Chapter 289 - 289: Van The Dwarf
"Everything disappeared just like that. Every happiness I thought I was finally allowed to have, once again taken from me... and I had enough-- It was time for me to take everything from the world." -- Evans, The Devourer of Gods, Year ????
The grey-skinned giants all lowered their weapons as the feather tattoos that were etched on Van's back revealed themselves to them. Some of the farthest ones even dropped their weapons as their feet very slowly made their way closer to Van.
"Is it true? Has a High Human visited us?"
"I want to look closer!"
"Are we sure he's a high human?"
"Now that I am looking at him closer, he does seem to be human."
The grey-skinned giants then all huddled up, glancing at Van from time to time as they whispered with one another. The only thing that Van could do was stand there, his confusion growing by the minute.
Humans weren't allowed to leave the Fragmented world called Midgard? He then once again looked towards the largest fragmented world beyond the sky. These grey giants have been telling him that not a single human had the ability to leave Midgard, as they will not survive it. But what about him? If he tried to go there, would he also not survive?
"It would seem that we jumped to conclusions. You truly are not a dwarf, kind sir. We truly apologize for our mistake."
Van's thoughts were then disrupted as the grey-skinned giants that previously surrounded him with hostility were now kneeling to him, "Please forgive us for our mistake, kind sir. Please understand that the last time a High Human had visited our realm was almost a thousand years ago, and they usually only visit the Snow tribe."
"...What's this High Human you speak of?" Van let out a sigh as he finally decided to go with the flow. Right now, he is more clueless than he ever was before. Midgard, Vanaheim, High Human… and it would seem them calling him dwarf was not an insult, but dwarves really were some kind of people here.
"...You?" The bald giant could not help but look at his comrades in confusion, "You did come from Vanaheim, right… sir?"
"...Van."
"I thought so! Only someone from Vanaheim will be named like that!"
Smiles slowly started to appear on the grey-skinned giants' faces as they seamlessly nodded to one another. Afterward, one of them grabbed some kind of horn. It was loud enough to make Van cover his ears as the giant blew at it with strength.
And with the last note of the horn, all of the windows and doors of the hamlet clicked as they once again slowly swayed open. The grey-skinned giants that were previously quietly hiding inside their houses all raced to come out, their eyes filled with curiosity as they turned their heads towards Van.
"What? What's happening!?"
"Has Nidavellir decided to lower our taxes, what are we celebrating!?"
"I still have the boar meat from last time, it should still be fine!"
Van could only put up his guard as almost a hundred grey-skinned giants started approaching him. Judging from their number, as well as the houses they all stepped out of, this was probably all of the population of the hamlet. He expected more from the size of the hamlet, but the size probably had more to do with how large the inhabitants were.
Van could see the two children that woke him up earlier, as well as a dozen other children, all of them bigger than him. The only one with his size was probably the baby that was being carried presumably by its mother.
He was used to people looking down on him, figuratively and literally… but this just takes it to another level.
"Kkhh!" The bald giant then hissed, making the previously cheering residents go quiet. "Please stop yourselves, you are in the presence of a High Human."
"...A High Human!?"
"This person is a high human!?"
The residents that were now surrounding Van from all sides all let out their gasps, all unique in their own ways and all whistling to Van's ears. First, they call him a dwarf, and now they call him a high human.
Van already realized that it was probably some kind of race, but he could not help but feel like they were being sarcastic by calling him a "High" human.
Van was about to ask what this group of peculiar giants was talking about once more, but before he could do so, the crowd quickly split, allowing for a single giant to walk unhindered towards Van.
It was an old giant, adorning a white beard that Van could probably use as a bed. Besides their height and skin color, there really wasn't anything more separating them from the usual humans that Van had seen so far.
Granted, he had only been to two other countries, he was still sure that he was not back in his own world, even without the 8 fragmented worlds that littered the sky telling him so, as these giants couldn't possibly be human.
"Greetings, I am Oleif, the chief of the Ash tribe."
There was a sort of tremble on the old giant's voice, but still, it carried the timber of authority that one would expect from a chief of towering giants, "Please, do forgive us for not recognizing a visitor from Vanaheim."
"I'm not from this Vanaheim place," Van quickly replied, "I am from America… America."
"Please forgive me, I do not know the names of the places in Vanaheim… but I am sure America is a wonderful place."
"It's not from-- never mind," Van could not help but groan in frustration as he finally gave up, "I'm just a normal human… well, not really, as I am a System Holder. But that doesn't matter. How do I get there?"
There were numerous thoughts popping out of Van's mind as his confusion still wrapped around him ever so tightly, but still, his priority remained solid. He may not know where he is, but if he was transported here, then there was a good chance that the others were too.
"To Midgard?" Chief Oleif blinked a couple of times as he turned his head to the largest Fragmented world, "I am confused, High Human."
"...I am new to this place," Van could not help but slightly let out a frustrated sigh, "How do I get there from here? Do I ride some kind of chopper?"
"...A chopper?"
"The flying vehicle, propelled by blades?" Van furrowed his eyebrows.
"I am afraid we do not know of such intricate magic," Chief Oleif let out a sigh as he looked at his residents, "Truly, Vanaheim holds such wonders that we, lowly giants, could never hope to understand."
Van almost wanted to pull his hair out in frustration from hearing the giant's words. It didn't help that all of the residents were still literally looking down on him, causing him to feel a little bit uncomfortable. He was about to say something, but before he could do so, Chief Oleif opened his mouth.
"I am afraid we only use the Branch to be able to travel through different Realms."
"The Branch?"
"Yes. I am sure you must find us pathetic," Chief Oleif, as well as the other residents, let out their own sighs as they turned their heads towards the fragmented worlds that littered the sky, "It is the only way we could ever hope to visit the other realms."
"I… see," Van once again furrowed his eyebrows, "This Branch, where is it?"
"It's not here yet. Right now it is probably traveling to Muspelheim and will not be passing us until several moons," Chief Oleif said, "But I am confused, High Human. Can't you just travel there like how you did here?"
"And how exactly do you think I got here?" Van's tone became inquisitive.
"...With your mount?" Chief Oleif muttered before looking around, "Speaking of which, please, let us feed your steed, High Human. It would be our honor."
"Look," Van once again could only let out a sigh as he wasn't getting a proper answer that he could understand, "I am not a High Human, I am a System Holder, a human. I was swallowed by a growing ball of light, and the next thing I knew, I was here."
"..."
"Never mind."
Seeing the looks of confusion on the giants' faces, Van knew that he was not going to get any answers from them. Since this said Branch, whatever it is, will be coming in a few moons, then he should just probably roam around until then. He could also try to run towards the Fragmented world, but he wasn't sure if he was going to survive it. He should test all of these out, but for now…
"Is there someplace I could rest for now?"
"Of course," Chief Oleif quickly clapped his hands as he gestured to the other residents to disperse, before asking Van to follow him, "Our humble village may not seem much, but we will prepare something for--"
"What is this, why is no one working!?"
However, before Van could even take a wink of sleep, a high-pitched voice echoed through the air. Van could feel the slight rumble of the ground as the seemingly rude voice got closer and closer. Van then looked towards the direction of the voice, only to see a blue-skinned giant, taller than any of the residents of the Ash tribe, stomping her way towards them.
"If you do not meet this month's quota, all of us will suffer! Get to-- a… a dwarf!?"
"...Not again."