97 Two Hungry Souls

The location where Thor's hammer fell was about 80 kilometers west of the small town of Puente Antiqui.

To help Thor reach the spot where his hammer lay, Kagura Hitomi rented a car from Happy Hogan, courtesy of Stark Industries, and the two set off on their journey.

As the sun began to set, the black car sped through the vast, barren desert.

Amid the endless yellow sand and gravel, scattered patches of green appeared.

The world-renowned desert landscape of New Mexico unfolded before their eyes in full splendor.

"Undeniably, the scenery here is beautiful—it's quite mesmerizing," Thor remarked, gazing out the window.

"Although it's nowhere near as magnificent as Asgard, it has its own rugged, raw charm."

"Rugged? Raw? That doesn't sound like a compliment," Kagura quipped.

"Doesn't Asgard have natural landscapes like this?"

"No, it doesn't." Thor shook his head.

"In Asgard, every plant is carefully cultivated. Every tree, every flower, is placed exactly where it should be."

"Sounds like there's no room for freedom there," Kagura said.

"It almost feels like everything is too controlled."

"Maybe. But in Asgard, we call it order," Thor countered.

"The realm of the gods should have absolute authority over order, and that's one of the reasons why Asgard has lasted so long."

"But don't you think that this rigid order might stifle progress?" Kagura asked.

"Too much control could stop society from evolving, causing civilization to stagnate."

"Stagnation? Ha, no way!" Thor laughed.

"Asgard is the most powerful civilization in the universe. Surely, that alone is enough to ease your doubts?"

"Well... at the moment, you're definitely stronger," Kagura replied. She wasn't trying to argue with him.

"I just think that a closed-off kingdom can't promote mutual growth and cooperation the way Earth's nations do."

"My dear, I really should take you to Asgard. You'll be humbled by its grandeur," Thor said.

"Speaking of which, the sun's almost down. What's for dinner?"

"...Huh? Dinner?" Kagura blinked.

"I thought you were going straight for your hammer?"

"But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good meal!" Thor laughed.

"I'm hungry, and that pie from earlier was amazing. Where can I get more?"

"You ate ten boxes of pies and you're still hungry?" Kagura stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you a foodie or something?"

"I believe no one in Midgard would ever refuse good food," Thor said proudly.

"That I can agree with," Kagura said with a smile.

"Looks like we share a common interest. Let's stop at a convenience store and grab a bite."

"Common interest? What interest?" Thor asked, looking confused.

Kagura tilted her head, giving him a look of disbelief.

"You know, our interest in food."

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Thor suddenly burst out laughing.

"So that's what you meant! I get it now! A love for food!"

...eh?

Kagura was startled by his sudden outburst, shaking her head with a look of disbelief. This goofy god is going to embarrass me to death...

In the Mexican wilderness, the human population was sparse, but civilization was not completely absent.

Along the roads cutting through the desert, service stations could be found at regular intervals.

These service stations offered gas, convenience stores, and even temporary lodging.

Some of the more popular stations could eventually grow into small towns.

In fact, Puente Antiqui town had formed this way.

...

After finding the next service station along the highway, Kagura parked the car and the two of them walked into the convenience store, intending to pick up some food for dinner.

"What do you want to eat, Your Highness?" Kagura asked as she looked around at the variety of goods.

"Got any recommendations? Like pies or something?" Thor asked.

"I'm not too familiar with Midgard's food, so anything tasty will do."

"Still thinking about pies... Are you the Pie Hero or something?" Kagura crossed her arms and poked her lips with a finger.

"No pies here, and no cheeseburgers either. So, for convenience, I'll recommend some freshly baked bread."

"Freshly baked bread? That sounds pretty good." Thor smiled enthusiastically.

"Yes, give me some of that!"

"Hey, be nice!" Kagura nudged him in the chest with her elbow.

"Shouting like that isn't very graceful."

The cashier, a middle-aged woman, didn't seem phased by Thor's loud voice.

She simply pointed to the shelf piled high with bread.

"I'll take them all!" Thor declared boldly. "Give me every single one!"

"Ha—what? Are you... sure about that?" Kagura asked, her eyes wide.

"Of course, my dear Kagura," Thor smiled.

"It's rare to eat Midgard's delicious food, especially the one you recommended. I'm going to enjoy it all, and I'll even get one for you too."

"...Oh no... I think spending too much time with Thor will make me dumber!" Kagura groaned, holding her forehead in frustration.

"Auntie..." Kagura pushed the overly confident Thor aside and walked up to the counter.

"My friend... has some strange requests. Could we eat first and pay later?"

"Sure, no problem," the cashier said, nodding.

Then, she leaned in toward Kagura and whispered, "Your friend looks like he's in need of a doctor."

"Yeah, I've noticed..." Kagura smiled awkwardly. "Sorry for the trouble, Auntie."

...

So, Kagura and Thor sat down in the store's eating area.

Thor eagerly grabbed a loaf of bread from the shelf, tore open the packaging, and started chomping down.

"How's it taste? Pretty good, right?" Kagura casually took a piece of bread and sat opposite him.

"Mm! Mm!" Thor nodded vigorously. "This is amazing! So good!"

Really, what kind of food do you eat in Asgard...?

Kagura thought to herself. This cream cheese bread, which only costs a dollar fifty, has got you so excited...

"Oh, right, I should be graceful." Thor suddenly seemed to realize something.

"Huh?" Kagura cocked her head in confusion, watching him.

Thor stood up, walked over to Kagura, and took her right hand, bowing elegantly and lightly kissing her hand.

"Thank you so much for your help, Miss Kagura."

"...???" Kagura's face turned bright red at the speed of light.

"You..."

"What's wrong? I'm being graceful," Thor said proudly.

"In Asgard, this is the most graceful and formal way to express gratitude."

"Don't smear the cream from your mouth on my hand! You idiot! Fool! Big nerd!"