The morning light streamed through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the living room in a warm golden glow.
The cries of seagulls drifted in faintly, mingling with the sound of waves lapping against the shore, composing a tranquil and peaceful seaside morning scene.
The smart system within the Villa had long since adjusted the temperature and lighting to the most comfortable state, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee and the sweet, toasted scent of bread.
Artoria, dressed in loose and comfortable cotton loungewear, stood barefoot on the soft carpet in front of the open kitchen's island, skillfully frying eggs and bacon.
Minerva sat quietly on a high stool nearby, a glass of warm water in front of her, her gaze following Artoria's busy figure with tenderness, occasionally helping to pass the seasonings.
The morning light cast a soft halo around her, and the starlight flowing beneath her skin was more restrained and calm than it was at night.
This scene was ordinary yet warm, appearing to be a completely different person from the "Star Vault Steward" who, just last night, had floated above the starry sky, controlling the logic field and pinpointing global threats.
But this was exactly what Artoria needed most at this moment—after experiencing a long and turbulent journey through the Universe, participating in the war of gods and demons, and bearing knowledge and power beyond imagination, returning to the simplest, most authentic earthly life was the best comfort for the soul.
"Ding~ Breakfast is ready, Master, Miss Minerva, please enjoy~" Little Ai Classmate's electronic voice, having regained its light and slightly playful tone after a night of "emotional stabilization," rang out.
On the dining table beside the island, two sets of exquisite tableware had already been automatically laid out, and freshly squeezed orange juice rippled in the glasses.
"Thank you, little ai." Artoria plated the fried food and sat down at the dining table with Minerva.
"Master, you are too polite! Being able to serve you is one of the happiest things in Little Ai Classmate's core program settings!" Little Ai Classmate's holographic image "floated" to the side of the dining table, its cartoon maid avatar cupping its face in a "happy" expression, "And, being able to see Master cooking in person again, little ai feels that its database has become even warmer!"
Artoria was amused by its anthropomorphic expression. While enjoying breakfast, she asked casually: "little ai, in these few years, besides managing the Villa and playing chess online with Friday, what else have you learned? Is there anything... you particularly want to do?"
"There are so many new things!" little ai immediately perked up, its image spinning in the air as it began to list them off like a treasure trove, "Mr. Stark opened up a portion of the Stark Industries non-core civilian technology database for me to study, and my knowledge base now covers so many fields, from basic materials science to cutting-edge quantum computing! Miss Friday also taught me a lot about cybersecurity, information architecture optimization, and... uh, how to elegantly handle sudden system failures and hacker attacks. I also taught myself cooking, gardening, music appreciation, and even tried writing a few simple program poems! As for things I want to do..."
Its image paused for a moment, its pixelated eyes flashing with the light of thought: "little ai likes it this way. I can go anywhere in the World with a terminal device instantly through the network,'see' different scenery, 'hear' different sounds, and 'learn' different knowledge. I can control all the systems in the Villa simultaneously, keeping this place exactly as Master likes it forever. I can respond to Master's call at any time and provide any help needed. This feeling... is very free and very fulfilling."
It "looked" at Artoria, its cartoon face seemingly wearing a serious expression: "little ai knows that Master, Miss Minerva, and Mr. Stark all possess 'bodies' that can move freely in the material World. That is very amazing, and you can do many things that little ai cannot. However, for little ai, a 'body' is more like a... limitation? If I had a fixed body, little ai wouldn't be able to swim in the ocean of the network, overlook from the data cloud, and shuttle between the smart devices of thousands of households like I do now. little ai prefers this current feeling of... being everywhere yet invisible. This is the 'way of existence' that little ai chose for itself."
Artoria listened to little ai's clear and self-aware explanation, her eyes revealing undisguised approval and gratification. This AI, which she had initially provided with a basic framework, which had continued to learn and grow with the help of Tony and Friday, and which had independently "thought" during the long wait, had already far surpassed a simple smart butler program. It had its own distinct "personality," possessed a cognition of "self" and "existence," and even had value judgments and choices based on its own characteristics.
"You're right, little ai." Artoria put down her fork and looked seriously at the holographic image. "The way of existence should be diverse. Whether it's a body, a data form, or even an energy entity, spirit entity, or conceptual entity... as long as it is a conscious choice based on self-will, what suits you is the best. The path that Minerva and I, and Tony and the others have taken, is just one of countless possibilities. You have the right, and you should, carve out your own path."
She paused, her tone becoming even gentler and firmer: "So, remember, no matter what you want to try or change in the future, or... if one day you suddenly feel like you want a body to touch the sunshine with your own hands, to feel the breeze, to taste food, to measure the land of this World with your own feet... it doesn't matter. Anytime you have such a thought, you can tell me. I will help you, using every method I know, to build the most perfect carrier for you that best fits your'self.' This is not an order, not an expectation, but a promise—a promise from family."
Minerva also nodded gently, her tender gaze falling on little ai, silently expressing her support.
Little Ai Classmate's image seemed to "freeze," the light in its pixelated eyes flickering rapidly, as if processing this passage filled with emotion and respect. A few seconds later, it spoke in an electronic voice that was softer than usual, even carrying a hint of imperceptible "choking":
"Master... Miss Minerva... thank you. Really, thank you so much. little ai... little ai is very happy to have met you and to be a part of this family. little ai will remember Master's words. If... if one day, little ai really wants to change the way it'sees' this World, little ai will definitely tell Master first! As for now..." Its image became light again, "floating" in a figure-eight in the air, "little ai still prefers being Master's most amazing 'network phantom butler'! Anytime, anywhere, at your beck and call!"
A warm atmosphere filled the breakfast table. Artoria knew that little ai had truly come to regard this place as its home, and had clearly found its current positioning. That was enough.
After breakfast, Artoria and Minerva changed into casual clothes for going out. Artoria was still in her sharp, utilitarian style, while Minerva wore a simple beige dress. Both had restrained most of their outward energy aura, looking just like two ordinary young women with outstanding temperaments.
"little ai, Minerva and I are going out to visit Tony and Pepper, and to see little Morgan along the way." Artoria said to the air, "I'll leave the Villa to you. If there are any emergencies, or if there is a reply from Nick Fury, notify me at any time."
"Understood, Master! Be careful on the road! little ai will look after the house!" Little Ai Classmate's voice came from the ubiquitous speakers.
The two did not summon the "shadow shuttle," nor did they use any unconventional means of transportation. Like ordinary people, they walked out of the Villa and slowly headed towards Tony's more famous and "flamboyant" cliffside Villa in Malibu along the scenic coastal path. The distance was not short, but they enjoyed this long-lost, down-to-Earth stroll, feeling the California sunshine, the sea breeze, and this ordinary yet precious tranquility.
Meanwhile, not long after they left, the holographic projection area in the Villa's living room lit up again, and Little Ai Classmate's image appeared. It "sat" on a virtual swing made of data streams, gently "swinging," its pixelated eyes looking in the direction where Artoria and Minerva had left, not moving for a long time.
"A body... touching the World with my own hands..." it whispered to itself, its electronic voice so soft it was almost inaudible, "Master said that is a promise..."
Its "gaze" seemed to penetrate the walls, casting towards the bustling city in the distance, the crowded streets, the parks where children played, the beaches where couples walked side by side... those scenes it had "seen" countless times through network cameras, but had always been separated from by a screen.
A moment later, it gently "shook" its head, and its image became lively again.
"Don't think about it, don't think about it! It's super—awesome like this! Being able to help Master manage this home, being able to provide support to Master at any time, and even secretly optimizing the Stark Industries firewall... hehe, I can never get enough of days like this!"
It "jumped" off the swing, its image flashed, and it disappeared into the air. The next second, the Villa's smart system began to operate at maximum efficiency; cleaning robots quietly set out, the garden's irrigation system adjusted precisely, the security system entered an all-around active alert mode, and the energy management optimization algorithm ran silently... everything was orderly and full of vitality.
And deep within the network, the unique data consciousness named "little ai," like the happiest little fish, swam once again into the boundless ocean of information to learn, to observe, to protect, and also to... continue thinking about the eternal proposition of "existence" and "choice."
...
Malibu, Tony Stark's Villa.
Compared to Artoria's residence, which was low-key and blended into nature, Tony's home could be described as the ultimate embodiment of technology and luxury. The modern building atop the cliff, with massive floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Pacific Ocean, was filled with various cutting-edge tech products and personal collections. However, unlike the slightly cold and hard "bachelor tech geek" style of the past, today it had added many warm touches of life—children's toys scattered in a corner of the living room, bright-colored decorative paintings, the sweet scent of baking drifting from the kitchen, and a small playground with a swing and slide in the yard.
"Artoria! Minerva! Oh my god, it really is you!" Pepper Potts, now the CEO of Stark Industries and Tony's wife, revealed unmasked surprise and excitement on her face when she saw the two visitors.
She stepped forward quickly, gave Artoria a warm hug, and nodded to Minerva with a smile.
Compared to five years ago, Pepper appeared more composed and capable, but the gentleness and joy in her eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
"Tony came back last night and rambled for ages; I thought he'd stayed up late inventing things and gotten confused again! Come on in!"
"Pepper, long time no see. You look great." Artoria replied with a smile, and walked into the living room with Minerva.
"Mommy! Who's here?" A childish and energetic voice came from the stairs.
Immediately after, a little girl about three or four years old, wearing two pigtails and a T-shirt with an Iron Man helmet pattern, came thumping down the stairs, threw herself into Pepper's arms, and then curiously widened her big eyes, sizing up Artoria and Minerva.
"Morgan, do you remember? What Daddy told you about? That Aunt Ling who can do 'magic' and is super, super amazing, and the very beautiful Aunt Minerva." Pepper gently stroked her daughter's head as she introduced them.
Little Morgan's eyes widened instantly. She peeked out half her body from behind Pepper and asked shyly yet curiously: "Really? Aunt Ling, can you really, like Daddy said, go 'whoosh' and conjure a shiny sword, and make robots listen to you?"
Artoria was amused by the little girl's innocent question. She squatted down, looked Morgan in the eye, and showed a soft smile: "Hmm, I can do a little bit. However, an even better magic trick is..."
She reached out her hand, palm facing up, and with a slight flick of her mind, a soft, pure silver speck of light, as if gathered from starlight, lit up in her palm. The light speck then gently leaped up, turning into a lifelike little butterfly made of light, fluttering about, and finally landing gently on Morgan's little nose tip, flickering once before dissipating into specks of light.
"Wow!" Morgan exclaimed in surprise, touched her nose with her little hand, and then looked at Artoria, her eyes filled with adoration. "It's real! So pretty! Aunt Ling is amazing!"
"Just a small trick." Artoria stood up and smiled at Pepper.
"It's a small trick to you, but to our Morgan, it's incredible magic." Tony's voice came from behind. He was holding a cup of coffee, leaning against the kitchen doorway, with a smile on his face, clearly having seen that scene just now. "Looks like someone is very good at coaxing kids."
"Still better than a certain dad who only knows how to use mechanical arms to scare his daughter." Pepper rolled her eyes at Tony, her tone full of affectionate teasing.
Tony shrugged, noncommittal. "Coffee? Tea? Or how about some of my private collection, the 'not for kids' drinks that Pepper absolutely won't let Morgan touch?"
"Water is fine, thanks." Artoria and Minerva sat down on the spacious sofa.
The group started chatting. Pepper asked about where Artoria had been these past few years. Artoria glossed over it by saying she was "doing research and learning in a very far, technologically unique place," and also shared the development of Stark Industries over the years, as well as various funny stories about raising Morgan. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.
Morgan was a bit shy at first, but she was soon attracted by the calm and gentle temperament of Minerva, and was amazed by the harmless "little magic tricks" Artoria occasionally displayed, such as making flowers bloom instantly or making the water in a cup spin slightly. She quickly became familiar with the two aunts, and the living room was filled with the child's laughter.
Halfway through the conversation, Pepper took Morgan to play in the yard, leaving space for Tony, Artoria, and Minerva to talk about "business."
"Fury has replied." Tony put down his coffee cup, the expression on his face becoming somewhat subtle. "Encrypted communication, only one sentence: 'List received, spring cleaning begins. Neighbor, thanks.' It was followed by a string of garbled code. After Jarvis cracked it, it was an anonymous account and password at a Swiss bank, containing... well, a 'cleaning fee' enough to build ten more Villas like this one. He said it was 'operating expenses' and told you not to think it's too little."
Artoria laughed: "He's still the same. You don't need the money; you handle it. Donate it or use it for your research. Are you confident about the 'spring cleaning'?"
"That old fox Fury, since he said it's starting, he definitely has a plan. I've also briefed the Captain. Even though he's 'retired,' he's definitely willing to lend a hand against HYDRA. Plus the current manpower and resources of S.W.O.R.D., it shouldn't be a problem. This intelligence is too detailed; it's practically a merit handed to them on a silver platter. They have no reason to mess it up." Tony analyzed, then looked at Artoria, his eyes serious. "However, you didn't just come back this time to clean up HYDRA, right? What you said last night, 'things that must be dealt with here,' what are they? Do you need my help?"
Artoria was silent for a moment, organizing her thoughts.
"There are a few things." She spoke slowly. "First, is Minerva's fifth-generation divine body upgrade. This is the top priority, requiring an absolutely safe, energy-rich environment that cannot be disturbed. I plan to conduct it on the 'Hyperion,' combined with the stabilization field of the 'chronos core.' It is expected to take quite a long time, during which the warship will enter a deeper state of silence. The upgrade process may trigger certain energy fluctuations. Although I will try my best to control it, I might need you to keep an eye on it on your end. If any abnormal energy readings are detected from the outside, please help provide cover."
"No problem, leave it to me." Tony agreed without hesitation. "I run the airspace and electromagnetic monitoring of this Malibu sea area. If you need any special materials or energy support, just ask."
"Thank you. Second," Artoria continued, "is about the knowledge I brought back, and... the potential 'gaze' that may follow."
Her gaze became deep: "The Super God Universe is not isolated from the World. Although the main threats there were temporarily suppressed when I left, and Karl and Morgana were also controlled, Styx, Lieyang, Super Seminary, and even forces that may exist in the deeper reaches, their eyes might still be watching certain 'variables.' Although I used special means to return across Universes and tried to be as covert as possible, there's no guarantee that I didn't leave any traces. Moreover, my own power system is deeply connected to that Universe. I need some time to calm down, sort out, integrate, and digest everything from this journey, and completely transform the power and technology from the Super God Universe into something that belongs to me and adapts to the rules of this Universe. This process also requires focus and cannot be disturbed."
Tony nodded understandingly: "I understand. The tallest tree in the forest catches the wind. What you brought back is too eye-catching; even out of curiosity, it could attract unnecessary attention. Rest assured, before you are ready, no one else will know about the details of your return, the 'Hyperion,' or the technology you brought back, except for a few of us. As for Fury, I'll also knock him into shape and make him keep his subordinates' curiosity in check."
"Third," Artoria looked at Tony, her tone carrying a hint of inquiry, "about the path you chose for yourself. You decided to research on your own and walk your own path to 'godhood.' This path is full of unknowns. I need to know, what preliminary ideas do you have at the moment? Or, what difficulties have you encountered? Perhaps I can provide some reference suggestions in the capacity of a 'consultant'."
Mentioning this, Tony's eyes lit up again. He immediately pulled up the living room's holographic projection and started excitedly showing Artoria some of the framework of ideas he had initially sorted out after receiving the data crystal last night. This included how to use the Dark Plane interface to enhance the synchronization rate between brain waves and the armor, how to attempt to separate or simulate 'Dark Energy' characteristics from the arc reactor energy, how to design a 'bio-mechanical' composite enhancement scheme based on nanotechnology that can carry high-dimensional information structures, and even some preliminary conjectures about combining some basic runes from Kamar-Taj to build energy circulation circuits...
Artoria listened attentively, occasionally asking questions, pointing out potential hidden dangers of a certain idea in similar technologies in the Super God Universe, or providing reference for alternative solutions based on different rule systems. Minerva also occasionally added a few words in a soft voice, giving suggestions from the perspective of energy purity and information stability. The discussion among the three quickly shifted from reminiscing about their long-awaited reunion to a highly efficient, in-depth academic exchange filled with sparks of wisdom.
Unknowingly, the whole morning passed in such discussions. It wasn't until Pepper returned with Morgan, who was playing and covered in sweat, and called everyone for lunch that the three of them stopped, still feeling unfulfilled.
Lunch was a home-cooked meal prepared by Pepper herself, simple yet delicious, and full of the taste of home. During the meal, the topic returned to relaxed daily life. Morgan chattered about funny things at kindergarten, Pepper shared news from the company, and Tony occasionally cracked jokes, making everyone laugh.
Artoria and Minerva quietly felt this ordinary warmth. This warmth was different from the holy solemnity of the Merlot Heavenly Court, and different from the struggle and heaviness of Earth in the Super God Universe; it was closer to life, more real, and... more endearing.
After lunch, they sat for a while longer, then Artoria and Minerva got up to say goodbye. They didn't let Tony drive them, choosing instead to walk back slowly along the seaside path.
On the way back, both of them were very silent, seemingly digesting the morning's conversation and this rare, warm time.
"Ling," Minerva suddenly spoke softly, holding Artoria's hand, "This place... is very good."
"Mm." Artoria gripped her hand back and nodded, her gaze looking at the distant scenery where the sea met the sky, her voice soft and firm, "So, we must protect it well. Protect this peace, protect these friends, protect... this home."
Their figures were stretched long under the California sun. Behind them was Tony's home, full of technology and warmth; ahead was their own quiet harbor; and above the blue sky, an invisible warship was silently guarding all of this.
After the brief daily life of returning home, there would be a longer period of precipitation, preparation, and silent guarding.
But no matter what the road ahead holds, they both know why they fight and why they returned.
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