"Muuu..." The sleepyhead squinted her dark eyes. "Where am I…?"
"On the street," Yuel said plainly. "You just fell asleep out of nowhere, remember?"
"Eh? Ah..." Nia checked her surroundings with her drowsy eyes. "Right. I was walking, then I ran out of batteries."
"Are you supposed to be an electronic toy or something?"
"Gufu..." Nia tried to stand up but sprawled on the bench again. "Still tired. I don't feel my legs. Scary."
"This is normal," Yuel explained. "Your legs aren't used to this kind of workout, so your muscles are throwing fit. This problem will go away after a few more sessions."
"Ok..." Nia lay her head on the bench again and closed her eyes.
"Hey! You need to get home first," Yuel asserted. "You can sleep all you want there."
"But, my legs are dead."
"I'm sure they're not. They're just heavier than normal, and you're being lazy."
"Carry me."
"Huh...?"
"I can't stand up." Nia pouted. "Carry me."
Yuel made a face. "Even if I wanted to, I don't have that kind of strength."
"Heh, sounds like somebody has to exercise more." Nia snickered.
"Sorry, but bodybuilding isn't part of my training routine," Yuel said. "It's unnecessary for Classmancers."
"But, what if the enemy players ambush you in real life and you have to fight!? Scary."
"Let's just hope this kind of action flick scenario doesn't happen," Yuel said. "Anyway, c'mon, stand up. The faster you get home, the faster you can go back to sleep." Besides, I also want to go home already…
"Uuu...!" Nia tried to push herself off the bench but failed to channel any strength into her thin arms. After five seconds of trying, she collapsed on the bench again, more tired than before. "Impossible. Send halp."
"Seriously?" Yuel made a face. I expected it'd be hard to coach her, but not THIS hard. Sigh.
"Just carry me. Easy." Nia motioned. "The bus station isn't even that far away."
"True, it isn't," Yuel agreed. "But, I doubt I can walk that far while carrying such a large baggage."
Nia made a face. "Is that your way of implying I'm fat?"
"No. On the contrary, you're frighteningly light," Yuel said. "But, you're still a middle schooler. You're not as light as a little baby. " Even though you're acting like one…
"But, you said I'm light, right?" Nia insisted. "So, it shouldn't be a problem."
"Well, it's not just you," Yuel explained. "There's your bag, too."
"Oh, don't worry. I'll carry my bag myself."
"... yes, and I'll have to carry you ALONG with your bag. Didn't you think of that?"
"Don't worry," Nia reassured. "You won't even feel anything on your back. I'll use my stealth strats."
"I'll be very impressed if you can erase your entire weight with these 'stealth strats'."
"It's a secret ninja art!"
"Is that so?" Yuel rolled his eyes. I feel like she won't drop this topic anytime soon. But wait, speaking of her bag… He brought it closer and fished inside. As always, there were a bunch of chocolate bars there.
I'm not sure eating these right now is the best idea, but energy is energy. "How about you eat some?" Yuel shoved a few bars into the girl's face.
"Oh, yummies!" Nia grabbed the chocolates and munched on them with small bites like a hamster. "You can have some too."
"Then, I suppose I will." Yuel also opened one bar and ate it up. This sweet type of chocolate wasn't exactly healthy, but it was tasty and injected the body with energy, so it was exactly what Nia needed right now. Alas...
"Ok. I feel better, but my legs are still paralyzed," Nia reported. "If you're not going to carry me, then back to sleep I go." She collapsed again.
"... are you ever planning to stand up, young lady?"
"No. Carry me."
"That again?" Yuel sighed. She just won't drop this silly idea, will she? Or, maybe she'll give up after I prove I physically can't handle it?
"Okay, fine," Yuel said. "I'll try carrying you as far as I can."
"Yay!"
"... you're really just trying to get a free amusement park ride, aren't you?"
"N-Naaaaah." Nia rolled her eyes. "But, thinking of it, it's been a long time since I last got a piggyback ride."
"It better be. A piggyback ride isn't something a middle schooler should need other than in a critical situation."
"Well, I guess this is a critical situation then."
"Yes, this is definitely a case of critical laziness, alright." Yuel sighed for the billionth time in this conversation.
Left without a choice, he crouched and offered his back. "Come aboard."
"Yay!" Nia leapt on his back!
"Ugh!" Yuel almost buckled over from the impact. "You know, for somebody who is claiming to be dead tired, you seem pretty energetic."
"I only have the energy to fall down on things."
"Is that so..." Yuel made a face as he tried to get off the ground with a large baggage on his back.
"You see?" Nia asked. "I erased all my weight so you can totally do it now."
"It's sure an exaggeration to claim you erased ALL your weight, but..." There was no denying that Nia was very light, even with the bag on top of her. Just how little did this girl weigh?
"Go, go, my steed!"
"I'm THIS close to dropping you off."
"Ehehe~ Please don't. I'll die."
I swear, coaching her is like raising a child. I'm supposed to be a middle schooler, not a parent. Yuel sighed for the quadrillionth time as he went along with this questionable operation.
Somehow or another. Yuel managed to walk forward with the baggage on his back. I wonder how long I'll last. It feels bearable for now, but I'm sure my body will start hurting somewhere along the way.
He didn't have the necessary muscle strength to support that kind of weight for long, that was a fact. Therefore, the way he was "easily" carrying Nia was nothing but a fleeting illusion, bound to shatter before long…