As A Result of Trying To Live An Erotic Slow-Life, I Have Become The Underground Ruler of This Upside-Down Otherworld - Chapter 51: Help from an “Ugly” Woman

Chapter 51: Helping an “Ugly” Woman

In the end.

We ended up bringing the collapsed kid back to Ronnyan.

Honestly, I know the proper way to help someone is to take them to a clinic—or, in past-life terms, a hospital.

Bringing them to our place—what are we even gonna do? We don’t have a doctor.

Taking in someone who’s clearly not normal is the furthest thing from the “stability” I was talking about before we set out. I get that.

More than that, I’m no philanthropist or bleeding-heart do-gooder.

If anything, I’m the type to chant “no trouble, please!” at the top of my lungs.

I thought about pretending I didn’t see anything, or at least getting someone else to handle it.

But I couldn’t do it, probably because Shuri was there.

Shuri didn’t say a word.

She didn’t say to help or abandon the kid—just glanced at them and seemed to watch what I’d do, her eyes flickering with anxiety.

So, I picked the kid up.

And when I started heading for a clinic, Shuri finally muttered a single line.

—The clinic’s not a good idea.

Before I could ask what she meant, I noticed how frail the kid’s warmth felt in my arms.

“Phew.”

“Good work, Mia. How’d it go?”

It’s weird to rely on a mage for this, but the moment Mia saw the kid, she jumped in with all sorts of instructions.

“Yeah, I think the worst is over. They’re out of danger now. Extreme exhaustion and malnutrition, mostly. They’re sleeping.”

“Got it. Thanks again, Mia.”

“W-Wa… ah… No, I was startled, but if I could help Arius-san, I’m happy. But, uh…”

I give her a quick hug to thank her.

She looks thrilled, but her face clouds over right after.

“Yeah?”

“Could you… stay with them until they wake up, Arius-san? I’d love to, but, you know… I might scare them.”

She says it with an apologetic look.

…Man.

I don’t even know what to say.

I get what she means.

If they woke up to a super gorgeous… no, an “ugly” girl like Mia by their side, they’d probably freak out.

If it were me, I’d drag her into bed without a second thought, but in this world, it’s the exact opposite.

“No way.”

“Huh…”

But this is Ronnyan. That logic doesn’t fly, and it shouldn’t.

“Mia, let’s wait together in the room until the kid wakes up. It’s fine, we’ll be there together.”

“Arius-san…”

Yeah, maybe the “active effort” I need to make starts with stuff like this.

※

How much time has passed?

There wasn’t much talk between me and Mia, just her occasionally checking the kid’s condition with a magic stone.

I’m sure there were things I should’ve asked while waiting for them to wake up.

Like, is it common for kids to be lying in alleys in such a beat-up state?

But something held me back from wanting to know about this kid.

Part of it’s not wanting to feel pity. But more than that, I don’t want to know if this is normal.

Sure, my mom was after my body.

But I was raised without want until I was twelve, and I don’t want to know how blessed that was.

If there are a lot of kids like this one out there…

Then I’m just some idiot who threw away a privileged life to mope about being unhappy.

Even if my values don’t match this world, that’s my own issue. No matter how much I complain, to society, it’s nonsense.

Maybe that’s why I wanted to be a shut-in at my core.

I didn’t want to be pointed at as an outsider. The ones excluding don’t feel pain, but the excluded do.

I think I understand that much, at least.

“Arius-san.”

“…Yeah?”

Just as my mood’s sinking, Mia’s voice pulls me back, hesitant, like she’s unsure what to say.

“What for?”

“You mean why I brought the kid here? Or why I’m keeping you in the room?”

“…Both.”

Fair question.

Honestly, I’m so grateful she’s gone along with this quietly, I could kiss her.

“Mmph!? …Pwa♡ Uh, um? D-Do it?”

“Oh, no, sorry, not like that. Not trying to distract you with a hug or anything.”

But, crap, I did it. My kinks aren’t that warped to start something in front of an unconscious kid, a boy no less.

“I brought them here… hell, I don’t really know why. Can’t explain it.”

“I-I see.”

“But keeping you here… that’s because I don’t want you acting all reserved in Ronnyan.”

“Reserved…?”

This is Ronnyan, my world.

A tiny, selfish world just for me.

“You’re perfect when you’re greedily begging for sex, sometimes sneaking in to hog the good stuff. If you start acting all meek just ‘cause a customer shows up, that’s no good.”

“I-I’m not… Mia’s not sneaking anything! It’s, it’s my legitimate right!”

Her cheeks puff out, but she looks a bit guilty.

Man, I love this side of Mia.

Towa and Serika, too.

They’ve each got their own charm, and I really dig it.

“Yeah, your legitimate right. And that shouldn’t be violated. I want it to stay that way.”

Bringing the kid here? Guess I’ll chalk it up to my bad call.

Like I misjudged or pulled some out-of-character do-gooder move.

“So—”

“N, u…?”

Oh, crap, was talking too loud? Looks like they’re waking up.

At the same time, Mia tenses up, almost like she’s trying to hide behind me, but that’s a no-go.

“You awake, kid?”

“Uh, ah…? Where am I? Um, Onii-san—eek!”

As expected, the kid’s fine with me but flinches the moment they see Mia’s face.

“Hold up. Listen, kid. This lady healed your injuries.”

“Hii!? T-Then, I! T-This, u, ugh!”

That’s rough—bad enough to make them nauseous.

No, they’re injured, sick. Let’s go with that.

“Kid, one more time. This lady saved you.”

“N-No, no way! That’s a lie! Saved me? An ugly woman like her!?”

“Arius-san!”

“…Mia, hang on a sec.”

Yeah, I get it.

That’s how it is—ugly women get that kind of reaction.

But in my world, at least…

“Listen up, kid. There’s no such thing as an ugly woman here. Only super gorgeous, super cute, badass, top-tier women.”

“U, ah…”

I’m being careful since they’re injured, but I hold their head, locking eyes firmly.

“You’re alive right now, aren’t you? That means it’s different, so try again. Before you freak out or get creeped out, there’s something you gotta do as a person, right?”

“…Ah, gu.”

Should they hate the world or their parents?

I’m not exactly in a position to preach, and I’m not gonna shout it from the rooftops.

But separate from that, there’s a line you’ve gotta hold.

“O-Onee-chan.”

“…Yeah.”

“Thank you… for saving me. Th-Thank you!”

“Yeah… yeah! I’m just glad you’re okay!”

Clenching their teeth, fighting nausea.

Even so, a kid—especially a kid—can do it.

“Thank you… thank you, Onee-chan!”

“Haha, it’s fine. That’s enough… really, it’s plenty.”

Only a kid, not even honest with themselves, can make Mia shed big, fat tears.

“Good job, kid.”

“E, ehehe… You too, Onii-san. Thanks.”

“No big deal. More importantly, kid, you feeling okay? Can you eat?”

I glance at Mia, and she nods while wiping her eyes. Guess eating’s fine.

“Ah…”

Right then, the kid’s stomach lets out a loud growl—not just can eat, they want to.

“Good answer. I’ll grab something. Oh, and the food’s made by another super cute woman, but…”

“Thank you! I-I’ll say thank you properly!”

“Yeah, my bad for doubting you. Rest up for now. Mia, you’re… good, right?”

“Yup! Leave it to me, Arius-san!”

Alright, two great smiles.

This “active effort” thing is tough, but if it means seeing faces like that…

Maybe I can keep pushing a bit longer.