Chastity-Reversed Hard Mode: Surviving as a Steel-Minded Adventurer in Another World - Chapter 05: Surviving Bottom-Tier Labor with a Steel Mind

Chapter 05: Surviving Bottom-Tier Labor with a Steel Mind

Even someone as famously dense as me couldn’t miss it—after living here for half a year, it was obvious this world was completely insane.

I mean, just look around.

Not a single young guy on the streets. No signs of an ongoing war either. Meanwhile, if I cooled off shirtless after gutter-cleaning, women would line up to gawk and swallow nervously. And whenever I queued at the guild counter, there were always women who “just happened” to brush past—only to sneak a grab at my butt or chest like it was totally normal.

Yeah. Chastity-reversal world, confirmed.

I’d gotten close enough with Wes, the receptionist, that we sometimes shared lunch together. According to him, the male birthrate here was only one in four. On top of that, guys supposedly had way less interest in sex than back in my world. No desperate need for a girlfriend, no teenagers losing focus in class because their heads were filled with dirty thoughts.

When I mentioned that back in middle school I spent more time thinking about my junk than holding a pencil, he just stared at me in horror.

Seriously, though—aren’t men here too uninterested? Even if chastity norms are flipped, women in my world were way more secretly pervy than this. Maybe it was just Wes being especially low-libido… but still.

So yeah—here I was, surrounded by hungry, horny women with the sex drive of guys from my old world… except they didn’t even have a proper outlet. No boyfriends around, no easy romance, and definitely no spare cash to blow at the brothels.

And yet, it’s not like I ever got dragged into some back alley with a chorus of “Meat pole! Meat pole! Hooray!” or anything. Nope—my chastity was still intact.

Probably thanks to the guild’s protection. Sure, adventurers are considered half-outlaws, but the guild still enforces its own rules. Since they’d basically declared, “This guy’s under our care,” nobody wanted to risk what would happen if they forced themselves on me. Better to ogle from afar than end up punished.

Not that it stopped the stares—whenever I wore lighter clothes, I could practically feel their eyes burning holes into me. But honestly? Getting looked at was way better than the alternative. Didn’t cost me anything.

My real problem was… nobody wanted to party up with me.

At this point, everyone in the guild knew I had zero magic power, which made me the weakest of the weak—famous, even, for being rock bottom.

Sure, after six months of practice I’d gotten good enough to take down Big-Horned Rabbits. But those things were so weak even civilians could hunt them. Hell, sometimes kids sneaked through holes in the city wall just to chase them around for fun.

Whenever they saw me, they’d jeer: “What, you’re an adult and you can’t even beat rabbits?” or “Mister, quit being an adventurer and just get married already.”

Yeah. In this world, my combat power was officially ranked lower than bratty little girls.

≪Sudden Explanation Time!

Picture this: kids innocently worrying about a big-sister type who stubbornly keeps choosing dangerous jobs she isn’t suited for!

…Of course, those same kids will one day realize how the adults around her direct their sleazy desires at her, and from then on their sense of “normal” will be permanently warped!≫

Naturally, nobody wanted me in their party… Well, not nobody. There were always women whispering, “I’ll take care of you, so be my man…♥” while stroking my butt with sticky hands.

Yeah, hard pass.

Go home, woman. You think you’re worth two and a half Inferno Dragon Sets?!

Thankfully, Guild Master Deabolica kept reassuring me, “Just grow at your own pace, there’s no need to rush.” So for the past half-year, I’d been grinding away on the lowest-tier jobs—ditch cleaning, rat extermination, that sort of thing.

And you know what? I made a discovery.

With [Pain Resistance], I could block out the stench of the ditches—even when they were overflowing with a cocktail of horse crap and human crap strong enough to knock out a rhino.

With [Disease Resistance], I never got sick no matter how filthy the work.

And thanks to [Mental Resistance], even the most mind-numbing routine chores didn’t bother me one bit.

Which meant… I could handle all of it without breaking a sweat.

But the best part? People were actually grateful. Since no one else wanted these jobs, the townsfolk would often thank me afterward. And honestly, that felt surprisingly good.

And after the work was done, I’d just pour a bucket of well water over my head to wash off the smell. For some reason, people thanked me for that too, which… I still don’t get.

Lately, though, I’d noticed something weird. Deabolica kept asking me, “Um… you’re not getting tired of the work yet, are you?”

But why would I be?

I was doing jobs that actually earned people’s gratitude, so there was no way I’d hate it. On top of that, I’d finally gotten good enough to hunt Big-Horned Rabbits, so I could actually feel myself improving.

So every time she asked, I cheerfully replied, “Not at all! It’s fulfilling, and I feel more motivated than ever!”

And every time, she’d just murmur, “…I see,” give me this puzzled look like she couldn’t quite figure me out, and then walk away.

She was probably just worried I might be stressing over how slow my growth was.

Even someone at the very bottom like me—she still cared.

Man, she really was impressive.

That said…

Even if she insisted my slow growth didn’t matter, it had already been six months. I couldn’t help wanting to step things up a bit.

Which was why, every night, I summoned that cheat vending machine.

“Still no coins, huh…”

I tilted my head, staring at the vending machine glowing faintly in my inn room.

It had been half a year now, and not a single cheat coin had shown up. Not one.

…Weird, right? I mean, I’d been working my butt off these past six months. Did that mean none of it counted for anything?

Sure, maybe exterminating Big-Horned Rabbits wasn’t worth much—but what about cleaning the ditches, or finding lost cats, or all the other odd jobs where people genuinely thanked me? Didn’t that deserve some recognition? Or was the rule simply: “If anyone can do it, it doesn’t count”?

Another theory crossed my mind—maybe coins only increased after death, like how I got my starter batch in the first place. But if that were true, why could I summon the vending machine at all? The fact that I could call it out should mean the system works while I’m alive. Which should mean coins can increase too.

For the record, I’d had plenty of hungry, miserable days over these months—but I never resorted to crime. And it wasn’t like I lacked the chance. Some drunkards in the tavern practically dangled their wallets in front of me—easy pickings. But I always held back. Why? Because if my evaluation dropped and I got penalized—losing coins or getting them confiscated—that would be a disaster.

Petty cash wasn’t worth the risk. Cheat coins were priceless.

So yeah, no theft. Not now, not ever.

Not because of morals or “justice” or anything—just because cheats are worth way more to me. (Yeah, I know, I’m shallow. At least I admit it.)

Anyway…

“Man… without magic, I’m basically hopeless. I’d settle for even just 1 point of mana…”

Living as an adventurer in this world really drove the point home: no magic, no chance.

Even frontliners used mana to boost their strength and defense—without it, you couldn’t pierce a monster’s hide, and a single hit was enough to leave you fatally wounded.

Bottom line: no magic meant no adventurer life.

And apparently, women here generally had higher mana than men. No matter how ripped a guy looked, if he arm-wrestled a high-mana woman, he’d lose every time.

That’s why fighting was considered a woman’s job, while men were expected to stay home, cook, and raise kids. At least, that’s how Wes explained it. (Supposedly, he became a receptionist as his own way of “entering society” as a man. Huh. Who knew?)

Still, thanks to that culture, I got to feast my eyes daily on women strutting around in see-through outfits and bikini armor—the kind of “are you kidding me, that’s your battle gear?!” looks ripped straight out of a fantasy artbook.

Not that I was complaining. Absolute eye candy.

And the funniest part? These women didn’t even seem to notice or care that I was ogling them. Instead of getting offended, they’d just wave back cheerfully like, “Oh hey!”

Seriously, ladies—have some awareness about how ridiculously sexy you look!

This world really was insane.

“Sigh!” Still, what I really wanted to know was…

“Just how do I get more coins…?”

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After Yuji disappeared upstairs, the tavern quickly returned to its usual rowdy atmosphere.

The adventurers, mugs of ale in hand, all ended up talking about the same thing they’d been talking about for weeks now—Yuji.

“Really, UG was hot again today, huh?”

“Totally. That Big-Horned Rabbit rammed him and tore a hole in his armor—sides and groin in full view. You could see his muscles flashing every time he moved. And he just kept trudging along with that rabbit slung over his shoulder, not even caring. His armpits were on full display too.”

“Right? Summer was the best—he’d strip down shirtless while cleaning the ditches. The stench alone could knock you out, but crowds would form a circle just to stare. And when he finished, everyone shouted ‘Thank you!’ all at once. He looked so happy, thinking people were grateful because he did the jobs nobody else wanted.”

“Please. That was basically a ‘thank you for the material’ shout. Bet half the city went home and rubbed one out.”

“Of course they did. When a rare guy like him goes topless out in the open, everyone’s gonna use that as spank fuel. That’s why all the ditch-cleaning jobs kept getting funneled to UG.”

“Honestly, the city should just hire proper workers for that stuff. But I guess the townsfolk prefer the view of Eugene half-naked?”

“Seriously, he needs to realize how ridiculously erotic he is. There’s no one else that dangerously oblivious. He’s one step away from being a walking sex crime.”

 ≪Sudden Explanation Time!

To put it in our world’s terms—Yuji is basically that poor-but-beautiful girl who, without a single complaint, spends every day cleaning sewers in nothing but a bra top. No matter how much people stare at her boobs, she just smiles and waves back. In other words—the perfect prey!≫

“And then that guy sits in the tavern afterward, sipping his ale with that cool lone-wolf look—like, c’mon, how are we supposed to resist that?!”

“Right? He doesn’t even try to mooch off women, either. With zero magic power, any normal guy would’ve either quit adventuring by now or tried to cozy up to some strong lady and leech off her.”

“But nope, he’s out there trying to make it all on his own. Totally hopeless, no talent whatsoever, but still stubbornly pushing forward… It’s kinda touching, honestly. And seeing that just makes me…”

“Wanna ravage him soooo bad!!”

The female adventurers all pointed at each other, bursting into rowdy laughter as they slammed back their mugs.

“For real! Just drag him into a dark alley and do him right then and there!”

“Make-him-understand sex! Make-him-understand sex! Hooray for the meat pole! Long live the meat pole!”

Of course, the female adventurers were being crude and vulgar—but Yuji wasn’t entirely blameless either. After all, he’d been radiating pure sex appeal without even realizing it.

Case in point: those two loudmouths were among the women who had actually paid money for the privilege of watching Yuji change clothes in his inn room upstairs. Their logic was simple: “If he’s selling peep-shows like that, then it’s fair game to use him as dirty joke material.”

Not that Yuji saw a single coin of that money.

And it wasn’t just them—pretty much everyone in this tavern had “enjoyed” a live Yuji strip show at some point. By now, he’d basically become the guild’s communal fap material.

For the record, these trash-talking adventurers weren’t some random extras either. In any other fantasy world, they’d easily qualify as heroines—the first, a thick-thighed, modest-looking swordswoman, and the second, an intellectual, bob-cut mage with glasses. But thanks to the chronic shortage of men, the whole society had taken on the sleazy, sloppy energy of an all-girls school.

…Or actually, since chastity norms were reversed here, maybe it was more like an all-boys school?

In a normal situation, a lone male sheep dropped into a pack of such hungry predators would’ve been devoured instantly. But the fact that Yuji had managed to guard his virginity for six months straight was, of course, due to special circumstances.

“So, who do you think is gonna be the one to take Eugene’s virginity?”

“Come on, that’s the hottest bet going right now. Odds are it’ll be someone from one of the top parties—the guild master’s been stirring the pot herself.”

“Pfft, please. That’s way too short-sighted.”

The brainy mage bit into a skewer of rabbit meat, her glasses flashing with smug confidence as she jabbed the stick toward the thick-thighed swordswoman.

“See, the top parties are already bringing in results no matter what. Giving them extra rewards doesn’t really add much value. But if you hand out a prize to the mid-tier, their loyalty shoots through the roof. From the guild’s perspective, that’s way more profitable. My bet? Ursna’s the most likely pick.”

“Hoooh, interesting take. But hang on—if a mid-tier snatches the prize while the elites are left out, won’t the top parties get pissed?”

“Maybe, but let’s be real—the top parties don’t need UG. They’ve got the money to buy men from brothels whenever they want. The ones who truly crave a man are the mid-tiers—girls with potential but no spare cash to go ‘shopping.’ That’s why UG makes the perfect reward for them.”

“Fair enough. But you can’t always predict these things. There could still be someone in the top ranks who specifically wants Eugene. After all…”

““…He’s packing a monster down there.””

They said it in unison, then burst into vulgar laughter, clinking mugs together before chugging their ale.

Of course, the size of a man’s junk doesn’t actually determine his worth—but in general, “bigger is better” tends to be the common belief. Too big can just hurt, but since these adventurers were all blabbering virgin pervs, they didn’t really get that part.

≪Sudden Explanation Time!

In our world, most virgin guys are obsessed with big boobs! Sure, some lack confidence and end up turning into lolicons chasing younger girls, but generally speaking, bigger breasts are considered better.

Flip that around in this chastity-reversal world, and naturally… virgins here are obsessed with big dicks!≫

Anyway—the reason Yuji hadn’t been jumped by anyone yet was because the guild was officially protecting him.

More specifically, Guild Master Deabolica had been making the rounds, whispering this little sales pitch to adventurers she deemed “promising”:

“You’ve been doing quite well with us, haven’t you? Surely your income has grown stable by now. Perhaps it’s time you considered starting a family? Having a husband and children waiting for you at home… oh, it’s a wonderful feeling.

And wouldn’t you know, we happen to have just the perfect candidate. Not cut out for adventuring, so he’ll give up soon—but he understands the work, so he’d make a very supportive husband. Handsome, virtuous, hardworking, loves to help others… truly a fine young man. And yes, I’ve already secured his agreement to leave adventuring behind.

If you’d like to see him in person, just head upstairs at the tavern we work with.

Now, I’m bringing this opportunity to you first… but of course, if someone else were to make even greater contributions to the guild, well… I might have to take the offer to them instead. You understand, don’t you?”

The adventurers lit up with motivation.

Deabolica repeated this pitch to every single unmarried woman from mid-tier to elite.

Classic Brishav noble double-dealing diplomacy.

And it worked like magic—the guild’s performance skyrocketed, climbing to nearly three times that of any other adventurers’ guild in the surrounding cities.

At first, you’d think Deabolica would be over the moon about how well her little scheme worked. But instead, she was starting to look pale—and for two big reasons.

First: the adventurers were getting way too fired up. The “Yuji Husband Wars” had exploded into a frenzy behind his back. The top parties glared daggers and traded sparks whenever they crossed paths, while the lower-ranked groups—those not even in the running—turned it into a full-blown betting pool.

Sure, the guild’s performance had skyrocketed. But now the atmosphere inside had grown tense and hostile. Even if someone eventually “won” Yuji as a husband, there was no guarantee the losers would accept it quietly.

Second: despite six whole months passing, Yuji showed absolutely no signs of quitting adventuring.

Panicking, Deabolica started dropping by daily, trying to nudge him toward giving up. But no matter how many gutter-cleaning, cat-finding, or other soul-crushing jobs she piled on him, Yuji refused to break.

His mental toughness was flat-out inhuman.

“W-Wes! What do we do!? At this rate the guild’s gonna implode!”

“Maybe you should just die? (Oh dear, what a mess.)”

“That’s the opposite of helpful!!”

And so, Yuji had become the eye of the storm tearing through the guild—while he himself remained completely oblivious.

All he thought was: “I’ll protect my virginity till the day I die, sure… but it’d be nice to have a girlfriend. Someone modest and shy, a cute, innocent girl—y’know, like back in my world.”

Yeah. Not happening, buddy.