Kagura Hitomi followed Chisé into a village inhabited by the common folk of the Vanir. They made their way toward the largest yurt in the settlement.
Judging by its size, this yurt likely belonged to the village chief.
Vanaheim, one of the Nine Realms under Asgard's rule, was a planet blessed with abundant resources and breathtaking landscapes.
The people of Vanaheim lived under Asgard's protection.
Despite possessing highly advanced technology, they showed little interest in developing cities, social structures, or even cutting-edge weaponry.
In other words, this was a civilization that embraced peace and nature—essentially a society of laid-back "slackers."
Of course, this leisurely lifestyle might not have been entirely voluntary.
According to Norse mythology, the native Vanir once waged a prolonged war against the Aesir of Asgard.
The war only ended when both sides exchanged hostages as a gesture of peace.
Although the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) never explicitly mentioned this conflict.
Considering Odin's past as a conqueror who once led Hela, the Asgardian princess, in battles across the cosmos.
It wouldn't be surprising if the war recorded in Earth's Norse legends actually had some basis in reality.
As Kagura walked through the village, she couldn't help but silently critique how the people here possessed incredible technology but didn't use it to improve their daily lives.
Then again, perhaps, for the people of Vanaheim, their way of life was already worry-free enough.
Take this, for example an elderly man, dressed like a woodcutter, raised his high-tech axe and swung it down onto a log about the size of a bucket.
A silver-white glow lit up along the blade it appeared to be some kind of plasma field, one that not only isolated and protected the metal edge but also enhanced the axe's cutting power, making it virtually indestructible.
Crack!
With a single effortless swing, the plasma-charged axe split the log clean in half.
It was fast, efficient, and eliminated wear and tear on the blade since the actual axe never even made contact with the wood.
Technology certainly made life easier.
And yet… something about this felt off.
A little further ahead, on the other side of the yurt, a woman was hanging up freshly washed clothes.
She pulled the garments from a metallic basket, carefully draping them over a clothesline in front of her home.
Through Kagura's holographic UI, she quickly identified that this wasn't just any ordinary laundry basket. In fact, it was an item beyond anything found on Earth.
This basket generated a powerful sterilization field, eliminating bacteria while simultaneously diffusing preset herbal and aromatic compounds into the fabric.
The result? The clothes were not only thoroughly disinfected but also infused with a pleasant fragrance.
After hanging up the last piece of clothing, the woman lightly brushed her hand over the drying rack's pole.
Oh?
Kagura blinked in surprise.
A quick rescan through her UI confirmed it, the seemingly simple drying rack was another piece of advanced technology.
Although it looked like a basic frame of metal rods, intricate micro-circuits ran through its structure.
The rack harnessed solar energy and natural airflow to accelerate the drying process.
'Hmm… high-tech indeed!'
But something still feels off…
As she ventured deeper into the village, Kagura became increasingly convinced that Vanaheim's technological development followed an entirely different trajectory from Earth's.
The people's standard of living had diverged down a rather peculiar path.
Simply put, their tech tree had been completely misallocated.
They had near-perpetual plasma-based thermal exchange systems, essentially super-efficient heaters yet they still cooked their food using open flames and firewood, without so much as a microwave in sight.
Towering in the distance, a colossal stargate stood as a testament to their ability to traverse the cosmos, yet the villagers seemed to have no concept of artificial vehicles or interest in air travel.
Instead, they relied entirely on horseback for transportation.
Yes, there was even a stable in the village…
Something just isn't right here!
Suppressing the countless retorts bubbling up inside her, Kagura followed Chisé into the largest yurt.
Tsk. These aliens built such sophisticated structures, yet their doorways were just… fabric curtains? Not a single lock in sight?
Even if their society was harmonious enough that theft was unheard of, weren't they at least worried about mosquitoes ruining their sleep?
Wait—no, mosquitoes weren't a concern either.
Because, as it turned out, these yurts were equipped with electromagnetic fields that repelled insects.
Too advanced!
———————————————————————
Inside, a middle-aged woman's voice greeted them.
"Chisé, you're back. Hm? And who's this?"
"Grandma, grandma! This big sister is Kagura! She said she got lost and needs our help!"
Chisé spoke in an innocent and straightforward tone, explaining the situation in the simplest way possible.
"So, I brought her here!"
"You…"
The older woman stepped out from the inner room, studying Kagura for a moment before giving Chisé a gentle pat on the head.
"You shouldn't just bring home random strangers. What if she's dangerous?"
"I'm not dangerous," Kagura quickly defended herself. "I really am lost, so—"
"Relax, girl, I was just saying that out of habit." The woman waved her hand dismissively.
"There are no villains around here, only wild beasts. Nothing to worry about." She chuckled warmly.
"So, your name is Kagura Hitomi? You don't look like a local. How did you end up here?"
"That's the problem. I don't know."
Kagura sighed. "One moment, I was on Earth taking a ba—uh, I mean, just going about my day, and the next thing I knew—bam!—I was here."
"Oh? Earth, you say?"
The woman nodded knowingly. "So, a visitor from Midgard."
Her expression turned thoughtful. "As for how you got here… I have a pretty good guess. It must be the Convergence."
"Huh? You know about the Convergence?"
Kagura was surprised.
After all, the Convergence was considered a rare event, something that occurred only once every few thousand years.
Few people even knew about it, let alone had firsthand experience.
"Of course I do. The Convergence is a significant event across the Nine Realms. I even witnessed the last one."
A trace of pride flickered in the woman's eyes. "Don't be so surprised, child. I may look like this now, but I am an Asgardian. I've lived for over six thousand years."
Hearing this, Kagura was momentarily speechless.
Wait… if this woman had lived for thousands of years… and even Chisé, a mere "child" by their standards, was probably centuries old…
Does that mean Chisé is actually my great-great-grandmother in age?!
Chisé… Granny?
"Ahahaha! I'm rambling, I'm rambling," the woman laughed. "General Hogun will be back soon. He might be able to help you figure things out."
"If we can contact Asgard, we should be able to send you home."
She gazed out the window at the vast blue sky.
"It's been so many years… So many years since I last saw the Bifrost."
"Thank you," Kagura said sincerely. "May I ask for your name?"
"Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself."
The woman smiled. "I've long since forgotten my real name, but there's an old title I used to go by—Sigrid."
"Sigrid?!"
Kagura's eyes widened in shock.
That name was no ordinary one.
"You… you're… a Valkyrie?!"