In a World Where Chastity is Reversed, I Ended Up Working as a Hot Spring Attendant - Chapter 140

Timeline: after chapter 123

“Still, is this… a dream?”

I, Ayaha, had just completed the marriage registration process at the city office, collected various certificates, and couldn’t help but say that aloud as I lightly pinched the cheek of Kanako Doi, now no longer just a reporter but my new partner, with my right hand.

“Pinch your own cheek instead of mine.”

She said this while returning the favor by pinching my cheek. It seemed like we both felt the same way deep down.

Squish.

Squish.

Another person joined in—it was Yozora Kurai.

“Sorry, but it feels awkward doing it myself.”

“Got it.”

“Don’t hold back—go for it!”

“Just don’t dig in with your nails.”

Somehow, we all understood each other, and we ended up forming a circle, pinching each other’s cheeks.

With a tense silence, we exchanged serious nods.

“Alright, then.”

“One, two, three!”

Snap!

At the count, we simultaneously pulled each other’s cheeks hard and let go. Just before actually tearing the skin, our fingers slipped, leaving a small snapping sound in the air.

“Ouch…”

“Feels like it’s gonna rip…”

“Ugh…”

All three of us groaned in pain, clutching our cheeks and crouching down. Couldn’t they have been just a little gentler?

“Good grief, what are you even doing…?”

Watching our ridiculous “dream check” and subsequent pain, a young girl—or rather, a child-like woman—named Yata Umino looked at us with a mixture of pity and exasperation. Despite her old-fashioned way of speaking, it was unclear who or what she really was.

Can you blame us? Things happened so fast that we couldn’t tell whether this was a dream, reality, or just some elaborate fantasy.

“This isn’t a dream or some kind of scam, you know?”

“No, it totally looks like that,” I retorted.

“Well, considering the late-night visits, sleeping together to establish facts, and eventually getting around to making it official—it’s no wonder it doesn’t feel real yet.”

“We’ll get a honeymoon phase, right?”

I asked, sounding a bit resentful.

“One person every three days, in the order written on the documents,” she replied bluntly.

I pointed at the order listed on the paperwork, confirming it.

12345…

It was the honeymoon of a maiden’s dream, but it was still about a month away.

“It’s all about taking turns, you know?”

Apparently, it was going to be fair and in order. At least they weren’t asking for extra money to change the order, which felt surprisingly ethical.

“For now, just settle for a hug,” she said.

So, the three of us, the “guest group,” received a hug from Hisui-san and parted ways.

It even came with a kiss—my first kiss with a man. With women, it had happened a few times during drunken moments of youth, but this was entirely different. My heart felt like it was about to burst.

“Sigh…“

After finishing everything at checkout, we waited for the train at the station and couldn’t help but let out a collective sigh.

“Can we even report this online?”

As part of a group of online sleuths, reporting was supposed to be our top priority. But really, the purpose and means had flipped somewhere along the way—it was all just for damage control if things didn’t go well. In the first place, the reporting itself was more of a bonus. Still, not reporting felt a bit lonely.

“It was no use! We achieved nothing!”

“Pugyaaah!”

We used to laugh at our failures and move on. But now, it became clear how problematic it was when things went right.

“No way we can post about this,” Kanako muttered.

“Other sleuth groups would hack our IP addresses and dig up our personal information,” Yozora added.

“Yeah, no kidding…”

Secretly registering our marriage? Who knows what kind of firestorm that would ignite?

The Net Group might not be reliable allies, but they were a massive nuisance as enemies.

“Forget the net for now. Are you going to report this at your workplace?”

In some cases, marriage registration could come with tax benefits and subsidies from employers, especially for large companies or civil servants. However, reporting it could also expose you to nosy colleagues or bosses looking to capitalize on your situation.

“I’ll wait and see. If privacy seems secure, I’ll report it.”

“My workplace is kind of toxic, so I’ll keep quiet,” Yozora said, sounding troubled.

“Yeah, the amount isn’t that much anyway, so I’ll hold off too,” Kanako added.

“I honestly didn’t expect it to be practically free,” I said.

A monthly allowance of 20,000 yen felt incredibly cheap for working adults. Compared to what magazines and online sources described as tens of thousands a month, this was basically free.

“And with the perks of being a wife—like permanent discounts on accommodation, guaranteed stays even during fully booked times, and further discounts—it’s ridiculous.”

“This is just too much of a bargain.”

“Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?”

“If anyone found out about this jackpot deal, it would be chaos.”

No wonder they’d been so vague and evasive about things before marriage.

“Compared to chasing unattainable male idols, this feels so much more within reach.”

“Well, setting aside how close it really is…”

Though the Shinkansen passed through the area, it wasn’t exactly a convenient region to visit without a reason like Hisui-san. Each trip cost several tens of thousands of yen in travel expenses alone, but even so, it was far better than paying exorbitant fees for artificial insemination.

For someone like me, who had no other male connections, meeting Hisui-san was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

As the three of us discussed and shared our thoughts, we began our journey home.

Later—actually, the very next day—curious coworkers who knew I’d taken a day off interrogated me. Within seconds, the truth was out, and after relentless questioning, the company’s next group trip was hilariously set to that very “birdhouse” location.

~Postscript

Since these three were complete outsiders, they ended up facing considerable challenges.