Chapter 86: My rival appears and I’m stunned
Translated by X-tremeEdited by X-treme
“That’s the last of it. How’s it going over there?”
After piercing the yellow demon with the longsword in his right hand, and at the same time slashing the black dog’s throat with the dagger in his left hand, Gams called out to the others.
“Stabbed.”
“Done.”
Kang and Ran are holding up their spears from a short distance away. The tips of their spears are wet with fresh blood.
“If you are injured, please come this way.”
One of the villagers was holding his arm and walking up to Chem. A faint light flooded his hands and his wounds closed up, leaving not even a scar.
“We got rid of three too.”
Murus and the other elves, who were holding their bows on the branches of a large tree, responded. There were some injuries, but they were minor, so I guess they’re doing well. Since then, we’ve been cutting down monsters every day. On a good day, we’re able to kill about 20 of them, which must be quite a blow to the evil gods.
The Dark Elves’ group is working separately from ours, but I’ve been peeking over there every now and then, so I just confirmed that they finished safely. I don’t worry too much about injuries because they can manage them with the recovery medicine. Besides, the God of Nature is watching over the other side, so he doesn’t need me to interfere.
It’s been quite a few days since we decided to team up with the Dark Elves. The proposal to move to this village is still pending. The proposal to move to my village is still pending. It seems that they are still reluctant to abandon the village they have lived in for so long. Still, the decision has to be made by that day.
Just when I thought I had plenty of time left in my busy life, both in the game and in real life, there are only three days left until the [Temptation of the Evil God]. Of course, I got permission from the president to take that day and the day before off. Today, I have to do the regular cleaning of Utopia from noon, so once that’s done, I can concentrate on 《Village of Fate》.
Checking the time, I knew I had better get ready. I slip my arms into the sleeves of my work clothes, which I’ve grown accustomed to wearing, and put my essentials into the many pockets. The most important thing is not my wallet, but my phone. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to see what was going on in the village. As I left the room, I heard the sound of a car approaching, so I rushed down the stairs.
“Mom, I’m going.”
Without waiting for a reply, I left the house and the car arrived at almost the same time. I got into the car that had come to pick me up at home and hurried to the scene. As I sat in the car, I kept thinking about something. This is the fourth time I’ve been to Utopia for regular cleaning, and I have some thoughts about the president.
I’ve made eye contact with the president many times while cleaning. It’s not that there aren’t people who come to watch the cleaning, but no one comes to watch over and over again. I have a feeling that those eyes are only looking at me. If it was a woman’s passionate gaze, I wouldn’t be so upset, but it’s not like that. It’s a cold stare, like he’s judging me. Yes, just like the way my neighbors used to look at me when I was a……NEET.
“Thanks for the cleanup.”
I had finished cleaning the corridor and was taking a break, so I went to the vending machine corner on the third floor to pick up a drink and was sitting on a bench drinking when suddenly a voice called out to me. I looked up and saw the president of this company, Mr. Chosokabe.
“Oh, thank you.”
“Don’t be nervous. I’m just calling out to you since I’m on break too.”
I choose a cup of unsweetened coffee from the vending machine and sit down across the glass desk from him.
“My employees are always happy to see you clean up so well.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
I think I’m speaking with an amiable smile on my face, but let’s hope the smile isn’t too tight.
“I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time.”
“With me? I’m just a part-time janitor, remember?”
He smiled and said something creepy. I don’t think so, but I’ve seen this kind of development before. I’ve seen manga and TV dramas that feature men and women……of the same sex, and I’ve seen people talk to each other unexpectedly and develop a romance. But that’s only possible because they’re both beautiful, and I don’t have any of those elements.
There is only one reason I can think of for why someone like him would want to talk to me……and if possible, I don’t want that prediction to come true.
“You are an acquaintance of Seika Tsumabuki, right?”
When I heard that name, I felt as if I had been splashed with cold water. Why does Seika’s name come up here……? When I stared back at the other man’s face, President Chosokabe continued to talk with a smile on his face.
“You were childhood friends, and until college we were more than friends, but less than lovers. However, you failed to find a job and became a recluse NEET. Seika, on the other hand, is active in a large company that everyone knows. She is the chief manager at a young age. It’s an amazing disparity.”
His tone remains calm, but I can see the contempt and ridicule in his voice. He’s completely looking down on me and making fun of me. But I don’t care about that. Why is this guy checking up on me and also about Seika?
“….You’re a creepy guy. Why did you look up me and Seika?”
He’s a client, but there’s no need to be polite to this guy. I glare at him with hostility, but he makes a plain face.
“Well, your employee training is not good enough for you to talk to the client like that. I wish you’d learn from us.”
I thought I lowered my voice and said it with a hint of fear, but he just laughed at me.
“I’ll ask you again, how do you know all this?”
“That’s because I had a research company look into it. If you have money, this kind of thing is easy to do. Oh, that’s right. The reason why I asked this cleaning company you work for to do the job was just a way to talk to you.”
This guy gives off the same vibe as Yoshinaga, who was stalking…..my sister. He’s even worse than I thought. That’s for sure. I looked around for help, but there was no sign of the president or Mr. Yamamoto.
The employees of this company, when they pass by, glance at me and when they see that the president is there, they turn on their heels and leave. No one even tries to come close to this place. How much do they hate this guy?
“I have one favor to ask you…….Can you please stop following Seika-san around? I don’t want you to get involved again.”
“Sounds like it’s not a funny joke…….”
“I’m serious.”
His eyes are definitely serious. I really don’t know what he’s thinking.
“Maybe you’re in love with Seika and want to get rid of me?”
“Yes, that’s right. I met Seika-san for the first time before while negotiating with her company, and from the first moment I saw her, I was captivated by her. I repeatedly asked her to be my personal secretary and lover, but I found out that the reason why I couldn’t get a better response was because you were in the way. She’s so pure-hearted and kind that she can’t bear to abandon you. That’s what she thinks. So, if she walks away from you, she will be able to take a step toward happiness. You know that, don’t you? You must know that someone like me is suitable for Seika-san, and that you’re not the right person for her. I’ll give you enough money to live and play for a few years, so please move somewhere else tomorrow.”
He’s talking too fast. He’s suddenly become a little guy. I had been wary of President Chosokabe, but this development was beyond my imagination. I didn’t expect it to involve romance. Like my sister, beautiful women have a lot to worry about.
I almost missed it because it was so uncomfortably long, but I could understand what he was trying to say, even though it was frustrating. If I look at it objectively from the world’s point of view, he’s probably a better match for Seika. People like me are not on the same level. So, if I want to make Seika happy, it’s probably best for me to step aside. But…
“No.” I reply in a strong tone.
“……Good grief, can’t the losers in life even make a calm decision? Pathetic. Oh, I get it. You want more money. I can give you a hundred million out of my pocket, so…”
“Shut up, fake celebrity. I don’t give a damn what you or the world thinks. I’ve decided to be happy with Seika. You may have doubts and regrets, but that’s for me and Seika to decide. I don’t need others to tell me what to do.”
I was upset by the turn of events, but when I said what I had been thinking, I felt better. If there was only one thing I could be grateful to this man for, it would be that he had reaffirmed something important in me, my feelings for Seika. Now my hesitation is gone. Perhaps he doesn’t understand the meaning of my words, but he’s not surprised and just stares at me.
“How can you say such a thing when you’ve been a NEET for ten years?”
“I’ve had enough breaks for one lifetime, and from here on out I’m going to live my life to the fullest for my family and Seika. And I don’t think that……Seika will be happy even if she goes out with you.”
This is not a sign of strength, but my heart. I don’t know if I can entrust Seika to a man like this, a man who even seems crazy.
“Oh dear, there is nothing more annoying than a proud poor person. Your family and sister must be in trouble if you are so stubborn. If any more employees leave a certain company, will the business be viable?”
Now he’s talking out of his ass, man!
“Hey, don’t tell me you……pulled an employee out of my sister’s company just to spite me? Just to give you more material to threaten me with…….”
“You’re half right and half wrong. It’s true that I thought I could use them as material to harass and threaten you, but those two had another role to play. I’ve been very fortunate, you know. Everything I do, everything I get done, goes in my favor.”
When I deliberately broke off the conversation there, he stared at me with a grinning, irritated face. He looked as if he wanted to say, “You wouldn’t understand, anyway.” I wanted to argue with him, but I clenched my fists and held back, it’s not time yet.
“I like the look of frustration on your face. It makes me feel good, so I’ll tell you something special. I’m actually a player on the……Evil God side.”
“What?”
I lean back and make a surprised sound…..Well, it was just an act. That was to be expected. I had considered that possibility many times. It was great to hear the truth from his mouth.
“Hmmm. I could tell right away that you were a player on the Lord God side. You’re a celebrity to the evil side.”
I guess he’s referring to the one time that my information was leaked to the evil god’s board. I didn’t want to become a celebrity for this. But now I know why they’ve been going to such lengths to keep their hands off me. It was because the gods had discussed the matter and forbidden them to touch me or my family directly.
“By the way, the monsters gathered in the Forbidden Forest are all my hands. It seems that you are trying to reduce your strength little by little every day, but unlike the former NEET, I have a huge amount of money. Replenishing the monsters will be a snap and won’t hurt or itch. Thank you for your futile efforts.”
If I was dealing with an ordinary businessman, I could have done a lot of damage to his wallet, but to this guy, the cost of summoning a monster is just a small price to pay.
“Even if it is……I’m not going to let you beat me that easily.”
“It’s useless. Yes, let me give you another piece of information to make you more desperate. There are four players from the Evil God side in this company, including me. And what if they all launch an all-out attack on you with the next [Temptation of the Evil God]? Hahahahaha!”
He pointed at me, his voice leaking out in amusement though he was holding his mouth. Just looking at that triumphant smile made me sick to my stomach. If I stay here any longer, I feel like I’m going to slam my fist into this side of my head, so I silently leave my seat.
“Oh, you’re running away, are you? You only have two days left to live, but have fun with the villagers. Oh, yes. Lastly, let me tell you the name of my god. The god I play is the God of Luck, who was on the side of the Lord God, but turned to the Evil God. That’s right, he is the one who was a follower of the God of Fate that you play.”
The one word that I hadn’t even imagined stopped me in my tracks, but I didn’t say anything and started walking again. The God of Luck……I was indeed not expecting this. This was a serious surprise. As I recall, earlier, when the God of Fate posed as a human and cooperated with me, she mentioned that she was a player of the God of Luck, right? I wonder if…..those words have anything to do with today’s events.
I finished my work and went back to my room. The amount of information I had to process was pushing my brain to the limit, and I didn’t talk much during the whole work day, so I made the boss and Mr. Yamamoto feel uncomfortable. I’ll apologize to them next time. Because of me, the regular cleaning with that company might be terminated.
“I’m sorry for what you had to go through, Mr. President…….”
Standing by the window, I could see the wagon getting smaller and smaller, so I put my hands together to apologize. When the car was out of sight, I lay down on the futon that had been laid out and relaxed my entire body.
“It’s nice to find out what’s been bothering me all but……ahhhhhhh.”
It turns out that all the problems I’ve been having for the past few weeks had something to do with me. Or rather, I was the one at the center of it all. It was a series of events orchestrated by a rich man who was madly in love and was trying to get his hands on Seika. I had no idea that I would be involved in another love affair after my sister.
If he was an ideal man inside, I might have had the option of gracefully stepping aside, but how could I trust my Seika to such a man! But I guess we’re done now. As long as I can deal with the crazy president, the matter will be settled. It’s nice to know that we have a clear objective and victory condition.
If Utopia’s president were to lose the game, he would lose all memory of the game, and there’s a good chance that all his problems with me and Seika would be solved.
“Oh, it’s so easy. Win and all is well, happy ending.”
After saying that, I twisted my mouth into a self-deprecating smile. In addition to paying all the money they want, there are four players on the Evil God side of the battlefield. Over here is me, a former NEET, and a current NEET.
“I guess we’ll just have to do…….”
I’ve decided not to stop. I would not give up until everything was done. I got up and sat down in front of my computer, and pulled out my phone, watching the villagers as usual.