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Above Manhattan, New York.
Two figures wove through the canyons of glass and reinforced concrete.
With his hands behind his back, the half-cape behind Homelander flapped loudly in the gale. His flight posture was relaxed and elegant, as if he were strolling in his own backyard garden.
Beside him, a red figure was riding a retro-styled broomstick, bobbing up and down. Her movements were slightly clumsy, yet filled with uncontrollable excitement.
"Whoa—!"
Wanda Maximoff gripped the polished mahogany handle of the nimbus 2000 tightly, leaning her body forward as the airflow was forcibly sliced apart by magic.
At times, she made a beautiful ascent in the air, the twigs at the tail of the broomstick tracing an elegant arc.
At other times, she tumbled through the clouds, her red skirt blooming like a rose in full bloom.
Homelander watched her.
The girl whose eyes once held only hatred and fear finally wore a smile appropriate for her age.
"Is this the joy of the nurturing type?"
"This feeling... this feeling is incredible! Anthony!"
With a graceful tail-flick, Wanda hovered in front of Homelander, her cheeks flushed from excitement and the cold wind.
"It can read my mind! If I want to go left, it goes left! If I want to go right, it goes right. It's like a part of my body!"
"When I was little... in Sokovia, I saw those TV tapes about magic," Wanda shouted, trying to be heard over the wind. "Back then, I dreamed of riding this!"
For a girl raised in war and experimentation, fairy tales were an unreachable luxury. But now, this man had turned a fairy tale into reality and placed it in her hands.
"I'm glad you like it."
Homelander reached out and tucked a stray lock of wind-blown hair behind her ear.
"I told you, I would give you the best."
Wanda stroked the "nimbus 2000" inscription on the broom handle, her heart pounding.
It wasn't just because of this unique broomstick, but also because of the gentle look in the man's eyes.
"Thank you..." Wanda's voice was soft and sweet. "This is the best gift I've ever received."
She steered the broom closer to Homelander, reached out her right hand to cup his cheek, and left a light kiss on his lips, like a dragonfly skimming the water.
Notification! Gained special popularity value + 5,000! (From Wanda Maximoff)
The system's notification sound arrived as expected.
"Not bad." Homelander pursed his lips and nodded with satisfaction. "Consider the equipment reclaimed, and I've even unlocked an extra benefit."
Ten minutes later.
"Alright, playtime is over."
Homelander flew to Wanda's side and pointed to a seemingly ordinary brownstone building below.
"The place we're going next has things even more miraculous than this."
"Really?" Wanda's eyes sparkled. "Is there something cooler than a flying broomstick?"
"Of course."
"Hold onto your broom; we're landing."
177A Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village.
This is one of the strangest buildings in New York.
Even in Manhattan, where every inch of land is worth gold, this Victorian style old house seemed out of place.
Yet, even the most astute real estate agent would subconsciously ignore the existence of this house.
Homelander tilted his body downward, taking the lead in descending toward the circular roof terrace.
Wanda followed closely behind. She nimbly hopped off the broom, stroked the handle affectionately, and then with a flick of her wrist and a flash of red light, the nimbus 2000 was stored into her magic pocket—a little trick she had recently learned from Homelander.
The terrace was surprisingly quiet, as if an invisible barrier cut off the endless honking and clamor of Manhattan.
"Where are we?" Wanda looked around, somewhat puzzled. "It looks... very ordinary."
"Ordinary?"
Homelander walked to the circular skylight and looked through the glass at the deep spiral staircase inside.
"In this World, the most dangerous things are often wrapped in the most ordinary exteriors. Just like Superman always wears a pair of black-rimmed glasses."
He walked to the handleless red wooden door and raised his hand, preparing to knock.
Creak—
The wooden door, which looked quite old, swung inward on its own without warning.
A faint scent of tea drifted out with the air.
"It seems the Master is getting impatient."
Homelander didn't hesitate and stepped inside.
Passing through the slightly dim attic, they walked down the spiral staircase.
The house was filled with various strange magical artifacts, ancient books, and statues.
In the center of the hall stood a simple wooden tea table and several chairs.
A bald woman in beige monk robes sat there. She held a purple clay teapot in her hand as scalding water poured into a cup, sending up wisps of white steam.
Sorcerer Supreme, Ancient One.
"You've come, Mr. Starr."
She didn't look up; her movements were fluid, and her tone was as flat as if she were greeting an old neighbor she saw every day.
Ancient One set down the teapot, looked up, and calmly observed the two of them.
Homelander raised an eyebrow, strode over, and pulled out a chair to sit down without ceremony.
"I like dealing with smart people. It saves us from those boring openings like 'who are you' and 'what do you want'."
Wanda followed Homelander somewhat nervously and sat obediently beside him.
"The tea is freshly brewed, with a bit of honey added."
At that moment, Ancient One was leisurely adding honey to the steaming teacup.
"If you don't mind, I prefer it with milk," Homelander joked, showing none of the awkwardness of a first meeting. "Ideally at 37 degrees."
Ancient One smiled slightly and then, as if by magic, produced a small milk pitcher and pushed it over.
"There's only ordinary whole milk from the supermarket here; I hope it doesn't spoil your mood."
"And for you, child. I hope you like it."
Ancient One pushed a teacup in front of Wanda.
Wanda picked up the cup and took a sip. The sweet, warm tea slid down her throat, instantly relaxing her previously tense nerves.
"It's delicious..."
Just as she set the cup down, she was surprised to find that the tea, which had been missing a sip, automatically refilled as the surface rippled slightly.
"This..." Wanda's eyes widened, and she reflexively took another sip.
It refilled again.
Ancient One glanced at her with a smile.
"A little trick to save the trouble of pouring tea."
"You knew I was coming?" Homelander picked up the milk pitcher, poured some milk powder into his teacup, and stirred.
"Have you seen the future? Sorcerer."
When Wanda heard the word "future," her ears instantly perked up.
Could learning magic also allow one to predict the future?
If that were the case... Wanda stole a glance at Homelander beside her, her cheeks feeling a bit hot.
If I could see the future, would I be able to see... what it's like for me and Anthony to be together?
Would we get married?
Would we live in a house by the sea?
How many children would we have?
Her cheeks flushed slightly as an image involuntarily appeared in her mind: a sunny afternoon in the future where she and Homelander sat in a garden, with two children as lovely as Angels running on the grass... If she could see that, she would be willing to give anything.