46 - Into the Frozen Realm

Magic Library

In Asgard, there were few soldiers, and qualified mages were even rarer.

A mage capable of standing on their own typically required centuries of training.

Most were half-trained, caught somewhere between apprentices and full-fledged mages.

This scarcity was evident in the films, where the number of mages could be counted on two hands.

Odin, Frigga, Loki.

When Aaron arrived at the library, the vast space held only a few dozen people.

Though he knew Asgard had few mages, the desolation of the place still shocked him.

Aaron's arrival went unnoticed.

Everyone was engrossed in the sea of magical knowledge, seeking greater understanding.

Aaron scanned the room and quickly located Amora.

Curiously, a wide area around Amora was devoid of others.

This highlighted how unpopular she was in Asgard.

"Fountain of Wisdom… World Tree… Jotunheim… Damn it, where is the holy spring?"

As Aaron approached, he faintly heard Amora's muttering.

He stepped forward and tapped her shoulder, startling her.

"Who is it? Can't you see I'm—oh…"

Amora reacted like a frightened cat, her composure fraying as she nearly unleashed a torrent of sharp words. But upon seeing Aaron, she swallowed her outburst, swiftly reverting to her charming demeanor. In an instant, she performed a remarkable shift in expression, which amused Aaron.

"Aaron… Master… I'm searching for information on the Fountain of Wisdom. Why are you here?"

Her words were tinged with unease. Gone was the carefree confidence of the formidable woman she once was; she now resembled a timid quail.

Aaron frowned, his expression darkening briefly, but he soon smiled. "Have you forgotten what I told you, Teacher Amora?"

He emphasized "Teacher Amora" loudly.

Amora instantly recalled Aaron's prior instructions, and her demeanor shifted again. She shed her submissive air, adopting a more natural, teacherly posture.

"Aaron, why have you come to see me? Is it about magic?" Amora asked, sounding like a proper instructor.

Aaron nodded, lowering his voice. "I need to see a map of Jotunheim and any significant marked locations."

"That's an easy matter to resolve. Let me guide you to the relevant materials…"

Amora nodded, leading Aaron toward a bookshelf, swiftly moving out of others' sight.

They wandered the library, gathering a stack of books from various sections and compiling them together.

"Jotunheim is the domain of the Frost Giants. Though Asgard thoroughly conquered them a thousand years ago, even storming their lair and seizing the Casket of Ancient Winters, our knowledge of Jotunheim remains limited," Amora said as she opened a book. "This volume contains the most detailed map of Jotunheim, including the location of Laufey's lair. It's said that Heimdall himself verified this book. His eyes are reliable, and the information should closely match Jotunheim's reality. However, it contains no mention of the Fountain of Wisdom."

"But this book—"

"No need! I already have a lead."

Aaron glanced at the map, cross-referencing it with the points in his mind, and quickly narrowed his search.

Jotunheim was far larger than Asgard. Even with the target reduced to a few locations, finding it would not be easy.

Traversing all the coordinates on foot would take an unbearable amount of time.

Moreover, the icy, snow-laden environment was harsh. Even with Asgardian physiology, prolonged exposure would be grueling.

Aaron had no desire to linger in that frigid wasteland.

Having further refined his search with the map's information, it was time to venture to Jotunheim.

"From now on, you don't need to search for information about the Fountain of Wisdom. Stay put and don't do anything foolish."

After issuing a warning to Amora, Aaron left the library.

On his way out, he conjured another physical clone.

This clone would divert the attention of others, including Frigga, while he traveled to Jotunheim.

Entering Jotunheim without permission was a grave offense!

A thousand years ago, Odin and Laufey had signed a truce agreement prohibiting either side from entering the other's territory. Violators faced dire consequences, answerable only to themselves.

Aaron could not risk informing anyone. If discovered, even escaping the Frost Giants' pursuit would not spare him Odin's severe punishment.

Not even his status as a hero's son or magical prodigy would exempt him.

"A level 5 physical clone should suffice to deceive everyone except Odin."

"As long as I avoid visiting the Golden Palace and encountering Odin during this time, I should be safe."

"But just in case, if I find the Fountain of Wisdom and resolve the magic energy reserve issue, the first priority should be enhancing the portal magic."

"If I can travel freely between Asgard and Jotunheim, I can entirely eliminate the risk of detection."

As Aaron moved invisibly, he contemplated his next steps.

Soon, he reached the secret passage from Loki's memory.

Without hesitation, he stepped into the cave, passing through a turbulent spatial rift, and emerged into the icy expanse of Jotunheim, the home of the Frost Giants!

His vision was filled with mountains and rivers sculpted from millennia of ice.

A biting cold made Aaron shiver.

Even his Asgardian physique could not fully withstand the chill, a testament to the extreme temperatures.

Aaron retrieved a coat crafted from fine Asgardian leather from his spatial storage, donning it along with a plush scarf, shielding himself from the cold.

Recalling the map of Jotunheim from Heimdall's mind, Aaron determined his direction and began his search for the holy spring.

Throughout his journey, he remained invisible.

Even in the snow, he perfectly concealed his tracks.

Frost Giants passing by occasionally were oblivious to the uninvited guest.

They could not fathom that an Asgardian, their sworn enemy, walked beneath their noses.

Jotunheim rarely saw sunlight.

At least during Aaron's trek, the sun never appeared.

Blizzards were the only weather here.

A faint, sourceless light kept the world from plunging into eternal darkness.

Even so, for other races, Jotunheim was far from hospitable, let alone a destination for sightseeing.

It offered nothing but ice, snow, and the ever-present threat of Frost Giants who could emerge at any moment to claim lives.

After an indeterminate time walking, Aaron finally discovered a place that seemed to be the Fountain of Wisdom.

Unlike the surrounding ice and snow, this area exuded a spring-like vitality.

No Frost Giants were nearby; they appeared to avoid this place entirely.

Though he had not yet seen the Fountain of Wisdom, Aaron was certain this was his destination.

He could sense a majestic magical aura in the air.

His entire being absorbed the surging magic greedily, like a parched traveler at an oasis.

"This is it!"

Aaron's eyes gleamed as he stepped forward, arriving at a radiant spring.

The Fountain of Wisdom!

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