent his anger and make Thor's familia pay for their affronts, perhaps even get rid of their most powerful member. Thor remained thoughtful for a moment and then spoke again shortly after, a mysterious smile on his face.

Very well, I accept that Freya's champion is Allen Fromel. However, he will not fight Mei, he will fight Ekkrit.

Everyone was shocked by the words of the god of thunder. But the first to react, or rather explode, was the cat.

You've got to be kidding me! Why should I have to fight this stinking rat!

Allen. Silence. Freya said softly, but with a strong authority in her voice, urging her vice-captain to be quiet, though he still showed an angry face.

What are you playing at, Thor? Ouranos questioned him. Just because Freya has to settle for her vice-captain doesn't mean you have to do the same, he's only level 5 after all.

Ouranos, I am not making this proposal on a whim or out of overconfidence. I simply wish to oppose Freya's champion with an opponent that will be much more suitable for him.

If that is your decision Thor, I will not oppose it. Freya replied, even though she did not like the sound of that.

Very well, Ouranos continued. In that case, the champions are designated. Ganesha may not be an Asgardian, but he will be the referee for this match.

The two concerned nodded their approval.

Ganesha, what will be the terms?

The two designated champions will face each other in the arena... in three days. That will give me time to prepare everything. As for the fight itself, they will face each other using all their adventurers abilities and weapons. The first one who gives up or is no longer able to fight will lose.

It was a simple idea, and above all, it meant that if Allen inadvertently killed his opponent, he could not be blamed. But then he remembered something that had come up in their investigation of Thor's children.

Wait a minute. Isn't this guy a former assassin? Who's to guarantee he won't try to pull a dirty trick to fix the game?

He won't. replied her goddess prosaically.

But, Lady Freya, how can you be sure that...

Because he won't. The holmgang is more than just a duel, it is a sacred ritual and Thor will not jeopardize his honor by using lowly methods.

Exactly. replied the god of thunder. I see that we can agree on some things. But I did not appoint Ekkrit to lose. Your precious chariot had better take him very seriously, or he's going to go off the deep end.

Since he felt he had finished, the colossal deusdea greeted the Guild's lord, as well as Ganesha, and left, followed by his children. During the whole conversation, the nezu had said absolutely nothing, he had accepted without flinching that his god appointed him as champion. Three days, that gave him time to get in condition for what was undoubtedly going to be the most difficult fight he had ever fought.

Considering that was more than enough of this day and this unpleasant meeting, Freya left in her turn. She had a lot to do. She had to make sure that her children did not try anything against Thor and break the rules out of overzealousness. She had to get Allen in condition to do his best. Try to understand how Ouranos could know so much about her. To find out who knew what about her job in the tavern. And try to spend some time with Bell.

The only comfort she had was knowing that, whatever the outcome, she would be done with this story, at least for a while...