I ran straight to the place where the screams were heard.
What could a fat loser do, right? But that’s not the problem right now.
That voice sounds familiar.
“Huff, huff, how many times a day are you running?!”
Even with my stamina already at rock bottom, I raced towards the location.
After jumping over tree roots and pushing through bushes, I arrived at the scene.
Across the bushes blocking my way, in a small clearing, a woman was lying down and something gigantic was standing over her.
‘What the hell is that crazy bastard doing here?!’
The identity of the massive figure was none other than a B-rank monster.
[ Albino One-Eyed Giant. ]
Even among giant monsters, the one-eyed giant is treated as a field boss level in this droplet forest.
And it had the albino title.
Albino monsters, being rarer than regular ones, are a whole tier stronger than existing monsters.
This was a creature that should not be in this forest.
“Guaaaah!”
Spitting disgusting saliva, the one-eyed giant roared at the woman in front of it.
“Heeek!”
The woman who fell over let out a terrified whimper.
I know who she is.
‘What the hell is she doing there?!’
Her identity is someone I can’t not know.
She’s the main character of the game, Emily Epiris.
Right now, the game’s progress is in the early part of Chapter 2, and if she followed the normal path,
there’s no way she can defeat that thing with her stats.
After all, [Epis Academy] encourages party play.
The protagonist’s solo playing stats are not that high, and her unique skills are more support than attack.
So, it’s standard for her to have a strong attacker in the front while she controls the battle in the center as she wants.
There’s no way she can take down a boss-level monster all by herself.
‘Damn it, how am I supposed to escape with her?!’
If she dies now, then a bad ending in this world is guaranteed.
That also means I’m dead too, depending on the development of the events.
I can’t let her die right now.
I have to survive no matter what.
But….
‘There’s no way I stand a chance against that monster….’
Of course. Fat extra character Ken Feinstein is the type of supporting character that the game creators haven’t even bothered to give a decent magic skill.
All I’ve got is an item crafting skill and that ridiculous trait that says I get stronger by losing weight.
And….
‘I really don’t want to use a skill that I have no idea about…!’
[ Unique Skills: Item Crafting, Calorie Burn. ]
That mysterious skill that has been bothering me since before.
If it’s a self-destruct type skill, then it’s an instant death ending, so I wasn’t planning to use it until I figured out what it was.
But isn’t this the time to question that?
If Emily dies, I’m dead anyway.
Then….
‘I have to rely on that mysterious skill….’
“Guaaaah!”
Bam, bam.
“Who, who is…. Please save me….”
The enormous one-eyed giant gradually moved its heavy foot towards her.
Emily, sitting on the ground shaking and unable to move, looked like she had already rolled on the ground in one battle.
She shivered, despair flickering in her eyes.
In front of death, her eyes began to well up with tears, and in a weak voice, she muttered.
“Please… someone… help me….”
Watching her, I steeled my resolve.
I closed my eyes and expressed my will inside my heart.
‘……Calorie Burn.’
I soon felt my magic surge within me and opened my eyes in pain.
“Cough!”
[ Skill Used: Calorie Burn. ]
[ Time Limit: 15 minutes ]
Emily reflected on everything that had happened in front of death.
In the so-called ‘kaleidoscope of memories’, if she had to pick the thing she regretted the most,
it was accepting the request from an old lady who grabbed her while she was out for a walk in the city on the weekend.
‘Why did I offer to find something like a keepsake for her son…!’
Emily, who couldn’t refuse someone’s request, regretted her choice.
She felt rewarded for helping others and thought it was the right thing to do, but
if it puts her in a situation where she might die, the meaning changes.
Because of just one act of kindness, her life was heading towards an end.
With the one-eyed giant growling at her, Emily trembled.
With her legs stiff from the earlier attack, she couldn’t run away now.
Shaking shoulders, trembling legs, trembling lips.
As if enjoying how scared she was, the giant moved its feet slowly, very slowly.
Soon, the enormous hand came into her view.
Emily began picturing how she would die in her mind.
Her limbs would be ripped apart.
At the very least, she would be crushed by that fist.
That monster wouldn’t be kind enough to grant her a painless death.
As everything replayed in her mind, Emily struggled to open her mouth.
“Who, who is…. Please save me….”
I don’t want to die…! I don’t want to die…!
Emily absolutely did not want to die.
“Please… someone… help me….”
In a short span, she shouted and prayed dozens of times in her heart. Please let someone save her.
Just like that knight who once saved her from the clutches of a disgusting noble.
Please, let someone save her again.
‘Ah…. This time… no one.’
Could miracles like that knight of the past not happen this time?
With no response at all, Emily slowly began to give up on life.
She shut her lips, cried tears, and closed her eyes.
Her closed mouth trembled with fear, and tears streamed down endlessly in fear.
And….
“Step back!”
Like a miracle, the knight she wished for appeared in front of her.
“…A, ah…!”
When Emily, who had given up and closed her eyes, opened them, what she saw was that knight from her past who had saved her from the noble.
A prince blocking her path with the same blonde hair.
“…Hah!”
He bravely charged at the one-eyed giant with the short dagger in his hand.
He moved his body as if he knew exactly where the creature’s weak point was.
Without hesitation, he stabbed the one-eyed giant in the eye with the dagger.
“Guaaaaah!”
The giant crouched down, clutching its eye, and the man wasted no time swinging his dagger.
Despite being a short dagger, the result was no different from that of a knight’s sword.
The man swung the dagger and split the giant in two.
‘……What the hell.’
Emily couldn’t take her eyes off that sight.
The man who defeated the giant approached her, breathing heavily.
He was like the knight from the past who saved Emily.
He was the embodiment of the ideal knight Emily had built up in her mind.
A high nose and brave eyes.
His well-built body seemed to showcase his strength.
‘…Am I an idiot? What’s happening?!’
Just moments ago, she had trembled in fear of death, but now, miraculously alive, she felt an unfamiliar heartbeat towards the man in front of her.
She placed her hand on her chest and felt her heart pounding like crazy.
Emily felt the heat rising to her face.
It was her first love.
“Th-thank you for saving me.”
Calming her wildly beating heart, Emily expressed her gratitude.
‘Is he a student from the academy…?’
The outfit of the man who caught Emily’s attention was the training uniform provided by the academy.
The academy insignia was clearly stamped on his chest.
Emily felt it was a chance.
“Um…! By any chance…!”
As she tried hard to keep this connection going, choosing her words carefully in her mind,
the man cut in and spoke first.
“……Food.”
“…Huh?”
That was a completely unexpected word.
“Do you have any leftover food? …I’m in a hurry, anything will do.”
The man suddenly asked for food.
It was a bit odd that he had just taken down the giant impressively only to then blurt that out, but Emily quickly rummaged through her pocket at his words.
“Yes, yes! I’ll get it to you right away! Just wait a moment!”
Fortunately, Emily had a subspace pocket.
Food placed inside retains its freshness regardless of the time due to the time freeze.
Thanks to its convenience, Emily had all her leftover food stored there.
‘Thank goodness I have this pocket…!’
Though she had often benefited from the subspace pocket, she felt its value even more strongly this time.
She wanted to keep this man around for just a little longer.
So, providing food was the perfect excuse.
“Here…. I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste, though.”
The item Emily pulled out was a sandwich. Made by her hand with chicken and mashed potatoes among other things.
With a fluttering heart, she handed it over and the man immediately began to eat it.
To others, his manner may have seemed rude and gluttonous, but to Emily, it appeared differently.
‘Even eating looks tough….’
Wondering if her made sandwich would taste good, Emily’s worries melted away as the man reached out, not caring at all.
“I need more food…!”
“Oh, yes! Just tell me how much you need!”
Seeing his request for more, Emily smiled happily and continued to take out food from her pocket.
One sandwich went and he devoured it in an instant.
Two sandwiches went and they were gone just as quickly.
His unending appetite was relentless, yet Emily happily handed him more food.
As he continued to stuff himself, the man started to transform.
‘……Huh?’
He began to grow larger and larger.
‘……Uh-oh?’
Soon, he morphed back into the familiar figure.
“Phew, thank you. I almost had a big problem, but thanks to you, I survived.”
The satisfied man smiled and patted his now bloated belly.
He was none other than her classmate from school.
Ken Feinstein.
“…Huh?”
Only Emily’s short voice and the sound of Ken patting his belly echoed in the quiet forest.
