Long Island's sea breeze carried the familiar scent of salt and freedom; the setting sun dyed the cottage a warm amber.
Leaving the eternal starlight and solemn temples of Asgard to return to this peaceful seaside residence, Artoria felt as if a lifetime had passed.
In just a few days, it felt as though she had lived through another epoch.
Everything inside the cottage was as it had been, kept clean and cozy by little ai remotely.
There was no dusty smell from a long absence, only the ventilation system, preset by Minerva with the scent of sunshine and vanilla, working silently.
The green plants on the windowsill were still fresh, and the refrigerator even contained the non-expired groceries they had stocked before leaving.
"Finally... back," Artoria said, carefully placing the precious metal box into the study safe, letting out a long sigh as if unloading an invisible burden.
The experiences of Asgard—the battles, the Odin, the runes, the gifts, and the tragic farewell of the Thor brothers—still weighed heavily on her heart, but the peaceful atmosphere of home was gradually wrapping around, softening, and settling those intense emotions.
Minerva had silently begun the first round of post-return comprehensive scanning.
Her optical sensor's blue light was steady, checking every door and window, energy node, and communication line, while synchronizing all monitoring records and security logs from the past few days with little ai.
"No signs of external intrusion. Internal systems are operating normally. Stark Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D. each had three non-emergency communication requests during your absence, which have been replied to by little ai according to preset protocols," Minerva reported concisely.
"The integration report for 'Star Sea Phantom Light' entertainment company has arrived; Ms. Pepper Potts added a message stating that progress is smooth and she looks forward to discussing it in detail after your return."
Minerva reported this while heading to the kitchen to start preparing a simple dinner using the ingredients currently in the refrigerator.
Her movements were fluid and natural, as if they had never left.
Artoria kicked off her shoes, stepped barefoot on the cool floor, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the horizon gradually being swallowed by twilight.
The "Friend of Asgard" mark bestowed by Odin felt slightly warm between her brows, conveying a sense of warm and subtle connection, as if a pair of eyes from the distant starry sky were casting a benevolent gaze.
This feeling was wonderful and not uncomfortable; instead, it brought a strange sense of peace.
Dinner was simple vegetable soup and toast.
The taste was familiar; it was Minerva's cooking.
Artoria ate slowly, feeling the solid satisfaction brought by the food.
During the meal, she briefly discussed the upcoming arrangements with Minerva.
"Contact Tony tomorrow and show him these materials," Artoria said, stirring the soup with a spoon.
"He'll definitely go crazy with joy. But first, we must have him sign a non-disclosure agreement before researching safe handling methods. Upgrading your equipment also needs to be put on the agenda."
"Seventeen equipment upgrade plans have been preliminarily generated based on existing material data and combined with Asgardian rune principles, covering attack, defense, mobility, stealth, and support directions."
"Once Mr. Tony Stark provides material handling solutions, detailed design and simulation testing can be conducted," Minerva responded calmly, as if she were planning a routine shopping trip rather than upgrading herself.
"So efficient," Artoria smiled, then thought of something else.
"Right, I also need to contact Pepper to understand the company's situation. And on Agent Coulson's side, I need to report that we are safe, and by the way... probe into whether there have been any new situations on Earth during the days we were gone."
"Suggested schedule: Contact Ms. Pepper Potts tomorrow morning to handle the company business briefing. Contact Mr. Tony Stark in the afternoon to synchronize Asgardian material information and conduct preliminary discussions. Contact Agent Coulson in the evening. Personal rest and knowledge organization at night," Minerva immediately provided a plan.
"I'll listen to you," Artoria readily agreed.
With Minerva around, she could always quickly sort through the chaos.
After dinner, Artoria took a long, hot bath to wash away her fatigue and the sense of alienation from crossing the stardust.
Changing into comfortable pajamas, she hugged a pillow and naturally snuggled up beside Minerva, whose silver hair was glowing softly under the desk lamp as she organized data in the study.
"Tonight..." she blinked, looking at Minerva.
Minerva stopped her work, her optical sensor turning toward her with a steady blue light: "Understood."
No words were needed.
A moment later, the two were lying in each other's arms on the large bed in the master bedroom.
This time, Artoria did not hold on tightly with anxiety as she had in Asgard, but instead, with a more relaxed and affectionate posture, she gathered Minerva into her arms, pressing her cheek against the top of her cool, soft hair, and let out a satisfied sigh.
Minerva also adjusted to a more fitting position, quietly letting her hold her, with her optical sensor set to the lowest power standby monitoring mode.
Familiar scent, familiar temperature, familiar embrace.
After experiencing the grandeur and life-or-death crises of the Realm of the Gods, this plain embrace seemed all the more precious and peaceful.
Artoria quickly drifted into sleep, dreamless throughout the night.
A new day began in the fresh sea breeze and bright sunshine of Long Island.
Artoria contacted Pepper first.
Pepper looked radiant in the hologram; although there was a faint weariness under her eyes—managing Stark Industries plus the newly integrated "Star Sea Phantom Light" was no easy task—her spirits were high.
She efficiently reported the integration of "Star Sea Phantom Light" entertainment holding company—the legal structure, asset sorting, core team formation, and the progress of key projects under it: "Legendary Conflict" online player numbers hit a new high, "The Last Survivor: Arena" entered the final testing stage, and future strategic planning.
Everything was orderly, far exceeding Artoria's expectations.
"You've done an amazing job, Pepper," Artoria praised sincerely, "Completely beyond my imagination."
"It was your creativity and Tony's early support that laid a good foundation," Pepper smiled and shook her head, then asked with concern, "Was your 'trip' this time smooth? Tony was muttering a few days ago that he couldn't reach you and was worried if there was a bug in his new communication protocol."
"Very smooth, we went to a... relatively remote place, and the signal wasn't good," Artoria vaguely brushed it off, "Just got back. Give my regards to Tony, I'll contact him later; I have a... 'little gift' to show him, he'll definitely like it."
"Then I'll thank you on his behalf in advance," Pepper couldn't help but laugh, chatted a few more idle words, and then ended the call.
She knew Artoria didn't like to get too involved in specific management, just grasping the general direction was enough.
After dealing with the company briefing, Artoria had Minerva dial Tony's encrypted line.
It connected almost instantly, and Tony's hologram popped up, with the familiar Stark Tower laboratory in the background, where Dummy was clumsily trying to move a circuit board behind him.
"Miss Consultant! You're finally back!" Tony's tone was exaggerated, but the concern in his eyes was real, "Pepper said you went to a place with terrible signal? Don't tell me you went mining on the dark side of Jupiter? Or were you kidnapped by some alien princess to be her trophy wife? Jarvis said your spatial readings were a bit subtly unstable a few days ago..."
"Just went to a 'friend's' house as a guest," Artoria smiled, deciding not to keep him in suspense anymore, "By the way, brought back some 'local specialties.' I think you'll be interested."
"Local specialties?" Tony raised an eyebrow, becoming interested, "I hope it's not alien rocks or otherworldly mushrooms; I have no interest in collecting strange stones or cooking fungi, unless they can be used to make reactor cores or new alloys."
"Perhaps... they really can," Artoria signaled Minerva to transmit part of the metal box's scan data (non-core, only showing general properties and energy characteristics).
Tony was initially nonchalant, but when Jarvis projected the analysis data into the air, especially when he saw terms like "Uru alloy raw ore," "stardust," and "void crystal," along with their preliminary physical property analysis, his eyes widened instantly, his mouth opened slightly, and he looked as if he had been pressed on a pause button.
"...Jarvis, re-analyze! Calibrate all sensors! Initiate the highest-level security protocol!" A few seconds later, Tony jumped up, lunged at the data screen, his fingers swiping rapidly, his voice slightly distorted by excitement, "This energy reading... these material properties... this... this doesn't conform to the periodic table at all! No, it transcends it! And this spatial disturbance coefficient... My God, Artoria, where did you get these things?! This is simply... simply cheating!"
"From a 'friend' who is very skilled at forging and energy," Artoria chuckled, watching Tony's rare loss of composure, "How about it, interested in researching them? But I suggest it's best to do it in your absolutely secure laboratory, and the handling method might be completely different from Earth's conventional materials."
"Interested? Of course I'm interested! I'm extremely interested!" Tony was almost dancing, but he quickly forced himself to calm down, looking at Artoria with sharp eyes, "Wait, you said 'friend'? A 'friend' who can take out this kind of thing... could it be related to that hammer that couldn't be picked up in New Mexico, and that big blonde guy?"
Tony's sharpness was as consistent as ever.
Artoria did not deny it, just nodded: "You could say that. So, these materials are very special, and also very... sensitive. Research is fine, but it must be absolutely confidential, and you must be careful. Handling them might require... well, combining some ideas that aren't so'scientific'."
"magic? Energy runes? Or some other god-knows-what?" Tony sneered, but his eyes flashed with intense desire to explore, "Whatever! Science or magic, as long as it is observable, verifiable, and usable, it is knowledge! Jarvis, immediately clear Area C in the 'basement', prepare a full set of high-energy physics and anomalous material analysis equipment! Highest specification protection!"
He turned to Artoria, his expression unprecedentedly serious: "Miss Consultant, no, Artoria, my dear partner and alien material supplier, please be sure to send these... treasures to me as soon as possible and safely. I guarantee in the name of Stark Industries that they will be treated with the highest specifications, and all research results will be shared. Of course, prioritized for equipment upgrades for you and Minerva, I guarantee!"
Watching Tony's fanatical appearance, looking as if he couldn't wait to dive into the laboratory, Artoria smiled and agreed.
It was agreed that Minerva would personally deliver the materials to Stark Tower in the afternoon and assist Tony in conducting preliminary, safe contact testing.
After ending the call with Tony, after lunch, Artoria contacted Agent Coulson.
Agent Coulson in the hologram was still in a crisp suit, with a professional smile.
"Miss Artoria, Miss Minerva, it's good to see you returned safely," Agent Coulson greeted, "The Director and I have been a bit concerned. Especially... after the New Mexico incident, when you disappeared together with Mr. Thor."
"We went to Asgard as guests," Artoria gave a clearer answer this time; anyway, Thor's existence was already semi-public, and the existence of Asgard was no secret to the top of S.H.I.E.L.D., "Just got back not long ago. How has Earth been these past few days?"
Agent Coulson's expression became a bit subtle: "Generally calm. But there are some... aftershocks. Regarding Mr. Thor, and the 'astronomical phenomenon' that night, it has sparked a lot of speculation, and we are trying our best to guide public opinion. Also..."
He paused, seemingly weighing his words: "During your absence, low-intensity anomalous energy fluctuations were detected globally, with a slight upward trend. They are mainly concentrated near several historical sites, ley line nodes, or areas where extraordinary events have occurred recently. The intensity is very low, causing no direct damage, but... they exist persistently, and the source is difficult to trace. The Director believes this may be some kind of... 'feedback' from the 'environment' to a series of recent high-energy events, or... a sign that something else has been 'disturbed'."
Artoria's heart skipped a beat.
Low-intensity, persistent, hard-to-trace anomalous energy fluctuations?
This didn't sound like a coincidence.
Was it the ripples left on a dimensional level by the Loki incident and the Bifrost energy explosion, attracting the attention of certain beings?
Or was this the beginning of a more far-reaching influence?
"We understand, thank you for the reminder, Agent Coulson," Artoria said solemnly, "We will keep watching. Please inform us promptly if there are any new developments."
"Of course. Keep in touch," Agent Coulson ended the call.
Finishing a busy day, Artoria felt a bit tired.
The "sequelae" of the Asgard trip seemed to still be there; not just physically, but mentally, it also needed time to fully settle.
She decided not to handle serious matters for the rest of the time, but instead, together with Minerva, leisurely tended to the herb garden on the terrace, watered the plants, and then curled up on the sofa to watch a lighthearted old movie.
After Minerva safely delivered the material box to Stark Tower and returned, she also quietly accompanied her.
There weren't many words between the two, but that tacit understanding and attachment, which had become deeper and firmer after the baptism of the Asgard trip, flowed quietly in the plain daily life.
As night fell, Artoria once again fell asleep holding Minerva.
This time, on the verge of falling into deep sleep, she seemed to feel the "Friend of Asgard" mark between her brows heat up slightly, and her consciousness seemed to be pulled, skimming across the boundless starry sky, catching a glimpse of a blurry, broken seven-colored bridge phantom, and beside the bridge, a lonely, tall figure leaning on a war hammer, gazing at the sea of stars.
It was Thor.
He was missing them, watching, and also bearing the burden.
Artoria silently offered a blessing in her heart, and her consciousness sank completely into darkness.
Days on Earth seemed to have returned to calm.
But Artoria knew this was just a brief peace between storms.
The excited squeals Tony made in the laboratory at the Asgardian materials, the anomalous energy fluctuations mentioned by Agent Coulson, Thor's back under the starry sky, and... Loki, who had fallen into the void, his life or death unknown... were all like silent tides, brewing beneath the calm sea surface.
But she no longer felt lost or anxious.
She had more powerful strength, more reliable partners, solid allies—Asgard, Tony, and even the limited cooperation with S.H.I.E.L.D.—and she also had... the daily life and people she clearly wanted to protect.
Face challenges as they come.
At least for this moment, she could hold the warmth in her arms and enjoy this plain yet precious daily life, returning fully loaded after surviving a disaster.
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