"Political correctness? What is that?"
"It's a concept unique to humans. I won't delve into the specifics, as, being an Asgardian, you may find it hard to grasp."
"Let's analyze the specifics."
"The first halo appeared when you transformed into a woman. What were you thinking when you changed genders?"
Loki opened her mouth, seemingly at a loss for words. She said, "I wasn't thinking about anything. Was I supposed to have some feelings?"
"That's precisely the issue. If your psychological gender is male, you would feel discomfort transforming into a female. If you felt nothing, it suggests your psychological gender may be female or neutral, making you... a transgender."
At these words, a huge halo 'whooshed' into appearance behind Loki, almost dazzlingly bright. Now Loki was like a colossal bulb, a cosmic lighthouse in another sense.
"So being a transgender is as it sounds? Maybe so then..."
"Why do you think you might be transgender? Is it from inborn genes? Or the effect of external factors?"
Loki's face betrayed a hint of hesitation. Shiller tapped the end of his pen against the tabletop, drawing her attention back to him. He continued, "I think it's largely due to external factors."
"The Asgardians you live amongst completely reject you because you're physically weaker and adept at magic, unlike most Asgardian males. You're an outlier amongst Asgardian males."
"However, if your circumstances applied to a woman, not only would you avoid such discrimination, but you would be revered, just like your mother, Frigga. She is the most powerful mage of the nine realms and an honored Queen of Gods respected by everyone. Her situation is almost identical to yours, save for her gender."
"The same circumstances, managed by different genders, could lead to starkly different outcomes. This major discrepancy is a significant cause of your psychological gap. You might have often wondered: what if I were a goddess? Would people find me more welcomed than Thor?"
Loki's complexion changed. Clearly, Shiller had hit a nerve. He had just addressed questions Loki had contemplated before.
During her day-to-day life in Asgard, Loki was distant from Odin but close to her mother. She was aware of the respect the Queen of Gods commanded in Asgard, and she privately compared herself to Frigga, concluding more than once that they were quite similar in every way.
Two similar individuals, only different in gender but treated completely differently led Loki to question.
After a long silence, Loki exhaled slowly and admitted, "I acknowledge that I have pondered over these questions you raised countless times."
"When I was young, I could not grasp why others would refuse to play with me."
"We used to play mock war games, a common game in Asgard. Children would form two teams, simulate different battlefield positions, and compete against each other."
"When we played this game, both teams would refuse to choose me because in the conventional formation, males were the frontline warriors, and with me on their side, it was equivalent to being one person short, which could lead to a defeat."
"During these instances, Thor would always invite me to his team and ask me to stand at the back and cast spells with the girls."
"The goddesses were always nice to me, but after every game, they would praise Thor for winning even with an encumbrance..."
"That troubled you more than being directly attacked, didn't it?"
Loki's voice started to waver. Unquestionably, she was recollecting events she'd rather forget.
"Thor viewed his actions as a blessing to me. He felt that picking me when no one else would symbolized his love for me..."
"After reaching adulthood, he continued doing the same. Not a single legion was willing for me to join as they felt I lacked self-defense skills. If brought onto the battlefield, an entire squadron of Imperial Guards would be required to protect me."
"They referred to me as the revered prince, advising me to stay safe in the Palace and not cause trouble for the frontline soldiers. But if I didn't go, I would become synonymous with cowardice and incompetence in public opinion."
"In such times, only Thor would take me along. He'd ask me to stay behind the frontline and not even demand I cast spells. My sole purpose in the entire war was to appear at the victory feast after he had conquered all opponents."
"He believed he was perfect, a good older brother who cared for his younger brother. I had no grounds to refute his arrangements. I was supposed to be content. Every time I raised objections, they would retort, 'Isn't what Thor is doing enough?'"
Shiller shook his head, "That's why I say you Asgardians never focus on mental health, never study psychology and behavior. Everyone thinks they're doing good deeds, but end up creating the worst outcomes."
"So, answer me, when treated like this, did you want to strengthen your physique, become a strong warrior like Thor, and recapture your honor, or…"
Loki shook her head, "No, I deplore that mode of combat. Meanwhile, I believe that these oafs never understood the importance of tactical deception, only ever rushing headlong into enemies..."
"It seems that part of your gender identity might be innate,"
Loki nodded, saying, "Actually, from the very beginning, I didn't like playing those gladiatorial games. I preferred peace, like staying in the library reading books, or taking a walk in the Ancient Garden. I started doing so when I was very young."
Loki showed a complicated expression, and continued, "I knew that being different would come at a cost, yet sometimes, I can't help but feel resentful. When I calm down, I realize that Thor probably hasn't thought so much about it and merely acted on his instinct..."
"He thought he was my brother, so when no one chose me, he did. He thought it was his duty to ensure my safety, so he put me at the very back of the lineup. He couldn't empathize with my feelings, so he didn't mind the rumors in Asgard..."
Loki's tone remained calm throughout. When she talked about her situation, she seemed somewhat numb. Seeing her state, Shiller immediately changed the topic and said, "All that is in the past. Let's talk about something happy. Has Thor missed out on a lot again?"
Upon hearing these words, Loki's face brightened up visibly, and she could hardly contain her laughter.
Last time, during Nal's serving of the dishes, Thor was thrown on Earth and was totally oblivious. All the generals in Asgard had a feast, leaving him behind, powerless.
During this Christmas event, with The Ancient One gobbling up everything and Odin dividing the accounts, by the time Odin finishes dividing, there would be another feast, which Thor would surely miss.
"Let's summarize," Shiller put down his pen and looked at the medical records while reading out, "Due to being bullied as a child, you developed serious psychological problems, including anxiety and severe emotional disorders..."
As Shiller finished speaking, the small halo behind Loki grew suddenly larger. Now, you couldn't even make out her face—she had turned into a huge white globe.
"At the same time, bullying also gave you a unique gender identity. As a transgender person, you suffered discrimination, which further exacerbated your mental illness..."
The light emitted by Loki became stronger and stronger. This mysterious optical phenomenon broke through Earth's atmosphere.
"At the same time, you are having an affair with your sister..."
Loki was about to object when an even more powerful light submerged her. Shiller went on to say, "Of course, you are also part of a minority community because of this."
"I remember you said earlier that Baldur is the incarnation of the New Branch of the World Tree, so this also spans..."
"Of course, the World Tree should also be considered a plant species, so with the power of light you awakened Baldur and gave him a rebirth. Evidently, you are also an environmentalist..."
"Mental health patient, transgender, incestuous, interspecies lover, environmentalist… You are a minority within minority groups,"
As Shiller said these tongue twisters, a powerful and dazzling light exploded on the Earth's surface, reaching right up to the sky. Odin, still on the outskirts of the Nine Major Kingdoms and besieging Hela and Baldur, watched in disbelief as the light shot towards the outer reaches of the Individual Universe,
Then, Loki emerged from the dazzling light, her robe fluttering in the air as the light danced around her. Her hair floated as if in a breeze, and her eyes held an incredibly pure light.
Loki calmly and authoritatively recalled the last sentence Shiller had said to her before turning her gaze to Odin, "Father of All Gods Odin, do you have any objections to a female successor?"
Odin didn't understand what she was saying. He tried to respond but felt a surge of impending danger in his heart, which caused him to clamp shut his mouth. As Loki's question resounded, the light column became more concentrated, continuously challenging the barrier of the Individual Universe.
Then, Loki turned to Baldur and said, "God of Light Baldur, do you have any objections to my homosexual relationship with Hela?"
This caught Baldur off-guard, but he didn't answer. Consequently, the light column grew stronger, it was just a sliver away from breaking through the barrier of the Individual Universe.
In the meantime, Thor, who had spent a long time on Sakaar, was finally planning to return to Asgard. On his way back, he felt the spread of a familiar power.
On his journey back to the Nine Major Kingdoms, he saw a strong light bursting into the sky. The incident seemed to have occurred right on his way back to the Nine Major Kingdoms. Thor's heart sunk—could it be that Asgard was in trouble?
Sparing no effort, Thor rushed towards the light at the fastest speed he could muster. The moment he landed, he saw Loki amidst the light column. The familiar aura was indicative of Loki's power.
Thor's eyes widened in consternation as he gawked at the female figure before him, stuttering, "Loki??? How did you...how did you become a...goddess??!!"
Just then, as Loki was about to break the barrier of the Individual Universe, Thor came forth with the last push she needed. Loki asked, "New God of Light Thor, do you have any problems with transgenders?!"
With a loud 'bang,' the light column expanded infinitely. Those present were flung in all directions. In an instant, Loki, who had accumulated endless buffs, ascended.
After the light column disappeared, all the halos converged inward, erupting into an even stronger light. For a moment, a light bright enough to illuminate the Nine Major Kingdoms lit up in the dark cosmos—
The Glorious Goddess Loki has arrived.