"Ah, I died."
It was not an expression of emotion, but merely a statement of fact.
With the tightening sensation in my heart and the intense pain, my body, which had been frail since childhood, finally reached its limit.
My consciousness gradually began to fade, and my body lost control, collapsing downwards onto the office computer keyboard, messing up the spreadsheet I had half-completed.
'Forget it. At least I don't have to face these things anymore.'
The tower of empty Red Bull cans beside me also crashed down, ringing out with a crisp clatter, playing the funeral dirge for my final moments.
'If there is an afterlife, I really hope I won't have to worry about karma or human favors, and can freely say: No.'
Just like that, accompanied by the first ray of dawn, my consciousness plunged completely into darkness.
---
I don't know how much time had passed, but my consciousness, which should have been silent, woke up once again, although everything around me remained pitch black, and I couldn't see a thing.
'Could it be that I'm not dead yet?'
This thought appeared in my mind instantly, but I had absolutely no sensation and was completely unable to move.
'It couldn't be that I've been placed in a coffin, could it? If I were to perform a "coffin-lid-lifting" stunt right now, would it look good?'
However, that kind of full-body coffin has long been out of fashion in this area, and as a wage slave with almost no attachments, I naturally wouldn't have such treatment.
'Wait, it wouldn't be inside an incinerator, would it? Hey, is anyone there...'
Although I wanted to try calling out, I couldn't perceive my mouth, and naturally, I couldn't make a sound.
'As I thought, I really am dead.'
[That's right, you're dead now.]
Accompanied by a playful laugh, a soft yet slightly lazy voice came through.
'May I ask who you are?'
[Me? People usually call me the Evil God 'D'.]
Then, the surroundings suddenly lit up, as if a single lamp had been turned on in a pitch-black room; although blinding, it was also a welcome sight. However, the next moment, a giant hand emerged from the shadows around me and grabbed me directly.
What appeared next was the owner of the hand, an equally enormous person. No, perhaps it wasn't that she was too huge, but that I was too small.
Right now, I was just a small white ball; I suppose this is what a soul looks like.
[A soul that retains consciousness, and is even this active, is quite rare.]
The stunningly beautiful girl in front of me, who called herself the Evil God 'D', had jet-black, floor-length hair that cascaded behind her, soft and smooth. Her eyes, shining like black pearls, seemed to captivate the soul, and paired with her flawless, fair skin—though her expression was lazy and languid—she was truly a beauty who could be rated twelve out of ten.
Then, using her jade-like, smooth hands, she placed me in her palm and played with me with great interest. Under other circumstances, I would probably feel deeply humiliated, but perhaps because she was such a beautiful girl, a feeling of warmth and closeness filled my heart.
The only pity was that I had no sensation right now and couldn't feel the softness of those hands.
[Do you want to come back to life?]
This sudden sentence interrupted my enjoyment and completely disrupted my train of thought. If I could live, who wouldn't want to? But...
'May I ask what I need to do?'
My reason remained intact; although the girl before me was charming, she also called herself an Evil God and was currently toying with my soul. At this moment, I faced the anxiety of being unable to resist, while also fearing that rashly agreeing to something would lead to even more unacceptable consequences.
[Hmm, let's see. You can work for me as my agent.]
'Sorry, I refuse.'
Perhaps the word "work" touched upon some trauma, as it slipped out without me thinking at all, but I didn't regret it.
[Even if you barely enjoyed a privileged life from birth to death?]
'I'm already too tired.'
Being without a body, it naturally wasn't physical fatigue, but an exhaustion stemming from within my heart.
[Even if you worked hard constantly, only to end up being used by others, coerced by 'good intentions', and finally dying alone from exhaustion?]
'How could I not hear those seniors and leaders talking about how young people should gain more experience, how young people should go through more, how young people should... Heh, it's all bullshit. But ultimately, I only have myself to blame; it was I who wanted to prove myself too much, who wanted to do everything perfectly. But it's all over now. Perhaps when they see my death, they will sigh, feel regret, or perhaps not react at all, using it as fodder for small talk over tea. But it doesn't matter anymore.'
Then, the Evil God lady in front of me rested her chin on one hand, thinking for a moment, and then laughed as if she had discovered something.
[Even if you've lived this long without ever having a girlfriend?]
"Uh... I, uh... Alright."
Although I struggled internally, that longing was just too strong. Did I crave love? Perhaps. More importantly, I craved having a home.
[Contract established!]
There were no terms discussed, yet the contract was established just like that. At the same time, 'D' merged a ball of light with my soul, and the contents of the contract entered my mind.
1. Carry out the Evil God's business in the capacity of 'D's' agent (retainer).
2. After completing business, receive a variable reward based on contribution.
3. During the validity period of the contract, participate in other activities that require the status of an agent (retainer).
4. As an agent (retainer), one must obey the relevant arrangements of the superior, 'D'.
5. After accumulating rewards worth 10 billion T-points, the contract will be terminated, and the contractor can obtain freedom and the official status of an Evil God.
The contract felt very subtle; it looked like a labor contract from some unscrupulous company. At the same time, 10 billion points seemed like a lot, but I didn't know their specific value. Perhaps it would be impossible to complete in a hundred-year lifetime, or maybe it would take thousands or tens of thousands of years? Does that mean I could live forever?
At the same time, there was no penalty mechanism in the contract for breaking it, or perhaps this contract was simply impossible to violate.
Although there were still too many complaints I wanted to make in my heart, the Evil God lady had already begun the next step.
[Next is to make you a body; after all, you can't do anything with just a soul. Next, I will randomize a body that you know and that possesses the same nature as you. By the way, how did you die?]
'I suppose it counts as death from overwork, but can't I use my original body?'
Although my original body was very frail and had an ordinary appearance, with the only thing to be proud of being my height of 1.85 meters, it was still my own body.
[Let me see... Oh, your original body has already been cremated and scattered into the sea.]
'True, cemeteries are so expensive these days...'
It was an unexpected but reasonable result; the boss, who didn't even have a place to send the compensation money, must be very happy.
Then, a machine similar to a slot machine appeared before my eyes as if by magic, with the words "Death from Overwork" flashing in neon lights on it.
'D' casually pulled the lever, and many familiar names began to flash across it.
Ernesti Echevarria (Knight's & Magic)
...
Satou (Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody)
Fairy Swordsman (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
...
...
Wise King Gilgamesh (Fate)
Lord El-Melloi II (Fate)
'Ernesti, does his pre-reincarnation self count? Fairy Swordsman, what the hell is that? Wise King Gil, this one is good, Wise King Gil! Ah, it passed. El-Melloi would also be fine... Ah, that passed too.'
Just like that, names I was familiar with or didn't have much impression of kept flashing by. The slot machine gradually came to a stop, settling on the name that would determine my future life:
Jean Gunnhildr (Genshin Impact)
'Perhaps I have never regretted playing Genshin Impact as much as I do right now.'
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