The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar: Volume 24

Table of Contents

Cover

Color Illustrations

Suoh Family Tree

Maps

PROLOGUE

ACT 1

ACT 2

ACT 3

ACT 4

EPILOGUE

Afterword

Yukisan’s Afterword

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

PROLOGUE

Suoh-Yuuto has been slain!

From within the raging flames, one man’s triumphant voice rang out. Clutching the disembodied head of a black-haired man, he held it up proudly for everyone to see.

Suoh-Yuuto had been sent to Yggdrasil from the land beyond the heavens to bring glory to the Wolf Clan—a small, unassuming clan that made its home in the Bifröst Region. He had even ascended to the position of þjóðann before eventually absconding and making his home in the New World. This legendary hero had finally met his end, the curtain falling at last on his epic tale.

However, there was no functional writing system in place in the New World, meaning no historical records would be left behind. In other words, the tales of Suoh-Yuuto and his companions would only be passed down by word of mouth, whereupon they would inevitably be embellished and amended as they spread from region to region. Eventually, his exploits would become the stuff of legend, and even now, those stories can be heard throughout Europe as an established part of European folklore.

ACT 1

I wouldn’t say it resembles him all that much...

Looking down at the severed head on the table before him, Jörgen smiled bitterly. He had been asked to inspect the head to verify its authenticity. Jörgen had known Yuuto for nearly twenty years now—if anyone could tell whether the head truly did belong to the great Suoh-Yuuto, it’d have been him. For that reason, if he announced that the head really was Yuuto’s, there could have been no greater proof—which had been the plan all along.

Father sure has given me a hell of a job this time. With an exhausted sigh, Jörgen shook his head.

He recalled the events that had transpired half a year ago...

"You’re retiring?!" Jörgen said incredulously.

Upon being summoned to Yuuto’s office, Jörgen had received some shocking news. His surprise was understandable—Yuuto was only a little over thirty, an age said by some to be the prime of one’s life when it came to mental and physical prowess.

Yeah. I’ve been here ten years, and now that the food situation’s finally stabilized, I’d say it’s about time for me to take my leave. Yuuto gave a small shrug, his elbows on his desk and his head resting on his palms.

Despite his face still retaining the youth of someone in their midtwenties, Yuuto exuded an aura of dignity and majesty, doubtless due to the sheer number of gory battles he’d overcome. Jörgen understood why so many of the greenhorn soldiers cowered and became tongue-tied in his presence. Naturally, it had never been Yuuto’s intent to frighten his subjects, but he was now such a prominent figure that his very existence was unavoidably imposing, automatically intimidating those under his rule. However, as one who’d served under Yuuto for many years now, Jörgen was of course immune to this.

Don’t you think it’s a little early for you to retire? Unlike an old codger like me, you still have many, many prosperous years ahead of you! Jörgen replied.

And it’s precisely because I have ‘many, many prosperous years ahead of me’ that I want to be free from this burden already, Yuuto explained. A bitter half-smile appeared on his lips.

I see. Come to think of it, you didn’t exactly become a ruler because you wanted to, did you? Jörgen recalled the first time they’d met. Yuuto was such a natural-born leader that it was easy to forget, but he’d never aspired to be a king in the first place. He was completely uninterested in attaining wealth, power, or status.

That’s right, and now that we’ve weathered the storm and are finally on track to prosperity, I think I’ve done enough.

Indeed, you’ve done an incredible amount of work. Jörgen nodded sagely. After becoming the patriarch of the quaint mountain-valley clan known as the Wolf Clan, Yuuto had conquered half of Yggdrasil in the span of only a few years and had rescued over a million Yggdrasilians from an unprecedented calamity. Even upon migrating to the New World, he had done everything in his power to prevent his subjects from starving, and he’d done so without making use of any of his knowledge from the land beyond the heavens whatsoever. It wasn’t simply flattery—Jörgen honestly believed that Yuuto was an incredible man.

So, I’ve been thinking, shouldn’t I just go ahead and let my successor take the reins already? After all... Yuuto paused, a grin of self-deprecation appearing on his face. I’m not gaining any more popularity with my subjects by sticking around, am I?

...I suppose not. After a small pause of his own, Jörgen reluctantly agreed. Ever since moving to the New World, Yuuto’s approval rating hadn’t exactly been favorable. As a matter of fact, it was the lowest it had ever been.

Upon touching down on the New World, Yuuto had forbidden himself from using any of his modern-era knowledge, including letters and characters. That was because he was afraid that if he carelessly changed the future, he might inadvertently cause a time paradox and make it so that their great escape from Yggdrasil had never happened.

However, the lack of advanced technology meant a decreased standard of living for his subjects. Naturally, the public were unsatisfied with being forced to live under conditions that were clearly more inconvenient and harrowing than Yggdrasil’s had been, but faced with Yuuto’s overwhelming military might, they’d been unable to resist.

Thus Yuuto’s approval among the people had plummeted—in fact, it was currently at rock bottom. They now saw Suoh-Yuuto as a demonic tyrant who struck fear in the hearts of all his subjects.

On the other hand, Jörgen didn’t think a change in rulership was going to do anything to improve the people’s living conditions. Still, he understood the necessity of at least temporarily quelling their dissatisfaction.

Then who do you propose as your successor? Your son Nozomu? Jörgen asked.

Hereditary ties hadn’t meant much under Yggdrasil’s Chalice system, but it was a different story when it came to the þjóðann. Regardless of the actual circumstances, Nozomu was the only child of Yuuto’s that carried the blood of the previous þjóðann Sigrdrífa, which meant that he was automatically the most suitable successor to the throne. However, Yuuto didn’t seem to be too keen on the idea.

It’d be too cruel to force this burden onto a mere fourteen-year-old.

"You certainly managed it, didn’t you?"

I’m not the sort of parent that wants their kid to go through the same crap they did. Yuuto shrugged his shoulders in apparent self-derision. It seemed he really did consider the throne nothing more than a nuisance.

Then I suppose the next choice would be Linnea, your second-in-command? Going by the Chalice system, the second-in-command was next in line to inherit the position of patriarch. What’s more, Linnea’s potential was so great that even Jörgen could recognize it. In addition to her business acumen and high popularity, she had a gentle heart and was always looking out for her clan’s people—in some respects, she was the optimal candidate to lead the Steel Clan as the next reginarch.

Despite this, Yuuto shook his head. As far as her potential as a ruler goes, there’s no one better, it’s true. But if I’m going to take all my other wives with me, I can’t just leave her here in the lurch. It’d be too sad. He scratched his cheek, embarrassed. Jörgen felt the corners of his mouth loosen in amusement.

Popular as always, eh? After being your most trusted advisor for over ten years now, I would’ve thought that you would have at least divulged some of your techniques to me.

If I’d had any techniques to speak of, I would have. If I’m being honest, I have no idea why they’re all so fond of someone like me. That’s the biggest mystery of all in my eyes.

There you go again with the whole ‘someone like me’ shtick. Humility is in your nature, it seems. Yuuto had ascended to the rank of reginarch in a matter of years, and he’d always been surrounded by a bevy of women. However, in Jörgen’s opinion, while Yuuto certainly had spirit and ambition, he still had aspects that were lacking, especially when it came to his personal life and taking care of himself. Perhaps his unreliability in those areas stoked the girls’ maternal instincts, and they felt like they simply couldn’t leave him alone, Jörgen thought. The fact that Yuuto was able to attract them like a magnet without even trying couldn’t have made Jörgen more envious.

At any rate, it looks like we’ve gotten off topic. I trust Sigrún and Kristina will be joining you as well?

Yeah. I asked them, and it seems like they want to follow me wherever I go.

My, you would take all the suitable candidates for reginarch with you and leave us high and dry?

In my opinion, I think you’d be the most suitable candidate of all, Jörgen.

Are you serious? What could an old fart like me accomplish? Jörgen cracked a wry smile. He was already pushing sixty. Given his age, he’d quit being the advisor to the Steel Clan, relinquished the position of patriarch of the Wolf Clan to his successor, and was now taking it easy in retirement. He had already tied up all the loose ends in his life, and he had neither the desire nor the stamina to take the stage once more.

I figured you’d say that. Well, who would you nominate, then? No need to hold back, give your honest opinion.

Lady Homura, I’d say. With the blood of Nobunaga running through her veins, I believe she’s got what it takes.

Homura’s a no-go. She doesn’t have my Chalice, first off. And if she became the reginarch, she wouldn’t hesitate to use gunpowder and steel weaponry.

I suppose you’re right. Well, that leaves only three more that I can think of. Mustafa, Barr, or perhaps Babel... Over the past ten years, each of them had shown great promise, at least.

Yuuto gave a small smile. I noticed you didn’t include Gendo.

Regrettably, my grandson has a long, long way to go before he’d be reginarch material, Jörgen explained.

Now who’s the humble one? Yuuto replied teasingly.

No, I’m being serious, Jörgen said solemnly. From an objective, unbiased standpoint, he could at least acknowledge that his grandson Gendo had an uncanny knack for politics, a talent perhaps inherited from Jörgen himself. Unfortunately, however, he lacked the necessary grit. Jörgen’s honest assessment was that he might do well under a capable patriarch, but he just didn’t have what it took to shine brightly enough to become the sun itself.

I see. So, who do you think is the most capable out of those three? Yuuto asked.

Probably Babel. He’s got some work to do on the political side of things, but he’s got the fighting spirit and drive for sure. He’s also an Einherjar, so that puts him at the head of the pack, Jörgen replied.

...Hmm. Yuuto crossed his arms in thought, seemingly unconvinced.

Is there a problem? Jörgen asked.

Well, it’s just that he can be a bit...ambitious. That concerns me, Yuuto replied.