Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi

Chapter 142: Fluffy Girl

It’s been about a week since I moved to the Royal Capital, and Dagashi Yahagi is doing well.

After school, my shop was crowded with students from both schools.

That said, most of my customers are from Adventurer Academy.

Of course, there are students from the Royal Academy, but I have this feeling that our vibes don’t really fit well with the characteristics of those from their academy.

The most obvious example is Carmine.

First of all, she looks like a gyaru.

It seems like gyarus exist even in this world.

She has blonde hair with ends dyed pink.

After school, she would always come visit my shop, sitting by the wall, trying to puff out a big bubble with her fruit gum.

Product name: Fruit Gum

Description: Four pieces of bubble gums in one box. There are four different kinds of flavors: orange, grape, strawberry and melon. When the gum is inflated, the body floats slightly for three seconds. Comes with a lottery game.

Price: 20 rims

Carmine seems to love this gum and buys it every day, but other than that, she does nothing but sit in the corner of the store and inflate her gum.

There, she just absentmindedly watches as the other children play with Mobile Forces and Mani 4WDs.

[Aren’t you going to play with the others?]

[I’m fine here, it’s fun for me just watching the others.]

A loner gyaru huh……

With the look on her face, it doesn’t really look like she’s having fun, but Carmine herself doesn’t seem to mind.

Well, it’s hard for me to tell what she’s thinking just by looking at her from the side.

I first thought she may not have any money, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

When she bought gum from me, she once brought out a silver coin.

Being a student of the Royal Academy, her family must be wealthy huh?

It didn’t feel like she was being bullied, but she did seem to have this subtle distance between her and her fellow students from the Royal Academy.

Today too, there was a lot of commotion inside the shop, but it’s getting darker outside as the sun sets.

[Alright, it’s about time we close. You guys got your curfew, right? You’d better hurry home.]

Both schools have a boarding system, so if they don’t get back home, they’ll be penalized.

[Oh, sh*t! Let’s go, Gort, Kikka!]

Kurtz’ group hurriedly packed their Mobile Force and Mani 4WDs into their bags.

[You didn’t forget anything?]

[Even if I forget about myself, I will not forget about my Gufufu!]

[Don’t you go forgetting yourself over the Gufufu……]

[Ou! See you tomorrow!]

Kurtz’ group energetically ran off.

Is this perhaps youth?

The rookie adventurers didn’t have that kind of energy.

Looking at their departing backs, I returned back to the now quiet shop, and saw Carmine still puffing out her gum.

[What’s the matter, aren’t you going home yet?]

[I’m spending the night out today after all.]

[Are you going back to your parent’s place?]

[To my mom’s place.]

[I see. Well, you’d better get going, or they’ll be worried.]

[No, my mom works as a Healer, so she won’t be home until a little later……]

I heard that many of the children at the Royal Academy come from wealthy families, but Carmine’s family seems to be ordinary folks.

Perhaps, she may even be under the care of her single mother.

Carmine turned her eyes away and continued chewing her gum.

She must be feeling lonely to go home where no one is waiting for her.

Perhaps, looking for a place where she can belong, she’s staying here……

[Then, I’ll keep the store open a little longer.]

[Thanks. You’re so kind, Yuusuke-chi.]

[Can’t you do something about the way you call me though?]

[Isn’t it fine? It sounds cute.]

I can’t help feeling like I’m being made fun of though.

Well, I don’t really care much what people call me with.

[That’s right, how about playing a little bit of Mobile Force match with me?]

If I’m not mistaken, Carmine brought her Gyan.

[Ehhh……]

[I’m not gonna force you if you don’t want to.]

[I’ve never really fought against anyone though……]

[Then, you’ll do just fine fighting me. I’m not that strong.]

[Then……]

We had a match, me and my Gungalf and Carmine with her Gyan.

And so, our match began……

[Strong! That was amazing, Carmine!]

[Y- You think so? Ehehe.]

Carmine was strong.

I’ve seen a lot of players, and I could tell this girl has a lot of ability.

[Why don’t you join a tournament somewhere?]

[Ehhh, I’m not interested in that kind of thing though.]

[What a shame.]

While we were having this conversation, the sliding front door opened with a rattling sound.

[I’m home~~ Yuusuke, are you still not closing up the shop?]

It seemed that Michelle had returned.

[Welcome home. There’s a bit of a situation today.]

[Did something happen? Hmm, you are…… Carmine?]

[Teacher Michelle!]

Both of them seemed surprised, as if they didn’t expect they would meet at a place like this.

[Why is Teacher Michelle here in the dagashi shop?]

[That is, well…… No matter what happens to my soul, it just leads me to where Yuusuke is……]

Her body swaying about, Michelle shyly said.

Even so, that’s quite a heavy expression she made.

[Soul……? Ah, are you two lovers!?]

[We’re engaged. We’re going to get married when things settle down a bit more.]

Carmine’s eyes widened in surprise.

[Amazing…… For a guy to actually be able to receive the Curse Witch, like for real, mad respect from me!]

.

Well, she sure says what she wants.

[Yes, Yuusuke is special!]

You don’t mind her words, Michelle!?

[Ahh~~ Well, you really do suit each other well.]

[Thanks, what a nice girl.]

You’re being too easy there, Michelle.

[Ah, it’s about time I go.]

[Be careful on your way home. It’s already dark outside……]

[It’s alright, I have my guards.]

[Guards?]

[See ya!]

Carmine energetically ran off.

[What did she mean by guards?]

[There was one beside that tree and one near that building over there.]

[I didn’t notice them at all.]

[I don’t know much about her, but I assume she’s someone of a certain status.]

And so, she got something like the Secret Service guarding her huh.

However, she said her mother works as a Healer……

[She’s a slightly strange girl, isn’t she? She’s got this unique vibe.]

[Unnn, but she’s doing very well in her Magic classes. She’s even got an A+ in my “A Guide to Curses”.]

[Hmmm.]

[It’s just, she doesn’t seem to open up to those around her. Just like the old me……]

[Even if you two don’t look like each other at all, you’re feeling like kindred spirits?]

[I’m not sure. However, I can tell that she’s lonely. That’s why I was so surprised earlier.]

[Surprised, about what?]

[That Carmine looked so happy when she was playing with Yuusuke. I had never seen her smile like that at the academy……]

There might be a reason why she hasn’t been able to fit in with the others.

I hope this becomes a place where Carmine can feel at home.

[Yuusuke, be nice to that girl.]

[I will.]

Michelle can probably see her past self in Carmine.

[However, cheating is absolutely not allowed!]

[I’m telling you, my eyes can only see Michelle.]

Good grief, there’s no way I would reach my hands out to such a young girl.

However, let’s just be careful how I act so that the Royal Capital doesn’t turn into a pile of rubble.

The next day, Carmine came to my shop again.

Today too, she bought her favorite fruit gum.

[Achaaa, you’re out of melon-flavored ones huh……]

As Carmine’s shoulders slumped, I handed the item she was looking for to her.

[Here you go, melon flavor.]

[Eh, why?]

[I put them aside for you because you were buying them everyday.]

[What godlike treatment! I’m getting mental care from the Dagashi shop.]

Today too, Carmine isn’t playing with anyone, sitting at the edge of the shop and watching the shop in a daze.

Well, she seems to be enjoying herself in her own way.

When Carmine puffed up her gum, her floating body fluffily swayed.

<Translator’s Notes>

The title: Fluffy Girl / Fuwa fuwa no onnanoko: What we were talking about here isn’t the same Fluffy Girls you would first see when you google search it. It’s just, I can’t really say Carmine here is like the “fluffy people” in those tropes. You know, that girl who was airheaded, doesn’t get angry too much, optimistic, goes around at her own pace, rather insensitive, but honest and pure. I also can’t say that Yuusuke described Carmine as “fuwafuwa” being that she’s someone whose head is in the clouds. I feel like Yuusuke’s just saying Carmine is “fuwafuwa” is because, well, she likes floating with that fruit gum. So, the title could also be “Floaty Girl”.

Carmine: She’s the girl in the front of Volume 4’s cover image.
Fruit Gum