Looking at Loki's expression, Shiller speculated, "Are they trying to put you on the throne?"
Loki took a deep breath and said, "Do you know? If I hadn't taken that one look, perhaps I would have been lost in their flattery. When the Asgardians show true enthusiasm towards you, you will feel as though they are genuinely friendly."
Loki's voice trembled slightly as he said, "The feeling of having power placed before you, begging you to wield it, is the most addictive poison in this world."
His arm began to tremble slightly, too. He admitted, "I overestimated the weight of my past hatreds in my memories. I admit, I have wavered..."
"Because those hatreds belong to the past, while power and glory are of the present." Shiller sighed saying, "Few people truly remember the past, most are chasing the present."
"But thankfully..." Loki's voice held a hint of relief. He continued, "Before that, I had viewed the landscape of the cosmos, seen the final ending of all stories. That despair left a more profound impression on me."
"So, what did you do?"
"Initially, I wanted Thor to confine me so I could legitimately avoid contact with anyone. They wouldn't bother me anymore, but that imbecile Thor flatly refused." Loki's tone became somewhat clenched.
"His damn out-of-place soft-heartedness and kindness, his goodness, is always the biggest obstacle in all of my plans."
"But you actually enjoy it, right?" Shiller said with a smile.
"I'm not joking." Loki said very seriously, "It was a perfect plan. I would stage a fight with Thor, then he would lock me up. Not only would this help me avoid a lot of trouble, but it would serve to intimidate 'them'."
"If anyone planned to rescue me, I would immediately betray them to Thor, allowing Thor to deal with them appropriately. I explained this plan to him at least a dozen times, but he stubbornly refused."
Loki took a deep breath, voicing his regret as he said, "So, I had to settle for less, found an excuse and escaped. But this won't last long, because they have other candidates apart from me."
"They originally wanted to choose Baldur, after all, he is the legitimate eldest son of the Divine King, he was once the most revered heir to Asgard, but Baldur didn't want to get involved in this murky situation."
"He was originally in a stalemate with Hela, but when he heard their plans, he swiftly returned to sleep atop the World Tree."
Loki spoke with a solemn expression, "Exactly, only Hela remains."
"What does Hela think?"
Loki pursed his lips, "I'm not too certain. Her attitude seems rather ambiguous. I'm not sure if they have secretly convinced Hela and are planning something. You know, I can't get too close to her."
Shiller put his finger against his upper lip to suppress a smile. He said, "I think if you tried a little seduction, it might be far more effective than their persuasion."
"Stop joking around." Loki waved a hand, "Hela only plays around when she's bored. This won't alter serious decisions."
"I wouldn't fear her if she was alone, but if all the warlike Asgardians stand at her side, Thor could be in danger."
Loki leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. After a moment of silence, his voice turned colder as he said, "When you proposed that plan, I was hesitant. But given the current course of events..."
He shook his head, "Nothing can be accomplished without breaking the old order. Bloodshed is always accompanied by any change of dynasty. If the royal family doesn't want bloodshed, then..."
Loki opened his eyes, his expression slowly returning to normal, but his deliberately elongated voice carried a chilling undertone.
Shiller looked at him and said, "In a way, in this era, you are more suitable to be the king of Asgard than Thor. Thor is not yet a qualified emperor. He is not ruthless enough."
"If ruthlessness can save Asgard and lack of ruthlessness can save himself, Loki, what would you choose?"
But his expression told Shiller that his initial answer had surprised him.
"Now, we can discuss my plan."
Shiller leaned back in his chair. Behind him, through the floor-to-ceiling window, the figure of the sun gradually appeared, then slowly sank until it was nearing the horizon. Another quiet dusk, followed by a serene and silent night.
Shiller placed his cold coffee to one side and grabbed another cup. He poured himself a glass of cold water, drank a sip then placed the cup aside. He returned to his seat and frowned, "Someone called and said you're a master drug maker. Now, master drug makers don't have to consider the taste of poison?"
As he said this, the silhouette of a woman appeared in the chair across from him. She was elegant and sexy, with long black hair and dark red lips. She was dressed in a dark green mermaid dress while holding a cigarette in her hand.