After putting the medical book back, Lorien walked toward the lounge area while answering Sylvie's question.
"Do you know where the headquarters of the Time Variance Authority is?"
Sylvie shook her head. "No."
"Do you know how vast the TVA's core entity really is?"
Again, Sylvie shook her head. "No."
"Do you know the true purpose behind the TVA's existence?"
Sylvie's head moved mechanically this time. "No."
By then, Lorien had already sat down on a recliner in the lounge. Sylvie stood awkwardly to the side, unsure whether to sit or remain standing.
"Sit," Lorien said.
She took a seat beside him.
Recalling her three straight "I don't knows," Sylvie searched her memory for whatever scraps of information she had and tried to explain.
"I only know the TVA is responsible for keeping every universe's timeline running smoothly. Whenever a timeline experiences an error or alteration, TVA agents step in to correct it and erase all anomalous factors. That's how I was captured."
Hearing this, Lorien could tell her understanding of the TVA was laughably shallow.
"What you know is a fragment of a fragment. Now I'll tell you their true purpose."
Sylvie's eyes went wide. She immediately straightened and said respectfully,
"Thank you so much!"
"But not yet."
"Hm?"
"You should go back. Come to me at the proper timeline node."
Sylvie blinked, puzzled. Why did it have to be at the normal node? There was no harm in talking now. She didn't believe Lorien was the type to make such pointless distinctions.
Lorien gave her a helpless smile.
"Can't help it. My wife wants to hear it too."
...
Sylvie's eyes went blank. Her mouth opened and closed without a sound.
What!? Why!?
Ah!!!
Such a powerful man, and he's this devoted to his wife?! Where's the justice in that?!
Why!!!
Why did God throw open all his windows? Others get one open, one shut, but you—yours are floor-to-ceiling glass on all four sides!
A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind, but in the end they condensed into just two words.
"Okay."
Lorien waved her off, signaling she could go. This moment was still part of history, which meant he didn't need to bother with it. But Sylvie had to return.
She nodded, stepped back a few paces, and prepared to return to the normal timeline.
...
In the normal timeline, inside the Northern Tower, Lorien opened his eyes while leaning against the bed. He looked at the two women watching him and smiled.
"Now you see why even if the TVA targets the past version of me, it doesn't matter?"
Do you even understand the value of the Silver Superman? The past is meaningless to him. As long as his present strength grows, it's as if he was born that way. There's no process of becoming stronger—only the final result.
"So amazing~!"
Once Gwen understood, she gazed at Lorien with adoration.
"And when you made those two explode earlier—it was so cool! How did you do that?"
Light burst from their seven orifices, and then their whole bodies, like lit balloons, went boom—vanishing into nothing. Too cool!
"That didn't seem like magic," Wanda guessed. "It looked more like your ability, Lorien?"
"Correct." Lorien nodded and gestured casually with one hand. "Just part of my ability. I ignited his soul—he bloomed like fireworks in an instant."
As soon as he said it, Gwen threw herself into his arms, clinging to him.
"Such a waste~!"
She pressed half her body against his, rubbing her cheek against his face before planting several kisses.
Lorien suspected she wasn't really praising his power—she just wanted to cuddle and kiss.
Wanda rolled her eyes at the sight.
What a little flirt.
"Smack, smack~~"
Lorien patted Gwen's smooth, round little butt.
"Get up, go wash up. Sylvie's coming over. Didn't you two say you wanted to talk to her?"
"Mm, let's get up." Wanda and Gwen nodded, then got out of bed, dressed, and washed.
Before long, all three were ready. Gwen fixed her hair after dressing and asked,
"So, where do we meet her?"
Wanda thought for a moment.
"At home. We still need to give her a mission anyway. She'll end up working under us, same as Cindy, Mayday, and Peni."
Gwen considered it, then nodded, though she still turned to Lorien.
"What do you say?"
"At home," Lorien said casually. "The Time Variance Authority can't be completely destroyed, or the Multiverse would fall into even greater chaos. But that doesn't mean there aren't other ways to deal with it."
"What ways?!" Gwen asked eagerly.
"You'll see soon enough."
The TVA was indeed important—important to the stability of the Multiverse. Every multiverse had its own TVA, which meant each had a Kang the Conqueror.
That was why the TVA couldn't just be destroyed outright. Doing so would plunge the entire Multiverse into disorder, causing endless trouble. And trouble was the last thing Lorien wanted.
So he had another way.
What way?
"You can't do it. But plenty of others can."
Lorien glanced at Wanda.
"Prepare some fruit and snacks. Nobody's had breakfast yet, so we'll eat and talk in the Little Universe."
Wanda nodded. "Got it."
"I'll help too," Gwen said.
So the two of them went into the kitchen to prepare food.
...
Meanwhile, downstairs at the Northern Tower, Sylvie arrived cloaked, following the directions she'd been given. But once there, she hesitated.
Should she go up? Or wait?
As she wavered, Lorien's soft voice sounded in her mind.
"Come up. Top floor."
"Okay."
Sylvie answered, though his voice had already faded.
She tightened her cloak and headed into the elevator. Without her pressing anything, it began ascending automatically toward the top floor.
When it stopped, she found herself before the only door.
Click~
The door opened on its own.
Sylvie cautiously peeked in, then stepped inside.
"Change your shoes."
Lorien's voice came from within.
She looked down and saw Wanda's, Gwen's, Hela's, and Lorien's shoes lined neatly beside the door, along with several pairs of shared slippers—all women's. The only men's slippers belonged to Lorien.
Because in his house, other men weren't allowed inside. Only women. An unwritten rule.
"Good thing my feet don't stink..." Sylvie muttered under her breath, then slipped on a pair of slippers and went in.
The moment she stepped inside, she saw Wanda and Gwen carrying trays toward the Little Universe. Sylvie followed their direction with her eyes—then froze.
Why?
Because one side of Lorien's living room wall wasn't a wall at all. It was a portal to a universe, blue mist curling along its edges.
A gateway to a cosmos.
You stuffed a universe inside your house???
Holy shit. How was that even possible?!
It was like cramming Asgard into your living room and turning a wall into its entrance! The sight left her stunned.
While Sylvie gawked in disbelief, Gwen waved at her and said,
"What are you standing there for? Come on. We'll eat and talk by the Little Universe. Lorien has a great mission and opportunity for you—so make sure you do well."