At first, Loki had assumed the reward would be an upgrade to the [Authority of Lies], or an enhancement to his Odin Bloodline.
He had never expected the reward to be related to Asgard.
But it had to be said that this truly was the most suitable reward for him.
Loki looked into the distance. The light of the Bifrost was being restored, while beneath the starry sky, Asgardian warriors were clearing the battlefield.
A genuine smile curved his lips, and Loki felt a sense of fulfillment born from responsibility and expectation.
Yet behind that fulfillment lay heavier responsibilities, along with a faint realization that was difficult to detect.
Since joining the Chat Group, he had changed.
He could clearly feel that change within himself.
At first, he had craved the throne not so much to rule as to prove something.
To prove it to Odin, to Thor, and to everyone who had looked down on him and regarded him as the "God of Mischief and Lies."
What he wanted was that position, but even more than that, he wanted recognition—the symbol of Authority that could smooth over the unease and jealousy buried deep in his heart.
Only after truly sitting on the throne did he realize that ruling was far from a game.
Governing the nation, managing livelihoods and the economy, diplomacy, military affairs—these were all entirely new fields to him.
So he bought knowledge from the Chat Group about governance, political strategy, economics, and even the development of civilization.
Using resources and technologies traded from the group members, he cautiously attempted to develop Asgard, from basic technological improvements to tentative interstellar trade, then the deliberate integration of Nine Realms resources.
Everything was an exploration, colored by impatience for quick results. A large part of his motivation had been