A New Name

I saw a glimmer of light in the distance, and I knew exactly what that meant—there was something valuable over there. Flapping my wings, I shot toward it, ignoring Fenrir's voice yelling at me from behind.

That girl clearly didn't want me to leave, but what could I do? I couldn't suppress this particular instinct of mine.

Ravens have an innate attraction to shiny things. It's an urge that's hard to resist, even for me.

I finally arrived at the source of the glimmer and set my eyes on a silver necklace with a deep purple pendant lying on the ground.

"Caw… caw… (I've found a beautiful treasure. Extraordinary.)"

Since I hatched deep in the wilderness of Jotunheim and rarely ventured into human settlements, I seldom came across objects as dazzling as this.

Jotunheim itself is one of the realms inhabited by the Jotun in Norse mythology. The Jotun are a race of giants who are often depicted as enemies of the gods, despite originating from the same lineage in the early days of creation. Their relationship with the gods is like that of quarreling siblings—some maintain harmonious ties, but most are portrayed as being in constant conflict.

I gazed at the pendant in confusion.

This is strange… Who would leave such a beautiful thing in a place like this?

This place was called the Lyngvi Valley—a secluded region in the northern part of Jotunheim, several kilometers away from the coast. A perfect place to imprison a monster like Fenrir.

Finding something like this in Lyngvi Valley felt odd.

Ah, whatever. I'll just take it.

Seeing nothing suspicious, I promptly picked up the pendant with my beak and took off with delight.

This pendant is mine now.

As I soared high into the sky, I found myself wondering what to do with it. To be honest, I had taken it purely to satisfy the primal urge screaming inside me.

Now that I have it, what should I do with it? I mused while gliding effortlessly through the air. Oh well, I'll just keep it for now. I might need it later.

From above, I spotted Fenrir sitting against a large rock. Her arms were crossed, and she wore a deep pout, her cheeks puffed and lips pursed in a childish sulk.

What's with her?

I swiftly descended, carefully holding the pendant in my beak. The moment my feet touched the ground, the wolf-girl immediately lashed out at me.

"Where the hell did you go, you ugly bird?! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you? Don't just take off without saying anything!"

I stared at her blankly.

"Don't look at me like that!" she snapped when I tilted my head. "Wait, what's that in your beak?"

Before I could react, her hand suddenly snatched the pendant away from me.

I tried to hold onto it, but she effortlessly pried it from my grasp.

"Caw… caw… (Give it back! That's mine!)"

Instinctively, I lunged at her in an attempt to reclaim my treasure, even though I knew it was futile.

However, the girl easily caught me and hugged me tightly against her chest, rendering me completely powerless. My body was now trapped against the soft warmth of her embrace, leaving me unable to fight back.

So… soft…

Her eyes sparkled as she admired my pendant. "Are you giving this to me?"

"Caw… caw… (No! That's mine! Give it back, you damned girl!)" I protested, wriggling desperately.

For some reason, her tail and ears perked up with excitement, and a wide grin spread across her face as she listened to my enraged cries.

"You're so enthusiastic about it! You must really like me to the point of giving me such a beautiful pendant. I love you too!"

With that, she hugged me even tighter, nearly squeezing the life out of me.

Damn it, she's completely misinterpreting my anger. I thought in frustration. Am I really this weak in her eyes?

Fenrir then lifted me high, gazing at me with an expression of pride.

What's with that look?

"You've fed me, you're willing to be my bedtime plushie, and now you've even given me a gorgeous pendant. You really are the perfect pet."

…Pet?

Who the hell wants to be your pet, you damned girl?! Stop making ridiculous decisions on your own!

I thrashed around furiously in protest.

"Caw… caw… (Do you seriously think I want to be your pet, you idiot?!)" I screeched, fully aware that she wouldn't understand a single word. "Caw… caw… caw… (I refuse to have a master like you! You're selfish, annoying, and unbearably arrogant!)"

But no matter how much I struggled, it was utterly useless against her. She didn't seem to register me as an angry raven at all.

"You're so adorable," she cooed with a wide smile. "I promise to take care of you and protect you no matter what. I also swear I won't eat you, no matter what happens."

My heart nearly stopped at her last words—eat you.

Her pretty face and innocent demeanor had made me forget that, to her (a wolf), I was technically prey.

My feathers drooped in defeat.

I stopped resisting altogether as the harsh reality of my situation sank in. My pendant—the one I had so generously given her—was no longer even on my mind.

You know what? On second thought… Maybe being her pet is better than ending up as her meal.

Fenrir didn't hesitate to put my pendant around her neck. It made her look even more beautiful than before, though the elegance of the jewelry contrasted sharply with her tattered, ragged clothing.

"As proof that you're my pet, I'll give you a little gift."

The word gift piqued my interest, making me stare at her curiously.

"First, I'll give you a name!"

I tilted my head.

A name, huh…?

I had never imagined having a name again after spending so long living as just another raven.

To animals, names are an alien concept. None of us have them, yet we can still recognize each other through instinct.

But… I suppose having a name again in my second life wouldn't be so bad, I mused with a faint smirk.

Before she spoke, she smiled warmly at me.

"From now on, your name will be…"

My heart pounded in anticipation. A small part of me hoped she would give me a cool name.

"…Den Stygge (The Ugly One)!"

The sky felt like it was collapsing. My hopes crumbled into nothingness.

Den Stygge (The Ugly One)? Is that really the best she could come up with? I've never met a girl as stupid as her. How could she give me a name that literally means 'ugly'?

"Caw... caw. (I don't want that name, you foolish girl!)" I screamed, struggling with all my might, crying out in frustration over her ridiculous choice. "Caw... caw. (Take that name back, Stupid Wolf!)"

"You must really like that name," Fenrir said with a pleased smile, completely oblivious to how terrible her naming sense was.

As soon as she released me, I flew up and started pecking at her head in fury.

"Take this, you foolish girl! Take it! Take it!"

"Ow! That hurts! Stop it!" Fenrir tried to shield her head. "What are you doing, Stygge? You've never been this noisy before!"

"Caw... caw. (How dare you call me by that ugly name! Take this!)"

I intensified my attack, pecking at her relentlessly, not caring what she would do to me later.

"Stop it! Why are you so mad?"

I finally stopped and landed on the ground, but I kept flapping my wings and cawing angrily, hoping she would understand my frustration.

"Caw... caw. (You still don't get it, you foolish girl!)"

Fenrir frowned.

"Wait... don't tell me—you don't like that name?"

I nodded.

Her ears and tail drooped as disappointment washed over her. "Alright, I'll come up with another one…" she muttered in a low voice.

She looked deep in thought, rubbing her chin as if she were trying to find the perfect name for me.

"Ah! How about… Svart (The Black One)? That suits you, doesn't it?"

Once again, this girl completely crushed my expectations.

It wasn't exactly a bad name, but seriously… ugh. Couldn't she come up with something better?

"What do you think? It sounds good, right?"

Fenrir tried to meet my gaze, but I immediately looked away, refusing to acknowledge her until she found a decent name.

"So you don't like it either…" Her ears drooped again. "How about Poppet (Little One)?"

I didn't react. I spread my wings, ready to leave, but she grabbed me before I could take off.

"Wait, wait, don't go! I have another name that might fit you."

Fenrir began listing even more ridiculous names, but I kept rejecting them, cawing loudly each time to show my disapproval. Slowly, I could see frustration growing on her face.

"Why won't you accept any of my names?! They all sound beautiful!" Fenrir snapped.

Not backing down, I cawed even louder to make my stance clear. "Caw... caw. (Are you stupid? In what way do those names sound beautiful?!)"

Fenrir ruffled her hair in frustration. "Then what kind of name do you want?!"

I stared at her in disbelief. Was it really that hard to come up with a decent name? Was her naming sense really that awful?

"Stop looking at me like that!" Fenrir barked, clearly irritated by my mocking gaze. "I don't care anymore! Just pick your own name!"

I sighed. In the end, she was leaving it up to me. Well, maybe this was for the best—at least I wouldn't be stuck with one of her terrible choices.

I thought for a moment, recalling all the names I had heard in my past life. After some consideration, one particular name came to mind. But the problem was… how could I tell her? She wouldn't understand if I just cawed at her.

My eyes scanned the area, searching for a solution. Seeing a few fallen twigs scattered nearby, an idea struck me.

I quickly gathered some dry twigs and began arranging them in front of Fenrir.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching me closely. "Wait… are you writing?"

I nodded briefly before continuing.

"That's amazing! I've never seen a bird that can write before."

I couldn't help but smile at her praise.

In my past life, I had studied archaeology, which allowed me to understand the language and writing of ancient Norse people.

After a while, I stepped back and looked at my work with satisfaction.

Yatagarasu.

That was the name I wanted.

The name of a revered crow deity from Japanese mythology, known as a wise and cunning bringer of fortune.

It might sound strange in a Norse setting, but to me, it was the perfect name.

"That's a beautiful name," Fenrir said with a smile.

I turned to see her gazing at the twigs with fascination. It seemed she liked the name I had chosen for myself.

"So… how do you pronounce it?"

I froze, staring at her in disbelief. Was she serious? Could she not read, or had I written it incorrectly?

"What's with that look?" Fenrir asked, tilting her head. "Isn't it normal for people to be illiterate? Honestly, it's weirder seeing you, a crow, being able to read and write so well."

Ah… I see now.

In modern times, reading and writing were essential skills, but in ancient times, most people didn't consider literacy important. Only a few truly valued it. Survival through hunting, farming, and warfare took priority.

I had completely forgotten that difference in culture until now.

I wanted to bang my head against a rock. How could I forget something so obvious? All my effort arranging those twigs was completely pointless.

"Caw… (Damn it!)" I screeched, shaking out my feathers in frustration.

"You're so cute, my little crow," Fenrir giggled, finding my frustration amusing.

I glared at her. Is this what artificial intelligence feels like when it encounters natural stupidity?

Suddenly, Fenrir pulled me into a tight hug. I remained still as she held me close, still sulking over my wasted efforts.

"Don't worry, for now, I'll just call you my pet until I figure out how to read that name you wrote."

Then what's the point of having a name if you're just going to call me 'pet,' you idiotic master?!

Fenrir suddenly loosened her embrace and gazed at me with an unfamiliar tenderness. Her golden eyes, usually filled with mischief, now carried a deep, unspoken emotion.

For a moment, we simply stared at each other, searching for something hidden within.

"I'll give you one more gift," she said, breaking the silence. "A gift that will be incredibly valuable to a creature like you."

Why does she look so solemn? What kind of gift is she planning to give me?

"I will give you one of my Runes…"

A cold winter breeze carried her words away, making them sound almost like a whisper that only the two of us could hear.