100\% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full? Chapter 503 - Love Beyond Lifetimes

A considerable amount of time had elapsed.

Suddenly, the hut's door swung open without a touch.

Lucien's heart clenched instantly.

He discovered her inside, kneeling upon the ground.

Tears drenched her cheeks. Her eyes, puffy and bloodshot, came with erratic breaths that caused a fierce pang of dread to surge within Lucien.

He knelt before her immediately.

His hands grasped her shoulders, softly rotating her to face him.

Before Lucien uttered a single word, she raised both palms, cupped his face, and drew him close.

Lucien's eyes went wide.

He ceased fighting the instant then, shutting his eyes.

It lacked caution.

Her kiss came like one who had endured vast sorrow beyond mere restraint. Lucien, initially stunned, responded with matching fervor as its significance sank in.

Exceptional in numerous skills, yet clearly novice in this realm.

Neither possessed the knowledge to render the instant graceful, thus they rendered it genuine. Instinct guided their learning, along with hesitations, breaths, and the gentle clashes of attempts, corrections, and renewals.

Hers matched that.

Heat flushed his cheeks. His heartbeat thundered ridiculously in his ears.

Seraphine brushed her face, even as new tears lingered on her eyelashes.

This smile differed from her typical sly one. It shone with greater delicacy and brighter glow.

Lucien gazed at her intently.

Yet prior to his inquiry, Seraphine extended toward him once more, and Lucien advanced to meet her midway this time.

Equally fervent.

A barrier within each had already crumbled.

The hut shrank in scale. The outer world faded into nothingness. Enigmas could be postponed.

Warmth alone persisted.

Solely the inconceivable solace of discovering the other present, tangible, and accessible.

Normally, restraint defined him.

Not in this moment.

Desire for her burned.

No fleeting whim drove it.

He craved her.

Lucien caressed her as if mastering awe and longing simultaneously.

With utmost care.

Seraphine reciprocated not through timidity, but through faith.

The ensuing night claimed no haste or drama.

It shed long-carried weights for a brief span.

For two minds sharp enough to spiral in thoughts, opting once to embrace the evident reality without excess analysis.

•••

He lay motionless briefly, allowing consciousness to unfold gradually.

Silence enveloped the hut.

Beside him, Seraphine observed quietly.

The hut.

The kiss.

A light cough escaped him as he averted his gaze momentarily, seeking composure more than true aid.

Then her voice broke through, "Hey."

A new tension etched her features now. Tamer than the previous night's frenzy. Yet keener. More perilous in its subtlety.

"What are we?"

Among all morning anticipations, that query stood absent.

A smile curved his lips, as if his penchant for ruin had lingered through the night.

Reaction struck instantly.

Shadows crossed her entire countenance.

Before she could pounce, he acted swiftly.

Positioning himself behind, he encircled her with his arms, drawing her softly into a cozy rear hug.

"I’m just kidding."

Lucien firming the hold ever so little.

Her fury vanished in a flash.

Be it his reassurance, the hold, the proximity, or her unspoken craving for those words, Lucien remained uncertain.

Seraphine beamed.

Lucien uttered a cry of utter treachery and toppled off balance.

She peered downward, her triumph blending mirth with a subtle hunter's gleam.

"My turn."

First off, he had gladdened a profoundly perilous woman immensely.