Loki's Rebirth
Ending a life is simple. Crush the head. Shatter the heart. Or simply rip the limbs off and let shock do the rest. Life ends easily enough.
But the opposite—bringing life back—is anything but simple. Even in the modern world, dealing death is easy. Yet no matter how far science advances, reviving the dead has always been considered impossible.
And now Fenrir was asking me to do exactly that. To somehow bring this dead human girl back to life.
It was a desperate plea, the kind she rarely made. As her master, I wanted to grant her wish, but this was no simple favor.
From the state of the body, the girl had been dead for days. Half-rotted. Even I could not turn that into a living human again.
Creating a Plutos wouldn’t work either; that magic required a living subject from the start. And simply raising her as a mindless undead was clearly not what Fenrir desired.
Still, I wasn’t completely without options. The path existed, though it was far from smooth and carried risks I could not ignore.
“There is a way. But it might fail. And even if it succeeds, she may not become the existence you hope for. Are you still willing?”
“Of course. Just save her.”
“Furthermore, you will have to pay a price. If it fails, that price will have been paid for nothing. Even knowing this… will you accept it?”
Fenrir’s expression grew heavier at my words. Then she nodded with firm resolve.
“I am prepared. This is a life I already owe. I want to repay it however I can. My blood, my lifespan, my heart—use whatever you need.”
Her declaration left no room for doubt. Honestly, the risks made this far from ideal. The subject was a powerless human girl. Using her as material would likely produce only mediocre results.
Yet the cost Fenrir would bear was steep. In terms of overall fighting strength, this would be a serious loss.
Even so, I began the ritual. No matter that she was my subordinate, her will was absolute. I could not override it. Especially not with the debt I still carried from my past mistakes.
“…Very well.”
In absolute darkness, the girl felt something seize her. It was hot. It carried a power that could not be defied. And yet it was impossibly gentle.
She surrendered herself to it and was drawn endlessly forward. After slicing through the endless dark, she saw a light that illuminated everything—a crimson sun hanging in the sky.
“….Eh?”
With that final thought, the girl opened her eyes.
But the body that awakened was no longer human. It was shaped like flowing lava, clad in flames that burned like scales. In the chest where nails had once pierced her, a crimson eye-like orb pulsed with searing heat.
Aside from a face that still bore some resemblance to her old self, she had been completely transformed. And in those new eyes, she saw her for the first time.
A demon with silver hair and red horns. The one who held the girl’s blazing body without hesitation, tears glistening in her eyes.
The moment she saw her, an instinct rooted deep in the girl’s soul stirred. She opened her mouth with care.
“Master…?”
The question came naturally, without the slightest discomfort. Her master—Fenrir—answered in a quiet voice.
“…Does your body feel alright?”
The girl carefully examined herself. Finding nothing wrong, she replied with polite obedience.
“Ah… yes. I-I’m fine, Master.”
“Good… I’m glad. Truly… I’m so glad.”
Her master’s face bloomed into a bright smile. The girl felt a flicker of confusion, but far stronger was the joy that rose simply because her master was smiling.
Then came the words.
“Then, according to our contract, I’ll be counting on you from now on.”
“Yes! I’ll give it my all. Master, this girl…. um… um… that is…”
The girl faltered, as if something blocked her tongue. She knew what it was. Her name. The word people had used to call her when she was still human. But that name no longer existed in her mind. It had been cleanly cut away, as if scooped out by some unseen blade.
Seeing her confusion, her master spoke.
“Loki.”
“….Yes?”
“That is your name now. Bear it and serve me faithfully from this day forward.”
“Loki…”
It felt like a missing piece sliding perfectly into an empty space. The girl smiled, bowed her head, and declared with pure devotion.
“Understood, Master. This girl, Loki, will devote her every loyalty to you!”
“Whew…”
“Thank you for your hard work, Your Majesty.”
Hela greeted me with her usual gentle smile. Hearing her voice, I sank into a chair, feeling a heavy wave of exhaustion.
“Thank you. For indulging Fenrir’s reckless whim. I will never forget this kindness.”
“It was what she wanted. I only offered a little assistance. There’s no need to call it kindness.”
I answered in a calm tone. It wasn’t false modesty. I had constructed the ritual and provided the magic, but the one who truly sacrificed the most was Fenrir.
In my case, I only used a few magical tools I rarely needed and spent mana that would recover after half a day’s rest. But Fenrir, who became the core of the ‘Contract’ spell that saved the girl, had roughly twenty percent of her power sealed away.
Even so, she remained one of the strongest among demonkind. Still, sacrificing hard-earned combat strength was no easy thing for anyone.
In modern terms, it was like donating a vital organ. Yet Fenrir had shown no reluctance. In the end, the contract—using the girl’s body and soul as the medium to turn her into a familiar—succeeded perfectly.
“I wouldn’t have guessed it, but you really do have a sentimental side…”
“Yes, I find it surprising as well. For someone so straightforward and brutish, you’re surprisingly thoughtful about these things. Honestly… to go this far over one girl…”
Hela grumbled, but I found myself smiling for a different reason.
In that regard… you pretend to be so rigid, yet you have so many gentle sides yourself.
After all, it had been Hela who first brought the situation to my attention. I didn’t know the exact circumstances, but she had asked me to look after Fenrir because something seemed wrong. Thanks to her, I was able to reach Fenrir sooner, hear the story, and carry out her wish more smoothly.
“That part of you… is what I like.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah… never mind. It’s nothing.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, I turned my head. Lately, moments like this had been happening more often. At some point I had begun stealing glances at her, only to catch myself turning away in shame.
A bitter feeling settled in my chest.
No matter what… this is wrong. At this point, anything I say would be little more than coercion.
The position of absolute ruler could be truly troublesome. I steadied my emotions and looked at Hela once more.
“In any case, the matters regarding Canna Castle and Fenrir have been resolved. The next place we should target is—”
At that moment.
BANG!!!
The door flew open. Zeke tumbled inside as if he had been thrown.
Hela frowned.
“What is this commotion? This is His Majesty’s private quarters—”
“E-Excuse me! But you need to see this immediately…”
Zeke hastily pulled out a letter. Hela looked momentarily dumbfounded but accepted it. Then her expression changed.
“…Your Majesty?”
“What is it? What exactly—”
With a shocked face, Hela passed the letter to me. The moment I read its contents, the words left my mouth before I could stop them.
“This is just fucking ridiculous…”