"Are you guys ready to go?" I asked, tilting my head slightly as I looked at Rachel first. She was standing there in the shop, still half in a daze, like her mind was somewhere else entirely. Her eyes were a little unfocused, lips parted as if she wanted to say something but forgot halfway through. When she didn't respond, I shifted my gaze away before the silence grew awkward and looked toward the others.
Amari gave me a bright nod, her ponytail bouncing as she did so, and Zagan pumped his fist in the air like he had just been waiting for the chance. That was enough to answer. With the group ready, we headed toward the door.
"Thanks for your patronage!?" Luna's cheerful voice carried after us from behind the counter. She waved with both hands so hard I thought she might topple over.
I raised my hand and waved back, a little stiffly, before we stepped out of the shop and into the bustle of the street.
The sun had climbed higher by now, warmth seeping into the stones underfoot. The faint smell of polish and perfume from Luna's store still clung to my scarf, which irritated me for some reason. Standing outside, I opened my mouth to ask what we were doing next, but Zagan beat me to it.
"To the adventurers' guild!" he declared, pumping his fist again like we were marching off to war.
"Okay, lead the way," I said, falling into step behind everyone.
We hadn't even made it a block when Amari suddenly leaned closer to me, her eyes narrowing in that mischievous way she had when she was about to ask something that would get under my skin.
"Sis, are you wearing a bra now?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity and just enough innocence to make it dangerous.
I blinked, caught off guard. "Yes," I admitted slowly, glancing down at myself, "it's the first time I actually need to wear one. Why?" My brows pulled together as I tried to figure out why the issue was such an urgent topic.
"Really? How does it feel?" Amari pressed, tilting her head like she was trying to read my expression more than hear my words.
"Comfy," I muttered, trying to sound casual while my cheeks warmed. I shifted uncomfortably and adjusted the hem of my oversized hoodie, wishing she'd drop it. My eyes flicked toward her chest for just a second. She was about the same size as Mom—small. Smiling faintly to cover my embarrassment, I made an exaggerated show of adjusting my chest, pressing my arms together.
"Hey, don't show off!" Amari cried, her cheeks puffing out as she turned away, pouting.
Before I could answer, Rachel spoke up, her voice carrying a gloomy weight. "Wait, this is your first time wearing one?" "I have been wearing one since I was ten years old." She looked down at her chest with a sigh, her shoulders slumping.
'Wait, how did I not notice those!?' I couldn't believe my eyes as I focused on Rachel's chest. D-cups. How had I been so blind? The longer I stared, the more depressed I became.
"You fiend," I said flatly, my tone completely deadpan. Amari, without missing a beat, said the exact same words at the same time. Rachel blinked at us, startled, while Amari and I slowly turned to look at each other. Our eyes met, and in that unspoken moment, we shared a mutual understanding.
A grin spread across my lips. Amari did the same. Without needing words, we had formed a pact.
(5 minutes later)
"Haha, all done," I said triumphantly, brushing my hands together as if I'd just finished a masterpiece.
"We did an impressive job," Amari agreed, and we slapped our palms together in a crisp high-five.
Rachel… was no longer Rachel. She was a walking cocoon. We had layered her in so many of my old clothes that she was basically a human burrito now. We layered her with ten layers of hoodies, jackets, shirts—anything we could get our hands on. The only thing poking out was her head, her wings awkwardly jutting through holes we had to cut in the fabric.
"To think my old clothes would still be useful," I laughed, doubling over as I looked at her blushing, mortified face.
"Poor Rachel," Zagan said with an exaggerated sigh, but the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth betrayed him. He was enjoying this as much as we were.
Rachel shuffled toward us in tiny steps, her arms trapped in a stiff T-pose. "Can you guys take them off, please? "It's getting hot in here," she begged, her voice muffled by layers of fabric. She waddled closer like a penguin, her steps short and clumsy.
I had to bite my lip hard to stop the laugh bubbling up. My shoulders shook, and tears pricked the corners of my eyes. Amari snorted beside me, covering her mouth, and even Zagan had to turn his head to cough into his fist.
After a few moments of torment, we took pity on her. With a simple gesture, I stored all the extra clothes in my space, finally freeing her. Her hair was a complete mess, sticking out at odd angles from static, and her cheeks were flushed bright red.
She did ask to keep one of the hoodies, tugging on the sleeve of her favorite, but I shook my head firmly. No way.
"Now that that's over with, can we move to our destination?" Zagan said, trying to sound like the responsible one.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's finish this and get some food," I muttered, shoving my hands deep into my cargo pants pockets.
"Didn't you eat anything this morning?" Zagan asked, giving me a puzzled look.
"Hello? You woke me up," I said, narrowing my eyes at him like he was the idiot here.
"O-oh, right… Yeah, we did that," he said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
"Whatever. The faster we do this, the better," I grumbled, gesturing for him to get moving.
We had barely gotten halfway down the street when a delicious aroma hit my nose.
"Sniff, sniff. Ooh, that smells good," I murmured, my steps slowing as I lifted my head, sniffing the air like a hound on a trail. A heavy, meaty scent curled through the air, rich and smoky. My stomach tightened in response. Ignoring whatever conversation the others were having, I followed the scent without thinking, my feet carrying me forward.
Then—bam.
I collided into someone, the impact knocking them backward to the ground.
"O-oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you there," I said quickly, looking down at the person I'd just bowled over. I bent slightly, hand half-extended to help her up, when my heart froze.
Her glare was all too familiar. And in her hand—raised high—was a folding fan I knew far too well.
It was the granny from this morning. It was the same granny who had smashed her fan over my head as if it were nothing.
Panic flared in my chest. Before she could bring that fan down, I bolted.
Using Flash Step, I vanished from her sight and reappeared on the nearest rooftop in a burst of speed. My scarf whipped around me as I landed, crouched low, and looked back. The granny was still staring up at me, her expression a mix of surprise and fury.
I didn't wait to see what she'd do next. I dashed away across the rooftops, moving at full speed until the market square was far behind me.
Eventually, I stopped above a narrow alley, my chest rising and falling with steady breaths. Looking back, I didn't see anyone following me. Relief washed through me, and I let out a long sigh.
Dropping down into the alley, I brushed off my hoodie and started walking out toward the main street. "Haah, hopefully she won't find me here. I really don't want to buy her another fan," I muttered, dragging a hand down my face.
But as I looked around, recognition failed to spark. None of the buildings looked familiar. My stomach sank.
Face-palming, I groaned. "I'm an idiot."
Spinning in place, I searched for anything—anything—that looked recognizable. Nothing. Just endless stone buildings and bustling streets full of strangers.
"Nope. I have no idea where I am," I admitted aloud, shoulders slumping. "Hah… I'm lost."
Sighing in defeat, I picked a direction—south, hopefully toward the city center—and started walking.
After a few minutes, a wave of shouting caught my attention. I perked up, ears twitching under my hood, and followed the noise until I came to a stop in front of a wide, two-story building. A sign swung above the door in bold letters: Jimmy's Barbecue.
The smell wafting from inside was heavenly. My stomach growled.
A smile tugged at my lips. "I'll get some food. Then I'll start looking for them again," I told myself, already moving toward the door.
'It sounds more like a bar,' I thought as I reached out and pushed the door open.
Jingle!
A sharp, pleasant chime rang through the room as the silver dragon-shaped bell above the frame swayed.
The sound cut through the noise like a knife. Every conversation inside the place ground to a halt. All eyes turned toward me.
"Huh, what a cool bell," I muttered, staring up at it. Then, feeling the weight of the stares, I slowly looked back down at the crowd. Dozens of strangers sat frozen, their expressions unreadable, watching me.
"Yeah… "I'm not important enough for all of you to be staring at me," I said flatly, closing the door behind me with a thud.
"I haven't seen your face around here before," one of the waitresses said as she approached, breaking the silence.
"Un. I'm new to the capital and thought about going out for a bite," I explained, my tone calm, though my eyes traced her quickly. Blue eyes, long blond hair tied neatly back, and dressed in a maid-like uniform with a frilly apron.
"Is that so? Lucky for you, you've chosen the best barbeque shop in the capital," she said with a practiced smile.
"Is that so?" I replied, keeping my face neutral. "Can I have a seat for one, please?"
"First or second floor?" she asked.
"The second floor, please," I said immediately, glancing at the crowded tables on the ground floor. The noise was already rising again.
She nodded and led me upstairs, her steps light. Thankfully, there was one empty table tucked against the wall.
I slid into the chair, resting back against it as she handed me a menu. I didn't even bother reading it properly. "Ten plates of meat," I said.
Her eyes widened. "Are you sure you'll be able to finish all of this?"
Instead of answering, I adjusted my scarf slightly, tilting my head just enough for my smile to peek out—and one of my sharp canines to glint in the light.
Her expression shifted instantly. "Ah… that makes sense. It'll be right up," she said with a small bow before hurrying off.
I leaned back, smirking faintly. A memory surfaced—Rebecca dragging me out to eat years ago.
I had asked her if people would be disgusted by my teeth, if they'd throw me out. She'd only laughed.
"There might not be many people like you, but there are some," she'd explained. "If you eat out, the customers might stare, but the restaurant won't care. To them, you're a walking money bag. People like you eat a lot. That's all they see."
At the time, the explanation made me want to cry. I didn't want to be considered just some hungry monster with a bottomless stomach. And yet, she was right. I eat more than most, far more than normal. At least I wouldn't be turned away.
The clatter of plates snapped me back to the present. I looked up to see the same waitress setting down steaming dishes of meat, with a man in a chef's uniform beside her.
"That was fast," I said, smiling at them.
"Of course. We don't want you to go hungry," the chef said warmly.
"Haha, true, true," I chuckled. But as I scanned the plates, I noticed something—among the cuts of meat were scraps, offcuts, and tougher pieces. My eyes narrowed slightly.
"I see you guys went and found some peculiar meat for me," I said, my tone light but sharp enough to make them stiffen.
The chef coughed, shifting awkwardly. "Y-yes… we don't have a lot of A-rank meat left…"
"Don't worry about it," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "I like this sort of meat anyway. But—can I ask for something special?"
Their heads tilted in unison.
"Can you make me some bones boiled in meat sauce? "Please boil them for just ten minutes or so," I explained.
Confusion flickered across their faces, but I added, "Don't worry. I'll pay you for it."
When money was mentioned, their hesitation vanished. They nodded quickly and left without asking further questions.
"When they hear about money, they never ask," I muttered with a chuckle. Turning my eyes back to the feast before me, I clasped my hands together lightly.
"Thanks for the food."