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They continued walking through the palace, moving from room to room with the rest of the visitors.
Ethan stopped in front of a large painting and looked at it for a few seconds. "This guy looks like he never worried about money a day in his life."
Sharon glanced at the nameplate. "That's royalty for you."
They passed through another hall and stepped onto a balcony area. A guard stood nearby, watching calmly. From there, the view of the city was clear and wide.
Ethan leaned on the railing. "If I lived up here, I'd never want to go down."
Sharon smiled. "And yet you live underground in a lab."
"That's different," Ethan replied. "My lab listens to me."
After a short while, staff began guiding visitors toward the exit. The palace tour was coming to an end.
As they walked out, Ethan stretched his arms slightly. "Alright. You win. That was worth it."
Sharon raised an eyebrow. "I'll remember you said that."
They walked back down the hill together, blending into the crowd. The noise of the city slowly returned as they reached the lower streets.
Sharon checked her tablet again. "Next stop: food. Royalty food."
Ethan nodded. "Good. I'm wondering what Royals like to eat."
She laughed. "I am pretty sure it would be a long name but pea sized food."
They headed toward a nearby restaurant, the city lights beginning to turn on as evening slowly approached.
They reached a small but expensive-looking restaurant not far from the palace. A man at the entrance greeted them politely and led them inside.
The place was quiet, with soft music and low lighting. The tables were neatly set, and everything looked perfect with quiet ambient setting.
Ethan sat down and picked up the menu. He stared at it for a few seconds.
"…Why does everything have a paragraph under it?" he asked.
Sharon leaned over to look. "Because it's fancy. The longer the description, the smaller the portion."
Ethan sighed. "I just want something that fills me up."
When the waiter came over, Sharon ordered confidently. Ethan pointed at one item on the menu.
"I'll have this," he said. "The one with chicken."
The waiter nodded and walked away.
While they waited, Ethan looked around. Most of the people inside were well dressed, talking quietly and sipping drinks.
"Everyone here looks like they're afraid of being loud," Ethan said.
"That's called class," Sharon replied.
"That sounds exhausting."
The food arrived a few minutes later. The plates looked nice, but the portions were small.
Ethan stared at his plate. "…You weren't kidding."
Sharon smiled. "Just eat."
He took a bite, then paused. "…Okay. This actually tastes good."
"See?" she said.
After a few minutes, Ethan finished his plate and leaned back.
"I'm still hungry," he said.
Sharon laughed. "We'll get normal food after. This is just for the experience."
Ethan nodded. "Good. Because if this is how royalty eats every day, I don't blame them for being thin."
Sharon signaled for the check, and a moment later the waiter returned. After everything was settled, they stood up and headed outside.
The night air was cooler, and the streets were brighter now, filled with lights and movement. Music drifted from nearby bars, and people laughed as they walked past.
Ethan took a deep breath. "Okay. This part I like more."
"Because it feels alive," Sharon said.
"Because I can hear people," Ethan replied.
They walked along the harbor, the water reflecting rows of lights from the yachts. Ethan slowed his pace, hands in his pockets.
"So," Sharon said casually, "still think this trip was a bad idea?"
Ethan thought about it for a moment. "It's… tolerable."
She smiled. "High praise."
They stopped near a street food stand. The smell of grilled food filled the air.
Ethan's eyes immediately went to it. "Now that's real food."
Sharon laughed. "Go. I won't stop you."
A few minutes later, Ethan was holding something simple and greasy. He took a bite and nodded.
"Yeah," he said. "This fixes the problem."
They stood there eating, watching people walk by. This area felt more normal, without the overly classy crowd.
The noise and chatter blended together, and for once, it didn't bother Ethan too much—even though he was an introvert who usually preferred staying in his basement lab.
A whole week passed like this. They visited different places, walked around the city, ate out, and explored. Unlike what Sharon had expected, no woman managed to catch Ethan's attention.
And now, they had finally arrived at the venue where the party was being held—the event Tony had invited him to.
The building was large and bright, with luxury cars parked outside and security stationed at the entrance. Well-dressed guests walked in and out, laughing and talking.
Ethan stepped out of the car and looked at the place.
"So this is the headache," he said.
Sharon adjusted her hair. "Don't worry it won't be too bad"
"You don't know," Ethan replied.
They handed over their invitations and were allowed inside. Music played softly in the background, and the room was filled with people talking in small groups.
Ethan scanned the room once, then sighed. "I can already see many reporters"
Sharon smiled. "Well its an grand event where top figures are gathered here."
Tony spotted them a moment later and raised a hand as he walked over.
"Ethan," Tony said, grinning. "You actually came."
Ethan looked at him. "You invited me. I showed up. Don't read too much into it."
Tony laughed. "Fair enough. Drink?"
Ethan shook his head. "I'll pass."
Tony blinked. "Wow. You don't drink?"
"I do," Ethan said calmly, "just expensive, well-aged wines. The kind that actually taste good and don't ruin your body."
Tony laughed. "Well then, you're in luck. They arranged this place to meet everyone's demands."
He led Ethan to the bar, where the bartender looked up at them.
"Leroy Musigny Grand Cru," Tony said without hesitation.
Ethan nodded slightly when he heard the name.
The bartender's expression remained calm. He gave a respectful nod and turned around to retrieve the bottle.
"You gentleman have fine taste," he said as he carefully placed it on the counter.
Tony nodded as he looked at Ethan. "What do you think?"
Ethan shrugged. "It seems good."
The bartender poured two glasses slowly and slid one toward Ethan.
Ethan lifted the glass, took a small sip, and paused.
"…Good," he said.