"You can all stand," I ordered, my gaze sweeping over the Valkyries kneeling before me. Around 500 of them—now officially under my command.
This was our first formal meeting. I'd seen them plenty of times in Asgard, but never like this—assembled, awaiting my orders.
Oh, and they had cool Pegasus-like horses. That was a nice touch.
Also, they were all stupidly beautiful. An all-blonde, elite warrior unit. Aesthetically pleasing? Absolutely. Strategically viable? Questionable. I had a feeling they'd mostly end up as an elite decoration squad—great for morale, flashy for big fights, but hardly the backbone of my forces.
Obviously, that needed to change.
My mind was already buzzing with ideas—enhancements, cutting-edge tech, specialized gear. Hell, even a new uniform to make them actually look like an unstoppable force instead of some glorified parade unit. And considering their ridiculous beauty (seriously, if they were on Earth, every single one of them could be a top Hollywood actress), they were perfect for aura farming.
Father really did give me a great gift. Hundreds of beautiful, loyal warriors—what son wouldn't appreciate that?
…If he hadn't just been an asshole a few days ago, sending me a not-so-subtle warning about my place, I might have even considered nominating him for Best Dad Ever.
But anyway, jokes aside, my intentions were pure.
'I am not such a man.'
'I am not such a man.'
'I am a man with principles.'
'I am a man with principles.'
[Yes, keep repeating that, Master~, maybe someday you'll actually believe it.]
'You hurt my feelings, Raph. Do you really think I'd sleep around with the Valkyries?'
[The probability of that happening is 99.98%.]
'Hey, I already have a fiancée! Why would you even think that? You know what, I think you've done too much math lately and gone crazy. Take a break, Raph. Suspend all projects for a few days and clear your mind… 'cause you're talking bullshit.'
[Humph.]
'Now, now, don't be mad. Just enjoy the break.'
[]
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'Okay, stop ignoring me… Hey! Turn the thinking acceleration on again!'
…
Hahh. Women.
…
I shifted my focus back to the assembled Valkyries. Time to get this over with.
"Although you all already know who I am, for formality's sake—" I began, my voice carrying through the air, "I am Magnar Odinson, Crown Prince of Asgard and your new leader. Since my father, God-King Odin, has gifted you to me as my personal force, I will be assigning you into separate units. First, the leader of the Valkyries—step forward and give me a total headcount."
That 'gifted to me' part? Very intentional.
Their previous master saw them as something he could just hand over like an object. Their new master—me—was treating them far better, despite them being nothing more than a gift. They needed to understand that, embrace it, and follow me wholeheartedly.
Was I being a toxic, manipulative red flag gaslighter?
…Maybe.
Okay, definitely.
But did I regret it?
Never.
Because in real life, you're either the one playing the game, or the one getting played.
And as the God of Wisdom, being an idiot was not an option.
A woman stepped forward, her posture rigid, her expression carefully neutral.
"Your Highness," she said, bowing. "I am Brynhild, leader of the Valkyries. There are a total of 506 Valkyries, including myself. What are your orders, Master?"
Her voice was stiff, emotionless. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know why.
Being treated as a gift had messed with them.
But, honestly? That worked in my favor.
A group of broken, discarded warriors with no sense of belonging? Easy to mold into something new. Something better.
At least this was better than the fate they would've met if they were sent to die sealing Hela.
…Yeah, now that I thought about it, Dad really was an insensitive asshole sometimes. The fact that he also possessed the Divinity of Wisdom just made me appreciate Raph even more.
[Flattery won't get you anywhere.]
'Still mad?'
[Humph.]
'…'
I sighed. Whatever.
"Alright, Brynhild," I said, eyeing her. "From today onwards, you are my personal assistant. Since there are 506 of you, divide into five units—100 per unit. Select the five strongest members, aside from yourself, to act as unit leaders. They will answer to you, and you will answer to me."
She bowed again. "Understood, Master."
Good. First step done.
Now… time to really get to work.
'Raph, start designing a new armor model for them—golden bronze in color. Throw in a cape too. Focus on the looks for now; we'll make up for functionality when I learn runes later.'
'I should probably ask Father about runes soon. Not knowing them is hindering too many of my plans. Once I master them, I can start mass production… or maybe not. Should we orchestrate Father's redemption arc to make him peaceful earlier than in the original timeline, Raph?'
[That would not be a good idea. It's better to wait until he naturally becomes peace-loving, then start acting on Asgard, rather than plotting against him now. I have started designing the armor. I have created them based on your imagination, memories, and desires. They are designed to please you, and you will definitely like them, Master.]
'Oh? And how can you be so sure I'd like it?'
[Please, at this point, I know you better than you know yourself, Master.]
'Fair point…'
Brynhild spoke up again. "Your Highness, for the unit leaders, I would recommend Hilda, Sigrun, Hirst, Skadi, and Hervor. They are the strongest Valkyries beside me and would be ideal for leadership positions."
That same emotionless tone.
Alright, that was getting annoying.
Well, whatever. She'd recover eventually. No need to force a fix for something time could heal naturally.
"Very well, I'll go with your recommendations. However, if other Valkyries prove themselves more capable, they may replace them. And of course, if one of them outperforms you, Brynhild…" I let my words trail off.
A flicker of something crossed her face—gone in an instant.
"Now, Hilda, Sigrun, Hirst, Skadi, and Hervor—step forward," I commanded. My deep voice carried authority—the kind that made people obey before their minds even caught up.
I appointed them, let them select their own subordinates, and with that—my work here was done.
"You can all disperse for now. Except for you, Brynhild. You're coming with me."
I walked back to my living quarters, my new assistant following behind.
Finally reaching my room, I turned to her.
"So, Brynhild… do you know what your job as my assistant entails?"
"…No, Your Highness. I am sorry."
Hah. Expected.
"No problem. You'll learn. There's not much need for you to fight anymore, so let's start by… changing your attire."
I flashed a gentle (evil) smile.
A moment later, I conjured a new outfit—a maid uniform. Leaning slightly toward the sexier side, but still decent.
"For now, wear this. We can make adjustments later."
Her expression finally cracked.
But in the end, she still took the uniform.
"…Yes, Your Highness. I will go and change now," she said through gritted teeth.
Ahh. There it is.
Now, I'm not saying I'm evil…
But seeing a strong, proud warrior so defenseless?
Definitely brings out my sadistic side.
[Still believing what you said earlier, Master~?]