Villain Retirement

"Just… who are you, Zero?"

Even with the auctioneer's voice and the collective gasps of shock and surprise of all the guests in the hall, Liza's words still traveled across the table — but she was too late to cover her mouth as she noticed this and glanced at the other women who they were sharing their table with.

Fortunately for her, none of them seemed to be paying any attention to her as all of them were also locked onto the undead themarian that was currently right in front of their eyes. One of them seemed completely terrified, but she did not leave her seat at all and only had an excited but nervous smile on her face.

As for Liza, she could not really concentrate on the auction at all as she just stared at Riley with a small pout on her face.

"This is illegal, Zero," Liza once again repeated her words.

"That is not really something you should be saying here, Miss Liza." And finally Riley returned her gaze, "You are a lawman trapped inside a large, dimly lit hall surrounded by dozens of criminals."

"Even so, we—"

"Your protocol is to preserve life," Riley looked Liza in the eyes, "I would suggest bending the law if you wish to follow protocol. Because if not…"

"..." Liza squinted her eyes as she watched Riley glance back. She also turned to look where he was looking, only to see several of the auction's guards glaring at her.

"The life that would be lost would be yours, Miss Liza," Riley sighed, "And we both would not like that, I believe."

"R… right," Liza only took in a small gulp as she finally turned her eyes at the auction; her attention, however, was still completely on Riley, "You… you still should have told me in advance where we were going."

"But you would not have come with me, Miss Liza," Riley shook his head.

"Exactly…" Liza whispered, "...I can't be seen loitering around here. I might lose my job."

"You do not have to worry, Miss Liza," Riley once again shook his head, "After this is done, you will not have to work for another hundred years."

"What are you even say—"

[We are starting the bid at $2,000,000!]

"Two…two… two million!?"

"Oh…" Riley could not help but place his hand on his chin as soon as he heard that, "...It is much smaller than I thought, perhaps we should look for another auction house, Miss Liza."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Zero!?" Liza quickly grabbed Riley by the wrist as he was about to stand up, "You could buy a fucking island with that money with a good shoreline, like… white beach and stuff, and a big fucking mansion!"

"Oh…" Riley squinted his eyes before just calmly returning to his seat, "...Perhaps I should learn how much a dollar is worth in this place soon. How much did you pay for that automatic car of yours, Miss Liza?"

"Five… $525," Liza scratched her chin and looked away, "At… at least I paid it in cash!"

"And how much is a manual car?"

"You mean like, with the steering wheel and pedals?"

"Yes."

"...There are no manual cars," Liza squinted her eyes, "Everything is automated and guided to ensure the safety of everyone. Wait, we're getting sidetracked here… Zero, that's two million fucking dollars."

"Miss Liza… that is just the starting bid."

"Wha—" And finally, Liza woke up from her excitement as she heard the bids.

[$4,200,000! Do I hear—]

"500."

[$4,700,000! $4,700,000 from that white-haired gentleman over there!]

"4…What the fuck are you doing, Zero!?" Liza's eyes turned wide as she realized it was Riley who raised his hand. But before she could even say anything else, the price just kept getting higher and higher up to the point she couldn't even keep up to it; her eyes, almost turning into dollar signs as she forgot about everything else. Soon, however, she once again snapped out of it as she remembered something that Riley said,

"Wait… what do you mean by 'I don't have to work for a hundred years after this is done'…?" Liza looked Riley in the eyes; her breaths, almost trembling.

"You get half of whatever we get from this transaction, Miss Liza," Riley casually said without even looking at Liza.

"What the—" Liza almost screamed right there and then, only able to save herself from embarrassment as she covered her mouth, "What do you—why?"

"Because we live together, Miss Liza," Riley blinked a couple of times, "I am obligated to give you half."

"That… doesn't make any sense."

"It does, Miss Liza," Riley shrugged.

"How…?"

"Would you rather not have the money, Miss Liza?" Riley tilted his head as he finally turned to look at Liza again.

"Well, I… not… wel…psh," Liza could not really form any coherent sentence in her mouth as she just rolled her lips, "...Are you sure?"

"Yes," Riley nodded, "The only value money brings to me is just that, Miss Liza, monetary. With what I am now, I value connections with other people more — they tend to progress my story."

"What… what do you want in exchange, then?" Liza took in another big gulp, "My… my silence?"

"No, I do not care if you report me, Miss Liza," Riley shook his head,

"But that would be against your protocol — I plan on resisting if they are going to arrest me. And I assure you, a lot of people will die."

"I… I feel like I bit more than I can chew here," Liza's hand started to tremble as she once again covered her lips, "If… if you do not want my silence. Then… then…

…is it my body?"

"That is up to you, Miss Liza," Riley nodded.

"It… it really is my body," Liza's entire body trembled before she looked at her beautiful dress, "Could… could it be that you like me, Zero? I'm… I'm flattered, but I don't even know which part of the multiverse you came from. I… I don't just sleep with anyone. I would have you know that… it's been more than a hundred, maybe another ever since I… I made love with—"

"I was not talking about sexual intercourse, Miss Liza," Riley blinked a couple of times as he heard Liza continue to blabber, "You advised me to open up my own restaurant, and since you are obligated to stay with me for a few more weeks, you could give me your help — your body."

"Oh…" Liza let out a very long and deep sigh, "...I thought… I thought you wanted some hanky panky."

"A what?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Liza shook her head as she just turned her back against Riley to escape this awkward conversation she herself created. She wanted to focus on the auction, truly — but even the numbers that she was hearing were not enough to drown the violent beating of her heart.

Is she… actually gaining a crush on Riley?

And unfortunately for her, her thoughts persisted until the very end of the auction.

"Miss Liza."

"Miss Liza."

"Huh…?"

"Please unlock the car so we can put the money in."

"Huh…?" Liza blinked a couple of times as she finally woke up from her stupor, only to find herself carrying a bag that clearly contained a ton of cash. And without even breathing, she quickly opened the car and threw the money in,

"We… we should leave."

"We are, Miss Liza," Riley nodded, "But before that…"

Unfortunately for Liza, before they could actually get in the car, they were suddenly surrounded by a group of men — led by one of the women who were sitting with them at their table earlier at the auction.

"Greetings, Mr. Zero. I assume you were the one who sold the unholy abomination? If so, since I was the one who bought it…" The woman then smiled as she elegantly bowed and curtsied in front of Riley,

…may I also please have a bit of your time as a bonus?"

"No," Riley, however, just nonchalantly opened the door and got in, closing it before the woman could even say anything else. As for Liza, well, she wasn't quite as casual as Riley; just trying her best to pretend to be calm as she slowly walked to her side of the car.

"Eep!"

Before she could even take 3 steps, however, one of the woman's… bodyguards blocked her path.

"Please don't sell my organs!" Liza quickly said as she tried covering herself; her breasts, almost popping out as her arms could barely contain them. And sure enough, this sight caused the woman's eye to slightly twitch.

"If we are gonna harvest you, it won't be for your organs, Ensign Liza," the woman smiled as her eyes continued to twitch while staring at Liza's humungous breasts, "Please, can you tell your… associate that I would truly appreciate it if he would talk to me."

"Uh…" Liza took in a small gulp as she started tapping the window of her car, "Zero… Zero!"

Riley, however, just let out a sigh as his window very slowly lowered,

"Very well…

…let us talk in my apartment."