As A Result of Trying To Live An Erotic Slow-Life, I Have Become The Underground Ruler of This Upside-Down Otherworld - Chapter 42: Contract During a Break

Chapter 41: A Contract During Rest

“Haa…”

Mia lets out a sigh, feeling down in the dumps.

She’s been mulling over what Serika told her about the whole Mage Guild fiasco and the sister restaurant contract with Rongrong.

Going back even further, there’s the matter of Shuri kidnapping Arius.

“I didn’t do anything this time, did I?”

That thought gnaws at Mia.

But the truth is, not a single person, including Arius, sees it that way.

Towa was able to pinpoint Shuri’s hideout in the Rabbit Warren so quickly thanks to Mia’s connections, and it was Mia who had been preparing for situations like this all along.

It’s just that things didn’t line up.

The situation unfolded at a bizarrely fast pace. The groundwork wasn’t fully set, and there were plenty of unexpected twists, including not being able to gauge Arius’s true intentions. Ririeru’s recklessness played a part, but the issue was in areas where Mia couldn’t have laid the groundwork beforehand.

Yes, every bit of timing was off.

It wasn’t just Mia—emotionally, Towa and Serika felt it too.

They were all fired up, ready to embark on a new life, which made the blow to their hearts even heavier.

“Arius-san… I’m sorry.”

Mia strongly feels like she tripped right out of the gate. She’s got to make up for this mess.

“No, no, this isn’t the time to be moping.”

The sister restaurant contract is sealed.

After that, it’s easy to guess what happened, considering Ririeru, Luuri, and every single woman at Rongrong were practically swimming in semen.

Those with families deserve a pat on the back for holding it together, focusing on tending to the exhausted Arius without succumbing to his raw energy. You could praise those all-purpose Rabbits to the skies for that.

—When I get home, I’m jumping my husband.

Mia recalls a Rabbit, cheeks flushed, saying that while helping carry a drained Arius back to Ronnyan.

She silently wishes the husband, about to be pounced on, well, and resolves to lend an ear if he needs to vent.

“Yup, his total magic power’s definitely gone up. Ten Rongrong employees, plus Ririeru and Luuri, and it still took all that? This is… kinda bad…”

Mia gives a wry smile to Arius, sleeping in bed.

And then there’s the fact that satisfying Arius has gotten harder.

Towa suggested just increasing the number of partners, but Arius can’t be fulfilled by someone he sees as a client anymore.

“Love, huh?”

Being desired is happiness.

Even more so when it’s by someone you cherish.

Serika shared Arius’s definition of love with her.

Both Towa and Mia nodded, thinking, That’s it. The emotions they couldn’t put into words were exactly that—they’re in love with Arius.

And on top of that, probably…

“Only someone in a romantic relationship can satisfy Arius-san.”

That’s likely the case, whether Arius realizes it or not.

But that’s what makes it so hard.

The kind of love Arius talks about doesn’t exist in this world. It’s something that only starts to grow through contact with him.

If they exposed Arius to the world, maybe they’d witness the budding of that love, but that goes against Ronnyan’s whole purpose.

“So, it’s up to us to step up, isn’t it? Not exactly realistic, but…”

Mia, especially, wants Arius to feel fulfilled.

Not just every night—every hour, if he wants her, she’d respond without hesitation. That’s her true desire.

But her body can’t keep up with her heart. Back in the day, maybe, but now, one load in her womb knocks her out cold, and even her service has limits at lower intensities.

“It’s frustrating…”

And to make matters worse, Arius is in super-recovery mode right now.

It’s already tough, but to be asked if she can handle an even more refined Arius? As galling as it is, she has to shake her head. It’s a fact beyond emotional wishes or pride in wanting to take it all.

Simply put, he needs someone to vent his overgrown sexual appetite.

For his mental fulfillment, they can manage with effort—they’ll make it work.

They genuinely want to take on that part, to be worthy of it.

So, in a way, someone like Serika is needed—a tool Arius consciously uses for that purpose.

In this case, Arius lost his rationality and went after the Rabbits.

Ririeru’s provocative cock-teasing was the main culprit, so no grudges were born, but facts are facts.

It was lucky, you could say, that it was the Rabbits. If he’d gone after someone with a partner without question, Arius would’ve suffered for it.

Rape by a man isn’t something Mia’s heard of, but it’d probably be considered a crime, and in a rare case, he might even end up a toy for nobles or royalty.

But at the same time, Mia realized the terrifying nature of Arius’s orc heritage.

It stripped his rationality, turning him into a true sex monster, consumed by lust.

“That’s exactly why this is Mia’s time to dig in.”

Finishing her check on Arius’s condition, Mia’s expression shifts.

“Though, I’d really like you to come back to your own world soon.”

“Geez, you’re loud. I was at a good part.”

She shoots a half-annoyed, half-exasperated look at Nelba, who’s standing behind her with a mix of disbelief and frustration.

※

“I’m not exactly free myself, you know.”

“They say showing sincerity means visiting three times to beg for a meeting, right?”

“So, I’ve got two more rounds of that to watch?”

“Next up is Towa’s turn.”

“Spare me, please.”

Nelba came to apologize, as she said, and to formally request a cooperative relationship, but with Arius asleep, there’s not much to be done.

She asked to be spared, but if it’d improve Arius’s impression of her even a little, Nelba had no qualms about going through with it.

“Don’t be dumb, I’m kidding. Long time no see, Nelba. Serika aside, I’m the only one here you really know, so I’ll say hi for now.”

“Good grief, if it’s a joke, don’t make that serious face… But in a way, this is convenient. Long time no see, Mia. You’ve got a much calmer look these days.”

They move to Mia’s room and shake hands.

They know each other well. To Mia, Nelba was someone who’d put up with her reckless demands. To Nelba, Mia was a cute, tantrum-throwing partner.

Above all, both are the type to stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

They’ve teamed up within the Guild before, using each other as needed.

So, though they don’t say it, they understand each other as comrades-in-arms, or at least as people they can let their guard down around.

“Convenient? When you say that, I get a bad feeling. If you’re planning to use Arius-san for something, I’ll make sure you never see the sunrise again right here.”

“You’ve gotten quick to fight, haven’t you? That’s a headache. I swear, I have no intention of harming him.”

Mia relaxes her tense body, trusting Nelba’s words are true.

It’s too late now, but Mia still feels regret for letting things spiral this far. It’s no wonder she’s a bit hypersensitive, vowing not to let it happen again.

“If I’d known you were pulling strings behind the scenes—”

“Stop right there. Even I only got a call from Eld before it all went down. No one but a god could’ve anticipated and prepared for that.”

It’s probably meant as comfort, or maybe an excuse for herself.

Either way, no one was fully prepared to handle that situation.

“Phew… Sorry. Okay, so what’s this ‘convenient’ thing?”

“Let’s say the Snakes have shed their skin—does that get the point across?”

Mia thinks for a moment, then grabs her head with both hands.

“…A lot’s clicking now. You were the one looking after the Snakes.”

“If managing them to prevent trouble counts as looking after, then yeah.”

The Snakes, entrusted to Nelba by Eld.

“Entrusted” might be misleading—Nelba, with her deep ties to the capital’s underworld, was the only one who could control them.

“Ugh… So the men in the church’s basement were…”

“Food for the Snakes. Lucky for me, the bishop’s interests aligned.”

The Snakes were a unique group even within the Eld Family.

Their demon blood runs thick, and some can even wield magic.

But that thick demonic blood requires unique sustenance to sustain their lives—male semen.

“You said they shed their skin. Don’t tell me…”

“Yup. Their waning magical power came roaring back after sex with Arius-dono. They were already worshipping him as a god for the pleasure alone, and with the miracle of their magic’s revival—”

“Don’t say it… My head’s starting to hurt, so give me a sec.”

“Of course. I’m happy to share the headache.”

“Shut up.”

Mia’s mind conjures an image of the Snakes kneeling before Arius, eyes sparkling with devotion.

It’s not a guess—it’s a certain future.

If they were just hooked like Kazune, that’d be fine. Even becoming believers is… okay.

“Fanatics.”

“Exactly. Their leash is now in Arius-dono’s hands.”

If Arius told them to burn the city, they’d do it without a moment’s hesitation.

If they had brakes like Serika, it’d be better, but they leaped straight into sex with Arius, so no such restraint exists.

“There were eight Snakes, right? What about the other three?”

“I’m keeping them under wraps. Since that incident, they haven’t operated as a team, and I’ve banned contact.”

“Smart move. At this point, isn’t splitting them up permanently the only option?”

The other three aren’t “ugly.”

They can find men on their own, and their magic’s decline is gradual. It won’t vanish before their lives end.

“Yeah, there’s no other way. If they’re exposed, they’ll definitely seek Arius-dono too. That… wouldn’t align with Ronnyan’s goals, would it?”

“Ugh… What happened to this ‘cooperation’ talk?”

“My bad. It sounded like a threat… I’m no good, this kind of behavior’s ingrained.”

Nelba laughs self-deprecatingly.

Her words about not harming Arius are dead serious.

But it’s not because she’s particularly fond of him.

“I’m really glad Arius-dono wants a quiet life. I’ll spare no effort to keep him wanting that.”

From Nelba’s perspective, Arius is still a dangerous figure.

She wouldn’t say “ugly” women are inherently superior, but if Arius wanted, they’d flock to him.

If he had ambition, he could easily trade his seed for some kind of action.

“I see, convenient… huh. You can’t exactly tell Arius-san that, can you?”

“You already know, don’t you? The Ugly Duckling story.”

“The Ugly Duckling… wait, no way.”

And there are people, organizations, seeking a figure like Arius—a flag, a god to rally behind.

“I was keeping them in check with the Snakes’ power. Now that the Snakes are out of commission… yeah, that’s my main headache.”

“Sigh… Yeah, that’s a headache alright.”

It’s her own screw-up, but Nelba now sees Arius’s cooperation as essential.

She can’t navigate this without him.

“Proposal.”

“I’m listening.”

They both straighten up.

“I’ll hire those five as maintenance staff at my mansion. I’ll connect them to Arius-san through Serika, as her subordinates.”

“Conditions?”

“Obviously, the five Snakes obey Arius-san absolutely. They also follow Serika’s orders. As for you, how about taking out anyone trying to mess with Ronnyan or Rongrong?”

Nelba takes a thoughtful stance.

The terms alone are a steal.

Splitting off the Snakes can be justified by their magic’s decline, and it’s not unreasonable. Mia’s mansion is a perfect place to hide them, and Mia’s offering to manage them.

The “troublemakers” include the Ugly Duckling group, of course, but also other Families that rose after the Eld Family’s dissolution. That’s another headache, but if it’s cleared, it’s not easy, but doable.

“It’s almost too good for me.”

“Think it’s a trap?”

Naturally, Nelba wonders if Mia’s setting her up.

Maybe using the five to lead an attack on the Guild? The Guild’s probably irrelevant to Mia now, and they’ve already taken a bite at her. It wouldn’t be strange if she wanted them gone.

“It’s a matter of trust, but I’m not trying to screw you over. I’m saying this because I think it’s the best thing for Arius-san.”

“—”

Mia says it with a strikingly clear smile.

There’s a benefit for Mia, and by extension Arius, too.

It clears out nuisances, sure, but more importantly, the Snakes are perfect for venting Arius’s insatiable sexual appetite, which Mia was just worrying about.

The Snakes live off semen.

If they’re upfront about that, Arius’s client mindset might fade, letting him unleash his pent-up desires without holding back.

“You’ve… really changed.”

“I’m not changing—I want to change. I want to be Arius-san’s woman.”

In the end…

Mia recognized her role here.

She’s the one most versed in the capital’s underworld at Ronnyan, bar none.

So, she’ll handle the backroom deals and build the environment Arius probably wants.

“Got it. Paperwork?”

“No need. We’ve got no reason to betray you, and if you betray us, we’ll just send the Snakes after you. Oh, but for talks with Arius-san, prepare proper documents, okay?”

“That’s harsh. I never thought I’d see the essence of a lovestruck maiden here. Understood, let me know when Arius-dono wakes up?”

“What? Not coming back two more times?”

Mia’s quip gets a small laugh.

“I might fall in love myself. I don’t want to get in the way of a love story, so I’ll pass.”

With that, Nelba leaves the room.