111: For My Sisters

"I've already returned the Rhine Gold," Kevin said, his tone even and straightforward as he looked at Brunhilde, who was visibly stunned. "So now you have only two choices.

First, you can continue lying here, waiting for the person destined to awaken you.

Second, you can come back with us to Asgard."

Kevin paused for a moment, his gaze steady. "You're no longer cursed, so if you choose to stay, you might very well find the love you've been waiting for. But…" Kevin's tone shifted, more direct now. "If Slude weren't here, I would've already knocked you out and brought you back to Asgard myself."

The bluntness of Kevin's words caused a ripple of tension to pass through the room. He wasn't trying to sugarcoat anything—there was no point. In fact, Kevin truly had no intention of giving Brunhilde much of a choice. If it hadn't been for Slude's presence, he would've acted on his own accord, regardless of what Brunhilde wanted.

Although Brunhilde was the leader of the Valkyries and the daughter of Odin, at this moment, she was no different from a mortal like Kevin. Her divine power had been sealed by Odin, and as a result, she posed no threat to him. If it came to a fight, Kevin was confident she wouldn't stand a chance.

As Kevin finished speaking, the heavy tension in the air transformed into an awkward silence.

Slude, standing nearby, couldn't help but look at Kevin with a wry smile. She knew Kevin far too well to be surprised by his behavior. But still…

Why on earth would you say that out loud?! she thought to herself.

Kevin, seemingly oblivious to the discomfort he'd caused, pressed on. "There's nothing wrong with pursuing love," he continued, his tone turning serious as his eyes locked with Brunhilde's. "In fact, I think it's incredible. You were willing to give up your identity as a god for the sake of love. That's… admirable, in its own way."

He paused, his expression hardening slightly. "But if you choose to stay here, I'll be honest—I won't be happy about it."

Brunhilde stared back at Kevin, her delicate features unreadable as she absorbed his words.

"The reason I came here," Kevin went on, "is because of my agreement with Sister Balder. And because Slude wanted to see you. So, while you're here waiting for love, I want to ask you something important…"

Kevin's eyes narrowed slightly as he continued. "Have you thought about what you're ignoring in the process?"

Brunhilde's breath hitched slightly.

"Do you know why Slude came all this way to find you?" Kevin gestured toward her. "It's simple—because you're her sister. She wanted to share her joy with you, to let you know that she understands the choice you made.

"Before this, Slude willingly signed a contract with me, just so she could understand why you came to the human world and gave up your divine identity. Back then, she had never even met me. She didn't know if following me would lead to the answers she was looking for.

"But for your sake, she still made that choice. And you…" Kevin's tone turned sharper now as he looked directly at Brunhilde. "As the leader of the Valkyries, have you ever thought about teaching your sisters what you've learned? Have you considered how your decision to leave has affected them? Or how they've missed you and worried about you ever since you left?"

"Kevin!" Slude interjected, her voice firm. She didn't want Kevin's words to hurt her sister. But before she could say anything more, Brunhilde raised a hand to stop her.

"It's fine, Slude," Brunhilde said softly, her voice tinged with sadness. She turned her gaze back to Kevin, her delicate face clouded with regret. "He's right. I… I did ignore those things."

Kevin's expression softened slightly as he continued. "It's understandable. This was your first time experiencing these feelings, and you didn't know how to process them. You weren't sure if you should teach your sisters what you'd discovered. But now…" He glanced at Slude, who was watching her sister intently. "Now that you've seen Slude, I think you already have your answer, don't you?"

There was a long pause as Kevin's words hung in the air.

Brunhilde lowered her gaze, her thoughts swirling. Kevin wasn't wrong. There was no clear right or wrong choice here, but his words carried a weight she couldn't ignore.

After a brief silence, Brunhilde lifted her head and spoke, her voice steady. "I'll go back."

She turned to look at Slude, whose red eyes widened in surprise. Seeing her sister's reaction, Brunhilde's lips curved into a gentle smile. "Kevin is right. And seeing you has made me certain of this."

Brunhilde reached out, her hand brushing lightly against Slude's shoulder as she gently combed a strand of hair back into place. "Sisters should be like you—kind, caring, and full of life. Not emotionless puppets executing orders. I don't know if I'll succeed, but I want to go back and try to change things."

Her decisive choice surprised Kevin, though he quickly realized it made sense.

After all, Brunhilde hadn't yet met the hero destined to awaken her. The person who had freed her from the crystal pool wasn't some great warrior—it was her sister, Slude.

Moreover, seeing Slude now had reassured her. It made her feel that, as an elder sister, she had a responsibility to share what she had learned.

And so, for her sisters, Brunhilde made her choice.

"Sister… Sister!" Slude cried out, unable to hold back her excitement. Overwhelmed with emotion, she threw herself into Brunhilde's arms, hugging her tightly.

Kevin, standing by the door, watched the scene unfold. The light green of Brunhilde's hair blended beautifully with the golden strands of Slude's as the two embraced. He smiled faintly to himself before turning and quietly leaving the room, giving the sisters their moment.

The next morning…

Outside the dark castle, Slude stood with a perplexed expression, her wide eyes fixed on Kevin.

Just as they were about to set off for Asgard, they encountered a rather serious problem.

There was only one white horse. And three of them.

"So," Kevin began, rubbing his temples, "why don't you take your sister Brunhilde back to Sister Balder first, and then come back to pick me up?"

"Are you crazy?!" Slude snapped, the feathers on her head trembling with frustration. "It would take at least ten days to go to Asgard and come back! And if I leave you here alone…" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You'd better swear you won't leave this castle while I'm gone!"

"Not a chance," Kevin replied immediately, crossing his arms.

"You—!" Slude clenched her fists in frustration, stomping her foot in the dirt.

"Um…" Brunhilde's soft voice interrupted the brewing argument. Stroking the white horse gently, she offered hesitantly, "I think… the three of us can fit if we squeeze together."

"Absolutely not!" Kevin shot her suggestion down with a glare. "Forget whether the horse agrees or not—do you two really think I'm a saint? Especially you, Brunhilde…"

His eyes lingered on Brunhilde, who stood barefoot in the sunlight, wearing the thin white dress Slude had given her. The sunlight illuminated her figure, making the delicate fabric almost translucent.

Noticing Kevin's gaze, Brunhilde glanced down at herself and immediately blushed, her flawless cheeks turning pink.

"…Fine," Slude muttered, pulling her gaze away from her sister. "I'll take her to Sister Balder first."

Kevin nodded. "That's the safest plan for now."

Finally, with a reluctant sigh, Slude climbed onto the white horse, pulling Brunhilde up with her. Before leaving, she glared at Kevin one last time.

"Remember your promise!" she warned. "If you do anything reckless, I'll make sure you report to Lady Freya every day!"

Kevin rolled his eyes as he watched the sisters ride off. "Finally, some peace and quiet. They talk so much it's exhausting… they make me look like a real troublemaker."

Neil, who had returned to Kevin's shoulder, snickered. "You are a troublemaker."

"Let's go," Kevin said, ignoring her jab.

As the pair set off, Neil tilted her head curiously. "By the way, do you even know where Siegfried is?"

Kevin grinned, picking up a random branch. "Nope. But I've got a trick for that!"

Neil watched, unimpressed, as Kevin threw the branch into the air. When it landed, he confidently started walking in the direction it pointed.

"…This is ridiculous," Neil muttered.

Kevin simply smirked and kept walking.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Go to my Patreon Account to read up to 30 Advance Chapters

patreon.com/Izanami_no_Mikoto