Ethan walked without realizing where his feet were taking him.
The city lights flickered on one by one as evening slowly swallowed the sky. The noise of traffic, horns, people talking—everything felt distant, muffled, as if he were underwater.
Was that real…?
A goddess system?
Money doubling… seven times… ten times?
If this was a dream, it felt far too detailed.
If it wasn't—
He exhaled slowly and rubbed his face.
"Get home first," he muttered to himself. "Think later."
With his bag hanging loosely from his shoulder, he turned toward his rented apartment. The road ahead was familiar—shops, tea stalls, a small stationery store he had passed thousands of times before.
And then—
He stopped.
Across the road, in front of a small copy shop, a girl was sitting alone at one of the outdoor tables.
She was holding her phone in one hand, absentmindedly stirring her drink with the other.
Ethan recognized her instantly.
His heart skipped a beat.
Her…?
She had been part of his life for as long as he could remember.
School.
College.
Late-night study sessions.
Shared lunches.
Shared dreams.
And even at Silverline Tech, she had worked with him for almost a year before changing departments.
His childhood friend.
His constant.
Ava Wilson.
She looked different from the last time he had seen her—more mature, calmer—but still unmistakably her.
Long blue hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, catching the soft glow of the streetlights. Her black eyes were deep and expressive, and her fair skin stood out against the simple black dress she was wearing. It hugged her figure perfectly—not in a cheap way, but in a quiet, dangerous elegance.
Beautiful.
No.
She had always been beautiful.
Ethan took a step forward without thinking.
And then—
Ding.
The sound echoed inside his head.
Ethan froze.
"Perfect Goddess detected."
His breathing stopped.
"…What?"
The world in front of him suddenly shimmered.
A translucent screen appeared before his eyes, visible to him alone.
[Perfect Goddess Profile]
Name: Ava Wilson
Age: 23
Weight: 52 kg
Height: 165 cm
Favorability: 72
Relationship: Childhood Friend
Status: Unawakened Goddess
Special Condition:
– When Favorability exceeds 80 → All spending returns 2x
– When Favorability exceeds 90 → All spending returns 3x
Ethan stared at the screen, his mouth slightly open.
"…Ava?"
His first goddess.
The system's first "perfect goddess"…
…was his childhood friend?
For a moment, his brain completely stopped working.
This has to be a joke.
Out of all people… her?
But when he looked at her again—really looked—he noticed things he had never paid attention to before.
The way she sat, relaxed but alert.
The way people passing by glanced at her unconsciously.
The quiet confidence around her.
She wasn't just beautiful.
She was… special.
Ethan swallowed hard and walked toward her.
"Ava," he said softly. "Hey."
She looked up.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Ethan?" she said. "What happened to you?"
He laughed awkwardly. "Nice to see you too."
She frowned and stood up slightly, examining him.
"When was the last time you slept properly?" she asked. "You look terrible."
"Is it that bad?"
"Yes," she said bluntly. "Very bad."
Then she softened.
"Weren't you working on that big project?" she asked. "You said you were aiming for a promotion. What happened to that?"
For a split second, Ethan's chest tightened.
But he smiled.
"It's finished," he said. "The project."
He didn't say anything else.
Ava's face brightened.
"Oh! Then congratulations!" she said honestly. "I knew you could do it."
"…Thanks," Ethan replied.
The word felt heavier than it should have.
He didn't trust himself to say more.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"Hey… since my project is done, how about a coffee?" he said. "My treat."
Ava raised an eyebrow.
"You? Treating me?" she teased. "Did you finally become rich without telling me?"
He smiled.
"Not yet," he said. "But today feels… special."
She hesitated. "You don't need to—"
"It's fine," he interrupted. "Come on."
Before she could stop him, he walked inside the copy shop.
He glanced at the menu.
His eyes widened slightly.
This is insane…
He pointed at the most expensive item.
"One Midnight Eclipse Latte," he said.
The cashier nodded.
The price flashed on the screen.
$140.
Ethan's fingers tightened around his wallet.
Half a month's salary… gone.
Ava stared at him in shock.
"Ethan!" she scolded. "Are you crazy? That's way too expensive!"
"It's okay," he said quickly. "Just this once."
She opened her mouth to argue again, but the order was already placed.
They sat back down.
When the coffee arrived, Ava pushed it toward him.
"This is for you," she said. "You ordered it."
He blinked. "Aren't you going to drink it?"
She shook her head. "My stomach's been bad all day. I shouldn't."
Ethan stared at the cup.
…What?
I spent $140 and I don't even get to drink it?
Pain stabbed his chest.
This is how poverty hurts… even a coffee feels like a crime.
He forced a smile and said nothing.
Inside, he was screaming.
One coffee… half my savings… gone…
Just then—
Ding.
"Host has spent $140 on a Perfect Goddess."
"Favorability increased."
"Return multiplier: 7x."
Ethan's heart slammed against his ribs.
Before he could even react—
His phone vibrated.
A notification popped up.
[Bank Alert]
Deposit received: $980.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
"…Holy—"
He covered his mouth with his hand.
It's real.
It's actually real.
His hands began to shake—not from fear, but from excitement.
Seven times… just like that…
He looked at Ava, who was busy scrolling on her phone, completely unaware that she had just changed his life.
To be sure—to really be sure—he asked casually,
"By the way… what about your boyfriend? You two were pretty serious last time I heard."
Ava's expression stiffened for just a second.
Then she shrugged.
"He found a richer girl," she said calmly. "Someone his mother approved of."
"Oh…"
"So he left," she added. "Simple."
Ethan clenched his jaw.
He knew Ava's situation wasn't easy either.
No rich family.
No powerful background.
Just another ordinary girl surviving in a cruel city.
He changed the topic.
"Come on," he said. "I'll walk you home."
She smiled faintly. "Alright."
They walked together in silence.
Their apartments were close—almost neighbors.
When they reached her building, Ava waved.
"Take care of yourself, Ethan," she said. "And… sleep properly, okay?"
He nodded. "I will."
She went inside.
Ethan walked to his own room and closed the door behind him.
He leaned against it, breathing deeply.
Then he laughed.
Softly.
Then louder.
His old life had ended yesterday.
And today—
Today, his new life had truly begun.