Vindictus (2)

Before they knew it, the day to depart for Kavasia arrived. At the Imperial Port, beside the Prayer Maiden, 　　 two squads of elderly soldiers stood at the entrance, their eyes brimming with tears as they watched Loki approach the warship.
"Lord Loki… 　　 it really is Lord Loki…Praise be to the great Demon God…This old servant has finally seen you, Lord Loki…Waaah…
" 　　Loki 　　 murmured, his brow furrowed as he looked at the warship, its surface faded from numerous repairs (let's assume that for now!), and at 　　the two crookedly arranged squads of old soldiers at the boarding gate, their skin wrinkled like orange peels 　　, clutching rusty weapons. 　　 "Lord Loki, attacking 'Kavasia' with this kind of force…I'm afraid…" 　　 Even the usually composed Fina frowned at the sight. 　　 "Forget it. As long as we can still travel between dimensions, the warship is just a tool to reach Kavasi Road 　　." 　　 "But, with the Prayer Maiden's current equipment, it'll probably 　　be shot down by the goddess's forces defending the border before it even lands, right?!" 　　 "The goddess's forces defending the border? Ha. Let's take it one step at a time. Since we chose to gamble with our crests in 　　this succession to the throne, there's no turning back from the start. Now we can only move 　　forward." 　　 ************* ************** ******************** 　　 Outside the spacious and clear crystal portholes, beautiful starlight shone through the light blue energy shield, 　　casting a soft glow on all the facilities on the bridge, making it look like a dream, a scene from a fairy tale. 　　 "Lord Loki, it seems we're about to enter a dimensional rift. It might cause some tremors, please be careful." 　　 Listening to the words of his maid, Fina, beside him, Loki stood motionless on the bridge. Looking out the porthole 　　, the vast, boundless ocean of stars filled his entire field of vision, like a magnificent painting, 　　realistically displaying the splendor, mystery, and profundity of the starry world to every living being who saw it. 　　 Although it was ancient, the Prayer Maiden, having undergone numerous repairs, still relied on 　　the coordinates set within the warship, steadily flying along the narrow spatial corridor towards the other side of the dimensional tunnel. 　　 "Whoosh...!" 　　 After a long flight, it finally reached its end, the Prayer Maiden's hull bursting out of the spacetime rift, and 　　the vision of everyone on board was instantly filled with a dazzling light. 　　 "...Tsk." 　　 Several hours later, seeing the light again, even someone as strong as Loki couldn't help but close his eyes. 　　 "Reporting, Captain, the dimensional rift has been breached. We are about to reach the airspace of Kavasilu." 　　 The observer, calm yet somewhat relaxed, reported the situation one by one. Although he was too old to grip a weapon properly , his accumulated experience still made him an excellent observer, worthy of 　　someone who had participated in the "Polar Night War" 　　with his father . 　　 Having traversed the vast, boundless alternate dimension separating the Demon Realm from the mortal world, the Prayer Maiden now 　　soared through a sky a stark contrast to the Demon Realm's gloomy skies. 　　 The fact that they had arrived in the mortal world was self-evident; the expansive blue sky and sunshine before them 　　were enough to confirm it. 　　 "This is the mortal world! It's completely different from the dark, sunless Demon Realm. This warm sunshine and 　　gentle sea breeze—this must be the taste of freedom!" 　　 "...Alright, continue like this. Increase altitude and infiltrate the Floating Tree Continent." 　　 A few seconds later, Loki, who had been mesmerized, snapped out of his reverie and gave orders to his subordinates, commencing flight. 　　 "Yes, sir!" 　　 The officer, receiving the command, directed his men to switch flight modes. 　　 The Prayer Maiden, having shut down its time-space travel engine, unfurled the magical sails atop the ship. Riding the gentle breeze 　　, they began to advance rapidly through the high skies of the human world, with white clouds drifting around the ship, making it appear 　　like a fairyland. 　　 The bow of the ship parted the thick clouds, revealing a huge, faintly visible black shadow. 　　 That was the Floating Tree Continent, Kawashiro. 　　 The land protected by the goddesses, a bountiful continent in the sky. And the very 　　place this throne selection was about to invade. 　　 Unconsciously, Loki gripped the magic spear beside him tightly. The bulging veins on the back of his hand showed 　　the turmoil in his heart. 　　 "Young Master, we've finally arrived. It's been a long journey." 　　 "What are you saying, Fina? This is only the first step on our path to everything." 　　 "Yes. Please let me follow you until that day comes." 　　 "Heh, of course, that day won't be too far off, definitely!!!" 　　 Looking at the magnificent scene unfolding before him, Loki's thoughts drifted back to the distant past. 　　 Originally, it was a humiliating memory he didn't want to recall, but incredibly, the past events 　　flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern. 　　 Loki listened attentively to his subordinates' reports while closing his eyes. 　　 For Loki Muspelheim, the years following his father's death marked the beginning of constant forbearance and submission 　　. 　　 Born as the son of the royal family closest to the throne in the Demon Empire, he should have been 　　one of the most likely heirs to the Demon King's throne. 　　 But... his fate... on that day... was utterly overturned. 　　 First, his father, Farubar, was falsely accused of being a traitor. 　　 Then, after the execution of his family elders, the Muspelheim family was relegated to a collateral branch of the royal family, and 　　all the courtiers who had previously fawned over Loki and his companions turned their backs on him. 　　 Young Loki wanted to object, but his pitifully small power couldn't even 　　protect the demonic armor symbolizing his kinship with the Demon King. 　　 Under such circumstances, continuing to live in the imperial palace offered nothing but humiliation.

Destitute and constantly insulted and mocked by his siblings, who were also candidates for the throne,
Loki had suffered countless curses, too many to count.
Yet, he endured it all with unwavering strength, waiting.
Waiting for the chance to leave that dark and hopeless place, waiting for the opportunity to forge his own destiny—
so, Loki, who had set his sights high from a young age, pretended to be a useless, pathetic wretch, misleading
those who saw him as an obstacle on the path to the throne, while secretly
preparing for the future.
"...Lord Loki, are you alright?"
A voice broke Loki's long thoughts.
Turning around, he saw a maid with a delicate face standing there. It was
Fina, who had served Loki for many years.
Fina had served Loki as a maid in the Muspelheim family since Loki's father's generation,
and even after the coup, she had not left Loki, continuing to serve him to this day.
Therefore, for Loki, she was one of the very few people he could unconditionally trust.
"...Ah, excuse me. Fina, is there something you need?"
"It seems we're almost at the originally planned destination. But, is this route really feasible?"
"No problem, maintain altitude, route unchanged. Get as close as possible to the most advantageous position."
"Understood."
The lace on her white apron fluttered in the wind as Fina directed the observer and helmsman.
Appearing on the battlefield as a maid, almost all the soldiers gasped in surprise, but
after a few seconds, they got used to it.
Fina's excellence was enough to make them overlook her maid attire.
"...By the way, Lord Loki. May I hear about the perfect plan after landing on this continent?" "
...There's no need to explain it now."
"So, you haven't considered anything yet?"
Fina's reply was utterly blunt.
Although she was just a maid, as a demon with exceptional abilities, she was allowed to speak to Loki like this.
This is also because of her keen insight, which often plays a significant role, but...
"Don't you trust me, Fina?"
Hearing Rocky's question, Fina shook her head.
"I'm just conveying the soldiers' unease. Although they are all loyal retainers of the Muspelheim family,
they are getting old, and even with the mercenaries you hired, their numbers are less than a thousand. Add to that the shortage of supplies
… I'm worried…"
"Furthermore, the mothership is just… a comet-class warship without any decent weaponry, completely insignificant
. Let alone contend with the fleets controlled by those people. Those princes and princesses each have at least
several satellite-class warships capable of carrying meteor-class shuttle fighters, not to mention their enormous flagship
planetary warships."
(ps: Warships are divided into five classes: Meteor-class – Comet-class – Satellite-class – Planetary-class –
Stellar-class)
"This is all thanks to your sister's meddling."
"I guess she deliberately chose this ship to discourage you."
"Oh dear, you two are truly sisters. Even your ways of causing trouble are so similar."
Listening to the banter between master and servant, wry laughter echoed around them.
Among the veterans Loki brought, many of the main force members were also seasoned veterans.
Because of this, they had some understanding of the subtle relationship between Loki and Fina.
Incidentally, the Fina sister Loki mentioned earlier was Menia, the secretary of the Demon King Beelzebub
.
Due to some past events, the sisters did not get along well, which indirectly led to the
need to use this old-type ship for this attack.
"So, what's the situation? What are the chances of winning...?"
"Of course, I understand your concerns."
Loki shook his head without revealing his true intentions.
"For this war on the Floating Tree Continent, the capabilities of the ships are not that important. For now, as long as
we can land, that's enough."
"Moreover, the issue of troops and supplies can be addressed once we arrive. So don't worry,
Fina."
"That's not impossible..."
Fina frowned uneasily, as if she wanted to object.
Just then...
"Chief, there's an emergency."
"What is it, Fenrir?"
Fenrir was the fleet's adjutant, a wolf-faced, hairy orc. One of the few
veterans not belonging to the Loki family, he was a mercenary from the Vol Wolf Clan, and also a battle-hardened
sniper.
It was said that he saw Loki's potential for success with his sniper's eyes and chose to follow him.
Of course—
whether his eyesight was sharp or not, let's see the success or failure of this expedition.
"The enemy is engaging. Several satellite-class warships are deployed in front of the outer mountains of the Kavasir continent,
with a planetary-class mothership in the center."
"Satellite-class warships plus a planetary-class mothership? Have you confirmed their identity?"
"Yes, it should be the Pegasus Knights defending the eastern part of the continent!" As a battle-hardened sniper,
Fenrir always had considerable confidence in his eyesight.
"The Pegasus Knights? Young Master, what do we do now? If we continue on this route,
we'll run into them in a few minutes. I think it's best to avoid wasting our strength here..."
"That's true, but if the opponent is a goddess, even changing course now won't
guarantee escape... won't it?"
"Now is not the time for idle talk. Don't forget, this ship
doesn't even have any decent weapons!"
"I know. Then, let's break through like this."
"Break through...?"
Hearing Loki's expressionless reply, Fina and Fenrir were stunned for a moment.
"You mean break into the enemy ranks?"
"Yes, towards the shortest landing point. Tell the soldiers to prepare, there will probably be some
shaking."
"That's fine, but is this a good idea? Even if we land successfully, we probably can't avoid
damage to the ship..."
"The Prayer Girl was originally designed to transport soldiers. You just need to think about how to land."
"Okay, okay, I understand."
Loki's words were swift and decisive, leaving no room for interruption.
Fenrir sighed, scratched his head, and began giving instructions to his subordinates.
"Boys, listen up! Full speed ahead, break into the enemy formation!"
The magic reactors were fully activated, the sails were immediately unfurled to their maximum, and the entire ship began to accelerate with a creaking sound.
Listening to Fenrir's shouts and the soldiers' responses, Loki simply stood on the bridge, his eyes fixed
on the front.
The Prayer Girl had already entered the skies above the Floating Tree Continent.
Once they crossed the treacherous, continuous mountain ranges surrounding the continent, they would soon find a landing point.
However, the enemy was well aware of this.
Faced with the suddenly accelerating Prayer Girl, the Pegasus Knights' fleet remained calm. Several
satellite-class warships circled around to surround the Prayer Girl, then several channels opened around the warships, releasing
their onboard Meteorite shuttle fighters. The fastest Meteorite shuttle fighters formed the first wave of attack,
assaulting the Prayer Girl.
"...They're here. Look at that...Loki-sama...!"
Fina pointed to the starboard surveillance mirror, her expression unusually changed.
Looking at the image reflected there, even Loki was so surprised he almost stopped breathing.
Outside the porthole, the once azure sky seemed to suddenly rain down, as locust-like fighters
fired laser beams at the Prayer Girl. Thousands upon thousands of purplish-black light streaks, like long whips,
lashed out at the fleet!
The enemy's offensive was more intense than expected; it seemed the ship wouldn't reach its landing point before sinking.
"...Fight back!" He hesitated only a moment before decisively issuing the order.
Thousands of eerie blue beams of light suddenly appeared—the warship's main guns were firing. The terrifying heat and
pressure scorched the surrounding space, and enemy aircraft exploded like fireworks under the warship's attack
. This barrage was enough to force back all the shuttles flitting around the Prayer Maiden.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Bang! Sizzle...!"
The situation on the battlefield deteriorated rapidly, the Prayer Maiden already
hit multiple times under the enemy's dense attacks, the warship riddled with breaches. Loki desperately needed to make a decision.
"Report! Report! Enemies have entered through the breaches!"
The monitor cried out as he looked up through the surveillance mirror.
The mirror shattered the instant it reflected the woman believed to be the enemy general.
"Wow, she actually broke in all by herself!?"
"Lord Loki, she's not human! She's...!"
"...Ah, she's a goddess, isn't she? I expected her to be attacked, but I never thought she could do it all by herself
... It's really unexpected."
"Now is not the time to sit still! If the magic reactor, which is the core of the warship, is destroyed, then
we can forget about even landing. What are you doing here talking nonsense!"
If that happens, we'll be doomed.
The Prayer Girl crashed into the outer mountains, and Loki's hopes were dashed.
(Although I wanted to get some more information before provoking her, it seems too late now.)
"There's no other way, come with me, Fina, Fenrir! Let's destroy the invading goddess."
"Ah... Yes. Let me see how powerful the goddess is."
"Really, fighting a goddess right off the bat... I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse."
"Of course it's a curse!"
With two trusted men, Loki left the bridge.
Along the corridors inside the ship, the bodies of soldiers could be seen scattered about.
Although some people inside were still breathing, everyone had been stripped of their fighting ability and lay sprawled on the ground.
Those who had stormed into the ship weren't humans with superhuman abilities, but
a goddess stronger than them, protecting them with overwhelming power.
Considering the enemy's strength, a sense of tension arose.
(I didn't expect to encounter such a formidable opponent right from the start…this isn't misfortune, it's fortune!)
He muttered to himself as he hurried forward. Soon, Loki caught sight of the goddess; she was
in front of the cabin where the magic reactor was located.
"Excuse me, could you wait a moment?"
"...! Hmm? You're the commander of this ship!"
The majestic and beautiful goddess turned around without flinching.
Loki's subordinates formed a battle formation in front of the door leading to the magic reactor. Even for a goddess, breaking through
would take time.
However, more captivating to Loki than the current situation was the goddess's face.
"...! You are, a goddess…?"
Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, her beauty was deeply imprinted on Loki's heart.
She appeared to be only in her early twenties, yet possessed an incomparably noble, elegant, and powerful
aura. Her flowing hair was as smooth as silk woven by divine power, and beneath her long eyelashes, her alluring
eyes were captivating yet sharp. She wore a light blue, low-cut, tight-fitting
, openwork armor with green trim. A golden holy stone necklace shimmering with holy energy adorned her slender, fair neck,
complementing her snow-white, high, and partially exposed breasts. Below her slender, sexy waist were high, alluring hips, encased in a tight battle skirt
, and her long, beautiful legs were clad in semi-transparent lace-trimmed sheer stockings and green crystal high heels.
It was breathtaking, yet impossible to harbor even the slightest evil thought. Her aura, utterly untouched by worldly
concerns, made her beauty stand out in the world, to be admired from afar, not to be trifled with.
...However, this beauty was so familiar to Loki.
"This face...is it just a coincidence? No, but..."
"What are you daydreaming about? I am Thallo, one of the four goddesses of Kavasir, the goddess of war and spring breeze who guards the sky
!"
"If you are also a renowned general, then please introduce yourself before becoming a victim of my sword!! I
do not kill nameless nobodies!"
Pointing the tip of her longsword at Loki, the goddess of spring breeze, Thallo, loudly provoked him.
The surrounding soldiers immediately revealed their killing intent, and Loki reflexively raised his axe-spear. His entire body
was tightly protected by a bright silver body armor, and in his hand he held a blood-red axe-spear,
wisps of purplish-gold light flickering at its tip.
(The Goddess of War, perhaps? I'll consider her origins later...)
"Since you put it that way, I'll keep you company. I am
Loki Muspelheim, son of Faruba, a member of the royal family of Utorgard in the Demon Realm!!"
As he spoke, Loki's hands flickered, and he attacked with lightning speed. The magic spear in his hand shone brightly, conjuring
dozens of spear shadows that locked onto his opponent.
However, Taro had anticipated his move and easily raised her sword to block the attack.
(She came much earlier than expected, but measuring the goddess's power now isn't too bad...!)
"Not bad an attack! Well then, it's my turn now..."
"...Hiss!"
The goddess moved, her sword slashing down like a flash of light.
"...Clang!"
Loki barely managed to block with his spear, but Taro didn't let up, continuing her attack in one fluid motion.
"Lord Loki...!"
(Such sharp eyes...! He saw through my movements and attacked precisely at the slightest opening.)
Loki deliberately exposed an opening to lure the goddess into attacking. The more he was pushed to the brink, the clearer Loki's thoughts became
, and his latent physical abilities began to emerge.
"Rocasena Burst"—His
heightened intuition and naturally sharp mind, amplified by his special ability, allowed him to quickly and calmly discern the enemy's movements
.
Then—
"This is it...!"
Dodging a sharp sword aimed at his opening, Loki finally counterattacked.
He readjusted his axe-spear and swung it at Taro—
"...Ugh!?"
With a crisp sound, Taro swung her sword, knocking the weapon away. The axe-spear arced out of Loki's
hand.
"What a pity."
The goddess of war looked at Loki, her expression unchanged.
"So that's how it is, you deliberately fell for it..."
"Hmm, although ignoring your seduction is fine, I don't want to be misunderstood as
not being able to see through a trap of this level."
"Leader, danger!"
Fenrir sensed the danger to his leader and, in order to distract him, fired his crossbow at Taro.
Although it was meant to distract him, Fenrir's shot was still incredibly accurate.
Even the Goddess of War would have difficulty dodging at this distance. Fenrir was certain he would hit her.
But—
"How is this possible...? I've been... caught...!?"
"You can aim at vital points instantly, you're quite the marksman. If the opponent wasn't me,
you probably would have hit me with that shot!"
"Tch...!"
"Lord Loki, come over here...!"
"I know!"
Loki used the gap in Fenrir's attack to create distance between himself and the enemy.
Taro leisurely let him escape, and with a flick of her left hand, the crossbow bolt in her hand was embedded in the wall beside her,
several inches deep.
"How is it? The goddess's strength..."
"It lives up to its reputation. Although I haven't fully grasped it yet. But the interesting part is just beginning."
"Now? It seems we've already decided the outcome?"
"There are countless ways to get out of this predicament."
Loki said, even flashing a smile to show his composure.
"Still trying to be tough in this situation? Not only me, but the Pegasus Cavalry fleet is also surrounding us outside."
"So what? You're the one who's delusional, thinking you can defeat us all at once, aren't you?"
"Is this a provocation? But since you've said so, I'll accept the challenge!"
Raising her fighting spirit, Taro once again drew her sword.
Based on the difference in strength between them, she must have absolute confidence. However, Loki believed she probably hadn't yet
realized his true purpose.
"...Fina, Fenrir, do your best to delay the goddess. I need to build up my magic power during this time."
"Oh dear, what a troublesome young master."
"Stop complaining, Fina. I'll attack the goddess from behind to keep her occupied. The task is difficult,
but Fina, the front defense is yours."
"I guess I can't help it."
Fina sighed. She took out an umbrella, twirling it as she opened it.
The Magic Umbrella Vanaheim—a specially enhanced defensive magical item for Fina.
As long as she possessed this magical equipment, Fina could unleash powerful defensive capabilities.
Of course, Loki knew this characteristic of Fina well, which was why he ordered her to stand in the hail of bullets.
As proof, Fina used the barrier of the Magic Umbrella to withstand Taro's powerful attacks one by one.
"Ah, so you're using a modified weapon... But don't think you can keep holding out like this
forever!"
"Yes, of course. So, if my master doesn't get ready soon, I'll be in trouble."
Fina remained defiant while calmly responding to the attack.
Although it was their first time working together, Fina and Fenrir displayed remarkable teamwork. Fina
blocked Taro's normal attacks, and when Taro, tired of the normal attacks, tried to unleash a more powerful attack,
Fenrir from behind seized the opportunity to snipe her, keeping her firmly pinned down.
After a prolonged stalemate, Taro's expressions revealed her growing annoyance.
"What a pair of troublesome ants…! Well then…!"
Maintaining her distance, Taro concentrated the strength in her grip on her sword. A powerful
sword aura, completely different from before, surged outwards.
The sheer power of the aura sent a chill down the spine of even the battle-hardened mercenary Fenrir.
"Oh?! Oh no, is that a special move…!?"
"Lord Loki, I'm almost at my limit. How much longer?"
"Don't worry. I've calculated how long you can last from the beginning,"
Loki replied swiftly upon hearing Fina's call.
Loki's "Demon Spear Aidevella," absorbing his magic power, was now gleaming brightly
.
This was a disguise Loki created to compensate for his weakened combat power after being stripped of his magical armor.
Although it couldn't compare to his original magical armor, it was a true secret
technique for Loki now.
The axe-spear, now fully absorbing Loki's magic power, was now converging its light towards the opening.
"Now! Trapped the goddess, Fenrir!"
"Oh!" Finally, it's time for a counterattack? Leave it to me! Secret Technique—Wolf Fang Slash!"
Fenrir loaded his crossbow with his unique armor-piercing arrows and fired them instantly at the goddess's vitals.
But—
"Nibelungen Sword, grant my wish…!"
The divine power that had been binding Talo suddenly seemed to explode and expand. Waves of energy
surged outwards, forming a vacuum barrier. Fenrir's arrow barely penetrated half an inch before being
deflected far away. Then, her sword transformed into a massive blade of light, slashing forward.
"Young Master!"
Fina cried out, her expression changing drastically. She brandished her magic umbrella, Vanaheim, to shield Loki.
"Vanaheim—Crimson Light!"
With Fina's voice, the opened umbrella began to spin rapidly, forming
a pink shield as it rotated.
The pink shield and the white light—
in an instant, two powerful forces clashed, a clash of spear and shield.
"Ugh..."
Despite the umbrella's powerful defense, the difference in energy quickly decided the outcome.
With a muffled groan, Fina, gripping the umbrella now riddled with holes, was sent flying backwards, while the weakened
blade of light traced a path through the air, continuing its attack on Loki.
"Damn it, almost there."
Facing the onslaught of the goddess's power, Loki truly felt a chill.
"Damn it! Just because I'm not showing my power doesn't mean I'm a lapdog! Finishing blow—Wild Wolf Charge!!!"
At the crucial moment, Fenrir erupted with a crimson light, his crossbow continuously
firing streaks of blood at the light blade.
"Awooo..."
Accompanied by a high-pitched wolf howl, the blood-red light, carrying a strong stench, coalesced into a blurry
blood wolf that howled and pounced towards the light blade.
"...Bang!!! Boom!!!"
The light sword and the blood wolf converged in mid-air, locked in a stalemate for a moment. After a brief silence, they suddenly exploded,
a dazzling light flashing in the air, obliterating everything tangible around them. But
what no one noticed was that deep within the cloud of light, a bright purple light flashed and vanished in an instant.
The next instant, a deafening explosion rang out, and the ship shook violently.
"Damn it! A magic reactor!"
"No, thankfully we made it in time."
"Huh!? What, you made it in time, Chief!"
Fenrir looked at Loki, who had sheathed his weapon and disengaged from combat, with disbelief.
"Don't worry, Fenrir. One of the two magic reactors should be fine. That should be enough for you to make a
safe emergency landing for the Prayer Maiden."
"But, but...!"
"Fenrir, do as Lord Loki says. Look over there..."
"Wh...what?"
Fenrir followed Fina's gaze and was immediately dumbfounded. The goddess who had just been so arrogant was now
pinned to the wall by a spear, her hands weakly gripping the shaft, completely unable to pull it out.
"Fenrir, thanks to you, otherwise, according to the original plan, I might not have been able to find her weakness
."
Loki calmly nodded to Fenrir and walked towards Taro ahead.
"Goddess. I think the battle should be over by now, right? So, can we talk about a truce
?"
"A truce...!? Why..."
Taro, pinned to the wall, looked utterly bewildered. She was now in
the enemy's hands, and no matter what warships they used, they couldn't resist. Why would they want a truce?
However, Loki continued nonchalantly,
"We didn't come to this continent for war. Because you attacked, we had no choice but
to fight back."
"Unbelievable. You're saying it wasn't for war after all this?"
"I understand your doubts. But I have a responsibility to protect my men, and we were
only acting in self-defense from beginning to end." As the culprit who had harmed the goddess, Loki shamelessly stated,
"So please forgive my previous offense. If this battle continues,
even with your many men, we'll all perish together."
"...You—"
From the moment Taro expressed her concern for her subordinates, the way she looked at Loki changed.
In truth, to Loki, his subordinates were merely pawns in his game. However, this fear of harming his subordinates
seemed to hold a different meaning for the chivalrous goddess.
After all, the goddess wouldn't allow an opponent who cared for his subordinates to attack her. And this opponent had even
defeated her.
Clearly, Loki had found a way to successfully negotiate.
"We will follow your instructions. So please. Please allow the Prayer Maiden to land—"
"…………"
Loki bowed deeply and sincerely, while Taro's eyes darted back and forth in a dilemma—
"…I understand."
Finally, she received a verbal promise.
"Really?"
"Yes, we will retreat temporarily. After the ship lands, we will re-establish the negotiation venue."
"Thank you very much, Goddess Taro."
Having received confirmation, Loki pulled the spear stuck in the wall and lowered the goddess.
"However, you cannot act on your own during this time."
Loki seemed about to say something more, but Taro decisively ended the conversation.
"I don't fully trust you yet. If you make any strange moves, I won't let you off the hook. Next
time, I won't be as careless as I was this time. Please understand that." "
...Understood. I'll keep it in mind."
"That's good..."
Hearing Loki's reply, Taro stood up, leaning on her longsword, and began to walk back.
"As expected of a goddess, such a serious injury, and you've recovered so quickly. However, next time, no matter
how careful you are, you'll only become my prisoner."
Loki looked down at her as she directed the Pegasus Knights to retreat, secretly smiling.
Afterwards, the Prayer Goddess, smoking, slowly descended, finally barely reaching the landing point.
The negotiation venue was set at the grassland where the Prayer Girl had landed.
After hurriedly repairing the ship, Loki arrived before the goddess, who was accompanied by a pair of knights.
This was enemy territory. And he was standing right in the middle of the enemy's position.
Even so, Loki showed no sign of panic, standing calmly before Taro.
"...
You mean, fleeing...?"
Taro stared at Loki with suspicion.
"Although I am of Demon King blood, I have been treated ruthlessly in the Empire. That's why I pretended
to invade Kavasir, using that as an excuse to flee,"
Loki had anticipated this reaction. He calmly replied.
"Unbelievable...how could such a thing happen...!"
"Heh, that's to be expected...Well then, as long as you can prove my innocence, investigate
me however you like."
"That ship belongs to my family, but it doesn't even have decent equipment. The crew are all
old retainers of my family, all too old to move. Do you think anyone would bring such a weak and infirm army to
attack you?"
Loki pointed to the Praying Maiden behind him, speaking frankly.
An old ship unsuitable for war, and the inability to mobilize powerful demons—these were all inherently disadvantageous
conditions.
However, depending on the version of events, this reason can convey completely different meanings. Loki
saw this, which is why he proposed negotiations.
In fact, Taro, though somewhat skeptical, listened intently to his story.
"So, assuming what you're saying is true… Loki, what are you trying to do by fleeing to Kavasir?"
"Before I answer that question, Goddess Taro. How well do you know about the Demon Realm's movements
?"
"...? Would I tell you something like that…?"
"You've set up a perimeter. That means you should already know that the Demon Realm is starting to stir. But
you don't know what the Demons' purpose is, right?"
"This, this…"
"It's alright, with my knowledge of the Empire's intelligence, I know."
"What…!"
Faced with a goddess rendered speechless by his words, Loki continued to press relentlessly.
That's the way of negotiation; once you gain the upper hand, you must relentlessly pursue it. Taro was now completely
captivated by Loki's pace.
"In exchange for intelligence, you must guarantee our personal safety. And allow us
to move freely within the port city of Vias—"
"You should know that the port city of Vias is the capital of Vias, the leading commercial nation in Kavasi."
"Yes, that's true, but what does that matter? Not only that, I also demand
the right to trade with humans..."
"What did you say...!?"
Hearing Loki's words, Taro was completely bewildered this time, and couldn't help but show a blank expression.

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