In the warm house, the little girls sat in the living room, thoroughly absorbed in watching the spacetime television. The screen was showing Earth during its past turmoil—wars were raging fiercely across the Middle East, Europe, Northeast Asia, and the South China Sea. This was Earth before Nibiru drew near, a world in 2027 that was far from peaceful. The little girls, however, were laughing out loud; slaughter was precisely to their liking.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the four of us divided the tasks among ourselves. Enis and I were marinating the steaks, while Zi Mi and Suōshā prepared the seafood. "That's right, don't put too much black pepper. Grab some parsley from the fridge in a bit," I gestured to her.
"Okay, Hubby."
I started lighting the stove, and Enis brought the parsley over to sear the steaks with me. Managing the heat for twelve servings of steak simultaneously required careful control. "Let me help you too, Hubby. The steamed dishes on Sister Suōshā's side are almost done," Zi Mi came over and offered.
"Sure, thanks! Keep an eye on the meat searing over here and flip them in time," I handed the task over to her.
After a while, the meat was nearly done, so we sprinkled on the parsley, cracked in the eggs, and plated them. Next, we drizzled sauce over each steak, added garnishes, covered them with plate lids, and brought them to the dining table one by one. "I'm finished on my end, Hubby," Suōshā called out as her steaming was finally complete.
"Great, let me help you carry it out." I stepped forward and lifted the steamer lid. A whole pot of seafood was ready, its aroma so heavenly it could melt your nose.
"Time for dinner, everyone~" Enis stepped out to call the little girls.
"Food time~! I want to eat a lot!" Cheering with joy, they swarmed into the dining room. Everyone took their seats, and my wives served the meals and set the plates for everyone—a steak and borscht soup for each person, along with three large platters of mixed seafood steamed at the center of the table for self-service, plus an unlimited supply of juices and alcoholic beverages.
"Dig in, everyone~" I announced the start of the feast, and everyone picked up their knives and forks.
"That lobster is mine!" The little girls eyed the dishes greedily while eating from their own bowls, squabbling over the food.
"Sigh, don't fight over it, there's plenty left," I laughed helplessly. My wives, on the other hand, put down their utensils to peel the shells for them with loving, maternal expressions.
"You actually managed to do a few good deeds today, which is rare. As a reward, you can stay up late tonight," I praised the little girls while eating.
"It's a pity the Gold God didn't come to the feast, otherwise it would have been much livelier," I sighed softly.
"It's alright, there will definitely be opportunities in the future," Suōshā comforted me attentively.
"Tonight's steak is really good too~" Zi Mi praised.
"Next time let's make beef tripe stewed with radish, I'm sure you'll like it too," I replied with a smile.
"Those toys were way too weak. They exploded before we even touched them, how boring~" Sumei said while eating shrimp meat.
"The TV is showing Master's planet engulfed in a sea of fire~" Ximei interjected as well.
"No need to pay attention to them. Earth as it is now doesn't deserve our interference. Let's keep eating," I replied nonchalantly.
Moonlight and Memories
After the long dinner concluded, my wives went to clear the table while I led the little girls outside to stroll through the garden and enjoy the night fireflies. "Remember to hold back no matter what the occasion is in the future. You must not overexert your power and damage the universe, otherwise I won't be able to explain it to the gods."
"Understood, Master~" The little girls accepted obediently.
"What counts as holding back, Master?" Dimei asked me.
"Uh... If you encounter planet-destroying level enemies, limit the damage range to within a star system. If you encounter universe-destroying level enemies, keep the damage strictly within a single universe. Absolutely do not harm other universes," I thought for a moment and answered.
"What about enemies that can't even destroy a planet, Master?" Yemei pressed further.
"Then just destroy their individual physical bodies and don't harm the innocent," I said helplessly.
A short while later, Enis and the others finished the chores and came outside one after another. "Thanks for your hard work. I'll get a tea set, and we can brew tea while admiring the moon outside." As I spoke, I casually extended my hand, and the tea set inside the house instantly arranged itself on the stone table in the garden. I added a few stone chairs and lit the ambient lamps, completing the moon-viewing autumn terrace. The whole family enjoyed a relaxing time together in the cool night breeze.
"Tomorrow, let's take a walk on Guangyue Star, Zi Mi's hometown," I said, gazing at the bright moon.
"Sure! Should we go to the present or the past?" Enis asked.
"Let's see what Zi Mi thinks." We all turned our eyes to her.
However, Zi Mi lowered her head slightly at this moment, her face showing a tinge of sorrow. "Do you know why I ended up wandering through the universe, Hubby?"
"Of course. During that time, I neglected you, which led to what happened to you. I should apologize to you," I held her hand and comforted her.
Ever since Zi Mi accepted my bestowal of cosmic power and became a god, she attained immortality. Naturally, an immortal queen on Guangyue Star would eventually be viewed as a monster. Thus, before mortals noticed anything amiss, Zi Mi chose to abdicate, handing over political power to others before living an incognito life. On the other hand, to search for me, she embarked on a vast interstellar journey, eventually suffering a mental breakdown and hiding inside a black hole. Driven purely by obsession, she cultivated alone within the black hole, which ultimately led to the events that followed.