With the sudden appearance of another woman, the sound that thundered in the air began to disperse. Just how many more people will walk inside the Palace uninvited? King Odin thought as the vigor in his eyes slowly faded away.

He had just announced his authority to the 9 Realms, he said all of that, and yet the one it was meant for seemed to be completely unaffected. Even now, the young man he wanted to aggravate was not even looking at him, but instead at the newest intruder.

"I am surprised to see you still alive, Miss Angela," Van then let out a small but deep sigh as he watched as Angela walked towards him.

"Do you want a beating again?" Angela snarled as she raised an eyebrow, "Shall we give this boy a spanking? We probably should, right?"

Van's surprise was truly real. The people he knew from the past had changed one way or another, with the least being Gerald. But even he had already shown signs of maturity one would expect from a married man.

Angela, however, seemed to be completely unchanged by time.

Her hair? The same.

Her voice? The same.

Her height? The same.

She looked completely the same as when they parted ways during the explosion. Of course, it had not even been minutes since their reunion… but Van truly had this feeling that Angela remained completely unchanged.

"Does… anyone know who the little woman is?"

"Is… she a Vanir?"

With Angela carrying herself in a nonchalant way even through all the commotion, most of the Aesir in the room looked at each other. Truly, this little woman was also someone of status.

The first one that came to the boy's side was the current queen of the Vanir; and then the second was the Vampyr, a being that bathed herself in the blood of the Aesir. Surely, the young woman can't be normal; they all thought.

But no matter how long they looked, Angela was still unfamiliar to them.

There was one, however, who had an inquisitive look in their eyes-- King Odin himself. Now that his agitation was slightly taking its rest, there was a sense of familiarity slowly growing within him.

The young woman… he feels like he saw her somewhere before. With that thought clouding his mind, he closed his eyes, scouring his memories until the young woman's face resurfaces. His memories flashed before him, until finally; when he reached one of his earliest memories… Angela was there.

Odin then opened his eyes wide as he quickly looked towards the small woman. She… she was beside the Allmother when he first met her!

Realizing this, his grip on his lance tightened. Was… Was it really just their fate to be devoured? Was the prophecy truly unstoppable?

He made sure that it won't happen; he gained strength way beyond what his father and his father before him were capable of. Was all that effort meaningless?

What he built here… was it really just for one man to take away? With the realization and racing thoughts slowly burning his mind, Odin lightened the grip on his lance as a long and deep sigh escaped his mouth; his majestic beard, graying and slowly showing its age.

Right now, King Odin's face just looked like any other old man's.

"...Father."

And seeing Odin extremely dejected, Thor could not help but look to the side; his eyes cast down.

It may be true that Odin held the greatest power in the 9 Realms, a status that has been unmovable since the earliest times. But perhaps because of that, his ideals were not able to age with the passage of time.

Thor had always explored the different Realms, seeking adventure and battle; and in turn, learning the customs of different civilizations. While Odin… Odin sat on his throne, breeding the next generation of warriors that would ensure Asgard remains the ruler of the 9 Realms.

It was true that his father watched kingdoms fall and rise; but that was just it, he was content with just watching and ruling from the top-- never growing and moving from where he stood.

Power is useless when you're already at the peak.

"Father… Will you be alri--"

"Leave me alone with the boy."

And before Thor could even utter his concern, King Odin suddenly handed him his lance.

"..." Thor did not question his father's words as he took the lance. Afterward, he looked at the Aesir one by one and nodded, gesturing for them to leave.

"Seems like I appeared at a bad time. Let's talk later, Mr. Evans," Angela then said as she stepped a few steps back.

"...Athena?" Van then looked towards Athena, silently asking her what he should do.

Athena remained silent for a few seconds, looking at the ground before proceeding to nod her head.

"It should be fine," she then uttered, "Unlike Thor, honor is everything to Odin. He won't do anything that would undermine his name. Also, I'll choose a hammer to your liking in the meantime."

"...Don't choose anything bigger than me."

"There's nothing bigger than you, King Evans."

"..."

"I sense a disturbance in the air. I don't like it," Angela sniffed a couple of times before leaping outside of the hall.

"Call me when you need me, Van," Latanya then patted Van's shoulder a couple of times before also stepping away.

"We have a lot of catching up to do," she then said as she passed by Sarah, who told Van not to do anything rash before leaving with the rest of the girls.

And as soon as everyone else was gone, Odin suddenly sat on the empty floor.

"..." Van tried to wait if Odin was supposed to do something, but even after a few seconds of silence, he decided to take a seat as well.

"Surrounding yourself with people that have more experience than you…" King Odin then let out a short but deep sigh as Van joined him on the floor, "...I do not like to admit it, but that is a trait crucial for a ruler.

Tell me, young King-- What do you plan to do with us? With my kind? Since you have gone through all this trouble; learning about my race and teaching in one of Asgard's academic institutions. I take it you no longer plan to devour us?"

Although quiet, the authority in Odin's voice still has not left him. However, this time, there was a slight softness and respect to it; a respect one would use towards an equal.

"..." Hearing King Odin's numerous questions, Van could not help but look at the floor. But no matter how long his eyes stared, there weren't any straight answers coming out of him.

"I… don't know," Van then said as he looked Odin straight in the eyes, "Maybe. Right now, my answer would probably be no."

"Right now? So in the future, you could just change your mind and choose to devour us?"

"That is a possibility," Van said with a sigh, "But after spending some time in your home, spending time with the people in the Academy… I don't really think it's a question of when or if."

"Hm?"

"It's a question of Who…

...Whose soul deserves to be devoured?"

Light slowly shone upon the two as the skies completely cleared; the rays reflecting in both their eyes as they remained staring at each other's eyes, none refusing to look away.

"I absorbed the souls of some of the students of the Academy because they harmed someone, and I didn't like it. I absorbed Hermod's soul because he antagonized me… and I didn't like that."

"So if you don't like someone, you will absorb them?"

"If they piss me off, then I would probably do so without any hesitation."

"Your mind truly is still young… But tell me, right now-- do you want to devour my soul?"

"..." The two still had their eyes locked on at each other, still refusing to break eye contact.

"If you show any signs of hostility, then yes," Van then answered, "That would probably also solve a lot of the problems I am facing right now. If in case I win against you and absorb your soul, your people would avenge you; and in turn, I devour all of them until nothing is left."

"...Let's make a pact."

"...A pact?"

"The criminals that have transgressed the laws of Asgard, those who will be put to death or locked up by an eternity; Asgard will give them all to you," King Odin then stood up from the ground, and yet his eyes remained staring at Van's, "This includes any future transgressors. We will send them directly to… this 10th Realm that you speak of. But in return, you need to promise not to attack us."

"..." Hearing Odin's sudden proposition, Van could not help but squint in suspicion as he slowly stood up, "Are you not afraid that I would grow stronger if you do so?"

"You will grow even without it. It is as what the Allmother said… you are inevitable-- Ragnarok is inevitable. But at least this way, I could control it; slow it down and get to choose who perishes."

"..."

"And you are right, young King," King Odin then let out a long and deep sigh as he looked outside, "The war between us and the humans is soon to come. I wish for you to remain neutral…

...Go find and build your own Realm and take your army with you."

***AUTHOR NOTE***

If you haven't yet, please do support and vote for my newest work, 'Wait, My Juice Can Save The World?'. It's the remake of the legendary 'My Sausage System', which is actually the father of this novel.. lol.

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