Before Shiomi's eyes, a woman slowly descended upon the devastated snowfield. She resembled his master, Scáthach, almost identically, though there was a subtle difference in their demeanor.
If his master exuded an aura of dignified authority, this woman radiated a maternal warmth that seemed to embrace everything.
"This is truly..."
Scáthach, noticing the same thing, let out a quiet chuckle in surprise.
This was a situation she hadn't expected either—meeting another 'version' of herself in the Lostbelt.
Of course, it wasn't entirely accurate to call her 'self'.
This woman wasn't the Lostbelt's Scáthach, but another being who, upon becoming a god, had integrated aspects of the 'Scáthach' existence into herself.
The two weren't exactly the same; they were more like approximate equivalents.
It was similar to the distinction between the Morgan of Proper Human History and the Morgan of Chaldea, or the difference between Artoria Pendragon and Artoria Caster.
Regardless, the appearance of this goddess had successfully stopped Shiomi from finishing off the critically injured Saber. Now, he calmly observed her.
"If you want me to stop, would you mind introducing yourself first?"
Shiomi said, glancing at Ophelia.
"But Ophelia doesn't need to. We're all acquaintances here; no need for such formality."
"Teacher Shiomi..."
Ophelia was still tense. Even though she was sheltered behind the King of the Lostbelt, she had no doubt that Shiomi could bypass Skadi and kill her.
Though Shiomi didn't show any murderous intent when looking at her, Ophelia couldn't shake the feeling of fear.
"Then, may I ask who you are? Judging by the magical energy and spiritual reaction you're giving off, you seem to be a goddess-like entity." Shiomi's gaze had already shifted to Skadi. "If you're here for some twisted amusement, wearing a face identical to my master's to deceive others, I might just lose my temper."
"My master?" Skadi raised an eyebrow, surprised. Her eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in the companions around Shiomi before finally landing on Scáthach. "I see. No wonder the knights and divine agents are struggling so much."
Back in the royal capital, even with her ability to monitor the situation inside the Barrier, Skadi hadn't been able to pinpoint Shiomi's group's exact whereabouts. Her magic to observe them felt like trying to see through a thick, impenetrable fog.
Skadi then composed herself, her expression turning serious as she looked directly at Shiomi.
"My name is Scáthach-Skadi, the ancient and absolute goddess who rules this land. There's no need to bow before me. As the man entrusted with that spear, you stand as my equal. First, allow me to thank you for sparing the lives of these two Servants."
"Skadi..." Shiomi understood.
From her words, it seemed that this Scandinavian goddess had been formed by incorporating elements of his master, ultimately taking the identity of Scáthach-Skadi.
Perhaps it was a result of the unique nature of the Lostbelt, or perhaps there was another reason.
But there was no need to dwell on it.
Furthermore, she had shown a particular interest in Shiomi's possession of Gungnir.
"You're welcome, it was no trouble at all." Shiomi looked at Skadi. "But for the King of the Lostbelt to personally come to this desolate snowfield for a single Servant... seems he's quite important. Is he Ophelia's Servant?"
"A sharp man, I must say. I like that." Skadi studied Shiomi, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"As you surmised, the Knight is indeed Ophelia's Servant. Both she and the Knight, as beings of this land, are cherished by me as my own children. I merely heeded my daughter's voice and stepped in to offer counsel."
After a pause, Skadi added, "Killing this man now would only invite unnecessary trouble."
"So the King of the Scandinavian Lostbelt is the Mother of All Things, huh?" Shiomi sighed.
At least for now, the other party showed no hostile intent, and he wasn't eager to start a fight either.
After all, entering the Scandinavian Lostbelt had originally included the intention to investigate matters related to the Norse gods.
Moreover, facing this face identical to his master's, engaging in a life-or-death struggle felt like something that, even if victorious, would leave a bitter aftertaste.
"You may understand it that way," Skadi smiled, narrowing her eyes.
"Well then, I've already heard Ophelia's report. The Chaldea team should be my enemies, yet I never knew one of them was entrusted with Odin's 'Gungnir.' What exactly is going on here, Ophelia?"
Skadi's voice carried a hint of a sigh. Though her tone was as gentle as a spring breeze, it made Ophelia feel particularly tense.
"I'm terribly sorry, I had no knowledge of this either," Ophelia hastily explained.
Seeing this, Shiomi felt a pang of guilt and spoke up:
"Don't blame her. Neither Ophelia nor any other Crypter knew anything about me—neither the 'Gáe Bolg Alternative' nor 'Gungnir.'"
"To conceal it so thoroughly... truly a cautious man," Skadi observed, her gaze fixed on Shiomi. Just then, Scáthach and the others returned to Shiomi's side.
With the battle concluded, all but Caenis—still bound by chains—had sheathed their weapons.
"Then, the question arises, goddess of the Lostbelt," Scáthach stood beside Shiomi, "If your purpose in coming here was merely to rescue your own Servant from imminent defeat, then you have achieved your goal. Yet now you show interest in my beloved disciple's spear. What could possibly be the reason?"
Skadi and Ophelia both froze for a moment.
Then Skadi nodded thoughtfully.
"Beloved disciple... So he was Scáthach's disciple after all. No wonder he's so formidable. But these are mere details. What matters most now is that you wield the 'Declaration of the Great God'—Gungnir. Anyone who has seen that spear knows it is no imitation, but a Noble Phantasm bestowed by the Great God himself."
"It's more than that. You may not know this, but during my husband's journey, the Great God Odin sent representatives to assist him three times, each intervention proving crucial." Morgan placed one hand on Shiomi's shoulder while gesturing with the other, recounting Shiomi's deeds with evident pride.
Ophelia listened with her heart pounding. Within mere minutes, she realized Shiomi might be an enemy no Crypter could defeat. The bargain Kirschtaria struck with the alien god... might be meaningless.
"Mm... So it was you. In Proper Human History, to have Odin take such notice—it must be you." Skadi's expression grew complex. "You are the one mentioned in the prophecy left by Odin before his disappearance after Ragnarök, the one destined to visit this place one day, aren't you?"