If there was a hell specifically designed for lazy people, it would look exactly like Agatha's kitchen.
I'd been washing dishes for three hours straight, and the pile hadn't gotten any smaller. Every time I thought I was making progress, a server would dump another load into the basin. My hands were raw, my back ached, and my arms felt like they were going to fall off.
[System: Stamina: 1/100]
[System: Fun fact - repeated physical labor builds endurance over time! You just need to do this for several months! ♪]
"I'm going to find a way to delete you," I muttered, scrubbing at a pot that had something crusty and unidentifiable burned onto it. "I don't know how, but I will."
[System: Looking forward to it!]
"Hitomi!" Agatha's voice rang out from the main room. "When you're done with those, the floors need mopping!"
"I'm not done with these yet!"
"Then work faster!"
I glared at the dishes. Then at my raw, wrinkled hands. Then at the mop leaning against the wall, waiting to torture me next.
This is fine. Everything is fine. I just need to survive today. And tomorrow. And the next day. And the next—
No. No, I couldn't think like that. I'd go insane.
I focused on the dishes. One plate at a time. Just get through this.
By midday, I was ready to collapse.
I'd washed the dishes (all 247 of them, the System had been keeping count). I'd mopped the floors. I'd scrubbed the tables. I'd hauled crates from the storage room. I'd peeled potatoes until my fingers cramped.
And through it all, Agatha had watched with the satisfied expression of someone who'd gotten exactly what they wanted.
"Lunch break," she announced, sliding a bowl of stew across the counter. "Fifteen minutes."
I collapsed onto a stool and grabbed the bowl like it was a lifeline. The stew was simple—just vegetables and a bit of meat—but after hours of physical labor, it tasted like heaven.
"You're doing well," Agatha said, and I looked up suspiciously. She never complimented anyone. "Better than I expected, honestly. Most people quit after the first day."
"Can't quit," I mumbled through a mouthful of stew. "Debt."
"True." She smiled. "Well, keep it up. We have a busy evening ahead."
"Busy?"
"Adventurer rush. Happens every few days when the guild posts new quests. They all come here to celebrate before heading out." She looked me up and down. "You're going to be a waitress tonight."
I nearly choked on my stew. "What?! I don't know how to—"
"You can carry plates and take orders. It's not complicated." She pulled out a white apron. "Put this on. And try to smile. Tips are good for business."
"Tips?"
"Extra money customers give for good service. You can keep half. The other half goes to your debt."
Half?! That's— I bit back the complaint. At least I'd be earning something. Even if it was only half.
I put on the apron and looked down at myself. The white kimono, now slightly stained and wrinkled, combined with the apron to create... actually, it looked kind of nice? Like some sort of exotic server uniform.
"Perfect," Agatha said, appraising me. "Very... distinctive. The customers will love it."
I had no idea what she meant by that, but I was too tired to care.
The evening rush hit like a avalanche.
Adventurers poured into the tavern—warriors in armor, mages in robes, rogues in leather, all loud and boisterous and demanding food and drink immediately. The noise level went from pleasant background chatter to absolute chaos in minutes.
"Table seven needs three ales and the meat platter!"
"Table four wants the special!"
"Did table two order the fish or the chicken?!"
I ran back and forth between the kitchen and the tables, balancing plates and mugs, trying not to drop anything. My stamina was already at zero, but somehow my body kept moving. Probably spite. Spite was a powerful motivator.
And then I started noticing the stares.
At first, I thought I'd spilled something on myself. But no, my apron was clean. Then I thought maybe I'd done something wrong—served the wrong table, forgotten an order. But people were smiling. Waving me over even when they didn't need anything.
"Miss! Miss, could you bring us another round?"
"Hey, what's your name?"
"You're new here, right? I haven't seen you before."
I was... confused. But also kind of pleased? These people were so friendly! Maybe this world wasn't so bad after all.
"Hitomi," I said to the table of warriors who'd asked. "I'm Hitomi."
"Beautiful name," one of them said, and the others nodded enthusiastically.
Oh, they're just being nice! I thought. How pleasant!
[System: Oh sweetie...]
What?
[System: Nothing. This is just entertaining to watch.]
Over the next hour, I noticed a pattern. Male adventurers kept calling me over. For refills they didn't need. To ask questions about the menu they'd already ordered from. Just to... talk.
And they kept complimenting me. My hair. My eyes. My "exotic appearance."
This world has such a friendly culture! I marveled. Everyone's so nice and welcoming!
Then one of them—a young swordsman with an earnest face—approached me during a lull.
"Um, Miss Hitomi?"
"Yes?"
He was blushing. "I was wondering... could I... that is, would you mind if I..." He held out five copper coins. "Could I have a hug?"
I blinked. "A... hug?"
"I know it's forward, but I just—you seem really nice and—I'd pay, of course!"
I looked at the five copper coins. That was more than two days of work according to my contract. For a hug.
My brain short-circuited trying to process this.
"You'll... pay me five copper. To hug you."
He nodded eagerly.
This world has the BEST customs, I thought. This is amazing! Free money!
"Sure!" I said cheerfully, pocketing the coins. "Come here!"
I gave him a quick hug. He looked like he'd died and gone to heaven.
"Thank you," he breathed. "Thank you so much."
"No problem! Anytime!"
Word spread fast.
Within twenty minutes, I had a line of adventurers wanting hugs. Five copper each. Some wanted longer hugs (ten copper). One guy asked for a handshake and still paid three copper.
This is the easiest money I've ever made, I thought, hugging my way through the queue. Why didn't I think of this sooner?!
[System: I can't tell if you're genuinely oblivious or in denial.]
Oblivious to what? This is clearly just a cultural appreciation thing!
[System: ...Sure. Let's go with that.]
By the end of the night, I had a pouch full of copper coins. My debt was still enormous, but at least I was making progress! At this rate, I'd be free in...
I tried to do the math and gave up.
Still faster than just working, I decided.
Agatha appeared as I was counting my earnings. She looked at the pouch, then at me, then at the crowded tavern where adventurers were still hanging around even though they'd finished eating.
Her expression shifted. Something calculating entered her eyes.
"Hitomi," she said slowly. "You've done very well tonight."
"Thank you!" I beamed. "Everyone's so friendly here!"
"Yes. Friendly." She smiled. "You know what? You should celebrate. You've earned it."
"Celebrate?"
"Have a drink! On the house. You've brought in a lot of business tonight."
I perked up. Free drink? "Really?"
"Really. In fact—" She leaned in conspiratorially. "Why don't you have a few drinks? You've worked hard. You deserve it."
Something in the back of my mind whispered a warning. A faint memory of waking up with a massive debt and a pounding headache.
But the rest of my brain, exhausted and running on fumes, went Free alcohol!
"That's so generous of you!" I said.
"I'm a generous person," Agatha agreed, her smile widening. "Now, what'll you have?"
The first drink went down smooth.
The second one tasted even better.
By the third, I was feeling great. Better than great. Amazing. All the exhaustion from the day just melted away, replaced by warm, pleasant confidence.
"You know what?" I announced to the table of adventurers I'd somehow ended up sitting with. "Today was a GOOD day!"
They cheered in agreement.
"I made SO MUCH money! And everyone here is so NICE! This world is actually pretty great!"
More cheers.
Someone refilled my mug. I didn't see who. Didn't care.
"You know what else?" I stood up, swaying slightly. "I think we should celebrate! Properly!"
"How?" someone asked.
I grinned. "DRINKS! For everyone! The GOOD stuff!"
The tavern erupted in cheers.
Agatha appeared at my elbow, her smile absolutely radiant. "The good stuff? Are you sure, dear? The top shelf spirits are quite expensive—"
"I don't CARE!" I declared. "I'm TRUCK-KUN! I'm a LEGEND! I can afford it!"
"If you say so." She turned to the bar. "You heard the lady! Top shelf for everyone!"
The celebration that followed was legendary.
Or so I was told later.
I don't remember most of it.
I remember someone teaching me a drinking song. I remember challenging someone to an arm-wrestling contest (I lost immediately). I remember declaring that I was going to become a deity and everyone was invited to my ascension ceremony.
I remember Agatha's face, watching everything with that satisfied smile.
And then I remember nothing.
Pain. Again.
I woke up on the floor behind the bar this time, sunlight stabbing directly into my brain through the windows.
Everything hurt. My head, my stomach, my pride.
[System: Good morning! ♪]
No. Don't.
[System: Quest Update - You survived another night! Sort of!]
I groaned and sat up slowly. The tavern was empty except for Agatha, who was wiping down the bar and humming to herself.
"Oh good, you're awake," she said cheerfully. "We should discuss last night."
"Please no."
"You bought four rounds of top shelf spirits for the entire tavern." She pulled out a piece of paper. "The cost was... let's see... sixty-three silver."
The world stopped.
"Sixty... three..."
"Silver, yes. Plus you broke a chair during your arm-wrestling match, which is another five silver for damages." She smiled. "And you ordered a bottle of our most expensive wine for yourself, which you didn't finish, so that's another twenty silver down the drain."
I couldn't breathe.
"So your new total debt is—" She did some quick calculations. "—one hundred thirty-five silver and eighteen copper."
"But I made money yesterday! I had copper!"
"Oh, that?" She waved dismissively. "That went toward your debt, of course. But it barely made a dent. Sixteen copper against sixty-three silver." She shook her head sadly. "You actually increased your debt by quite a bit."
I stared at her.
She stared back, that pleasant smile never wavering.
And suddenly, with horrible clarity, I understood.
She'd planned this.
She'd seen me making money from the adventurers. Seen the attention I was getting. And instead of being angry, she'd encouraged it. Because I was bringing in customers. Making her business boom.
And then she'd given me alcohol. Encouraged me to drink. Knowing exactly what would happen.
The hug money went to my debt. But the drinks I bought? Those went straight to her profits. While adding to my debt.
She'd played me. Completely.
"You..." I couldn't even form words. "You..."
"Yes, dear?" She tilted her head innocently.
I wanted to scream. To flip a table. To storm out.
But I couldn't. Because if I left, I'd be a criminal. And I was too weak to fight. Too slow to run.
I was trapped.
And she knew it.
"Dishes are waiting," Agatha said pleasantly, turning away. "Best get started. We have another busy night ahead."
She walked away, humming.
I sat there on the floor, shaking with rage and frustration.
[System: Current Debt - 135 silver, 18 copper]
[System: Estimated time to pay off at current rate - 18 months]
[System: Wow! You really messed up!]
Eighteen months. A year and a half. Of washing dishes and getting exploited and being too weak to do anything about it.
I brought my hand to my mouth and started biting my nails—a nervous habit from my human-form days that I'd never quite kicked.
There has to be a way out. There has to be. Think. THINK.
I pulled out the contract from my pocket. I'd been carrying it around, though I hadn't looked at it closely since signing.
I read through it slowly this time. Really read it.
Standard employment terms. Room and board provided. Two copper daily wage applied to debt. Mandatory work hours dawn to dusk. One day off per week assuming good behavior...
I kept reading.
Employee is responsible for any damages to property. Employee agrees to complete all assigned tasks. Employee may not leave premises during work hours without permission. In the event of—
I stopped.
Read that section again.
And again.
My nail-biting stopped.
A slow smile spread across my face.
Oh.
Oh, that's perfect.
[System: ...Why are you smiling like that?]
I didn't answer. I was too busy rereading the clause, making absolutely sure I understood it correctly.
I did.
Agatha thought she was so clever. Thought she had me completely trapped in her little system of exploitation.
But she'd made one mistake.
One tiny, beautiful mistake in the contract.
And I was going to exploit it for everything it was worth.
My smile widened, taking on a quality that would've made anyone who knew me as Truck-kun very, very nervous.
"Oh, Agatha," I whispered. "You have no idea what you've just started."
[System: This is either going to be brilliant or a complete disaster.]
[System: I'm genuinely not sure which.]
I folded the contract carefully and tucked it back into my pocket.
Then I stood up, straightened my apron, and walked toward the kitchen.
I had dishes to wash.
But not for much longer.
Not if I played this right.