Love Reasoning (1)

Current Points: 5225

Quests: Passion:

Sleep together with Liliath for a night. 50P

Hug Liliath. 30P

...

Quests: Commitment:

Get something for Liliath in the shop. 30P

Protect Liliath from ill-intent. 30P

...

Quests: Intimacy:

Take a walk together under the open rain. 20P

Cook a dish together. 20P

...

Quests will be refreshed daily. Quests that have been completed will be prioritized, else the user can select up to 1 quest per category to remove. (removed quests will be refreshed the next day)

Max quest for each category: 2 (Upgradable) (68/100)

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It's been a week since I last completed a quest with Liliath-- I mean she let me pet her head last night but so I guess it's been a few hours-- to be more accurate?

Okay. Let's pop another random umbrella.

I browsed the shop and saying a chant in my mind-- Gacha please don't be an asshole go!-- pulled out an umbrella. There were less people around now so I guess nobody would notice. There's also the system distortion thing so it should be fine.

"Noel?"

"The other one is unusable so there's no choice but to get another one. Speaking of which, how about we eat out today? There's that chicken restaurant we went to the first time we visited the apartment. I think it's a good chance for you two to take a break," I said as I extended the umbrella. Oh, it's a crystal clear one this time. Nice.

"On you?" Nine asked.

"Yes. On me."

"I guess it could do.." Prune nodded.

"Liliath?"

To that, she nodded vigorously.

What should I do about this? I was planning to complete a quest since it's still raining. Hm..

"Liliath, is it alright if we share an umbrella? If you're uncomfortable I'll just get another one."

Unfortunately for this time, there wouldn't be teacher Glib here to drive us home.

Liliath shook her head. Prune and Nine popped open their own respective umbrellas.

"We'll be going first if you two continue like that," Nine said before tugging Prune who gave a forced smile.

"Yeah. Will meet up at the chicken restaurant-- You sure about this Liliath?"

Liliath nodded and took small steps towards me. Reaching a suitable distance, she held onto my sleeve while looking down.

"Thank you Liliath."

I popped open the umbrella and started walking, Liliath following along.

The sound of raindrops hitting the canopy reverberated, the chilly winds and gentle splashing of water at each step. I turned to look at Liliath-- to see her doing the same. We held the gaze for a second-- five second.

Her face seemed to flare up, tears condensed in her eyes as if she was struggling to keep up. It's just like this morning.

In the end, she lost and averted her gaze.

Hm..

It's not just Liliath, I myself feel a little strange. Usually I'd be the one embarrassed. Maybe it's because I'm the one leading? There's this phenomenon whereby one's attitude can change depending on who they are with. Maybe Liliath's shyness is what's causing me to act more dominant?

It's troubling but-- it's not that I hate it..

I'm surprised there's still this little voice in my mind asking me: does Liliath really like me?

It's pretty confusing isn't it? Like-- what's up with the prerequisite she talked about before? Don't tell me she said that because she lacked common sense? No..

"N-Noel. It's not working."

"Hm? Oh, sorry.. uh should I get you another umbrella now.."

"It's not that, It's related to the quests."

"Quest?"

Oh yeah.. it's not being checked off the list. Walking under the rain together with Liliath-- no, walking under the OPEN rain.

"What if it means we are to take away the umbrella?"

"Then won't we get wet?"

Liliath shook her head. "It's possible if I use magic."

Eh? What? Magic..

Oh yeah. There's that too huh? Wonder why I didn't think of that this morning...

"Good idea. So I'll just take the umbrella away-- now?"

LiIiath nodded, and I tilted the umbrella to the side. No rain-- success! Magic OP. The box on the UI wasn't checked off yet so we continued walking under the rain like this, the handle of the umbrella hooked around my arm.

It's mystical how the rain would visibly distort and flow down over an invisible force field. Not to mention there wasn't the splash of water that usually hit us from a lateral angle whenever the rain fell anywhere on the floor surrounding us. We're like-- enveloped in a bubble. Just the two of us.

Strolling down this path along the water filled drainage, we came to a highway. Warm glowing street lights contrasting the dim cloudy sky arranged in parallel. Across it was the apartment complex with a sleek modern criss cross design. The sky bridge made an arch over the road, an advertisement banner hung in the centre, promoting life insurance.

Up the stairs and onto the elevated walking path that overlooked the road, Liliath stopped and turned to look at the city.

"This no longer looks unfamiliar."

"You've been using this bridge for a week now, so it's normal you'd get used to it."

She went closer to the edge and held onto the railings.

"To be more concise with my words-- everything no longer looks unfamiliar. It's queer. I understand a lot of how this world works now. That itself brought about a lot of changes within me.."

She turned around, hair swaying in the background and faced me. Her cute elegant figure against the white backdrop of a foggy city.

"There's nothing wrong with me right? Noel."

"There's nothing wrong. If anything, it's most probably because you finally learnt the common sense of our world," I smiled wryly, understanding her worries. "I don't mind hearing you out. So what else do you find odd?"

She came to take a pause here of all places, which would usually not happen. Maybe she wants to talk, that's why I prodded her.

"My thoughts would run all over the place when I look at you," she said before averting her gaze with slightly red cheeks.

Haha.. seriously? What should I say about this?

"Well.. maybe that's because-- "

Because what? She likes me? I got rejected right?

"Noel, I've come to realize something important."

"And that is?"

"Do you recall that night when I told you to wait for me."

"Uh-huh."

Okay.. I wonder what she's going to say now. I can't help but feel my pulse quicken with my ears sizzling hot, even in this cold environment.

"I realized there isn't a need for such a rule in the first place-- after all.. I'm no longer in my own world. Things are different here."

Four horns manifested above her head, her hair seemed to shimmer in a blood red glow. I felt my chest tighten as I made a nod.

"As a demon lord I can't undergo matrimony with normal beings. This is a fact-- however. I realized I could just accept love can't I?" tears glistened in her eyes.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Demon lord can't marry humans so she can just accept love? What?

"Noel.. you like Prune-- right?"

"What?"

"You like.. Prune.. right?"

"Wait up. I already told you that the one I like is you!"

What the hell kind of direction is this headed to?!

"But I can't accept it. I'm a demon lord. It's impossible. However-- your feelings are enough for me Noel. So please accept her, Noel."

I don't get it.. shaking my head I took strides forward and brought Liliath into my embrace.

"I can't. I love you Liliath.."

You and only you.. I chose you over Prune you know?

"I-I love you too Noel.. but I c-can't.." Liliath wept. Her small hands pulled against my blazer, her head placed close to my chest. I could feel the horns press against me.

I ran my hand through her hair as I came to a conclusion.

With common sense taking effect, she can now understand me better. This is probably what allowed her to clarify her thoughts in our world's understanding.

The prerequisite Liliath mentioned last time-- and demon lord Javiel's words. I have to become a demon lord-- that's the prerequisite isn't it? Is that really possible? I have no clue why Liliath can't accept me as a human-- Javiel was able to accept a number of wives then? What's the link between this?

Liliath must have a reason for this. What if the physiological build for a female demon lord is different from a male? Maybe there are other nuance criteria out there, that's why Liliath can't accept me.

From a normal perspective, Liliath should be able to just abandon her title as a demon lord but that's looking at things through rose tinted glasses. Maybe there's something deeper to it than just facts and emotions?

Liliath said it very clearly. She likes me, but it's still unknown why she can't accept me. It must be something within her that's influencing her more than mere thoughts.

"Liliath, can you explain why you can't accept it even though you want to?"

"It's just not possible. I can't put it simply but my being should and would naturally reject every mate that isn't a demon lord."

"Is that so.."

Liliath is really fighting against her instincts huh? What should I do? I wonder..

"You said you had a plan right Liliath?"

Since she told me to wait. She must have some idea.

LIliath nodded without saying anything.

"Could you tell me?"

She shook her head in denial.

Hm..

What can I do-- I wonder. I continued to brush her hair through my fingers as my thoughts wandered.