The Grand Minister was in an unusually good mood. Leaning close to Whis, he whispered with a knowing smile,
"Did you forget about the Super Dragon Balls? If things ever reach an irreversible point, you can use them to restore everything."
Whis's face brightened, only to dim again.
"But if the Universe is erased, there won't be anyone left to make a wish…"
The Grand Minister slapped his forehead, exasperated.
"How foolish! Did you forget about the man you told me about? He doesn't belong to this dimension, which means Zen-Oh's erasure won't affect him. Give him the Super Dragon Balls as insurance."
Whis's eyes widened. "That's right! Why didn't I think of that? Grand Minister, your wisdom is truly unmatched!"
A faint smile tugged at the Grand Minister's lips. He wagged a finger lightly and cautioned,
"However, confirm first that Uchiha Chiga is trustworthy. If he uses the Super Dragon Balls for something else, Zen-Oh will be furious, and the Universe could vanish even sooner."
"I understand, Grand Minister. But perhaps it's best if Vados handles this. As long as she can stay on Earth a little longer…"
"Hmm, I see what you mean. I'll pretend I didn't notice her leaving her post without permission. But don't rely solely on Vados's opinion. In her current state, it's hard for her to be objective about Uchiha Chiga. Isn't Marcarita also on Earth? She just fought someone recently—observe her too, and hear her thoughts."
Whis nodded rapidly, nearly pulling out a small notebook to jot everything down.
The father and son shared a quiet smile, then departed in opposite directions.
---
On Earth...
Marcarita lounged on the sofa in a dark blue silk pajama set, hugging a large bucket of popcorn while watching television. The show playing was the hit drama Angel Baby. Her hands moved constantly, shoving handfuls of popcorn into her mouth, her eyes glued to the screen.
Beside her, Vados sat gracefully on another sofa, wearing pajamas the same hue as her usual Angel attire. She held a cup of ice cream, eating in small, elegant bites, occasionally glancing at the TV.
Suddenly, Marcarita let out a frustrated yell.
"What the heck! Why is this male lead so indecisive? Just confess already! If you can't choose, take them all!"
Vados paused mid-bite, about to respond, but before she could, Marcarita crushed the popcorn in her hand and leapt off the sofa.
"This Angel can't take it anymore! The show's called Angel Baby, so why does the second female lead get all the screen time? If I ever meet that director, I'll make him understand divine judgment!"
Popcorn rained down on the sofa. Vados raised a brow and sighed.
"Marcarita, you'd better clean that up before Chiga comes back, or you'll be the one getting cleaned up."
Marcarita huffed, hands on her hips.
"Why would I be afraid of him? What was that phrase he used again? 'I came here to make his broken shack shine!'"
Vados pinched her forehead, half amused, half exasperated.
"Chiga said it's a saying that means 'to make a humble home shine.' But did you really not notice he was being sarcastic?"
"Hmph! Whatever. Anyway, why isn't he back yet? I'm starving!"
"You're an Angel. You can't actually feel hunger," Vados replied with a teasing smile. "You're just craving something, aren't you?"
"It's all the same! I'm still unhappy. If he doesn't come back soon, I'll—"
Click.
The sound of the front door unlocking froze her mid-sentence. Her sharp Angelic hearing twitched instinctively. In an instant, under Vados's bemused stare, Marcarita swept the popcorn off the sofa, fixed her hair, and straightened her pajamas.
By the time the door opened, she sat primly with her legs crossed neatly, holding a cup of hot tea instead of popcorn—looking every bit the picture of elegance.
Vados couldn't help but twitch her lips. "What are you doing?"
Marcarita took a delicate sip of her tea, answering calmly,
"Watching the show, obviously."
"That's not what I meant," Vados said dryly. "Where did the loud, unruly you from a minute ago disappear to?"
Marcarita's cheeks reddened slightly. "What are you talking about? We're guests in someone else's home. It would be rude not to behave. Vados, your thoughts are quite concerning."
At that moment, the door opened fully. Uchiha Chiga stepped inside, arms full of grocery bags, with Lazuli walking beside him, casually holding onto his arm.
Chiga raised a brow and smirked at Marcarita's poised posture.
"Oh? And who might this fine lady be?"
Marcarita forced a smile. "You're back. You must be tired. Buying all those groceries—it must've been such a bother."
"It's fine," Chiga replied casually. "You can buy them next time."
"...Okay!"
"Oh, and I think I heard someone threatening me just before I came in. Something about what she'd do if I didn't return?" He tilted his head. "Did I hear that right, or should I be worried?"
Marcarita feigned shock and turned to Vados.
"Did you hear anything, Vados-san? I certainly didn't!"
Vados rolled her eyes but said nothing, scooping another spoonful of ice cream as she watched her sister's performance in silence.
Marcarita exhaled softly in relief and looked back at Chiga with feigned innocence.
"You must've misheard. Who on this planet would dare to lay a hand on you? Tell me who it was, and I'll take care of her myself."
Lazuli finally burst into laughter, unable to hold it in. Marcarita's cheeks flushed red, and she awkwardly hid her face behind her teacup.
Chiga glanced at the television, catching sight of the Angel Baby logo at the corner of the screen. He shook his head and chuckled softly.
For context, Lapis had recently found a new girlfriend and moved out to live with her.
As for Marcarita, she had insisted on moving in with Vados. Being her younger sister, Vados didn't want her wandering around Earth alone, so she asked Chiga for permission—and he agreed.
At first, Marcarita's arrogance made her nearly unbearable. It wasn't until Chiga playfully twisted her twin tails into ridiculous shapes that she finally learned to behave in front of him.
Even now, as he walked past her, Marcarita subtly tucked the ends of her twin tails under her so he wouldn't grab them again. Clearly, the memory still haunted her.
_______
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