Chapter 72

Actually, I have no romance for maid outfits.

Even when I was a man, I wasn’t particularly into that kind of thing.

To be precise, I didn’t have much of a sex drive to begin with, but I didn’t have any fetishes either.

“Ah. Thanks.”

“Huh.”

In front of me was coffee, and in front of Eve was black tea.

Eve was staring at her with her mouth wide open.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Do I look like I’m not surprised?”

To put it simply, I have no interest in maid outfits.

That’s why I didn’t make Aquamarine wear one.

Yeah, at least I didn’t make her wear a maid outfit.

But I didn’t say I wouldn’t make her do maid work.

Promises are meant to be kept, and Aquamarine lost to me.

So she has to abide by my conditions.

I demanded that Aquamarine leave the Magical Girl Association and transfer to the Mogmog Group. Aquamarine cried her eyes out, begging me to reconsider, but I wasn’t having it.

I told her to take responsibility for her words and instead of talking, I engraved it into her with my fist. Aquamarine submitted her resignation to the Association and came to where the Mogmog Group is.

And so, this is how it ended up.

Instead of a maid outfit, she’s dressed in a suit and acting as my secretary.

Even if she’s trying to keep a straight face, I know she’s seething inside, but whatever, not my problem.

If she didn’t like it, she should’ve won.

“No… I didn’t think that temper of hers would get fixed.”

“If you beat someone enough, they’ll listen. When they feel like they might actually die if they mess up, they’ll start listening.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s not like she didn’t get hit. She got beaten to a pulp by me a few times too. But you’re saying she got fixed in one go?”

“The answer to that is simple.”

“What is it?”

There’s one thing Eve doesn’t know, but the answer is really simple.

I took a sip of my still-steaming coffee and smirked.

“She didn’t get hit enough. If you beat someone to the point where they think they’re going to die, they’ll change on their own.”

“Ugh… you’re really something. No matter what, you can’t just beat someone to the point of death.”

“Ah. Really?”

You talk so well, but you’re not one to talk.

“Is it okay for you to stalk me like that?”

“Ah, no, hey! Why are you bringing that up here?!”

“What do you mean?”

Aquamarine suddenly showed interest.

I grinned at her—

“Eve had someone stalk me like a total creep…”

“Ah! Ah! Ah! I already said I was sorry about that!”

Eve tried to stop me from talking, but Aquamarine had already heard half of it.

Aquamarine was glaring at Eve with cold eyes.

“President, I didn’t think you were like that.”

“You’ve always seen me like that! And you shouldn’t say things like that!”

“Why shouldn’t I? You perverted lesbian. A voyeuristic lesbian at that.”

“Is this for real?!”

They’re both being ridiculous.

I sipped my coffee while watching their little spat.

One has a physical weakness.

The other has a mental weakness.

Having both weaknesses in my grasp makes life so much easier.

If every day could just flow like this, it’d be great.

But it’s not really like that.

“Ahem.”

“So, what’s the reason you came here?”

“Right. I’ll cut to the chase.”

Eve took a sip of her now-cold tea and set the cup down.

“Give Aquamarine back.”

“No.”

Straightforward.

Not even worth considering.

“What?”

“Let me say it again. No. No. No. I’m not giving her back. I won’t give her back.”

“You’re not serious.”

“Not serious about what?”

Eve’s lips were trembling. Based on experience, she’s definitely thinking something weird and nonsensical again.

“You’re not serious about liking Aqua—”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

I knew you’d say that. She wasn’t like this when we first met, but she’s been acting weirder and weirder. I can’t tell what she’s thinking. Her character’s really messed up.

“Then why won’t you give her back?”

“Aquamarine, get me another cup of coffee.”

“Okay.”

I let her skip the honorifics. It was awkward when I made her use them.

“To boss her around?”

“Well, that’s part of it.”

But it’s not like I don’t have people to serve me.

Both Dusik and Sohee would come running if I asked them to serve me, and Chilho’s the same.

“I won her.”

“What?”

Is that hard to understand? Why can’t she get it?

I leaned forward and looked Eve straight in the eyes.

Since I’m taller than Eve, our eye levels matched when I leaned forward.

Staring straight at the slightly flustered Eve, I continued clearly.

“It was a fight where we each put ourselves up as the prize. I won. I earned her. Why should I give back something I fought for and won? If you want her back, bring something of equal value.”

It’s simple logic.

I put myself up as the prize. It wasn’t voluntary, but still.

I think Aquamarine would’ve done the same if she had won and demanded me as her prize.

And I won that fight.

So I demanded Aquamarine as my reward, and I got her.

“It’s only logical. Eve, you’re an adult, I’m an adult, and Aquamarine’s an adult. So we should take responsibility for our words. We fought fair and square, and she lost. So she has to take responsibility. Right?”

“Well… that’s true, but…”

Eve seemed at a loss for words, flustered and unable to continue.

“And. Do you have no common sense?”

Eve’s eyes widened as if to ask what I was talking about.

How did she even function in society without knowing something so basic?

Tap, tap, tap, tap…

My fingers drummed on the table.

The soft sound of well-manicured nails tapping on the wooden table filled the office.

“If you’re going to make such a request.”

A faint smile played on my lips.

“You shouldn’t have come empty-handed.”

You should’ve at least brought some form of compensation before making such a request.

“If you’re going to ask someone to return a prize they rightfully earned, saying it was a mistake.”

That’s the basics of social etiquette.

“You should’ve come with an offer first.”

You get it, Eve?

“That’s how it should be, right?”

Don’t look down on me like that.

“Let’s be realistic. You and I are enemies. Aquamarine would agree with that too. And, Aquamarine was utterly defeated by me and even made a public announcement. She admitted she lost to the Mother-Body. And in return, she became a ‘Fallen Magical Girl’ and is now part of the Mogmog Group, right?”

Fallen, or converted magical girls aren’t unheard of.

It’s not common, but it’s not without precedent either.

Dusik is a precedent.

“And, if you want to save a ‘Fallen Comrade,’ you need to bring something of equal value. You can’t just take someone else’s prize. That’s not proper etiquette.”

“…”

Eve was staring at me with a blank expression.

“Is that so?”

“That’s how it is.”

“Alright, fine.”

What?

“Let’s do this.”

Eve leaned forward like I did.

A somewhat strange smile appeared on her pale face.

Her eyes were fixed on me, a slight smile playing on her lips.

“Fight me.”

“What?”

“Mother-Body, fight me.”

“And?”

“If you win, I’ll convert to your side. If I win, you come to mine.”

“Instead of Aquamarine?”

This time, Eve smirked at my words.

Ugh, that smile of hers is kind of creepy. She should really stop smiling like that.

“Aquamarine’s under you, right? So, if you come under me, Aquamarine automatically comes under me too.”

“That’s true.”

“Right? Then I’ll take that as acceptance and prepare—”

“No thanks.”

I never said I’d agree.

I never said I’d do it.

“What?”

She didn’t expect me to refuse.

Eve’s eyes widened as she stared at me in shock.

No, actually, I want to ask.

What on earth made her think I’d accept such a condition?

At least try to phrase it better.

If you’re going to say something so nonsensical, at least try to hide it a bit.

Besides, if I were to switch to the Magical Girl Association, wouldn’t the Mogmog Group naturally dissolve?

They’d have to find a new Mother-Body, and seeing how dumb Keru is, it’d take time, and she’d probably just mess things up and get crushed.

Then the Mogmog Group would naturally collapse.

And the world would go boom.

Did you not think about that, President Eve?

“Eve, you should really think before you speak.”

“Why are you picking a fight all of a sudden?”

“You getting defensive makes me think you hear that a lot.”

“No, I don’t!”

Her face turned red, probably because I hit a nerve.

“Did you even think about what would happen to the Mogmog Group if I switched to being a magical girl?”

“Well, of course, they’d find a new Mother… ah.”

“Ugh. You idiot.”

“You know it’s even more frustrating hearing that from you, right?”

“I think I’m better than you, though?”

“Hey, objectively speaking, I’m way better than you in both looks and intelligence!”

“You’re insane.”

I can’t just let that slide.

What?

She thinks she’s better-looking than me?

Huh.

If that statement were posted online, it’d spark a Colosseum-level debate for season 2135754.

“Eve, you might not know this since you don’t have them, but for women, looks include breasts. You… well, I won’t say it. I feel a bit sorry.”

“Are you done?”

Eve glared at me with dagger eyes, and I just smirked in response.

“Aquamarine, I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Yeah. For women, looks include breasts, body shape, hips, everything.”

Aquamarine definitely has the upper hand over Eve in terms of breasts, hips, and overall body shape. Eve’s face is pretty, but honestly, her body lacks curves.

“Eve, you’ve lived a life without curves, so you might not know, but those of us who’ve lived curvy lives know. Looks aren’t just about the face. Ah, of course, my face is better than yours too.”

“You… you…”

Eve’s face turned bright red, clearly frustrated.

“Honestly, even Dusik might be bigger than you.”

“Aquamarine, stop. You’re going to make her cry. You didn’t have to add that Dusik’s still growing.”

“No, I didn’t say that…”

“You crazy bitches! Fine, those so-called breasts, those imitations, those lumps of fat! Those monstrosities! I’ll prove that they’re worthless!”

With that, Eve searched something on her phone and slammed it down in front of us.

“Let’s settle this with this!”

Ignoring Eve’s bold declaration, Aquamarine and I looked at what she had pulled up on her phone.

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