Lorien was impressed by Stephen’s reckless move.
If I can’t get a full al, I’ll just eat the leftovers!
Either way, I’m eating for free!
Even if The Ancient One showed up, it wouldn’t change a thing!
I’m Stephen, I said it!
Seeing this, Lorien waved his hand, and a bowl filled with rice and a pair of chopsticks flew over, landing right in front of Stephen.
"You know how to use chopsticks, right?"
"Of course." Stephen picked them up with practiced ease, tapping them on the table as he said, "I used chopsticks all the ti at Kamar-Taj. Almost everyone there does. At first, I thought they were inhumane, but later I realized they’re actually really convenient."
So you finally admitted they’re great, huh.
Every foreigner thinks chopsticks are "anti-human" before using them.
But once they learn, they never want to give them up.
Because they’re just that useful.
With the bowl and chopsticks in hand, Stephen started eating in front of Lorien. Lorien hadn’t quite finished his own al either.
Might as well eat and chat.
Lorien pulled out a bottle of milk tea, slid it toward him, and asked,
"So, how co you had ti to co today? I thought the Sorcerer Supre was swamped every day."
Stephen shoveled in a few bites of rice. After swallowing, he said,
"It’s not that exaggerated. But since I just beca Sorcerer Supre, I still have to look like I’m taking it seriously in front of them."
He gave an example.
"You know, like when you start a new job—you can’t let your boss and coworkers know right away that you’re useless."
"Alright. Sounds like you’ve got a plan."
Hearing that, Lorien shook his head helplessly. Still, it was good. Stephen wasn’t being overly serious. In front of him, he was still witty and humorous.
If he ever started acting too reverent or overly respectful, Lorien would actually feel sad. Because as ti went on, he wouldn’t be gaining more friends—only losing them.
And the few truly worth having were the rare ones. That’s what made the thought so depressing.
Maybe that was one of the downsides of being a powerful existence. Still, if given the choice, Lorien would always choose to be powerful. Because only then would he have the ability to say "no."
"How does it feel to be Sorcerer Supre?" Lorien asked with a smile.
"Uh..." Stephen thought for a mont. "Like I just found a new job?"
"If other sorcerers heard you say that, they’d cry themselves to death."
"Well, that’s how I feel." Stephen took a few more bites, then added, "But yeah, the responsibility’s definitely bigger. I have to guard a stone every day."
The Ti Stone.
But he’d said too much at once and swallowed too quickly, choking himself. He thumped his chest a couple of tis.
The Cloak of Levitation floated over, picked up the milk tea, opened it, and handed it to him.
"Thanks."
Stephen grabbed it and gulped it down.
Glug, glug, glug—
After a big swig, he let out a long breath.
"Tastes great."
Then he noticed Lorien and Wanda both watching him.
So Stephen stood, let the cloak hover in the air, then sat back down.
"Let introduce you. This is the Cloak of Levitation. I ca across it after becoming Sorcerer Supre, while visiting the Sanctums. It lets fly and protects from attacks. Uh... I guess you could call it my good friend."
When Stephen finished his introduction, the cloak gave Wanda a polite little wave. Then it turned to Lorien and bowed deeply!
"Huh?"
Stephen froze at the sight.
"Were you always like this?"
What he ant was—why such a huge difference between how it treated others and how it treated Lorien? Stephen was sure he’d never seen the cloak act like this before.
It was good to him. Polite and gentlemanly to his friends. But bowing in genuine respect? This was a first.
In response to Stephen’s confusion, the cloak lifted its corners like hands and made a gesture.
The side closest to Stephen pressed down low. The side closest to Lorien lifted high. Then, as if that still wasn’t enough, it floated up and pressed its hand against the ceiling before coming back down.
The aning was clear: ceiling level.
Stephen’s face imdiately stiffened. He almost pointed straight at the cloak in exasperation.
When the cloak landed again, it spread its "hands." As if to say: the logic is that simple.
Wanda and Lorien couldn’t hold back their laughter.
Noticing the food on the table was gone, Wanda floated the dishes upstairs with magic to wash them.
Lorien snapped his fingers.
Snap!
The table was instantly spotless.
"Cool magic."
Stephen’s eyes lit up.
"I’ll learn that too."
"Be careful when you do," Lorien reminded him. "Otherwise you might wipe out the furniture along with the spell."
Stephen picked up his milk tea, took a few sips, then paused and said slowly,
"That’s no big deal. Actually, the main reason I ca was, first... to eat for free. Second, to chat. Third, to ask you how you manage to... well... um..."
He thought for a long while but couldn’t find the right word. Finally, he said,
"Basically, how you manage to keep this kind of state. Even with your powers, you still live like a normal person, unaffected by anything."
Lorien considered his words for a mont.
"You don’t know how to face Christine, do you?"
Stephen: ...
A single question, and the truth was laid bare.
Stephen rubbed his nose. "Yeah."
"Being with Christine makes you feel out of place, doesn’t it?"
Stephen covered half of his mouth with his hand. "That’s right."
"And you don’t know what to talk about with her, or how to connect."
Stephen smacked his palm across his face. "Exactly."
See? Case closed. Nothing complicated at all.
What man, after gaining power, suddenly wonders how to "return to his roots"? That’s nonsense.
For Lorien, powers were powers, and life was life. Keep them separate, and one doesn’t affect the other.
Stephen’s problem was that he couldn’t fit back into his old life anymore. And the answer was actually simple.
When Lorien sensed Stephen’s heart, he found a lingering worry—mixed with a heavy sense of responsibility. Both weighed him down and pulled him back.
So Lorien shook his head and said,
"You said it yourself—you got a new job. And as Sorcerer Supre, those responsibilities are yours to carry. You can’t abandon them.
But that doesn’t an you have to be Sorcerer Supre every second of every day. Only when needed.
So just separate work and life, alright? When you’re on duty, wear the robes and carry the Eye of Agamotto. When you’re off duty, put them away until it’s ti again.
Then, go try spending ti with Christine."
Stephen thought about it and realized Lorien was right. Back then, he’d put on his white coat to work as a doctor, and when he was off the clock, he’d drive his Lamborghini and visit his sister.
But this ti was different.
Being a doctor carried responsibility too, but Stephen handled it with ease. As Sorcerer Supre, though, the burden was far greater.
That was why he felt so much pressure—so much that he even wore the Eye of Agamotto to bed.
In truth, he was showing the sa symptoms Tony once had.
"So your problem isn’t Christine, Stephen," Lorien said, tapping his own chest. "The problem is here, in your heart."
"You’ve got the sa issue Tony had. Anxiety disorder."
Stephen’s whole body jolted. His face showed disbelief.
"?"
"Of course."
Lorien opened the milk tea, took a sip, then continued,
"From a psychological point of view, most ntal illnesses are unknown to the person themselves. Physical illnesses get noticed because of symptoms. But even when ntal illnesses show symptoms, you don’t realize they’re symptoms."
"The way you are now—it’s exactly how Tony used to be."
Stephen lowered his head, looking inward.
He had never considered that he might have a ntal illness. He thought he just suddenly couldn’t get along with Christine anymore.
But now, thinking back—his entire lifestyle had changed.
He ate with the Eye of Agamotto on.
He slept with the Eye of Agamotto on.
He wore it for everything.
Good thing he didn’t have a girlfriend, or he’d probably wear it even during dates.
Ridiculous, wasn’t it?
And yet Stephen hadn’t realized it at all.
But that was already a heart problem.
Lorien had sensed it from the very beginning. There was a knot in Stephen’s heart. And that knot... was exactly this.
"I really don’t feel it, honestly."
Stephen pressed a hand to his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and let out a long breath.
"But maybe I do... it feels like there’s always sothing tugging at inside."
Lorien crossed his arms. "Then you need to try letting it go."
Stephen nodded. "I think so."
He sat in thought for a while. After calming himself down, he finally smiled again.
"Coming here was the right choice. Looks like going to the godfather when you’ve got a problem really does work."
Lorien chuckled, then reached over, grabbed the card reader, and pushed it across the table.
"No need to thank . Just pay up."
"Damn..."
Stephen actually pulled out a card and swiped it. Lorien accepted the paynt without hesitation.
"See? Work is work, life is life, friends are friends. You need to know the difference."
Stephen froze for a mont as he put away his card. He looked at the transaction, then suddenly realized,
"Right! You really taught a lesson!"
Thankfully, this "lesson" had been a good one. Elsewhere, things might not be so pleasant.
Though in a certain sense... Lorien had indeed "taught" Stephen a lesson. Ahem.
Stephen pocketed his card, stood up, straightened his clothes, and gave Lorien a bow—one usually reserved for the Sorcerer Supre.
"Thank you very much, Lorien."
Lorien knew Stephen was ready to leave, having sorted out his mindset. He stood and opened the door for him.
"You paid, now get lost."
Stephen broke composure again. He stepped out of the office, turned around, clapped his hands, and opened a portal. After giving Lorien a final nod, he walked through.
The portal began to close.
Lorien watched and comnted, "Still not as fast as Wanda’s."
Plop~~
Just as the portal shut, Lorien faintly heard the sound of soone falling.
That better not have been Stephen.
He returned to his seat and sat down. It was already two or three in the afternoon—just a little longer before he could clock out.
Hiss~~
A scarlet portal opened beside him. Wanda stepped out, holding a plate of strawberries.
She glanced at the spot where Stephen had vanished. "He left?"
"Yes."
"Good. Then the strawberries are just for us."
"..."
Well said.
As Wanda ca closer, Lorien slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. He opened his mouth.
"Ah~"
Wanda smiled sweetly. She picked up a washed strawberry and fed it to him.
Lorien took a big bite—along with a little nibble of Wanda’s delicate hand.
"Stop it~"
Wanda smacked him lightly, then wiped her hand on him.
"It’s delicious, but you’re acting like a child."
Lorien felt the warmth of her weight on his legs, and his eyes fell on the soft, inviting curves before him.
"Then I’ll be a child. Can you give so milk?"
Wanda followed his gaze downward, then imdiately covered herself with a flustered, "No way~!"
"Why not? Didn’t you just say I’m a child?"
"What kind of child this age still drinks milk?"
"I do!"
"...."
Wanda’s face showed helplessness. This was absurd. A grown man still wanting milk—and here, of all places. Besides, she didn’t even have any!
Wishful thinking.
But Lorien had already locked his arms around her waist, giving her no chance to escape.
Wanda panicked. She set the strawberries on the table and tried prying his hands off. But Lorien took the opportunity to bury his face against her chest.
"You!"
Wanda hurriedly pushed at his head, but it was useless. She tried again and again, only to realize she couldn’t stop him.
In the end, she sighed. "Get up first, I’ll give you strawberries."
"I’m eating them."
"... I’ll give you plenty, but only strawberries. Nothing else."
At that, Lorien lifted his head imdiately and agreed. "Okay."
And so, with Wanda’s reluctant but generous help, Lorien enjoyed the "real" strawberries.
They were fresh, red, and juicy—enough to draw reactions.
Wanda, for example, let out soft, wling sounds before finally collapsing against Lorien, trembling.
After a long while, Lorien finished both the strawberries and "strawberries."
Wanda’s face was flushed as she picked up the plate and shot him a glare.
"Next ti, I’m not bringing you anything delicious!"
Lorien thought about it. "Then bring seafood?"
"What seafood?"
"Abalone."
At first Wanda didn’t catch on. She nodded. "Alright."
But a mont later, she realized—and shouted in embarrassnt, "No way!"
Lorien only laughed. Whether it was "okay" wasn’t up to her. When the ti ca, he’d just eat it anyway.
He glanced at the ti. It was already past four. Almost ti to clock out!
...
anwhile, in a remote gray zone of the universe—a place once bustling with activity.
Back then, fleets from major corporations flocked here.
Why? Because they all hoped to dig sothing valuable out of that "giant head," make a fortune, then buy so slaves to indulge themselves for a while.
But now... the place was deserted.
At that mont, Thanos’ warships erged from unified space-ti near the area.
It was General Ebony Maw’s fleet, complete with a massive number of "donut" warships.
But that wasn’t the key point. The real issue was that Thanos was furious.
He had co with his double-edged sword, ready to slaughter half the life here and rebuild his fearso reputation.
But when the fleet arrived—Knowhere was gone.
Where had it gone?
Ebony Maw was stunned. He turned to Thanos and asked hesitantly, "Did Supergiant get the wrong information?"
Thanos gripped his double-edged sword, stood in silence for a mont, then shook his head.
"Supergiant didn’t make a mistake. The coordinates are correct. Knowhere itself has disappeared."
Ebony Maw froze in shock. "This..."
...
(60 Chapters Ahead)
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