Ch.7Hero Agency (7)

What’s the most important element in negotiation? I think the benefit gained through negotiation is most important.

So if you prepare what the other person wants, the negotiation will naturally be concluded.

“Is there anything you want?”

“Your virginity.”

“Anything else besides that?”

“Your maidenhood.”

“…Is there anything else besides that kind of thing?”

“No.”

The only thing Agath wants from me is my virginity. So naturally, the negotiation failed.

Unless I go crazy or completely lose my mind, there’s absolutely no way I’d sacrifice my virginity.

Still, just in case, maybe I should keep it as Plan Z.

“If I were to sacrifice my virginity, would you join the final battle against the Demon King?”

“No. Even though I live according to my desires, I still have basic judgment skills.”

Fortunately, Plan Z was shattered before it even began. Thanks to that, there’s absolutely no chance I’ll be corrupted as a female.

…But now how do I negotiate?

Since my strongest card has turned into a useless scrap of paper, all I have left is sweet talk.

“When you die, that’s the end. Are you okay with that?”

Nothing is more important than life. Since humans want to survive even one second longer, if I stimulate that part well, I should be able to persuade her this time.

“I really don’t want to die…”

“Right? So let’s…”

“But I hate fighting the Demon King more than dying.”

“…Why?”

“It’s annoying to prepare to defeat the Demon King, and fighting is annoying too. I just want to live faithfully to my desires until the end. In that sense, want to do it once?”

Survival instinct can’t be overshadowed by desire. It definitely shouldn’t be… but how…

“Oh right. I need to go buy clothes. As much as I regret it, that will have to wait.”

“Don’t talk nonsense since you’ll never have anything to do for eternity.”

“Usually the ones who talk like that fall first, you know?”

“I absolutely won’t fall, so don’t worry.”

“Then I should make you fall right now?”

Agath smiles lewdly as she gradually approaches me.

There’s one best choice I can make in this situation. It’s something I learned from Rebecca yesterday.

First, I lie on the bed, completely relax my body, tense my neck, and then…

“Leo! Help me!”

I sent a loud request for help to Leo. Then Leo opened the door and entered, saying with annoyance:

“What is it this time?”

“Agath is trying to pounce on me!”

I deliberately showed my broken right wrist while briefly mentioning what had happened in the past.

After hearing what I said, Leo instantly came from the kitchen with a knife. And seeing that, Agath is desperately trying to explain herself just like yesterday.

“Calm down! I can explain everything!”

“Go ahead.”

“She was having a mental breakdown so I was trying to fix it…”

“Right, when someone has a mental breakdown, you naturally have to break their wrist. I almost made a needless misunderstanding.”

I actually did snap back to reality when my wrist broke, but there’s no need to mention that, so I’ll just stay quiet.

After all, Agath holds a significant share in the causes of my mental breakdown.

“No, it’s really a misunderstanding! Ask her!”

“Explain.”

I don’t want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. I’ll just accurately state what happened, just like Rebecca did yesterday.

“Agath did something bad, so please hit her instead of me.”

“…I’m being wronged.”

“It’s okay. There’s no crime without motive.”

I could see electricity flowing from the kitchen knife Leo was holding. And Leo raised the hand holding the knife high.

“…Nice boat?”

“No. It’s a kick.”

And then Leo’s fist powerfully struck Agath’s abdomen, almost passing through it.

“Kuhak!”

Agath spat blood on the floor and then collapsed, clutching her abdomen. That must be quite painful.

“I… I’ve become unable to bear children…”

“You can heal it with divine power anyway.”

“What are you going to do after fixing my stomach? Don’t tell me you have a fetish for stomach punches?”

“…Should I really put a hole in your stomach?”

Now I can understand why Rebecca did what she did yesterday. How could anyone resist something this fun?

“I’ll be going now. She can’t move anyway, so deal with her yourself.”

With that, Leo left Agath behind and went back outside the room.

If someone asked me when was the happiest moment since I reincarnated into this world, I would definitely answer that it’s now.

It feels as refreshing as a completely blocked highway suddenly clearing up.

“…Lite? Can you help me up? I can’t move my body right now.”

Agath said while trembling and clutching her stomach as she lay on the floor.

“But who is Lite?”

“You are.”

“My name is Kim Min-jun… oh, that’s right.”

Come to think of it, I was forcibly renamed yesterday. So much happened overnight that I momentarily forgot.

It’s really unfair when I think about it. Why did they even change my name?

While I was grumbling to myself, Agath groaned and said:

“Anyway, help me up. I really can’t get up…”

“If you promise to buy me masculine clothes.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Alright. Then I’ll go ahead. Good luck getting out on your own.”

Just as I was about to leave Agath alone in the room, I heard a declaration of surrender.

“Fine… I’ll buy them…”

“I didn’t hear you clearly. Could you say that again?”

“I’ll… buy you… masculine… clothes… ugh…”

I can feel Agath gritting her teeth as she barely manages to answer.

Now I can finally say goodbye to this damn skirt. And I won’t need to wear girly clothes anymore.

Thinking about that makes me smile involuntarily. So I happily helped Agath up.

***

When I asked Rebecca, she instantly healed my right wrist and Agath’s abdomen. I wish I had an ability like that…

“The treatment is done. And even if healing is possible, please take better care of your body.”

“Let’s go buy clothes now…”

Agath said in a completely drained voice. Me wearing women’s clothes? That’s never going to happen.

Just as we were about to go outside, Leo suddenly stopped us.

“You know today isn’t a holiday, right?”

“It doesn’t matter if we’re at the office or not since no requests are coming in anyway.”

“You never know. A request might suddenly come in today.”

“I heard the same thing two weeks ago.”

“…Just hurry back to the office after buying clothes.”

But Leo’s warning was easily bypassed. Now all that’s left is to say goodbye to this damn skirt.

Just as we were about to go outside, Leo sighed and said to Rebecca:

“Follow them and make sure Agath doesn’t do anything weird. And never leave Agath and Lite alone together.”

“Yes, anything else you want me to do?”

“If possible, buy three boxes of sugar cubes.”

“Okay. I’ll be back.”

And so the three of us went out to buy my clothes.

***

This world is almost identical to the world I used to live in. Except for the people, I wouldn’t be able to tell which one was my original world.

Thinking about being all alone in this world makes me feel lonely again.

“We’re almost there. We need to go to that department store over there.”

“Can’t we just go to the local market? It doesn’t seem necessary to go to an expensive department store…”

There’s a saying that clothes are wings, but that only applies to good-looking people. For an ordinary person like me, expensive clothes are just a luxury.

And I’d only buy expensive clothes if I were meeting women, but since I only ever meet guys, is there any reason to buy expensive clothes?

…Come to think of it, there are two women right next to me. Still, I have no desire for fancy clothes.

“We have plenty of funds, so don’t worry and buy whatever you want. Especially women’s clothes, preferably.”

She still can’t let go of the women’s clothes. No matter what happens, I will never voluntarily buy women’s clothes.

“It’s okay. I’ll just accept your kind thoughts.”

Having lived a frugal life, I don’t feel like buying expensive clothes even when told to. I’ll just buy something moderately plain.

As soon as we entered the department store, a big commotion suddenly erupted from the lobby area.

“A villain has appeared! Please wait until a hero arrives!”

From the direction of the commotion, a guide was shouting loudly and evacuating people.

“Shouldn’t we evacuate too?”

“Wait a moment.”

Agath approached the guide, showed something like a badge, and said:

“Excuse me. What’s the villain’s status?”

“About B-rank. Are you here to help?”

“Yes, we’ll handle it promptly.”

Agath had a normal conversation with the guide. I’ll say it again. Agath had a “normal” conversation with the guide.

It’s completely different from how she usually speaks with sexual innuendos as a baseline.

“…You could talk like that too?”

“Public and private matters are separate. And it’s time for your first request.”

“First request?”

According to the contract I signed before, I would be paid based on the requests I complete. So now the moment has come for me to work for the first time.

Since I have no experience in combat, I won’t do that. Maybe they’ll have me help evacuate people instead?

“See that villain over there? Try to subdue him.”

“…What?”