Jessica Jones did not fully understand, but she still nodded.
Then she asked,
"What kind of war was it?"
Nolan let out a quiet breath.
"A brutal one. We paid a heavy price to win it."
Jessica frowned. Each piece of what he said made sense on its own, but together it felt unreal.
"Then why haven't we heard anything about it?"
"Because it wasn't a war for ordinary people."
He paused, then continued in a calm, measured tone.
"In this world, there is more than just the multiverse. Our universe itself is divided into countless dimensions. Each one exists independently. Ours happens to be one of the most complete, the most stable. That makes it… desirable."
His gaze drifted slightly, as if recalling the battlefield.
"This war took place in the gaps between dimensions, so nothing appeared in the real world. But I can tell you this. Because Earth lost one of its strongest protectors, a certain dimension decided to break a peace that had lasted for centuries. That's what started it all."
He fell silent for a moment.
"Tens of thousands died. People whose names no one will ever know. Maybe this truth will remain buried forever. But their sacrifice deserves to be remembered."
His expression was solemn.
On that battlefield, he had seen mages fall one after another. He had witnessed courage that did not hesitate even in the face of death. Whether the world knew or not, he refused to let that sacrifice mean nothing.
Jessica blinked, trying to process it.
Another dimension?
It was outside everything she knew.
But in the end, she nodded.
"I understand."
Even if she did not fully grasp it, she understood what mattered. A war fought for humanity's survival deserved respect.
She took a breath and shifted the topic.
"People from all sides are downstairs. You know this situation has gotten… big."
"I figured."
Nolan stood up, already composed.
"Then I should go meet them."
Downstairs, the atmosphere in the conference room had already turned tense.
The White House representative was pressing hard, every word sharp and calculated. Years of political experience showed in every sentence he spoke.
Even Simon Phillips, who had prepared for this, was being pushed into corners.
Every second felt like walking on a razor's edge.
More than once, Simon had the urge to flip the table and end the conversation outright.
But he held back.
Once the table was overturned, there would be no going back. The consequences would ripple far beyond tonight.
Still, the situation was slipping out of control.
"Have you made your decision?" the representative asked with a faint smile, adjusting his silver-rimmed glasses.
Simon took a slow breath.
"That is not possible. If you insist "
The office door suddenly opened.
Nolan walked in, Jessica beside him.
Coulson's expression changed instantly.
The real player had arrived.
He instinctively glanced at the White House and military representatives, silently hoping they would keep their composure. Things could spiral out of control very quickly now.
To his surprise, the reaction was immediate.
The White House representative stood up with a practiced smile.
"Mr. Locke, I'm Cornell Hamis. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Major General Gill also rose, though with far less enthusiasm.
Nolan gave them a brief glance, his expression indifferent.
That alone made both men uncomfortable.
Then he spoke, and the discomfort deepened.
"Sorry, but I can't say the same. It's the middle of the night. Honestly, I'd rather be sleeping than meeting you."
His tone was casual, almost dismissive.
He turned to Simon.
"What's going on here? Why are they in our building?"
Simon adjusted his glasses, calm once more.
"They're requesting full access to our logistics and production data. They also want to intervene in our manufacturing process."
Nolan raised an eyebrow.
His expression darkened.
"Mr. Hamis, was it? Logistics and production data are private corporate information. What you're asking for violates the law. And intervening in production?"
He let out a quiet laugh.
"One might think Locke Technology is government property. Or maybe, in your eyes, businesses are just tools you can seize whenever you like."
Hamis's face tightened.
"You misunderstand. This is a temporary regulatory measure due to recent developments involving your company. These developments pose a potential threat to national security. Once everything is verified, all restrictions will be lifted. You have our assurance."
"I'll believe that when I see it," Nolan replied lightly.
Then he leaned forward slightly.
"You want to know what happened recently?"
"Of course," Hamis said.
"That's why we're here."
"Simple," Nolan said.
"Locke Technology just participated in a war. A war to protect Earth's independence."
"…What?"
Hamis stared at him, stunned.
A war?
He almost laughed.
Did Nolan think he was talking to a child?
If a war of that scale had happened, how could they not know?
Nolan's explanation sounded like a poor excuse.
Nolan chuckled.
"Don't believe me? That's fine. I have proof."
He had no intention of hiding it.
In the past, the magical world remained hidden because ordinary society had no way to intervene. Revealing it would only cause panic.
But things had changed.
Technology had advanced. Humanity now had the capacity to participate.
Without his mechanical army, even if the mages had won, the cost would have been far greater.
That alone proved one thing.
The world could no longer remain divided.
So he would show them.
Without hesitation, Nolan played a video.
The room fell silent.
On the screen, the dimensional rift unfolded.
A battlefield soaked in chaos.
Distorted space. Twisted magic. Endless armies clashing.
Dormammu's monstrous form warped by overwhelming power.
Mages casting dazzling spells, their light cutting through darkness.
And everywhere… fire, blood, and death.
No one spoke.
Coulson slowly stood up, his voice barely above a whisper.
"A war… actually happened…"
He had thought it was just an excuse.
But this…
This could not be faked so easily.
After a long moment, Hamis steadied himself. He exchanged a glance with General Gill, then spoke carefully.
"Mr. Locke… this footage is impressive. Very realistic."
He paused.
"Almost convincing. If not for the magic."
He shook his head.
"Magic isn't real. I suggest you prepare a better explanation next time. This isn't just for me. It's for the government. For the public."
Nolan smiled.
"Not real?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Maybe you should ask the man next to you."
Hamis turned.
Coulson stood there, his face grave.
In that moment, something shifted.
"Magic… exists?" Hamis asked quietly.
Coulson nodded.
"Not only does it exist, but some of those people are already on our radar. The one with the ring… his name is Balthazar. Likely centuries old. We don't know his exact origin."
He continued, voice heavy.
"Several individuals we've been tracking have recently disappeared. We suspected something, but we never connected it to… this."
A war in another dimension.
A hidden battlefield beyond their reach.
The realization settled over the room like a weight.
For years, their intelligence networks had claimed to monitor everything.
And yet, a war of this scale had unfolded without them knowing a thing.
The silence became uncomfortable.
If Nolan was telling the truth, then everything they had done tonight was not only wrong, but dangerously short-sighted.
Hamis exhaled slowly.
"Mr. Locke… we cannot verify this yet. But if it is true…"
He hesitated.
"Then on behalf of our nation… and humanity… thank you."
His tone had changed completely.
From pressure to apology.
From authority to caution.
"However, regarding this… magical world… we simply don't understand it."
He felt like he had just stepped onto a roller coaster he couldn't get off.
General Gill sat stiffly, saying nothing.
Not long ago, he had been prepared to authorize military intervention.
Now he realized the very company he had been targeting might have just saved the world.
The irony stung.
Hamis stood up.
"In that case… we'll take our leave."
"Leaving already?"
Nolan's voice stopped them.
He leaned back in his chair, fingers interlocked, watching them calmly.
"Do you really think you can just walk out like nothing happened?"
The room froze.
Now that they knew the truth, walking away as if nothing had changed was not an option.
Nolan's tone remained steady.
"Let's keep it simple. Tonight's incident deserves an explanation. And Locke Technology deserves compensation for what we've done."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"We protected the world. That shouldn't end with a thank you."
Hamis forced a smile and sat back down.
"Mr. Locke… these matters are above my authority."
General Gill nodded quickly.
"We'll report everything to higher command. Someone with proper clearance will handle this."
Nolan did not budge.
"No authority? Then why are you here?"
He leaned forward slightly.
"I want accountability. And I want support. From what I've seen, Locke Technology hasn't exactly been treated fairly in recent years."
Hamis felt a headache coming on.
Compensation was one thing. That could be negotiated.
But support?
Locke Technology was already a giant.
Granting further advantages could destroy the balance entirely.
And if he agreed to anything too large, his career would be over.
At that moment, regret hit him hard.
If he had known how this night would turn out, he would never have come.
But now…
There was no way out.