Meanwhile, in a hidden dwelling somewhere within the Celtic tribes.
The Goddess of Winter, her pale lavender hair bound beneath a silver crown and her body draped in an exquisite silk gown, sensed a familiar fluctuation of Ether. She slowly opened her eyes. As her lips moved, her fingers traced a "ᛖ"-shaped rune in the air.
At once, a black snake scale engraved with the same rune on the table flickered in response, projecting an image of swirling yellow sands and the figure beneath a withered tree.
"Skadi, how are things in Britannia?"
Sensing the connection had been established, Samael asked casually.
"Heh, what was that?"
A layer of frost seemed to settle over the goddess's elegant and aloof face. She lifted her chin slightly, letting out a cold, dismissive snort.
Samael cleared his throat, raising his hands in surrender. His face shifted smoothly into a well-practiced, "sincere" smile.
"O beautiful and noble Queen of the Gods, my dear wife-sama, with you taking action, I'm sure everything in Britannia is going perfectly."
"Heh, it's going fairly well. That Hun girl was indeed extraordinary, but I still drove her back. Just as you wanted, the area is now secure."
As Skadi spoke, her smooth chin lifted a little higher, her sidelong glance full of pride.
"As expected, leaving things over there to you puts my mind completely at ease. So, my dear wife-sama, what kind of reward would you like? Shaved ice, or ice cream?"
"Hmm, since you're asking so sincerely, I'll have ice cream."
"No problem. Though you'll have to wait until I finish here and return to the north before I can make it for you myself."
"That's fine. But there's something I need to warn you about in advance."
The Goddess of Winter raised a delicate brow, her tone turning serious. Her gaze lingered on Samael's projection, and an invisible pressure filled the air.
"Uh… wh-what is it…"
The Ancient Serpent's heart skipped a beat. A thin sheen of cold sweat formed on his forehead as his eyes darted about.
Could it be… my… ahem… friendship with Scáthach has been exposed?
"I want two servings of ice cream. Strawberry flavor."
"Huh?"
"What? Is there a problem?"
Skadi tilted her head slightly, her expression earnest and faintly puzzled.
"Oh, no problem at all!"
Looking at the projection of the Goddess of Winter, who was seriously making demands over a simple dessert, the contrast struck him so sharply that Samael let out a relieved laugh. He immediately gave his word, then, feeling oddly guilty, hurriedly changed the subject.
"By the way, any news about the Six Great Fairy Clans or Avalon Island?"
"The Queen of the Celts is gathering related legends and has already sent people to explore the mysterious regions of Britannia, but there's nothing yet."
Skadi shook her head lightly as she answered.
"Then tell Boudica she can start with the horned god Cernunnos, the natural deity worshipped by the Druids in the Celtic lands. If she can establish contact with him, she might be able to learn the exact locations of the Six Great Fairy Clans.
"Now that the Hun Empire's advance has been checked and the immediate crisis resolved, Britannia's efforts can shift more toward searching for Avalon Island."
Samael stroked his chin, thinking for a moment before speaking.
"Why? Is it that important?"
The Goddess of Winter frowned slightly, clearly puzzled.
"To be precise, from this point on, that place is very important. As for the exact reason… I can't say for now."
Samael took a slow breath, his expression turning serious, a trace of gravity settling over his face.
Regardless of whether the planet's Greater Source truly existed, it had already become the fuse for a divine war. And the gateways to the [Inner Sea of Stars] were not limited to Greece alone.
As it happened, he knew that Avalon Island held a particularly delicate position in relation to the [Inner Sea of Stars].
Better to be prepared than caught off guard.
"Alright, I'll pass that along."
Skadi nodded seriously, then let her gaze drift past Samael, toward the endless storm of sand and the scorched wasteland behind him.
"Things don't look too good on your end."
Samael's expression remained casual, but there was a faint lift in his tone, tinged with unmistakable pride.
"Persia brought in two Divine Spirits. I killed one and crippled the other. Went a bit overboard in the divine battle and ended up turning the place into this.
But it's all settled now. Nothing serious. Everything's under control."
He hadn't fought both at the same time, but still, taking on two opponents, crippling Cyrus the Great, who wielded the authority of a war god, and suppressing Angra Mainyu, the Primordial God of Darkness, while also leading nearly seventy thousand Roman soldiers to crush a Persian force of three hundred thousand... it was no small feat.
Even if it didn't quite match the miracles he had pulled off in the past, it was more than enough to take pride in.
Skadi looked at her husband for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"Mm. Then take care of yourself."
"You too…"
After a brief exchange, the connection was cut.
"It looks like she's badly hurt…"
As the projection shattered into light, Samael leaned back against the tree stump, frowning as he murmured to himself.
"Injured?"
Hippolyta paused, surprised.
"I've fought Altera before. She's not easy to deal with. And Skadi said 'repelled,' not 'defeated.' It's only one word's difference, but it tells you everything."
"If you're worried about her, why not just say it?"
"My wife-sama has the pride of a goddess, and she's stubborn about it. Of course I have to leave her some dignity."
Samael pressed a hand to his forehead, sounding helpless.
Hippolyta caught the faint teasing smile and the trace of quiet affection in his dark eyes, and for some reason, felt a flicker of envy toward the distant Goddess of Winter.
"Ugh…"
Just as Samael pushed himself up, the movement pulled at his chest, and a tearing pain shot through him. His face turned pale, and fine beads of sweat formed on his brow.
Hippolyta hurried over and caught him as he slumped to the side, helping him steady himself. There was a hint of reproach in her gaze, mixed with stern concern.
"If you need anything, just tell me. Your injuries are too severe. You need proper rest. Don't move around for now."
She quickly unfastened his clothing, revealing grotesque patterns spreading from skin into bone, like red-black fungal threads. The malice and curse contained within them were so intense that even a few glances made her head spin and her heart pound.
She immediately turned her head away and began applying the antidotes and purification agents prepared by the Amazons, treating both the surface and internal effects.
The faint tingling where her skin brushed against his chest, along with the subtle fragrance that reached his nose, left Samael with no room to think. Pale-faced, he simply leaned back against the dead tree, letting Hippolyta work over him.
Angra Mainyu was, after all, one of the primordial twin pillars of the Persian pantheon, a god whose status was not far below Zeus. His final counterattack had carried a curse powerful enough to kill even a Divine Spirit. The fact that Samael had endured it at all was already remarkable.
Facing two enemies alone, killing one and crippling the other, he was bound to pay a price.