"Isn't it?" Helen asked.
"Of course not." Loki shook his head and said, "They should respect me in the first place, whether I am a prince or a king, as long as I am a member of the royal family of Asgard, I should enjoy all these."
Loki, maintaining a thoughtful expression, said, "Actually, it's not that I don't have power, it's just that I haven't used it. So, why haven't I used it?"
"What Thor said is correct, the Asgardians said I am not worthy, I feel I am not worthy. So, when they show that I am not worthy, although I would argue with them on the surface, deep down inside, I feel I am truly not worthy, feeling what they've done is not wrong."
"So, I start to wonder, how do I deserve all this? But I don't see any room for improvement. There is only one throne, where can I ascend to?"
"Thor has firm rulership, I am his only brother, there are only a few members in Asgard's Royal Family, the Father of All Gods and the Queen of Gods have retired, they don't even show themselves anymore, Sif and Thor have not yet married, don't have an official status, isn't it just me remaining?"
"There is only one Divine King, one Prince, would it kill them to treat me a little better?"
Helen was taken aback. She did not expect Loki to say this. In the past, although Loki very much enjoyed hurting others with his words, he rarely used a complacent attitude to criticize others.
Seeing Helen's slightly surprised expression, Loki looked at her and said, "You find it strange too, why I never thought this way before, right?"
Helen hesitated a bit and replied tentatively, "They always say you're arrogant, but I think, you're actually quite humble..."
Helen touched her own cheek and then said, "I think, arrogance should be like Doctor Schiller, always finding faults in others whenever there is an issue."
"Actually, I find myself really strange..." Helen, hugging her arms, stared into Loki's eyes and said, "Can I seriously ask you a question?"
Loki nodded and Helen, with a confused look on her face, asked, "Did you really just think of starting to find faults in them?"
Loki propped his hands on the edge of the bed, lifted his head and said, "Do you know what? Being in an environment where everybody thinks there is something wrong with you, you would also start to believe there's something wrong with you..."
"Not me."
To Loki's surprise, Helen contested strongly, she jumped down from the bed, walked over to Loki and looked at him and said:
"I know, you all take me as a joke, you don't actually consider me as your daughter, it's because I'm important, that's why, you spare the time to play along with me."
"You think, I am the tie between you and Iron Demon God, just in case something happens, for my sake, he would help you, that's why you maintain your relationship with me, in reality, you don't care about me, nor love me."
Loki was somewhat startled, because Helen's words were so assertive and her tone of speech was not at all childlike.
"I know, that's what everyone thinks, I was not born to you guys, but hopped out from between rocks, I just abruptly appeared in your lives, it's already not bad that you guys don't find me annoying."
Loki looked at Helen somewhat silent, but couldn't find any resentment or dissatisfaction in her eyes, Helen pretended to be mature and sighed and said,
"But I don't care at all, and I don't think it's my problem, do you know why?"
Loki blinked but didn't say anything, Helen, however, looked into his eyes and said, "You've lived for so long yet you're not as mature as I am. I tell you what, God of Mischief, you are nothing special."
Helen held up her arms, looking very proud, Loki gently stretched out a hand, pointed at her forehead, then flexed his fingers and flicked her on the head.
"Ouch!!!" Helen took a step back, covering her forehead and shrieking. Loki laughed and said, "Now you know how formidable the God of Mischief is."
"Stop playing around, I'm trying to make a serious point here." Helen rubbed her forehead and said,
"I had accepted the fact that I'm not the most important long ago, everyone has to accept this reality, sooner or later."
"Everyone's energy is limited, nobody would revolve around another person all the time, unless, there is something to gain."
"You are willing to take time and energy to accompany me, regardless of whether you truly love me or just want to use me, the time and energy you spent is not fake, the happiness I get from the companionship is also real..."
Helen shrugged, looking at Loki and said, "Both you and Tony are very busy, Pepper and Frigga are actually busier than you all, you all are willing to squeeze some time out of your busy schedules to accompany me, this weird creature that hopped out from between rocks, is already pretty great."
Loki was somewhat stunned, looking at her and said, "Don't you think you resemble another person more than Tony and me?"
Helen shook her head and said, "You mean Doctor Schiller? What he thinks is actually not as open as mine, he's very troubled, wanting you guys to fall sick all the time and wanting you all to be completely healthy at the same time..."
Loki looked around, lowered his voice and said, "Quick, stop talking. If he heard it, we would both be in big trouble."
Helen giggled, she jumped up onto the bed again, into Loki's arms, and pecked him on the face, saying,
"I don't care at all whether or not I am of your flesh and blood, and also don't care, whether you truly love me from your hearts or just say, the act of giving itself is a proof of love."
"Loving me for gain is fine, not loving me the most is fine as well."
"If I keep worrying about these problems during the time when you guys can accompany me, these happy times would be filled with pain when I look back at them..."
Loki, somewhat in a daze, touched the place on his face where Helen kissed, Helen stared at him with wide eyes, asking, "Do you know, the most evil crime in the world, what would that be?"
"What would it be?"
"Others put so much into creating beautiful memories for you, and you, keep doubting, why did they give so much for you, wasting all the beautiful times, in the end, blaming others for not loving you..."
Loki looked at her face, remained silent for a while, then slowly stood up, held Helen in front of him, and on the face that looked almost exactly like his, he saw the setting sun that shone through the Fairy Palace window.
The golden light shone into Helen's eyes. When she blinked, her eyelashes seemed to be embracing the sun.
Loki straightened his arms and then slowly raised them until Helen was in the light.
He focused on Helen's gleaming eyes in the light, it was like seeing the most beautiful gemstone in the world.
Helen flashed a smile, waving her arms and shouted,
"Dad!"
Loki retracted his arms, holding Helen tightly in his embrace.
When the setting sun also shone on him, the gleam on the edges of the armor became hazy and soft.
Every homesick traveler thought they could only take away a pillow of tears.
But over millions of years, the lone ancestors who left their homes, crossed others's rivers, rooted themselves in this foreign land, extended their strong roots to the distance until they left behind the fruits of their bloodline.
They are their extensions, their destinations. They are the proof that they are no longer alone in this world, and also, their new ties to this beautiful world.