"Alright! I've got it!"
Asta replied in a rush before turning her attention back to the group.
"My apologies, but I need to head back to the ship first. If Madam Herta has suddenly found herself in the mood for an experiment, everything else has to take a backseat."
As she spoke, her expression grew complicated, yet she still offered a polite bow.
"Thank you all once again for your assistance. However, before Madam Herta's scientific curiosity wanes, it would be best if you could all organize a full account of these events to present to her."
"Wait! Madam Herta is on this planet right now? You people are from The Blue?"
Loki's face paled instantly, his facade of brotherly affection crumbling away.
Destruction follows where desire is denied. If he wanted Earth and Asgard to be liquidated by Herta's judgment, Loki knew he should keep playing his part, but...
"Prince Loki, if you have concerns, you may discuss them with Madam Herta in person after submitting a formal request for an audience."
Asta's tone wasn't nearly as gracious toward Loki. Although she remained polite and professional, now that her identity was clear, even Thor wouldn't dare give her a hard time.
Part of that was Thor's own nature, but even the most arrogant soul would know that the position of Lead Researcher of Herta Space Station carried just as much weight as any prince.
After all... while it was said that Herta didn't officially rule The Blue, everyone knew she was its uncrowned sovereign.
The entire galaxy's treatment of The Blue was built solely on the fact that Herta considered it her home.
The Herta Space Station was the place where she manifested most often, and the Lead Researcher was the one who communicated with her most frequently—the person closest to her.
To be caught in a struggle for a throne while just passing through was one thing; Thor had saved their ship, so he was in the clear. But Loki was the pure culprit, the very reason their vessel had gone down.
"..."
Loki's expression turned grim.
If they were ninety percent certain before, Loki's current look made it clear to the Avengers that the civilization backing Asta was likely more terrifying than they had imagined.
And... Herta?
Loki seemed deathly afraid of that doll-like girl.
But the Avengers weren't smiling.
This wasn't just a warning for Loki; it was a warning for Earth.
They didn't think for a second that the nuclear missile Earth had launched could be treated as if it never happened just because it failed to cause damage.
That one nuke hadn't just offended Asta and Herta; it had backstabbed their ally, Thor, as well. Even if Thor knew it wasn't their idea, they were ultimately part of the same world.
The mere thought gave the Avengers a collective headache.
But before dealing with that, they had to secure Loki.
The silent Loki suddenly noticed the Avengers—including his "oaf" of a brother—staring at him with cold, piercing eyes.
He looked at Tony. "...I think I'll have that drink now. It's not too late, is it?"
--+--
Inside the ship.
Using materials carried on her puppet's person, Herta was commanding two other puppets and the two pilots to carry out repairs on the damaged hull.
Creating something like Ruan Mei's pocket dimension was nearly impossible in this universe, but making a pocket that could hold half a galaxy's worth of supplies wasn't much of a chore.
Since they had come here looking for a bit of trouble anyway, Herta had never expected the ship to remain unscathed.
Thus, the repair work was something they were well-prepared for.
Themis and Janus weren't researchers, but even as guards, they were Herta Space Station guards. Even if they weren't geniuses, they were still top-tier students with an abundance of knowledge.
Fixing a ship was child's play for them.
The compartment housing the experimental equipment hadn't sustained any damage, but since this was a small craft, its facilities were incomplete to begin with.
"I'm back, Madam Herta."
Having finished her meeting with the Avengers, Asta entered the laboratory.
"Ever since I saw Carol, I've wanted to properly study that energy of hers—it's practically infinite and of such high quality. A pity she wasn't willing to cooperate," Herta said, her gaze fixed firmly on the screen.
"Ah..."
Following Herta's lead, Asta recalled the situation back then.
To be honest, if Herta's attitude had been a bit better, there might have been a chance.
Carol clearly hated being a test subject; the fact that Herta kept prying under those circumstances made it only natural for her to be disliked.
At least it hadn't escalated into a fight.
"Alright, don't just stand there like a statue. I'm going to study the Space Stone; you handle the Mind Stone. It'll go much faster with two people," Herta urged. "We need to have these two things thoroughly analyzed within a week."
"A week? Me?"
Asta pointed at herself, clearly lacking confidence.
"What are you thinking? You just need to help me organize the measurement and experimental data. I'll give you a chart later. I'll take over once I'm done with the Space Stone."
Herta obviously didn't expect Asta to provide much help in the actual research; Asta's usefulness lay elsewhere.
"Oh."
Asta nodded, finally feeling at ease.
Though they had come to Earth to stir the pot and watch the chaos from the front row—since they didn't need to worry about "recognition" anymore—priorities were priorities.
Under the weight of Herta's scientific obsession, the reckoning for those brain-dead politicians would have to wait.
A day passed quickly. Once the ship was mostly repaired, it took to the skies again, hovering over New York under a cloak of camouflage.
They weren't in a hurry to leave. Both Asgard and Earth needed to provide an explanation for their insolence. Although this delayed their original itinerary, they had to stay.
This wasn't just about getting an apology; it was about maintaining the prestige of The Blue—or rather, Herta's dignity.
They were Herta's staff. If they swallowed their pride and stayed silent, it would be a slap to Herta's face. That was absolutely unacceptable. No matter what, they had to maintain the firmest possible stance.
Asta wasn't Herta; she still needed a normal sleep schedule and rest.
Besides, she didn't need to watch the experimental data every single second. Taking advantage of a lull in the work, she decided to teleport down to the surface with her guards.
Not long after they appeared, while they were observing the post-disaster reconstruction on the ground, two men in formal suits approached them.
"Miss Asta, we are agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. We would like to discuss yesterday's accident and the ensuing misunderstanding."
"Accident and misunderstanding? Are you referring to the time you attacked this area with a nuclear missile?"
Asta recalled the previous day's events, her expression turning sour, though she didn't refuse the meeting. She had intended to settle the score eventually anyway.
At the same time, the Avengers still on the ground received a communication.
S.H.I.E.L.D. had made contact with the pink-haired alien.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.