The Cute Cook Chapter 2

02: First of All, I Need Food

I was overwhelmed with depression at the stupidity of my own memories. I collapsed into what folks online commonly call the orz pose. Whatever, let's move on.

I'd say it was about twilight, and no matter where I went I couldn't find another living person.

*Guuuuu~

… give me a break, stomach. Things are super serious right now!

I mean, if our luck is bad we could be walking right into one of those 'otherworld adventures' that are so popular among a certain group of people. We may never be able to return to the modern world. Actually, considering that I'm pretty sure I died during that stupid memory, this could end up being one of those 'reborn in another world' situations!!

*Gyurugyurukuuu~

"…"

Fine. Let's go find something to eat. Sigh.

With my stomach sounds as BGM, I look around for some water to see if I can find edible things nearby. I find some nuts that look sort of like walnuts, and some berries that remind me of mock strawberries. Some birds (?) were eating them, so I a.s.sume they must be edible.

C'mon! Ladies gotta have guts!

I grabbed a leaf from a nearby bowl-shaped plant that looked sort of like something you'd see used in home decorating, and filled it up with as many of the fruits and nuts as it could hold.

I tell myself these things are 'sort of' like walnuts or mock strawberries, but they're definitely nothing I've ever seen before. Plus, there are tons of bizarre-looking plants and bugs around here, so I think it's safe to say I'm not in j.a.pan anymore.

The weather isn't too hot or cold, and I'm wearing three-quarter sleeves.

Actually, while I'm looking at my clothes, I realize I don't remember ever buying these.

Plus I've got these expensive-looking gold bracelets on both of my wrists, and I've definitely never seen those before.

… actually, wait a second…

Why am I tiny!?

Up to now I just thought all the trees around me happened to be really huge. Like, they were all mega-size or something. The fruits and nuts I had collected had all been close to the ground, so I guess I just hadn't thought about it until now.

I've been shrunk!!

My b.r.e.a.s.t.s, which weren't amazing or anything let's be honest, were gone!

Instead, it was my round stomach that was poking out. Just like a Kewpie doll, I am the very model of a little girl.

"… wait, don't tell me…!"

"… thank G.o.d. It would suck if I got turned into a boy on top of everything else."

But there was nothing Down There. Thankfully. That would have been awful.

Still, this was pretty bad. The reality that I was in an otherworld was becoming more and more apparent.

Between the growing stress of my situation and my empty stomach, I gave up on thinking. Can you blame me? Thinking would just make me hungrier. For now, I just need to find some water so I can eat. I let my animal instincts take over and walk around listlessly.

Honestly I just wanted to scarf it all down right there, but the part of me that was still thinking rationally wanted to at least wash the fruits and nuts off, since I didn't even know if they were safe to eat in the first place. You can probably chalk that up to my training as someone who works in the food industry.

But, if it comes right down to it, I'm totally just going to eat them like this. Yep.

Quite some time pa.s.sed while I wandered around lost.

I'm an atheist normally, but I seriously started praying to G.o.d. I think the last time I prayed this hard was when I came down with a nasty stomach bug and spent hours praying on the toilet. My Seirogan ran out and I couldn't make it to the hospital. It was pretty horrible…

What? I should give G.o.d more respect??

Oh c.r.a.p. I'm seeing a light and hearing voices calling out to me from afar. This is getting bad.

The moss on the ground is really moist, too, so it's easy to slip if I'm not careful. Come to think of it, maybe I should eat some of that too…

Wait. 'Moist'?

"Then there must be water nearby!"

I drew on the last of my power and pushed forward until I saw a small lake stretching out before my eyes.

If I hadn't found a place to wash them, I was about to throw down all that food raw. Including the moss.

G.o.d, thank you! I promise I'll start praying to you even when I'm not stuck on the toilet!!

I managed to resist rus.h.i.+ng in immediately, and instead waited until I was absolutely sure there was no danger before stretching out my hand to touch the water.

The temperature feels good on my hand.

I wash my hands, then scoop some up (away from where I had washed my hands) and sniff it. No scent.

It doesn't look dirty.

I hesitantly sip some, and nothing seems wrong with it. It was just plain water, but it tasted sweet to me. Apparently, I was more thirsty than I realized. I steeled myself, then gulped it down.

It was just water, but it tasted better than any top-shelf alcohol I had ever drank in my life. I gulp several hand-fulls.

After slaking my thirst, I took my leaf full of food, which I had set aside in my hurry to drink, and pulled it over next to me. Then, one-by-one, I washed each nut, fruit and piece of moss and popped it in my mouth.

Nothing amazing, flavor-wise, but there's no spice like hunger. In just a few seconds I had gobbled the lot.

With my stomach full, and my nerves a little calmer, I suppose it's finally time to think about my situation, which I've been pointedly ignoring.