Revive Rome: Wait! Why not make the empress fall in love with me first?
Chapter 128 - 32 Outsourcing Contract

Chapter 128: Chapter 32 Outsourcing Contract

"Aske!" Another figure rushed into the room, it turned out to be Nora, who was crying a mess.

She threw herself beside the bed and stared at the wound on Aske’s abdomen, bursting into tears all over again.

"Why did you send me away at that time!" she sniffled, her voice distorted, "What would I do if you died?"

"You couldn’t have beaten the White-clothed Assassin anyway," Aske said. "Why stay there?"

"Don’t think I don’t know, after you killed him you passed out!" Nora sobbed, "If it weren’t for someone finding you, your wound might have bled too much..."

She choked and couldn’t continue.

Aske really wanted to say I did apply Hemostatic Herb before I passed out, okay?

But even with his low EQ, he wouldn’t say something so mood-killing at a time like this; he could only muster a gentle smile:

"Don’t worry, I’m fine now."

Nora pressed her hand on his wound and activated Healing Touch.

Aske immediately felt an itch on his abdominal wound, which quickly healed.

No matter how severe the injury, such was the power of the Life Sequence.

Nora continued to shed tears unabated, her expression one of worry, and Aske handed her a tissue from the side.

Taking the tissue, Nora vigorously wiped away her tears, looking at Aske somewhat reproachfully, with a hint of anger.

Then she pounced on him.

"Ow, my eyes!" the young man quickly covered his eyes.

Nora quickly sat back up, only to realize there was another person in the room, and she showed an embarrassed expression.

Aske touched his mouth expressionlessly.

There went his first kiss.

"Who is this..." Nora whispered.

"The guy who saved me," Aske turned his head and asked him, "What’s your name?"

"Hood," the young man said. "Hood Timilic."

"Hood," Aske nodded, indicating he had remembered the name, "I am Aske Lepeios Achilles. This is our Mercenary Group’s Healer, Miss Nora."

"Hello," Nora looked at him with an apologetic and gentle smile, as if to say "Sorry for frightening you."

"Hello, hello," Hood replied, somewhat overwhelmed by the attention, then turned back to Aske.

"Hood may not be of age yet, but he is indeed a Mechanic," Aske told Nora, "Uh, I am considering offering him a contract since he just got sacked by his boss, and our team could really use someone responsible for equipment maintenance."

"A Mechanic?" Nora said accommodatingly, "Sure, our team’s finances are very healthy. We can afford to offer this position."

Hood silently appraised Nora, the brown-haired young lady with delicate features, a pure appearance, and a graceful demeanor; she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, even more stunning than the stars on TV.

Aske, you bastard, go die!

For some reason, such a thought emerged in his mind.

"Now that my wound is also healed, let’s head back," Aske climbed out of bed and asked Hood, "What do you think, do you plan to join us?"

Hood really wanted to say no, but he had just lost his job, and if he turned down Aske’s invitation, how would he fend for himself?

After much thought, he could only grumble:

"I won’t become a mercenary; that’s a matter of principle. But I can work for you on a temporary basis, with payment per job. I reserve the right to leave at any time."

"That’s fine, too," Aske said. "Come, sign the contract."

Nora curiously watched as Aske pulled out another contract, but this time it wasn’t the labor contract she had initially signed, it was an outsourcing agreement... Heaven knows why Aske had so many contracts prepared.

Compared to formal contracts, the terms of the outsourcing agreement were much harsher.

The salary remained at 2 pounds a month, but he couldn’t use the team fund, and it was unlikely that Fire Island would be open to him.

If the outsourcer needed to, they could terminate the contract and leave the team at any time.

Hood signed happily, a monthly salary of 2 pounds was already quite high. As for what the team fund was, he simply didn’t care; ignorance is bliss, right?

After signing the contract, the three of them prepared to head back.

Hood started to pack his things, things like his commonly used tools, research manuscripts, comic books, and figurines, and such.

Nora went outside for some air, while Aske sat on the chair, bored, waiting. Suddenly he heard Hood ask:

"That woman, is she your wife?"

"No," Aske said.

"Lover? Girlfriend?"

"No."

"You’re not saying she’s just unrequitedly in love with you, are you?" Hood asked incredulously.

Aske didn’t say anything.

"God, Aske, go die, you sinfully evil man!" Hood cried out angrily.

Aske: ???

"Have I offended you in some way?" Aske asked.

"Because I’m on the side of female college students," Hood said.

Aske: .........

"Miss Nora, if I am not mistaken, should still be of the age of a female college student," Hood muttered to himself, "Youthful and beautiful, brimming with vitality, the secret crush every male student dreams of, the super goddess who receives more than thirty love letters each semester!"

"If I were lucky enough to encounter such a national treasure-level female college student, I would definitely hold her hand every day, take her for walks, accompany her to movies, feed her snacks, buy her pretty clothes and skirts, bathe her, play lift-up games with her, sleep while holding her, ahhh! Cherishing and caring for a lady, that’s what a real man does!"

No, you’re just a pervert.

Hood screamed as if he had gone mad. After a while, he pointed at Aske, panting with indignation:

"How did she end up with a guy like you?"

"Do you like her?" Aske asked.

"This isn’t liking, this is admiration, it’s the longing for the beautiful things in this world," Hood said, "Someone like you, the sinful Harem King, can’t possibly distinguish between possessiveness and admiration, can you?"

"Have you been reading too many comics?" Aske said with a speechless expression, "Kids should read fewer comics. Immersing yourself too much in a fantasy world can make you unable to distinguish between illusion and reality, you know."

Suddenly, he felt a touch of melancholy; wasn’t he the same? This world... is it the real Otherworld? Or a highly realistic game world?

If it’s a game world, why does everything feel so real? If it’s a real Otherworld, why is it exactly the same as the games from his previous life? Could there really be such a striking coincidence?

Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly but was it Zhuangzi who dreamt he was the butterfly, or the butterfly that dreamt it was Zhuangzi?

"I’m packed up," Hood announced, zipping up his backpack, seemingly not interested in engaging further.

"Oh, then let’s go," Aske said as he stood up.

Even if his real self was just a brain in a vat, and this world was a false one created by signals fed into the brain.

It seemed he had no way to deal with it.

Better to just keep following the current plan.