Chapter 161: _Royal Fruitcakes Fan Club Elian’s POV
"Ugh. At this rate, I’m going to get grey hair before I turn thirty because of all the stress." He huffed to himself as he walked through the hallways of the palace, uncertain of where to go after his dramatic exit. [Sorry to break it to you, fruitcake, but your hair colour is the closest thing to grey hair already. So...] He rolled his eyes, keeping his chin high. He got to a few maids walking past, each of them dressed in clothes so skimpy he thought they should’ve just gone naked. "I need to set my mind on something new. Something to pull my head out of the chaos that’s my life." He muttered, turning a corner in the wide, dim corridor. [Uh, have you forgotten this beautiful thing called sleep?] ’I literally just had breakfast. Barely.’ [Yeah, still.] Elian sighed, bringing his eyes to the ceiling and deciding to admire the chandeliers. A small smile curled up his lips when he saw the red crystals and the way they refracted light on the walls. However, his knack for interior decorating was cut short rather abruptly.
"Ugh. At this rate, I’m going to get grey hair before I turn thirty because of all the stress." He huffed to himself as he walked through the hallways of the palace, uncertain of where to go after his dramatic exit. [Sorry to break it to you, fruitcake, but your hair colour is the closest thing to grey hair already. So...] He rolled his eyes, keeping his chin high. He got to a few maids walking past, each of them dressed in clothes so skimpy he thought they should’ve just gone naked. "I need to set my mind on something new. Something to pull my head out of the chaos that’s my life." He muttered, turning a corner in the wide, dim corridor. [Uh, have you forgotten this beautiful thing called sleep?] ’I literally just had breakfast. Barely.’ [Yeah, still.] Elian sighed, bringing his eyes to the ceiling and deciding to admire the chandeliers. A small smile curled up his lips when he saw the red crystals and the way they refracted light on the walls. However, his knack for interior decorating was cut short rather abruptly.
"Goddess, no!" He bumped into someone who shrieked silently upon impact.
Elian barely stumbled a few steps but the person in question fell to his butt, the tray of wine goblets in his hands crashing on the ground with a loud clang.
It was a young man, probably around the same age as him.
He had dull red hair that fell over his eyes in a captivating way. As for clothing, he was shirtless for whatever reason, the only thing covering his nakedness being the sharp black pants below.
Elian stared at his sorry state and had an instant surge of guilt.
Crap...
"By the gods, I’m so sorry." Elian apologised hastily, leaning on the floor and trying quickly to grab the goblets off it. "I... I got carried away there and—"
"P–please, don’t apologise, master Elian." The lad stuttered, his cheeks reddening bashfully as he got on his knees. He went ahead to pick up the tray before continuing. "I’m such a clumsy mess. It’s my fault. My mind was distant and I didn’t... I didn’t see you coming."
Elian’s brows furrowed, but he ended up handing the goblets he picked up to the lad. He watched him closely as they both got on their feet... And not because he found him hot or anything.
No.
There was something oddly familiar about him.
He just couldn’t place his fingers on what. Or why.
[The clumsiness?]
’Yeah, that. But there’s something else. Quick, run a scan on him.’
As Elian gave the system that command he stretched his hand to the lad, smiling warmly. "You don’t have to apologize so much, especially when the other person was also in the wrong. Trust me. Nice guys don’t last long... I had to learn that the hard way."
The lad blinked with confusion in his eyes at first until his lips curled innocently. "Last long?"
Elian squinted at first... Until he realised the innuendo behind that.
"Shit, no, no! That’s not what I meant at all." He withdrew his hand from the lad, his face heating up with embarrassment. "I just mean that—"
"I’m just messing with you, sir." The lad waved reassuringly, nodding slowly. "You’ve only been here for a day but I’ve heard a lot about you. An actual Omega is the mate of our rogue king and Lunaria’s Alpha Prince and Beta. I... I feel like I’m standing before a celebrity."
Elian tried forcing a smile but he knew something was off.
And when the system finally flickered with an update in his head, he found out why.
[Ding! Status of target:
Age: 18.
Species: Werewolf (rogue).
Power class: Omega.]
Elian’s eyes widened.
An Omega?!
An actual Omega?!
[Why the heck are you surprised? You thought you were the only Omega on the continent?]
Of course he didn’t!
But...
’I’ve been sheltered in the Lunarian palace all this while, and during that time, I was the only Omega. I was the example others used to mock my kind. So this...’
He tilted his head at the lad, realising just then that he’d spaced out during his conversation with the system and was probably staring weirdly now.
"Sorry about that." Elian cleared his throat, keeping his smile. "I spaced out there for a while. But... Why is my being an omega so important to you?"
He already knew the answer to that thanks to the system... But he wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth.
And it came soon enough.
"Well, it’s because I’m also an Omega." The lad bowed slightly, but it seemed more like a friendly gesture. "My parents in Lunaria rejected me. Lord Kyren took me under his roof when I was only twelve. Once I turned eighteen and my heat cycles began emerging, he gave me suppressants as well."
The lad’s eyes filled up with reverence. "I’ve felt little to no discrimination or teasing concerning my omega status here in the Dark Lands. People are freer. No one gives a shit what you are... It’s been perfect."
[Aw, it sounds like a utopia... If you ignore the eternal bleeding skies and looming threat of war.]
The lad finally paused, his expression shifting like he’d realised he was talking too much. "I’m... I’m sorry. I’m boring you. It’s just even though I’m not the only Omega in this palace, you’re the only one who’s around my age."
He took a couple of steps back before bowing one last time. "It was nice bumping into you, sir Elian."
Elian pressed his lips into a thin line as the lad finally continued moving, walking past him.
[Sigh... I know what you’re about to do. Really cliche move if you—]
"Wait." Elian turned around, stopping the boy. "Uhm... I honestly get everything you said. And apart from Kyren, I have no one else in this palace."
The lad turned to face him, his eyes glinting with hesitation as Elian walked closer.
"You didn’t tell me your name."
The boy’s eyes widened, like he couldn’t believe this was happening right now.
But he hastily shook his head, getting back his composure. "It’s... It’s Sylas. My name’s Sylas."
[And thus, Sylas became the first fan in the "loyal fruitcakes" fan club. This should be fun...]