Marcarita realized her acting might have been a little too dramatic, but since she'd already started, she had no choice but to commit to it.
Clutching Chiga's shirt, she said in a muffled, timid voice,
"I was just spacing out, and she suddenly appeared and scared me!"
Chiga rolled his eyes, thinking, Even if you're an Angel, there's no way you wouldn't notice a human right in front of you…
Meanwhile, the girl playing the ghost felt insulted. Her dedication to the role had been completely ignored. Furious, she let out a loud, guttural roar and charged at Chiga and Marcarita, thrashing her arms wildly.
Feeling awkward, Marcarita flicked her wrist and summoned her staff. Pointing it at the girl, she said with irritation,
"So noisy. Be quiet!"
At her words, the girl froze mid-motion, her body rigid like a paused video. Though her face was twisted in a ferocious expression, her eyes darted nervously, showing her fear and confusion.
Chiga sighed and flicked her forehead lightly.
"What are you doing? She's just doing her job. Release your power."
Marcarita rubbed her head and pouted.
"I only wanted her quiet for a bit. It'll wear off in five minutes…"
Chiga placed his hands on his hips, clearly exasperated. He snapped his fingers, and the immobilized actress went limp, collapsing gently to the floor, appearing to faint.
Though the spell's duration was short, being frozen in that pose must have been extremely uncomfortable. Out of kindness, Chiga placed her into a brief, harmless slumber. She would wake up naturally once the next group entered.
It really was unfortunate for the poor staff member — caught between two Gods amusing themselves.
Marcarita lowered her head, looking dejected. What she had hoped would be a perfect chance to grow closer to Chiga had completely backfired.
But then Chiga surprised her — he reached out and took her hand.
Startled, Marcarita blinked at him.
"Chiga…?"
He spoke calmly,
"I'm holding your hand so you don't cause any more trouble."
Without waiting for her reply, he started walking forward, still holding her hand.
Marcarita's lips curved into a small smile, and she followed happily.
In that cheerful mood, she began to find even the haunted house's decor charming. When another "ghost" jumped out at her, she simply waved and greeted it, leaving the poor actor utterly bewildered — wondering if they'd forgotten to put on makeup or something.
The pair strolled through the haunted house like it was a peaceful park. By the time they reached the final door, warm sunlight spilled across Marcarita's face.
Yet, instead of joy, she felt reluctant. She had enjoyed walking beside Chiga, hand in hand, far more than she expected.
As the light grew brighter, she sighed softly and tugged his hand.
"Chiga, how about we go again? I haven't had enough fun yet."
Chiga smiled faintly.
"Let's play somewhere else. Once is enough."
The haunted house's entrance and exit were side by side, so when they stepped out, they immediately saw Vados waiting for them.
She approached gracefully and smiled.
"Did you enjoy yourselves?"
Chiga spread his hands with a wry grin.
"It was alright — just a bit of a drag."
Marcarita puffed her cheeks in protest.
"I'm not a drag!"
The three of them shared a brief laugh before heading back toward the carousel area.
When they arrived, they found the Grand Minister and Grand Zeno still circling the same small white horse.
Grand Zeno was having the time of his life, waving his little arms with endless energy, while the Grand Minister's expression had frozen into one of pure despair. He looked like a statue — a very miserable one.
Spotting Chiga, Vados, and Marcarita, the Grand Minister slowly turned his stiff neck, forcing a smile that looked more painful than cheerful.
The two Angels exchanged glances, then turned toward Chiga, their message clear — please help him.
A bead of sweat rolled down Chiga's temple. How exactly am I supposed to help with this? Replace him as the next carousel attendant? Not a chance.
He wasn't nearly as experienced in handling Grand Zeno's whims as the Grand Minister was. Babysitting wasn't one of his divine talents.
Then Grand Zeno spotted him.
"Chiga! You're back! Come play with us!"
Chiga quickly waved his hands.
"Zeno, there are plenty of fun things in this park. You shouldn't just stay on the carousel. The park's closing soon — let's try something else!"
Behind him, the Grand Minister nodded vigorously, his eyes full of gratitude. Finally, some sense! Maybe it's not such a bad thing that my daughter likes this guy after all.
For all his usual dignity, the Grand Minister was helpless when it came to Grand Zeno. Whatever the tiny ruler wanted, he had to comply.
So when Chiga spoke up, it felt like a divine rescue.
Grand Zeno tilted his head, thinking.
"Something more fun than this?"
Chiga smiled.
"Of course — like goldfish scooping or bumper cars! You'll love them."
Intrigued, Grand Zeno floated down from his carousel horse, landing beside Chiga.
The Grand Minister instantly stepped back, silently swearing that he never wanted to see that cursed carousel again.
From there, Chiga led Grand Zeno to explore the other attractions. It quickly became obvious that the childlike ruler had been cooped up in the Divine Temple far too long — every ride thrilled him beyond measure.
Not far from there, they ran into Whis and Beerus lounging on the snack street, both arms full of food. The two looked utterly content, eating as if they'd discovered paradise.
The Grand Minister's face darkened at the sight. His daughters had at least returned to check on him, but Whis… Whis was having the time of his life walking a cat and stuffing his face.
Irritated, the Grand Minister confiscated their food on the spot.
Under their resentful stares, he rolled his eyes and tasted a piece of the fluffy cotton candy.