The whole propriety was built just for flexing, so no one would suspect the presence of an underground laboratory. For Gero who didn't care about it from day one, Mai's reaction was like a reality check, and he suspected that this will not be the first one today. The security personnel left quickly, leaving the couple to enjoy their privacy, and as they walked trough the garden filled with exotic trees and flower beds, he caught Mai pinching herself as she was more and more doubting this all to be real. Once they were in front of the house's main door, she managed to mutter:
"No way... this is too much..."
"Don't worry, you'll get quickly use to it." Casually said Gero, and Mai stared at him like one would look at a crazy person. He was living in a palace and he was treating it like nothing.
" I will never understand rich people..." She muttered.
" That kind of sad, you are one of the richest women in the world from now."
Mai tried to pinch her cheek a few times and it did hurt. She was overwhelmed by the whole situation and because of it she started to sob and cry, not knowing where to put herself anymore. Suddenly she was enveloped in a warm embrace, and it made her feel better, but this fairy-tail like scenario she refused to believe in was happening right now in front of her eyes!
"No one... sob sob... no one... sob... ever treated me like that before... sob." She said, still crying. "I've never dared to dream about something like this... sob..."
And this is was the moment Gero realised that Mai was a cry baby type of woman... or maybe her life was so tragic until now that it was a legitimate reaction? In the manga she didn't cry even after being blasted away by an explosion, so it was probably the later then, and he had to cook something so she could get used to her new situation really fast.
As he guided her trough the house, she was impressed by the marble floor and walls, golden chandeliers, expensive looking paintings, furniture and lamps. There was plenty of space and many rooms, but all of them felt empty.
"You can probably see I don't spend much time here and never bothered to decorate the house, Ferbolg, the company that is producing and selling my inventions gave me the house in this state, nothing really changed since."
"You told me you were successful but I've never imagined you were that successful!"
"Well, inventing the best energy source the world has even seen has its perks, you can decorate the house as it pleases you, it's yours too from now on after all."
Mai just quietly nodded.
"So you are always absent from home?" She asked suddenly with some worry in her voice.
"Yes and no. This house was built specially to hide a secret." He answered winking at her.
"A secret? The house has a secret?" She asked with curiosity.
" Yes, on the surface it is built to be as much luxurious and protected as possible, this is why we went trough so many security posts."
Mai nodded, earnestly listening to Gero's explanations.
"The world is supposed to believe the company is just very protective of the source of their near totality of revenues, aka myself. While in reality, under this same house that you find so impressive, lays a vast laboratory complex, even bigger that the house and the garden combined."
"What?!"
As he casually dialled his assigned helicopter's phone number, he proposed: " Want to check it up? Let's go eat first."
Mai nodded then intensely looked once again at him, as he was speaking to the pilot and asking to get a reservation at The Luxor. Ludovine's team will call the restaurant on his stead to get an immediate reservation. Discretly, he typed a message with additional instructions.
Trough the whole flight she kept a pokerface while panicking internally, and was still processing the emotional shock as they landed and where escorted by a team of majordomos trough the hotel to the restaurant. All the way she remained lost in her thoughts. Just when she was seated, she finally realised where they were now, and in panic checked her clothes: the same military style jacket, the same old boots, belt and gun. Seeing her sudden panic Gero smiled with amusement.
"Please rent us a huge car and tell our pilot he'll need to call us a driver. And also some people to carry a lot of bags."
"Right away sir." Calmly said one of majordomos before departing politely to fulfil his task.
"Uh oh what? Did I do something that I shouldn't have..."
"Don't worry all is good, I've just realised you don't have many clothes with you and no basic necessities, after the meal we'll go make some shoppings."
"B... B... but the driver and..." Mai asked as her brain was still processing the information.
"Well it's for more convenience, just don't worry and enjoy your meal, my darling."
Mai nodded, her face all red once again.
They did not chose anything from a menu as it was not presented to them from the start, Ludovine's team organised everything. Different plates and drink kept arriving and leaving, as the goal of a five-star hotel with a three star restaurant was to provide an amazing experience of highest quality and not to feed a huge quantity of food. Each plate had a new set of flatware and drinks that were chosen by the chefs to go well with each plate. At fist Mai was doubtfully eating, not understanding this kind of concept, but soon enough she enjoyed this experience. Some times she had to try really hard to contain additional tears of joy from leaking as she never ate something so delicious until now. She really liked it all, especially the Ile Flotante they got for the dessert, as Mai swore that it was the fluffiest thing ever.
"Sir, Madame, was everything at your liking?" A majordomo asked.
While Gero casually nodded, Mai was joyfully and repeatedly complimenting the food. As they left, she noticed her boyfriend left ten bills of one hundred thousand Zenni, and she discreetly tugged on his sleeve and asked if he didn't leave too much by mistake. Gero found it endearing and kissed her cheek, making Mai red again.
As they were leaving trough the hotel's lobby, the shiny and polished floor reflected Mai's boots, making her once again self conscious, she walked behind her prince charming as to hide behind him, as her appearance contrasted to the other women's they passed by, and this quite drastically.
Outside, a dark, elongated vehicle was already waiting for them. The driver and three other men in suits were waiting for them, and saluted them by bowing sightly at an eighty degree angle with their left hand behind their back. Gero was ready to witness another round of Mai's funny reactions, and she didn't disappoint.
" Doctor, Madame Gero." They greeted in perfect sync, and Mai froze for a few seconds, it was like a movie and too exaggerated!
Gero opened her the door himself in order to cut her some slack, as he knew what was coming next. Ludovine cooked them an over the top romantic experience!
Mai slid into the seat as if she feared it might collapse under her as the interior was quiet enough to make her aware of her own breathing. All the noise from outside disappeared once the door was closed. She stared at the ceiling for a moment, then at the small compartment with crystal water bottles and finally at Gero, sitting in front of her.
"This is... for shopping?" She asked carefully.
"Of course, yes, it's convenient, comfortable and there's enough space for bags here."
"I can carry bags, you know?"
"Well I can carry them too, but why bother if we don't need to?" He winked. " And I want only the best for you." He declared while carefully holding her hand.
She punched his chest softly and withdrew her hand, puffing her cheeks and looking away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
The car pulled away smoothly, and the city began to rearrange itself around them into different wider streets with fewer pedestrians, more glass and gold storefronts displaying very expensive items. Mai stared out the window as illuminated names slid past: West City fashion houses, jewellery ateliers, cosmetics salons with private rooms behind frosted glass.
"Everything is so over the top today..." She muttered dreamily.
Gero was looking more at her profile that the streets though. Her beautiful dark blue eyes were sparkling, and her smile filled his heart with a sense of brightness.
The driver pulled beneath a canopy lit by warm lamps and a doorman opened their door after the vehicle came to a stop. The entrance ahead was not a single store, but a private luxury arcade with multiple boutiques inside a secured hall, with discreet security agents disguised in tuxedos. Then a woman in a tailored black suit approached with a smile polished to perfection.
"Dear customers, welcome! We have prepared the salons and arranged private fittings for madame, including a beauty suite."
Mai tensed as she was once again called Madame before being married, but it made her also happy, reassuring her in some way.
"Did you prepare what I asked for?" Asked Gero the three men following them.
"Here it is sir." Said one of them, producing and presenting a box.
Gero casually took it, and gave the metallic platinum card to Mai. "Here, there are sixty milliards on it, if it's not enough we can top it up anytime. Get everything you want and enjoy yourself!"
He had to hold her by her waist as her legs started to give away, this was like a nail in the coffin in any modern fairy tail story.
As they entered the first boutique, the employee kept recommending and presenting different clothes, handbags and accessories. Once the tour was completed and she was asked if there was anything she fancied here, Gero casually said that they'll get one of each item. He saw Mai trying to signal that it was too much, but the store clerks were already happily packaging and taking additional fit measurements. Any clothes they would have to refit or custom make would be delivered directly to their house.
Before attacking the second store, they took a break in a tea saloon, and Gero ordered entires boxes of tea, as at one point in a very near future, he would need to present his fiancee to his masters. The same scenes repeated themselves and Mai got more and more confidence, purchasing the entire jewellery store's stock by herself. The exasperated bag carriers had to call reinforcements and a van to accommodate all the bags full of items that pilled up at a very alarming rate. The shopping frenzy only ended at the end of the after-noon.
As they were driving back home, Mai was exhausted and was cuddled up to Gero. He felt her tugging his arm and after he turned his head, a pair of beautiful lips made contact with his.
"Thank you for today, my love. I'm really lucky to have you..." She blurted still shyly, uttering these words for the first time of her life.
Gero smiled holding her in his embrace, as he successfully rocked up her world and finally brought their relationship from dark-ages back to the modern world.