A week had passed since my encounter with Loki.

  Now, this was my final day to make a choice, otherwise, I would never be able to free Fenrir.

  The dagger Loki had given me was neatly tucked beneath my feathers. The power to cut through Gleipnir within this blade would only last for one week. That was why I had only seven days to decide, without any chance to extend it.

  All of this had left me restless for the past week. I still wasn’t sure which choice to make. Should I set Fenrir free or let her remain bound?

  While I was lost in thought, a shrill, cheerful voice called out to me.

  “Yataaa!”

  A girl with purple hair waved at me innocently, her tone brimming with excitement. “What are you doing up there? Get down here already!”

  Did this girl not understand people’s moods? Did she not realize I was deliberately avoiding her? Damn, this was annoying!

  I turned my back on her, choosing not to respond.

  “Tch, damn bird! How dare you ignore me?”

  I could hear her irritation, but I was certain she wouldn’t be able to reach me from where I was perched. After all, I knew her movement range was limited to just nine meters.

  Thud.

  A sudden pain struck the back of my head. A rock had hit me, knocking me off balance and sending me plummeting from the tree.

  What the hell? Who did that?

  I turned around and realized that foolish girl was the culprit. She was clutching a handful of pebbles, her eyes blazing with anger.

  I quickly got back on my feet, shaking my head to clear the dizziness. Then, she issued a threat.

  “I’ll count to three. If you don’t come here right now, I’ll pelt you with these pebbles, you dumb pet.”

  This was bad! She was really angry! She could probably kill me with just those tiny stones in her hands.

  “Caw.”

  Without hesitation, I shot toward her like an arrow, unwilling to die a pointless death at the hands of her reckless stubbornness.

  “There you go.”

  Fenrir caught me in her arms. She then placed me on her lap, treating me like a pet. A satisfied smile spread across her face as she stroked my feathers.

  “Yata, why have you been avoiding me lately? What’s wrong with you?” She puffed her cheeks in a pout. “I’ve been so lonely, you know.”

  There was no way I could answer her. How was I supposed to tell her the truth about everything that was happening?

  “You’re not going to say anything?” she asked, tilting her head. “Oh well.”

  Just as she was enjoying pampering me, her grip suddenly tightened, making me flinch.

  When I looked up at her, her expression had stiffened, her face tense with unease. Her nose twitched. She had caught a scent, something that clearly upset her.

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  What’s wrong with her?

  “What the hell are those bastards doing here?” Fenrir growled fiercely.

  At first, I didn’t realize what was happening. But moments later, I could faintly sense a strong presence approaching.

  The gods?

  Fenrir stood up, her expression serious. Her ears perked, her fists clenched, and her tail lashed behind her. “Stay back, Yata. I’ll handle this.”

  Seeing the look in her eyes, my suspicions were confirmed. The gods were coming, but why? Could this have something to do with Loki last week?

  Fenrir must have sensed my concern. She stroked my back, flashing a confident smile. “Relax! I may look like this, but I’m still the strongest wolf in Norse.”

  I let out a small sigh of relief. It seemed like she could handle things on her own.

  Besides, what could a small, weak raven like me possibly do against the gods? Facing Loki alone had already frozen me in place.

  In the end, I followed her command and perched in a tree, watching from a distance.

  It wasn’t long before three towering figures emerged from the shadows of the forest, their strides brimming with arrogance.

  I could tell at a glance they weren’t human. Their aura was different. They were gods.

  Fenrir stood firm, baring her fangs at them with a low growl. “Grrr... What do you bastards want here?”

  One of the gods stepped forward, a smug smile on his lips. “After all these years, who would’ve thought you’d grow into such a beautiful young woman, Fenrir?”

  The other gods chuckled at his words, but Fenrir didn’t. She glared at them, her growls only deepening.

  “That’s true,” another god chimed in. “You’ve grown into quite the beauty over the years. Too bad you’ll never get to show it off to the world.”

  They laughed, taunting her with their cruel words, mocking the chains that bound her.

  Fenrir’s sharp gaze remained locked onto them. She looked ready to tear them apart.

  “Leave, or I’ll tear you to shreds!”

  “Whoa, whoa, relax. We just came to check on you.”

  From afar, I clicked my tongue in irritation. Was this the true nature of the Norse gods? Selfish, lazy, racist, and cowardly.

  The atmosphere around Fenrir suddenly shifted.

  My instincts screamed of an impending storm, one so lethal that a chill ran through my feathers. I had never sensed her aura this intensely before, even though it was already frightening enough.

  This girl... she was furious.

  “What do you want?” Fenrir asked, her eyes narrowing.

  “We’re here under Odin’s orders to monitor your condition.”

  Fenrir’s ears twitched in suspicion. “That old geezer has never sent anyone to check on me before,” she sneered. “You’re definitely hiding something, bastards!”

  “We’re just following orders.”

  “Don’t mess with me! What are you hiding?!”

  The gods’ expressions turned serious.

  “What do you even know, you damn brat? You’re not the fearsome wolf we once feared. You’re nothing more than a stray dog who can’t even break free from her chains!”

  “What did you just say?!”

  Fenrir’s rage erupted. She lunged at them with blinding speed, so fast that my eyes couldn’t keep up. Her razor-sharp claws aimed straight for one of them, but...

  Clang.

  “Ugh... damn it!”

  She was stopped by Gleipnir.

  Fenrir struggled desperately, her claws just inches away from tearing into them.

  One of the gods staggered back, nearly losing his balance. The others barely reacted in time.

  “Ugh... that was close,” muttered the bulky god who had almost been slashed.

  Another let out a deep sigh. “Lucky for us, Gleipnir still holds her.”

  Their gazes shifted back to Fenrir, who continued straining against her chains.

  “I... I’ll rip you all apart! I’ll make you my dinner! I’ll chew your flesh until nothing’s left but bones!”

  A sickening smirk curled on their lips.

  “You’ll never break free from those bindings, sweet little dog.”

  They taunted her again, laughing at her helplessness.

  “Who the hell are you calling a dog, bastards?!” Fenrir spat, her jaw clenched tight. “I swear I’ll rip, devour, and skin you all alive!”

  “Try it, if you can.”

  “Looks like this mutt needs some discipline,” sneered the one who seemed to be their leader.

  He glanced at his comrades for confirmation.

  “What do you think, Hord, Svart?”

  The two of them nodded in unison.

  “We agree with you, Brother Hojlund.”

  One of them stretched out his hand.

  I wasn’t sure what he was trying to do, but my instincts screamed that it wasn’t good.

  “O Gleipnir,” Hojlund’s voice rang out across the air, “awaken and bind this stray dog. Restrain her so she can’t move an inch!”

  Gleipnir stirred as if awakening from slumber.

  The chain came alive, tightening around Fenrir, pulling her back until she was completely immobilized.

  I flinched at the bizarre sight unfolding before me. What the hell? So Gleipnir was alive all along?

  The three gods strode toward Fenrir with piercing gazes. Anyone could tell what they intended to do.

  This is bad. What should I do? What can I do.