Three days before the banquet date on the invitation, Shiller arrived at the Fairy Palace via the teleportation gate in The Sanctum. Under the staff's arrangements, he checked into a room in the Fairy Palace.
The last time he was here, he was soaking in the hot springs under the World Tree with Loki and Doctor Strange, and had negotiated a deal regarding Valhalla with Odin.
Returning to the room in the Fairy Palace, Shiller's first feel was that the service was much improved. The last time he stayed overnight here, it was as though cries for help went unheard. The Fairy Palace was empty with not a single staff member in sight, and he had to call Loki just to get a new towel.
This time there were guards at the door, butlers in the hallways, and a service bell on the bedside table. It seemed that Loki's reforms within the Fairy Palace had been very effective.
With this in mind, Shiller called both Loki and Doctor Strange and arranged to meet for a soak in the hot springs that evening, to discuss Asgard's reforms.
That night, Shiller arrived at the World Tree via Asgard's royal carriage, but one of the three members who had agreed to meet was missing.
After Shiller changed into his hot spring clothes and entered the pool, he looked towards Doctor Strange in the distance and asked "Where's Loki? Didn't he say he was coming?"
"Don't remind me." Doctor Strange said, rolling his eyes. "Something came up for him at the last minute, so he's not coming today...same as before, port wine?"
Shiller nodded, and Doctor Strange opened the bottle of wine floating on a table above the water. Shiller shook his head, saying, "You actually brought your own drinks. Aren't you afraid that Thor will accuse you of being pretentious?"
"I really can't drink Asgard's wine," Doctor Strange said, pursing his lips. "They only have ale here, it tastes too much like grains, and it's too strong. After one drink, I can't focus enough to cast spells."
"I see," said Shiller, taking a glass from Doctor Strange before asking, "What happened with Loki? It's not something to do with the wedding ceremony, is it?"
"You ought to know Asgard is in the process of military reform," said Doctor Strange. His tone was assertive; Loki had discussed this more than once with them both.
The Unscrupulous Quartet had more than one large triangle, but generally speaking, Shiller, Loki, and Doctor Strange's relationship was very close concerning matters of Asgard and the Magic Realm. They had almost no secrets between them and consulted each other on everything.
"Just one week ago, when Asgard had just started sending out invitations across the stars, His Majesty Thor dismissed Heimdall from the position of controller of the Rainbow Bridge, telling him to go home and enjoy his garden leave."
Shiller's eyes widened slightly. "Heimdall was dismissed? What did he do wrong?" he asked.
"Thor said the Rainbow Bridge needs long-term repairs, and he understands that Heimdall has worked diligently for many years without making a major error. It's time for him to rest at home," said Strange.
"Isn't that just a polite way of saying he's retiring?" Shiller took a sip of his wine and said in surprise, "Thor has really grown up. He would never have done something like this in the past. It's a lonely life for a king."
"But we both know, it was the right thing to do. No king could tolerate his wife's brother holding a nuclear button, even with Thor's power. Heimdall's control of the Rainbow Bridge could still pose a lethal threat."
Shiller nodded, and further analyzed, "Apart from that, Heimdall is also one of Odin's trusted veterans. To complete the transition of power smoothly, removing the old officials is a necessary step, regardless of whether they are loyal to the new king or not."
"The rule of a great king has its momentum, and this is particularly true for those with great power. Everyone is accustomed to taking orders from the Father of All Gods. So when Thor issues some orders, and they are executed by Odin's old officials, people will still feel that Odin is exerting influence."
"A kingdom can't have two kings. Once people start to question who is ruling them, they will feel lost and hesitant. They won't immediately obey the authorities as they used to do. This would weaken the greatest advantage of the centralization of power, which is something no king wants to see."
Doctor Strange also took a sip of his wine, used a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow, and said, "Especially since Thor has drawn up various reform regulations. Now is the best time to implement these reforms, and if Odin's influence is too great, the reforms will certainly face resistance."
"But her own husband distrusting her brother will, undoubtedly, upset the future Queen of Gods. Hence, Frigga called Sif over to persuade her, and asked Loki to influence Thor. You know how it is when a couple argues. Don't both sides try to mediate?"
Shiller revealed a knowing expression, then laughed helplessly and shook his head, saying, "It's fortunate that Thor spent so little time on Earth. What if he fell for a human woman and decided he had to marry her?"
"Actually, that wouldn't be such a big deal," Strange shrugged. "How long do humans live? At worst, give Thor 100 years. Consider it a love affair that ended without sickness."
"So, Heimdall has gone home now?" asked Shiller.
Strange nodded lightly and said: "In fact, the guards of the Fairy Palace are children from various general's families. Before I set off, I heard them saying that Sif's uncle is reluctant and is complaining at home… You think Asgard would do the same?"
"Asgard originally comes from the Deity System on Earth, such upheavals are not uncommon in Earth's history, right? Any nations established by intelligent beings would generally follow the development rule of historical dynasties. It's no longer surprising."
Shiller took the fruit plate from Strange, and picked up a floating table from the side, placing the grape-filled fruit plate upon it, then rested the wine glass on top. He said: "But I do believe Thor wouldn't let Heimdall retire just like that. Ignoring everything else, Heimdall's abilities are second to none. Apart from him, the Rainbow Bridge would be unsafe in the hands of others."
Dr. Strange was a bit surprised. He said: "Why would you make such a deduction? If Thor appreciates Heimdall, why would he get him to go on a gardening leave? Isn't this a retirement sign?"
"Not at all." Shiller took a sip of his wine, smiled subtly and said: "Thor's real intention is to force the family behind Sif to make a decision, whether to exhaust all their resources to retain Heimdall's important position or let Heimdall step down while the other members stay in place?"
"Nobles are always a problem for every feudal king. Although Asgard doesn't have any significant nobles, there are quite a few meritorious old ministers who've fought battles with Odin. They have considerable influence and have placed their sons and daughters in important positions early on. Isn't Sif a perfect example?"
"Why is it that among all the goddesses in Asgard, Sif and Thor were childhood friends? Why is it that these Four Brave Men of the Fairy Palace are the ones who can always be seen following the prince and are close to him? Is it really all down to fate?"
Dr. Strange shook his head. Anyone with any measure of intelligence would know that at the top echelons of society, all encounters are well-planned setups. The interpersonal relationships among the ruling class are never coincidental, but the result of network accumulation over generations.
"Sif and Heimdall's relatives must think that no number of low-ranking positions is comparable to the commanding position of the Rainbow Bridge. It is Asgard's top weapon. In times of no war with no military merits to be made, such a position remains significant."
"Frigga would certainly convey this point to Sif, and Sif's family would definitely compromise in the end, voluntarily giving up those insignificant positions just to get Heimdall back on top."
Having heard Shiller's analysis, Dr. Strange nodded and said: "This is certainly a masterful move. They're the ones wanting to keep Heimdall's position and those requesting for transfers wouldn't then be able to blame Thor for not reminiscing old times and dismissing the relatives from the queen's natal family."
"But the problem now is, just after having dismissed Heimdall, if Sif's family gives in, will he then reinstate Heimdall? Wouldn't that be too childish of him? Frequently changing mind can easily affect his authority, is Thor really that confident?"
"Thor certainly needs a legitimate reason." As Shiller swirled his glass, he pondered and said: "Making Heimdall go on a vacation is easy, neither Thor nor Loki would have difficulty fooling Heimdall. They can fabricate an issue with a component of the Rainbow Bridge, claiming that it needs long-term maintenance, as a natural excuse to give Heimdall gardening leave."
"But to get Heimdall back would not be as simple as saying the Rainbow Bridge has been fixed. After all, they've just said it needs lengthy maintenance. If all of a sudden, it's fixed, it might seem as if they're treating people like fools."
Shiller paused, clearly considering Thor's state and mind, subsequently coming up with an analysis: "If I were Thor, at this point, I would need to create a circumstance that would necessitate Heimdall's return to his position."
"The ideal situation would be a crisis, where no one else could step forward. Only Heimdall, being the one who understands and is completely familiar with the Rainbow Bridge, could change the tide of the situation, handling the slightly tricky Rainbow Bridge to ensure the safety of Asgard."
The sound of Shiller's voice grew softer while the mist around the hot spring grew thicker. As the gentle shine cast by the World Tree floated in front of their eyes, Shiller, standing in the banquet hall, heard Thor voicing with a deep timbre from the opposite side.
"The queen of the Shi'ar Empire has unfortunately passed away. The murderer is still among us in the Fairy Palace. He dared to commit murder here, he must have his support. But for now, the main task is to ensure the safety of everyone, to prevent such a tragedy from happening again."
A chill passed down the spine of the majority of the leaders present. Only then did they realize, the murderer dared to kill in the face of the King of Asgard, is there anything he wouldn't dare to do?
If they were to return to their rooms just like this, they might become the next target. The murmuring in the crowd got louder as some of the races with less military might started to panic.
"But please, do not worry. Asgard would investigate the murderer thoroughly and ensure everyone's safety. Send out my command, Asgard goes into full alert status, all members of the Fairy Palace guards should remain at their posts. Before the alert is lifted, no one should abandon their posts."
"Sif, I'm really sorry. The queen's death is a serious matter. The situation is urgent. The murderer has not been found. I'm afraid I can't leave the Palace."
"Sadly, other than your brother, no one else could guard the Rainbow Bridge properly. Regrettably, his vacation time is up...Let Heimdall be summoned!"
"It doesn't matter, Your Majesty, it's his duty." Sif gazed sincerely into Thor's eyes. "Heimdall would never let you down...I would not too."
Without uttering another word, Thor puts his arm around his bride-to-be's shoulder, pulling her into his arms, and places a tender kiss on her forehead.