The closeness between the Swedish princess and the Valkyrie was something that most powerful nations did not want to see.
Every country had mythological scholars, and the nature of the Valkyries was well-known in mythological records. Even if the Swedish princess did acquire the powers of a Valkyrie, it wouldn't have a significant impact on modern society. Sweden, as a country, wouldn't suddenly become a world power.
In this interconnected global village, the strength or weakness of individuals could no longer determine a country's trajectory on the planet. Only truly transcendent beings like gods could influence everything according to their individual will.
However, the proximity between Sweden and the Aesir, and the gods mentioned in mythology, still made other major nations vigilant.
Countries like the United States and China, being a considerable distance away from Sweden, were relatively calm. However, nations like England, France, Germany, and even Russia, which were relatively close to Sweden were wary and closely monitoring the situation.
The King and Prime Minister of Sweden were unaware that a simple act, like the Valkyrie holding hands with the Swedish princess, had stirred up geopolitical tensions. At this moment, the two of them were happily following behind the Valkyrie, entering the Royal Palace of Sweden.
Although the Royal Palace should have belonged to the King and Prime Minister, the entrance of the formidable Valkyrie made it seem like she owned the place.
"Though the gods may not necessarily pay attention to the faith on one planet in 'Midgard,' I have memories of this planet. I can sense that this nation once worshiped the Aesir gods. However, the faith in the gods has now been replaced by that of alien gods. Your ancestors pledged eternal devotion to the gods, but now, as their descendants, you have broken that oath!"
"...Midgard is just one of countless planets. The gods may not care about the faith on this insignificant planet, but as a Valkyrie, as one of the servants of the gods, I cannot ignore what I have witnessed!"
As soon as they entered the King's office, the Valkyrie questioned and scolded the Swedish King and Prime Minister, leaving them in a sorry state.
No one could have expected that in the office of the Swedish King, the King and Prime Minister would be scolded by another person in such a manner. Yet, they stood there with appeasing smiles, nodding repeatedly, showing no trace of the dignity expected of national leaders.
But the Valkyrie seemed accustomed to such scenes, as, in the face of the immense power of gods, the authority of the Swedish Prime Minister and King was insignificant.
If the Valkyrie had humiliated them, it might have sparked a human rebellion. However, the Valkyrie was reasonable, bringing up the topic of 'oaths' and contracts, which struck a chord with the modern people who valued contracts. The King and Prime Minister, though confused, dared not refute her.
The King and Prime Minister exchanged glances, both wearing wry smiles. The oath between the ancestors of the Swedish people and the Aesir gods? What was that? How could they possibly know about something that happened thousands or even tens of thousands of years ago? Was it inscribed on a stone tablet or something?
Over the centuries of wars in Europe, with kings changing in Sweden one after another, how could such a thing be passed down? Yet, seeing the Valkyrie's serious demeanor, the two dared not argue.
However, from the Valkyrie's simple words, the Swedish King and Prime Minister drew astonishing conclusions.
For example, the Valkyrie's mention of 'Midgard'—those familiar with Norse mythology would know it represented the human world in the nine worlds of Norse mythology. Yet, the Valkyrie claimed that Midgard had many planets. Did this mean that Midgard, as understood by humans, represented the universe? Then, what did the other eight worlds represent? Other universes?
The Valkyrie's statement that Earth was just an insignificant part of the faith was especially intriguing too. Did this mean that there were countless intelligent races in this universe, and the faith of the Aesir gods had spread throughout the cosmos?
The words of the Valkyrie painted a grand and magnificent scene of a diverse universe. In this endless expanse, numerous races lived, with extraterrestrial gods invading this universe. The gods from various pantheons fought for faith among countless intelligent races.
Human beings, who considered themselves the pride of the heavens, were actually a negligible part of this vast universe. The battles between the gods were a war that spanned the universe and fought among countless intelligent races.
Just looking at the mythological events of the past two years, this speculation seemed reasonable. Those terrifying gods couldn't possibly be confined to a corner of Earth. Comparing Earth to the wider universe, it was just a grain of sand.
This conclusion had been suggested before, and now, through the words of the Valkyrie, it seemed to be confirmed. Moreover, not long ago, humanity had discovered the ancient civilization of the Elder Things, and their technology was confirmed to far surpass that of Earth. Earth had even benefited from it.
‘The universe is indeed dangerous, and humans on Earth are truly weak.’
The Swedish King and Prime Minister shivered, feeling increasingly small compared to the greatness of the gods. Humans couldn't even fly out of the solar system now. However, the ancient Elder Things civilization, which had been able to travel through the stars two billion years ago, still devoutly worshiped the Cthulhu Mythos. Yet, these Lovecraftian gods had been sealed by the ancient gods known in Earth's mythology. The gap between them was simply immeasurable.
As for why gods fought for faith, in the eyes of the two, it was akin to humans fighting for their pride or Buddhists competing for incense. From fragments of Greek and Norse mythology, gods were not beings without desires. They had their own aspirations, and perhaps, the struggle for faith was the way gods fought among themselves!
Now, Earth might have become an inconspicuous battleground for the gods' struggle for faith. The gods of Norse mythology had only sent a Valkyrie to deal with the faith on this planet.
The Swedish King and Prime Minister increasingly found this plausible, and they believed that this idea would soon be known to high-ranking officials in various countries.
Louie understood that the most effective way to deceive people was to avoid being too specific. By focusing on key points and leaving room for interpretation, the human mind would fill in the gaps and engage in self-deception. Louis was adept at this art of deception.
There were times when Louie felt that he was well-suited for the role of the God of Lies. He had manipulated the inhabitants of an entire planet, Earth, with finesse. However, since he had decided to pass on this divine role to Queen Andrea, the significance of the God of Lies’ role diminished, and Louie let it go.
In this instance, Louie aimed to instigate a genuine conflict of faith on Earth. Relying solely on passive faith wouldn't bring him substantial benefits. Therefore, he intended to compel governments worldwide to actively promote their faiths, ensuring that belief systems penetrated deep into people's hearts. He sought to force the emergence of more genuine believers, using this vast and high-quality faith to break through into formidable divine power, becoming a true representative of the primal force of order!
The beliefs that Louis propagated fell under the umbrella of benevolent god worship. This type of faith was relatively easy to spread on Earth. Regardless of which god people believed in, ultimately, they were placing their faith in Louis.
It was akin to the common occurrence in today's online world, where fans of idols engaged in conflict. To generate hype, it was often more effective to incite disputes among fans rather than promoting peaceful coexistence. By sparking conflicts between the followers of two idols, one could increase their popularity.
After all, people fought for that breath of recognition!
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