According to Hoder and Regin, since the western part of the Atrium World had become barren in recent decades, no one was willing to visit this desolate plain or the barren Gnitahide mountain.
Thus, in the eyes of the gods, they were easily exposed.
However, remaining hidden wasn't impossible. If Siegfried was willing, he could use the available resources to form a team of adventurers.
Then, by joining them under the guise of exploring the deserted mountains, he might be able to discover the treasures within the kingdom's ruins.
However, this approach was ultimately too troublesome. Those who wanted to explore had already done so after the kingdom's destruction, but their efforts were in vain.
In the end, Siegfried and his party simply returned to their starting point. Hoder, still godlike as a sage, left the town of Strath and said he would meet them in Gurnita Hyde.
Siegfried brought Regin and rode his divine steed straight here.
It's worth mentioning that he was still a bit wary because there was thunder rumbling in the sky.
Storms were brewing, and it was raining heavily.
Siegfried didn't know if this was a normal weather change or if the gods of Asgard were angry. He worried that a fatal meteor would flash through the sky.
But the truth was that he was thinking too much because some things hadn't been picked out yet.
As long as Siegfried remained sane and didn't say something like, "We're just trying to screw over the gods," he would be safe.
His reasoning was simply too good to be true. He used death to hide his identity because he hoped to deceive Legni and avoid being harassed and hunted down all day long.
As for the god thing?
He didn't know yet.
As long as the matter is kept under wraps, the gods won't go against the "rules of the game" of the Atrium World that they themselves laid down.
It's like a silent game that started over a year ago, almost two years ago.
What the gods themselves thought was irrelevant; what mattered was what they would do.
Now, it seems that Uncle Hoder had the right idea.
Although the unpredictable weather made him uneasy, they crossed the Atrium in a few days on the divine steed Grani. During that time, no one came after them.
After confirming this, Siegfried couldn't help but feel a touch of emotion in the depths of his heart.
Although Hoder had explained to him what it involved a long time ago, understanding was one thing, and his sigh of relief was another.
As early as when he decided to fake his death to hide it from the world more than a year ago, his uncle had already anticipated this step.
Admitting that would be difficult for anyone, but Siegfried could honestly admit it: he couldn't do that. Even then, most people in the Atrium World wouldn't be able to do it either.
After all, he was a god overlooking the entire Atrium World.
After all, Siegfried was a human born and raised in Midgard. Although his adoptive father, Regin, hadn't instilled any superfluous ideas in him, his living environment had shaped his initial perceptions.
Until now, he believed the gods were powerful. For those gods, he could not achieve the same disdain his uncle had shown.
Consequently, his uncle's position in his heart had risen.
"Hoo..." He took a deep breath.
Honestly, the young man was still under a lot of pressure because he deeply understood the path he had taken.
But was it regrettable?
But do you regret it?
Of course not. If he did, he wouldn't be here now.
"Are you getting nervous?" When Regin turned his head, he saw Siegfried breathing deeply.
"Yes." There was nothing to hide, so he simply nodded his head, saying, "But I'm not afraid of evil dragons."
He had dealt with dragon creatures before. He was present when Prince Studus of Gitland confronted the giant dragon Herme.
Although Studus can be said to have fought bloody battles, Regin knows that dragons aren't that strong, especially since he still holds the holy sword Gram.
Regin understood this, so he didn't say much.
The silence continued, but suddenly, he felt the rune stone respond. After taking it out, the rune on the stone shone with mysterious brilliance.
Position...
"Here he is," he said.
Just then, a figure approached from far away. His outfit resembled Siegfried's, but the suit of armor underneath was the old Völsung family frontier armor.
"I thought you would be slower." The dwarf laughed before and after the figure walked up to him.
There was no malice or irony in his smile because, in the entire atrium, except for gods with supernatural powers who could fly, no one was faster than Siegfried.
Of course, if that person had a warhorse of the same origin as Grani, that would be another story. But does Hoder have one?
Obviously not, as Regin 's impression is that he either walks or rides a war horse bought at the city gate.
Still, his speed seems a bit slower than Siegfried's and the others'.
"We just arrived last night and stayed in the house for the night."
"Well, haven't you encountered any trouble along the way?"
"As you said, there was no trouble."
Regin didn't go into too much detail because he didn't know if anyone was watching, and he didn't sneer at the gods like he used to.
"Then, without further ado, if you are ready, we can go in."
Are you ready?
In fact, some words are just Hoder's own habits. He is accustomed to showing respect through words.
The so-called "preparation" is just a casual sentence from him, but it somehow moved the old dwarf a little.
After all, this is his hometown.
"If you're ready, then you're ready and waiting for your arrival." The dwarf said, "Come with me now."
The three of them walked toward the depths of the outer city. Their figures disappeared into the mountains. This scene also fell into the hands of a god sitting on a supreme throne.
The one-eyed old man with the eagle helmet clenched his fist at that moment.
"Come on! Let Thrúd come over for me!"
His voice conveyed inexplicable emotions, like the calm before the storm.
The sound echoed far away and entered the Storm Palace of the Goddess of Storms without warning.
"Hostess..."
"I heard it." As Thrúd walked on the promenade, she didn't say much. She just spread her wings and leaped out of her palace.