Chapter 339: _Get Used To Being Popular

Elian’s POV

*****

About an hour or more later, they returned to the Lunarian capital. Lucian had made sure to take notes from the victims at the camps.

He got every detail from how the fifteen witches suddenly just started attacking them. To the phrases they yelled in honour of the High matron.

It felt like despite knowing the consequences, they were willing to risk it all. True fanatic behaviour. One Lucian only expected from the brain-dead idiots following the High Matron.

On the flip side, there was Elian. He still held the belief that there was something off with the attack. Something about how overly convenient it was.

Although he shared his thoughts with Lucian, the latter refused to calm down. The last thing he said to him before Elian made a stop at the palace gates was:

"I want peace as much as the next person, Eli. But we can’t continue ignoring Arcadia’s repeated aggravations."

All Elian could do was smile wryly as he veered away from his mate and Alpha King and headed deeper into Moon Haven city.

Lucian had insisted he take guards with him, but Elian assured him he was fine. He only wanted to make a quick purchase.

Which was true.

’How much would those Suppressant Reversal Pills be again?’ he asked the system mentally.

Around him, the city seemed to be going to sleep quite early, with only a few people walking down the sidewalks. The elevated highway was however filled with aether crafts, most definitely heading home.

[Should be about 10 moon tickets for one. Why? Can’t afford even that, future Luna King?]

’Girl, shut up.’ Elian rolled his eyes with an embarrassed blush. ’The only reason I’m going out to get this is that I need some fresh air.’

[And your stingy ass wouldn’t want to use from your Ascension points and just get the pills from the Ascension Shop.]

’... Alright, you caught me.’

[Of course, I did.]

Elian couldn’t hide his grin as he approached a shop with a bright holographic sign at the entrance. The sign read: ’New Bloom Pharmaceuticals’.

Not the most creative name... but whatever.

The shop had double glass doors and see-through glass walls. From outside he could see rows of shelves, each packed with different pills, potions and other medical stuff.

His hands slipped into his pockets, eyes glistening under the lights from the holographic sign.

"U–Uhm," a voice called from behind just then, making him arch a brow.

He glanced back, surprised to see a young girl with short platinum blonde hair. She had a cheery smile, pointing at him nervously. "I’m sorry but are you... Elian Ashford?"

Elian’s instincts were the first thing to get a jolt from that. He turned fully to face her, squinting suspiciously. "... Yeah. Who wants to know?"

Excitement exploded in her eyes as she giggled, gesturing to her left. Elian’s eyes darted there, still alert and ready for anything.

However, his shoulders relaxed when he saw two other girls hop toward him. They both seemed to be around the first girl’s age—sixteen or fifteen.

"Can we take a picture with you?" One of them asked meekly, stretching out a holo tablet. "I mean... It’s fine if you don’t want to. It’s just that you are our idol."

Elian blinked with suspicion, eyes flitting between their faces and the holo tablet. "Idol? For... what?"

"We saw you and the Alpha King fight just a few hundred yards away," the first girl pointed behind her. "The other day when Dark Hand spies attacked you. Remember?"

It took only a couple of seconds for him to recall what they were talking about.

Oh.

"Also," another added, "it’ll be really cool to brag to all our friends that we took a picture with the future Luna King of Lunaria."

[Would you relax, scaredy pants? I’ve run a scan. They’re all average class werewolves. Harmless.]

Those words genuinely cracked a smile on Elian’s face.

Harmless.

There was a time just a couple of months ago when he would be shaking in his boots seeing three average-class wolves approach him.

With a short exhale, he signalled the expectant girls to stand around him and take their picture. They squealed, taking their places and posing.

He was tempted to stay nonchalant but couldn’t help himself from striking a pose as well. Their giggles filled the night, warming a part of his heart he thought he’d shut out from the rest of the world.

’I could get used to being popular.’ he beamed.

.

.

He only spent five minutes in the shop before strolling out with what he came for. To his surprise, the lady behind the counter offered to give him a discount.

Which he shamelessly accepted, of course.

"So all I’ll have to do is take two of these bad boys," he lifted the glass vial that the yellow pills were stored in. "And within twenty-four hours my heat cycle should be back in full swing."

This wasn’t just medicine. It was a decision.

Just thinking about the symptoms he got from his first and second heat cycles made him shiver. Gods, he had been a damn mess. And now he was trying to bring that all back. Deliberately.

[Well, now you’ve got to decide who the father of your child is going to be.]

’Or... I could just sleep with both of them at once and hope for the best.’ Elian couldn’t believe what he was thinking. ’This is what you’ve turned my life to. I still think you’re some kind of porn director.’

The Lunarian palace gates were up ahead. The paved road leading up to it was quiet. Maybe too quiet.

He ignored the eerie feeling at first—until chills ran down his spine, his chest tightening. Air pressure increased around him, making him halt in his tracks.

[WARNING: External magical interference detected.]

Colour left Elian’s face when he saw something creeping under his feet. A white fog that only expanded the more he looked.

This isn’t normal magic.

In a panic, he attempted to run away from it. He’d barely taken a few steps forward when the fog swallowed him completely, leaving him confused and lost.

Even the hum of passing aether crafts was gone.

He stood frozen, fingers trembling as his magic crackled under his skin.

Then—a familiar female voice resounded from every corner:

"So glad to see you again. Moon blessed."