It seemed Blaine was overthinking things again. No matter how powerful he'd become, in the eyes of others, he was still a small player. If, in the past, the difference between him and Gali was like that between an ant and an elephant, then now he was merely a frog before a mountain—still an existence far beyond his reach. After all, to an elephant, there's no real difference between crushing an ant or a frog.
As for the "luck" Gali mentioned, Blaine could only assume it was the work of his own God of Fortune favoring him. Luck was something unseen, untouchable—mysterious by nature.
"No wonder you didn't seem as relaxed as before when you came back," Gali said. "It's because of that thing."
When she said it, Blaine finally understood. Ever since Gali returned, he'd been the one asking all the questions, while she'd been quieter than usual. That circle of white light she spoke of—it had changed something.
Speaking of the white light, Blaine had even checked the mirror, but of course, there was nothing there. He wasn't strong enough yet to perceive it himself. It was embarrassing, really—having others notice something about you that you couldn't even see.
"Mr. Blaine? Your order has arrived," came the voice from the intercom, interrupting their conversation.
That would be the food Blaine had ordered earlier—faster than expected.
"Coming."
When he opened the door, a well-dressed man in a suit stood outside, smiling politely.
"Sir, please wait a moment. Since you ordered such a large quantity, our company had to summon the entire kitchen staff to work overtime. They've been doing their best to prepare everything—"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm not interested in the details," Blaine cut him off. "Just tell me when it'll arrive."
"Oh, it's already here, sir. Please take a look."
The waiter gestured toward a massive truck parked at the front gate, the hotel's logo emblazoned across it. Blaine hadn't noticed it earlier, too caught up in his talk with Gali.
"Then what are you waiting for? Bring it inside."
"Ah—sir, are you holding a party? This is only one-third of the total order. Two more trucks are behind us, plus deliveries from several other restaurants."
The man looked half-convinced Blaine was joking. There was enough food to cover the entire villa floor, and the kitchen staff naturally assumed he was hosting some massive celebration.
"Yes, you heard me right," Blaine said impatiently. "Unload everything into the yard. Now."
He sighed. Maybe his order had been excessive. But still—did they have to make such a production out of it? Then again, he couldn't really blame them. The sheer quantity could probably feed a small town.
Confused but obedient, the waiters went to work. Soon, more staff arrived, setting up a conveyor belt to move the dishes directly into the villa.
It took nearly three hours just to unload and arrange everything.
By the time they finally sat down to eat, it was already midafternoon. Blaine had warned Gali to eat slowly, but that advice barely made a difference. From eight in the morning to three in the afternoon—it had been a seven-hour marathon of eating.
Gali never seemed to stop. She didn't care about the taste or presentation, just stuffed everything into her mouth with the same voracity as always. If Blaine hadn't specifically told her not to, he was sure she'd have swallowed the plates whole.
Poor Blaine, meanwhile, was full after just two bowls of pasta. It was a shame, really—so much incredible food, and he couldn't enjoy most of it. Afterward, he simply watched Gali eat, even played a few games on his tablet between her courses. When she finally slowed down, he couldn't decide if he felt proud or terrified.
"How is it?" Blaine asked. "Still like Earth's food?"
"It's tasty," she said with a sigh, "but no matter how much I eat, it barely fills me. Such a pity."
Blaine blinked, caught off guard by her seriousness. He couldn't help but reach over and pat her head. She was too cute for her own good—talking about such cosmic hunger with the tone of a disappointed child. No wonder she was so reluctant to eat Earth's food. It wasn't about preference—it was pity.
By the time they finished, it was nearly four in the afternoon.
Now that the meal was over, Blaine found himself at a loss for what to do next.
"Gali, want to play golf?"
"No."
"Bowling?"
"Boring."
"Horseback riding?"
"Anything else?"
"Uh… doesn't seem like there's much left."
"Then let's go shopping. Maybe we can find another place to eat."
Of course. In Gali's mind, food came before everything else.
"Who said that? Shopping is just as important," she said quickly, reading his thoughts without effort.
Right—he'd forgotten that a cosmic-level being could read minds. She'd seen right through his internal complaints.
"Figures," Blaine muttered. "Every woman loves shopping. Even cosmic lolis are no exception."
"Come on, let's go already!"
"Alright, alright, I'm coming."
Blaine couldn't resist that playful tone. With a resigned smile, he grabbed his coat, and the two headed out. Funny enough, their first meeting had also been during a shopping trip—it really did feel like fate.
As they walked down the street, they turned heads everywhere they went: a handsome young man accompanied by an impossibly cute girl. The combination was striking. A few talent scouts even tried to approach them with offers.
That is, until Gali walked into a fast-food place and devoured the restaurant's entire monthly supply. Then people wisely kept their distance.
The two wandered aimlessly through the city, not buying anything—no designer clothes, bags, shoes, or cosmetics. None of it interested them. The only thing that caught Gali's attention was food. Street stalls, diners, five-star restaurants—she wanted to try them all. They'd barely finish one meal before heading straight to the next.
"How can you call this shopping?" Blaine groaned. "You're not buying anything—you're just eating."
He felt a little embarrassed, enduring the curious looks of bystanders as he trailed behind her. Maybe he was overthinking, but it was hard not to feel self-conscious. Gali, on the other hand, looked completely at ease—like she'd come home.
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