Those time travelers that year

Anyway, this is the dead end of the world. Even a slightly larger city in central Europe has a much larger population than this. This place is probably not even as good as the rural areas of China.

It is precisely because of its remoteness that local magic societies are mostly passed down through a single lineage. After all, there's no way anything good could be found in such a dilapidated corner, especially since it was razed to the ground when the German army retreated during World War II. The Finnmark County of today was actually rebuilt later. It's easy to imagine how difficult it is for magic societies here to recruit students.

Therefore, when the magic society here discovered traces of gods from the unique mythological system of Scandinavia, one can imagine how devastated they were.

Logically speaking, shouldn't these gods be hanging around in prosperous and bustling areas? Although Norway is part of Scandinavia, Finnmark County is the most desolate and remote place in Norway. So why would you gods descend upon such a place?

Filled with grief and indignation, the magic society of Finnmark immediately sought help from the Council of Sages of Greenwich, the largest magical institution in Europe. If possible, they hoped to summon the demon lords who had slain the gods to settle the matter once and for all.

Unfortunately, at this time, the European devils were in a state of chaos: one was wandering off somewhere, another was hiding from his butler because he had gotten into big trouble, and yet another was chasing after a little girl and robbing her along the way.

Ultimately, the Greenwich Sages Council decided to send a professional team to assist the local magic society in sealing away the deities from the unique Scandinavian mythology that had descended upon them.

It's past midnight!

446. Finnmark County

Sealing gods is no easy task. Even though these beings have escaped the world of mythology and are no longer bound by or blessed by myths, they are still gods. Leaving aside their divine power, their overwhelming magical resistance alone is enough to give the Council of Sages in Greenwich, Finnmark County, Norway, a major headache.

What else could they possibly do but face a bunch of magic-immune beings who would give these dispatchers a headache?! Not to mention, these guys aren't so easy to deal with. In the past, without the Demon King who had killed gods, every time the Magic Society went to seal a troublesome god, they had to pay a huge price, and the success rate was not high at all. If they encountered those who were particularly famous and troublesome in mythology, it was like an old man hanging himself—pure suicide!

Of course, it's not to say there's absolutely no chance. At least, to deal with this trouble, and mainly out of fear, since none of the gods in the unique mythological system of Scandinavia are peaceful. Just look at what kind of cowards the ancient Vikings who worshipped them were; that's how you know what it means when the upper beam is crooked and the lower beam is crooked too.

Those who are crooked at the bottom openly and legitimately engage in piracy, looting, and arson as their professions, not to mention the gods above them.

These troublesome fellows will certainly not stay put in the godforsaken Finnmark County, Norway, according to Alice Louise Of Nafal, former Speaker and now Special Advisor of the Council of Wise Men of Greenwich.

As a result, the pressure inevitably falls on the dispatched personnel.

However, the leader was 'Red Copper', a cunning and cunning man, with a cunning and cunning spirit, and a cunning and cunning spirit, with ...

Furthermore, just in case, they also contacted the "Bronze Black Cross," meaning two originally hostile organizations are now working together. The saying "The one who knows you best is not yourself, but your enemy" is absolutely true.

Anyway, a large group of people went to Norway. Even if they were defeated, they could at least clean up the mess. After all, Finnmark County was a godforsaken place. As long as the residents were taken there for refuge, no one would care even if it was razed to the ground again.

However, Paul Brantelli, who was leading the team, was troubled because his niece, Erica Brantelli, was causing trouble with Liliana Kranichal, who represented the "Bronze Black Cross."

Both are recognized as prodigies in the European magic world, having reached the Grand Knight rank at a young age, indicating a bright future. However, it is clear that this is precisely why they dislike each other so much.

Unfortunately, compared to her lively and energetic niece, Liliana Kranichal's eloquence was clearly inferior to her talent, and she was easily provoked by Rika's few words, so she angrily drew her sword.

Just as things were about to escalate into a full-blown brawl, Paul had to step in and stop the trouble.

“Erica, you should behave yourself…” Even if the two sides were enemies to some extent, they were just competitors and it wouldn’t escalate to a life-or-death struggle. Besides, his niece had been a bit rash, so after stopping the potential duel, Paul turned around and admonished his niece.

“Yes, Uncle!” Erica replied perfunctorily. Seeing her triumphant expression, as if she had won some great battle, and Liliana’s unwilling and ashamed look, Paul’s head throbbed even more.

These young people, who grew up in the aura of genius, simply cannot comprehend the trouble they will face! If the gods who descend only cause a little trouble, that's fine, but if not, then the whole of Northern Europe will be in trouble, and it may even affect the Eastern European region.

Norway is no match for their mere meddling.

Guided by a local Norwegian magic society, their group, consisting of hundreds of people including knights, witches, and magicians, continued their journey towards Finnmark County.

At first, nothing seemed amiss, but as they approached Alta, everyone was shocked.

What unfolded before them was a raging blizzard. Of course, the blizzard was nothing compared to what might be even worse on the Russian side. Besides, a mere blizzard wouldn't pose any problem for these 'superhumans' who possessed the supernatural power of magic.

What truly shocked them and even instilled fear in them was the dark shadow that appeared and disappeared amidst the blizzard. Although the blizzard obscured their view, making it difficult to see clearly, they could still discern that it was a towering tree, an incredibly large tree that seemed to reach straight into the sky.

“…That, could it be—Yuktrahir?!” Upon seeing this, Paul Brantelli, who was leading the group, swallowed hard, then spoke with a serious expression to the Finnmark County branch leader of the Norwegian Magic Society Alliance who had brought them there, “It can’t be what I’m thinking, can it?”

“It’s a great pity, Lord Brantley!” the Finmarkshire branch minister replied with a mournful face. “…As things stand, the worst-case scenario is that the World Tree—Yuktrasil—is gone!”

These words caused everyone's expression to change. The World Tree, Yggdrasil, is the worldview of Norse mythology, and the source and origin of all turmoil within the myths. The Aesir gods reside in Asgard, the highest realm, and Ragnarok began when Nidhogg gnawed through the roots of Yggdrasil.

But this should only exist in mythology! During the Ragnarok battle, this tree was burned by Surtr, so it absolutely shouldn't be here.

"Are you certain which one has descended?!" Paul asked seriously. Before arriving, almost everyone predicted that there wouldn't be any major problems this time, since no great disaster had occurred, and it was likely just the descent of some giant god. But now, what giant god could cause this scene?! It's probably some Norse god who has stepped out of mythology and descended here!

"When did this turn of events occur? Why didn't you explain it to the council in detail before?!"

"I'm so sorry, Your Excellency..." the Finnmark County branch manager said, trembling. "This situation is completely beyond our expectations. It happened a day and a half before you arrived here, catching us completely off guard... We are helpless!"

"Damn it!" Paul muttered under his breath, his face twitching. There's a difference between gods. He could deal with and even defeat divine beasts, but some gods could easily kill them with a single blow. Unfortunately, in Norse mythology, with very few exceptions, the gods are mostly the kind of barbarians who don't back down and just fight.

He wasn't one of those demon kings who slew gods. He could handle divine beasts, and with assistance, he could barely delay most of the giants in Norse mythology, as long as they weren't the most famous ones. But if he were to face a descending Asgardian god, he'd be lucky if he wasn't instantly killed.

Given the dire situation, the most troublesome thing is probably the arrival of those at the very top, although this is just the prelude...

Fourth watch!

447. She's even prettier than me!?

The events in Finnmark County, Norway, after being relayed back to the Greenwich Wise Council from Paul Brantley, caused a huge uproar. Initially, everyone thought it was just a headache, but no one could have imagined it was more than just a headache; it was a matter of life and death!

The gods of Scandinavian mythology, or Norse mythology, are notoriously difficult to understand. Gods from other mythologies are at least somewhat manageable, and many of them are only involved for seemingly random reasons. If you politely explain the situation and adopt a humble attitude, these creatures are unlikely to cause any major trouble.

However! Trying to reason with these creatures from Norse mythology is probably going to be difficult...

It's important to know that the Norse rune system of magic is best known for producing berserkers. These berserkers, forged through magic, are all muscular brutes. They're basically the kind of guys who can head-on fight tanks and demolish battleships with their bare hands.

Of course, this has a side effect: most of these guys are brainless.

The rune system of magic has been largely lost by now, with only scraps remaining. If even this can create brute warriors, what about the Norse gods who mastered the complete rune system? The Vikings of yesteryear openly acted like thugs in Europe; these gods would probably have been even more despicable.

Rather than hoping that Paul Brantley can hold the line, it would be better to look forward to the return of those three problematic figures in Europe to resolve the issues.

“It seems there’s no other way, Lord Brontë!” Alice Louise Off Nafal said to Paul during the communication. “The current situation is beyond your control. For safety’s sake, the priority should be to evacuate all the residents of Finnmark County…”

“I have already given the order to deal with it. Fortunately, we have brought enough people this time, and I think the evacuation will be completed soon.” Paul Brantley said with a wry smile, “Now, all we can do is pray to God.”

"Should we pray they don't come over too soon and make a big splash?"

"What else can we do?!"

"Then, Lord Brandtli, can you confirm which deity will descend from Norse mythology to the mortal realm?" Alice inquired. "...If we could know in advance, I could prepare some contingency plans."

“I don’t know!” Paul Brantley shook his head. “So far, the only possible certainty is that they are gods from Asgard in Norse mythology…and most likely the main gods, but which one is it is still unknown.”

"I see!" Alice sighed and then said, "...If necessary, Lord Brandtley, I urge you to prioritize the greater good and evacuate first! In a critical situation, we might as well abandon Finnmark County... and even the whole of Norway. Let those three troublemakers come back and handle the problem themselves!"

"Speaking of the King in this way is a grave offense, Princess Alice!"

"But I'm stating the truth!"

……

After contacting the Council of Wise Men of Greenwich, the only remaining option was to intensify the evacuation efforts. Fortunately, Finnmark County doesn't have a large population, only tens of thousands. Compared to cities with hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, the work here is relatively easy; the only challenge is evacuating the residents, which requires dispersing manpower.

At this point, even the privileged Erica Blantri and Liliana Klanichá had to get moving. Of course, this situation was quite frustrating for the two proud women; coming here just to be 'firefighters' didn't satisfy them.

Among them, the more rigid and methodical Liliana, who only writes romance novels in secret and is relatively calm, is completely unable to bear this kind of torment, except for the more lively and active Erica.

“You’re so incredibly boring, Liliana Kranich…” Seeing Liliana rigidly following orders, Erica, bored out of her mind, started teasing Liliana.

“If I were you, Miss Erica Brantry, I wouldn’t stand by and watch these innocent people get dragged into this disaster.” Liliana said sternly, looking at Erica with displeasure. “...Don’t you know this is an utterly deadly disaster?”

"Of course I know, but in my opinion, instead of backing down, we should go and see how far the fermentation has progressed. That way we can handle it better, right?"

“What a foolish idea, Miss Erica Brantelli!” Liliana scoffed. “Do you think you’re up to the task of fighting a myth? That’s an enemy that no human can possibly contend with…”

"How do you know it won't work if you don't try?" Erica muttered. "Aren't those kings kings precisely because they accomplished these impossible miracles?"

“But you are not, Erica Brantri!” Liliana said firmly. “...While I have no right to judge their conduct, every king is an embodiment of miracles. However, compared to them, we are not those one-in-a-million miracles; we are merely insignificant knights! Even among the Grand Knights, there are many famous and few unknown Grand Knights in Europe alone, not to mention the rest of the world. But kings are ultimately just a handful!”

"Tch! What a boring girl..." Erica sighed, spreading her arms wide. "Be careful you don't end up unable to find a man and never get married!"

Whether I can find a man to marry is none of your business!

They bickered, though Erica was mostly causing trouble. The two were divided into a group and began evacuating the village residents. With the aid of magic, their persuasion work was far more efficient than that of government officials; a simple suggestion or hypnosis was enough to get these defenseless ordinary people to obediently pack their things and leave the area.

"Wait!" Just then, Liliana suddenly saw a figure moving in the opposite direction in the village. It was a thin figure, and unlike the other villagers who were leaving the village for safety, this figure was walking towards the edge of the village in the opposite direction.

That direction was precisely where the storm was raging.

"Wait!" Seeing this, Liliana rushed over, shouting as she ran, "It's dangerous over there! Please follow the group to safety!" As Liliana ran, Erica also saw the figure heading towards the danger zone. However, unlike Liliana, Erica was stunned. For some reason, when she saw the figure heading towards the blizzard-ravaged area, she seemed to see darkness and fire intertwining for a fleeting moment.

'What are you thinking? I'm not a shrine maiden with clairvoyance!' Shaking her head, Erica thought she was being silly or too nervous, and hurriedly followed Liliana towards the figure.

"what!?"

In a flash, relying on their superhuman physical abilities, Liliana and Erica quickly caught up with the figure and pulled him back. The person, after being pulled back, turned around, his tone slightly puzzled, as if he didn't understand why he had been stopped.

However, upon seeing the man's appearance, both Liliana and Erica froze on the spot.

Silver hair, dark gold eyes, flawlessly smooth skin, and a delicate face. She was an exceptionally 'beautiful' person; at that moment, both Liliana and Erica were thinking the same thing:

'She's even prettier than me!?'

The fifth watch!

448. This is a stand-in!

For the first time in their lives, Liliana and Erica felt a profound sense of inferiority regarding their appearance, as if a sharp arrow had pierced their hearts. Frankly, judging by their looks, Liliana and Erica, still young girls, already exuded their own youthful beauty and charm. Whether it was the reserved and rigid Liliana or the lively and energetic Erica, each possessed a unique allure.

Unfortunately, in terms of temperament, the two women were still a bit too young. However, the person in front of them was completely different. He was not only handsome, but also possessed an indescribable, otherworldly aura that utterly overshadowed them. If the three of them were to walk together on the streets of Paris, the person in front of them would undoubtedly attract the most attention—in fact, it's fair to say that the high rate of people turning their heads around was almost entirely due to him.

Yes, it was him. Liliana and Erica had sharp eyes and clearly saw the Adam's apple on the neck of the person who turned around. This made the two women feel as if a sharp arrow had pierced their hearts once again, not the kind of heart-wrenching pain, but a heart-wrenching pain that overwhelmed them with sorrow.

All of them combined are still no match for one man?!

I lost in both looks and temperament...

That's why the two women suddenly fell silent.

They had originally intended to say something, such as urging people to leave the village and seek refuge, but the words caught in their throats. However, they quickly realized that it was foolish of them to remain silent. The reason they thought this was because the person in front of them, who completely overwhelmed them in appearance and demeanor, was looking at them with the eyes of someone who pitys a fool.

"Ahem..." Liliana coughed, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere. "It's like this, a blizzard is coming over there, please go and take shelter quickly!" Liliana even used a little hypnotic magic to suggest it to Liliana.

"Wait!" Suddenly, Erica seemed to realize something and reached out to pull Liliana, causing her to stumble. Not only that, she also took a few steps back, pulling Liliana along with her.

"Erica Brantri!" Liliana, who had nearly slipped and fallen after being pulled, blushed furiously, practically ready to draw her sword for a duel. "What exactly do you want?!"

“…Idiot, didn’t you see his clothes?” Erica scolded Liliana, then gripped her beloved sword, “Cuore di Leone (CdL),” tightly in her hand, staring warily at the person in front of her.

"Clothes!?" Liliana was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening. The person in front of her wasn't wearing heavy winter clothes; instead, it was a black formal suit with a cape-like garment draped over his back, and a hunter's tricorn hat with a single white feather embroidered on the edge. These were clothes that, by all accounts, shouldn't be worn in such cold weather, especially since the temperature here had already dropped below zero due to the arrival of the troublesome god.

These clothes, which seem completely out of place in this climate, are actually quite common among them. They simply use magic to protect themselves from the cold… but who is this person before them?!

"Who are you? Which guild are you from?" Realizing what was happening, Liliana quickly gripped her beloved sword, "Silver Master," and pointed it at the obviously suspicious man.

"Which society?" The handsome young man (probably?) hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Liliana and Erica with his dark gold eyes. This seemingly casual gesture sent chills down the spines of the two girls, as if the young man were a beast devouring everything, eyeing them with predatory gazes. "It feels so similar to the settings in Type-Moon!" But the young man didn't attack, nor did he show any murderous intent. He simply looked at them and muttered under his breath, "...and the underlying rules seem similar too, but it doesn't seem to be a parallel universe to Type-Moon!?" Of course, Liliana and Erica didn't hear the rest of his words.