Chapter 100: Magician Holy Place Crisis!
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Natasha was feeling deeply depressed. But Lorien understood. Before, it was just called a civil war, a division. Despite that, everyone's feelings were intact.
There were simply two different schools of thought on a particular issue. Once the problem was addressed, everyone could reconcile, and the civil war would end.
In simple terms, the previous conflict didn't cross anyone's boundaries. But now, things were different!
Tony had broken ties with Captain America, The two pillars of the Avengers had split.
This time, they had crossed a line that couldn't be undone. This was a real division, not just a disagreement. There was no chance of reconciliation, not unless a catastrophe threatening the entire Earth occurred—and even then, what would be the point?
In summary, the Avengers Alliance was finished.
The true separation was not just physical but spiritual.
That's why Natasha felt so lost.
Lorien thought for a moment before asking, "Did Tony tell you why?"
Natasha shook her head. "No."
Alright, that explained a lot.
If none of the veterans of the Avengers knew the reason for the split, it was no wonder Natasha felt so low.
But the fact that Tony didn't say anything meant he didn't want to hurt Captain America in front of others. This was a personal matter between them, not something for outsiders to judge.
Lorien could understand that, but it didn't make the situation any easier.
After a pause, Lorien carefully chose his words and spoke.
"Natasha, you should understand that the fact neither Tony nor Captain America gave you a reason indicates this isn't a business matter—it's a private issue between them."
"Since it's not business but personal, it means a line has been crossed, but not a matter of principle."
"When a crisis comes, they'll both step up and do what needs to be done. That's the principle."
"But as for the split… well, that's already happened."
"It's like a passion that fades overnight, and the next day, trying to pretend it didn't happen is impossible."
Natasha nodded as Lorien spoke, agreeing with his reasoning.
The bottom line is one thing, and principles are another.
They might not be friends anymore, but they would both do the right thing and save the world when the time came.
That's what he meant.
So what happened was irreversible.
There was no point in trying to salvage it.
But Lorien's final comment left Natasha momentarily stunned.
His sudden shift in tone caught her off guard, but once she understood, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Ah, really…"
Natasha rolled her eyes at Lorien.
But after that, she felt much better and took a deep breath before saying, "Lorien, you're really a friend to women."
"Every woman I know feels better after talking to you. It's true for Wanda, and it's true for me."
"???, How can you say that?" Lorien quickly denied her accusation. "Haven't Tony and Stephen improved after talking to me?"
"And Bruce Banner."
"Banner!" Hearing Banner's name, Natasha suddenly remembered. "Yeah, and who knows where he is now."
"There's no need to worry about him," Lorien said with a smile. "When things get tough, Hulk will come out and take care of business."
"True."
And with that, Lorien had managed to help today's special guest, Ms. Natasha Romanoff, with her problem.
This time, it was mainly an issue of the heart.
The real split of the Avengers Alliance had left Natasha feeling sad, especially since she didn't know the reasons behind it. It made her feel useless.
But in reality, this problem, though significant, was not something she could fix.
So there was no point in dwelling on it.
That being said...
"*Sigh*~"
Natasha Romanoff took a sip of her milk tea.
Not knowing what to think, Lorien looked at her and she smiled slightly.
"?"
Lorien frowned.
He guessed that this troublesome woman was about to stir things up again.
As expected.
Natasha Romanoff reached for the zipper on her leather jacket's collar, then glanced at Lorien and asked softly, "Do you think it's the same as yesterday?"
Tch.
How vulgar~
If Lorien guessed correctly, wouldn't that prove he's a mind reader? So, Lorien turned his head, thought for a moment, then coughed twice and said, "I made Gwen dress like you last night."
"!!!"
For a moment, Natasha Romanoff's expression froze.
Lorien's thought was clear: Even if you wear it now and play your games, I can just make Gwen wear the same outfit and spend the whole night in the canyon with me. What good is it if you're dressed up? I can't taste it, but I can taste Gwen's! If there's meat right on my lips, why would I ignore it to chase after meat I might not even get to eat?
So, Lorien's subtext was: "Stop with the useless tricks!"
This left Natasha Romanoff at a loss.
It's hard enough dealing with a wolf without meat, but why deceive a wolf that's already feasting?
Natasha suddenly lost her momentum. She could only slowly pull back her leather jacket, revealing a large expanse of pale skin. Then she pulled out her bank card and slapped it on the table.
Finally, she unzipped her jacket, waiting for Lorien to swipe the card.
"Ahem," Lorien cleared his throat and took her warm bank card, swiping it on the machine. After completing the transaction, he said with a hint of regret, "Tsk, why isn't it broken this time?"
After speaking, Lorien glanced at Natasha.
Natasha Romanoff suddenly smiled, straightened up, and leaned in closer, asking curiously, "Is it not broken? Let me help you take a look."
So, the two examined the credit card machine that wasn't malfunctioning. Meanwhile, Natasha Romanoff's zipper remained open.
Lorien's eyes were practically blinded, as if a flashlight were shining directly at him—no, more like a white fill light illuminating everything.
After a while, the two came to a conclusion.
"Ahem, it's fine," Natasha Romanoff said, taking the card back and slipping it into her jacket. She smiled in various ways and then added, "William Shakespeare once said: 'There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand readers' eyes.' Do you think he's right?"
"I think he's absolutely right," Lorien agreed wholeheartedly. It meant that even if two people wear the same clothes, their essence remains different.
Natasha Romanoff was trying to convey something to Lorien. At first, he didn't get it, but now he understood! You're right! Absolutely right!
Seeing that Lorien agreed with this point of view, Natasha Romanoff nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and waved to Lorien. "Then I'm off, goodbye."
"I finally got the chance to take a vacation, so I have to go outside," Lorien said as he stood up and bade her farewell. "Goodbye, stay safe."
But he knew Natasha's true intent—she had time today, and they could hang out together later. However, Lorien had plans to spend the afternoon with Gwen, so he didn't acknowledge her offer.
After sending off Natasha, it was 4:30 p.m.
Lorien stretched, then walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him to gaze out at the sea. Little Hela was still engrossed in her games. She had a particular fondness for gore and hack-and-slash games—they were exhilarating for her. As long as it was fun to kill, she could spend an entire day trying out different ways to do so without getting bored!
But she still took a moment to glance at Lorien and asked, "Strange, why hasn't that old Odin come down to check? His Destroyer armor is missing."
Lorien stretched and smiled. "You still want him to come down?"
"Forget it," Little Hela immediately shook her head like a rattle. "I haven't finished my games yet. Let him come down after I'm done."
Lorien looked at Little Hela, thinking, "Uh-oh. What should I do with an internet-addicted loli?"
Time passed, and it was now 5 p.m. Lorien went out on time to check in. However, he didn't look at the check-in rewards during this time because he felt that good things would come out only when they were accumulated together.
"Beep~"
At that moment, a text message arrived on Lorien's phone. He picked it up and took a look.
\[Wanda: The Sanctum Sanctorum in New York was attacked. I'm here now. Do you want to come, Lorien?\]