Chapter 65: Forced Kiss by Lilian

Time rewound to before Aetherinra and Elise’s chat.

Ian was carefully flipping through the menu handed to him by the waiter, searching for a dessert that would satisfy Lilian.

But after a full scan, he couldn’t find any special sweets—only pastries they’d already tried before.

Ian furrowed his brow and asked the waiter.

“Is there anything else a bit more unique?”

“Sir, are none of the desserts on the menu to your liking?”

The waiter asked respectfully upon hearing Ian’s words.

“It’s not that I don’t like them, but they’re all a bit ordinary.”

Ian replied.

Since this was Lilian’s first date, Ian naturally wanted to give her a different experience.

These pastries could be eaten any time, making them feel too mundane.

Hearing Ian’s words, the waiter seemed a bit troubled.

“Sir, this menu already covers all the desserts our shop offers.”

“Alright, alright.”

Hearing the waiter’s response, Ian waved his hand.

After all, he couldn’t force a waiter to do the impossible, could he?

But just as Ian thought that was that, the waiter suddenly spoke up.

“Sir, I suddenly recall that our shop does have a special kind of dessert, but…”

“But what?”

Sensing the waiter’s hesitation, Ian asked.

“Is it expensive?”

“Don’t worry, no matter how much it costs, I’ll pay.”

“No, no, this special dessert isn’t expensive at all—in fact, it only costs one copper coin.”

The waiter hurriedly said upon seeing Ian’s wealthy demeanor.

One copper coin?

That cheap?

Hearing the waiter’s words, Ian was a bit surprised.

After all, the pastries he’d ordered earlier cost at least eight copper coins each.

And now he could get one for just one copper coin?

—

Of course, on the Faloran Continent, one gold coin equaled a hundred silver coins, and one silver coin equaled a hundred copper coins.

One copper coin was roughly equivalent to one yuan.

Ian really couldn’t understand why this dessert, which wasn’t even on the menu, would be priced so low at one copper coin.

Was it because it tasted terrible, so they left it off the menu?

Unable to contain his curiosity, Ian asked the waiter.

“What kind of dessert is worth only one copper coin? Is it that bad?”

Hearing Ian’s question, the waiter quickly explained.

“No, no, this dessert isn’t bad at all. In fact, it’s extremely delicious—it might be the best dessert in our shop.”

But hearing this only confused Ian further.

“The best dessert? Then why isn’t it on the menu?”

Ian asked the waiter, puzzled.

At Ian’s inquiry, the waiter began to explain.

“That’s because we never offer this dessert to single customers.”

“I take it you and the young lady across from you are a couple?”

The waiter asked, noticing the matching outfits Ian and Lilian were wearing.

Hearing the waiter’s question, Ian hesitated before answering.

He wasn’t sure whether they truly counted as a couple.

Just a one-day date didn’t really qualify, did it?

He glanced at Lilian to see her reaction to the question.

At that moment, Lilian, sitting across from Ian, suddenly spoke.

“I’m on a date with him. As for whether we’re a couple, I don’t know.”

Hearing this, the waiter said, “Going on a date is something couples do, so the two of you must be a couple, right?”

“I suppose so.”

Forced into a corner, Ian gave a vague answer.

“Now that you know we’re a couple, can you bring out that dessert?”

Ian said to the waiter, eager to see what kind of pastry was only sold to couples.

“Sir, please don’t be impatient. If you want to order our shop’s special dessert, you’ll need to complete a task first.”

The waiter calmed the impatient Ian and said slowly.

“A task?”

You had to complete a task just to eat a dessert?

Despite thinking this, Ian asked the waiter, “What exactly is the task?”

If it was a dessert specifically for couples, it was probably just some simple mini-game, right?

Something like a couple’s challenge, a trivia quiz, or trust exercises?

Bring it on. Ian was not going to be stopped by some small game.

He would definitely present the most special dessert for Lilian’s first date.

But just as Ian was feeling confident, the waiter’s next words nearly made his jaw drop.

“It’s nothing too difficult. All you need to do is kiss.”

The waiter said it casually, but it sent a shockwave through Ian’s mind.

K-kiss?

Wasn’t that just… kissing?

Him and Lilian… kiss?

Ian turned to look at Lilian, wanting to see her reaction.

But he was destined to be disappointed.

Lilian simply tilted her head and asked the waiter, “What does ‘kiss’ mean?”

Hearing Lilian’s question, the waiter couldn’t quite believe it.

Was there really someone this old, with a boyfriend, who didn’t even know what kissing was?

But the waiter didn’t voice his thoughts and instead patiently explained.

“Kissing is when two people press their mouths together.”

“Pressing mouths together… that’s kissing?”

…

Lilian still didn’t understand why eating a dessert required pressing mouths together.

She also didn’t grasp why “kiss” meant pressing mouths together.

After all, Lilian had lost her parents at a young age and grew up among the Demon Race.

Much of human common knowledge was foreign to her.

In the Demon Race, everyone focused on improving their strength; no one cared about couple etiquette.

So it was only natural that Lilian didn’t understand such things.

“Yes, it’s something couples have to do.”

The waiter continued explaining after hearing Lilian’s question.

So couples had to kiss?

Hearing the waiter’s words, Lilian silently filed that away in her mind.

“Why do we have to kiss just to eat a dessert? Is there any other way to get it?”

Ian asked the waiter awkwardly.

He didn’t dare to kiss Lilian, so he wanted to know if there was an alternative.

“I’m sorry, sir, but this rule was set by the owner. I’m not allowed to change it.”

The waiter apologized to Ian.

Why would someone make a rule like this?

Though Ian thought this, he remained polite on the surface and said to the waiter, “Fine, then we’ll pass on that dessert.”

Since there was no alternative, Ian decided not to bother with the dessert.

He really didn’t dare to kiss Lilian.

But just as he said that, he felt a softness on his lips.

Lilian had stood up, lifted his chin, and forcibly kissed him.

Lilian?

Feeling the softness on his lips, Ian panicked.