“Mylora still hasn’t been spat out by the labyrinth. Looks like she’s holding steady,” Torina muttered to herself.

She knew willpower was the key to braving Niflheim—no need to panic. After all, Mylora was the protagonist. What did protagonists *never* lack? Willpower.

From outside, the labyrinth revealed nothing. No live dungeon-cam feed like in xianxia novels. With Mylora still inside, lingering served no purpose. Torina slipped away quietly.

Right now, nearly all of Valhalla City had gathered around the labyrinth for the spectacle—*perfect* timing. She darted back into the city, hurried down near-empty streets, and reached the southern shopping district.

As any isekai fan knows, the “MC stumbles upon legendary treasure at a roadside stall” trope is non-negotiable. In the original plot, the protagonist not only entered the labyrinth to claim the Stellar Rune but also bought a pair of unassuming divine pets from a dusty corner of this very district.

*(Original quest order: find divine pets → enter labyrinth → obtain Stellar Rune in northwest corner. But honestly? If Mylora even *got* the Rune, that was a win. The “roadside stall pets” phase got skipped entirely.)*

Skipped the quest—but what about the pets? Leave them gathering dust in some forgotten nook?

Absolutely not~

Kind-hearted, animal-loving big sis Torina’s got you covered~

After helping the protagonist *this* much, claiming one or two tiny cheat items as thanks isn’t greedy, right~?

Here I come, you stinky little beasts—ahem, *adorable* animal friends~

“…Hm?”

At the district entrance, she spotted a group of odd figures… or rather, strange elves.

Clad in dark crimson, with near-white hair, ghostly pale skin, and vivid blood-red eyes and lips—an unsettling sight. Their stealth was expert; presence nearly erased. Only Torina’s sharp perception caught them.

*(Are these the “suspicious elves” Patti mentioned? Definitely not the friendly type.)*

Torina veered wide to avoid trouble—then froze.

*(Wait… in the original, a side event in Valhalla City boosted House Dewell’s favor. It *did* involve elves…)*

She stole another glance. Their looks didn’t match the book’s description… but better stay cautious.

Slipping down a side alley, she pulled on a presence-concealing cloak and headed straight for a nondescript shop tucked deep in the district.

“Excuse me, shopkeeper.”

“Mm…”

The owner was a greasy old man slumped in a rattan chair, yawning. Dusty oddities cluttered the shelves—likely black-market leftovers.

Amid the junk, her eyes locked on the target.

Two eggs, chicken-sized, nestled in a box. Stony-textured shells, dull ashen gray—utterly plain.

“What monster’s eggs are these?”

“Huh? These… let me think…”

She asked the price, haggled perfunctorily, paid, and hurried off with the eggs.

Her heart hammered the whole way.

*No mistake.*

*The ravens Huginn and Muninn!*

Fragments of the Guardian Beast Odin—revered divine beasts of the ancient Northern Realm!

House Dewell’s bloodline shared a covenant with Odin; their strongest could summon pieces of his form in battle. In the original, the team leader never reached that tier. But the protagonist hatched these ravens, forged a bond with Odin, and later tamed him as a summon! Now *she*, the villainess, held the eggs—plot divergence, level up!

*(Yay! Once hatched, they’ll see me as Mommy… and my combat power skyrockets!)*

She grinned.

…Though, in this gender-bent world, what if they hatch as cute girls instead of birds?

Hahahaha—nah, too absurd.

——————

Not long after Torina left, the strange elves entered the shopping district. Heads swiveling, scanning every stall.

One elf asked their leader:

“Oroei, are you certain Her Majesty seeks…?”

“Two birds. Or two bird-related items.”

Oroei, a man with a detached expression, was the esteemed guest Lei Alpharise mentioned—the one who fished the ring from the river and gave it to Annawiel.

“Search quickly. Stay low-profile.”

““““Understood.””””

They combed every shop and stall. At the greasy old man’s booth Torina had visited, they found nothing bird-related. The shopkeeper dozed, ignoring them.

Beyond two elves snagging rare antiques, the search yielded nothing.

“Tch. Nothing? Could Her Majesty’s intel be off? She *did* mention uncertainty…” Oroei muttered—

“We found it! Come quick!” “This shopkeeper says he has them!”

“!!”

Oroei rushed to a corner shop. The beaming owner presented an ornate cage holding two birds.

Oroei stared.

*Wow!*

Stunning silhouette!

Vibrant feathers!

Dazzling hues!

Sharp talons!

Soul-piercing gaze!

Such majestic birds—they were practically—

“…Aren’t these just parrots?”

Oroei tilted his head.

The parrots mimicked him, then squawked:

“Hey! Squawk! Harder! Don’t stop!” “Don’t hold back! F*** me to death!”

Delivered with dramatic flair—goosebumps guaranteed.

“…What *are* they screeching?”

“Ahaha! Their last owners were a… *passionate* couple. Guess they picked it up?”

“……"

“Buying, sir? Pair gets ten percent off!”

“…Fine.”

Nothing else fit the description anyway.

Oroei left, cage in hand. His team eyed the chatty birds warily, half-expecting a sudden transformation or energy blast.

“Boss… you *sure* it’s them?”

“Not sure. But Her Majesty said ‘two birds or bird-related.’ These qualify.”

Maybe Her Majesty just wanted a pet to beat boredom?

“…Teach them a few phrases to amuse Her Majesty later.”

““““Understood!””””