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

Chapter 37: Love, an Oath

Well, that was one hell of a massive orgy.

The thing that’ll stick in my memory is how I completely used Serika to her fullest.

That’s the kind of vibe running through my head, like some graduation ceremony speech.

I left the “fuck room” as is, since they told me it was fine to leave it that way.

Now, I’m walking home under the cover of night, carrying Serika on my back—she’s fast asleep—while walking side by side with Ririeru-san.

Truth be told, I could’ve headed back a bit earlier, but when I was taking a bath with Serika in the borrowed bathroom, I couldn’t help myself and went for one more round.

She managed to stay conscious right up to the end, so I feel a bit bad for finishing her off like that, Serika.

“My dear.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m truly sorry for everything.”

“Oh, I’m keeping that favor locked in, so don’t worry about it.”

When I glance back, Luuri’s got this awkward, guilty look on her face before she turns away.

At any rate, it seems like everything’s wrapped up for now. At the very least, I accomplished my goal of going to pick up Ririeru-san, so I can probably relax, right?

If there’s anything more to this, that’s a whole different matter.

“But, um… I don’t know how I could possibly repay such an enormous debt.”

Her profile, slightly downcast, looks incredibly fragile.

It’s hard to believe this is the same person who boldly declared she’d make me hers.

“Hey, come on, how’s the manager of Rongrong supposed to act like that? You’re out to steal Ronnyan’s customers and make me yours, right? Shouldn’t you at least throw in a ‘you’ll see!’ or something?”

“If that would count as repaying the favor, then I’ll do it.”

Whoa, how did she get this deflated? It’s like there’s no fight left in her.

I didn’t exactly save her from some life-or-death crisis—honestly, I probably just got in the way and made things worse.

“Ririeru-san.”

“…Yes.”

“Rongrong is a damn good place.”

“Huh…?”

If she stays all mopey like this, it’s gonna be a problem.

I genuinely love that place, where you can eat delicious food without being judged for your looks or power.

“To be honest, if something happened to you, the real issue would be that place. I love Rongrong. You could even say I admire it—a place where you can just eat like normal.”

“Admire?”

To me, it’s a normal restaurant.

Sure, there’s some thought put into it, like the visible partitions between seats, and probably other clever details I didn’t even notice.

“For a place like that to exist in the capital? That’s incredible. It’s downright thrilling, in this loud, chaotic world, in this city of all places, to set up a shop like that and make it thrive.”

I couldn’t do it. I didn’t do it.

All I managed was Ronnyan, a tiny little shop, a small world.

“So, if you’re talking about repaying the favor, how about this, Ririeru-san?”

“…Yes. Please, tell me anything you wish.”

You said you were in love with me, and if you still want to make that love come true…

“Let’s make our shops sister restaurants.”

“Sister… restaurants?”

“Yeah. Let’s help each other out, cover each other’s weaknesses. I can’t make a place that satisfies everyone, but Rongrong might be able to. By forming a sister restaurant bond with us, you could get closer to me… maybe.”

I don’t understand the kind of love you’re talking about, and I can’t accept it, but I can offer you a path to the kind of love I believe in.

“You don’t have to crush Ronnyan to make me yours. We can meet and laugh, maybe bicker sometimes, and spend time together like that. If we keep doing that, maybe one day your love will come true without you even realizing it.”

“I don’t understand, my dear…! You’re not interested in me, are you? I don’t have any value that could make you look my way! Not beauty, not power, not even money can sway you, can it?”

Right now, the Ririeru-san I’m talking to is ridiculously beautiful—not the bearded, burly image I had in my head.

So, there’s a chance her charm might get to me someday, and I might end up being the one asking her out.

“Let’s have a normal kind of love.”

“!?”

Nobody knows what the future holds. Saying that might sound trite or cheap, but it’s true.

At the very least, I’m not in love with Ririeru-san right now.

“How can I make you smile? What can I do to make you happy? How can I get you to love me? Thinking about nothing but that, getting through sleepless nights—that’s what I call love. The feeling of wanting to cherish someone, that’s what I’d call love.”

That’s what I want to believe.

Love takes all sorts of forms, so I’m not going to deny what you call love, Ririeru-san.

But the shape of your love doesn’t fit with mine, no matter how I try.

I’m flattered, don’t get me wrong.

There’s no guy who wouldn’t be thrilled to hear a beauty like you say she’s in love with him.

But, still…

“I want to live in my own world. I can’t accept the kind of love you’re offering, I’m sorry.”

“—”

“But if you still want it, even so… make me turn to you. I know it sounds crazy even to me, but I want to see a Ririeru-san who makes me want to look at her.”

I’m someone who can only live for himself, who decided to live for himself.

“Luuri.”

“Y-yes!?”

“We’re good here, right? Look, what I just said is only if you want to—it’s not like you have to do it. You don’t have to repay anything at all, so… see you later.”

I’d like to have a good relationship if possible.

But what kind of relationship we’ll end up building, I have no idea.

※

“Serika, you’re awake, aren’t you?”

“…Hehe, desu.”

It’s been a while since we parted ways with those two.

To be honest, I noticed she was awake even before I started talking to Ririeru, but, well, whatever.

“Your back, Arius-sama… it felt so nice, desu.”

“Getting pretty cheeky, huh? Good, keep it up.”

The feeling of your back was extremely pleasant, but I’m not reluctant to part with it, got that?

Putting that aside, first things first…

“Thanks.”

“Hweh, desu?”

I felt it back when I talked to Towa about what to do with flag shop clients and ended up holding her.

“For coming with me.”

“Arius-sama…”

It’s like I can’t feel good anymore with someone I recognize as a client.

I took on all five of Nelba-san’s subordinates at once, and I think I satisfied every one of them.

I didn’t care about their looks—it was just a harem of flesh. Sure, I ejaculated.

But I wasn’t fulfilled. No matter how much I came or how many climaxes I gave them, I didn’t feel a shred of pleasure.

“When you showed up there, I was really happy.”

There was a sense of accomplishment as someone providing sex. Back in the day, that would’ve been enough for me.

But before I knew it, I was saying your name.

The moment I shoved my cock into your mouth…

“I felt good… I felt fulfilled.”

I’m fully aware that I’m treating you like a tool for processing my cum.

I also understand the fact that I vented my lingering gloom on you.

“Towa, Mia, Serika… you’re all pieces I need.”

“—”

Is this what you call love, or is it affection?

If we were talking about my past life, that’s exactly what it’d be, I know that.

But in this world, and in the Ronnyan world I’m trying to create, can I call it that? I still don’t know.

It’s a world I made for my own selfish reasons, so I could just define it myself.

But for some reason, deciding that so casually feels like it’d be a waste, like it’s too precious for that.

“…Arius-sama, desu.”

“Yeah?”

When I turn to her voice, Serika’s looking at me with an expression I’ve never seen before, her eyes peering out from behind her bangs.

“You know, I thought it was enough to just exclude and reject things, desu. When Ririeru… -san said she’d make you hers, I felt that way, desu. Even this time, if Nelba-san had tried to harm you, I thought I’d just crush the whole building, desu.”

“You guys are always so damn intense.”

“Hehe… but that’s not it, desu. Your world, your normal—it shines because this world exists, desu.”

That might be true.

If this world had the same values as my past life, I wouldn’t have chosen this kind of life, and I probably never would’ve met Towa, Mia, or you.

“I I want to be yours, Arius-sama, desu.”

“…”

“How can I make you happy, make you smile, desu? Thinking about that, staying up all night… I want to be something that fulfills you, desu.”

Using my own words, you say it.

So, this is…

“I… no, Towa-san and Mia-san too. We’re in love with you, Arius-sama, desu.”

It’s an oath.

It’s not that you can’t live in the outside world—you’ve chosen to live by my side.