Chapter 22
After leaving the store, I wandered aimlessly without thinking.
Along the way, I caught sight of myself reflected in a window.
From the initial hulking 110-kilo fatso, I'd lost 16 kilos, now sporting a body that deserved to be called "chubby." The hulking fatso had become just chubby. Quite the progress—must be the diet's effect. I worked hard. Still a long way to go, though.
Looking closer at my face, my eyes—once barely open due to excess fat—seemed slightly bigger now. Probably Ellie's the type whose face easily gains weight. Just faintly, ever so faintly, I thought her eyes resembled Amy's. If she slimmed down, she'd likely turn into a beauty.
The red pimple on my cheek didn't seem like it'd disappear anytime soon.
"Ellie!"
I turned around.
From the crowd of passersby, Joe—wearing his trademark flat cap—emerged with a smile.
"Oh, Joe. Good day."
"What're you doing here?"
"Just a bit of shopping."
"Huh." Joe eyed the paper bag I was holding. "What'd ya buy?"
"A maiden's secret tool."
"Ah, cosmetics, huh?"
"Geez! You're not supposed to say that!"
"Oops. Did I mess up again?"
"Think about a maiden's heart for once! Some girls are shy and don't want boys knowing what they bought. Even if you figure it's cosmetics, just say 'Oh, I see' and pretend you don't know. Feigning ignorance is a man's kindness."
"But Ellie, you ain't that shy, so it's fine, right?"
"I don't mind, but what if you meet a girl you like? You'll be in trouble then."
"D-don't be stupid! I ain't gonna like anyone..."
"Oh? That reaction... You do like someone, don't you?"
"N-no I don't!"
"Come on, tell me! Who is it? Ah, the part-timer at the bakery across the street?"
"Hah? No way!"
"Got it. It's Melissa, the girl who delivers milk sometimes. She's got quite the chest, huh?"
"Y-you idiot, it ain't her!"
"No? So there is someone you like?"
Joe's face turned red as he pulled his flat cap low to hide his expression.
"Talking to you, I feel like you'll wheedle everything outta me!"
"I'm saying this to help you. I'm the kind of ally you'd want on your side."
Not to brag, but I love romance talk.
Watching Joe, I felt like I was back in high school.
"Nah... It ain't like I like her or anything. Just, y'know, kinda curious..."
"Ooooh~"
"The hell's that suggestive 'Ooooh' for, you fatso?!"
"Hey! That's a forbidden word?!"
"Shut up, you fatso!"
"What about you, curly perm?!"
"The hell you say?!"
We bickered back and forth, youthful and half-joking.
I couldn't help but retort. This kind of teasing was only possible because we respected each other.
Lately, the routine ended with fake tears.
If a girl cries, she's forgiven nine times out of ten. Fake crying is a must-have skill.
"Sorry, my bad."
Joe took off his flat cap and apologized.
I forgave him since he understood.
Another page in this stinking youth.
Ellie, you seeing this? Living my best youthful life!
"Anyway, perfect timing. I wanted you to see this, Ellie."
"That's... Well, fine."
The streets grew busier. Folks must've finished work and come downtown. Joe and I moved to the wall to avoid a group of hulking centaurs passing by.
I peeked at the rough design sketch Joe unfolded.
The sketch depicted a striped, three-quarter-length shirt. "Material: Goblin fiber & cotton," it read, with the color scheme listed as "white and black."
"If vertical's good, maybe horizontal works too."
"Nice. I was actually thinking the same."
"Damn, you *were* considering it!"
"Let's name this the 'Bordered Shirt.'"
"You stole the naming rights!"
We then chatted about fabric texture, fit, hem width, stripe size, feasibility, cost, and such before parting. Joe ran off cheerfully, saying he'd finalize adjustments since the striped dress I designed for Amy was nearly done.
Finally, Amy would wear Earth-like fashion.
That gentle, droopy-eyed beauty in a fresh white dress with stripes—throw a cardigan over it, and she'd rival a model's elegance. So cute. No doubt.
Waving goodbye, I was suddenly grabbed by the collar and flung into a back alley.
The sudden weightlessness forced a voiceless gasp from me.
"Oof."
The abruptness sent me sliding and tumbling onto the ground.
My uniform was covered in mud.
Looking up, Scarlet of the Circlet family stood imposingly, flaunting her golden spiral curls. Behind her were four hanger-on girls.
"Ellie Golden. Fraternizing with boys—how privileged."
I clicked my tongue mentally for not noticing them earlier and tried to stand.
But a gust of wind slammed me back down.
With my right cheek pressed into the filthy ground, I glanced sideways at Scarlet. She gripped a wand—must've used magic.
"Who said you could get up?"
Scarlet's raised eyebrows showed she was one step from a full tantrum.
"You're such an eyesore, fatso. First Bob-sama, now another boy? A secret rendezvous?"
Scarlet swung her wand again.
I heard her mutter "Wind Break."
A gale crashed down, the pressure making me feel like I'd be crushed into the ground.
"Guh..."
Damn it. How'd it come to this?
My fault for letting my guard down.
"Pathetic. The ground suits a piggoo like you."
The hanger-ons burst into sycophantic laughter—the kind I'd seen often in my sales days. Disgusting.
They took turns blasting "Wind" to keep me down.
"Go on. Apologize by saying 'Lady Scarlet,' and I'll forgive you."
Scarlet tapped her palm lightly with her wand, her smirk dripping with superiority as she jutted her chin.
"......You people can't do anything alone, can you?"
I sighed, utterly exasperated.
Why not improve yourselves before hurting others?
"You fat cow!!!"
One pigtailed minion swung her wand, chanting "Sand Wall." The ground beneath me rose into a meter-high mound. A flick of her wand sent it sideways, hurling me helplessly into the air.
Falling two meters, I couldn't brace myself—my own weight made the landing brutal.
A weird groan escaped me.
"I hate you. I hate how you always act so righteous."
Scarlet swung her wand.
"Wind Break" crushed my entire body.
The minions joined in, layering their own "Wind" spells.
The compounded gales threatened to flatten me.
"Got nothing to say?"
The spells stopped, letting me breathe. Every inch of me ached.
"Come on, spit out your usual righteous nonsense."
"I hate you too... You can't do anything without dragging idiots along, can you?"
"Hey, fat one! How dare you do this to Lady Scarlet!"
The pigtailed girl chanted "Sand Wall" and raised her wand again.
Scarlet told her, "Stop," and made her step back.
The pigtailed girl glared at me with hatred before reluctantly retreating a step.
"I'll forgive you if you cry and apologize."
Scarlet kept her wand pointed at me while stomping hard on my back.
"Ugh..."
"Come on, say it. 'I'm sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn't have defied Lady Scarlet.'"
"......"
"What's wrong? Do you want another Wind Break?"
"Scarlet... you like Bob, don't you?"
"Huh?!"
For just a moment, the pressure of Scarlet's foot on my back lightened.
Seizing the opening, I imagined blowing her sideways and chanted "Wind."
An invisible mass of wind rushed over my back and struck Scarlet.
But it was, at best, a "bottom-tier," "beginner's beginner" spell—barely enough to make her land on her butt.
The four girls surrounding me counterattacked at once. Fourfold Wind and Wind Break spells howled, threatening to bury me into the ground.
Damn it, I can't... breathe......
At this point, do I have no choice but to use Thunderbolt...?