A few minutes after Shin and Satel teleported away, Bjorn returned to his house.
He threw the sword hilt on the floor and walked upstairs. Bjorn stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower.
He turned on the hot water and just stood there, spaced out. Shin's words echoed through his mind.
He stood motionless, disgusted with himself. His lips curled as rage boiled inside his body.
It filled him to the brim, sitting there like a volcano waiting to erupt. Bjorn clenched his fists, his whole body tense with fury.
I need to fix this.
Bjorn reluctantly got out of the shower after ten minutes of staring blankly at the wall. He dried himself off and put on a tracksuit bottom and a t-shirt.
"Bjorn, honey, dinner is ready," a voice called out from downstairs.
"Coming, honey," Bjorn responded as he left the room.
Just as he reached the stairs, the doorbell rang. Confused, Bjorn went down and opened the door.
His blood ran cold when he saw who it was. He froze in fear, his body once again tensing with rage.
"Aren't you going to invite me in, servant?" the goddess asked, a smug look on her face.
Bjorn's face contorted with fury as he balled his fists. The goddess glanced at them and smirked.
"Careful now, mortal. Wouldn't want to put your family in harm's way, would we?" she said, grinning.
Bjorn stayed silent, staring at her. The goddess grew irritated with his lack of response.
"Move," she commanded, her eyes glowing bright gold.
Bjorn felt a burning sensation on his chest as the same area flickered with golden light. Reluctantly, he stepped back and bowed as the goddess entered.
"So who was it?" Bjorn's wife asked, stepping into the hall only to see the goddess.
The goddess smiled and walked into the kitchen. Bjorn's wife froze, staring at her husband.
"Take the kids and go upstairs," Bjorn said, finally breaking his silence. "I'll take care of her."
Without hesitation, his wife called for their children and locked themselves in their room.
Bjorn entered the kitchen and found the goddess sitting on a stool at the counter, sipping a glass of wine.
He sat on the stool opposite her, glaring but silent. The goddess took another sip before speaking.
"O lowly servant of mine, where is that disgusting waste of a miracle?" she asked, her face unreadable.
"I'm surprised you don't know where Kai lives," Bjorn retorted, his tone biting.
The goddess squeezed her glass, shattering it in her hand. Her eyes glowed again as the air thickened with tension. Both let their mana leak, clashing invisibly in the room.
"Pull one more stunt like this, and I'll rain hell on your family," she said, her voice making the very air tremble with each word.
Bjorn clenched his teeth as a searing pain shot through his chest. It felt like he was being branded.
"Then I shall return the gesture with equal magnitude," he growled, his body tensing through the pain.
"Tch," the goddess scoffed as she rose, striding out of the house and leaving Bjorn alone in the kitchen.
Minutes later, Bjorn's wife and two children came downstairs. They found him slumped in his chair, dimming with exhaustion.
Bjorn forced himself up, lifting his children into his arms with a faint smile. He carried them into the living room and turned on the TV.
His wife stared at him with worry etched across her face. She wanted to speak, but instead stayed quiet, serving dinner.
They ate together in silence, the television filling the room as they tried to push the confrontation from their minds