100\% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full?-Chapter 39 - Plans in Motion

The grand celebration was still a month away, giving Lucien a window of time to prepare.

There were matters in his territory he wanted... no, needed...to settle first.

Maxim had assured him that the Coalhearts wouldn’t make any moves until after the celebration. But Lucien wasn’t the type to rely on reassurances alone.

In his eyes, being prepared was the best form of protection.

So, he planned to accelerate everything.

He too had his eyes on the capital.

It had been nine days since Vivian departed and with a standard carriage taking two weeks to reach the city, she should still be somewhere along the road.

Lucien wanted to catch up.

To check on her.

To give her some skill cards for protection.

To give a generous amount of funds.

She was his only family. Spoiling her was the least he could do.

"I really need to move faster," Lucien muttered. "If I want to leave in peace, I’ll have to finish all urgent matters first."

Meanwhile, he hadn’t kept the dungeon a secret from Maxim. If the old noble could regain his strength, he will become a valuable ally.

Lucien gave him permission to gather resources from the dungeon until the tax escorts arrived.

Of course, he also introduced Skittles who was currently auto-farming inside. It would be disastrous if the little slime was mistaken for a monster and taken down.

Maxim had been stunned when he learned of the dungeon’s existence. For a brief moment, his expression shifted.

Then, he quietly thanked Lucien... and left.

Back in the present, Lucien sat in the study, discussing plans with Sebas.

"I’m thinking of assigning two members from the Administration Division," Lucien said, "along with a some from Sustenance. They’ll be tasked with purchasing livestock from the nobles west of Lootwell... and gathering other essential supplies."

Sebas nodded. "A good idea, young Lord. I’ll help pick the right people for the job."

Together, they carefully selected the members best suited for negotiation and logistics. They also specifically chose members who had practical knowledge and experience with livestock.

Then... Lucien reached into his INVENTORY and pulled out a polished medal, engraved with the sigil of the Silvermine Noblehouse.

It was something Maxim had personally given him earlier.

He handed it to Sebas.

"Give this to the team. Tell them to show it whenever they’re making a purchase."

Sebas examined the emblem with recognition.

"It should protect them," Lucien continued. "This medal carries weight. Anyone who tries to cheat them would be crossing Silvermine itself."

Sebas gave a firm nod. "Understood."

"One more thing," Lucien added. "I want them to buy more than just livestock. We need supplies. Plenty of them! I want the Crafting Division to start their work as soon as possible. Tell them to prioritize herbs, seeds, anything that might be useful... and silks too."

"Silks, my Lord?" Sebas asked as he began jotting notes in a small leather-bound notebook.

Lucien smirked. "Yes. I’m growing tired of wearing the same thing every day. Even if Household Magic keeps it clean, it feels wrong. Also... I’m growing every day... my clothes are getting smaller."

Sure, Household Magic kept it spotless but it still felt wrong. As someone from the modern world, having a lot of change of clothes was simply non-negotiable.

Sebas chuckled softly. "Very well, Young Lord. I’ll prepare a detailed list for them."

What Lucien had in mind went beyond just gathering supplies. He wanted to grow his own ingredients.

He already had potion recipes unlocked through the CRAFT feature. The only thing missing were the raw materials.

If the members could learn the right skills in time, they might even be able to mass-produce potions. A stable supply would be invaluable... especially when things inevitably took a turn for the worse.

He handed a pouch filled with gold coins to Sebas.

200 in total.

His wealth had grown considerably thanks to Skittles’ relentless killing spree in the dungeon. Even if Lucien wasn’t present, the gold from each kill still found its way to him.

Unfortunately, the experience points didn’t. They all went to Skittles.

But that was fine. It wouldn’t hurt for the slime to level up.

Sebas raised a brow, weighing the pouch in his hand. "My Lord, this is more than enough."

"Don’t worry about it," Lucien replied. "Buy as much as you can. We’ll need every resource and supply we can get for the next stage of our plan."

He leaned back slightly and muttered to himself...

"Money’s useless if it just sits in my inventory... I still have a lot, sigh."

"Don’t worry about it, buy as many as you can with that money. We need a lot of resources and supplies for the next step of our plan."

Sebas nodded. Though... he couldn’t help but notice the urgency in Lucien’s actions today. It was as if he were racing against something... unseen.

Lucien, on the other hand, hadn’t mentioned his plan to travel to the capital yet.

A part of him felt that Sebas wouldn’t approve.

...

After careful deliberation, Lucien and Sebas finalized the assignments.

Two members from the Administration Division and ten from the Sustenance Division. Twelve members in total.

"They’ll depart tomorrow morning," Lucien said, sealing the decision with a nod.

Sebas closed his notebook. "I’ll inform them and prepare the supplies."

Everything was falling into place. Now, all that was left was to send them off.

•••

The next morning.

Twelve members stood assembled in front of the manor. Their expressions was calm but resolute.

They were ready. Prepared for the long road ahead.

Lucien personally handed out their travel supplies.

Bundles of honey, nectar crystals, fresh carrots and radishes... More than enough to keep their energy up along the way.

Their eyes lit up at the sight.

When the members saw the bottles of golden honey, their eyes lit up with excitement. They still remembered the taste from the last feast.

The richness.

The sweetness.

The rare luxury of it.

It was a flavor they hadn’t been able to forget.

What had seemed like a tough mission now felt more like a fun adventure.

Lucien smiled faintly. "Do your best. You’ll be rewarded generously when you return."

With nods and grateful words, the group set off... on foot.

Their last horse and carriage had been used to send Vivian to the academy, so Lucien instructed them to purchase replacements along the way.

Ten strong horses and several sturdy carriages.

He gave them an additional pouch containing 100 gold coins just for that purpose.

As they disappeared down the road, Lucien let out a quiet sigh.

His thoughts drifted to the past. To the loyal servants his father once sent on a similar mission to the Coalhearts.

They never returned. Slaughtered without resistance, without even the dignity of a fight.

Their bodies were never recovered but Lucien had already added their names to the family grave. Their memory lived on, even if their remains did not.

He turned and slowly walked back into the manor, the weight of both past and future heavy on his shoulders.

Soon after, Clara arrived at the manor. She was leading the full group of the Spiritual Division behind her.

"My Lord," she said in her usual calm, "all twenty members of the Spiritual Division have successfully learned the skill: First-Aid."

Lucien nodded, clearly pleased.

’Good. One step closer.’

Little by little, his territory was beginning to take shape into the future he envisioned.

"Well done," he said. "Good leadership, Clara. You made sure no one was left behind. Everyone, good job!"

Clara simply bowed. Her expression then shifted to the usual trance.

At this point, Lucien was used to it. He didn’t even question it anymore. He just... ignored it.

But then Lucien noticed something odd.

The others... wore that same trance-like expression.

A chill crawled up his spine.

He blinked.

He rubbed his eyes, wondering if fatigue was playing tricks on him.

When he looked again, they all seemed normal.

Smiling faintly.

Standing straight.

Awaiting orders.

’What was that...?’

He crossed his arms, eyes narrowing slightly. ’Am I just seeing things?’

Then his gaze returned to Clara.

’No wait... is it really a good idea to make her the representative? What if she accidentally turns them into some kind of unhinged cult?’

He let out a quiet sigh, brushing the thought away.

’Ridiculous,’ he told himself.

Probably.

He shook his head and looked at the group. "Good work, all of you. Now... what would you like as a reward?"

Clara stepped forward, still wearing ’that’ expression. "My Lord, we ask for no reward. We simply want to ease your burden."

Another voice followed, soft and sincere. "Yes, My Lord... learning this skill is already a reward."

Then another. "Meeting you like this is a reward too, My Lord."

The others chimed in with similar lines, one after another. The mood lightened, and laughter bubbled among them.

Lucien blinked. ’They all call me ’My Lord’ now... Guess they picked that up from Clara.’

Well, there were worse things than loyal followers.

He gave a half-smile... but he didn’t see the red flags waving quietly behind the reverent stares.

"Sigh... I insist," he said. "I have to be fair with everyone."

Clara raised her hand slightly as if shy to speak. "If that’s the case, My Lord... may we have one of the cloud-like figures of yours?"

Lucien frowned in confusion. "Cloud-like...?"

Then it clicked.

Slime Plushies.

Of course.

Most of the members in the Spiritual Division were either too young or too old. Only six, including Clara, were in their teens to mid-thirties.

Lucien hadn’t expected it but apparently, Slime Plushies transcended age.

To his surprise, they were adored by everyone.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel the reward was... a little too simple. A bit lacking.

But he kept that thought to himself.

He handed out the plushies...each one in a random color... and followed them up with generous bundles of honey.

The group reacted as if they had been gifted divine relics.

Their eyes lit up as they hugged their plushies tightly, whispering words of gratitude and admiration. A chorus of heartfelt thanks echoed through the Manor.

Then, with smiles on their faces and satisfaction in their hearts, they quietly dispersed.

Lucien stood in the silence that followed, watching them go.

He folded his arms and glanced toward the forest.

Then... He remembered something.

"...I guess I should bring the Rainbow Slime Lord Statue out here," he muttered.

•••

Afternoon...

Lucien stood at the center of the plaza, placing the Rainbow Slime Lord Statue on its pedestal.

The polished stone shimmered with soft, iridescent colors under the sunlight. It gave off a faint warmth that even he could feel.

He stepped back to admire it.

He already had plans to replicate the statue. One wouldn’t be enough.

He needed more of them... enough for their range of effect to reach every corner of Lootwell.

With that thought, he turned and made his way back to the manor.

But before he could reach the entrance, he spotted Lukas approaching him.

He was holding a report in his hand.

Lucien raised a brow. "What’s the update?"

Lukas saluted smartly. "My Lord. It’s been two days since training began, and we’ve got results."

He handed over the report. "Several members of the Defense Division have broken through to the next tier... including myself."

Lucien’s eyes sharpened with interest.

’Already? That was fast.’

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