Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World

Ellie submitted a request to Lydia to teach me.

Lydia was a veteran adventurer with a reputation to match. Naturally, she wouldn’t have accepted the request for free.

Though I don’t know the exact amount, it must have been quite a large sum.

To receive such a favor, in a time that is barbaric in both good and bad ways, was a favor I’d never experienced even in my previous life.

My heart felt ticklish, and a silly giggle slipped from my lips.

“Heh, heheheh….”

“Eugh.”

For some reason, Lydia frowned as if she saw something she shouldn’t have, but that’s not what’s important right now.

I had to do something about this rising eagerness.

“Miss Lydia! Let’s go, quickly! I feel like I could slaughter every last monster on the first floor right now!”

“Calm down. It’s impossible to do such a thing without a weapon.”

“I can do it! If it’s me!”

“…It’s because it’s you, Jonah, that it’s impossible.”

Lydia, who had sighed deeply, pressed her hands down on my bouncing shoulders.

Delicate fingers. Yet, the intense strength that pinned my body to the ground made me snap to attention.

“Jonah, you’re weak. Bold and quick, but otherwise, hopeless.”

“Kuh…”

To directly mention a problem I was already aware of hurt because it was true.

In the continent of Pan, thanks to the existence of labyrinths, anyone, man or woman, can become strong.

But children are an exception. That was no different from Earth.

Their bodies aren’t fully grown, and their magical power or aura, even if it has blossomed, is weak in both quantity and quality.

It wasn’t much different for the clergy field either. Unless it’s a special case like a saint or a saintess, for most believers, long-devoted faith was what became divine power.

This field values experience far more than something like gender.

Thus, a child was weak. Weak, but… I had a 3-star skill I got from the gacha.

The skill of pickpocketing might not directly aid in combat, but it’s undeniable that it has granted me a level of flexibility and agility that cannot be overlooked.

However, it seems that wasn’t sufficient. Lydia patted my shoulder and said,

“It’s okay. You can compensate for what you lack with something else.”

“Like an elixir?”

“…That’s expensive. While effective, it’s not cost-efficient. I’m talking about a weapon.”

With that, Lydia pulled a small dagger from her belt.

“I’ll lend this to you.”

“This is…?”

“My spare weapon.”

I examined the dagger Lydia handed me. It was heavier than I anticipated. The size, about the length of my arm, seemed just right for me to wield.

The center of the shining silver blade was engraved with unidentifiable characters, and the sharpness of its edges on both sides was enough to make me shiver.

“It looks expensive.”

“…I said I was lending it to you.”

Slightly averting my gaze from Lydia’s piercing eyes, sharper than any dagger, I inquired.

“Is it really okay to lend something like this? It looks valuable.”

“Yeah. It’s nothing special.”

“…You’re saying this weapon is nothing special?”

Lydia gave me a smug smile as I stammered.

“I’m a successful adventurer.”

“Yes, well.”

“I have a lot of money too.”

“……!”

Indeed. To me, it’s an expensive item, but to Lydia, it’s probably just something moderately useful.

“Huh? The last time I saw Miss Lydia’s wallet, it wasn’t that full.”

“I bought new equipment.”

Indeed. Being a high-rank warrior must mean earning a lot of money, but also spending just as much.

It wouldn’t matter if one was satisfied with their current status, but to ascend to a higher realm, superior equipment is essential. Of course, skill is fundamental as well.

As I nodded, Lydia took the sheath from her belt and fastened it to my waist.

Her movements were unusually cautious, as if she was trying to avoid touching me as much as possible.

As if she were trying to demonstrate that she harbors no hidden agendas. That she’s not a threat.

“There’s no need to be so cautious…”

“Jonah. You and Senior Ellie are in a relationship.”

“Ha… If only that were the case.”

“?”

Even as she tilted her head in confusion, Lydia skillfully attached the sheath. Once I slid the dagger back into its sheath, the weight around my waist became noticeably heavier. That weight morphed into a sense of security and confidence.

“Now that I’m armed, let’s go!”

“Okay.”

I quickened my pace alongside Lydia, who gave a brief nod.

---

Before long, we reached the heart of the labyrinth city. This wasn’t the guild blacksmith we had visited earlier, but rather the location of the adventurers’ guild headquarters.

“It’s always bustling here, isn’t it, Miss Lydia?”

“There are many people, after all.”

Various races, armed to the teeth, paraded around, flaunting their adventurer status, while street vendors loudly hawked their wares to those adventurers.

Some appeared to frown, seemingly put off by the chaotic atmosphere, but…

Given how much they stood out, they likely weren’t from the labyrinth city. Perhaps they were here to submit a request?

With that thought, I stealthily grasped Lydia’s fingertips.

“……”

Startled, Lydia turned to look at me. Despite having done nothing wrong, her intense reaction made me stumble over my words.

“It’s, it’s crowded here! I just didn’t want us to get separated… Should I hold somewhere else?”

“…This will also be a secret from Senior Ellie.”

With that, Lydia offered me her pinky finger. Holding it, I timidly followed her, aware of the gazes of those around us.

Shock. Mockery. Envy. And eyes filled with lust.

Well, the last one, lust, is something I’ve frequently encountered since incarnating into this body in a female-dominated world… But what about the rest?

As I looked around, puzzled, I noticed a duo not far from me that seemed similar to us.

A man, dressed like a novice archer and clearly new to the labyrinth, walked alongside a veteran female adventurer who was massaging his buttocks as they strolled.

The man had his head bowed, trembling slightly, evidently quite embarrassed.

“Ah?”

Upon closer inspection, I noticed there were a few parties that, while not as blatantly handsy, clearly had an unbalanced dynamic.

Most of these parties involved women eyeing male newbies with sly interest, or conversely, men clinging to seemingly competent adventurers.

Indeed, there were parties of veteran adventurers genuinely mentoring newbies… but, surprisingly, these were the rarest cases. And even then, they were only seen where all the members belonged to the same clan.

I was the one who introduced the setting where ‘requests’ were commonly exchanged among adventurers, but I never anticipated it would apply in this manner as well.

Only now do I begin to understand the woman who had groped me earlier, offering to hire me as a porter.

It wasn’t that she was strange; it was just that this kind of trade was openly happening.

Thanks to that, I could understand how my actions a moment ago might have appeared.

It would have looked like a young brat was already trying to sweet-talk the women, trying to get something in return. And they would have been shocked that the target had been Lydia.

Ignoring the glances thrown my way, I tightened my grip on Lydia’s pinky.

“Miss Lydia, Miss Lydia.”

“What.”

“Do you intend to do something to me that you can’t tell Ellie?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Then walk more confidently. Don’t make a face as if you’re hiding something.”

“Eum…”

After a moment of contemplation, Lydia nodded. Good. This should have eased the discomfort somewhat.

I shrugged my shoulders, believing that the issue was resolved easily.

“Well! I still think there’s no need to worry so much since Ellie and I aren’t a thing yet!”

“……”

Lydia frowned at those words as if she were witnessing the worst villainess of the century.

Why is she looking at me like that? Nothing has happened yet, so it’s true that we aren’t a thing! It’s Ellie’s fault for not taking me to bed!

Feeling wronged, I huffed and puffed as we turned a few more corners. Then, the large gray slab beyond the building of the adventurers’ guild came into view.

At first glance, the slab, resembling a tombstone, was densely engraved with indecipherable characters.

A language only those with divine status can read and use. It’s the Words of Divine.

Of course, even I couldn’t read the Words of Divine… But I knew what its contents were.

I was the one who created that setting, so I had the entire thing memorized.

“Here is…”

“Yes. The entrance to the labyrinth.”

It’s not my first time seeing it, but every time I do, it feels strange. It’s as if someone had recreated exactly what was in my head.

For reference, this wide-open space where the entrance is located is called the Pangrave Square.

Originally, the labyrinth had been pure chaos. However, by entering through that door, said to be made by the Goddess of Love, you can enter a labyrinth where a balance patch had been applied.

Unless someone wanted to be thrown into an unknown place, fighting monsters far beyond their caliber, they must enter through the main entrance, which was also why it was always packed with so many people.

Although the line was long with many adventurers looking to enter the labyrinth, it quickly shortened, and soon it was our turn.

Standing in front of the slab, Lydia placed her hand on its rough surface and spoke.

“It’s simple to use.”

“Just place your hand on the slab and think about entering, right? You can also teleport instantly to the deepest level you’ve been to.”

“…You know?”

“I was originally aspiring to be an adventurer, after all. I just researched these things in advance.”

While I laid out the basic settings, how those settings were developed and utilized was up to the people here.

So, I had just been checking to see if any changes had been made… But, perhaps it was difficult to utilize such an object in any other way. There was nothing in particular to note.

However, I had heard rumors that they were researching something called a teleport gate, attempting to replicate a similar phenomenon with magic.

Though they have failed so far… Well, maybe they’ll succeed someday. It’s fitting for this fantasy setting.

I chuckled and placed one hand on the stone slab.

“Shall we go?”

“Sure.”

The setting of the labyrinth, which I had pondered so hard to create in my previous life.

My opportunity to experience it firsthand had finally arrived.