"···Ugh."

"Are you okay?"

"Ah, Siwoo."

How long had I been retching in the bathroom?

Siwoo stood at the door, looking at me with a concerned expression, having heard my groans with his sensitive ears.

"I'm fine."

"I'm sorry. I made something since you said you had no appetite lately···. Maybe it was a mistake."

"No, it was delicious."

The reason I was retching was simple.

I forced myself to eat despite not feeling hungry.

"If it's hard, you don't have to eat···."

"How could I do that? You made it for me."

Siwoo had cooked for me because my health hadn't been great lately. How could I not eat it?

···Though forcing myself to eat might have made things worse.

But it really was delicious. Truly.

"Maybe you should rest today and go tomorrow···."

"No, it's okay···."

Seeing Siwoo's worried look, I shook my head.

Even if I wasn't feeling well, I wanted to attend the opening ceremony with Siwoo.

"It's the first day back. I shouldn't miss it."

"···Hmm."

Siwoo looked like he still thought it was better for me to stay home, but I smiled reassuringly at him.

There was no longer any urgent reason for Siwoo to train hard, but still.

Siwoo wanted to be a hero.

If I stayed home, Siwoo would probably insist on taking care of me and skip the academy.

My reassuring smile eventually made Siwoo give up on convincing me.

"···Alright. But if you feel unwell, you must tell me."

"Don't worry."

I responded to Siwoo's words while opening the wardrobe, revealing the academy uniform I hadn't seen in a while.

It brought back memories.

I had worn this uniform all the time when I was attending the academy.

After the writer disappeared, I hadn't had a reason to wear it.

Seeing the academy uniform after so long made me feel like I was returning to the old days.

Though it had only been about three months.

I'd been wearing hospital gowns and casual clothes all this time.

"Ugh, tight···."

I took off the dolphin shorts and white t-shirt I was wearing to change into the uniform.

Siwoo was there, but...

We've seen everything of each other, so changing in front of him didn't bother either of us.

Siwoo was more concerned about something else.

"Why don't you wear underwear···?"

"But it's comfortable like this."

"You might get cold. Even though it's spring, it's still chilly."

"I'm a superhuman. It's fine."

Siwoo worried unnecessarily.

There's no way I'd catch a cold as a superhuman.

"I wear it when I go out, so it's fine, right?"

"A leotard isn't really underwear···."

"What does it matter? It's comfortable."

Siwoo shook his head as if he had a headache, which annoyed me.

It's not like I went around without clothes.

I wore a leotard when going out, so it should be fine.

Anticipating a lecture on proper attire, I preempted it.

"···And most of my underwear is probably in the laundry anyway."

"Ugh."

"You beast."

···Got him.

Siwoo's face turned red as he stood there speechless.

Sensing that staying would lead to an undesirable outcome, he quickly left.

"Ahem, I'll go get ready. Come down when you're done."

"Okay."

After Siwoo hurriedly left.

I resumed changing clothes.

I slipped on the leotard that now felt like a second skin, then put on the blouse.

Next, I tried to fasten the skirt around my waist···?

The skirt···?

"Huh···?"

Click.

Click, click.

Huh.

Something's wrong.

···The waist fastener keeps slipping.

"This shouldn't be happening···?"

No matter how many times I tried, the result was the same.

The skirt didn't fit.

The skirt couldn't have shrunk.

This was a uniform I had worn before and hadn't altered with my threads.

I remembered it fitting perfectly.

So why couldn't I wear it?

Could it be···.

"I-I can't get it on···."

Clack, clack, clack.

I worried the skirt might tear, but I kept trying to fasten it without adjusting the waist.

All my attempts failed.

Finally, I had to accept a terrible truth.

"I-I gained weight···?!"

Memories of the recent break flooded my mind.

Eating, sleeping, going out.

Eating, sleeping, going out.

···That was all I did.

I didn't like exercising, so I didn't work out.

I had no reason to use mana or my powers, so I stayed home and cooked.

I made a lot of dishes because I wanted to feed Siwoo delicious food···.

"Did I eat too much···?"

Maybe it was all the tasting.

Without realizing it, I had gained weight.

"Arte! Are you ready? We need to go soon!"

"C-coming···."

Ah.

My head was spinning.

Why hadn't Siwoo said anything?

Did he not notice the gradual gain?

I had to accept the fact that clothes I had worn just a few months ago no longer fit.

"Oh, it's been a while. You guys."

"Ah, Claire-sensei."

"Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes, thank you for your concern."

I barely heard the conversation between Siwoo and Claire-sensei.

My mind was preoccupied with my waist.

···Why hadn't I noticed?

Oh, right.

The leotard was stretchy.

The clothes I usually wore at home were loose.

I hadn't noticed the gradual gain.

"···Arte doesn't look well."

"Ah, yes. She's been feeling unwell lately···."

"I hope it's not a lingering effect from the battle."

"I hope not···."

I gained weight.

So much that I couldn't fit into my old clothes.

The shock of that realization must have shown on my face.

Siwoo and Claire-sensei looked at me with concern.

"I'm fine···. Haha···."

"···Hmm."

"L-let's head to class."

"Alright."

I barely remembered what happened next.

I was holding Siwoo's hand, thinking about how to lose weight.

"Oh, it's been a while. Are you feeling better now?"

"Ah, yes."

"Why does Arte look like that?"

"She's been unwell lately···."

"···Really? It seems like something else is wrong."

Oh, it's Amelia.

She might know how to diet.

Yes, she must.

"···Uh."

"What?"

"I gained weight···."

My hands trembled.

It was embarrassing to admit it out loud.

But maybe because it was so embarrassing, I felt a strong need to confide in someone.

I told Amelia.

"How can I lose weight and keep it off···?!"

"What? You gained weight?"

"Y-yes···! My waist doesn't fit···! What do I do?!"

"Oh, so that's why you were late···."

"Shut up."

But something felt off.

I asked about weight management, and Amelia's eyes turned sharp as she looked me over.

"Doesn't look like you gained weight."

"B-but I did···! Really! My waist doesn't fit!"

"What? It's hard for a superhuman to gain weight like that··· wait."

Amelia, after looking me over, suddenly spoke to Siwoo.

Her voice was unusually cold.

"Hey."

"Y-yes?"

"Arte hasn't been feeling well lately, right?"

"Yeah."

"Has she mentioned nausea, trouble eating, or feeling tired?"

"How did you know···?"

"Fuck."

With that, Amelia urgently left the classroom.

"A-Amelia. Where are you going···."

"Stay there! Don't move a muscle!"

···Using her powers, why suddenly?

Seeing Amelia leave, Dorothy walked into the classroom.

"Oh, it's been a while."

"Hello."

"···Why did Amelia leave? Using her powers too. Class is about to start."

"Who knows. Maybe something happened···."

"I'm back!"

"Whoa, you were fast···."

Had she used her powers to the limit?

Amelia, panting, handed me something.

"···What's this?"

"Go to the bathroom and pee on it."

"Why suddenly···."

"Do it!"

"O-okay···."

What is this?

A long, white object.

···Pee on it?

Looking at the object in my hand, it seemed like a test kit.

Amelia's urgent reaction made me think.

Could I have some unknown illness?

Is that why she was so urgent?

Scared, I rushed to the bathroom.

Following Amelia's instructions, I looked at the kit in my hand.

"···There's an extra line."

I didn't know what two lines meant, but it seemed significant.

Did it mean I was sick or not?

Feeling anxious, I hurried back to the classroom.

"Arte? What's wrong? What's that in your hand···."

"Amelia! I did it! There are two lines, what does that mean···."

"You crazy bastard!"

As soon as Amelia heard me, she hit Siwoo on the head.

Everyone, including Claire-sensei, was shocked.

Amelia then dropped a bombshell.

"How could you get her pregnant, you idiot! Didn't you use protection?!"

"W-what···?"

Pregnant?

I haven't even had a period.

Looking at the stick in my hand, it did resemble a pregnancy test.

···Really?