Chương 85: Chapter 85: The Harmonious Foursome and the Unharmonious Odin 

Thor sat in a plush chair within the Royal Infirmary, casually tossing Loki's severed cybernetic arm up and down like a morbid paperweight. 

Meanwhile, Loki was currently immobilized, strapped tightly to a highly advanced medical bed to ensure the newly reattached, biological Frost Giant arm fused correctly. 

Looking at the helpless God of Mischief, who couldn't even turn his head, Thor suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to be annoying. He leaned forward and gently poked Loki in the cheek with the metallic finger of the cybernetic arm. 

"What exactly are you trying to accomplish?" Loki glared at Thor with utter exasperation. Since he couldn't move, he was completely at the mercy of this golden-retriever-brained idiot. 

"Are you absolutely sure you don't want to keep this? I mean, it was attached to you for a while. The craftsmanship actually seems pretty decent," Thor said, experimentally trying to bend the metallic forearm, but failing due to the incredibly strong temporal alloy. 

"That monstrosity is a symbol of my absolute humiliation! I absolutely refuse to keep it as a souvenir!" Loki hissed angrily. As the legendary God of Mischief, getting outsmarted, pruned, and mutilated by a bunch of bureaucratic mortals was the greatest stain on his record! If word of this got out, his reputation would be permanently ruined! 

Thor scoffed softly. Your humiliation definitely isn't limited to just a metal arm, brother. Thor distinctly remembered a certain teenager recording a highly entertaining video of Loki being violently smashed into the floor repeatedly by the Hulk. 

Such a dramatic idiot... 

Watching Thor absentmindedly trying to bend the cybernetic elbow backward against the joint, Loki sighed and instinctively tried to pinch the bridge of his nose to ward off an impending headache, only to realize his arm was still strapped down. 

Feeling increasingly depressed, Loki closed his eyes, intending to simply sleep until the operation was complete. 

Just then, the magical communication array in the corner of the room suddenly chimed. 

"Why are there so many interruptions today?!" Loki gritted his teeth. He glared at Thor until the thunder god finally got the hint and walked over to answer it. 

Thor casually tossed the heavy cybernetic arm directly onto Loki's chest—causing Loki to grunt in pain—and activated the array. 

"This is Thor. Speak." 

"Thor, dear? How would you like to have a sister?" 

"Mother?!" 

Thor and Loki exchanged an incredibly bewildered look. They were both utterly confused. 

"Uh, Mother, I believe this is a conversation you should be having with Father. Of course, I am not fundamentally opposed to the idea, but..." Thor stammered, his face turning a slight shade of red. 

He shot an incredibly awkward glance at Loki. Loki looked equally stunned. Did Father finally decide his sons were too much trouble and decided to try for a daughter?! 1

"Actually, you already have a sister. She arrived just a few moments ago. Would you like to come see her?" 

Thor was absolutely flabbergasted. He quickly muted the communication array. 

"When exactly was Mother pregnant?!" Thor whispered frantically to his brother. 

Loki was completely mind-boggled. He had literally seen Frigga just a few hours ago, and she was definitively not pregnant! Unless everything he had learned in Asgardian biology class was a lie, and Asgardian pregnancies only lasted a few hours?! 

"Tell Mother we will be there immediately!" Loki hissed urgently. 

Thor unmuted the array. "Mother, we are on our way!" 

Thor immediately terminated the connection. 

"YOU FORGOT TO ASK HER WHERE SHE IS!" Loki roared in frustration, struggling violently against his medical restraints, desperate to get up. 

Realizing his mistake, Thor quickly re-established the connection, acquired the coordinates to the secure private chamber, and hung up. 

Since Loki was still strapped to the bed and couldn't sit up quickly enough, an impatient Thor simply grabbed Loki by the waist and hoisted him onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. 

"CAREFUL WITH MY ARM!" Loki shrieked in absolute terror. 

"If it falls off again, we'll just have the healers sew it back on!" Thor yelled cheerfully, before literally smashing straight through the infirmary window and taking flight. 

In the secure private chamber, Frigga smiled softly as the communication array faded. 

"It seems they were quite pleasantly surprised," Frigga turned back to the others in the room. 

"I think 'surprised' is definitely the right word," Luke chuckled. Though, 'utterly terrified and confused' might also be accurate. 

"Phew." Sylvie took a deep, shuddering breath, smoothing out the wrinkles in her tunic. "I truly hope I can make a good first impression on them." 

"I have absolutely no doubt you will leave a wonderful impression," Frigga smiled warmly, gently squeezing Sylvie's trembling hands. 

"They have arrived," Odin, who had been standing silently near the window, suddenly spoke up. He quickly gestured for everyone to step back from the heavy oak doors. 

Just as the group took a few steps backward, the massive double doors were violently blasted off their hinges, and two figures tumbled awkwardly into the room. 

"DAMN IT, YOU OAF! MY ARM!" Loki violently slammed onto the polished marble floor. 

"Why didn't you hold on tighter?!" Thor, having executed a flawless, superhero landing, quickly rushed over to haul his grumbling brother to his feet. 

"WHY DIDN'T YOU HOLD ON TIGHTER?!" Loki yelled furiously, dusting off his robes. 

"Because I needed one hand to push open the doors! You didn't expect me to use Mjolnir to smash Mother's doors, did you?" Thor argued defensively, using his empty hand to pantomime gently pushing a door. 

"Oh, now you suddenly care about not destroying palace property!" Loki snapped, instinctively pinching his newly reattached arm to check for feeling. 

"Great. I can't feel anything. I'm definitely going to need another surgery," Loki muttered in profound depression. 

"I believe you two should calm yourselves. You do not wish to frighten your new sister," Frigga intervened gracefully, watching the two brothers bicker endlessly. 

"Right! Our sister! Where is she?!" Thor instantly abandoned Loki and immediately stared directly at Frigga's stomach. 

Frigga flushed slightly, maintaining her elegant smile despite the awkwardness. "I believe you have completely misunderstood the situation. Actually... your sister is right here." 

Frigga stepped aside, revealing Sylvie, who was standing nervously behind her. 

"Hello. I am Sylvie," she introduced herself softly, her voice trembling slightly. 

"Uh... hello?" Thor replied, looking completely bewildered. 

Loki rolled his eyes, completely ignoring his throbbing arm. He stared intently at Sylvie. "So... you are our new sister?" 

"Loki! Be polite!" Frigga shot him a stern, warning glare. 

Since Frigga was the only person in the entire Nine Realms that Loki genuinely loved and respected unconditionally, he instantly snapped his mouth shut and behaved. 

"Greetings! I am Thor! I suppose I will be your older brother from now on!" Thor quickly stepped forward. For some inexplicable reason, he felt an immediate, profound sense of affection and familiarity toward this unknown sister. He eagerly began chatting with Sylvie. 

Watching Thor and Sylvie instantly fall into a comfortable, joyful conversation, Frigga felt a deep sense of maternal satisfaction. However, noticing Loki standing silently to the side with his head bowed, Frigga sighed inwardly. 

She decided she needed to offer Loki a massive hint, otherwise his paranoia would ruin the reunion. 

"Loki, you should make a sincere effort to get along with Sylvie. After all, in a very literal sense... she is you." 

"Me?" Loki pointed a finger at his own chest, his brilliant mind instantly kicking into hyper-drive, analyzing the implications. 

Wait... did I disappoint Mother and Father so profoundly that they literally adopted this woman to permanently replace me?! 

Loki's gaze instantly hardened. He glared viciously at Sylvie, especially hating the fact that Thor was happily chatting with her like an idiot. 

He meticulously scrutinized Sylvie's every action, every subtle movement, and every facial expression. 

This manipulative witch has absolutely used some kind of dark enchantment to bewitch Father and Mother! She actually convinced them she could replace me! That nervous, timid smile?! Absolutely fake! A calculated ploy to garner sympathy! And look at that massive spread of food! 

Damn it! This woman is incredibly cunning! She specifically targeted their weaknesses! Father and Thor love to drink, and Mother enjoys delicate pastries! She played them perfectly! 

Loki was screaming furiously in his own mind, but externally, he plastered on his signature, flawlessly polite, utterly fake smile. 

You dare engage in a battle of wits and manipulation against the God of Mischief?! I will make you realize the catastrophic error you've made! 

A terrifying, invisible aura of pure, competitive malice seemed to ignite behind Loki. 

I am going to completely destroy you! 

Frigga watched the subtle shifts in Loki's expression and instantly saw straight through his entire paranoid, competitive mental breakdown. She sighed heavily. 

"Loki, I believe you are severely misunderstanding the situation. She is a Variant of you from a parallel universe!" 

"WHAT?!" Both Thor and Loki shouted simultaneously, completely flabbergasted. 

They both possessed a fundamental understanding of the Multiverse and branching timelines, but they had always assumed those concepts were purely theoretical or infinitely distant. They never expected to actually interact with a parallel universe! 

A parallel universe Loki?! And it's a sister?! 

Double the joy! 

Thor instantly felt an even stronger, almost overwhelming sense of familial connection to Sylvie. 

"Sister Sylvie! It's me, Thor! Do you know me?! Am I your brother in your parallel universe as well?!" Thor bombarded her with eager questions, his overwhelming enthusiasm making it difficult for Sylvie to decide which question to answer first. 

Loki, on the other hand, stood completely frozen, his mind short-circuiting. This revelation was infinitely more shocking to him than it was to Thor. 

Watching Thor shamelessly dote on Sylvie, Loki frowned deeply and walked over to Frigga. "Mother, how exactly did she arrive in our universe?" 

Frigga, who was currently happily watching Thor and Sylvie interact, pointed toward the corner of the room where Luke was casually eating some of the Midgardian snacks. "Your Uncle recently dismantled a terrifying organization capable of traversing timelines. He rescued her and brought her here to us." 

Loki followed her gaze and finally noticed Luke. 

Because he had been so focused on the new 'sister,' he hadn't even realized Luke was in the room! Hearing Frigga's explanation, Loki's paranoia instantly flared up again. Did Luke bring this female Variant here as a political maneuver to solidify his power base in Asgard by providing Father with a more 'compliant' Loki?! 

Loki still didn't truly understand his 'Uncle.' Although his memories hadn't been reset by the TVA, his primary impression of Luke was simply that he was an unimaginably powerful Midgardian capable of soloing entire alien armadas. 

And more importantly... he vividly remembered this 'Uncle' brutally kicking him in the chest and recording it on video! 

RECORDING! 

Loki violently stiffened, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. He has blackmail material on me! Countless humiliating videos! 

Instantly, Loki's entire perspective shifted. When he looked at Luke, he didn't see an Uncle; he saw a ruthless blackmailer plotting his downfall. 

"Is something wrong?" Luke asked, noticing Loki staring at him with a look of absolute horror. 

"Uh... Uncle! I sincerely apologize for my deeply disrespectful behavior toward you in the past!" Loki suddenly blurted out, bowing slightly. 

"Uh... it's fine," Luke was slightly taken aback by the sudden, intense display of politeness. 

"Thank you for your infinite mercy and forgiveness! I humbly request that you completely erase all memories of my past transgressions from your mind! I swear to reform myself and provide you with an entirely new, flawless impression!" Loki stepped forward, grabbing Luke's hands earnestly, his eyes pleading desperately. 

Erase the memories? 

Luke instantly understood. This guy wants me to delete the blackmail videos! 

Luke smiled warmly, tightly gripping Loki's hands in return. "Loki, I am profoundly overjoyed to hear that you wish to better yourself. However, we cannot simply erase or deny our past mistakes! Those precious memories will forever be etched into my heart! That way, when we are both old and gray, we can fondly look back and laugh at how foolish and immature you used to be!" 

WHAT?! 

You refuse to delete them?! And you're planning to mock me with them when we're old?! What kind of absolute demon are you?! 1

Loki was mere seconds away from completely dropping the polite act and trying to stab Luke, but Luke casually pulled out his smartphone. Holding it at an angle where only Loki could see the screen, Luke opened his photo gallery, revealing several highly embarrassing videos. 

"Oh, that reminds me! I haven't updated my blog today! I wonder which of these hilarious videos I should post? Sigh, having millions of fans is such a burden. I have to constantly post fresh, entertaining content to keep them engaged." 

I MUST ENDURE! 

Loki clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. How the hell do you have Earth internet access in Asgard?! You're definitely bluffing! 

...but what if he isn't bluffing?! 

Loki forced a painfully tight, incredibly polite smile, slowly backed away, and silently crouched in the darkest corner of the room, radiating an aura of absolute misery. 

Watching the joyful, bustling family reunion happening in the center of the room, Loki felt completely isolated, like a total outsider in his own family. 

Luke happily watched Loki succumb to depression. He had to be careful not to push the kid too far, or he might actually cause permanent psychological damage. He almost pulled out his phone to take a picture of 'Depressed Loki crouching in a corner' for his collection. 

Instead, a shadow silently detached from Luke's feet, slithering over to the corner. Two pitch-black hands holding a digital camera emerged from the darkness. 

As long as Loki doesn't know he's being photographed, it won't cause psychological damage, right? 

Eventually, Sylvie noticed Loki sulking in the corner. She actively walked over and gently pulled him into the conversation. Because she had initiated the interaction, Loki's impression of her significantly improved, and the four of them actually began to chat quite harmoniously. 

Why only four? Because Odin had quietly pulled Luke aside to talk in private. 

"You aren't here to lecture me for bullying your son, are you?" Luke asked warily, wondering why the All-Father had pulled him away from the snacks. 

Odin shook his head. He glanced at the four 'children' laughing together, then turned back to Luke. "Why did you truly bring Sylvie to us?" 

"Because she is your child! Even if she is from a parallel universe," Luke replied, looking at him strangely. "Or do you secretly prefer sons over daughters?" 

"Of course not! It's just... how do I explain this? Having a daughter suddenly appear..." Odin trailed off, struggling to find the right words. He actually deeply desired a daughter, but the memory of his firstborn daughter—whom he had been forced to violently seal away—still haunted him. 

So much time had passed since Hela, and now, being presented with a new daughter, he found himself completely lacking the emotional vocabulary to properly interact with her. He genuinely liked Sylvie; she seemed significantly less chaotic and troublesome than his firstborn or his two sons. 

But watching the incredibly joyful, relaxed atmosphere among the four of them, Odin felt completely incapable of seamlessly inserting himself into the conversation without ruining the mood. 

Luke looked at Odin and instantly understood the problem. The All-Father didn't know how to be a normal 'Dad.' 

Luke firmly patted Odin on the shoulder. 

"Old Man, you really need to stop acting so incredibly stiff and serious all the time! Just relax, smile a little, and you'll easily blend right in!" 

Luke recalled all the times he had seen Odin in the movies. The All-Father was almost perpetually scowling, projecting an aura of absolute, crushing majesty. He almost never smiled. 

The only time Odin had seemed truly approachable and lacking his 'God-King' ego was during his final moments on Earth, sitting peacefully on a grassy cliff, casually chatting with his two sons. That was perhaps the only time Odin had ever truly connected with Thor and Loki on a deeply personal, emotional level. 

"Here's my advice: go take off that heavy, imposing golden armor. Find some comfortable, casual clothes. Take off that intimidating golden eyepatch and replace it with something softer, maybe a simple cloth patch, so you don't look so terrifyingly rigid. Then, come back out here and just talk to them like a normal father," Luke suggested. 

Odin looked at him skeptically, but Luke gently shoved him toward the private antechamber. 

"Do you realize that ever since I first met you, you've constantly maintained this incredibly severe, unapproachable facade? I don't think I've ever seen you genuinely laugh," Luke said earnestly. 

"I firmly believe that the primary reason Loki constantly feels neglected and unloved by you is directly tied to your unapproachable demeanor. If you simply drop the 'All-Father' act for five minutes, offer a genuine smile, and talk to your sons—and your new daughter—like a real parent, you could probably easily prevent and repair so many of the misunderstandings and tragedies that plague your family." 

"So... go change your clothes. Find a mirror. Practice smiling. And then come back out here and be a Dad. Okay?" 

Odin hesitated for a moment. "Uh... I genuinely do not know how to do that." 

Luke sighed heavily in absolute exasperation. "Fine. I'll go with you and help you pick out an outfit. Maybe I can give you some pointers on how to not look terrifying. Come on, where is your closet?"