In the Multiverse, Only Through Wife-Taking Can I Become Stronger

Normally, they would be attending classes at school, each with excellent grades. After class, they would either practice calligraphy, chess, music, or painting, or be driven home by servants to gradually participate in managing business or political affairs, or attend social dances.

Who would have thought that just yesterday, everyone was teleported into this Inner World full of dangers.

Fortunately, there were a few boys among them, and they managed to survive the first day trembling.

But the real trouble was yet to come, starting with a food crisis.

"We'll just have to ration it... If it's five days, this amount of food should last..." Tanuma Tsubasa said.

"What kind of hellhole is this! I want to go home, I want to go home!"

A stout male student couldn't take it anymore and cried out, holding his head.

Having lived a comfortable life at a prestigious school, how could they possibly endure such treatment?

Everyone fell silent, looking at the dwindling food left on the ground.

They hadn't come to this world without thinking of finding more food, or trying to hunt monsters to level up.

But they soon realized the difficulty.

If they attacked together, hunting a lone low-level monster wouldn't be difficult, but the problem was that monsters now often moved in groups, making it impossible to attack. They could even be killed in return.

This was the disadvantage for the new players who entered later. The number of monsters was limited, and a considerable portion of the easily huntable monsters had already become someone else's experience points.

Only the monsters with high danger levels remained, and everyone was trying to avoid them.

Seeing the desperate cries in the chat group, everyone was consumed by fear, holed up in this abandoned mall and afraid to go out.

The knowledge they had learned belonged to the upper class; all their knowledge of business and politics was useless here.

"My phone's battery is almost dead too..." Iino Miko looked at her phone.

"..." Fujiwara Chika also touched her phone, constantly trying to contact the outside world.

But it was clear that this was a space independent of the original world, and they couldn't contact the outside at all.

After trying for a while, she turned off her phone.

"It's five days in total, and there are four days left. We can get through this if we hold on, yeah!"

She nodded and raised her small fist to encourage herself. Always cheerful and a little naive, she could always adjust her mood quickly.

An illustration is available here; view it after updating the version.

"Gulp..."

However, the rumbling of her stomach betrayed her next.

Everyone looked at her; the others didn't share her good mood.

"Uh..."

She had no choice but to dejectedly retract her hand.

"We all know the real situation, so you don't need to cheer us up," Iino Miko sighed.

"Well, well, let's be happy. We have food now, so we won't starve to death for the time being,"

Fujiwara Chika smiled. "I saw in the chat room that the older players from the previous batch also got through it by starving for three days."

As the secretary of the Student Council, Fujiwara Chika's grades weren't particularly outstanding, but she had a good mind. After entering this Inner World, she had maintained her energy and a positive outlook.

But others didn't have her good mindset.

Iino Miko glanced at her and didn't bother to respond, hugging her knees and sitting motionlessly in the corner, trying to conserve her energy.

The meager food was placed in the center, and a quiet atmosphere spread among them, like a giant beast, slowly sucking everyone into the abyss.

Especially the stout male student, his eyes were fixed on the cans. His tolerance for hunger was the lowest; his eyes were bloodshot, and his breathing was slightly heavier.

"Nita-kun, it's not time to distribute the food yet. This must be distributed tomorrow," Tanuma Tsubasa emphasized.

The stout male student named Nita Satoru pouted and could only continue to endure.

Everyone was watching, and the food was strictly and fairly distributed, so he didn't dare to take it directly.

Just then, Fujiwara Chika noticed something.

"Hmm?" Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at the system interface.

"Tsukikawa Shu made a reservation through me!"

"You even made a reservation for something like that?" Iino Miko was shocked.

The others around also looked on in astonishment.

Shiritsu Shuchuin Academy was already an elite school, inherently high and mighty, emphasizing elegance in everything. It was impossible for them to be involved with such vulgar matters.

And now, what kind of post was this Tsukikawa Shu putting up?

He directly put "Widely Recruiting Virtuous Wives" as the title of the post. This wasn't just vulgar; it was downright depraved!

Although the other party's level and strength were indeed high, since they had entered Shiritsu Shuchuin Academy, they had to draw a line with such vulgar and base matters.

Because of this, all the girls had completely ignored this post.

Even though they might be killed by monsters at any moment, even though they were still hungry!

This is the dignity of the upper class!

"Ahaha... I was just trying it out, you know. He doesn't look bad, and he has decent gear. Maybe I could snag a few Experience Cards for free?"

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Fujiwara Chika quickly forced a smile. She hadn't expected her friends' reactions to be so intense, even in this Inner World.

Yet, all eyes remained fixed on her.

There was no outright objection to her actions, but rather a silent acceptance tinged with confusion and distaste.

Fujiwara Chika was the Student Council's secretary, and her background was unparalleled. She was the daughter of a political dynasty, her great-grandfather a former Prime Minister and her uncle a current cabinet minister. She possessed an exceptionally distinguished bloodline.

Someone of her status should have absolutely no connection with a ruffian like Tsukikawa Shu.

"Uh... what does the law say about this? Self-defense in emergencies, right? Anyway, we're not out of danger yet, so having another glimmer of hope can't hurt."

At this moment, Iino Miko quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

The surrounding students finally shifted their gaze away.

Iino Miko breathed a sigh of relief.

The Inner World was a place that exposed people's true natures. She had never imagined that her classmates would look at Fujiwara Chika with such expressions, all for the sake of some noble status, at a time like this.

"Iino! Thank you so much!"

Fujiwara Chika lowered her voice and clasped Iino Miko's hands, her eyes welling up with tears, on the verge of crying.

It was a bit dramatic, but it was indeed the first time Fujiwara Chika had ever been subjected to such a look from her classmates. Usually so innocent and carefree, she was somewhat frightened.

"There, there, just be more careful next time," Iino Miko said.

"But, are you really planning to accept that guy's offer?" Iino Miko glanced again at the information listed on Tsukikawa Shu's post.

It was very tempting, but his conditions were something no upper-class person could possibly accept.

"How could I possibly? I don't even know him," Fujiwara Chika pouted. "I was just seeing if I could get something for free..."

"That's good then," Iino Miko said, relieved.

This guy named Tsukikawa Shu's post looked incredibly unreliable. How could someone from the upper class possibly submit to something like this?

Just then, a private message arrived from Tsukikawa Shu.

"You there?"

Tsukikawa Shu sat on the hotel sofa, lazily crossing his legs.

A moment later—

Fujiwara Chika: "Ahaha, yes, I'm here."

Tsukikawa Shu: "Are you genuinely here to apply?"

Fujiwara Chika: "Um... just looking..."

Fujiwara Chika: "Tsukikawa-kun is really amazing. You can even defeat level 20 monsters and opened a dungeon. I don't even know what a dungeon is."

Tsukikawa Shu: "Are you genuinely here to apply?"

Fujiwara Chika: "...How did Tsukikawa-kun deal with those monsters? In the initial beginner stage, are there any ways to deal with those monsters?"

Tsukikawa Shu: "Are you genuinely here to apply?"

Fujiwara Chika: "Uh..."

Tsukikawa Shu idly scrolled through the chat log, utterly uninterested in Fujiwara Chika's clumsy attempts at flattery.

He didn't believe that a young lady like Fujiwara Chika, with her deep background, would throw herself at him after just two days of setbacks in the Inner World.

This was just a break, and he had nothing better to do than greet some familiar people.

After a moment, the other party replied, sending a whole string of messages at once.

Fujiwara Chika: "I'm sorry! I wasn't genuinely here. I just saw what you wrote on your post and wanted to try my luck."

Fujiwara Chika: "But I really need this Experience Card. There are six of us currently in danger. We can't hunt monsters, and we don't dare to go out to find food."

Fujiwara Chika: "Your post said that if I passed your reservation, I would get an Experience Card. I really need these things."

Fujiwara Chika: "Of course, of course! I won't take your things for free. Our Fujiwara family will offer something in exchange, and I will also compensate you for my initial rudeness! Please forgive me, Tsukikawa-san!!!"

Tsukikawa Shu found the replies rather amusing.

His impression of Fujiwara Chika was quite good. At least from their conversation, she didn't have the airs of an upper-class person, was polite, and most importantly, understood the principle of equivalent exchange.

"Alright, I won't go back on my word about the Experience Card," Tsukikawa Shu replied.

Over with Fujiwara Chika, she was huddled together with Iino Miko, anxiously awaiting Tsukikawa Shu's reply.

They didn't need much. They just needed to get an Experience Card to level up. Once they had a certain amount of strength, they could escape the perils of the early beginner stage.

Upon seeing Tsukikawa Shu's reply, Fujiwara Chika finally broke into a smile.

Immediately after, her system interface displayed:

[Received Gift from Tsukikawa Shu: Experience Card * 3]

"He kept his word!" she exclaimed happily, hugging her best friend.

"It seems... he's not particularly bad after all," Iino Miko finally started to see Tsukikawa Shu in a new light.

At least, he didn't look like the type to coerce or tempt girls with his strength.

Without further ado, Fujiwara Chika immediately accessed the system interface and opened the Experience Card.

However...

[This Experience Card cannot be used, you are not a contracted member of Tsukikawa Shu]

[This Experience Card cannot be used, you are not a contracted member of Tsukikawa Shu]

[This Experience Card cannot be used, you are not a contracted member of Tsukikawa Shu]

"Eh? Eh? Eh?"

After trying several times, all attempts failed. Fujiwara Chika was dumbfounded.

"What's going on? Is there an error?" she asked, confused.

Just then, Tsukikawa Shu sent a new reply.

Tsukikawa Shu: "I won't go back on my word about the Experience Card, I can give it to you."

Tsukikawa Shu: "But I also need to explain, my Experience Cards can only be used by my Marriage Contract members."

"This, this, this... what's the difference between this and not giving it to me at all!"

Fujiwara Chika was stunned.