Villain Retirement

"You know, Zero… I quit my job."

"That is a logical decision, Miss Liza — you do not need to work for a few hundred years, after all."

"No… it's not about the money,"

Liza, who was lying on the bed, could not help but slightly left herself up as she turned to look at Riley; the blanket covering her, not even falling down as the beads of sweat on her large breasts completely kept it hanging on her torso,

"I feel like if I'm with you, the 600 years that just passed now suddenly just feels like it didn't happen — do you know what I mean?"

"No, Miss Liza," Riley only glanced at Liza before continuing to cook whatever it was he was cooking.

"I meant it feels like I'm finally progressing forward," Liza let out a small groan as she got up from the bed; carrying the blanket with her, her back completely exposed and yet she did not seem to care as she just walked to the counter,

"I've lived—we've lived for 600 years and yet it feels like we're still very much the same as before. Frozen in time."

"But you are not, Miss Liza," Riley brought a plate and placed it on the counter, "You have told me the horrific tragedies you have experienced, the deaths you have seen; you were not frozen in time. You survived it."

"Well—yeah, I know," Liza clicked her tongue as she seemed to be trying to find the right words, "What I meant to say is that for the very first time in a very long time, I want to do something else with my life."

"And what would that be, Miss Liza?"

"I don't know," Liza shrugged as she took a bite of the dish Riley cooked, "For now, the only thing I know is that I want to be with you, Zero. Not romantically, I mean… unless if… the feeling is mutual, I'm fine with the physical aspect of it. But… but if you want, you know… I'm open to it. And this is very tasty, by the way. What is it?"

"...It's a scrambled egg, Miss Liza."

"Oh…" Liza could really only blink a couple of times as she looked at her plate, "...You should add this to the menu. Also, about what we were talking about… just ignore it, okay? I went ahead of myself. A lot of things have changed since everyone stopped again, we can't even have children anymore. It's just… you know? You know what, I'm just gonna stop talking and start eating."

"Okay, Miss Liza."

"And after…

…we go back to bed?"

***

"I can't believe… it's actually here now!"

Liza had her arms stretched to the side as she looked at the front of their newly opened restaurant,

"I… I disagreed with the target market at first, but now that it's here. It's so… beautiful."

Beautiful, perhaps that is truly the term that could be used to describe Riley's restaurant. The construction did not really take a very long time, as people that are allowed to work as laborers usually had abilities to ensure that their working environment would be safe for them — and now, Liza almost wanted to cry as she saw the fruits of her labor; well, the seed of Riley's labor bare fruit.

The restaurant was immaculate; the entrance itself exuded a sense of luxury unbefitting of the urine and rat-infested New York — well, it was infested before. But as the city they were in was just an imitation of New York, there really weren't any negative sights and diseases loitering about.

Perhaps it was the New York that people envisioned it to be, not knowing it could have only been achieved in utopia, and now Riley's restaurant just added to its grandeur.

The tall windows which allowed the people to peer from the outside; the ceilings that seemed almost unreachable — the ambiance that felt like one just entered a world of luxury due to the oak furniture and the white marble, only to be tarnished beautifully by the red carpets upon one's entry.

Unbeknownst to those who admire its elegance, however, it was actually a replica of the restaurant of Riley's Guesthouse. What they perceive as the epitome of luxury was just a Tuesday for Riley's previous prisoners.

And it is rightfully named as such.

"The Guesthouse…" Liza uttered the name of the restaurant, which was not labeled anywhere in front of the shop, adding more to its eluding mystery, "...Now I see why you bought the next building and had it demolished, Zero. It just… adds to the overall ambiance."

"Well…" Riley turned to look at the newly empty lot next to their building, turned into a large luxurious garden that created a view that made people like they were not in a city at all, "...I suppose it does, Miss Liza. But beneath it is what matters."

"Beneath…?" Liza raised an eyebrow, "Why? Did you have something built underground?"

"Maybe," Riley just smiled before gesturing to Liza to enter the restaurant.

"We go together, Zero," Liza, however, wrapped her hands around Riley's arm before dragging him inside the empty restaurant, "Let's cherish the moment that there's only two of us here… I am sure this place will be filled with all the posh people once we start operating."

"Oh, it will be filled with people, Miss Liza," Riley once again smiled as he looked at the empty seats and tables. He then escorted Liza to a table near the center of the restaurant, pulling a chair for her before he walked to the stage where a grand piano was resting.

"Wait, wait…" Liza shook her head, "...Don't you dare fucking tell me you know how to play the piano."

"I will not tell you, Miss Liza," Riley just sat and started playing the piano, "I will let you hear it."

And there, Liza could really only widen her eyes as she heard an intense melody whisper in the air. Quiet, but violent; it made her almost stop breathing as she found herself being sucked in by the scenery in front of her.

Alluring, tantalizing, bewitching… excruciatingly inviting.

Almost as if Liza was in the presence of sinning while in the act of doing absolutely nothing at all.

She felt herself trembling, not knowing why at all. She didn't even hear the ominous music anymore — there was just her and the man before him.

"Riley!" And almost as if to put an end to the visceral wails of Riley's symphony, Liza stood up from her seat and roared; tears, trailing down her cheeks as she looked Riley in the eyes.

"Riley?" Riley stopped playing the piano as he returned Liza's gaze, "I thought I was Zero to you and your people, Miss Liza."

"Who was I to you?" Liza asked, "The Katrina that you know, who was she to you? I need to know. Were we— were you lovers?"

"No, Miss Liza," Riley shook his head, "We were classmates, and then acquaintances, nothing more."

"That's a lie," Liza also shook her head, "If that's true… then why are you leading me on?"

"Leading you to where, Miss Liza?" Riley tilted his head to the side.

"Why are you making me fall in love with you!?"

"I am not. I believe you are doing that all by yourself, Miss Liza."

"No!" Liza pointed at Riley, "You do not get to say that after doing all of this. This… just what are you really planning? What do you want here, Zero? You're a Class 7 entity, you could do whatever you want…

…so why here, why with me?"

"Because you—"

"Riri!"

And before Liza could get her answers, someone unfortunately barged into the restaurant and through their moment. The two quickly looked as to who it was, only to see a weird pair of a giantess and a very small woman with bunny ears.

"I have been trying to call you for like weeks! Why were you not answering!?"

"Miss Pepondosovich… Miss Esme," Riley blinked a couple of times as he stepped down the stage.

"I had to ask around on my own, and then I found out… you bought yourself an entire lot and made a restaurant!?" Miss Pepondosovich pointed at Riley's face, "Give it to me, give me back my luck!"

"How… is she out?" Liza could not help but look up at Esme as she saw her.

"Oh, you know…" Miss Pepondosovich waved her hand, "...Just the perks of being with me. It turns out the real Esme; well, the Esme that's here is out of the planet, so they allowed her to have some time to explore here and there."

"That…hasn't happened before," Liza could really only blink a couple of times as she looked at Miss Pepondosovich.

"Wait, who even are you?" Miss Pepondosovich squinted her eyes as she looked at Liza from head to toe before settling on her breasts, "Huh, I understand. So, this is why you don't look at me and Miss Esme romantically, Riri. You have… big tastes."

"I suppose you are right on time, Miss Pepondosovich," Riley just shrugged before snapping his fingers. And as he did so, several clothes just floated out from the bar of the restaurant,

"I have actually prepared uniforms for all of us."

"No…" Miss Pepondosovich looked at the flying uniform.

"Yes," Riley nodded, "I am hiring the both of you…

…as the restaurant's stewardess."

***

"I will ask you again, Anastasia — where did you get the Undead Themarian from?"

"I will have you know that I bought that for a very generous price…"

In a large mansion somewhere, Anastasia was currently calmly drinking a cup of tea… while a robed individual was right in front of her; pointing a red glowing blade right at the tip of her neck,

…I expect you are going to pay for it since you are confiscating it?"

"I am not in the mood for jokes."

"Oh, I know you're not known for your sense of humor…" Anastasia just calmly placed her cup at the side table next to her before standing up with a smirk on her face, "...What you are known for, however, is your foolish sense of justice. Isn't that right…

…Silvie?"