Consciousness slowly floated up from the boundless darkness, like a person drowning in the deep sea finally touching the surface of the water.
Mavuika "woke up."
There was no sense of void that a departed soul should have, nor any wondrous experience like stepping into reincarnation as she had imagined.
There was only a tightly wrapped, warm, and peaceful sensation, along with... an indescribable sense of restraint.
She tried to open her eyes, but found she had almost lost control over her body. Her vision was filled with a hazy golden halo, and a powerful, slow-paced rhythmic thumping echoed in her ears—thump, thump, thump.
The sound seemed to come from the outside World, yet also seemed to originate from within the small space she currently occupied.
Immediately after, chaotic memory fragments flooded into her still-fragile perception like a tide.
The scorching sun of Natlan, the eyes of her people filled with trust and expectation, the intensity of fighting side-by-side with the Traveler, and the determination of resolutely walking toward the end of time for the sake of a future five hundred years later...
Finally, after stepping down from her divine throne, it was her life as an ordinary mortal—a peaceful and fulfilling life spent with family and friends until her life reached its natural end, closing her eyes peacefully in her sleep.
She remembered that sense of relief, the tranquility of finally having fulfilled all her duties and being able to calmly welcome the end.
So, what was this now?
Just as she was confused, her senses gradually became clear, and an almost irresistible attraction, carrying a sort of instinctive pull, surged toward her.
Mavuika suddenly realized; she felt her current, brand-new body—small and tender.
Am I... being born again as a baby?
Mavuika, the Pyro Archon who once led Natlan toward the future, quickly regained her inner calm after a brief moment of astonishment.
She had experienced too many incredible things; the situation before her was merely the start of another unknown journey.
Though she didn't know the cause of all this...
Since fate had given her another beginning, she would simply accept it with composure.
She focused her mind, no longer trying to resist the infant body, and instead began to quietly perceive the outside World.
She could vaguely "hear" a steady, majestic, yet gentle male voice, as well as a soft, water-like female voice full of love.
Those should be her parents at this time.
Their expectant conversation gave her an initial impression of this new home.
Time flowed slowly in this warm environment.
After an unknown amount of time, a strong push suddenly came, and the surrounding energy became active and restless.
Mavuika knew the time had come.
She did not resist, following that force as she left the small space that had sheltered her for so long.
"Wah—"
The infant body made her open her mouth uncontrollably, her loud cries piercing the silence of the Golden Palace's delivery room.
She was carefully picked up by a pair of warm and powerful arms, and soft fabric wrapped around her.
In her blurred vision, she saw a blond man with a majestic face now overflowing with excitement and joy, and beside him, a peerlessly beautiful woman whose face was slightly pale but whose smile was incredibly satisfied.
"Our daughter..." Frigga's voice carried exhaustion but was full of radiance.
An indescribable, complex light flickered in Odin's eyes—there was joy, responsibility, and a deep sense of scrutiny.
His booming voice echoed in the room: "It's a girl, Frigga, and she is very healthy!"
"In that case, Odin, use the name we prepared before..." Frigga said, weak yet happy.
"Mhm!" Odin nodded. "Let's call her Mavuika!"
The moment she heard this name, the baby girl wrapped in swaddling clothes stopped crying.
A strange ripple arose in her heart. Was it a coincidence, or some kind of inevitability?
In this brand-new World, she was actually still given the name "Mavuika."
She opened her still-hazy eyes, struggling to take a look at her parents of this lifetime, and then, unable to resist the sleepiness, she fell into a deep slumber.
Odin and Frigga exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of a smile in each other's eyes.
However, before they could savor the surprise brought by their eldest daughter, Frigga's brow furrowed again.
"Odin... there's another one..."
The atmosphere in the delivery room became tense and busy once more.
About half an hour later, another sharper, more piercing cry rang out through the room.
The second baby girl was cleaned and delivered into Odin's hands.
Unlike the calmness of Mavuika's birth, this child flailed her small fists, her cries full of strength.
Another daughter; Odin and Frigga named her Hela.
The following days were both novel and somewhat frustrating for Mavuika, who possessed a mature soul.
She had to adapt to everything about being an infant: being unable to control her body freely, spending most of her time in deep sleep, and... those seemingly endless needs: eating and sleeping.
But she enjoyed it.
This long-lost, pure peace of not having to shoulder any responsibility was a taste she had only truly savored in the later years of her previous life.
She enjoyed Frigga's gentle embrace and humming, and felt the occasional clumsy caress of Odin's large, calloused, yet exceptionally steady hands.
Meanwhile, her younger sister, Hela, displayed a completely different nature.
Hela seemed perpetually energetic, with loud cries and powerful limbs.
While Mavuika was quietly observing the World, Hela was "exploring" in her own way, kicking hard and trying to grab anything that came near her.
Once, Frigga placed the two daughters side-by-side in a cradle lined with soft fur.
For some reason, Hela suddenly began to wail, her voice loud and filled with obvious impatience.
Mavuika, unable to find peace nearby, subconsciously—almost instinctively—reached out her tiny hand and gently rested it on Hela's wildly flailing arm.
Miraculously, Hela's crying stopped abruptly.
She turned her head, her bright eyes carrying a hint of wildness as she looked curiously toward Mavuika.
Though her vision was blurred, she seemed to feel that this being who had been born with her could bring a sense of comforting Warmth.
Hela reached back and grabbed Mavuika's finger, clutching it tightly, then smacked her lips contentedly, no longer crying and becoming quiet.
This scene happened to be witnessed by Odin and Frigga as they walked in.
A gentle smile appeared on Frigga's face. "Look, Odin! There is a special connection between the sisters."
A very faint smile tugged at the corner of Odin's mouth, his majestic aura softening considerably. He reached out a finger and gently tapped Mavuika's cheek; his fingertip carried the lingering Warmth of his armor and was unexpectedly gentle.
"Such a quiet child."
Frigga echoed gently from the side, "Yes, she is much more composed than Hela."
Mavuika felt the Warmth and strength coming from her father's palm, and sensed the life-filled grip of her sister beside her, her heart filled with tranquility.
She knew that the chapter of her previous life as the "Pyro Archon" Mavuika had been completely turned.
In this life, although she was still Mavuika, she was no longer the deity of Natlan.
Instead, she was a Princess of Asgard, the eldest daughter of Odin, and Hela's older sister.
Moreover, she actually had a younger sister again.
Looking sideways at Hela beside her, a wonderful feeling welled up in Mavuika's heart.
In her past life, she had Hine, that gentle and sensible younger sister who always followed behind her.
In this life, her sister seemed to have a completely different personality; her lively and restless nature could already be vaguely seen even in infancy.
She gently squeezed Hela's finger and said silently in her heart,
'In this life, please look after me, my sister.'
In the cradle, the two Princesses of Asgard fell fast asleep, holding hands.
The sunlight fell, silent and beautiful.