255

[Who Touched My Pearl]

Forseti was momentarily stunned, then he noticed the increasingly alluring expressions of the two female snow elves and reacted immediately.

"Why are the Snow Elf clan members serving the Frost Giants like this as soon as I arrive?" Forseti dodged politely.

Patriarch Sommer persistently invited him to stay the night to experience the "ice and snow style", but Forseti declined several times.

Finally, Sommer suggested, "In that case, let's give a gift as a token of our goodwill."

He promptly fetched an ice box, opened it, and revealed four snow-white pearls that sparkled brightly. "These are special snow pearls of our clan. They can be ground into powder for skincare, which has remarkable effects. They can also be crafted into jewelry, a fine choice indeed."

The four pearls were round and pristine. Forseti accepted the gift this time without hesitation. "Thank you."

With that, he departed from the Snow Elf Tribe, retracing his steps back to the camp.

After Forseti left, a snow elf asked Sommer, "Patriarch, are we really planning to join forces with the Asgardians?"

"Otherwise, do you want us to continue being slaves to the Frost Giants?" Sommer snorted. "If we destroy or drive away the Frost Giants, we can become the masters of this planet."

The other sighed, "I'm afraid Asgard will enslave us too... Just like how they enslaved laborers to build the Golden Palace. Ultimately, these big nations are all the same."

"Big nations? You think Asgard isn't a small nation? We ourselves have bullied weaker races," Sommer disapproved.

After a brief pause, he continued, "Regardless, the Asgardians have no interest in Jotunheim. Eliminating the Frost Giants will at least expand our living space here."

"The worst-case scenario won't be worse than it is now."

The two conversed for a while before a panicked snow elf suddenly flew in.

"What's happened?" Patriarch Sommer asked.

"By... Byrest!" The snow elf gasped, panic-stricken. "Byrest Laufeyson has arrived!"

Sommer was taken aback.

Hurriedly, he went outside and saw a group of Frost Giants approaching, led by a tall young man wielding a long knife. His appearance bore a striking resemblance to King Laufey.

This tall youth among the Frost Giants was none other than Laufey's eldest son, Byrest.

"Lord Byrest!" All the snow elves immediately knelt to the ground, heads bowed in utmost respect.

Byrest approached Sommer, patting him on the head like one would a dog, and asked, "Have you gathered all the snow pearls I requested?"

"Well... we..." Sommer stuttered, "Lord Byrest, didn't you say you'd give us a month?"

"I said at most a month." Byrest waved the large knife in his hand, causing the snow elves to freeze in fear. "There are only two missing now. Have you not found them yet? How many are still missing?"

"Unf... unfortunately, we're still four short." Sommer's voice trembled. "We accidentally lost a few yesterday."

"Lost?" Byrest glared, "These were supposed to be the birthday gift for my mother!"

Sommer broke out in a cold sweat. "Please rest assured, we'll gather them as quickly as possible."

"Who lost them?" Byrest demanded.

Sommer hesitated momentarily, then pointed at a clan member and said, "Langyi, come apologize to Lord Byrest. He won't punish you."

Langyi hesitated for a moment, then silently approached Byrest, kneeling down and starting, "Lord Byrest, I accidentally..."

Before Langyi could finish, Byrest dropped the knife in his hand.

Langyi's head rolled to the ground, leaving Sommer dumbfounded.

Then Sommer asked shakily, "You said you wouldn't punish him..."

"Is this a punishment?" Byrest asked, flicking blood off the knife while looking puzzled.

Sommer was speechless.

Byrest pressed further, "Tell me, is this a punishment?"

"...No," Sommer cried out in pain, quickly adding, "It's a reward."

"What is it?" Byrest smiled.

"Yes... it's a reward." The elderly patriarch Sommer surrendered outright.

"You deserve to be the Snow Elf Patriarch, hahaha!" Byrest let go of Sommer's beard, his smile expressing satisfaction, as if fulfilling some deep-seated desire.

After a moment, Byrest continued, "I've given you a reward. What will you give me in return?"

The snow elves remained silent.

"Oh right, Sommer, you still have a daughter, don't you?" Byrest recalled suddenly.

Sommer shuddered. "Lord Byrest, she... she's just a child!"

"I'm quite fond of children. Send her over, I'll teach her some interesting things," Byrest suggested.

Sommer knelt down, pleading desperately, "Please spare my little daughter."

A fierce gleam flashed in Byrest's eyes. He grabbed Sommer's beard and yanked it out, blood gushing. "Then tell me the truth!"

Sommer wailed, "What truth?"

"How did I lose my pearls?" Byrest pressed on, his voice now laced with hysterical tyranny.

Simultaneously, he released a blast of cold air from his hands, sending shivers through even the snow elves.

"It was... Forseti," Sommer confessed.

"Forseti?" Byrest frowned, seeming to recall something. Then realization dawned on him. "The Paladin from Asgard? That Forseti?"

Sommer remained silent, trembling all the while.

"Bring Sommer's daughter here," Byrest commanded.

"No, Lord Byrest!" Sommer pleaded urgently. "It was him, it was Forseti."

"I appreciate your honesty," Byrest nodded, then leaned close to Sommer's ear and said slowly, "But I still want to see your daughter."

Wide-eyed, Sommer attempted to say something.

But Byrest didn't give him a chance. He smiled and tightened his grip on Sommer's neck.