100\% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full? Chapter 540 - Meeting

In the days that followed, the rhythm of Lootwell shifted.

Lucien deliberately eased their pace.

The timing was no accident. In less than a week, he and his core group were scheduled to depart for the Celestial Dominion’s grand feast. He had no intention of bringing along companions who were sleep-deprived, burdened by unfinished reports, or spiritually exhausted from administrative overload.

Therefore, adjustments were implemented.

Entry quotas were scaled back.

Daily access to the most sought-after facilities was more strictly regulated. Public entry to premium amenities transitioned to a scheduled system. Even the chapel moderated its quest offerings, ceasing the issuance of overly demanding tasks.

The impact resonated swiftly.

For the first time in a considerable period, the inhabitants of Lootwell experienced a sense of relief.

The change was palpable even to those outside the city. More visitors found themselves reaching their spending limits sooner, prompting their departure before they could exhaust themselves striving for more within the city’s offerings.

This, too, contributed to alleviating the strain.

Unsurprisingly, the city’s observers began noting speculation almost immediately.

‘Lootwell is slowing down. Is something amiss? Did the city overcommit itself? Is it facing collapse? Has a vital internal structure malfunctioned? Has the hidden lord encountered difficulties? Are the peripheral districts draining the central core?’

Lucien reviewed several early speculative discussions, a faint smile touching his lips.

He recognized the predictable tendency of disruptive elements to interpret ordinary adjustments as signs of decline.

Certain merchants murmured that the market had reached its zenith. A few voices from various sects suggested that the reduced activity hinted at underlying instability. More audacious rumor-mongers posited that any city choosing to slow its pace must be acting out of fear.

Lucien chose the most effective method to address these concerns.

A public announcement was disseminated through every available communication channel.

The message was crafted with a deliberate vagueness:

***

A Public Notice from Lootwell

For the upcoming week, Lootwell will temporarily scale back the intensity of select public operations as crucial internal matters are brought to completion.

Public access remains available under established regulations. Essential services will continue uninterrupted. These structured reductions are temporary and intentional.

Lootwell does not falter due to chaos; it slows in preparation for greater momentum.

***

This declaration effectively silenced the majority of the rampant speculation.

The reasoning was simple: the announcement bore the distinct characteristic of Lootwell’s official pronouncements.

Naturally, the rumors didn't cease entirely. The more astute individuals shifted their focus from suspicion to eager anticipation.

Their curiosity now piqued, they awaited the revelation of what was to come.

Lucien allowed them to ponder.

The announcement was truthful, in its own way.

It merely omitted the underlying reality.

•••

While the territory settled into its adjusted pace, Lucien utilized the quieter days to assemble the individuals he wished to accompany him.

His first priority was locating Luke and Cienna.

He found them using the Spatial Compass.

The instant they perceived him approaching, his expression conveying a distinct purpose, they both understood that this was no ordinary visit.

Luke was the first to articulate this thought.

“That look on your face means either momentous good news or the kind of trouble that initially sounds like good news.”

Lucien offered a smile.

“In this instance, it’s both.”

He then proceeded to recount the events of the past week.

Luke and Cienna remained motionless on more than one occasion during his explanation.

By the conclusion, Cienna’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

Luke exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting towards the horizon before returning to Lucien.

“They truly made it back,” he murmured softly.

Lucien offered a solemn nod.

“They did.”

Cienna placed a hand over her heart.

“Then we are going,” she declared without hesitation. “Of course, we are going.”

There was no trace of doubt.

Only profound gratitude.

Lucien smiled.

That represented one more certainty secured.

Next, he sought out Cielius.

When Lucien, Luke, and Cienna finally located him, he was resting beneath the expansive branches of a tree on the edge of a newly revitalized plain. His beard, still long and majestic, seemed to defy the very passage of time.

The elder man looked up.

A smile immediately spread across his face.

“My family has found me,” he stated contentedly.

Luke chuckled.

Cienna shook her head in amusement. Lucien simply smiled.

They then shared the news with him.

And Cielius, despite his advanced age and weathered experience, appeared more vibrant in that moment than he had in many years.

First, he expressed his joy through laughter, tinged with disbelief.

Then, a quiet reverence settled upon him.

Finally, he spoke, his voice filled with a rough warmth, “Good. Very good. Then I shall offer my personal thanks to them for raising my grandson into such a fine man.”

This brought him peace.

Sebas and Elunara were the next individuals he approached.

Sebas received the news with an unusual stillness, a telltale sign that his emotions were surging with considerable intensity beneath his composed exterior.

He inclined his head slightly and stated, “I will accompany you, Young Lord.”

Elunara, standing nearby, met Lucien’s gaze with an expression that conveyed both intrigue and approval.

Naturally, they too would join the undertaking.

Aniel and Virel would surely find delight in witnessing that even Sebas, the ever-stoic individual, had finally allowed the presence of love to coexist with his unwavering sense of duty.

By the time Lucien made his way back to Lootwell, invitations having been dispatched, the assembled circle had solidified into proper form.

Eirene was already poised for departure. The elemental women required no further impetus than the mention of a feast and the destination, Celestial Dominion, to show clear interest. Luke and Cienna arrived precisely on time. Cielius was present. Sebas and Elunara confirmed their readiness. Kael, upon receiving the news, seemed personally honored.

Then, just as Lucien had anticipated, Elias stepped forward, clearing the final genuine obstacle.

"I will oversee the administrative center during your absence," he stated. "The current operational pace is already reduced, making it the most opportune period for a brief departure."

A genuine exhalation of relief escaped Lucien.

That gesture aided him far more than Elias might have comprehended.

"Thank you," Lucien expressed.

Elias offered a single nod, as if the matter had already been categorized under dutiful responsibilities that should not warrant thanks.

Nevertheless, Lucien felt grateful.

• • •

The day preceding the feast, their departure commenced.

The assembled group convened before the array within Lootwell.

At last, Lucien initiated the array's activation.

Brilliant light bloomed.

The transition occurred seamlessly.

Then, they materialized within the Celestial Dominion.

A contingent of Celestials was already stationed as guards around the array chamber. The instant Lucien and his companions appeared, the foremost Celestial advanced and inclined his head.

"The masters await, benefactor and esteemed guests."

The group was then escorted through the Dominion.

For most, it was their inaugural proper viewing, and Lucien derived quiet satisfaction from the visible shifts in their expressions as the celestial paradise unfolded around them.

Before long, they reached the designated chamber.

And there—

stood Virel and Aniel.

Fully restored. Vivian was with them.

The ensuing reunion felt imbued with warmth even before a word was spoken.

Lucien commenced the introductions.

"These are Luke and Cienna. This is Cielius. These are Sebas and Elunara. This is Eirene. These are Marie, Kaia, Sylra, Marina. This is Kael." And so on.

Virel and Aniel received each of them precisely as Lucien had envisioned.

They interacted like benevolent, strong, and vibrantly alive individuals who instantly recognized that these were not mere visitors.

They were integral to their children's world.

Luke and Cienna formed an immediate connection with Virel and Aniel.

The rapport developed so rapidly that Lucien had to suppress a laugh.

They exuded the unmistakable energy of individuals who had already concocted three parallel threads of affectionate gossip and were only barely restraining themselves due to the sheer magnificence of the surroundings.

Luke clasped Virel's arm briefly and said, with genuine affection, "Thank you for looking after my boy when I croaked."

Cienna added, "I always hoped I would meet both of you someday."

Aniel's gaze softened so profoundly at these words that Lucien momentarily averted his eyes.

"And we are grateful," she conveyed, "for breathing life back into our son."

Cielius greeted them with palpable emotion as well.

The elder bowed his head, stating, "Allow me to thank you, as one parent to another. You played a part in shaping my grandson."

Virel responded, not with pride, but with genuine warmth. "He shaped us as well."

Sebas’s interaction was perhaps the most poignant and unexpected.

The moment he stood before Virel and Aniel, his old guilt resurfaced.

"Masters... I failed to protect you," he murmured softly.

But Virel immediately shook his head.

"No," he replied. "You persevered. That is what matters most."

Aniel intervened before Sebas could retreat further into his ingrained tendency toward self-recrimination.

"And now," she stated with deliberate gentleness, "we hear you have finally found a lover."

That remark affected him more deeply than any battlefield injury ever had.

Sebas appeared genuinely flustered.

Elunara, standing beside him, nearly broke into a smile.

Lucien almost burst into laughter.

Kael also experienced his own significant moment.

He gazed at Virel and Aniel, his eyes brightening.

For a fleeting instant, he seemed younger.

Or perhaps simply more sincere.

"This is good," he affirmed. "It is simply... profoundly good to see you alive, Baron and Baroness."

Virel placed a hand on his shoulder.

"And good to see you again, Kael."

The atmosphere in the room grew warmer with exchanges like these.

Dignity was not prioritized over genuine feeling. No one concealed their emotions excessively. The Celestials of the Dominion, for their part, demonstrated a graciousness beyond all expectation.

They welcomed Lucien’s entourage not as tolerated individuals, but as guests closely connected to those who had rescued their leaders and who clearly held them in precious regard.

That sentiment alone eased much of the tension in the chamber.

...

Just then...

Seraphine entered the chamber.

She had learned of Lucien's return to the Dominion and had anticipated a more intimate gathering.

Instead, she stepped inside to find the chamber filled.

Family. Friends. Significant figures. Several women whose gazes converged upon her at precisely the most inopportune and opportune moment simultaneously.

She paused, frozen.

And because Seraphine possessed keen perception, she immediately understood that this was no ordinary level of scrutiny.

This was a significant juncture.

Then Lucien’s gaze landed on her.

Nevertheless, he didn't allow the situation to devolve into awkwardness.

Bridging the distance, he took her hand without a second thought and gently guided her into the assembled group.

What followed, delivered with the infuriating nonchalance of either extreme bravery or profound foolishness, was:

"Father, Mother. And everyone else. This is Seraphine."

He allowed a beat of silence.

Then, without withdrawing from the declaration, he added:

"She is my woman."

A hush descended upon the room.

Utter and complete.

Seraphine’s cheeks flushed. Vivian’s eyes widened. Marie’s expression gleamed, as if witnessing a grand, personal scandal ripe for emotional exploitation. Kaia froze mid-motion. Sylra’s pointed ears twitched, alert. Marina appeared as though reality itself had finally presented a direct challenge.

Unexpectedly, Luke was the first to shatter the silence.

He smacked his thigh with his hand, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Just as I expected from my boy," he declared. "You finally have a girlfriend."

He then offered Lucien a hearty, approving thumbs-up.

This gesture was just enough to dissipate the heavy tension.

Cienna reacted instantly, clasping Seraphine’s hands with decisive, maternal warmth.

"Welcome," she said warmly, as though she had, on some level, anticipated this very announcement since Lucien first began to complicate the world by simply existing.

To Lucien’s profound dismay, Sebas seemed genuinely thrilled.

At this rate, the man’s unwavering loyalty might very well extend into the realm of metaphysics once grandchildren became part of the equation.

Seraphine, who had braced herself for interrogation at best and outright suspicion at worst, found herself instead enveloped by warmth from precisely the individuals she had most feared.

And the acceptance reached her.

Lucien could discern it in the gradual easing of her shoulders.

Virel and Aniel offered their thanks once more, no longer just as those who had mended their bodies, but as individuals recognizing someone clearly cherished by their son.

Vivian stood near Aniel as this unfolded, and at one point, Aniel leaned in, murmuring something softly into her ear.

Vivian’s face instantly turned a shade of pink.

Observing this, Virel merely shook his head with the resigned air of a man who had lived alongside Aniel long enough to understand precisely when silence was the wisest course.

No one else present caught the whispered words.

...

Then, another subtle shift occurred.

This was because not all emotional adjustments had been completed.

Certain feelings still required their own delicate arrangement.

Eirene stepped forward.

The attention of the entire room immediately focused on her.

She and Seraphine now stood face to face.

For one drawn-out moment, neither uttered a sound.

Their gazes met and held, and the silence stretched between them, so palpable that others might have imagined hearing unspoken thoughts traversing the space.

It wasn't outright hostility. Nor was it a challenge. Rather, it was a profound recognition.

Both women clearly cared for Lucien. Both understood this fact implicitly. Both possessed the intelligence to discern the other's underlying intentions.

Watching this exchange, Lucien realized that even after confronting the very fabric of causality, certain situations still existed for which he possessed no particularly effective preparation.

He remained incredibly still.

Then, Eirene offered a gentle smile.

"I'm Eirene," she stated. "One of Lucien’s closest friends."

Seraphine returned the smile, a small but genuine expression.

"Seraphine," she replied. "It’s a pleasure to finally meet you."

She made no mention of being a lover. She laid no claim.

And with that, the room collectively exhaled.

The ensuing conversation flowed with a smoothness that far exceeded Lucien’s optimistic hopes.

Indeed, the more they interacted, the more apparent it became that Eirene and Seraphine harbored no animosity towards each other. If anything, a more surprising and far more beneficial connection for the future began to form: a mutual understanding.

A nascent form of sisterhood, perhaps.

Following this, the elemental women approached in turn.

Marie took the initiative without hesitation.

She introduced herself with the effervescent ease of someone delighted to finally occupy the spotlight in a situation she had already thoroughly assessed in her own way.

Kaia followed, more reserved but equally cordial.

Sylra spoke less than the others, yet her subtle smile conveyed a sincerity that often surpassed lengthier greetings.

Marina was the last to approach.

She walked towards Seraphine with the solemn gravity of someone advancing toward a self-chosen duel, despite her better judgment.

Then, she truly looked at Seraphine.

And her resolve seemed to crumble.

Because, yes. Seraphine was indeed not petite.

And what was worse, she possessed a mature beauty that Marina recognized she herself had not yet fully attained.

For a fleeting instant, Marina appeared almost defeated by the stark reality.

Then, she composed herself.

Leaning in close, ensuring only Seraphine could hear, she muttered in a very low voice:

"I won't lose."

Seraphine regarded her for a moment.

Then, she let out a soft chuckle.

She gave a single nod and replied in a similar soft tone, "I was hoping you wouldn’t. Let’s look after each other from now on."

This unexpected response affected Marina more profoundly than any direct confrontation could have.

Her entire face suddenly brightened.

...

Lucien, observing the scene from a discreet distance, felt an immense wave of relief wash over him.

Everyone was getting along splendidly.