100\% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full? Chapter 709 - Date

Lucien found himself alone with Lilith not long after the training grounds passed their final tests.

For once, there were no construction plans between them.

Lucien looked at Lilith across the room.

"So, what reward do you want?"

He had prepared himself for almost anything.

A rare material. A personal favor. Perhaps some unreasonable request that would explain why she and Seraphine had been whispering together before.

Lilith’s answer was much simpler.

"A date."

Lucien stared at her.

Lilith’s expression remained composed for approximately two breaths.

Then the tips of her ears began turning red.

"A proper one," she added.

Lucien continued staring.

Lilith crossed her arms, apparently deciding that confidence was easier if she stopped looking directly at him.

"I spend most of my time forging, managing construction, arguing with craftsmen, and fixing whatever ridiculous project you come up with next."

Lucien felt slightly attacked by the last part.

"I want to do something normal for once."

She finally looked at him.

"One full day. No work. No meetings. No Grace System problems unless someone is actually dying. Just the two of us."

Lucien slowly exhaled.

So this was what she had discussed with Seraphine.

He was already wondering whether agreeing would cross a line when his system reacted.

A message appeared.

It was from Seraphine.

[I already agreed. Whatever sister Lilith asks from you today is fine with me.]

Lucien stared at the words.

That somehow did not make him feel safer.

He closed the message.

Lilith was watching him expectantly.

Lucien knew she liked him.

There was no longer any point pretending otherwise.

As for what he felt toward her...

That was harder.

Perhaps he had avoided thinking about it precisely because he knew where those thoughts might lead.

Lucien had principles.

Unfortunately, he was also a man who had made a promise.

And Seraphine had apparently removed the final excuse he could use to escape.

Lucien smiled helplessly.

Then he stood and extended his hand toward Lilith.

"Since I’m your date for the day, I might as well do it properly."

Lilith looked at his hand. Then at him.

A soft chuckle escaped her.

She placed her hand in his.

Lucien immediately felt the warmth of her palm. He almost pulled back from pure instinct.

Instead, he tightened his fingers slightly around hers.

Lilith noticed.

Her smile grew.

Lucien suddenly suspected that agreeing to this had been significantly more dangerous than fighting Primordial Incarnations.

•••

They disguised themselves before leaving.

For the first time in a very long while, Lucien walked through his own territory without anyone approaching him for a report.

It felt strange.

Lilith seemed to enjoy it immediately.

Their first stop was one of Anya’s food establishments.

Lucien ordered far too much.

Lilith criticized him.

Then she ate almost everything he ordered.

Lucien wisely chose not to mention that.

They wandered through the commercial districts afterward.

Without official responsibilities hanging over them, the place felt different.

There were street performers, new shops, small artificer stalls displaying questionable inventions.

Children chased one another between fountains while their parents pretended not to be exhausted.

Somewhere nearby, two merchants were arguing passionately over the proper price of preserved monster meat.

Lilith stopped several times simply to watch.

She normally moved through Lootwell with purpose. There was always somewhere she needed to be.

Today, she wandered... and laughed.

Lucien had heard Lilith laugh countless times before.

But this was different.

She laughed easily. Frequently. Without restraint.

Lucien found himself watching her.

Sunlight caught the edges of her disguised hair as she turned toward him.

For a moment, Lucien simply thought she was beautiful.

Lilith caught him staring.

Her expression changed immediately.

A slow, mischievous smile appeared.

Lucien knew that smile.

It belonged on something considerably more dangerous than a craftsman.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Lucien looked away.

Lilith’s smile widened.

He grabbed her hand and continued walking before she could make the situation worse.

Her laughter followed him.

•••

They watched a theater performance later.

Lilith chose the romantic one.

Lucien suspected deliberate sabotage.

The story was about two people from rival kingdoms who spent most of the performance making terrible decisions because neither was capable of communicating properly.

Lucien found himself criticizing them internally.

Lilith cried near the ending anyway. She denied it afterward.

Lucien did not challenge her. He valued his life.

...

They visited one of Lootwell’s public arenas next.

A pair of young practitioners were dueling.

Neither was particularly powerful by Lucien’s standards, but both fought seriously.

Lilith became invested almost immediately.

She started quietly predicting which one would win.

Lucien disagreed, and the two of them made a small bet over the outcome.

Lilith won.

The satisfied look she gave him afterward was almost more irritating than the loss itself.

Lucien still smiled.

Perhaps he had let her win. No one knew.

...

By afternoon, he realized something strange.

He was having fun too.

He and Seraphine had shared quiet moments and a deeply passionate companionship.

Yet Lucien realized they had never really done something quite like this either.

Just wandering around together because they could.

For one day, Lucien allowed himself to forget all the problems waiting beyond the five continents.

He laughed.

He ate too much.

He lost another ridiculous competition to Lilith.

He let her drag him into shops he had never entered despite owning businesses several streets away.

For a few hours, he felt strangely young again.

Carefree in a way he had almost forgotten existed.

•••

Near sunset, Lucien took Lilith somewhere quieter.

They flew above Lootwell until the city fell beneath them. Eventually, they reached the outer edge of the Stillness Palace.

The structure floated peacefully beneath the evening sky. From there, the horizon seemed impossibly wide.

The setting sun painted the distant clouds in gold and crimson.

For once, neither of them spoke immediately.

Lucien sat beside Lilith. Their shoulders almost touched.

The noise of Lootwell felt very far away.

"Luc."

He turned.

Lilith was holding something.

An armor.

Lucien recognized it immediately. His expression changed.

"Beloved Bastion..."

Lilith nodded.

The armor had changed.

The familiar structure remained, but the material looked denser and more refined. Fine patterns moved beneath its surface, disappearing whenever Lucien tried to focus on them.

"It took me too long."

Lilith ran one hand across the armor.

"I improved it while I was at it."

Lucien looked at her.

Lilith’s voice softened.

"The next time you fight one of those impossible enemies, it should be able to hold on better."

Lucien did not immediately inspect its new abilities. He did not need to. He simply accepted the armor and stored it carefully.

Something warm settled inside his chest.

Lilith had spent months working almost without rest.

And somewhere during all of that, she had still found time to repair something meant to protect him.

"Thank you."

That was all Lucien said.

He looked at her again.

"I didn’t prepare anything for you."

Lilith shook her head.

"You already gave me what I asked for."

Lucien looked at her.

"One day still feels too little for a reward."

Lilith smiled softly.

"It wasn’t about how much time you gave me. I just wanted a day that was ours."

Lucien fell quiet for a moment, then smiled.

"Then I’m glad I gave it to you."

Lilith’s smile deepened as they turned back toward the sunset.

Then she spoke again.

"You know, there was a time when I felt inferior to the others around you."

Lucien turned toward her.

That was not something he expected Lilith to admit. She was usually far too proud.

He remained quiet.

Lilith stared toward the horizon.

"I don’t have a system."

Her fingers rested loosely over her knees.

"I wasn’t reincarnated. I wasn’t a Liberator."

She gave a small laugh.

"I’m just Lilith. A Solhorn with strong hands."

Lucien almost laughed.

Not because he was mocking her. Because the statement was ridiculous.

"You say that like it’s a bad thing."

Lilith looked at him.

"You don’t need a system like mine or what the other Liberators have."

Lucien gestured toward Lootwell below them.

"Look at what you’ve already done."

Lilith’s gaze followed his.

"You reached this point without something handing you quests, skills, or ridiculous rewards every few days."

"That changed after the Fruit of Creation."

"The fruit chose you."

Lilith fell silent.

Lucien smiled.

"Besides, don’t ask for too many advantages."

She raised an eyebrow.

Lucien continued solemnly.

"If you get another cheat, you might become stronger than me. Then how am I supposed to maintain my position as the protagonist of this world?"

Lilith stared at him... Then she laughed.

It was not the restrained laugh she usually gave during meetings.

She leaned forward slightly, shoulders shaking.

Lucien smiled.

He had missed this too.

They had both become too busy and too responsible.

Somewhere between building Lootwell and preparing for the end of the world, moments like this had become rare.

Lilith eventually calmed down.

Then her expression became serious again.

"Then you don’t look down on me?"

Lucien’s face twisted.

"When have I ever done that?"

Lilith said nothing.

Lucien looked directly at her.

"Without you, Lootwell wouldn’t be what it is today."

Her eyes widened slightly.

"I mean that."

Lucien’s voice became quieter.

"You’re one of the people I genuinely admire."

Lilith stopped moving.

The sunset reflected faintly in her eyes.

A blush slowly appeared across her cheeks.

Lucien realized only afterward how direct his words had sounded.

Lilith looked away for a moment, then back at him.

She smiled. Then, she closed her eyes.

Lucien froze.

He understood immediately.

His heartbeat became annoyingly noticeable.

Lucien looked at Lilith. Her ears were bright red. Yet she did not move away.

He remembered Seraphine’s message. He remembered his promise. More importantly, he remembered the entire day.

Lucien exhaled softly.

Then he leaned closer.