“So,” Eira said after a few minutes of typing. “You come to me in hopes that I can fix your problem?”

“Well, if anyone would have special permissions to go into other worlds, then it would be you.” Ozul sighed. “You can see that I did not want to come here.”

“Go die,” Eira said, and then turned to Dalton. “I would say that, but it seems you dragged even our new co-worker here. What is this, your seventh co-worker you’ve killed?”

“Tenth, but who is counting.” Ozul chuckled.

Dalton gave Ozul an exasperated expression.

“Oh, don’t give me that look, Dalton. You should see the kill count Eira has. Fifteen.”

“Those were unfortunate, but necessary.” Eira defended herself.

Ozul snorted. “Sure, like the girl you used to test if a relic was cursed.”

“Like I said, necessary.” She gave him a sharp glare. “Plus, she was reincarnated as a noblewoman. I would say she lucked out.”

“Yes, a noblewoman,” Ozul said in a mocking tone. “How could I forget that she got isekai’d and got reincarnated as a noblewoman in the midst of the most bloody civil war in your world.”

These two were terrible. Maybe it was time to resign from the job?

“Anyways you gotta save us, or we’re going to lose another one. You can’t let him die a virgin.”

“Wait. That’s not right.” Dalton held up a hand.

Eira turned her head, her expression blank. “I didn’t know he’s a virgin.”

“That’s not right. I’m not a virgin.” Dalton looked at the two of them. “I have a girlfriend.”

Ozul snorted. “Not with that tie, you do. You might as well have a sign hung around your neck saying you’re a virgin.”

“I did think that tie was repulsive. For some reason it makes my ovaries shiver.”

Dalton opened his mouth in disbelief. He clutched at his lemon and lime tie. “I’m not a virgin. I have a girlfriend.”

“Dalton.” Ozul patted his shoulder. “Your hand isn’t your girlfriend.”

“Okay.” Dalton cracked his knuckles. “I’m getting tired of you. If you want to take this out, then I’m fine.”

“You think you can take me?” Ozul threw up his head in laughter. He flicked a knife open. “I will isekai you!”

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Dalton only saw the flash of the blade before Ozul slipped, and the knife flew in the air and landed next to him. The knife nicked his right ear.

“Ahhh!” Ozul held his ear, blood seeped through the cracks of his fingers. He ran out of the room.

Dalton’s heart was beating hard. He still wasn’t sure exactly what happened, but he knew the knife hadn’t stabbed him.

“Interesting.” Eira crouched right beside Ozul, picking up a baseball. She looked up at Dalton, holding it up. “Is this yours?”

“No.” Dalton shook his head.

“You’re very lucky. If he hadn’t slipped on this baseball, he would have stabbed you, but if you did die, and you are a virgin, you would have obtained the title Sage.” Her eyes glimmered.

“I don’t want that title.” Dalton took a step back. His hands were shaking. His gaze went to the ball in Eira’s hand then to the knife planted on the floor. Then his attention was caught by the snoring from his boss.

“Does he always sleep so soundly?” He had never seen his boss awake.

“This office could be destroyed by a bomb, and he wouldn’t wake up.” Eira tossed the ball in a trash basket. “I will help you with your problem, but it will come as a cost.”

That was a foreboding way to say that. “What kind of cost?”

Her eyes gleamed dangerously. From her pocket, she pulled out an ominous little book with a skull on the front cover.

“What is that?” Dalton asked, his eyes fixated on it.

She put a finger to her mouth. She shushed him. With a needle she pricked her thumb, a droplet of blood hit the skull, and its eyes gave a dark crimson glow.

The skull opened its mouth, and a silent scream filled the air. A purple miasma rose from its mouth, hitting Eira in the face. Whatever it was, it didn’t bother her, but for Dalton it was another story. He caught a slight whiff of the gas, and it left him shaking.

“Wh-what is that?” He asked again.

Eira took out a bottle of ink and a pen. “It’s my special little book.”

“What in the?” Ozul had come back from the infirmary. His ear was bandaged, but his face went pale as his eyes spotted the book. “No! Not again! I did my favor!”

“And you accomplished it magnificently. But what you ask me to do, is something that would require using another favor for.” She flipped through the pages. Dalton saw over her shoulders, many names. She stopped at two blank slots. She dipped the pen and handed it to Ozul. “Hurry up now.”

He smacked it out of her hand. “I’m not signing anything.” Then he turned to Dalton. “He can.”

“What is happening here?” Dalton felt his back against the wall. “Can something please explain to me why Eira has a skull book?”

Eira picked up the pen.

“It’s very simple. This is a grimoire. You sign it, you do my favor later, and nothing happens.”

“Yes, but the favors you ask aren’t normal!” He hissed.

She rolled her eyes. “I asked you perfectly normal things.”

“Oh is it normal that you asked me to fight an Blood Orc? Or spend a night in a nest of Goblins? Or…”

That was enough for Dalton, he ran for the door. Ozul shut it.

“Let me the fuck out!” Dalton rose his fists.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Ozul snarled. “You’re going to sign it!”

“Both of you will sign it.” Eira corrected him.

It was a simple glance to each other, but it communicated an agreement between the two. Both of them ran out of the office, but a purple tendril roped around their necks dragging them back in and then closing it.

“Both of you will sign it.” Her voice carried more authority, her eyes were bleeding purple light. “Yes?”

She held out a pen, and the tendrils lessened around their necks. “Whoever is first will get the least punishing favor.”

With much reluctance but overpowered by the prospects of a less punishing favor, Dalton was the first to grab the pen.

As he signed the book, the lemon and lime tie around his neck snapped and fell to the ground.

That was much more ominous.