Steve keenly caught the silent exchange of looks among the three "guests"—heavy, and seemingly concealing some shared understanding.
"Miss Elysia," Steve said in a low, grave voice, pressing the matter without leaving room for evasion, "it seems you... have some idea. About the future Doctor Strange saw, about that construct bearing your insignia. You know what it is, don't you?"
Iglanias curled her lip and stuffed the last bit of cake into her mouth. Her words were muffled, but her tone clearly said, You have no idea how serious this is. "Know? If our guess is right, then you're in big trouble! That thing is absolutely not something you can—"
"Ig."
Elysia gently interrupted her.
She turned toward Steve and Strange. The sweet calmness returned to her face, but her eyes were unusually serious. "That insignia is indeed the symbol of the Hilling Empire. But that construct absolutely does not belong to the Imperium. We can assure you of that."
She paused slightly, seemingly choosing her words. "This may involve some... complicated circumstances. We will investigate it and determine whether someone has forged the Imperium's insignia, or whether there is another cause."
That statement did not erase the Avengers' doubts, but at least it temporarily cleared the Imperium of suspicion as an official actor.
"Investigate? How do you plan to investigate?" Tony could not help cutting in, his tone probing. "Here on Earth? Using methods we can't understand?"
Rather than directly answering Tony's question, Elysia changed the subject and asked another. "Before discussing how to investigate, I would like to learn something from all of you. Recently, on Earth—or within the range of star systems you can observe—have there been any abnormal regions or phenomena?"
She tried to describe it in more understandable terms. "For example, some inexplicable 'contamination,' instability