A Healthy Body Houses a Healthy Spirit (2)
That was the story behind Celestine's sudden declaration that she wouldn't eat meat anymore.
Right after the request wrapped up, Celestine burst into the room in a frenzy. It took her ripping open a pillow before she finally calmed down. Once her excitement faded and her head cleared, she suddenly recalled the moment she'd dashed from the flower field toward the clerk.
During that run, Celestine had nearly collapsed several times from shortness of breath. If it hadn't been for Captain Bibian and her Holy Blessing, it probably wouldn't have been the mage getting his throat slit—it would've been the clerk.
If she got any heavier, even Holy Blessing wouldn't cut it...
This won't do, Celestine thought. She cupped her massive breasts with her hands. She'd always known her chest was a bit more prominent than the other saintesses' back at the sect. But it hadn't been this extreme. Her priestess robes, which were supposed to fit snugly, had felt a little tight, sure. But she suspected joining the guild and scarfing down whatever she wanted had all gone straight to her chest. Her lower belly was starting to poke out a bit, too.
What if I can't even fulfill my role as a healer and just become dead weight on every request? And what if the clerk says he can't stand looking at me because I look like a pig? No way! Lucas Guild is my home now. It's the place that took me in when the sect sentenced me to death and I had nowhere to go! If I get kicked out from here, I'm really done for... All right. Time to lose weight. No one's around to fawn over me as the Halo Saintess anymore. I have to take care of myself. Gotta cut back on eating!
After hearing Celestine's story, Leana brushed back her hair out of habit and smiled at her.
"So you're gonna lose weight? Worried we'll kick you out if you get fat?"
"W-Well... not exactly kick me out, but..."
"As if we'd ever do that. Right, clerk?"
Leana glanced my way, and I nodded with a grin.
"Obviously. We're not the type to boot someone just for packing on a few pounds. If we were, we wouldn't have taken you in as an unregistered guild member in the first place. And besides, you look fine even with a little extra. You're not a pig."
"Yeah, yeah, the clerk's right. So eat up already. You know how much effort I put into this meal?"
Leana and I spoke in unison, and Celestine slowly nodded.
"Thank you..."
She picked up her fork, but then set it back down as if struck by a sudden thought.
"Still... I really need to lose weight. Even if you two won't kick me out, a guild healer shouldn't be all plump and doughy."
"Well, sure, but you're not that doughy yet..."
"But if I keep going like this, I will be."
Truth be told, Celestine was a pig. Or more precisely, not quite yet—but well on her way to becoming one at an alarming rate. Her huge chest made her look bulky even in loose clothes, and those short shorts she wore after washing up looked ready to burst at the thighs. She claimed it was because she'd starved so much at the sect, but that didn't seem to be the whole story. She'd shown up at our guild a bit chubby to begin with. If that was from starvation, then this was just her returning to her natural build.
I had no idea what her "natural" figure was like, but one thing was clear: Celestine was tall. Taller than Leana, with a bigger frame overall. If she kept piling on the pounds, she really might end up "doughy" like she said.
Honestly, she looked perfect as is, but if she was dead set on slimming down, I shouldn't stop her. It'd boost her survival odds on dangerous requests, after all. Healers didn't just hang back safely channeling holy power. Sometimes you had to bolt without looking back, or in extreme cases, jump into the fray yourself. Fall short on stamina there, and you were dead.
"All right, Celestine. Go for it. But starving yourself won't actually help you lose weight."
She blinked and tilted her head at my words. Cute.
"Why not?"
"Weight you lose from starving comes right back when you eat—faster than before. That's why you need to eat while burning it off with exercise."
"Eh...? Really...?"
"Yeah. Don't just starve—work out. Muscle burns a ton of calories. Know what that means?"
Celestine stared blankly, so Leana jumped in.
"More muscle means you can eat more without gaining it all back. So build muscle through exercise."
"Exactly. And to build muscle, you need to eat meat."
Celestine looked even more confused.
"Meat has the building blocks for muscle. Starve, and you'll lose what little you have. Lose muscle, and...?"
"You can't burn calories, so everything you eat turns straight to belly fat."
Celestine jumped at Leana's explanation.
"Really?!"
"Yup. Eat up. Work out. And you're drooling right now, by the way."
"Eek!? No way!"
She clapped a hand to her mouth in panic. Adorable.
Leana smiled and sliced a huge chunk of meat onto Celestine's side plate.
"W-Well, if the clerk says so, I guess I have no choice..."
Celestine speared the meat with her fork and shoved it in her mouth like a frog, jaws gaping wide—nomf. Leana and I burst out laughing at the sight.
Too cute.
"Gyaaah! What're you doing!?"
I reached out and pinched her cheek, shaking it. She shrieked. Leana grabbed the other side, stretching both cheeks until she looked like a floppy mochi.
"You're too cute, I swear!"
Leana giggled wildly as Celestine mumbled.
"Hmph mrrgh shoo..."
The next day. Early dawn, before the sun had risen.
Celestine came down the stairs alone. Her movements seemed like they'd come with an audible boing boing.
Down on the first floor, she twisted this way and that, eyeing her outfit. Breathable short-sleeved top made of cool fabric. Leggings that hugged like modern ones, with impressive stretch. Instead of her usual ankle boots for requests, she wore thick-soled, cushy ones. The guild master had picked out every piece.
He has a ton of clothes and just hands me the pretty ones like it's nothing. They're all super low-cut around the chest, which is kinda embarrassing, but I'm always grateful. He says he buys new ones constantly for dealing with clients and partners since he can't wear the same thing every day. But he's not one to blow money recklessly. He pinches pennies to the point of absurdity sometimes. And yet, the funny part is how he piles the table high with food when Leana and I get back from requests. Two reasons: one, request pay came in; two, we worked hard. I love the guild master so much. Wonder if it'd feel like having a mom.
Celestine tied her long purple hair up tight with a rubber band and stepped outside. The eastern sky was just starting to lighten. She breathed in deeply, savoring the crisp late-summer dawn breeze.
"Haa..."
Dawn air always felt amazing, no matter when. Despite her looks, Celestine was surprisingly diligent, always up first to clean.
She did some light stretches in front of the guild. Pulling one knee to her chest—then suddenly lost her balance and hopped sideways.
"Eek!"
Just as she was about to topple, something incredibly solid caught her.
"Gasp?! Clerk?!"
She locked eyes with the clerk looking down at her and recoiled in shock.
"Wh-Why're you out here? Going somewhere?"
"Here to help with your workout."
"Really?!"
Her face lit up with a beaming smile.
"Yeah. Working out alone's no fun."
"Hehe, thank you..."
"So what were you planning? A run?"
"Yup. Round trip to the Lumiere River."
"That's about an hour. Perfect. Let's go."
"Got it...! Wait, hold on!"
Celestine dashed back inside. She bolted upstairs, rummaged under the bed for her bag, and pulled something out: the slime-material contraceptive Leana had given her just in case.
She hesitated, holding it. Should I bring this? Or not? Just me and the clerk heading to the Lumiere River... That's where I scattered those poor priests' ashes before. Reeds grow huge along the bank—beautiful when the wind blows through. Taller than me, too, so once you're inside, no one outside can see. People live nearby, but at this hour, no one would know what happens in the reeds. If we run there, I'm exhausted and defenseless, and the clerk drags me in...}
Her thoughts reached that point, and she stuffed the contraceptive into her pocket. One might not be enough—better take all five. The clerk had insane stamina, after all. What if—what if I actually get pregnant? I'd get kicked out of the guild for sure. Gotta prepare for the one-in-a-million chance. The guild master gave it to me for this exact reason. To avoid the worst if it comes to that.
"Celestine! What're you doing!"
"Coming now!"
She raced back down the stairs just as frantically as she'd gone up.
