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*****
During breakfast, Mike and the others speculated about Clark's decision, while Clark himself looked helpless.
After finishing his meal, Clark stood up.
"I'm off to work!"
Saying this, he walked toward the door.
"Brother, isn't today Saturday? You still have to work?"
"Overtime!"
Clark replied without even looking back, opened the door, and disappeared from sight.
Thor looked at Mike and asked, "Are we opening the shop today?"
Before Mike could answer, Gwen quickly chimed in, "Yes, let's open it!"
"Hm?"
Mike looked at Gwen, puzzled.
Just a few days ago, Gwen had asked him to take her to the park today.
Gwen said righteously, "Because Daddy needs to make money!"
"I'll behave at home by myself. Right, Loki?"
Loki glanced at Gwen and saw her winking at him. He shook his head.
"No."
He had no intention of playing princess games with a child.
Gwen huffed angrily, "You—you have no Asgardian honor!"
"I'm just a child now."
"You clearly promised!"
"I don't want to do it anymore."
"You're going back on your word!"
"Heh, I told you—I'm just a child."
Watching Gwen fuming and Loki looking bored, Thor couldn't help asking, "What exactly are you two talking about?"
Gwen pouted and explained, "Our school is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and each class has to prepare a performance. Our class is doing Snow White."
"I was chosen to play Snow White. Peter is the Huntsman, Harry is the Prince, and the other classmates are dwarfs, trees, birds, and so on. But no one wanted to play the Evil Queen."
"So we had to draw lots."
She glared at Loki. "You drew the short straw—you're the Evil Queen. And you didn't object yesterday!"
Loki's face twitched. "But I never agreed to it, either."
He had no desire to perform Snow White, especially not as the Evil Queen.
"You accepted it by default! And you even promised to rehearse with me at home!"
Gwen glared at Loki angrily.
Yesterday, on the way home, Loki had agreed to rehearse—as long as no one else was home. That's why she had tried earlier to send Mike and Thor away.
Loki shoved his empty plate forward, crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Fine. Even if I agreed, can't I change my mind now?"
He finished with a cold sneer at Gwen.
Meanwhile, Mike and Thor were listening to the exchange, the corners of their mouths twitching wildly as if barely holding back laughter.
Mike couldn't help rubbing his face.
Seeing Mike's gesture, Thor was suddenly struck with a thought.
He got it!
So he nodded and cleared his throat. "Ahem."
Loki eyed him warily. "What are you up to?"
Thor put on a thoughtful expression and said gravely, "Loki, this isn't right."
"Not right?"
Loki narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong with it?"
"You made a promise to Gwen. You should keep it." Thor said seriously, "I don't want my brother to play the Evil Queen either, but…"
He took a deep breath and continued solemnly, "Don't you want to regain your powers?"
"What do you mean?"
Loki's expression darkened. What did that have to do with his powers?
Thor began to "analyze" (aka spin nonsense) while pretending to think it through.
"You've always been a liar since childhood."
Loki gave a soft snort in response.
Thor continued, "What if... Father wants you to learn honesty? And in order to regain your powers, you must tell a certain number of truths, keep a certain number of promises? If that's the requirement, and you do this…"
He sighed meaningfully.
Loki's expression shifted as he replied coldly, "That's just your speculation!"
"It is my speculation."
Thor smiled and said no more.
But his words made Loki hesitate.
He thought it over. If the condition for getting his powers back was really something like that... it wasn't entirely impossible.
Thor stood up, picked up the dishes, and headed toward the kitchen, muttering to himself, "There's no harm in trying. I'm just a kid right now. What if I'm right?"
What if... he's right?
Loki's eyes flickered.
Meanwhile, Mike was stunned.
Was this really Thor?
Did he grow a brain along with the muscles?
Shaking his head, Mike patted Gwen on the head. "If you need anything, come to the shop. If I'm not around, find Luke to practice with."
"Okay!"
Gwen responded, then glared fiercely at Loki one more time.
After Mike and Thor left, just as Gwen was about to head to the neighbor's house, Loki suddenly said, "Let's rehearse."
"What?"
Gwen looked at him in confusion.
Loki gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words:
"I said, let's rehearse!"
Gwen lit up with joy and looked at him excitedly. "I knew you were a good person!"
Loki rolled his eyes.
If it weren't for that "what if," there's no way he'd do something so ridiculous.
"Wait for me—I'll call Peter and Harry over, and get Luke to help too!"
Loki's lips twitched slightly. He closed his eyes and sighed, then said impatiently, "Hurry up!"
Meanwhile, on the road to the shop...
Mike had just turned off his super hearing and was smiling at Thor beside him. "Loki agreed."
"Hah! Hahahaha!"
Thor burst into laughter and clapped his belly, then growled, "Damn you, Loki, you finally got what you deserve!"
He turned to Mike and grinned. "Mike, that plan of yours was brilliant."
"My plan?" Mike frowned. "Don't go blaming me—I never gave you any ideas."
"Didn't you just now give me a signal?"
"Signal?"
Thor rubbed his face. "This one."
Mike: "…"
He had just been trying to stifle his laughter. That's why he rubbed his face.
And from that one motion, Thor got all that?
Mike looked at Thor with a mix of shock and horror.
Thor stared back, confused. Then he smiled as if something dawned on him. "Ah, I get it now."
Get it?
What do you get?
Damn it!
Mike screamed internally but only nodded calmly and quickened his pace into the shop.
Watching Mike's retreating figure, Thor whispered to himself, "I still have so much to learn."
Mike nearly tripped.
No, I didn't teach you any of that!
Don't frame me! I'm innocent!
Odin, please believe me!
Beyond Earth, deep within the boundless starry sea of the solar system...
A massive spaceship named Sanctuary, resembling a colossal beast, drifted through the void of space.
Suddenly, a small Earth-based spacecraft emerged from the darkness and was "swallowed" by the Sanctuary.
After it landed on the deck, Ebony Maw stepped out of the ship.
Thinking of that master and this journey to Earth, fear and frustration flickered in his eyes.
He had failed his master's trust.
Still, no matter what, he had to report the situation and warn him.
Earth... was no ordinary place.
With that thought, he clasped his hands behind his back and strode quickly toward the command bridge.
(End of Chapter)