What is a god?
A being capable of doing what mortals cannot is a god.
Throughout the Scandinavian Lostbelt, the only one who could bear the name of god was Scathach-Skadi.
Li Mo wanted to become such a being.
— That's what he said.
Exiting the palace, the great doors slowly closed behind him. The moment the doors shut, the gaze resting on his back also ceased.
Skadi was no longer paying attention to him.
Undoubtedly, Li Mo was bold. To discuss becoming a god in front of an actual deity—wasn't that bold?
Reviewing the previous conversation, Li Mo knew that such audacious behavior either pushed one into the abyss or led to total victory. Being able to walk out of that room intact meant the result was undoubtedly the latter.
Scathach-Skadi stood completely on his side.
Yes, when he revealed the aura of Odin, how could Skadi oppose him?
Li Mo glanced at the Valkyries on either side of the door. These were mass-produced ones, average in strength, without their own autonomous consciousness. Then, he began to walk.
The previous dialogue with Skadi surfaced in his mind.
"You want to become a god? I see. No wonder you carry the aura of the Great God. You want to simulate the process by which the Great God gained wisdom, thereby becoming the Great God?"
The magecraft of the Age of Gods was originally developed relying on the gods. So, in various Ages of Gods, there was no need for a Magic Foundation to use magecraft. Or rather, the gods served the function of a "Magic Foundation."
Therefore, as gods, knowing and even mastering magecraft was an easy matter. They just disdained it, as they were powerful enough relying on their own Authorities.
Scathach-Skadi was naturally not that kind of god. She had a certain amount of magecraft knowledge in her mind, but she never used it.
"The thing the Great God couldn't accomplish, can you do it?" Skadi then asked.
This was the most difficult question during this period. Scathach-Skadi witnessed with her own eyes the Great God dying at Surtr's hands. To make her believe that he, who simulated the Great God, could kill Surtr, he had to make her admit that he, who simulated the Great God, could surpass the Great God.
— And precisely, he couldn't prove it.
In the end, Li Mo still successfully persuaded Skadi.
He could prove that Surtr's state was far inferior to the past. After consecutive battles, he must have been injured. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been sealed by the Great God. That was point one.
Second, there was Ophelia. Surtr occupied Sigurd's Saint Graph, becoming her Servant, and would inevitably be affected by her. The Command Spells in Ophelia's possession were also one of the trump cards.
— As for how to obtain the Command Spells from Ophelia, that was simple. At worst, he could just disguise himself as "Ophelia."
In short, Li Mo used a series of arguments to gain Skadi's trust. Made her nod in agreement.
"I will prepare a surprise for you."
Walking down the corridor, Li Mo couldn't help but recall this sentence. That deity said these words with a benevolent tone at the end, like a loving mother giving luggage to her departing child.
But the child at least knew what the mother would prepare, while Li Mo had no idea what kind of surprise Skadi would prepare. What if... in the end, the surprise turned into a shock? What then?
That wouldn't be good.
After leaving the great hall, Li Mo felt both joy and worry. The joy was that Scathach-Skadi stood on his side. With the Lostbelt King's approval, his actions within the Scandinavian Lostbelt would face no resistance. The worry was the surprise she mentioned.
A mysterious surprise equals a variable. Li Mo didn't much like variables.
In his plan, even Napoleon was accounted for. There was even a contingency for the sudden appearance of the Chaldea party, and another for Kirschtaria sending a Divine Spirit-level Servant here.
Moreover, even if his "Divinization - Odin" couldn't defeat Surtr, he had another contingency. If that contingency failed during execution, there was still an ultimate contingency. The risk of the latter was much greater than the former. The former, at most, meant opposing the Counter Force. The latter probably meant leaving the Type-Moon world with sequelae.
But it was also something kept as a last resort. Li Mo didn't believe Surtr could push him to that extent.
After walking a few steps and seeing other figures at the far end of the corridor, Li Mo finally put the matter aside for now.
Scathach-Skadi's preparations were hers. He should finish what was in his hands first.
"Thrud, are you alone? Where are Hildr and Ortlinde?"
The blonde Valkyrie stood there, so Li Mo asked.
Among the Valkyries of the Scandinavian Lostbelt, there were three commander-types. The blonde Valkyrie, Thrud, was one of them, also the eldest of the three Valkyrie sisters.
"Hildr and Ortlinde are outside and already on their way back. Li Mo, what matter requires our assistance?"
Thrud appeared here because she received a command from Scathach-Skadi.
Her power permeated the entire Lostbelt, so her will could spread throughout it. That's why Thrud appeared here first; she was in the castle when she received the command.
"What needs to be done isn't urgent. Let's wait until Hildr and Ortlinde return before acting."
"Li Mo, you were with Her Majesty earlier. Do you know why Her Majesty's power fluctuated a moment ago?"
Ice and snow were the Queen's will. If naturally formed winds caused a blizzard, it wouldn't signify anything. But Thrud could perceive that the sudden blizzard earlier was caused by Her Majesty.
"That matter, you can ask Her Majesty about later. For now, Thrud, you just need to assist me. By the way, do you know where little Ophelia is?"
"She is in the castle."
"I see."
Li Mo nodded.
For a while afterward, there was no further communication between the two. He had known Thrud for over half a year, but due to different duties, lack of common topics, and other factors, he didn't know her very well.
Actually, it wasn't a complete lack of understanding. At the very least, Li Mo clearly knew Thrud's combat capabilities. Scathach-Skadi used the three Valkyrie sisters as a basis to create the mass-produced Valkyries. The data on the three sisters collected at that time was all in his hands.
Hildr and Ortlinde gathered here one after another. Seeing the three Valkyrie sisters assembled, Li Mo spoke up: "Good, everyone's here. Please follow me. As for other attendants, there's no need to follow."
Li Mo moved forward, the three Valkyrie sisters following behind him. He could hear the three sisters communicating among themselves, seemingly unaware of what they were to do.
Finally, Thrud asked, "So, what are we going to do?"
"Apprehend Ophelia and her Servant."
Li Mo gave the order.