Odin's voice echoed throughout the palace.
Firm and indisputable!
Hmm…
That last part was definitely aimed at Ronan.
Ronan mentally shrugged, thinking to himself. "Sure, fine, I won't question it, no big deal."
After all, when it came to these so-called "gods," Ronan, just a regular person, couldn't care less about their words.
More importantly, Asgard was prospering, and its people were content.
Did they really need a small-time sorcerer like him to worry about their affairs?
And besides, Asgard had plenty of people to handle their own issues.
Clearly, Ronan was just playing devil's advocate.
"Of course, as the King of Asgard, you must be well-versed in punishments."
Ronan added with a thumbs-up.
Classic. Time to pull out the old "praise icon."
He didn't win, but when it came to "showing off the emblem," he certainly didn't lose either.
Evidently, Odin, being the King of the Gods, completely missed the sarcasm in Ronan's words.
In his life, Odin had heard his share of flattery and principled opposition.
But passive-aggressive comments? Not so much.
Meanwhile, Thor, having spent time on Earth, couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Ronan's words.
Especially that thumbs-up gesture.
On Earth, that gesture definitely signaled approval.
But when paired with what Ronan said...
Thor's brain couldn't quite process it.
"Sorcerer Supreme, due to the mistake made by our realm, Asgard, which caused harm to Earth,"
"I once again express my deepest apologies."
"As the ruler of the Nine Realms, it's unforgivable that I allowed my son to commit such acts."
Other than failing to catch Loki, Odin was genuinely sincere about everything else.
For a king, to bow down and apologize was something that surprised Ronan greatly.
This was a big deal!
As a ruler of an entire realm—basically a CEO of the gods—Odin didn't try to cover up his mistakes and actually apologized to the Ancient One.
Ronan was shocked.
He had never seen a ruler so... well... willing to apologize.
"A self-criticism proclamation? What's that?
That's been outdated for centuries, yet here it still existed in Asgard.
"As the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj, I accept Asgard's apology."
The Ancient One nodded slightly, her words full of grace and tact.
She said she accepted Asgard's apology, not specifically Odin's apology.
Now that's social intelligence.
Tsk…
Ronan thought he still had a long way to go to master such diplomacy.
Odin opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something more, but he glanced at Thor's position and said softly:
"Thor, take the sorcerer to explore Asgard."
"Feel free to visit our treasure vault. Don't let it be said that Asgard lacks hospitality."
Hearing this, Ronan immediately understood.
This wasn't about hospitality at all—Odin was simply trying to send them away so they wouldn't overhear certain things.
But Ronan didn't mind. Not hearing about some things was better anyway.
Because if they didn't tell him, it meant he didn't need to worry about it. And that was just fine with him.
"Let Ronan stay."
"There are things he should know by now."
To Ronan's surprise, the Ancient One insisted he stay.
Well, this was awkward.
Thor, who had already stepped forward, found himself stuck in an awkward position. He couldn't move forward, nor could he retreat.
Who am I? Where am I? What should I be doing?
Thor, who understood the meaning behind Odin's words, was suddenly forced to rethink things.
His brain was finally starting to work.
"Since Thor is the next King of Asgard, he should listen in too."
Odin glanced at the Ancient One and, without missing a beat, left Thor there as well.
If you have confidence in your disciple, I have confidence in my son.
A random competitiveness sparked between them.
Thor was visibly surprised by Odin's decision. He had always just followed orders. Now, Odin seemed to have something different in mind?
So Thor simply stood beside Ronan.
Seeing this, Ronan nonchalantly shifted a step to the side.
Thor frowned slightly at this movement.
What's the matter? Is there something on me?
There wasn't anything on Thor, of course.
It's just that Ronan, not quite 6 feet tall, standing next to Thor, who towered over most people, felt... a little small.
Just a little!
And Ronan was only sixteen. It was normal for boys to develop a bit later.
And let's not forget, Thor's height was enough to dwarf most adults, let alone Ronan, who was still a kid.
So Ronan wasn't self-conscious at all.
Nope... not even a little!
But when Thor, after considering for a second, also shifted a step to the side, Ronan dropped his head and subtly shifted another step away.
Finally, he shot Thor a glance.
The message was clear: "I've given you enough face. Don't push it."
But instead of backing off, Thor took another step closer. This time, stopping less than five inches away from Ronan.
At this distance, it became obvious from every angle how much taller and stronger Thor was compared to Ronan.
And to top it off, Thor casually spun his hammer.
What's that supposed to mean, buddy?
Ronan took a deep breath and glared at Thor.
Enough!
This is the last time I'm letting you off.
If you come closer, I'll punch you!
After conveying this message with his eyes, Ronan took another step away.
This was his final boundary!
But this time, Thor not only followed him again but even bent down slightly to take a closer look at Ronan from the side.
Yes, he actually bent down!
This was the ultimate insult to Ronan!
Ronan couldn't take it anymore and suddenly looked up, ready to have words with Thor.
What's your problem? Why do you keep crowding me?
Do you think...
But before Ronan could finish, he felt an unprecedented wave of embarrassment.
Because...
It seemed their little step-shifting game had taken them from the center of the hall all the way to the far left side.
They were now barely a few inches away from the Asgardian soldiers standing there.
The nearby soldiers watched the two curiously.
Is this some kind of Earth ritual?
A way of showing affection?
Or something else?
At that moment, Ronan just wanted to die.
For years, Ronan had prided himself on making others socially uncomfortable, never experiencing it himself.
But now, for the first time, he had "failed."
Still, despite the awkwardness, Ronan quickly recovered.
He even waved and smiled at the soldier on his left.
"What can I say? Maybe I just have an aura of safety. I unintentionally attract delicate girls."
"Oh, and sometimes... I also attract soft boys."
"But I'm used to it."