Character Story 2: The Landsol Diet
Translation notes
[1] She calls it 戊種 (boshu), a rather specific term for a "person whose physical suitability for conscription in the former Japanese military could not be determined in that year, e.g. due to illness."
Scene: A street in Landsol.
Nozomi
Huh? The person reading over there...
Nozomi
I thought so! Hey! What are you reading?
Nozomi
What? A photo album of mine? Why do you have that?
Nozomi
... Eh? You thought you'd try to get more familiar with the idea of idols? Could that have been for my sake...?
Nozomi
I see... But that photo album has swimsuit pictures, too, and it's kind of embarrassing for people who know me to see them. Look, starting on the very next page there should be swimsuit...
Nozomi
W-Wait! Don't look at them! I'd put on a little weight around that time, so it's really embarrassing... It's not accurate! [1]
Nozomi
Ah, I was talking with you, and now it's almost time for work...! I've gotta run!
Nozomi
Oh, right, are you free next week? I don't have plans for my day off this time, so do you want to hang out together?
Nozomi
Yes? Great! Then, it's a promise!
Nozomi runs off.
One week later...
??? (Nozomi, wearing a suit of armor)
Hey, Yuuki!
Nozomi
Huh? Who am I... Can't you tell, it's me! Nozomi!
Nozomi
W-Well, I guess you wouldn't be able to tell like this. Um, the truth is...
Nozomi
I, um, I gained weight...
Nozomi
I was eating too much, and I put on some weight... And then, I sort of kept eating too much, and I put on a little more weight... And after that, I also... kind of... kept eating too much...
Nozomi
I've put on too much weight, so I'm too embarrassed to let people see me... So that's why I'm wearing this suit of armor. This is what I wore to work earlier.
Nozomi
If I'm disguised like this, I can walk around outside freely, but... I can't stay like this. I still have my idol work...
Nozomi
If things go on like this... I'll have to retire from being an idol! What should I do!?
Nozomi
Huh? I just have to lose some weight...? A diet, huh... T-That's right! I have to give it a try before I give up!
...
Nozomi (still wearing a suit of armor)
... You bought a book about diets for me? Thanks! In that case, I'll try out a bunch of different diets!
Yuuki
1. Go for a jog.
2. Eat something.
Option 1.
...
Scene: The countryside.
Nozomi (still wearing a suit of armor)
Pant, pant...
Nozomi
I'm so tired... Running with a full suit of armor is... hard...
Nozomi
The book says that running on top of tall mountains is even better? I've heard people say that high-altitude training is more effective, so... I understand.
...
Scene: Atop a mountain.
Nozomi
Pant, pant...
Nozomi
I'm exhausted... Running up this mountain trail with this armor... I, I feel like I'm gonna die...
Nozomi
... W-We're going to run up that other mountain just like this? O... Okay, I get it...
...
Scene: A volcano.
Nozomi
Pant... pant... pant...
Nozomi
It's so hot! Climbing a volcano in a suit of armor, I'm gonna die!
Nozomi
The book says that if I sweat a lot, I'll lose weight? I see, just like going to a sauna... So, why didn't we just go to a sauna!?
Option 2.
...
Scene: At a restaurant.
Nozomi
Why did we go to a restaurant all of a sudden? Isn't it bad to eat a lot when I'm on a diet?
Nozomi
An "apple diet"? I see, apples have less sugar, so even if I eat a lot, I won't get fat. That's what it said in the dieting book, so it can't be wrong.
Nozomi
After that, we should try out a "banana diet", a "tofu diet", a "carbohydrate diet", and a "cake diet"? I... I see, I'll give them a try.
Nozomi
Nom nom.... Nom nom nom... Nom nom nom nom...
Nozomi
Ahh, I'm stuffed... This way, I should get a little thinner... Wait, that's not how it works at all!
Nozomi
Why didn't I realize that before!? I was just blindly listening to whatever you said... I'm going to try a different weight loss method.
...
Scene: At the beach.
Nozomi (still wearing a suit of armor)
Swimming is a full-body exercise, so it's most suitable for losing weight... S-Swimming!? Swimming while wearing a full suit of armor is...
Nozomi
I-I get it, okay! This is for the sake of losing weight... Hah!
Nozomi jumps in.
Nozomi
Blub blub blub... Ahh! I'm sinking! Help mblub blub...
Nozomi
Cough cough, pant pant... That was horrible... I've been trusting that book too much...
End of branches.
Scene: A mountain trail.
Nozomi
Pant... pant... Pant... pant...
Nozomi
R... Running with a full suit of armor... And also rock climbing, and chopping down trees... This way, I should have lost some weight, right...
Yuuki
1. "You have."
2. "You don't look different."
Option 1.
Nozomi
There's no way you can tell if I've lost weight when I'm wearing this armor! Honestly...
Option 2.
Nozomi
N-No way! After that much exercise! ... It's not like a suit of armor can lose weight? True, you wouldn't be able to tell unless I took this off... Ha ha.
Nozomi
T-Take it off and show you!? D-Dummy! Perv!
End of branches.
Nozomi
Did I lose weight? I can't see myself while I'm wearing this, either... Ah, I might be able to see through this gap.
Nozomi
Hmm... I can't see very well. Can I widen this gap a little? If I just pull this way...
The suit of armor falls apart.
Nozomi
Eh? Eh... Ehhhh!? I screwed up, and the whole thing fell apart!? H-How embarrassing! Don't look at meeee!
Nozomi
Wahhh! Being seen while I'm this fat... No one will want to marry me now!
Nozomi
Y-You can't tell any difference at all? You're wrong! I've gained one kilogram!
Nozomi
... I look just as cute as usual? Do you mean that?
Nozomi
Is... Is that right? T-Then, maybe I don't need to try so hard to slim down...
Nozomi
Wait... Y... You called me cute...!? Uh, um... umm...!
Nozomi
Mmmm....!!!
Nozomi
I, I, I'm going to work hard on dieting after all! Because... I want you to see the cutest side of me...
Nozomi
No, I didn't say anything! I'm going jogging! I-I'll be okay on my own! Just let me be alone for a biiit!