Chapter 67: The Burden of Forseti and Eden’s Gentle Embrace

“I’m back!”

The room, as always, lay empty and shrouded in darkness. The colorful slime, having returned early to its small nest, stirred faintly at Eden’s voice, but offered little other reaction.

If there was any discernible difference, it was the quiet figure seated within the room’s shadows.

As the chandelier flickered to life, illuminating the space with its flames, the figure became distinct in Eden’s eyes: a young woman with long, cherry-blossom hair, clad in a pale blue Gothic gown. Her exquisite features, bathed in the bright light, made her appear akin to a porcelain doll.

The young woman was dozing with her eyes closed, seemingly unaware that Eden had approached her.

“Forseti, Forseti, wake up,” Eden murmured, gently tapping the shoulder of the young woman. Startled from her sweet slumber, Forseti blinked awake, gazing at Eden with a bewildered expression.

“Little Fan-chan, you fell asleep,” Eden said, waving his hand, and a steaming cup of coffee gracefully floated before the young woman. Although Eden often privately referred to this gentle deity as Lady Forseti, whenever they met in person, he couldn’t help but use a more intimate endearment for her.

This was partly out of reverence for a powerful deity and partly out of affection for someone dear to him. He had never revealed to Aldoran and others that he, too, was a god, fearing it would only lead to unnecessary complications.

“I apologize, Uncle, I had intended to wait for you.”

Forseti offered Eden an apologetic smile, calling him “Uncle.”

“No, please don’t call me that; it makes me feel ancient,” Eden blushed, taking a seat opposite Forseti and pushing the coffee closer to her.

“It’s been so long since we last met, Little Fan-chan. I’ve missed you dearly.”

“Don’t forget to write to me while you’re traveling, alright?”

As Eden spoke, he rose and rummaged through the bookshelf behind Forseti, finally managing to pull out a letter that had already yellowed with age.

“Little Fan-chan, don’t get so caught up in your travels that you forget me. It’s been ages since you last wrote, and I’d rather you didn’t always have Vidofnir deliver your messages.”

“Aside from you, Little Fan-chan, I have no other family. If you don’t write to me more often, I’ll simply die of boredom.”

Eden chuckled merrily, yet in stark contrast, a flicker of inexplicable helplessness crossed Forseti’s eyes. She forced a smile, nodding at Eden.

“Yes, I’ll be sure to do so in the future.”

Eden keenly observed the sorrow that welled in Forseti’s eyes. He knew that much remained unresolved within her heart; even after all this time, she still dwelled in pain. With a gentle hand, Eden returned the letter to the bookshelf, then approached Forseti, reaching out to softly cup her cheek. He offered a warm smile, one that felt like a gentle spring breeze, caressing Forseti’s troubled spirit.

“Little Fan-chan, have you been indulging in many delicious treats lately? You’ve gained a bit of weight.”

“Yes, I recently visited the royal capital, and there was an abundance of wonderful food there.”

“Oh, really! Well then, Little Fan-chan, why not try the food at my inn? The ingredients are all of royal quality! Since you’ve made the rare trip to visit me, stay for a few months and truly experience it. My inn is the most famous in all of Alast!”

“Yes, thank you, Uncle.”

The young woman smiled politely, accepting Eden’s kind offer.

However, her tone swiftly shifted.

“Before that, though, there are a few things I wished to ask you, Uncle. May I?”

“Of course you may. Ask anything you wish.”

Forseti nodded, posing her first question.

“Tell me, has Lord Odin already arrived in Alast?”

“Of course! Just as you requested, Little Fan-chan, I specifically prepared the two finest rooms for them! Let me take you to see them!”

Eden took Forseti’s hand, ready to lead her to Aldoran and their companions’ rooms, but Forseti waved him off, choosing to remain where she was.

“That’s good then. There’s no need to see them; simply knowing they are here is enough. I merely need to provide them with guidance.”

The young woman offered a slight smile, yet Eden appeared somewhat puzzled. However, this fleeting doubt was swiftly suppressed by him.

“May I then ask you my second question, Uncle?”

“Yes! I can answer as many questions as you have! Ask away!”

“Thank you.”

The young woman took a small sip of her bitter coffee before posing her second question.

“Regarding the dragon, are Lord Odin and the others already aware of the situation? Although I gave Lord Odin a hint before, he remains entirely uninformed about the specific details.”

“They don’t seem to know yet, but they will soon. This time, the ‘Sigurd’ we’re familiar with mentioned that a strategy meeting will be held in three days. If a plan can be successfully finalized, then locating Fafnir will only be a matter of time.”

It was clear that the “Sigurd” Eden referred to was Roalsa, and the “Fafnir” he spoke of was the great dragon lurking in Alast.

“Oh, and by the way, Lord Odin already knows how potent Fafnir’s poisonous gas is.”

Forseti appeared quite satisfied.

“However, Little Fan-chan, I have a question. What if Lord Odin immediately engages Fafnir in battle upon encountering her? With Lord Odin’s current power, he stands no chance against Fafnir, and the people of Alast would surely suffer.”

After a few moments of silence, Eden voiced his concern.

“Regarding that, perhaps your help, Uncle, will be needed. Your Garden of Eternity could prevent all of this.”

Forseti pondered for a moment, then spoke to Eden with some hesitation.

“No problem!”

Eden thumped his chest, responding without a moment’s hesitation.

The Garden of Eternity, a place Eden cherished above all else, held not only precious golden apples but also indelible memories within his heart. Forseti had expected Eden to refuse her suggestion, yet he had agreed so readily.

“Uncle, if you are unwilling, you can tell me…”

Eden continued to smile brightly, showing no trace of displeasure or regret.

“It’s quite alright, quite alright. If it can protect everyone, I believe Lady Bragi would also be pleased. She has always been a very gentle person!”

For some reason, seeing Eden’s smile, Forseti suddenly felt a pang of self-loathing. She believed herself to be incredibly selfish, asking Eden to sacrifice his most cherished memories for her own ethereal goal.

If she were to fail, Forseti knew she would never again be able to face the only family she had left in the world.

But now, there was no turning back.

“Uncle, please take this. If it comes to a dire situation, this might be able to help you.”

After much deliberation, Forseti placed a bouquet of pure white flowers into Eden’s hand.

“Within these flowers resides my weapon, named Durandal. Should you ever feel endangered, please wield this sword; its power can assist you.”

“Understood.”

Eden accepted the flowers, carefully transforming them into a surge of energy that he absorbed into his palm.

Then, Eden looked at his palm, then at Forseti, contemplating for a long time, appearing somewhat hesitant. Forseti immediately noticed his wavering demeanor.

“Uncle, is something troubling you? If you are unwilling, you can tell me at any time, and I will devise another plan.”

Eden quickly waved his hands.

“No, no, that’s not it, I merely…”

Forseti set down her coffee, sat up straight, and patiently awaited Eden’s reply.

Finally, after a struggle, Eden voiced the words he had held in his heart.

“May I ask you one last question, Little Fan-chan?”

“Yes, please speak. I will answer carefully.”

“Little Fan-chan, do you still intend to proceed as before? After they defeat Fafnir, will you have them awaken the other ten chief gods?”

“Yes,”

Forseti replied.

“No matter how many times it takes, I will do this. I will continue until I succeed.”

“I see…”

Eden lowered his head. He knew it was utterly impossible for him to change Forseti’s mind. Eden possessed neither the immense power of other deities nor the unwavering courage to forge ahead. He could only watch from afar as Forseti lived and journeyed through self-torment and pain, dedicating eons upon eons, and perhaps even more, to her elusive goal.

“However, I believe Lady Mimir’s approach seems better.”

Like Forseti, Mimir had also lived in perpetual suffering, yet she had chosen a path entirely divergent from Forseti’s. Year after year, day after day, Eden could only observe their ceaseless struggle.

“I apologize, Uncle, but I still believe I cannot see through everything as Lady Mimir does, nor can I let go of the past as you have. As a deserter, I cannot live with a clear conscience, pretending as if nothing ever happened.”

Eden said nothing further, simply refilled Forseti’s cup with coffee, then offered his usual warm smile.

“Then let’s speak no more of sad things. Let’s just enjoy our coffee and talk about something pleasant!”

Forseti, influenced by Eden’s mood, blossomed into a smile once more.

For a very long time, Eden had always been this way: gentle and understanding. All the deities adored this god of youth; no matter how sorrowful one might be, encountering Eden always brought forth a happy smile.

In an era when everyone counted the moments, awaiting impending doom with fear and unease, Eden shone like a torch in the darkness, illuminating the path forward for both gods and mortals.

He had never hated anyone, nor regretted anything. He always approached others with the greatest kindness and tolerance, even the wicked person who brought about destruction, publicly insulted Eden as a wretch, and mocked Bragi; Eden embraced her with his own goodness.

Having such an uncle, Forseti felt incredibly fortunate.

“Yes, that’s right. Smile, Little Fan-chan.”

“As long as we are alive, we have a future.”