Skadi IPO

"Because you are Skadi," she said with a light laugh—her gentle tone was to avoid being dealt with too harshly when she returned to reality. "Isn't that reason enough? You can't come up with any more reasons."

—There's no way I can bring myself to say those reasons. Being thought of as crazy is never a good thing.

Then, she felt the atmosphere in the air freeze for a moment.

Miss Orca opened her eyes, and in her deep red eyes was Miss Surtr's reflection—and only Miss Surtr's reflection.

"... I remember, my position at Rhodes Island was your personal assistant."

"Uh...it seems there's no word 'life'?" Miss Surtr blinked.

However, Skadi doesn't seem to have any intention of correcting this problem.

"After returning to the real world, I will fulfill my duties properly. This is my mission and my heartfelt wish."

She released Miss Surtr's hand from her chest.

"Now, please don't hold back. Heal me..."

"... Surtr, my... Miss."

Chapter 159 - Skadi - IPO

The atmosphere became strange.

Miss Surtr sensed something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was or what was wrong.

She always felt as if she had been caught up in a terrible war, and that she was unusually at a disadvantage in this struggle.

That's strange.

But I can't quite put my finger on what's strange about it.

Skadi on her lap became docile, no longer as annoying as before, or even as stubborn and rigid as she had been a dozen hours earlier—no, this wasn't a change beyond her expectations; rather, it felt like she was getting closer to the Skadi she remembered, the one who had only existed in the game's setting.

No longer a warrior of steel, no longer a ruthless hunter. Miss Surtr even had a feeling that if she were to ask to touch Skadi's hair right now, the Miss Orca would, just as described in the game's files, place the braid in her hand and boast about its smooth texture.

—We've become closer.

—Is it because I saved her?

Hmm... the hero rescuing the damsel in distress is indeed a universal trope. But I don't think I qualify as a hero... so rescuing the damsel in distress should be pretty good, right?

—I think I'm pretty.

The girl tilted her head, and the flames flowing from her fingertips dispelled the frost within Skadi's body. Unlike when she treated the little shark puppy, Skadi's wounds weren't so severe that they required flames to reside within her and merge into her flesh. Except for the deepest wound on her leg, the rest of her body quickly recovered after the curse poison dissipated.

A warm sensation emanated from Laevateinn beside her, as if acknowledging the thought in her heart, "I'm quite beautiful." Her mood lightened, and more and more heat emanated from her body.

"Hmm..."

Skadi let out a soft, comfortable sound. It was like a whale's call, or perhaps some kind of deep song. In the past, even just five minutes ago, such a tone would never have escaped Skadi's lips—she shifted her graceful figure slightly, making herself more comfortable. Her long, flowing silver hair cascaded down with this small movement, the ends lightly and playfully brushing against Miss Surtr's ankles.

It was itchy and tingly. Even though it was late autumn, this tiny movement stirred Miss Surtr's heart like a warm spring breeze.

Late autumn... Is it really late autumn now?

Perhaps, on a conscious level, the changing seasons don't operate in anticipation of the arrival of winter?

Miss Surtr's eye twitched, and her feet, subconsciously and quietly, stretched a little further away.

However, this did not seem to be an effective strategy—because Aegir's long silver hair seemed to have some kind of vitality, and when her ankle shifted, the shimmering ends of her hair also swayed a little distance—they still landed on Miss Surtr's ankle and even wrapped around it a little bit.

"Uh..." Miss Surtr wasn't quite sure if this guy was doing it on purpose. So she tried a slightly more tactful way of putting it. "...The treatment will be over soon, just bear with it a little longer."

She received an unexpected reply.

"Then... how do you expect me to endure?" Skadi looked up at her, her originally sharp eyes seeming to be tinged with a thin layer of mist. Her tone also lowered slightly, as if it had acquired a strange magnetism.

—I feel like this guy is flirting with me.

—Damn, I've never seen anything like this with Persephone... Wait! Why would I think Persephone would seduce me?

My mind is a jumbled mess, and something strange seems to be stirring within me. Something wondrous seems to be conceived and growing, like a seed sprouting in spring rain, its tenacious growth revealed in the gentle dripping of the raindrops.

She suddenly shivered.

"That's good." Miss Surtr's words were rather vague. "Uh... just lie down, lie still, and don't move around."

She may have chosen the wrong way to deal with it.

"Lie down, is this... like this?" She saw the girl in her arms adjust her position slightly, stretching out her limbs and changing her breathing. Her beautiful figure was made even more alluring by this small movement, and the next moment she felt a soft mass press against her abdomen.

There is one thing that must be emphasized again—in one respect, Skadi's fighting ability is five times greater than that of Persephone.

At least five times. Maybe more. After all, that subtle feeling of pressure was enough to make even the most oblivious person's mind waver.

One of them swallowed hard.

"Um... I didn't mean that kind..." She felt that her treatment process was not quite stable enough.

Skadi, however, simply blinked, feigning ignorance.

"Then should we change to another one?" The girl from the deep sea tilted her head, and her long silver hair, which had been tied up just a moment ago, quietly fell apart—it cascaded down like a pure waterfall, like countless slender little hands caressing Miss Surtr's calves and heels.

That's good.

Miss Surtr can now confirm that the season her current consciousness represents at this point in time is early spring, not near winter.

Miss Surtr didn't know exactly how she finished the treatment. But she felt that the entire process must have taken her about fifteen minutes.

Fifteen minutes... perhaps fifteen months or fifteen years would be more appropriate?

Miss Surtr was genuinely struggling to adjust to this situation. This sudden, dramatic change—if Skadi hadn't been so badly injured, she probably would have stormed off. But now...

The last wound healed as the flames receded, and apart from the unavoidable tearing of her clothing, Miss Orca's injuries were completely gone. All her wounds had been restored by the Ocean Daughter's regenerative abilities. Her vitality and mobility were now in Miss Aegir's hands.

She has fully recovered, except for a slight weakness that will soon disappear with time. Her body and strength are now ready to be used again.

Then a certain red-haired fellow coughed lightly.

"It's basically all right now. Can you stand up?" she asked, extending her hand as if to offer support.

Offering a helping hand is merely a polite gesture.