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

Chapter 40: How to Obtain a Treasure

Some time after Shuri-chan’s electrifying debut…

“If an ugly person brings in ingredients, they get a discount, huh. As expected, they’re pulling out all sorts of clever tricks… Anything else?”

“Well, it’s pretty standard, but we have a point system where customers earn points with each visit. They can exchange them for a free dish or even request a custom menu item!”

That was the reply from Liliel-san, confirming the official contract to make this place a sister store.

The specifics are still to be worked out, but she mentioned wanting to introduce Ryuu first—out of goodwill or trust, I suppose. Right now, Luuri’s giving me the grand tour.

“O-Oh! G-Good work, everyone!”

“H-Hello, welcome to our shop!”

“Hey, good work, and hello! I know this is sudden, and you might be surprised, but I’m Arius. Nice to meet you all!”

“N-N-Nice to meet you too!”

Once the greetings were done, I got a “Kyaaa!” and someone bolted away. Huh?!

“N-No, we’re terribly sorry! It’s not that they’re put off or anything—it’s more like… nerves? Or maybe they’re just too awestruck?”

“Awestruck?! Just who do you all think I am…?”

There’s also a bunch of people staring at me from a distance, and I’m totally lost here. I get that a sudden introduction might throw people off, but what’s with this vibe?

“U-Um, it’s absolutely not that we’re unwelcoming, so please don’t think that!”

“Yeah, alright, fair enough. I’m sure everyone will warm up to me eventually.”

It’s a bit what-the-heck, but oh well.

That aside, Ryuu really lives up to its reputation as a bustling gem in the capital.

The ingenuity and business efforts they described? I couldn’t help but nod in awe. And the fact that they can consistently execute these ideas with such manpower? Impressive.

Take that ingredient-bringing service, for example.

Anyone, regardless of their trade, can bring in ingredients, and the shop will whip up a dish using them at a steep discount.

There are monsters out there that even non-adventurers can take down. Problem is, most of those have little value as ingredients, and cooking them yourself is a hassle.

But here? Bring those in, and they’ll transform them into something edible. For unattractive folks with unstable incomes, that’s gotta bring a big ol’ smile!

From the shop’s perspective, it’s a win too—they only need to charge for the cooking technique, not the raw materials, so it’s easy to keep profits in the black.

And maybe they don’t even realize it, but this system is built on trust.

If the shop charged exorbitant prices for the ingredients brought in, the whole thing would fall apart. The premise hinges on the shop delivering edible dishes reliably.

The fact that this system works is proof of a rock-solid bond of trust between the shop and its customers.

“Luuri.”

“Eh? Ah, y-yes?”

“This place really is a great shop.”

I mean that, no exaggeration.

Even the point card system, probably designed with beautiful people in mind, is thoughtful.

Every five points gets you a free dish. Thirty points lets you request a custom dish, and fifty points? Your suggestion might even make it onto the menu permanently.

It’s like… status craving, right? In this world, beautiful people tend to have an inflated sense of entitlement. They expect special treatment, and without perks like these, they might not bite.

A free dish is easy to aim for, so even less wealthy beautiful folks can take advantage. The higher-tier rewards? They’re total bragging rights. “Oh, that dish? I suggested it!” That’s gotta feel amazing, especially at a hotspot like Ryuu.

“Yeah, it’s good. Really good.”

“Arius-san…”

The customers are thrilled. The staff seem genuinely happy with their work.

This is the ideal shop. And once again, I’m struck with respect for Liliel-san, who built this place into what it is.

That said, it does make me wonder—what can I even contribute here?

I mean, come on, this whole “getting chummy with me might be valuable” thing? No way that’s worth more than the scene in front of me.

Maybe I’m the one who should be serving Liliel-san here? I can’t help but feel a bit suspicious.

“Thank you… so much.”

“Hm?”

Out of nowhere, I get a thank-you.

I turn to the voice, and Luuri’s practically beaming with joy.

“To me, Liliel-sama is… well, she’s just so incredibly important.”

“Important?”

“Ah, no, I mean… Right, I don’t need to hide anything from you, Arius-san.”

As she says this, Luuri’s smile shifts slightly.

It’s still joyful, but there’s a hint of… satisfaction? Pride, maybe?

“All of us Usa—er, employees—we all adore Liliel-sama. We follow her because it’s her.”

“O-Oh, uh… Did I do something bad, then?”

Wait, is this some roundabout way of throwing shade at me?!

No way, Luuri’s playing dirty?! Is she about to take me down or something?!

“N-N-No, that’s not it at all!? I-I didn’t mean it like thaaat! U-Ugh, I bit my tongue…”

“Oh, uh, okay? So you all really look up to Liliel-san, got it. And…?”

Phew, false alarm. I’m safe.

“…Liliel-sama doesn’t see her own worth. No matter how much we tell her she’s amazing, she doesn’t believe us.”

“I’m sorry.”

Wait, so it is my fault?! I’m the jerk who only saw Liliel-san as some fluffy beastkin and nothing more!

“W-W-W-Wait, noooo!? That’s not what I meant! I mean, I’m happy I get to keep working with the person I love! And I love that you’re trying to help Liliel-sama see her own value!”

“Uh, oh, okay…”

“And one day, when Liliel-sama finally believes in herself? I can’t wait for her to recognize our loyalty and affection! I’m so excited, and I want to support you because I know you’ll help make that happen!!”

H-Hold on, Luuri? We’re in the middle of the shop, and this is way too loud and embarrassing… Huh?

“So, even if it’s through Liliel-sama, I want to give you my absolute—”

“—Luuri?”

“HYO!”

Hyo?! What kind of yelp is that?!

Luuri turns around with this creaky, robotic motion, her face screaming “I messed up big time!” And there, at the end of her gaze…

“Thank you for the tour… I appreciate it. But… could you come here for a sec?”

“E-E-Eh?!”

Liliel-san appears, grabs Luuri by the scruff of her neck, and drags her off with a zuru zuru sound.

Oh, man.

“U-Um, excuse me… Would you like a drink, perhaps?”

“Thanks. But, uh, take a look at that. What do you think?”

“W-Well… It’s, um… awfully pitiful.”

Yeah, pitiful’s the word.

Luuri’s not just a clumsy girl—she’s a pitiful girl.

Oh well, Liliel-san will probably be back soon.

Here’s hoping Luuri’s path is filled with plenty of luck. For now, I’ll just wait.

***

“Sorry for showing you something so embarrassing…”

I chuckle and tell her it’s fine, but Liliel-san’s half-elf ears are still red as they peek through her hair.

Honestly, it was kind of endearing, and I wish she wouldn’t worry about it. But rather than linger on this, it’s probably better to shift to business talk.

“Being apologized to nonstop feels weird. How about we discuss the sister store contract?”

“…Yes. Let’s do that.”

She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and when she opens them again, her gaze is sharp and intellectual.

Yup, that’s the face of a businesswoman. In such a short time, she’s turned Ryuu into this. She’s got that capable woman aura radiating off her.

“Let me confirm, then. What we can offer is Mia’s magic stone maintenance, Serika’s ingredient sourcing, and, well… my body, I guess.”

This was something we discussed and agreed on beforehand back at our place.

Mia and Serika got the green light without any fuss, and as for me, I’ve got no issues either.

If anything, I feel kinda bad that we’re offering so little compared to what they’re bringing to the table.

“All three of those are of exceptionally high quality, as we well know… How about fifty gold coins a month?”

Ngh?! Hold up, Liliel-san, isn’t that a bit too many zeros?!

I mean, can you even afford to shell out that much? Is Ryuu that loaded?

“Let’s calm down a sec. Where’d this fifty gold coins figure come from? And is Ryuu’s business gonna be okay tossing out that kinda cash?”

“…In my heart, I’d love to offer even more, but this is essentially a tribute, so…”

“Tribute?! What’s that supposed to mean… Alright, fine. Five gold coins a month. That covers regular magic stone maintenance from Mia, Serika’s ingredient sourcing, and a discount on, uh, intimate negotiations with me.”

I lock eyes with her, signaling I’m not budging, and Liliel-san gives me this troubled look.

But, c’mon, I’m the one who’s really struggling here!

“Honestly, Ryuu’s already got things running smoothly, right? Ingredient sourcing? You’ve got employee teams handling that. Magic stone maintenance? Same deal. Mia and Serika’s help might sound nice as ‘support,’ but we could end up taking jobs away from your staff. The only unique thing we’re offering is me, but it’s not like you’ve got folks here desperate for a guy. So, even five gold coins feels like we’re overcharging.”

“No, that’s not true. If Mia-sama handles magic stone maintenance, we can reassign our current maintenance staff to the kitchen. And if Serika-sama joins our sourcing team, we could secure ingredients one… no, two ranks higher! That’s just one example—there are countless ways we could make use of their skills.”

Maybe I’m just not thinking hard enough about this.

Liliel-san, with a finger thoughtfully resting on her shapely chin, hums in contemplation, looking oddly alive in the moment.

“U-Um, Dear?”

“Hm?”

“Why… are you smiling like that? If I’ve made a fool of myself or been rude, please, do tell me!”

Her sharp, intellectual expression flips to one of anxious worry in an instant.

For a fleeting second, I wonder if we should skip the sister store idea, merge outright, make Liliel-san the manager, and let me retire to a quiet life.

“Liliel-san,” I start.

“Y-Yes?”

She straightens her back with a snap, her eyes trembling with unease.

“You’ve got every right to hold your head high.”

She shouldn’t be looking to me for approval.

If anything, that confident, radiant face she had when we reunited at Ryuu—that’s the one that suits her best.

I know there are plenty of reasons she’s lost that spark, and yeah, I’m probably one of them.

But still.

If there’s even a chance I could come to love someone like Liliel-san…

“You’ve got every right to be proud of yourself. I’m sure of it.”

Sure, we’ve got some fundamental differences in how we see things.

But a Liliel-san who carries herself with confidence, who stands tall with pride—she’d be absolutely breathtaking.

“I…”

She bites her lower lip and looks down.

I know I’m saying something reckless. I’m probably missing a ton of emotional and logical context here.

“There’s nothing for me to be proud of.”

“Nothing to be proud of?”

“I was born neither beautiful nor ugly. Powers I didn’t understand came to me without effort. I can’t recall ever seizing anything through my own strength. My feelings for you… they still burn in my heart. But back then, when the scales balanced you against my employees, all it would’ve taken was a single word to choose you. And I… I couldn’t say it.”

She could take on a beautiful or ugly form at will. As the master’s daughter, people flocked to her without her trying.

Liliel-san probably never had to fight for anything—she wished, and it was hers.

“How could someone like me dare to shout my feelings for you? To be proud? I wished, I yearned, I spent countless nights longing… and still, I—”

“That’s good enough, isn’t it?”

“Eh?”

In the end, Liliel-san treasures so many things—far more than she realizes.

“Caring about this, caring about that, thinking you can’t be proud because nothing’s ‘number one.’ Thinking you can’t be loved because you can’t prove what’s most important—that’s not for you to decide, Liliel-san.”

“—”

“That’s for the person you care about to decide. Whether they can accept a Liliel-san who holds so many things dear—that’s a question of a man’s worth. Don’t underestimate me like that. If I’m counted among your treasures, whether I strive to become your greatest treasure… that’s not your call to make.”

Falling in love with the idea of love, defining what love should be.

It hits me how similar we are.

At our core, Liliel-san and I are just trying to live by our own rules.

“In the end, all we can do is work hard to be accepted for who we are. ‘Follow me, accept me’—that’s why we pour everything into doing what we can.”

“…I tried to drag you in. I decided on my own that I couldn’t be accepted. Ah, yes… that’s it, isn’t it?”

—Nobody accepts something that claims it has no value.

That’s what it comes down to.

You’ve got no choice but to put on a brave face.

Just like I have to believe I’m someone Towa, Mia, and Serika need.

Liliel-san has to believe she’s someone worthy of being loved by me.

“Dear…”

“Yeah?”