CHAPTER 103: OFF DUTY

Chapter 103 – Off Duty

Across from him, Selena hadn’t said a word.

She hadn’t moved much either. She was still standing, one hand folded neatly over the other, expression unreadable behind those sharp eyes. But Lux could feel her watching him.

Not with judgment.

Not even curiosity, really.

Just something else. Something more... human.

Maybe interest.

Maybe affection.

This was probably the first time they’d ever been together in a room without forms between them. No paperwork. No contracts. No diplomatic cloaks. Just Lux.

And her.

Selena wanted to say something.

Her hands twitched once. Barely. But enough.

She’d been holding some line in her throat for the last five minutes. Something carefully worded. Something emotionally terrifying. Something incredibly stupid or deeply true.

But she didn’t say it.

She just stood there.

Watching him.

Lux finally turned toward her, his red eyes steady, and offered a soft smirk. Not his usual one—this was gentler. Looser. Less ’Devil of Greed’ and more ’confused vacationer stuck in divine bureaucracy.’

"Weird, huh?" he said casually. "Just the two of us like this."

Selena didn’t flinch. She was one of main goddesses. But even then, her composure had a hairline crack.

"Yes," she said, her voice even, but her fingers betrayed her—just a slight clutching of her sleeve. "To be honest... this is the first time I’ve seen you like this."

He tilted his head. "Like what?"

"...Less formal," she said after a pause. "Not negotiating. Not wearing a charm smile. Just... you."

Lux chuckled. "I couldn’t agree more."

He stood up with a soft exhale, brushing invisible dust off his jacket. The light from the high window hit him from the side, throwing golden lines across the contours of his demon-tailored suit. He looked simultaneously out of place and carved into the scenery—like a painting someone hung up wrong, but now no one could imagine it anywhere else.

"Well," he said, stretching slightly. "Since there are only both of us, and this is my first time here off duty..."

Selena’s eyes followed him, silently cautious.

"...Maybe you can show me around the city?" he asked, turning toward her again, a little too casual. "I need lunch. Milk doesn’t count. You can count it as a date, if you want."

That made something flicker in her expression.

The air tightened for a fraction of a second, then she gave a slow nod. "I can escort you around. But..."

Ah. There it was.

"But?"

She gestured toward the wardrobe chest by the far wall. "You’ll need to wear the robe."

Lux blinked. "What robe?"

"The divine robe," she said. "The one my sister delivered to you yesterday."

He squinted. Then winced. "Wait. You mean that robe?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"The one that literally says ’Bless This Mess’ on the back in embroidered cursive?"

"...Yes."

Lux dragged a hand down his face.

"I thought that was a prank," he muttered.

"It’s regulation. You’re a demon walking around in a high-rank celestial district."

Lux looked away, mentally cursing. "Of all the robes..."

"It’s the only one that matched your aura level. Your infernal pressure is categorized as unstable divine-interference class now."

He stared at her blankly. "I’m classified as a divine hazard?"

"You’re classified as a minor walking event flag."

He sighed like a man accepting death. "Fine."

He opened his inventory with a lazy flick of his fingers. A dark-glimmered system screen appeared in front of him with a soft mechanical chime and a subtle flourish of shadowy runes—very Lux-core.

He swiped through the mess. Relic shards, expired meeting invites, a divine peach still wrapped in god-tier freshness seal, and—

Ah. There it was.

[Divine Robe – "Bless This Mess" Edition]

Grade: S-Class

Aura Suppression: High

Message Embroidery: Unfortunately Active

Notes: This robe is woven with sacred thread, capable of stabilizing infernal saturation. Do not dry clean.

He pulled it out with a sigh.

The fabric shimmered as it left the inventory—soft white, almost glowing, with ridiculous gold embroidery across the back in curly letters that screamed brunch-mom energy. The phrase "Bless This Mess" sparkled in angel-thread.

Lux squinted at it like it personally offended his bloodline.

"This is so... holy," he muttered. "I can smell the passive-aggressive kindness baked into it."

Selena folded her hands, carefully avoiding smiling. "It’s... fashionable."

"No, it’s not," he said. "This looks like something a Seraph wears when they give up and start a Utube channel about spiritual self-care."

Still, he sighed again, rolled his eyes, and slipped it on over his well-trimmed suit.

And something weird happened.

The robe didn’t clash. It didn’t look stupid. It didn’t glow in a stupid way.

Instead... it adapted.

The moment the cloth touched his shoulders, it shimmered—and the words on the back?

Gone.

Melted into the fabric like ink in water.

The white began to change. Not color—but texture. Shape.

The sleeves blended with his suit sleeves. The high collar adjusted around his neckline. His boots remained, but his coat lengthened—longer, sleeker. Embroidered edges, gold linework, tiny divine sigils built into the lining.

His dark aura flickered once, then stilled.

He stepped forward and turned slightly toward the grand mirror near the wall.

Lux blinked.

Stared.

"...Wow," he muttered.

In the reflection, he looked like the angelic version of himself. Still Lux. Still sharp-jawed, confident in posture—but wrapped in light now. Light that fit.

He looked... radiant.

Not fake radiant.

But actually majestic.

[System Notification]

[Demonic Aura: Nullified (Temporary)]

[+20 Radiance]

[-5 Intimidation]

[You now look like you’re attending a celestial gala or executing a divine IPO.]

He turned his head slightly.

"Just... wow," he said again, a little too stunned to smirk. "Never thought this compensation robe would actually be... cool."

Selena, standing quietly behind him, allowed herself a tiny breath.

"You look... like you belong here," she said softly.

Lux didn’t answer at first.

Because for just a second—one brief, flickering moment—he felt like he did.

No schemes.

No contracts.

No roles.

Just... him.

Wrapped in light.

Whole.

Almost.

But that moment passed, as they always did.

He turned around with a lazy smirk, back to his rhythm. "Alright. You promised lunch."

Selena nodded, smiling faintly. "Try not to start a riot."

"I will try."

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