Chapter 90 - Ch 89 - Court Trial

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Seph opened one eye, then the other. His expression shifted, mild discomfort creeping in as he glanced at all of them, taking in the heavy atmosphere. 

"…Alright, that's enough of this cringe-fest," He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm starting to feel like I walked into a tragic play." 

Hela blinked, then scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

Frigga simply smiled knowingly. 

Odin, however, remained still, his thoughts heavy—still lingering on the words Seph had spoken before. 

Seph sighed. "Look, it's not like any of you are going anywhere for the next hundred or even thousand years."

He pointed out, folding his arms. "You're gods, for crying out loud. I'd say you've got plenty of time." 

The mood shifted, the weight lessening. 

Then, Seph turned his golden eyes to Odin, his expression unreadable. "Besides… Asgard isn't this land."

He gestured around them. "This? This is just a piece of rock floating in the void. A beautiful one, sure, but still just land." 

Odin frowned slightly but listened. 

"The universe is vast, Odin," Seph continued, his tone calm yet firm. "As long as the people of Asgard live, Asgard itself will never die. You can build another city, another home. Anywhere."

He exhaled. "A kingdom is not its walls. It's its people." 

Odin's shoulders finally relaxed. The tension in his frame faded, and slowly… a smile, small but real, tugged at his lips. 

"Yes…" He murmured, nodding. "Yes, you are right."

His eye gleamed with something different now—not despair, not worry, but a quiet resolve. "Asgard is where its people are."

He looked out at the land, his mind already shifting, already seeing possibilities beyond loss.

"So what if this one perishes?" He said, more to himself than anyone else. "As long as our people live… Asgard will live." 

Frigga smiled warmly. 

Hela glanced at Seph, then away, crossing her arms—but the tension in her posture had eased. 

Seph smirked slightly, watching them. 

"Well, good," He said lazily, stretching his arms. "Now that we've had our deep, emotional moment, can we move on? I don't know about you guys, but I could use a drink." 

Thor grinned. "Now that's something I can agree on." 

Hela sighed but smirked slightly. "Hmph. Typical." 

Loki rolled his eyes but started walking. 

Odin chuckled. "Perhaps a drink is in order." 

Frigga merely shook her head in fond exasperation. 

And just like that, the heavy moment was gone—replaced by something lighter. But the meaning behind Seph's words remained, buried in their hearts. 

Asgard was not just a place. 

It was a people. 

And as long as they lived… they would endure.

And with that Seph's vacation in Asgard came to an end.

It had been a good break, but all good things had to come to an end. Now, he had to go back to Earth and babysit Tony Stark as both his bodyguard and friend.

But the moment he returned, things were already spiraling into chaos.

----

Just after his return, he had to accompany Tony to the court for the hearing regarding the discussion about his Iron Man suit.

Washington, D.C. – Senate Armed Services Committee

The courtroom was packed tighter than a can of sardines. Politicians, military big shots, and nosy reporters filled every inch of space, their eyes locked on the center of the chaos—Tony Stark, who was lounging in his chair like this was just another Tuesday.

To his left, Rhodey sat stiff as a board, looking like he was reconsidering all his life choices.

To his right?

Seph. Dressed in a sleek, black suit that probably cost more than the Senator's entire career, he sat motionless, expression unreadable, radiating an aura that made the entire room feel two degrees colder.

Across from them, Senator Stern looked like a kettle seconds away from whistling.

"Mr. Stark," Stern snarled, gripping the podium so hard his knuckles turned white. "The United States Government has been more than patient with you. Your suit—this Iron Man weapon—is a direct threat to national security. We demand that you hand over your technology to the military!"

Tony tilted his head, a lazy smirk creeping onto his face. He slowly pulled off his sunglasses, as if savoring the moment.

"With all due respect, Senator..." He paused dramatically, slipping his shades into his pocket. "I respectfully decline."

The room erupted with reporters whispering.

A few gasped.

Somewhere in the back, a nervous intern dropped his pen.

Stern's face turned an unnatural shade of red. "Mr. Stark, you don't understa—"

"No, you don't understand," Tony cut in, straightening up. "I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one. You're asking me to hand myself over to the government. That sounds, oh, I don't know… kidnappy? Illegal? Definitely uncomfortable."

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

Stern's left eye twitched. "The United States government is not in the business of waiting for a billionaire to decide what's best for national security! We have enemies, Stark, and we need to be prepared!"

Tony leaned back, crossing his arms. "Enemies? Oh, you mean the ones I already handled? Y'know, the terrorists? The warlords? The crazed tech maniacs? The guys you were probably selling weapons to before I shut that down? Let's give credit where credit's due."

Stern slammed his hand on the desk, his mustache quivering in rage. "The world is watching, Stark! You can't just play cowboy forever!"

Like he was waiting for that moment, Justin Hammer, the used car salesman of the weapons industry stood up and took the stage.

"If I may, gentlemen..." Hammer stood, flashing a slimy grin that belonged in a bad cologne commercial. "Mr. Stark's technology is revolutionary, no doubt. But imagine if the government had access to it. Imagine the security it would provide. Imagine the power!"

A low chuckle echoed through the room.

Until now, Seph had been silent. A statue of sheer disapproval. But when he spoke, his voice rolled through the chamber like distant thunder.

"If the government got their hands on Tony's tech..." Seph's crimson eyes glowed slightly, like embers in a dying fire. "How long before they started mass-producing these suits? How long before every country had an army of Iron Men? And then—what? A world war fought in metal shells? A battlefield of gods? You're playing a very, very stupid game."

The silence was deafening.

Hammer blinked, clearing his throat. "And… and who exactly are you?"

Seph leaned back, smirking just enough to make it terrifying.

"Someone who doesn't like watching idiots play with things they don't understand."

If a pin had dropped, it would have easily been heard by everyone.

Stern looked like he was about to explode himself, but before he could, Tony clapped his hands and stood.

"Well, this has been fun," He announced, adjusting his tie. "But I think we're done here. Oh, and one more thing—"

With a press of a button, a massive screen lit up behind him.

Video footage played.

China. Russia. North Korea. Hammer Industries. All desperately trying—and failing—to recreate the Iron Man suit.

One Russian prototype spun in circles before self-destructing. A Chinese version faceplanted into a tank.

Hammer's own suit? The pilot barely got it off the ground before the arms ripped themselves off.

Tony turned back to the committee, flashing his signature billion-dollar smirk.

"As you can see, Senator… I have successfully privatized world peace."

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