A Satisfying Meal
It was a satisfying meal. A single serving of udon had only teased my appetite, so I didn't put down my chopsticks until I had polished off both the meat noodles and the spicy mixed noodles. I was incredibly hungry to begin with, but the noodle dishes here were so delicious that I couldn't help but eat more. Yes, I should come here often whenever I have time.
"How was it?" Anastasia asked with her trademark vacant expression. At a glance, she looked half-asleep, as if she had just woken up.
"It was absolutely delicious. So much so that I wanted even more. If I weren't so full, I definitely would have ordered another bowl."
"Mm, glad." Her voice was still sleepy, but she somehow looked proud.
Huh? Did Anastasia cook this herself? Come to think of it, that was highly possible. This noodle shop was run by Anastasia's relative. Anastasia was an orphan, just like Lucia. In the first place, among the main cast of Dawn Swordsman, it was rare to find anyone with two living, healthy parents. Maybe Arin was the only exception? Yujin was an orphan, Aris had a stepmother, and Leo grew up without a father.
Anastasia had lost her parents in the Great Disaster five years ago. The one who took her in after she became an orphan overnight was her uncle, the owner of this noodle shop. Anastasia used her supernatural ability to its fullest to help her uncle with his work, as his health was poor—a lingering wound left by the Great Disaster. Since Anastasia could multiply her staff as much as she wanted using her clones, she might very well be working in the kitchen too.
In the 'original novel,' her uncle was described as being extremely strict about cooking and wouldn't easily let anyone into his kitchen, but Anastasia was a girl who could do literally anything. By the time she entered the academy, she must have already earned her uncle's approval. I wanted to check, but since it would be rude for a customer to barge into the kitchen, I decided against it.
"I should get going now. See you at the academy next week."
"Mm, come again."
"Of course. I'll definitely be back."
"Mm, Luffy."
I told you, it's Lucia. Being called that makes it sound like my supernatural ability is Gum-Gum instead of Super Regeneration. I don't stretch, you know. I wanted to correct her, but knowing it would be useless, I let it go. To get Anastasia to actually remember my name, I'd probably have to follow her around for days, constantly repeating it. Or give her some massive shock that would burn it into her brain.
I paid for the food at the counter and stepped out of the shop. A soft chime rang out from the bell attached to the door. The weather was still bright and sunny. Looking up at the white clouds floating lazily in the high sky, I smiled. Where should I go now? I had plenty of time. Should I take a leisurely stroll first to help digest my food?
Sipping my takeout coffee, I leaned back on a park bench. I had walked and walked and walked, but my ankles and the soles of my feet didn't feel sore at all. I stretched my legs out wide. Eu-he, if I had done this in my school uniform, my panties would have been on full display. But right now, I'm wearing pants. No panty shots for you!
I had stopped by a clothing store that caught my eye along the way and bought some clothes to wear. I had secretly hoped for another unexpected encounter, but it seemed such coincidences didn't happen twice.
When I first put on the school uniform, I felt a slight resistance. It was my first time wearing a skirt, after all. I never had a cross-dressing hobby. The feeling of my thighs brushing against each other gave me the chills for no reason. But it didn't take long to get used to it. Since this wasn't my original body anyway, the aversion quickly subsided. I mean, this is Lucia, right? She looks good in anything. If someone had told me to dress like this when I was a guy, I would have bitten my tongue and died. Ugh, just imagining it makes me gag. A skirt with that face? A skiiirt? Why are you even alive? You're a creature that shouldn't exist. Please, just die.
But right now, I'm Lucia, aren't I? What's the problem with wearing women's clothes in Lucia's body? None, right? Yeah, none. Maybe I felt like I was half-customizing a character. I treated it not as me wearing the clothes, but as dressing up a character. That's why whether I wore a skirt or a bra, it was only awkward at first, and I was able to accept it quickly.
But when I actually went to a physical clothing store to buy women's clothes, a sense of resistance welled up. Is this really okay? Am I allowed to buy this? It felt like I was trespassing into a forbidden territory that a man should never cross. You've already trespassed plenty, so what are you acting all brand new for? I found myself ridiculous, but this was a matter of the heart. It would take some time to get used to it. That's right... Even though I'm using Lucia's body, I still think of myself as a man. Of course I do. I've lived as a man my entire life. You can't just get used to being a woman in less than a week, can you?
For that reason, except for a few items, almost all the clothes I bought were pants instead of skirts. A black tracksuit with red accents, plain oversized shirts, blue skinny jeans, a khaki sleeveless top, and monotone wide-leg pants. They all had a strong unisex vibe. The outfit I was wearing right now was the casual tracksuit. It was the very first thing I bought. I zipped it up to my chest and pulled the hood down low. My school uniform was tucked away in a shopping bag. I liked it because it had a strangely delinquent-like vibe. It suited my blonde hair perfectly, too.
I realized from experience that no matter how many hours you walk on foot, you can't go very far. Especially since I was walking slowly while taking in the scenery. A distance that would take ten minutes by car took over an hour to walk. Fearing it would be too hard to get back if I went too far, I just made a large loop around the main commercial district. It was a pretty productive time. After all, it was my first time seeing the outside world of this universe.
People live their lives everywhere. Even in this harsh world invaded by otherworldly monsters, people still lived. Shops opened their doors, street stalls sold food. Children ran around in playgrounds, and adults moved about busily. There was no difference. It was no different from Earth at all. It felt incredibly surreal that such a peaceful city was actually a sandcastle that could crumble at any moment. Seeing it with my own eyes made it sink in. Everything felt like a mirage. It wouldn't be strange if it fell to ruin tomorrow.
The world was steadily shrinking. Humanity was slowly losing its territory. The monsters were numerous and powerful, while the number of people who could fight was small. Humanity was marching toward extinction.
"Yeah, it's fine." But it was fine. There was nothing to worry about. Humans are strong. Stronger than you'd think. The protagonist is strong. Yujin is incredibly strong. Though he might be inexperienced now, he was a hero who would one day reach the pinnacle of this world. As long as he was around, there was hope for this world. So, I could rest easy and just focus on supporting Yujin so he wouldn't fall.
"Up we go. Shall we head back now?" The sun would be setting soon. There was a shop I had kept my eye on earlier, so I'd stop by there one last time before heading back to the dormitory. I threw my empty coffee cup into the trash can next to the bench and stood up. I didn't forget to grab my shopping bags. I had spent quite a bit of money, so I couldn't just leave them behind. Besides, I even bought a present for Aris. I wonder if the size will fit. He-het, I hope she likes it.
I read the last page and closed the book. Reading under the dim light had made my eyes sore. Looking in the mirror, they were slightly bloodshot. After enjoying that sensation for a brief moment, I healed them with my Super Regeneration. With this, I had finished reading all the books I borrowed from Aris. Yes, it was definitely a good story. It was worthy of a recommendation from Aris, who had read countless books. Even though romance novels shouldn't be my cup of tea, it touched my heart. I was practically tearing up when the star-crossed lovers finally confirmed their feelings for each other. I want to experience a romance like this too. Though I can't right now. What? Date a guy? Eu-he... impossible. Even if it's the protagonist of this world, it's absolutely impossible.
I should go return the books tomorrow. I'll give her the present then too. It wasn't anything grand. I just prepared an outfit that would look good on Aris. A yellow mini hat, a long yellow cape, and a yellow overall skirt. She's definitely going to look incredibly cute. I'm absolutely sure of it. Since Aris is so small, will she look like a little chick? Or maybe a golden retriever. Since she's the first friend I've made since coming to this world, I hope she'll be happy.
A cold breeze drifted in through the open window. The curtains fluttered gently. Outside, a shroud of darkness had fallen. Checking the clock, it was already past 3:00 AM. Since I had started reading right after returning home, I had spent hours doing nothing but reading. The book was so interesting that I had completely lost track of time.
I placed the borrowed books on the desk alongside the gift for Aris. Interlocking my fingers, I stretched to relieve my stiff body, then closed the window. I drew the curtains and turned around. 3:00 AM... Mm, the perfect time. I grabbed the zipper of the tracksuit I was wearing. Zzzzip. As the zipper slid down, the sleeveless top I wore underneath was revealed. My breasts, which had been compressed by the tracksuit, swelled outward.
Out of habit, I stripped off all my clothes and folded them neatly. I was certainly used to this. After all, I did it every day. If I trained with clothes on, they would get soaked in blood and become a nightmare to wash, so I always stripped completely naked whenever I trained. At first, I at least kept my underwear on, but eventually, I started shedding those too. But today, I wasn't planning on self-harm... I mean, training.
I picked up the shopping bag I had left under the desk. The clothes I bought from the first clothing store had already been organized and put away in the closet. This bag also contained clothes, but they weren't from that first shop. It was from the last shop I visited before returning to the dormitory. A shop that specialized in that kind of clothing. I had stumbled upon it by chance while walking. The moment I saw it, an idea flashed through my mind.
I thought about it. I'm different from the original Lucia, right? Completely different. There's no way I'd do something as perverted as wandering around outside stark naked with nothing but a trench coat on. Right? That's the kind of thing only the original Lucia, a masochist to her very bones, would do. She was an extreme exhibitionist who derived sexual pleasure from being humiliated, after all. But I don't have that kind of hobby. Walking through the streets at night completely naked with a collar around my neck... Gulp. ...Yeah, not appealing at all. The way my heart is pounding so hard it hurts is proof that I absolutely hate the idea. My heart is beating way too fast. Do I really hate it that much?
Then, a sudden thought struck me. If I'm not naked, then there's no problem, right? Exactly. The issue with Lucia was that she didn't wear clothes. So if I'm fully dressed, there's absolutely nothing wrong. Wow, that's so simple! And that's why I prepared these. Normal clothes are boring, so I got something a bit more unique...
"Which one should I go with...?" Rummaging through the shopping bag, I pulled out the first thing my hand brushed against. This is... bunny ears? Heh, nice. I'll go with this. I placed the bunny ears on my head and stood in front of the full-length mirror. Atop Lucia's luscious blonde hair, the black bunny ears twitched. I smiled with my eyes. My pink eyes half-closed softly. It's no big deal. There's nothing weird about this, and it's not perverted like the original Lucia. If you look it up, there are probably plenty of people who do this. Going out for a quick stroll in a costume is... He-het, totally normal, right?