Chapter 23: Alice (1)

"Phew~ BURP!" 

Letting out a powerful echo, I sank back in appreciation. The food was heavenly, and somehow, I'd actually managed to finish it all. The only downside? I was starting to understand why Ezryn had been freaking out.

'My stomach, ugh…'

I felt my digestive system doing the cha-cha, and I knew before long I'd be entering a long-awaited battle with the restroom. Still, it was so worth it. Next time I come here, it'll definitely be with my two cute little siblings.

'Hehe~, I already miss them. Who would've thought they'd affect me this much, and so soon!'

[They are definitely better than you. XD] 

'I don't know my excellent luck is way above them!' 

["Excellent luck" as he got killed by a chance of 1/10^80]

'See? excellent luck!' 

Ezryn let things end there so I made sure to do what a good planner does! 

Grabbing my phone, I saved my current location, so I'd always know where to go if I wanted Italian. To be fair, I might find a better place later, but for one this close I doubted anything could beat both the convenience and the atmosphere.

Marcus stopped eating after the pizza, so he was doing fine. The bastard was really a pizza addict. I swore to eventually—if I ever saw him again after today—change him for the better. But for now, I rested. Sinking deeper into my seat… until dreaded words entered my ears.

"Here, I want you two to take this dessert to go!"

John popped out from who knows where and handed me something in a white to-go container. It didn't feel cold, so it wasn't ice cream—which was good, since I had no clue when I'd be home today. I gave him a raised brow and John just laughed still keeping the desert a secret. I had no motivation to find out right now either, so I let the question die. 

I gave Marcus the to-go plate and got my card out of my wallet, handing it to John. I was so out of it that I didn't even care what he charged me. He walked off to handle the payment. A few seconds later, my phone went off with a notification. Taking a peek, I couldn't believe how cheap this stuff was. It only cost me $300.

I paused, lazily looking at John as he returned with my receipt. I read it and noticed no tip was added.

"You could've tipped yourself."

John waved it off. "I just want my food to reach all types of people, so that's the best tip I can receive."

Chuckling, I shook my head and pulled out the only bill in my wallet. It was a $100, and I shoved it into his hands the best I could.

"And I appreciate good service. So don't give that back."

Marcus helped me up, and we walked. Well—he walked, and with his support, I limped to the car. We got a few stares from passing people but i could give two shits about them. My stomach was starting to sing, and the world was starting to hear its song! 

'These consequences suck ass, Ezryn!'

[I told you. And as you guessed, you'll be having a fun time in the restroom later.]

'Better to be full th—'

 "Eizkel?"

A feminine voice yanked me out of our conversation. Turning around, I looked at the culprit. Short green hair and lime-green eyes that radiated the vibrance of life. She was on the shorter side, about 5'5". Her figure was also blessed in terms of "life," and it was clear she wasn't a couch potato either.

I stared at her in confusion for a long time. Just as I thought—I hadn't met this person once since arriving in this world. Not even a fleeting glance, a whisper of déjà vu, or a trace of familiarity. She was a complete anomaly.

"Who are you?" I asked genuinely, tilting my head as I tried to scrape together any kind of memory about this person. It had only been a few days, and I hadn't met that many people, but you never know who you might overlook. Hell, maybe I accidentally missed her entirely… wouldn't be the first time someone slipped under my radar because of their height.

This woman covered her mouth, laughing. "It's me, Alice, silly!"

My mind blanked. For the first time, my body had a reaction. A strange sadness—or perhaps it was regret—heavy and suffocating, like being yanked into a cold current with no way up. My already compromised condition worsened. The world tilted. Vision swam in fractured frames. A dull ringing built behind my ears, as if someone had dropped a bell inside my skull. I staggered, barely catching myself against the car. The metal was warm under my palm, grounding, but not enough.

Dizziness hit next—sharp, cruel, and sudden—turning my stomach into a clenched knot. My breathing came ragged, shallow. Every inhale scraped against my lungs like sandpaper. I blinked hard, trying to clear the blur creeping in from the edges of my sight. I was slipping.

But I held on. Barely.

This one name putting me in such a state really showed that the original Eizkel's feelings went beyond mere affection. 

"HaH~! HaH~!" My breathing burned, each gasp scraping like fire through my chest. My mind was spinning, churning with static and noise. The consequences of overeating were child's play compared to the hell I was being dragged through now.

[Calm. Calm down. Eizkel, calm down!]

Ezryn, for the first time, sounded genuinely worried. Their usually smooth, androgynous voice now carried a tremor both tight and urgent, like a string pulled too far. I could feel it, not just hear it… laced with something raw beneath the calm they'd always worn

I couldn't see all that well—just shapes and shadows swimming in the haze—but I think Marcus was standing in front of me. His presence felt sharper than before. I think Alice called my name one more time, but it was too far away now.

The world slowly… slowly… fa—