As A Result of Trying To Live An Erotic Slow-Life, I Have Become The Underground Ruler of This Upside-Down Otherworld - Chapter 87: The Arius Family

Chapter 87: The Arius Family

“Phew…”

I messed up, I think, watching the guests I’d invited leave.

I could’ve done it better—clearly, logically. I should’ve said, “This is what I want, so please help me.” But reflecting on why I’m like this is pointless now.

Looking back, it was just a kid throwing a tantrum, screaming nonsense.

No way I got my point across to anyone.

Or so I thought.

“Good work today.”

Luuri, at the entrance, hands out small souvenirs.

The guests’ faces, as they accept them, are oddly troubled.

I don’t know how they feel about it.

But none of them look indifferent or unmoved.

Maybe that’s enough.

In a way, it doesn’t matter— what I said was my honest truth, unpolished words and all.

At the very least, I’ll live in this world with everything I’ve got, just as I promised.

“Arius.”

“Hm? Oh, Rozaria. Thanks for today.”

Mainly for not causing a scene.

Honestly, I was a bit worried about that.

“It’s over now, and I don’t plan to drag this out. So let me say one thing.”

“Got it. One thing.”

Her eyes widen briefly at my response, then she gives a small smile.

“Until our paths clash, I won’t oppose you.”

I almost burst out laughing.

So, for now, she’s not treating me as an enemy.

“Then next time, a tea party.”

“You… tch, fine. I’ll stock some good stuff.”

This time, she laughs openly.

She waves over her shoulder as she leaves.

“Well, well, my dear, what should I do?”

“Ugh… I’m not in that mood anymore. Give me a break.”

As if she’d been waiting her turn, Nelba-san steps in right after.

“They say that, but the real show’s just starting, isn’t it?”

“Ha… you big shots are such a pain. But it’s a bit different.”

“Oh?”

She’s right.

But it’s not like everything up to now was just a warm-up.

“The encore’s part of the main act. Wanna stick around?”

“Haha! Right, my mistake. I was shallow. And while I’ll accept being rude, I won’t tolerate being tasteless. I believe in you, Arius-dono.”

“Thank you.”

She extends her hand.

For the first time, I see a new side of Nelba-san’s face.

“—”

Yeah, that’s right.

I can’t do anything tasteless. No way.

“Heh. As proof of my faith and friendship, I’ll give you the Snakes. Use them as you see fit.”

“Don’t just drop that outta nowhere! There’s gotta be a better way… and I’m not a fan of that phrasing. But I’ll take responsibility for them.”

She’s deliberately treating them like objects, trusting I won’t handle them that way.

I grip her hand firmly, vowing not to betray that trust.

“Until next time.”

“Yeah, see you.”

I bow slightly to her departing back.

That’s one chapter closed.

The Arius Show, Act One, curtain down.

“Goshujin-sama.”

“Hm, ah… just give me a sec.”

Towa’s voice comes from behind.

I don’t want to turn around, somehow, because I didn’t consult them at all—just told them to do it.

Towa handled the cooking, Mia the drinks, Serika the ingredients, Shuri the overall support.

I just said, “Do this,” skipping the why.

And then, well.

Depending on how you look at it, they’d be justified in abandoning me.

I can’t help thinking I could’ve done it better.

They accept everything about me, prioritizing me over their own feelings.

Since I’m too clumsy to do it smoothly, this was the only way I could convey what I wanted.

“Everyone has left.”

The sound of the entrance door closing is faint.

Luuri, quick to catch on, bows politely, already guessing what’s next.

“Thanks, Luuri. Alright—”

I take a deep breath.

“—I’m gonna whip up some food, so take a break for a bit.”

I turn and meet everyone’s eyes.

※

Left in the room are Towa, Mia, Serika, and Shuri.

Along with Kazune and the Rats, the Snakes handed over by Nelba, and Ririeru and Luuri.

Quite a crowd. I said I’d make food, but cooking for everyone will take at least an hour.

In a way, they take that hour as my consideration.

In truth, many are grappling with their emotions. The unshaken ones are Ririeru and Serika.

Though for Serika, it’s unwavering devotion to me—or, you could say, abandoning thought altogether. Truly unshaken, it’s probably just Ririeru.

“Ha… ugh.”

Mia tries to speak.

But she can’t find the words, unsure what to say.

If only she could’ve just said how wonderful I was earlier.

That’s the thing.

They weren’t told what we were doing here today.

If they’d known in advance, they wouldn’t be this shaken—obviously not.

—Think about it.

They took it as an unspoken directive. That’s why they’re so rattled.

“…Live together with everyone… huh.”

They’d tried to guess my intentions before. Or rather, guessing was all they could do.

This time’s different. I put my feelings into words. My main point was clear.

If you just think about the words.

It’s an excuse to bring ugly women like them into the open world, to make a world easier to live in—that’s why I bowed my head.

The world I described is indeed like a dream.

No dirty looks while shopping, no unfair price gouging.

If you’re lost, you can casually ask someone for directions, and no one’s throwing stones telling you to go that way.

“It’s a wonderful world, I think.”

Shuri means it sincerely.

No, Towa, Mia, even Kazune—they all think so.

But.

“I don’t really get it… but I can’t accept Arius-sama suffering for it.”

That’s the only thing that bothers them.

Serika says it, Sonya nods. They can’t accept sacrificing their beloved.

If I weren’t ugly.

They can’t help thinking it again.

If they weren’t socially disadvantaged, maybe I wouldn’t have to go through extra trouble.

If they weren’t ugly, maybe they could’ve been truly happy by now, without worrying about others.

“…”

Luuri says nothing.

What I wished for, to her alone, feels obvious.

But she also knows it’s not obvious in society.

She knows how hard it is to make the obvious real.

That’s why she thinks, If it’s him.

But she also wonders if that feeling is just pushing her own unattainable desires onto him.

“Whatever the case… shall we wait for Darling? You know he’s not the type to leave us hanging.”

Seeing everyone’s state, Ririeru says this quietly.

In a way, her mindset might be similar to Serika’s.

As long as she looks up to me or keeps me close, it’s not a big deal.

Still, Ririeru has a premonition.

A boss’s instinct, tying the Family together.

“It’s fine. Darling… didn’t set up this event to make us sad, after all.”

※

“Here ya go! Just leftovers, sorry, but I think it turned out pretty good, so dig in!”

I push a cart, gara-gara, and set food on the table we used earlier.

“Uh… yeah, I know this isn’t the vibe.”

“N-No! It’s not like that…!”

No need to realize I bombed spectacularly.

I’m just dodging the heavy air out of self-preservation, and that kinda thing usually flops.

Hoping they’d eat while it’s warm, I open the lids with gusto, then close them again, matching my mood.

“Did I make you anxious?”

Plenty of shoulders twitch.

Well, in a way, I basically said, “I’m done! I wanna be a normal guy!” or something.

But, of course, that’s not it.

“Look, I wanna play favorites.”

“Favorites…?”

Yeah, favorites.

“I wanna brag, chest puffed out, that my women are the best, that I’m happy because I’m with them!”

“!”

Faces snap up.

Their eyes scream they’re happy but don’t get it.

“Sure, I could do that now, but it’s no fun. The thing with Rozaria hit me hard, and thanks to Master, I figured out what I was running from. The way things are, no matter what, it just looks like I’m using you all for my convenience.”

“U-Using us?! M-Mia—”

“—Hold it. Just listen.”

Even if you’re fine with being used? What?

I’m flattered you feel that strongly, but that’s where it ends.

If I could keep fooling you into happiness till I die, maybe that’d be fine.

But I’m no smooth-talker, sadly.

All I can throw is a blazing fastball.

“I want everyone to know you’re the best women. What amazing women, I’m jealous of the guy who snagged them—that’s what I want.”

Beyond appearances and all that.

Yeah, good food is good, no matter who makes it.

Great women are great—ugly, beautiful, ordinary. It’s not about looks.

Of course, tastes vary, and that’s fine.

But a real man can call a great woman great, even if she’s not his type.

“Got it? I wanna brag. Call it getting cocky if you want. I wanna lord it over everyone with my amazing women, wine in hand.”

“Pfft.”

Oi, Ririeru, what’s so funny? Picturing me with a wine glass? Fine, laugh away.

I’m not planning to be a sacrifice.

It’s all for me. To flip off the world openly, proudly, just to feel good.

What I need to do for that isn’t hardship or sacrifice.

“So I wanna show it off. Your charm, in your face. Go out there, make them regret misjudging you. And if someone hits on you, tell ‘em—Sorry, I’m Arius’s woman.”

“Ah…”

That’s right, exactly.

Too late to notice now. I saw your charm first, winner takes all.

“…Sorry for keeping you waiting. I love you all, I adore you. You’re precious, filling the gaps in me. So be my women, my family.”

“—!!”

Winner takes the heart.

Words I couldn’t say for so long.

Words I wanted to say, finally out.

“Let’s be a real Family! Not to survive in the underworld! Not to build our own paradise! To say, ‘We’re happy!’ To live proudly in this world!!”

This is my resolve.

I can’t arrogantly think prejudice or discrimination will vanish—or that I can make them—in my lifetime.

I can’t be a messiah saving ugly women.

But I can hope that more people living proudly, flipping off the world, might one day change things.

I can resolve to expect that from the world.

“—I’m unworthy, but please keep me by your side forever!”

No, I’m the one.

“Here’s to us!”

“Yes!”

Their unified voices fill my chest.

My expectations for the future swell.