As A Result of Trying To Live An Erotic Slow-Life, I Have Become The Underground Ruler of This Upside-Down Otherworld

Chapter 29: Time to Get Serious

Arius POV

Going to eat at Rongrong for research ended up with a weird vibe.

Maybe I should just stick to cheering for my shut-in life.

But, you know, since Rongrong opened, our income’s taken a hit. They’re stealing our customers.

Given our business model, some loss is expected, but this is bad.

The regulars still come, but eight people aren’t enough to make a dent.

If those eight spent a ton, it’d help, but that’s dreaming too big. I’m genuinely grateful they keep showing up—that’s the “customers are gods” feeling, huh?

We didn’t sell all the ingredients Serika first brought. Leftovers got processed into preserved food. I try to make them tasty, but we can’t charge the same as fresh dishes.

Gotta do something about it.

“But, man… it’s a good place.”

Like I said there, Rongrong’s an ideal diner. Every customer seemed satisfied.

Our food might be better—maybe I’m biased—but their ability to whip up off-menu dishes for Serika outshines us, and their service quality’s beyond ours.

Our only edge is the flag shop side.

Guess I really need to kick the flag shop into gear.

I didn’t think a diner alone could sustain us, so this is a good chance to commit.

Then, maybe Kazune’s the one to approach?

Shuri, who often comes with her, seems nice too, but I don’t see her talk much, so it’s hard to judge.

“Mia… no, maybe Towa.”

Mia’s the go-to since she handles customers directly, but subjective judgment’s iffy.

Towa, while cooking, keeps an eye on the shop and has a solid, objective view.

To me, Kazune’s got a gal vibe. Maybe her hair’s natural, but blonde curls with red streaks give a flashy impression.

That vibe makes her seem chatty, but her behavior suggests experience with men, so talking to her shouldn’t be hard.

Shuri, tagging along, feels serious.

Despite us saying it’s okay to ditch the black robe at Ronnyan, she only took off the hood, revealing short black bob hair, big brown ears, and sharp, pretty eyes.

Put glasses on her, and I’d call her “class rep.” Probably a virgin.

Both fall into the “ugly” category, which I’m totally into.

At a glance, Shuri’d likely keep secrets better, but I’m unsure if she’d go for it.

“Impressions aren’t reliable. Guess I’ll ask Towa…”

I grab the magic stone for internal Ronnyan calls and activate it.

Magic stones are handy—just think of who you want, and it connects.

“Goshujin-sama? What’s the matter, desu?”

Towa’s voice comes through right away.

“Hey, you free? Got something to discuss.”

“Understood, I’ll come right away, desu. Serika? Sorry, can you take over the laundry, desu?”

Oh, she was doing laundry. Today’s her turn, huh? Bad timing, my bad.

Magic stones are great, but unlike my past life, they don’t automate laundry. Some steps need human hands, like other tasks here.

“No rush. I’ll come to you.”

“No, that’s unnecessary, desu. Only drying’s left, so please wait, desu.”

Call ends.

Guess I’ll brew some tea while I wait.

※

“I see.”

“Income-wise, it’s unavoidable. On the flip side, the flag shop could cover it, so it’s time to get serious.”

Explaining my thoughts, Towa nods once and closes her eyes.

She must’ve rushed—she’s still in the shop’s uniform, that chest-revealing cheongsam. I feel a bit guilty, but asking her to change and redo this is pointless.

Anyway, that’s the deal. Rough estimates say adding flag shop sales would cover us.

If I charge one silver coin a night, thirty clients a month would keep us comfortable.

Basically, I want three gold coins monthly, apart from diner income. I know it’s ambitious, but that’s the long-term goal.

Charging per night means bedding a woman daily.

That’s impossible. I couldn’t line up that many clients, and I’d be too busy to work the diner.

“For Kazune-san or Shuri-san, if you tell them not to blab or only share with trusted people, they’ll comply, desu.”

“Oh? You’re sure about that?”

“It’s less about observation and more about their psychology, desu. Like me, they wouldn’t want to spread such a sweet deal, desu. A night with a top-tier man for one silver coin? Rare, desu.”

Well, yeah, makes sense.

Is one silver coin too cheap? Maybe I should follow brothel rates, charging extra for kisses or cunnilingus.

But that feels off. It strays from giving “ugly” women a good deal.

“Hmm, I don’t want to raise it from one silver coin. Maybe no forbidden acts, three silver coins a night?”

“Honestly, I’d say stack gold coins to your elbow’s height. From the ground to your elbow on Ronnyan’s second floor, of course, desu.”

I don’t get what “of course” means.

Not denying I’m top-tier, but come on. Three silver coins means ten clients a month instead of thirty—that’s a huge help.

If either’s fine, Kazune it is.

“Then three silver coins. For the approach, can you tell Kazune to come upstairs for a test dish next time she visits?”

“Understood, desu. She’ll… be thrilled, I think, desu.”

Well, I’m the one thrilling her.

Towa’s oddly excited. Her ears are twitching.

On second thought, this is a weird topic. It’s like declaring I’ll sleep with other women, yet she’s unfazed.

“Towa.”

“Yes? What’s wrong, desu?”

“You don’t mind?”

Bit late to ask.

I’ve slept with Mia in front of her, and she knows about Serika.

Yet she says nothing. She even had a similar expression then.

“Mind, desu?”

“I know it’s late, and maybe I’m full of myself, but you care about me, right? Doesn’t it bug you when someone you care about says they’ll sleep with other women? Don’t you want to keep me to yourself?”

I know I’m saying some bold stuff.

But it bothers me. Towa’s feelings might be beyond my understanding.

From my past life, wanting affection from someone you like, wanting it just for you, is a normal, natural desire.

Even if reason—being partners—holds back that desire, showing joy like this isn’t typical.

“Goshujin-sama.”

As I ponder, Towa gives… a crystal-clear smile.

“Of course I feel that way.”

“Right, phew.”

Good, I’m relieved. If she didn’t, I’d feel weird.

“I want to monopolize you, to be monopolized by you, desu. Not just me—Mia, Serika… even Ririeru-sama, I’m sure they feel it, desu.”

“Well, yeah. That’s flattering, honestly.”

“But also, because we feel that way, we’ll never act on it, desu. That’s allowed only for beautiful people, desu.”

Yeah, that’s right.

Only they get to do whatever they want.

Towa, Mia, Serika—they’re in positions where it’s not allowed.

“Goshujin-sama, don’t look so troubled. We’re not suppressing our feelings because we’re not allowed, desu. We don’t want to be like that, desu. Using beauty or power to take what you want might be seen as right, but we can’t value what’s gained that way, desu.”

“…Yeah, I kinda get it.”

That’s exactly the rule I set for myself.

“Of course, if you wanted me, it’d be the greatest happiness, desu. If you said, ‘Be my woman,’ I might die on the spot, desu.”

“That makes it hard to say casually.”

“My mistake, desu. Mia and Serika would scold me, desu.”

Towa laughs softly, admitting her slip.

Seeing that face, I understand.

Towa, Mia, Serika—I’ve changed them.

They can’t live in the outside world anymore.

They can only live in the Ronnyan world I’ve made, the one I want to make.

“Towa.”

“Yes, desu.”

It’s a matter of responsibility, a heavy, heavy one.

I knew I’d dragged them into my world, and I thought I had to take responsibility.

“Thank you.”

So I’ll give thanks.

For this comfort I feel now.

They’ve shown me this is what I was seeking—thanks to Towa, Mia, Serika.

I won’t apologize. They’ve surely accepted me, my world.

“Your words are too kind, desu.”

※

“Eh, ah…”

“Okay?”

Arius gently pushes Towa onto the bed.

“Th-that’s, I’m very happy, but, uh… I haven’t bathed yet, desu.”

Arius doesn’t fully grasp why he did it—call it following his emotions.

Towa’s always ready for him, but caught mid-closing chores, her maiden heart feels shy about her sweat-soaked self. She wants to offer him her cleanest self, making this moment complex.

“I want you now.”

But as he pins her, his face close, their lips meeting—

—What’s this?

A tearful emotion floods her chest.

“Goshujin-sama… yes, please, have Towa, desu.”

“…Thank you.”

As their lips part, Arius’s expression melts her heart.

“Fu… a, n♡”

It’s not his usual foreplay.

It’s still pleasurable, but not the intense, reason-shattering kind—gentle touches.

“Th-this… a, fu…♡ Goshujin-sama, what…?”

Just her chest being kneaded.

Over her clothes, a ticklish sensation, not quite reaching pleasure.

“U, a…♡ It f-feels good…♡”

Yet his hands touch her heart.

Caressing her very soul.

She bites her lip to stifle the loud moans that usually come naturally.

“A, fu… nu…♡”

It spills out—her body isn’t craving pleasure, but something fulfilling her heart threatens to escape her mouth.

It feels… embarrassing.

“Towa…”

“A, ya… yaa♡”

Her sex, seen by him countless times.

His hand slips through her cheongsam’s slit—a moment she’d usually spread her legs to ease his touch—but she clamps his hand with her thighs, resisting.

“S-sorry—nmu♡”

She doesn’t understand her own actions.

Arius kisses her again, bewildered by her response.

“A, fu… n, amu… chuu.”

Easing her tension, body, heart.

Towa melts into the kiss, reason intact, readying to accept him.

“A, haa…♡ Goshujin-sama…”

“Yeah, Towa… sorry, I want to be inside.”

Normally, the teasing would go on.

“Y-yes… Goshujin-sama. Come, please, desu.”

Despite the rush, Towa feels no worry about her readiness.

Her lower abdomen aches, urging him, come quickly, I can’t wait.