Carina walked along looking utterly stuffed, one hand resting on her slightly bulging belly and the other gesturing in the air.
"Oh my goodness, the food here is so interesting-" Her voice held satisfaction and a hint of disbelief. "That Sea Cloud sashimi, that mangrove heartwood, and that bubble soup... they were like something straight out of a dream!"
She turned to Boer beside her, her eyes filled with deep puzzlement.
"How do you do it, Boer? You're like a bottomless pit!" Her eyes widened. "You ate all that food!"
Boer remained in his fox-man form-white fox ears, red eyes, and a fluffy tail swaying gently behind him. Wearing his usual black clothes with both hands in his pockets, he strolled along at ease.
Hearing Carina's complaint, he tilted his head, regarding her with amusement in his red fox eyes.
"Look at you." His voice was lazy and teasing. "People might think I'd done something to you."
Carina's face flushed scarlet.
"N-no, they wouldn't!" she muttered. "I just ate too much..."
Boer smiled, then explained.
"Strictly speaking, I no longer need to eat."
As though to demonstrate, he raised a hand.
Deep-blue currents appeared out of thin air, pouring into his body like summoned sprites. They danced and spiraled around his fingertips before being absorbed completely.
"I can draw energy from geomagnetism at any time to replenish what I expend." His voice was calm, as though stating the most ordinary fact.
Carina stared wide-eyed at the vanishing currents, then at Boer's unruffled face.
"Oh my goodness, Boer..." She struggled for a word, then ventured, "Like those... gods in myths?"
Boer froze for a moment.
Then he reached out and lightly tapped Carina on the head.
"What are you thinking?"
The touch was so light it was more a caress than