As A Result of Trying To Live An Erotic Slow-Life, I Have Become The Underground Ruler of This Upside-Down Otherworld - Chapter 28: I don't get it.

Chapter 27: No Clue What’s Going On

“Oh, my dear…”

Returning to her temporary lodging from Ronnyan, Ririeru steps into her room, greeted by a life-sized Arius poster.

“My dear, my dear… I love you so…”

She touches it tenderly, then begins to caress the two-dimensional Arius.

“Nchu… haa, mu… nfu…”

Kissing its lips, licking its face, stroking its body.

Of course, she doesn’t neglect her own pleasure.

Imagining Arius’s touch, she lets phantom fingers roam her body.

“Oh, n… my dear, you can do as you please, more… n♡”

Nothing special—this is Ririeru’s daily ritual.

If anything, it’s restrained for a temporary lodging.

Back at the house she shared with Eld, her private room was crammed with unofficial, handmade Arius merch, his image inescapable.

There, she indulged herself fully.

“My dear♡ My nipples, too… nu♡ So mean…♡”

In her mind, Arius is a master of teasing. He withholds desired stimulation, yet delivers overwhelming pleasure.

Yes.

To her, this isn’t mere masturbation—it’s sex with Arius.

In her mind, their first night is long past, and she’s given him everything.

Her mouth, armpits, hair, hands, vagina, anus—every part of her is marked by him.

“Nfha♡ T-today, you’re touching there…? Nhyu♡ Y-yes, as you wish…♡”

Perhaps seeing the real Arius sped things up—her arousal surges quickly.

Fingers mimicking Arius graze her sex, gently tracing.

“Nu♡ My dear, it feels good, so good… ahi♡”

Rubbing her flushed clitoris with fingers slicked by gushing juices, she climaxes easily.

“Ha, a♡ I’ve c-cum, I’ve cum♡ Your strong fingers made me cum, nhyu♡”

And yet, it doesn’t end.

Her imagined Arius is cruel.

No matter her pleas, he doesn’t stop—cumming or not, he relentlessly torments her to madness.

“S-sorry, desu♡ I-I’ll s-serve, serve you, desu♡ Nbu♡”

What scene plays in Ririeru’s mind?

Apparently, Arius is fingering her pussy while thrusting his cock into her mouth.

“Nju, juuu, ppaa♡ Reo, reru, pero♡ Nchu, chuu♡”

Four fingers mimic him.

Too massive to fully lick without care, a giant rod.

Her meticulous tongue, showering kisses, enveloping it in her mouth—movements so lascivious, they suggest mastery.

“Ngo♡ Nn♡ Ogo♡”

Suddenly, her fingers move fiercely in her mouth.

“Npuah♡ S-so sorry, nbufu♡”

Seems Arius wasn’t satisfied with her service.

Showing how oral’s done, he starts pistoning—her fingers dart in and out rapidly.

“Nbu, ogo, ggahyu♡ Nju, geo♡”

If she had reason, she’d stop short of choking.

But to Ririeru, it’s Arius’s cock in her mouth—she can’t stop.

Stopping means he’s satisfied.

If it moves, he’s not. She abandons reason, surrendering to her fictional Arius.

“Go♡ Nbu, go♡ Nju, juru, zuchu♡”

Her mouth adapts to the fingers, while those below intensify.

“N♡ N♡ Nbufu♡ Ngu♡ N, n, n’n’n’♡”

When Arius finally deems her satisfied, Ririeru’s consciousness fades.

“My dear… I love you…♡”

Clutching a mad, fervent love in her heart.

※

“―”

“―”

Through a magic stone, Ririeru watches Arius and Mia’s tryst.

At Mia’s climax, their eyes met—not her imagination, she’s sure.

—Jealous?

That provocative gaze.

“Oh, absolutely, I’m jealous.”

Planting a far-seeing stone was obvious to be caught.

If it wasn’t, she’d have to reconsider their worth.

Those by Arius’s side can’t be that incompetent.

Giggle. “How adorable.”

Conversely, if they’re worthy of Arius, they can do anything.

Even after falling into her grasp with Arius, secret trysts are fine.

They can bear his children—she’d celebrate grandly. Arius’s blood is too lovable to resist.

“Oh… what a splendid future…”

To Ririeru, anything raising Arius’s value is to be cherished.

The higher his value, the prouder she is to possess him.

Her desire is singular: the fact of Arius being hers.

Whether treated like a slave or hated, that fact is enough.

A relentless stalker and romantic.

A virgin dreaming of love in a loveless world.

That’s Ririeru.

“Come in.”

“Excuse me.”

A knock echoes. Ririeru welcomes the leader of Rabbit, the largest former Eld Family team.

“All preparations—store acquisition, equipment—are complete.”

“Excellent. My thanks for your swift work.”

“Your words honor me.”

The bowing woman is Luuri.

Rabbit has no standout abilities.

Luuri, even under scrutiny, appears as an unremarkable human.

If anything stands out…

“Final confirmation: our store serves all, with a wide range of dishes, high to low.”

“Yes.”

It’s their ordinariness.

Trained, they’re less skilled than specialized teams but deliver decent results.

Their greatest trait: average looks, male and female alike.

“Steal Ronnyan’s customers, understood? Spare no effort to bring Ronnyan under our wing.”

“Kashikomarimashita, Ririeru-sama, desu.”

The logic was simple.

Crippling Ronnyan’s diner role would ruin Arius’s livelihood.

No matter how much the Rats gather wealth to offer Arius, general customers are essential.

Steal them, and Arius must focus on the flag shop, selling himself to strangers.

That would collapse Towa’s Arius Family plan. They’d never allow it, secretly begging Ririeru for help.

Seeing Luuri leave quietly, Ririeru smirks.

“The Rabbits are clever, aren’t they?”

Average in looks and ability.

That means they have choices.

Jobs, shops, partners—all within their reach.

Ririeru’s offer slightly exceeded their limits, so they chose to serve her.

She adores the Rabbits.

Calculation, ulterior motives—those driven by gain are easy to manage.

Thus, they’re her confidants. Luuri, especially, has been her aide since before the Family’s disbandment.

As long as Ririeru feeds them well, they’ll remain invaluable partners.

Ufu, ufufufufu…

With wealth and power, Ririeru built a rival diner in the capital, competing with Ronnyan.

Indeed, Ronnyan can’t compete.

Serving only “ugly” women, Ronnyan’s outclassed by prices, food, and ambiance even “ugly” women would love.

The only difference is Arius’s presence, but Ronnyan hides him, so it’s no contest.

“Oh, soon, so soon, my dear… please wait for me… fufu, ufufufu.”

Ririeru’s desired future is nearly here.

※

But then…

“No movement…?”

“Y-yes, desu. Ronnyan shows no notable activity, desu. We set traps for their scouts, but nothing’s caught…”

It’s beyond Ririeru’s expectations.

This war—no, competition—is meant to elevate Arius’s value.

A move to make him struggle, suffer, and shine brighter.

“What does this mean!? A-are they just operating as usual!?”

“E-exactly, desu. No new promotions, no sightings of the successor in the shop… n-no changes from our prior investigation, desu.”

Half a month since her oath.

Even the incompetent should show some reaction by now.

Ririeru never thought Arius incompetent, but even if he were, Towa and Mia are there.

They’d act, which is why she respects them.

“I-it’s impossible…”

Yet, nothing’s happening.

Even if they’re plotting unnoticed, she doesn’t believe the Rabbits can’t detect it.

“C-customers!?”

“Our sales are strong, desu. Foot traffic grows daily, and with expenses including salaries, we’re projecting profit, desu.”

“That’s not what I mean! How many of Ronnyan’s customers have we stolen!?”

Ririeru presses Luuri, who lowers her face and murmurs.

“E-except the Rat members, nearly all have switched to our store, desu!”

“A-and yet… they’re doing nothing!?”

At Luuri’s words, Ririeru collapses to her knees.

“What does this mean…”

She can’t comprehend.

Her oath was accepted—she felt Arius’s resolve to fight in his eyes.

“N-no way… they don’t see me as a worthy opponent?”

She’s close to Arius’s mindset.

She thought he intended to fight but deemed her too weak to bother with.

“Luuri.”

“Y-yes, desu.”

Her voice is icy, a tone Luuri’s never heard from Ririeru.

“We’ll make this place thrive. So much they can’t ignore us!”

“K-Kashikomarimashita, desu!”

Ririeru’s guess grazes Arius’s truth.

But she’s critically wrong.

Arius only needs enough to live.

That hasn’t changed since he chose to shut in.

Ronnyan has issues—unsold inventory, tight income. To Ririeru, that’s a crisis.

But Arius doesn’t see it that way.

He doesn’t view those as problems.

They’re challenges, sure, but not obstacles.

He’s even enjoying solving them.

Ririeru doesn’t understand that.

“W-wow, it’s bustling… Ririeru-san, got a table for four?”

“Y-you, my dear…?”

As Ririeru grapples with confusion, the sight of Ronnyan’s four staff members casually visiting her shop—without a hint of tension—only deepens her panic and bewilderment.