"Is anyone home?"
Garfield walked toward the gate. The Asgardian guards already knew who he was. They opened the manor's security barrier and respectfully approached.
"Your Highness Prince Garfield, welcome back."
Garfield nodded in satisfaction. The young men were very polite. A promising future awaited them.
"Where's my godmother?"
"Her Majesty the Fairy Queen is resting."
"You may continue guarding the gate."
"Yes, Your Highness."
With impeccable cat like steps, Garfield reached the manor gate, greeted the guards, and went straight to Frigga's side.
"Godmother, long time no see."
Frigga patted Garfield's head affectionately, then asked him with concern, "Where have you been all these years? You haven't even sent a letter."
Garfield helplessly spread his paws and explained, "One of our ancient beasts ran away. We've been looking for it for ages."
"On the way back, we got caught in the energy of a time tunnel. Several years passed just like that."
"Did you find your ancient beast?"
Frigga had lived at Garfield's house for a while, so she naturally knew what was going on with Pandora.
She also knew that Garfield had gone out to look for her. She found it amusing that Garfield used that term to refer to Pandora.
She and Odin hadn't had time for any romance. Their marriage was purely a political arrangement between the Vanir and Odin's Asgardian people.
Odin's ex-girlfriend was the first Phoenix. After that girl went off to travel the universe, Odin finally settled down a bit.
"Godmother, what are you thinking about?"
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about the past. By the way, did you come to ask about Hela?"
Garfield was a cute but shy orange cat. He lowered his head and answered somewhat embarrassedly.
He hadn't expected Frigga to see through him. "No, I came here specifically to see you."
"As for Hela, let her do what she wants. As long as she doesn't go overboard with the killing, there shouldn't be any problems."
Frigga simply smiled at Garfield's self deceptive statement. "Young man, it's best to clear up any conflicts."
"Otherwise, if you fight and bicker, it might escalate into a real argument and damage your relationship. Perhaps your meeting with Hela was a predestined connection from a past life."
Garfield hadn't expected Frigga to use that entire saying for hours.
Luckily, he had developed a magical ability to enter a state of ethereal tranquility when his ears were open. He barely managed to endure the nagging.
Frigga watched the sun set and realized she had been rambling for a while.
She instructed the maid to prepare dinner and then invited Garfield to stay, giving him an unavoidable reason.
Hela often came for dinner, even when she was busy, though her schedule wasn't fixed.
Garfield hadn't seen her since he left.
He would also take the opportunity to inquire about her cooperation with Grindelwald.
✦••┈┈••✦••┈┈••✦
Back at the German military headquarters, Hela had just finished reprimanding her superiors.
The attack seemed to be going smoothly.
They had captured considerable territory and even gained access to the Mediterranean.
However, France was busy with their Maginot Line.
A simple Maginot Line, yet they hadn't developed an effective attack strategy for so long.
They were even mass producing submarines. Hela immediately saw that these were only for harassment.
Once the enemy deployed their detection equipment, the submarines would be quickly neutralized.
Although she had been sealed away for over a thousand years and cut off from the outside world, Asgard was not without technology.
On the contrary, its technology was quite advanced, though most of it went unused.
Moreover, Asgard had once overturned half the universe.
They had seen all sorts of technology, including many civilizations that had entered the interstellar age, only to be utterly defeated and beg for mercy.
Commanding the modern German army felt like playing house with primitive people. It was utterly boring.
She hadn't played this kind of battle since childhood. If she weren't bored and didn't want to leave, she wouldn't have bothered with it.
It was just a way to relive childhood games, even though her Death Legion and Valkyrie Legion were now utterly destroyed.
She felt a pang of nostalgia for them.
Speaking of the Valkyries, Hela felt a special emotion. She had acted impulsively back then, sending all the good girls who had followed her for years to the realm of the dead.
Now, with her mind clearer, Hela regretted her reckless actions. She hoped those girls were doing well in Valhalla.
"General Hela, it's time for dinner."
Hearing her adjutant remind her, Hela glanced at her pocket watch with a look of disdain. Primitive, outdated mechanical technology.
After thinking for a moment, Hela decided to go to Norway anyway. With her divine power, it wouldn't take long.
Hela got up and tugged at her German Grand Marshal's uniform, smoothing out the wrinkles.
Mortal clothes were so inconvenient. She would go find Eitri to make her a new set of divine armor.
Walking to the window, she instructed her adjutant, "I'm going to eat. If anything happens, you can decide on your own."
"I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Grand Marshal Hela."
The adjutant watched Hela ride away on the wind. They were all aware of the superhuman abilities of the Grand Marshal of their army, navy, and air force. These abilities inspired envy and admiration.
Hela wouldn't have been able to command the generals and soldiers of the army, navy, and air force if she hadn't displayed such immense power.
There were also many who didn't submit to Hela. As a goddess of death who had fought for thousands of years, Hela wouldn't be merciful.
She would have sent them all to the realm of death.
That was why Hela possessed her current transcendent status and position.
As for the man with the mustache, he also greatly admired Hela's power. Unlike Hela, he was involved in politics and only needed to do his job well.
Grindelwald, behind all this, had his true purpose.
The Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand. He didn't care much about the worldly affairs of the man with the mustache.
He spent his days leading his followers to search for treasures in ancient myths, hoping to find clues to the Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand.
After years of searching, visiting countless ancient wizarding tombs, and poring over vast amounts of literature, Grindelwald finally found a clue.
Norway was quite peculiar. Hela frequently traveled there.
What he was looking for was in Norway, also the origin of some European myths and unique creatures.
Putting down the documents in his hand, a strange light flashed in Grindelwald's eyes, as if he had become a different person.