As A Result of Trying To Live An Erotic Slow-Life, I Have Become The Underground Ruler of This Upside-Down Otherworld - Chapter 36: For Whom Is This Predetermined Harmony?

Chapter 36: For Whom Is This Predetermined Harmony?

I mean, life is full of misunderstandings, right?

I come to meet, only to find she’s not here, and there’s a note? And when Luuri reads it, she suddenly loses her composure.

I try to catch up with her as she hurries off to the Magus Guild, and I end up joining Serika, who looks like she’s about to cry.

I’m completely left behind, what am I supposed to do now?

“Nelba?”

“Yes… well, you can think of me as a high-ranking official of the Magus Guild. It seems Liliel has gone to negotiate directly.”

I don’t understand why the Magus Guild is mentioned in our conversation.

It seems we must not let the negotiations be completed.

“Ah, Arius-sama. Um, um, about the Federation, are we… storming it?”

“Storming it? It’s the same thing no matter how you say it. I don’t really understand the situation, but Luuri-san?”

“Y-yeah, it’s fine to call me by my first name. I mean, you’re a bit… intimidating.”

Why? What am I, some kind of intimidating figure?

“Luuri, what should I do?”

“Umm… well…”

Regardless, I’ve decided to help Luuri this time.

I’ve been in the dark about the situation from the start, but I’m not about to back out now just because I don’t understand.

“I don’t know what to do, so tell me. I said I’d help, and I’ll do whatever I can.”

“Ahh… thank you!”

“Arius-sama! I’ll… I’ll protect you this time! Just… trust me!”

This time… does she mean preventing the abduction and confinement?

That wasn’t really Serika’s fault, was it?

“Just stop with that already. We need to hurry, right? So, do we just head to the Magus Guild?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s go. You give me instructions on the way.”

Alright, let’s begin!

But it feels like things are unfolding in a place I have no knowledge of.

I can understand, from an outsider’s perspective, that the Ronyan and the Ryuu are in conflict, even if they’re not really a match for each other.

But even so, I can’t imagine why the Magus Guild’s name is involved.

Are they involved in every single store’s survival competition in the capital?

That’s just not realistic.

“Arius-sama.”

“Hmm? What is it? Serika.”

“N-nothing, just do as you please, okay?”

She looks so serious when she says that.

Luuri-san seems to be deep in thought as she runs, but I have no idea what we should be doing.

The atmosphere is so heavy, it’s like a physical weight.

Nelba, was it? I can understand being nervous about going to meet such an important person, but this tension feels different.

“Arius-san, let’s confirm our purpose.”

“Alright. From my perspective, it’s just to go and meet Liliel, but is that correct?”

“Yes. There’s a condition that we must meet her before any deal is made.”

It seems my prediction was right.

I don’t know what kind of negotiation is taking place, but if we’re trying to stop it, then we don’t need to know the details.

But the timing is a bit off. If Liliel left a while ago, it might already be too late.

***

“L-Liberation?”

“We considered that option…”

“Hey, that’s a bit extreme!”

Liberation? And they considered it?

Let’s try to be a bit more peaceful, okay?

“Ahem. It’s a last resort, that’s all. We won’t be seeking help from the Ronyan in that case.”

“Arius-sama?”

“I don’t plan to retract my previous statement, but it’s true that I feel relieved to hear you say that.”

“Yes. So, we’ll request a face-to-face meeting, and if they accept, we’ll negotiate then and there. If not, we’ll resort to the final option.”

The path to the final option is so short! Luuri, are you actually a muscle-head? You seem like an ordinary girl, but a battle-crazed one is scary.

“I can only pray that we’ll be granted a meeting…”

“I agree. But I think the chances of being granted an audience are high. Nelba is… a bit special.”

“Hmm?”

Well, I can only pray that we’ll be able to meet with her.

I mean, it’s the starting line, and if she’s someone we can reason with, that’s all for the better.

“I see her. Well then, please… take care of us.”

“Sure. I don’t know what I can do, but I’ll do my best.”

The first hurdle was surprisingly easy to overcome; I simply went to the reception and asked to meet Nelba, and they understood.

Walking down the atmospheric corridor, I opened the door to a room, and there they were.

“You… Dear… why…?”

“Welcome, Lord Arius. Well, I suppose we should start with introductions. I am Nelba.”

Nelba, a person with a big smile, and Liliel, who looked utterly desperate, were there. It’s a bit of a mess.

I’m glad they granted us an audience, but I didn’t expect Liliel to be here. What’s going on?

Well, let’s get started.

“Excuse me. I’m Arius. I appreciate your accepting our sudden request for a meeting.”

“…Hmm? Such a polite greeting, I’m touched. Why don’t you all relax and take a seat?”

“Thank you.”

I sat on the sofa I was offered… it’s incredibly soft, a luxury item…

“It’s hard to relax when you’re standing like that.”

“Oh, um…”

“Sit down, you two.”

“Hawawa… Yes.”

Finally, Cerica and Luuri sat on either side of me.

Liliel sat on a different sofa… yeah, she looks confused.

But I shouldn’t be the one to speak first; Nelba’s presence is overwhelming.

From my perspective, she’s not exactly beautiful, but she has an aura about her.

Is this what they call charisma? Her androgynous appearance adds to that feeling, and I find myself straightening my back naturally, something I haven’t done in a while.

“Hmm. Lord Arius seems calm.”

“Oh, come on. Want to see the palms of my hands? They’re sweating profusely.”

“Hahaha, then I’ll offer you a handkerchief. It’s best to keep things clean for a proper conversation.”

Her laugh is quite sophisticated; I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s as if she’s used to this kind of situation. She seems very natural, without any nervousness.

“Please?”

“Thank you.”

I was directly handed a towel with a pleasant scent.

I wiped my hands with it, and strangely, my heart felt calmer.

“If you like, Lord Arius, I’d be happy to prepare some tea.”

“No, thank you for the offer. As I said before, I appreciate your accepting our sudden meeting, especially when there were already guests here. It’s too much.”

“Is that so? Too bad. I’ll look forward to the next opportunity.”

Umm, I feel like I’m being tested here?

I sense that intention in every word… I can’t let my guard down.

“Well then, what brings you here today?”

“We came to… take back Liliel-sa…”

“Oh, actually, I was wondering if you had any troubles.”

I interrupted Luuri, who was about to say something about taking back Liliel.

What were you going to say? You’re such a klutz, Luuri. It’s good to be direct, but if you say you came to pick her up, then what’s the point of me being here?

“Troubles, huh?”

“To put it simply, it’s a courtesy call. Liliel and I are rivals, and I heard she came to see you. I thought I’d better come and pay my respects.”

I made it sound a bit forced, but it’s not a lie, so it’s okay.

“Well, I’ll take the opportunity to ask you a question. Lord Arius, what can you do, honestly?”

“I’m confident in my ability to cook meat dishes.”

I’m also good at seducing women, three silver coins, how about it?

I wish I could say that here… what if I really treated them to dinner and they said yes? No, that won’t work.

“I see… I understand. Thank you.”

Nelba’s eyes narrowed, and her expression became sharper.

Did she find me annoying? No, that doesn’t seem right. Does she see me as an enemy?

No, that’s not it either.

She seems more interested, as if she’s started to examine me more closely.

If this is her act, then I’m at a loss… I can’t make a judgment.

“Well, actually, Liliel has offered to help me with my work.”

“Work?”

Luuri and Liliel reacted, and Cerica let out a small, quiet breath.

I understand.

We’ve entered the main topic.

“To put it simply, it’s a form of comfort for my subordinates. As you know, the Ryuu is a popular store in the capital, and it’s a great honor to be helped by its manager.”

“Comfort… indeed, I’ve been to the Ryuu once. If you tell them it’s for the sake of comforting your subordinates, they’ll be delighted.”

“I understand. That’s right, and that’s why I’m considering accepting Liliel’s offer. I want to give her a position as my right-hand person and help build the Federation together.”

It’s like a business partnership.

The Federation gets a comfort station, and Liliel gets a secure position within the Federation.

Wow, this seems like a good deal.

Do we really have to stop this? Seriously?

“…”

I glanced at Luuri, who was clenching her teeth, and Liliel, who was gripping her hands tightly and shaking.

It seems like a good deal, but I guess I can’t just think it’s okay.

“As for me, as long as I can provide comfort to my subordinates, that’s all I need… I don’t need two comfort stations.”

I see.

So, the question is, can Liliel and this store provide a better experience than what’s already on offer?

As for the food… I can guarantee the quality.

“How many subordinates do you have, Nelba?”

“Hmm… well, for now, five, I suppose.”

Five… if Towa and I cook together, we can manage.

But we still face the problem of ugly women cooking.

“What’s their gender?”

“They’re all women.”

…Haa.

I knew it would come to this.

Originally, the only thing the Ronyan could do that the Ryuu couldn’t was this.

“So, you mean if we can satisfy those five people?”

“You can interpret it that way. Lord Arius, do you think you can do something?”

Well, yeah… I can, but there are a few problems.

“Yes. I can provide sexual satisfaction.”

“Dear…!?”

“Arius-sama…!?”

“…”

I mean, what else can we do?

Nelba seemed to expect this, and she was slightly smiling, and Luuri… she probably knew that this was the only point of negotiation. That’s why she couldn’t give me specific instructions.

“That’s a great help. But is it okay? Of course, your subordinates include ugly women…”

“— Before that…”

“Hmm…”

Yes, there’s a problem.

It’s not about their appearance, though.

“Let me be clear. I can satisfy your subordinates 100%… no, more than that. As a result, they won’t be able to live without me.”

“You’re saying quite a lot, aren’t you? Well, continue.”

“Thank you. I understand your doubts, and I don’t mind being tested to prove myself. But if you choose me, I’d like to make a contract first.”

I know it’s a big claim.

To be honest, I can keep it within a certain range. But this is a negotiation.

There are times when you have to take a risk, and this is one of those times.

“What’s the content of the contract?”

“Not to interfere with Liliel-san in the future. Instead, I’ll provide regular comfort.”

Nelba finally showed signs of deep consideration.

I  want her to back off. And also to keep her hands off the Ryuu.

From my perspective, being able to eat dragon cuisine at a bargain price or having a special seating area in the restaurant exclusively for members of the Magus Guild—now that would be a far tastier deal.

But in this world, the release of sexual desire is a major issue, and being able to solve it easily is an attractive proposition.

This is the gamble.

Nelba probably has ways to take care of that aspect, as long as she’s a decent boss.

But Nelba isn’t considered beautiful in this world; she’s more like an ugly woman. Yet, her ability to establish her position shows her skill in networking.

Which one to choose?

Me or Liliel?

“Huh… hahaha, ha-ha-ha-ha!”

“Oh, oh?”

“No, no. I’m sorry, yeah, I’m sorry. I see, I see, if the women are satisfied, then Liliel’s role is unnecessary, excellent. Although… it’s only if Lord Arius’ words are true.”

“Yes, that’s right. So, feel free to test me.”

It seems I’ve won the gamble… hmm.

“Cerica.”

“Umm… but… um, um, yes.”

I gave Cerica, who was about to jump on Nelba, a word of warning.

“Is it okay if I sleep with Nelba?”

“Oh, you’re quite bold, aren’t you? I don’t mind, and I’d like to taste it, but how about you take care of those five people first? As a test, as Lord Arius said.”

“I understand. Is it okay if I start now?”

“Yes, I think so. I just want to make sure you don’t do anything strange, so I’ll have some people hidden in the room I’ve prepared.”

Of course.

I can’t do anything strange.

“Dear…!”

“…I already told Luuri, so that’s one favor you owe me, Liliel-san. Now then, would you mind showing me the way?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s right. I’ll send someone to pick you up now.”

Well, then…

“Let’s do this.”

T/N: I apologize for the late upload of a new chapter, was busy with my academics and lost interest in this novel due to some personal reasons. But anyway I am back on this novel. Will prolly post illustrations by april. Also Dragon Dragon(sounds dumb fr, anyway this is Liliel’s store) will now be Ryuu. The guild will also be Magus Guild. This is to standardize stuffs and keep it consistent(It’s just easier to remember and not be confused with frfr). Thank you again for reading!