In the end, Shimizu Yuuri was my choice. The Ice Lady was aware of what I was looking for. I just hope she is not going to demand anything crazy in exchange. Until now, everything is clear. The next day, after I met Shimizu-sensei, I contacted Püjöl to inform him I got someone for him.
"Ah, hello, Mr. Püjöl? It's the Divine Reincarnation HR Ltd.…"
"Oh, it's been a while. I would call you myself in a few days." — I could feel a bit of relief in the customer's voice.
"There is no need, sir. We wanted to inform you about a certain candidate for you."
"Is it a female?"
"Yes, as you requested."
"Lovely, Fukhra. When can I get her?"
It's Fukuhara…Fu-ku-ha-ra!
Come to think of it. Do I pronounce his name right? Perhaps he is mispronouncing my name purposely…
"We can schedule an appointment."
"How about tomorrow? At 15:00 of your time. In my realm."
"Yes, of course. Then, until tomorrow, sir."
Another travel, great…
***
"Nooo!" — everyone could hear a loud monkey scream throughout the entire floor.
"I said we were going to be late! They are already out of pesto lasagna!" — Masaru's gaze drilled into Ogawa.
"Why are you staring at me like if it's my fault?"
All at once, Saru's face changed. It resembled rather a demon. A monkey demon. He started speaking, in a very calm, unusual for him, cold voice. His eyes emotionless, yet cold and scary. Like if a predator was looking at its prey.
"Oh, right. It is not your fault. It is not you who sent me to the storage room right when the break started because our printer was short on paper. It is not you the one who refused to go because you had not finished your caramel latte macchiato with almond milk yet. It is not you the one who did not want to enter the elevator because it was too full of people, and you get claustrophobic if you are in a small room filled up with people." — he took a breath and continued – "Yes, it is not your fault. It is our fault as society to accept selfish and arrogant creeps like yourself. You are not worthy to live."
"Saru, stop. You're exaggerating, it's just a lasagna."
Masaru turned to me.
"Yes, senior, Fukuhara Kazuya, it is just a lasagna. And I am just a person. And my feeling, dreams and desires, they all are just feelings, dreams and desires. They don't matter. I am irrelevant, that's what you want to tell me?"
"What? No!" — I raised my palms. What the hell is wrong with him?
"Then why do someone's wishes matter, but mine is just a lasagna? Can't a lasagna be an important thing for someone? Perhaps lasagna is something more than just lasagna for me?"
"…"
"Why are you silent, senior? I assumed that you were familiar with the answer. Am I wrong?"
"…"
Knock, knock
It was the noise of the opening of a new container.
"More portions of pesto lasagna! More portions of pesto lasagna!" — screamed one of the cooks.
Masaru instantly ran 20 meters, already having a tray in his hands.
"One portion of pesto lasagna, please!" — he asked with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. No trace of his demonic phase from 5 seconds ago.
"…"
"…"
A monkey in a rage can be very scary… Screw this company, they hire every psychopath out there.
I went to take a tray for myself and only then realized that Ogawa had gone missing. Then I turned myself and saw Furuya staying right where he was when Masaru's rage took control over himself. He was trembling and mumbling something I couldn't understand from where I was standing. As I approached him to take him with me, I heard him mumbling – "I am not worthy to live. I am not worthy to live. I am not worthy to live."
"…"
W-wow. No, sometimes even Ogawa can be scared. However, to see him in such a state was something new to me. Something new and also something terrible.
Where was the medical team stationed? Was it the third floor or second… I really hope they got psychotherapists there.
I ate something fast, took our mentally wounded assassin to the medical team, and it was already time to meet with Ms. Shimizu
***
"Hello, Fukuhara-kun."
"Hello. Please, Ms. Shimizu, call me Kazuya instead."
"Hmm… alright, Kazuya-kun." — she kindly smiled at me.
Damn, I haven't been called with that suffix since years. Last time I was in a high-school? Or even earlier?
It has a nostalgic feeling. I could do nothing but react with some kind of satisfaction on my face.
"Hm? So you like to be called like that? That's rather cute"
I shuddered. It was Yamazaki who heard and saw me from the side. How did I not notice him? No. Why did I not notice him? A regret washed away the smile from my face.
"What are you doing here, Yamazaki?"
"Hey-hey, hold on a little. Kazuya-kun, how can you speak so informally to me, your superior?" — he looked at me with some disappointment.
Sigh
Do you want me to speak formally to you, Yamazaki? The one who made me an eternal slave here, just to have some additional extras to salary?
Alright… let's try to copy a certain demon monkey. We can play this game in both!
"Mr. Yamazaki, what are you doing here? Have you already done all your job? We have to study from you, Mr. Yamazaki, don't we? It would be a shame if our team-manager doesn't fit to be a role model for his men."
The team-manager's eyebrows slightly went up from my words. That was not the way he wanted to be spoken to, for sure.
"Ewgh, stop it."
"Stop what, Mr. Ya-ma-za-ki?"
He looked at me.
"You want a salary cut?"
"…"
"I thought so."
Well, I succeeded, but also failed. At least, he will probably never return to this topic.
"Oh, my. Is it your manager, Kazuya-kun? Hello. My name is Shimizu Yuuri. Nice to meet you!" — said the school-teacher in a gentle and calm voice, leaning a bit forward and placing a hand over her chest. She might not be as beautiful as the angel, but the sum of her charm, the way she speaks and acts, and her appearance makes her kind of cute.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly, Miss. I am Yamazaki Satoshi, the team manager of Kazuya-kun" – as he said the last part of his sentence, he twinkled to her.
What is it? Are you trying to pick up a candidate? Gross.
"So, what do you want?" — I interrupted his attempt to seduce Ms. Shimizu. Well, I am not sure that it is prohibited by company rules. However, the basics of worker-place ethics have to work here. Even if the certain team-manager does not follow them.
"Tsk, you can't read through the lines, can you? I was curious how you handled the request."
"With creativity, as you ordered." — I crossed my arms on my chest.
"This creativity is surely a piece of art." — he took Shimizu's hand and kissed it, making her face blush. She even smiled in a little confused way.
I'm going to puke now.
"Follow me, Ms. Shimizu, before this incubus eats your heart."
I tried to remind them of the topic.
"E-excuse me, Kazuya-kun, but where are we going?"
"To the portals, of course."
***
Püjöl firmly greeted us and led us to the manor where the "hero" lived.
"Hah? What's this?"
"This is the female you requested."
"No. I want a hot one. Hot. You understand?"
I bet you do. Any boy wants a hot lady. Until once, he understands what real beauty is…
"Ah… I am afraid I don't understand."
I never thought I'd pity a god. That's an odd scene here. After expressing his disappointment, the so-called hero came to us.
"Kneel upon me, peasants!"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
Yamazaki and I, both, reacted the same way and at the same time, with a poker face and eyes that looked like we were looking at a bin full of trash. Shimizu noticed it and chuckled, closing her mouth with a fist. I could tell Püjöl felt ashamed of his dear's hero's kind behavior.
The trash, I mean, the hero, was astonished by the fact we did not follow his order and kneeled upon him. You didn't see that coming, right?
"W-w-what is the meaning of this? Hey, god! Why do they not listen to me?"
Oh, perhaps because we are not your slaves? Crazy how a dude changed so much just after his death on Earth, where slavery is banned almost everywhere, at least in the civilized world. He definitely needs some beatings.
However, Shimizu made a step forward. She crossed her hands behind her back and made a small bowl, before asking him.
"Oh gentle and kind hero, may I know your name?"
"Hm? Sure. Kneel upon your hero, Alec!" — he seemed to appreciate such a question in such a way.
"Tsk."
"Tsk."
And again, Yamazaki and I reacted in unison. Stop copying me, you creep. I turned my head and saw our poor client covering his face with his palm.
"Mr. Püjöl, Mr. Püjöl."
"Hm? What is it?" — his voice sounds tired. I can't imagine how much he had to suffer with "hero Alec".
"Why did you need a hero for?" — I asked him.
"Sigh… I thought I could create a legacy with his help. His legacy should strengthen the faith of the people in me and unite them against a common enemy. But right now, I am not sure if I did the right thing…"
I can relate to the idea and method, but the instruments that are being used…
"And how much did you pay for this?"
"$45,000." — he answered without hesitation.
"…"
Dead silence.
"You were scammed…"
"Yep, absolutely" – Yamazaki agreed.
Our customer appeared to be unaware of the prices around the market. A few minutes of talk and that's it, our competitors from "The Hero Consultations" caught a big fish.
Well, let's see how our case is going on.
"Hero Alec, will you protect me?" — she poked a finger in her cheek and tilted her head, looking somewhere into the ceiling.
Alec flushed away.
"Y-y-yes! O-of course! I'm-m stro-n-ng, you kn-know?" — he showed her his biceps.
"He~, can I touch them?" — she kept making an excited face.
"S-s-sure!"
"You are so strong…"
"Yes! I am the strongest in the world! With me, you can fear nothing, huh?"
"However, what is it?"
She looked at a small scar on his biceps.
"Ah? That's nothing! Scars make men stronger, don't they?"
"Please, be more careful next time."
"W-what?! Do you have such disrespect for me, woman?! I am the strongest!"
Shimizu looked straight into his eyes. Instead of anger, there was clear anxiety. Is she already thinking about Alec, as he was her student?
"No. Just please, promise me to be careful next time, hero Alec. It is for the sake of the whole world, not only yours or mine."
"Yours?"
"You told me you'll protect me, didn't you?" — asked the teacher with a confused face.
He looked at her. I could see some kind of irritation on his face. The trash-bin-hero closed his eyes, scratching the back of his head.
"Fine-fine! I got it! I will be more careful!"
"Thank you, my hero!" — she clapped her hands and bowed once more.
I could see that Alec's face softened by this view.
Püjöl was impressed. Even I was impressed! From the first look, she didn't even look as if she were able to do something like this. Does she really enjoy it, or she just plays a role? Fujiwara, where in the world did you find her?
"It looks like this female can tame this beast."
I nodded. Then I felt a hand patting my head.
"There, there. I said to deal with it with creativity, but you impressed me."
I waved his hand away, not even looking at Yamazaki. Not like I did not appreciate his praise, but… well, that is Yamazaki, after all.
Still, our customer's face seemed like he was concerned about something.
"Is there something you don't like?"
"Hm? No, I am deeply thankful for your female. She is a blessing to this world. Sigh. I think I envy you, humans."
That came out of nowhere.
"Why?" — I asked him.
"Humans can create families and live their lives with them. This is truly a blessing… one that not every god can get."
"It doesn't fit for a god to be in envy of us humans" – said Yamazaki.
You are certainly no human, but a demon. There is The Demon in a skirt? You are The Demon in an office suit! But whatever.
"Hey, guys" – Shimizu called us – "I think I can manage him."
"Is Ms. Shimizu sure? You can reject it, we will never force you to stay here."
"It's really fine. He is just a bad boy who needs to learn manners. I can fix him" – she said it with a smile, but why did I catch a shiver? Is it because I'm aware she will beat him up if the normal methods don't work? Not like I pity him…
"I–I…" — she stuttered – "I… want to say…" — her face then turned red – "th-thank you very much! Thanks to you, my dream became real."
Her smile, her happy and blushed face, blinded the hell out of us.
"Cute."
"Cute."
Huh?
"Haha" – Püjöl chuckled – "and yet, I still envy you."
We both looked at him and asked – "why?"
"I will never have a son I could take care of and watch him working."
My face turned red. With all my air in my lungs, I screamed:
"I am not his son!"
"He is not my son!"
"…"
"…"
As Yamazaki and I, both with red faces, looked at each other, somewhere in the background Shimizu kept laughing. Finally, she took a breath and said – "like father, like son."
***
I came back to the office. I could go home right ahead, but I was curious how Ogawa was doing. Apparently, he was still with the medical team and only came back when I was already there. And I could tell why. His soul still hadn't recovered from the damage it received a few hours ago. He came to his desk and sat down, still trembling and mumbling that sentence. One minute later, Masaru came from the kitchen. He sat down, looked at Ogawa and asked…
"Hm? What's wrong with him?"
"…"
Name: Akashi Masaru
Nickname: The Monkey Demon
Attributes: is a monkey, doesn't give up, actually follows other's recommendations
Current relationship status: single, in love
Special skills: drinks alcohol, can cause severe emotional damage
…
After some time passed, I got a review from Püjöl. It said that Shimizu Yuuri assisted successfully Hero Alec and became a legend among the people, known as "The Gentle Punch". I'm curious how she got this nickname…
…