261

[Fangs of the Ice Beast King]

Odin and Fabti talked privately for an entire day, and the details of their conversation remained unknown to others.

Nevertheless, after their discussion, the war between Asgard and Jotunheim came to an end. Jotunheim expressed its surrender, acknowledging Asgard's status as the suzerain of the Nine Realms and Odin as the sole ruler of the Nine Realms.

All the blame for the wars and disasters was placed on Grimir. He was labeled as an "invader," "executioner," and "planner of all disasters" and sentenced to death by Odin.

This blame-shifting was mutually beneficial for both parties. Grimir's domestication of the polar ice beast had previously caused immense trouble for Asgard, and the Asgardians had long wanted to eliminate him. Fabti, on the other hand, lost her son and, as Odin pointed out, could only blame Byrest himself and Grimir for underestimating their enemy or herself for failing in her maternal responsibilities. Admitting to such a failure was incredibly painful for Fabti, making Grimir an easy target for her emotional turmoil and tacit acceptance of his death sentence.

These events, however, are part of a larger story.

After being rescued by Odin, Forseti felt occasional flashes of fear as he flew back. The memory of the massive waterfall of blue light projected from the Casket made him shiver. If he had fewer Divine Shield fragments or if Odin had arrived later, he would have been utterly annihilated by the Casket.

Upon reaching the location where Hela and the others were, Forseti noticed traces of a fierce battle. Corpses of frost giants were scattered everywhere, and more than a dozen polar ice beasts lay on the ground like hills. In addition to Hela's original troops, Tyr, the god of war, was also present, undoubtedly as reinforcements sent by Asgard.

The battlefield was being cleaned up, with the wounded, corpses, and spoils of war being carried away. People were bustling about, attending to their tasks.

Forseti walked through the crowd, found a quieter corner, and sat down to rest. After a while, he remembered he hadn't checked Byrest's Space Bracers, so he took them out and began exploring their contents.

Money. There was a substantial amount of it inside Byrest's Space Bracers, likely tens of thousands of runes in value. Additionally, there were several boxes containing snow pearls, similar to those Forseti had obtained from the Snow Demon tribe. While Forseti only knew a little about their use, he stored them away, aware of their potential value.

The Snow Demon tribe's fate was dire. Given the current circumstances, it was likely that the patriarch Sommer had been killed. Without an alliance with Asgard, the future of the Snow Demon tribe was uncertain.

Among the other items in the Space Bracers, one peculiar item caught Forseti's attention—a crystal key. The key's unique material and exquisite design made it memorable, though its practical value seemed limited since it likely belonged to something in Jotunheim or even the frost giant royal palace, Gastpone Castle.

After cataloging the Space Bracers' contents, Forseti retrieved an ice-blue long knife from his Sanctuary space and examined it.

"Ice Extreme Blade, how did it end up in your hands?" came an angry shout.

Forseti turned and saw a captured Frost Giant in chains, bruised and battered. It was Grimir, the general of the Frost Giants and tamer of the Ice Beast.

"This knife is called Ice Extreme Blade?" Forseti asked, ignoring the frost giant's question.

"How did it end up in your hands?" Grimir repeated.

"Because it is my trophy," Forseti said calmly. "General Grimir, you only left Byrest and two teams of soldiers to deal with me and my subordinates. That was a mistake."

"Impossible... you're just a first-order divine power," Grimir stammered.

"I'm not only a magician but also a paladin," Forseti replied. "I answered your question, now can you tell me the origin of this knife?"

Grimir hesitated until several Einherjar began escorting him away.

"It's the fangs of the Ice Beast King... Asgardian, treat your spoils kindly," he said bitterly before being taken away.

Forseti examined the blade again. The knife was powerful, but its intense cold made it difficult for anyone but a Frost Giant to wield effectively. Even holding it for a short time made Forseti's hands cold, forcing him to use the divine power of flame to resist the chill.

He considered donating the blade to the holy cause but decided that its unique properties might be useful in certain situations.

At that moment, a figure appeared, moving at incredible speed, and soon became clear. It was Hermond.

"Oh, Ice Extreme Blade!" Hermond exclaimed, putting his hand on Forseti's shoulder. "You killed Byrest, how did you do it?"

"Byrest surrendered and killed himself," Forseti said nonchalantly.

"Why?" Hermond asked, genuinely puzzled.

"I'm not sure, why don't you help me figure it out?" Forseti suggested.

Hermond frowned, thinking for a moment before asking, "Did Byrest say anything before committing suicide?"

Forseti: "..."

...

With Jotunheim's surrender, Asgard established supreme authority over the Nine Realms. Odin soon announced that he would summon all affiliated countries as the Lord of the Nine Realms and invited great powers from across the universe to participate in the ceremony, making it an event of international significance.

Under the toil and sweat of many slaves, the Golden Palace had long been completed, becoming the highest and most magnificent structure in Asgard.

The Nine Realms were not just nine celestial bodies but a vast system with nine hubs representing them. Thus, preparations for Odin's ceremony to summon the countries of the Nine Realms began a month in advance, with people constantly coming and going from the Golden Palace.

One day, Odin paced back and forth in his room, a hint of anticipation on his face. After a while, a guard entered and said, "Your Majesty, Madam Frigga..."

Odin interrupted him, "Didn't I say, there's no need to notify me. Let her in directly."