Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World
Chapter 35: You Seduced Me First! (3)

I cried out to Lydia, who had wrapped herself in a blanket she’d grabbed from somewhere. “Why, why?! Why can’t I, Miss Lydia!”

“Because I don’t want it.”

“But why?! You seduced me first, Miss Lydia! Doesn’t flaunting those big breasts around mean you’re saying I can touch them without any complaints?!”

“…That’s strange. Usually, that’s something a woman who was stroking a man’s butt would say when they get dragged away by the guards.” Sᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“I don’t care! Let me touch you! Let me touch them!” I sprawled on the floor, stretching my limbs out in a big X—a slightly risky preparation stance for someone my age.

Take this! The Jonah Death Beam! …No, Jonah Tantrum!

“Waaaaaaaah!!!” I flailed my limbs wildly and screamed. The noisy tavern suddenly quieted down, with all eyes on me.

Not only the employees, who were dressed in full-body swimsuits today and attending to guests, but also the customers, who had been eyeing them with sly glances, all turned to look at me at once.

Shocked, Ellie covered her face with her hands, pretending not to know me, while Lydia, with a bewildered expression, froze.

Seizing the moment, I declared my goal once more. “Let me touch your chest! Please! I’m begging you, please! Waaaahhhh!!”

By now, people were looking at me as if I were a madman. Hmph! It’s the world’s fault for not recognizing the dreams and hopes contained in Lydia’s chest. I’m not the bad one.

How many times did I flail my arms and legs, selling my shame and conscience? Finally, Lydia raised her hands and shook her head. “Okay, I get it. So get up now, Jonah.”

“Okay.” I quickly stood up and sat down. I had rashly started screaming because I’d been so shocked… but honestly, I was really embarrassed, too.

But if rolling on the floor and throwing a tantrum meant I could touch Lydia’s chest, it was definitely a winning deal. When I sent her a look full of anticipation, Lydia sighed, holding her forehead.

I stealthily approached her, extending my hand. Slap! My hand was slapped away.

“Why?! You said it was alright!”

“Eyes are scary.”

“That’s slander. Where else can you find eyes as clear and pure as mine!”

“…It’s not your eyes, Jonah, it’s Senior Ellie’s eyes that scare me. It feels like she might kill me if anything happens.”

“Ah.” When I turned around, Ellie immediately averted her gaze. The movement was so abrupt I thought she might snap her neck.

Although it hadn’t been visible from this angle, her expression must have been no ordinary one of fear for her to avoid me so intensely.

Well…it is true that telling Ellie to smile in this situation would be too cruel. Even though I’d managed to soothe her for now, the fundamental problem remained unsolved.

The Pan Continent had its civilization reset once, which meant they needed a large population, and with the only remaining deity being the Goddess of Love, relationships between men and women were generally lenient and open.

But that didn’t mean jealousy or insecurity had vanished. Even on Earth, in the past, when polygamy was allowed, it wasn’t as if there was no jealousy among the wives.

Ellie was no exception. I managed to reassure her a bit with a belly face rub just now, but it couldn’t really be okay for her to see me touching Lydia’s chest right in front of her.

As I hesitated, Lydia spoke with a deliberately gentle tone, as if soothing a child. “Later. I’ll let you touch them when Senior Ellie isn’t around. So hold back for now.”

“Yes, ma’am! I’ll wait as long as I need to!”

“Right. Good boy.” Lydia lightly patted my head and then stood up. “Then I’ll be going now, Senior Ellie. Jonah, you have to go to the labyrinth tomorrow, so go to bed early.”

“Uh… Yeah. Have a safe trip home.”

“Of course I will! See you tomorrow!” Ellie and I reflexively bid her farewell, and Lydia waved to us lightly before slipping out of the Fairy and Silver Coin.

I chuckled until her figure was out of sight, then realized… Did Lydia just leave me with empty promises and run away?

“……” This must have been how Ellie felt when she was dealing with me.

Feeling somewhat guilty, I climbed onto the counter and stroked Ellie’s ash-colored hair, only to be scolded for leaving shoe prints.

Only after vigorously wiping off the shoe prints did I go up to my room. Lying on the bed, I stared blankly at the ceiling, pondering.

“Should I just splurge on the gacha right now…” I had only intended to pickpocket a little, but things had escalated. It was short-lived, but I had amassed a considerable sum.

A whole 14 silver and 78 copper. Normally, I would have spun the 10-draw without hesitation. I could manage for a few days with 4 silver, and since I was going to the labyrinth tomorrow, I’d have some income.

Yet, I hesitated for a simple reason. After I accidentally caused Ellie to have a meltdown, I remembered the lighter that I had pawned.

Was it 5 silver 50 copper? I couldn’t stop by on the way back because Lydia had caught me, but now I could sneak out alone.

“…Right. I may not have strength, money, or a home, but I have Ellie.” It seemed like the better choice to take care of Ellie, who was right beside me, than to hope for the uncertain outcome of a gacha.

I could just bring it back with the money I get from the labyrinth tomorrow… but honestly, I felt like I’d spend that money on the gacha again.

I trust my own intelligence. I know that I’m so foolish that if I have even a bit of spare cash, I’ll waste it all on the gacha…!

For that reason, I made up my mind and went down to the first floor. As evening turned into night, the Fairy and Silver Coin tavern, fittingly, became noisier. A bit of time had passed, and Ellie, having regained her usual calmness, was blankly staring at the store’s interior.

To an onlooker, I might seem like a do-nothing idler, but in reality, it was more like the leisure of a businessman who’d set up a system where money comes rolling in just by sitting around.

How envious. In my past life, my ultimate goal had been to become a landlord so I could write whatever I wanted without worrying about money.

For example, a dark fantasy featuring a heroine who is just a head or a cyberpunk martial arts story with a heroine who has blood-poisoning piercings.

Of course, that dream was shattered by a terrible series of gacha rolls and an inexplicable explosion.

…Honestly, the fact that my cause of death in a previous life was an explosion felt quite meaningful.

Why was I, of all people who died from an explosion, given the ability to roll a gacha? Maybe the Goddess of Love has a worse personality than I thought.

With such pointless thoughts, I approached Ellie. “Uh… Jonah. Why are you up instead of sleeping?”

An oddly awkward atmosphere lingered. It seemed the incident from earlier was still on her mind. But I couldn’t tell whether it was because of Lydia’s chest or my stomach.

I silently approached and hugged Ellie’s tail. Its fluffiness was so satisfying to hold.

At first, it flailed like a freshly caught fish, surprised by my embrace, but it calmed down after I continued to hold on for a while.

Only after burying my face in its lush fur and taking a deep breath did I finally speak. “I couldn’t sleep because I wanted to smell Ellie’s tail.”

“Eut!” Ellie flinched at my light joke. However, it didn’t seem like the pure excitement she’d shown in the past.

“It’s a joke. I came down to get some fresh air. …But seeing Ellie, I remembered something I wanted to say.” I pressed close and whispered beside the twitching Ellie. “Ellie. What are you thinking about right now?”

“… I’m not thinking about anything.”

“Really? That’s a suspicious reaction for someone who claims that.” I giggled and hugged Ellie from behind. Under normal circumstances, it would have been a rather cool back hug…

But currently, due to the height difference, it just ended up with my face buried in Ellie’s back.

But that was enough. It wasn’t the usual naughty teasing but a wholesome skinship where we just shared each other’s warmth.

Staying like that, Ellie’s stiffened body slowly began to relax. “Did you expect something? Well. I have been pushing it too hard lately.”

“Well, that is true.” Ellie nodded with effort. Although we’d known each other for a few months, the progress made between us in the last few weeks was much faster than the progress made during the entire time we knew each other.

“I actually had my own reasons. Up until then, all I had was my body. So, I had to take care of it as much as possible.”

“I think it would be a good idea to take care of it now, too.”

“Um…there was a bit of a misunderstanding in the word ‘take care.’ To be more precise, it was closer to ‘holding back’.”

I like Ellie. I’m not sure if it was the love between a man and a woman, but it’s true that I harbor affection that goes beyond ordinary fondness.

Isn’t it natural to desire physical intimacy? All the more so since the reversed concept of chastity assures me that the other person would not refuse.

But I held back my desires. I knew all too well that rushing the relationship would only lead to stagnation.

I would help Ellie run the Fairy and Silver Coin, and maybe someday have a child, and perhaps, if there’s enough leisure, I might be able to write again.

Those would surely be peaceful and happy times.

…However, it wouldn’t have lasted forever.

Because if this world truly shared the same setting as my novel, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.

Did you know?

I’ve never written a slice-of-life story before.

Sᴇarch the NʘvᴇlFirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.