Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World-Chapter 188: Betting (1)

I won’t say that all writers are like this, but most writers have what you might call an awakening form.

Even people who boast about writing 1,000 characters an hour as fast writing can find themselves writing at two to three times their usual speed when a deadline approaches or slightly passes, as if they’ve tapped into Total Concentration Breathing.[^TL/N: Demon Slayer reference???]

I call this a kind of awakening mode. If used well, it can greatly aid in regular serialization, but…

If you overshoot the deadline by too much, it can lead to giving up, so it needs to be used carefully.

Ah, don’t even suggest that if that’s the case, why not just focus early in the morning, finish quickly, and leisurely enjoy life until the deadline.

In the first place, it’s because I’m someone who can’t do such things, so unlike others who work normally, I have this reckless thought of making a living through writing.

It seems like the story has veered off track for a moment, but the point is this.

I’m a reckless person who can go all-in on a life with a talent for writing that might not even exist, just because I like it.

It means I’m someone who can exert more strength than usual when a deadline approaches.

So sometimes, I end up saying something utterly ridiculous that even surprises myself.

“A 3-day speedrun challenge? Let’s just go for it!”

Like right now.

“Jonah. Are you really going to do it? Even I think it’s too reckless. Do you at least have some kind of plan?”

“Of course, Benny. The plan is simple. Enter the 4th Floor. Defeat all those blasphemous undead bastards. Get stronger and join the Floor Guardian subjugation party. Done! How’s that? Easy, right?”

“…That’s not what you call a plan!”

Benny stomped her feet and screamed, but I was serious. This is truly the best plan I can come up with.

I mean, what sharp solution could I possibly have?

What I’ve been given is a situation I must face, and all I have is the will to succeed.

“This is driving me crazy… I knew you were stubborn, Jonah, but even here…huh? This isn’t the way to the Labyrinth. Are we stopping somewhere?”

“Yes. Just a quick stop at the Cradle Trading Company?”

Well, in a situation like this, you have to scrape together everything you can.

I’m thinking of pulling together everything for a big hit, even if it means sacrificing credit, reputation, or future stability.

However, since I’m afraid of my future becoming unstable, it will be someone else’s future instead.

As soon as I arrived at the Cradle Trading Company, I headed straight to the head’s office, exuding Basilieus’s domineering aura (not).

And then, with complete authority, I slammed the desk hard and spoke.

Thud!

“Rosemary. You have money saved up, right? Hand it all over.”

“…What’s with the sudden appearance and line like a gambling-addicted wife demanding emergency money from her unlucky husband?”

“I mean it literally. Give me the money!”

“That’s robbery!”

Facing the dumbfounded Rosemary, I activated all sorts of beauty powers, including the Avatar of Love, with full force and spoke again.

“Won’t you, give me the money?”

“Ugh! Even if you say it like that, I won’t fall for it, you rattlesnake!”

Tsk.

If this doesn’t work, there’s only one method left.

“Waaah! Jonah doesn’t know anything! Give me the money! Give it all! Give it now!”

Lying flat on the floor, flailing my arms and legs wildly, Rosemary looked at me with a bewildered gaze.

Benny was covering her face, seemingly embarrassed, while Shadow, not knowing what was happening but finding it amusing, was wiggling along with me.

Occasionally, a person with fangs sharp enough to easily slice through anything would see this as a charming point.

After some time of throwing a tantrum, Rosemary let out a deep sigh and asked.

“At least tell me what’s going on. It’s hard for me to agree to giving away my entire fortune, but if it’s necessary, I can spare as much as I can… After all, thanks to you, Jonah, the Cradle Trading Company can continue to exist, and someday, the entire elf race will benefit as well.”

“Hmm. Actually, a reason for me to need to conquer the 4th Floor a bit sooner this time has appeared….”

I don’t plan to explain the gacha system in detail. However, I did mention that by performing a certain ritual, I can borrow power from the Goddess of Love, and the more money I invest in this ritual, the better the effect.

Rosemary nods, seemingly satisfied with the explanation.

“I see. It’s similar to how the Temple conducts large-scale prayer meetings or various ceremonies at regular intervals to bestow large-scale blessings or to maintain the protective miracles granted to the Temple… But, how is that possible for you, who isn’t even a priest?”

“Oh, that’s because I’m a saint of the Goddess of Love.”

“Ah, I understand. If you’re a saint, then it makes sense…eeeeeh?!”

Rosemary nods calmly, only to suddenly react as if she had witnessed a real-life platypus.

Is this the shock of platypus reality? What a hassle. The only solution is to fix it with a good smack.

As I stealthily approached and was about to raise one hand, to my surprise, Rosemary, regaining her senses by her own power, screamed loudly.

I lowered my hand naturally as if nothing had happened.

“Wh-why are you suddenly telling me this!”

“Well, just in case I’m dragged off by the fallen Pope and burned at the stake for impersonating a saint, you could be rounded up as an accomplice, Rosemary?”

“Did you say the Pope is fallen?! No, more importantly, you said accomplice just now…you wicked thing! How are you a saint in any way! No matter how I think about it, you’re a demon!”

“But I’m cute, right?”

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

“Ugh…if you think I’ll fall for this kind of thing….”

“Hey~”

I slyly approached and gently cupped Rosemary’s cheeks with both hands. Then, in a lowered voice, I asked again.

“You really won’t?”

“……”

Rosemary genuinely hesitates.

Perhaps because she often saw me using my beauty on Ellie to my advantage. Now, it seems natural as Benny and Shadow casually snack from behind.

To maintain immersion, I pretend to take a step forward, slipping in between them to block their view.

“It’s not a loss-making deal, you know? If I get stronger, it’s good for the elves too, right? Especially with the Cradle Trading Company, which has close ties with me. This is a kind of investment.”

“In…vestment?”

“Yeah. Long-term investments that elves like. No, it won’t even take that long. At most, 10 years? By the way, only Eve among the elves knows this information, so it’s proof of being my close aide.”

“10 years…buying the dip…”

Who would have thought they’d describe helping when powerless as buying the dip?

It’s not wrong, but how should I put it… It’s amusing because it’s so elf-like.

After pondering for a long time, Rosemary slowly began to speak.

“Would you mind telling me more about the situation? Knowing something more might be helpful.”

A tactful acceptance, she opened her mouth with a sly smile.

“Miss Lydia has been kidnapped, and to rescue her, I need to conquer the 4th Floor within 3 days.”

“…Who in the world would kidnap the noble Miss Lydia? And you’ve already cleared the 3rd Floor?”

To the bewildered Rosemary, a brief explanation was given.

This and that, nonsense babble.

Having roughly understood the circumstances, Rosemary nodded.

“If that’s the case, it makes sense. You’re trying to maximize your power, conquer the 4th Floor in one go, and use this as an achievement to receive adjusted growth stats?”

“Bingo. That’s correct.”

Of course, a speedrun is a quintessential achievement grind. And the Labyrinth is a place that rewards those who accomplish achievements generously.

Naturally, if you focus solely on growth and clearing, while your overall specs might improve, your skills might not keep up.

Ultimately, you’d just become a strong fool and struggle in the next Floor…but my case is a bit different.

From the start, my technique is ahead of my physical abilities.

Rosemary finally spoke after calculating diligently in her head.

“I can spare some money. But investments should be made with surplus funds, not by selling the family’s main assets. Besides, the Trading Company is in a phase of regrowth, so there are many areas where money is needed. At most, I can offer 200 gold.”

“That’s more than enough. It’s money I don’t have to repay, right?”

“…Is there anyone who insists on paying back an investment as if it were a debt?”

“Well, there is.”

I’ve seen it a few times on Earth.

Rosemary, with a parent-like expression advising a poor author who came out of the house for the first time in a month, as if to say study hard if you don’t want to grow up to be like that.

“If there are such people, don’t get close to them. They are not real merchants.”

“Don’t worry. That’s why I signed an exclusive adventurer contract with Eden.”

“…You signed an exclusive contract with Eden and then came to get investment from Cradle Trading Company?”

“If it’s Eve, I’m sure she’ll be lenient.”

As I winked, Rosemary shivered and leaned back.

“This rattlesnake…”

Of course, she only said that but ended up chuckling.

“Anyway, I’ll give you the gold now, so wait. I won’t ask you to pay it back, but I hope you’ll do some 200 gold’s worth of promotion.”

“Since I’m going to cause a commotion on the 4th Floor anyway, it’s an easy task.”

“I’d love to lend you some high-grade magic tools to maximize the impact, but…”

“If I get help from equipment that far exceeds my skills, it won’t be recognized as an achievement, so no.”

“Right. Instead, take this.”

Rosemary takes out a small potion bottle along with a hefty money pouch.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a potion that makes your body glow when you drink it.”

“…?”

“Literally, if a self-luminous person goes around slaughtering monsters, it will attract attention. The advertising effect will be certain.”

“This crazy…wait, you don’t mean?”

“Yes. You will drink this potion and fight during the Floor Guardian subjugation battle. That’s the investment condition.”

“……”

Originally, I would have refused. I prioritized avoiding drawing attention.

However, after the recent Cradle Trading Company incident, my name was already widely known. Since I had become the super genius pretty boy Jonny Boy that everyone knew, this should be fine.

“Deal. Give it to me right away.”

Off to roll the gacha.