Dungeon of Niflheim

"Hoh seems your first interaction is going better than expected." Shivali nodded his head in praise, smiling warmly as he looked back and forth between Frost and Khione.

"Huh what the hell you talking about old man, why does my interaction with this weakling matter?" Khione completely forgot about Frost's little challenge, once again redirecting her irritation to her annoying old man.

'He considers this a good interaction.' Frost was insulted the moment she arrived, looked at with contempt and almost beaten to a pulp the moment he stood his ground.

"Of course it matters my dear daughter, he's your fiancé after all." Said Shivali in a playful manner, his eyes eagerly awaiting the reactions of the two younglings.

""…..WHAT!"" Both Frost and Khione reacted in the exact same way. A couple seconds of silence followed by an earthshattering roar filled with mostly confusion on Frost's part and anger on Khione's.

"The fuck you talking about! Why would I ever marry someone weak like him." Khione held her spear in a battle ready stance, fully seeing both Frost and her father as enemies.

"You wouldn't exactly be my first choice either." Sharply said Frost, not willing to be in a passive position against her insults

"Hah you say something pretty boy!" Khione rotated her head and locked eyes with Frost, her body leaking an intimidating mixture of aura and bloodlust.

Frost felt his entire body tremble while under her gaze, his muscles contracted, his organs twisting as his blood ran cold and a stream of sweat flowed down his back.

His heart was caught in a vice grip and a spectre of death loomed by his ear whispering cold temptations, beckoning him to the other side. He was literally staring death in the face, one wrong move, one wrong word and he'd meet his end.

His instincts screams as such but bravely or foolishly he chose to wantonly ignore them. "Yeah I did, want me to repeat it." He boldly took a step forward despite the pressure, his back remaining ramrod straight as he refused to cower before her attempts at intimidation.

A decision that both infuriated Khione and garnered her respect…it still wouldn't stop her from killing him though.

She raised her spear above her shoulders readying to launch it at the arrogant bug who chose to chatter in her presence but was interrupted by her father's laughter.

"Hahahaha brave even in the face of my youngest daughter hahahaha…Booom!" Shivali's sonorous laughter was brought to a quick halt when Khione's spear flew through the air and smashed against his face.

"Shut up you damn old man before I get really angry." Khione was practically hyperventilating at the moment. She always had a temper, but it was rare for her to get this angry. Thankfully having a God as a father meant she could wallop him with all she had, and she wouldn't be able to leave a single scratch.

Her prided spear merely clashed against the divine energy protecting his body. A conflict that was loud and imposing but in the end pointless, serving only to deflate her anger slightly.

"Haaaaa why are you always so aggressive baby girl, can't you just talk things out like a normal person." With a simple wave of his hand the spear Khione flew at his head returned to her side.

"Don't, call me, BABY GIRL!" Upon hearing her father speak to her in the same manner that he did when she was a child her anger erupted once more.

Khione tightly grasped her spear, this time adding both her aura and internal energy to the weapon before launching her attack.

"Haaaaa, that's enough [Freeze]" Shivali let out a deep sigh and reluctantly froze his youngest daughter in place with his divine energy. She was unable to make any sound or move, like a statue albeit a conscious one who could hear every word said.

This was a somewhat common punishment in the Niflheim royal family. Act out, behave like a brat in front of guests, and or repeatedly show disrespect to either him or their mothers he'd freeze them like just now until they learned their listen.

Unfortunately Khione never seemed to react well to such punishments, usually becoming even more of a menace the moment she was set free, but he needed her to keep quiet like a good little girl while he explained the situation. He was willing to endure a tantrum after the fact.

"Finally some peace and quiet." Shivali smiled and lightly clapped his hands, completely ignoring the anger growing in his daughter's eyes. He turned to Frost who despite being in the same situation as Khione was willing to listen to reason before giving his own opinion.

'So mature and level-headed despite being the younger of the two.' The more he saw of Frost the more disappointed he became with his youngest daughter's attitude.

"What did you do to her Uncle?" Frost sensed a brief use of divine energy and the next thing he knew Khione was silent and unmoving. He was intrigued by such an ability but at the same unnerved by it.

"Oh that, it's just me freezing space around and within her body, a common punishment I dole out to misbehaving children but don't worry Frost she's not in any pain, just unable to move or speak." Shivali kindly explained his methods with a warm smile on his face.

"Oh." His smile sent a shiver down Frost's back making him feel grateful that it was Khione that suffered instead of him.

"Now I guess I should explain the whole fiancé thing."

"That would be helpful." Frost was doing his best to remain calm in the face of such bomb dropping news. Internally however his mind was a wreck, wondering just what on Nova his father had gotten him into. Could he really refuse an arrangement between two of the highest ranking Gods in existence.

"As you both are probably aware Dark, and I have quite the close relationship." It was no secret to his family that he was very good friends with Dark the highest authority among the Gods of Nova. In fact several of his children had even met this benevolent uncle, Khione being no exception.

"And while I have had many children throughout my existence he has only just produced his first heirs." Shivali looked meaningfully at Frost.

"My siblings and I."

"Correct."

Khione who was forced to only listen to the discussion felt the urge to rapidly blink, not expecting Frost to be one of Dark's children.

The Dark God had many creations but no children this was a well-known fact.

'Why's he so weak then?' Shouldn't the first children of a God as high ranking as Dark be all-powerful. Khione expected such an individual to be S-rank at the very least not a piddling B-rank.

To only be so strong at his age, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Her silent thoughts were somehow picked up by her father who immediately proceed to clarify the situation.

"Before you look down on young Frost here daughter I should mention that he wasn't born like you were but more like your sister Masana." Masana was the 4th youngest daughter of Shivali and was born fully formed, having her adult body from the moment of conception.

Khione was once again surprised and even felt a little embarrassed by her naïve conclusions, thankfully she was frozen in place thus she avoided becoming an awkward spectacle.

"If my timing is correct he should be about 18 months old give or take?"

"That's about right." Frost nodded his head in agreement.

'Has it been that long already.' For him it felt much, much longer.

"Anyway Dark and I made a pact long ago, that if we both had children we'd bring them together through marriage and thus officially join our families, becoming true brothers rather than simply close friends. I had made my peace with such a thing never coming to pass but surprisingly less than two years ago that old bastard went and had 100 kids all at once, bringing back that once buried hope." Shivali spoke with a nostalgic tone, remembering the moment he and Dark made that pact all those years ago.

He had just had his third child while Dark was still single and showing no interest in the opposite sex. Back then there were far fewer Gods than now thus their friendship was far more important. The two Gods desired to forge a closer bond and thus agreed upon a pact that would unionise two of their children.

"Several months ago we spoke, and the pact we made came up in conversation. I had a daughter, young and unmarried with great potential while he had son who bore an affinity for the ice element no weaker than my most gifted progeny." Shivali looked back and forth between Frost and Khione, finding them to be an excellent match. He didn't care that Frost was already in a serious relationship with not one but two women, he wouldn't let that stop him. He himself was married to over a dozen women and had three times as many concubines.

"Though I heard much from your father and even knew of your appearance I needed to assess your capabilities in person if I was to grant you my darling daughter's hand in marriage."

Khione grew angry again, why did it sound like she didn't have a choice in this matter. This was the first time her father was enforcing his will on her and it frightened her slightly. She'd always gotten her way after all.

"You passed with flying colours; I can think of no one more worthy than you to stand by her side but of course the decision will ultimately be left up to the two of you, I just hope that you'll at least give it a chance. Interact and get to know one another before making your decisions." Shivali harshly looked at Khione, clearly speaking to her in particular.

He wouldn't accept a simple refusal; she would have to put in the work and then and only then would he acquiesce to her decision.

Khione's thoughts were correct, her father was going to force her to be with Frost at least for a little while.