Hela opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but for a moment she couldn't find the words.
She turned her face away. "As you wish, but I will be watching him. If there is even the slightest sign of betrayal in the future—"
"Then you shall have the right to deal with him," Odin said calmly. "But until then, he is your brother."
Mavuika walked to her father's side and looked at the infant in swaddling clothes.
The infant also looked at her, his icy blue eyes reflecting the golden-red tips of her hair. Suddenly, he smiled—a pure smile, completely devoid of malice.
She reached out a finger, and the infant grabbed it.
His small hand was very cold, but Mavuika's finger was very warm.
"Do you believe he can do it? Become a bridge?" Mavuika asked softly.
Odin did not answer directly. "I believe in possibility, and possibility is the most precious thing in the Nine Realms."
Holding the infant, he turned and walked toward the main ship. "Back to Asgard."
...
The atmosphere of the Golden Palace was starkly different from the icy plains of Jotunheim.
When Odin walked into the main hall carrying a Frost Giant infant, all the nobles, generals, and attendants present were stunned.
Whispers spread like a tide, with looks of surprise, confusion, and doubt, while a few people showed thoughtful expressions.
Frigga was walking through the hall, cradling Thor.
The little prince had only been born a few days ago. His pale gold hair was as soft as down, and his blue eyes surveyed the World with curiosity.
Seeing her husband return, the Queen revealed a gentle smile. "Welcome back, my King, and my daughters."
She first embraced Mavuika, stroking her eldest daughter's cheek. "I heard of your heroic feats on the battlefield, defeating Laufey alone. My daughter, you make me incredibly proud."
Then she turned to Hela and gently squeezed her second daughter's arm. "You as well, Hela. Brynhildr reported your achievements to me. Very impressive! Your father was no better at your age."
Hela was uncharacteristically embarrassed and turned her face away. "It was nothing."
Finally, Frigga noticed the swaddle in Odin's arms.
She approached and lifted a corner of the cloak, seeing that small pale blue face and those icy blue eyes.
The main hall fell into a moment of silence.
Frigga's expression froze for an instant, but only for an instant.
Immediately, a maternal light appeared in her eyes—a light that transcended race and stance, purely responding to the call of a tiny life.
"This is...?" she asked softly.
Odin handed the infant to his wife. "An orphan we found on the edge of the Jotunheim battlefield. His parents may have died, or perhaps they abandoned him on purpose."
Frigga took the infant, her movements skilled and gentle. The infant squirmed in her arms, letting out a faint "yiya" sound.
Thor also peeked out from his mother's other side, curiously looking at this small, blue-skinned creature.
"What a poor little fellow. You want to adopt him." Frigga was not asking, but stating.
"Yes," Odin said. "As our son, Thor's brother."
Frigga had no other objections. She simply looked intently at the infant in her arms, her finger stroking the crystalline protrusion on his forehead. "He needs a name."
"Loki," Odin said.
"Loki Odinson," Frigga repeated softly, then smiled.
"Welcome home, little Loki."
As if he understood, Loki reached out a small hand and grabbed a lock of Frigga's golden hair.
At the same time, Thor also reached out a chubby little hand and grabbed Loki's other hand.
Mavuika watched this scene, a complex and warm emotion welling up in her heart.
She thought of her past life, of her childhood with her sister Hine, and of those days without racial barriers, only sisterly affection.
Hela watched expressionlessly.
When Loki's icy blue eyes turned toward her, she glared back coldly.
The infant seemed frightened and shrank back into Frigga's arms.
"Hela," Mavuika reminded her softly.
"I know," Hela said, turning her face away.
Odin watched his family's different reactions and did not force anything.
He knew that some divides required years to heal.
He turned to Mavuika and Hela, his expression turning serious. "Now, back to business."
The King of the Gods walked to the throne and turned to face all the assembled Asgardian high-ranking officials in the hall. "The Battle of Jotunheim was a great victory for Asgard, and the foundation of this victory was laid by my two daughters—Mavuika and Hela!"
He first looked at Mavuika. "Marvica Odinson, what you displayed on the battlefield was not just power, but the wisdom and benevolence of a leader."
"You defeated Laufey alone, yet spared his life; you insisted on collecting all the fallen, friend and foe alike; you defended innocent lives at the final moment."
Odin raised the Eternal Spear and pointed its tip at Mavuika. "Therefore, in the name of the King of the Gods, I declare: from this day forward, the Valkyrie units are completely under the command of Mavuika. She is not only their Commander but their sole object of loyalty. The Valkyrie Legion shall henceforth become the personal army of Marvika, the Sun Goddess, taking orders from her alone!"
A collective gasp echoed through the hall.
This was an unprecedented honor. The Valkyrie units had always been directly under the King of the Gods, serving as Asgard's most elite mobile force.
Handing them completely to a princess was almost a declaration of Mavuika's status as the crown heir.
Mavuika knelt on one knee, the sun-blaze thousand suns placed horizontally in front of her. "I shall not fail this duty, Father. The sword of the Valkyrie will always be wielded for the peace of Asgard and the Nine Realms."
"Rise," Odin smiled, then looked at Hela.
"Hela Odinson, your bravery and power on the battlefield are second to none. You led the Death Guard to tear through the defensive lines, and you alone destroyed twelve of Jotunheim's War Machines. Your very existence is the greatest deterrent to the enemy."
He paused. "The Death Guard will continue to be under your command, and I grant you permission to expand it to a size of three thousand."
This was also an immense power. Hela's eyes lit up, and she knelt on one knee, the head of mjolnir touching the ground. "Thank you, Father! I will make the name of Death resound in every corner of the Nine Realms!"
Once the rewards were finished, Hela immediately spoke. "Father, Jotunheim is settled. Only Muspelheim remains in the Nine Realms. We should strike while the iron is hot and take down Surtur, the Fire Giant, in one fell swoop!"
"In this way, the grand unification of the Nine Realms can be completely achieved! The glory of Asgard will shine upon every corner of the Nine Realms! Please give the order. Give me a month—no, half a month! I can bring Surtur's head back to the Golden Palace!"
Odin was silent for a moment. His gaze pierced through the hall, looking toward the starry sky.
Asgard's night sky was clear, as if one could see distant Muspelheim—a dark red star with unquenchable flames surging on its surface.
After a long time, he turned around.