“Your Majesty Aaron, the great King of the Gods, on behalf of all the Light Elves of Alfheim, I offer you our most heartfelt blessings and greetings!”

  A tall, middle-aged man with golden hair and pointed ears approached, holding a goblet of fine wine. He bowed respectfully to Aaron in greeting.

  Loki—who had been following right behind Aaron and Sif like a loyal sidekick—whispered, “Uncle, this is the King of the Light Elves, the ruler of Alfheim.”

  Upon hearing that, Aaron nodded slightly. “Thank you for your well-wishes.”

  He took a light sip of the wine, then prepared to move on with Sif.

  Seeing this, the King of the Light Elves quickly spoke up, “Wait, Your Majesty. I heard from His Majesty Odin that you’ve recently been keen on exploring new magical arts?”

  “Huh?” Aaron was puzzled. Did he ever say that? Although the Light Elves were indeed highly skilled in magic, thanks to Loki and Odin’s trove of spells, he wasn’t exactly desperate to fuse with new magical traits.

  “Ahem… I have a daughter… named Savannah. She perfectly embodies all the finest qualities of the Light Elves…” He gnced at Sif, who was still smiling sweetly. Nervous, he hurried to crify: “I mean, all the magical qualities.”

  “She’s always been engrossed in her magical research, oblivious to worldly affairs. Recently, she heard of an Asgardian king—Your Majesty—who commands powerful magic and seeks to explore the future of magic. She hopes she might study it alongside you…”

  Aaron caught on at once. So this was likely the “dy-in-waiting” Odin arranged for him—and fast! On top of that, she was a princess of an entire realm. Though he had no clue what Savannah looked like, judging from her father, she was probably quite attractive. After all, in any universe, Light Elves never seemed to be anything but beautiful.

  Noticing how uneasy the Elven King looked—especially when he gnced at Sif—Aaron reassured him with a calm smile. He himself had no concerns whatsoever. Other people might, but not him.

  What if Sif said no? Well, then she’d need to try out his “vibration + temperature control + fwless muscle control + super speed + sensory-sharing” combo. If she could hold out for more than five minutes, he’d be impressed.

  Aaron hadn’t yet responded, but Sif suddenly blurted out with delight, “That’s wonderful! Where is Savannah? I can’t wait to meet her. Thank goodness—finally someone can…”

  Cough, cough!

  Realizing she was about to say something a bit too explicit, Sif stopped herself. But there was no denying that, as a Valkyrie, she felt she just couldn’t manage things alone. The prospect of “backup” in certain circumstances was more than welcome. Savannah sounded like someone whose life revolved around magic—surely she’d be more suitable!

  Both the Elven King and Loki looked at Sif in astonishment. Was she serious? She didn’t mind at all?

  Loki thought about it, then suddenly understood. “Truly worthy of my uncle—dominant in every respect! Tamed Asgard’s fiercest mare in a day…a real model for us all!”

  The Elven King hesitated a moment before waving someone over. Soon, a noble young dy in a white court gown, sporting brilliant golden hair and pale skin, made her way through the crowd with a shy demeanor. Beside her stood another woman dressed in a green gown, with a figure both trim and curvaceous—likely her bodyguard.

  “This is my daughter, Savannah,” the King introduced them. “And this is her personal guard, Nina, an expert archer.”

  “H-Hello,” said Savannah, blushing as she stole a look at Aaron before immediately lowering her gaze. She seemed the bashful type, probably someone who stayed in her studies most of the time. Nina, on the other hand, offered Aaron a polite nod, curiosity and respect in her eyes.

  Sif observed Savannah’s petite, delicate figure, nodding to herself. Upon seeing Nina’s strong yet shapely form, she grew even more satisfied—this elf might handle even more of the “impact,” right?

  “Aaron, let me take Savannah and Nina for a little chat,” Sif asked, seeking his approval.

  Aaron readily agreed.

  “I know Alfheim is a lovely and tranquil realm,” he said casually. “I’d like to see it remain that way forever.”

  The Elven King smiled broadly. “Under Your Majesty’s protection, and with Lady Sif’s imposing presence, Alfheim will surely be at peace—thank you so much!”

  It was a line that essentially guaranteed nobody would meddle with Alfheim’s internal affairs or invade its territory. The Light Elves valued peace above all. Despite their considerable magic, they’d rarely fought real battles; so against true evil, they didn’t stand a chance without Asgard’s shield. If not for Asgard’s support, the Dark Elves might have destroyed them next, beling them traitors. Now, with Aaron’s blessing, any would-be aggressor had to ask themselves if they could handle the wrath of the mightiest Celestial in history.

  And in a sense, Aaron was practically Alfheim’s “son-in-w.” He wouldn’t stand by and watch his “father-in-w” get stabbed in the back, right?

  Locking eyes, Aaron and the Elven King both seemed satisfied. After taking another small drink, the King discreetly excused himself.

  Loki continued escorting Aaron around to greet other guests.

  “Whoa, is that the evil Ice Demon who eats little kids?!” a child hiding behind Volstagg gasped, peeking out at Laufey in the distance.

  Blinking at the remark, Laufey bared a hideous grin, scaring the child into hiding again behind Volstagg.

  Volstagg, who was waving a giant mug of ale and recounting (a somewhat exaggerated) version of Aaron’s glorious victory over Surtur, immediately went on alert. “Don’t be afraid, little one—I’m here. The ice demon can’t harm you.”

  Noticing the wary, fearful gazes of the Asgardians, Laufey forced a ugh in his throat. Annoying cowards!

  But just then:

  “Uncle, this is Laufey, King of the Frost Giants. He didn’t want to attend your ceremony at first, but I—your devoted nephew—persuaded him by reason and emotion, so he reluctantly showed up.”

  “Oh? So Jotunheim is the only guest here without a gift?” Aaron mused.

  Laufey shuddered as he turned around slowly, meeting Aaron’s scrutinizing gaze—and Loki’s gleeful provocation. Anxious, he pstered on a stiff smile.

  “Your Majesty Aaron, it’s an honor to meet you! On behalf of the Frost Giants, I’ve brought you this tribute: an icy dagger left by our frost-giant forefathers. Please accept it. We also have a few infant Frost Beasts—if you’re interested, just let Heimdall know, and we’ll deliver them at once!”

  Saying that, Laufey shot Loki a gre: damn that ungrateful brat!

  Loki was even more shameless. “By the way, I recall the Frost Giants threatening to give Asgard exactly what they deserved. If I’m not mistaken, that was… a ‘war…’”

  “A friendship among warriors!” Laufey hastily broke in with an awkward grin. “Loki carries my blood, and he’s Asgard’s second prince—a symbol of amity between Frost Giants and Asgard, a bridge that unites us in peace. Odin, the All-Father, has always hoped our two races could coexist in harmony. I truly believe Jotunheim and Asgard can achieve sting peace and mutual friendship!”

  From the sidelines, Volstagg and others snickered and mocked softly. Laufey felt bitter—he’d become the kind of man he hated.

  Loki still wanted to stir things up further, but Aaron stopped him.

  “I hear you’re quite adept at ice magic. That’s convenient—so am I. Perhaps I’ll visit someday to see what you can teach me.”

  What? Please don’t! Laufey vividly recalled how Aaron had frozen peak-form Surtur into an ice sculpture, turning Muspelheim into a frozen pnet. The mere thought made him break out in cold sweat.

  “We, uh, aren’t really that skilled in ice magic—not in front of someone like you, the true Master of Ice. We’re hardly worthy to cim that expertise.” Laufey gave a strained ugh. “In fact, Your Majesty Aaron, you’ve surpassed our entire race! We look forward to serving your rule over Asgard and the Nine Realms!”

  Even Loki was surprised. Who said Laufey only knew how to brawl? He was talking quite elegantly now. In that moment, the Frost Giant King had a hint of Loki’s own cunning. Interesting!

  Aaron, also a bit taken aback, didn’t continue the conversation. His attention had shifted to someone else—a tall woman in a purple royal gown, a shapely figure with a seductive look, approaching with a cup of purple wine in hand.

  Abandoning the “ugly” Laufey on the spot, Aaron headed over. Loki shot a gnce at the relieved Frost Giant King and hurried after his uncle. In his heart, Laufey cursed that bootlicking pup. How did I end up with such an idiot for a son?

  Then again, given Loki’s close bond with Aaron, Laufey really didn’t dare provoke them. Who knew what might happen if Loki whispered in Aaron’s ear afterward? Jotunheim might find itself rapidly cooled down—or heated up by thousands of degrees—vaporizing on the spot.

  And it was rumored Aaron wouldn’t be as merciful as Odin with that world-destroying Rainbow Bridge.

  “Uncle, this is Queen Karnil of Nornheim. She’s also a grand sorceress—second only to me,” Loki expined softly. “But Asgard doesn’t officially acknowledge her self-styled title as Queen of Nornheim. Because of that, she’s pretty unhappy with us.”

  This time, Loki wasn’t trying to stir anything. He wanted to crify Nornheim’s tense retionship with Asgard.

  There was no need for embellishment here. The Frost Giants, in his opinion, were mostly hideous—Loki being the only exception. But Nornheim’s inhabitants were physically simir to Asgardians or Vanir gods.

  Their magical development wasn’t bad either. They even boasted the famed Norn Goddesses, whom Odin respected. Karnil herself was known as the realm’s greatest beauty and a formidable mage on par with Odin. Loki had no comment on her looks—he wasn’t that into women. But as for magic… well, he was the Nine Realms’ top sorcerer in his own mind!

  “Hail to the new King of the Gods, Aaron! Greetings!” Karnil sang out the moment she drew close, a strikingly bright smile curving her red lips. “I am Karnil of Nornheim—so pleased to meet you here.”

  She extended her hand. Aaron shook it. He felt her finger subtly stroke his palm. Huh, this woman…

  Karnil’s face gave nothing away, still beaming. “Your Majesty, you came all alone today? This is your day of honor—surely everyone imagines a mighty hero should have a lovely companion at his side.”

  Loki gulped. She was basically hitting on him in front of everyone, wasn’t she? And had she just written Loki himself off as nonexistent?

  Aaron raised an eyebrow. “Karnil, you mean to say…?”

  She stepped closer, boldly hooking her arm around his. “My great hero~ might I be lucky enough to serve as your companion—if only for a single day and night…?”

  She emphasized that final phrase, pyfully winking.

  !!!

  Sif, where are you now?! If you don’t hurry, some other woman might snatch your uncle away!

  Loki frantically tried to summon his magic to alert Sif, only to find, to his shock, that his spells wouldn’t activate. Gncing up, he noticed Karnil’s meaningful look, tinged with danger. She’d quietly disrupted his magic!

  “Sorry, Sif. I did try, but you gave up your position yourself, so letting some other woman borrow him for a night probably won’t kill anyone, right?”

  Naturally, Loki had no desire to sabotage his uncle’s fun. Magic failure? Not possible. He simply chose not to meddle, and, well, it wasn’t like Aaron was objecting.

  Aaron could sense how frankly willing Karnil was, along with her eager heart… and her generous figure pressing intimately against him, a zy sort of wealth that was all too tempting. Though she was dressed modestly, her natural allure made him want to explore what y beneath.

  He accepted with a smile. “I see. Then let us consider it a symbol of Nornheim’s unbreakable bond with Asgard,” he said meaningfully.

  As he slightly moved his arm, Karnil’s body trembled—was that her own “vibration” now?

  She bit her lip, stifling a shiver, and answered with a sweet smile, “You’re exactly right, Your Majesty. Nornheim is honored to have a stronger, younger, mightier king guiding and supporting her. After all, Nornheim is still rgely untapped, fertile nd.”

  “And then there are the three Norn Goddesses who govern fate—renowned for their beauty. Before I left, they mentioned you more than once. They admire your towering figure and bright future. I think you’d find them…very intriguing.”

  Karnil’s undertone was clear. Aaron nodded slightly. “I’ve heard people describe Nornheim as… comfortable. Even if you push yourself to the limits of your body in a storm, you’ll never want to leave. Maybe I’ll devote at least one afternoon to exploring that beautiful, abundant territory.”

  Karnil froze for a second. One afternoon? But the celebratory banquet would keep going into the evening. She panicked a little. She still hadn’t pinned down a promise from him.

  As Nornheim’s queen, she’d studied Asgard thoroughly—she knew Sif, widely believed to be Thor’s future wife, had ended up in Aaron’s arms instead.

  And with Aaron’s Celestial heritage granting him possibly endless life, Karnil had abandoned thoughts of defiance. If Odin could offer certain benefits, so could she—and the prospect of forging ties with Aaron was even more appealing.

  If Aaron took a liking to her or to Nornheim, they might finally break free from Asgard’s hold, or at least achieve real autonomy. After all, Frigga had come from Vanaheim, which remained fairly independent. Why couldn’t Karnil do the same?

  She’d already prepared to offer Aaron her first time, but she’d pnned on chatting a bit this afternoon, then dealing with the “main event” in the evening…

  “Does the queen of Nornheim not have free time this afternoon?” Aaron whispered, his breath hot against her neck.

  Karnil pstered on a composed smile. “Oh, I do…of course. How about we start with a dance?”

  She shot Loki a warning gnce—“scram”—and leaned even closer to Aaron, leading him away. The two stepped onto the dance floor, chatting and ughing closely, ear to ear. At some point, they quietly slipped out together.

  Bleam