Chapter 192: _Go, Prince Charming! TWENTY DAYS LATER
Elian’s POV
[Ouuu, a time skip is just the breath of fresh air we needed in the narrative, don’t you think?] ’What the heck are you talking about? Are you back to saying weird things randomly?’ [Nope. Just keeping our audience up to date... Hehe.] Elian rolled his eyes as he stepped down from the ramp of the aircraft he and Kyren had used in coming here. Where exactly? The Lunarian royal palace! A lot had happened within the span of twenty days. First off, Lucian randomly lost memories of who Elian was. But he could remember walking into the Lunarian aircraft back in the Dark Lands before it exploded. The doctors in the Dark Lands said it was due to the impact of the explosion... But Elian wasn’t buying it.
[Ouuu, a time skip is just the breath of fresh air we needed in the narrative, don’t you think?] ’What the heck are you talking about? Are you back to saying weird things randomly?’ [Nope. Just keeping our audience up to date... Hehe.] Elian rolled his eyes as he stepped down from the ramp of the aircraft he and Kyren had used in coming here. Where exactly? The Lunarian royal palace! A lot had happened within the span of twenty days. First off, Lucian randomly lost memories of who Elian was. But he could remember walking into the Lunarian aircraft back in the Dark Lands before it exploded. The doctors in the Dark Lands said it was due to the impact of the explosion... But Elian wasn’t buying it.
Something or rather, someone, must’ve been behind that explosion. And the person was definitely also behind Lucian’s lost memories.
The question is who?
Kyren had made Farrell make thorough investigations on the site of the explosion, but the only thing the commander could discover was that the explosion was caused by a magic charm attached to the craft.
A charm with the symbol of the Dark Hand etched on it.
"Hey." Kyren’s voice brought him back to reality, forcing him to swerve his head to the Rogue king.
Kyren was donned in black apparel, his white hair blowing behind him as always. His crimson eyes glinted under the morning sun of Lunaria and warmed up as he spoke to Elian.
"Catching up with your system again, I presume?" Kyren chuckled, guiding Elian down the stairs on the ramp.
The latter sighed, leaning closer to him. "Wouldn’t you like to know? I just still can’t get my mind off what happened with Lucian."
Kyren twisted his lips, silent for a moment.
But then he patted his arm softly when they finally got to the end of the stairs. "On the bright side, the Alpha Prince did seem to really like your presence during his recovery. More than usual."
Elian didn’t know whether to laugh at that or curse at whatever god was out there playing chess with his life.
[Hey! Put some respect on the moon goddess.]
Elian ignored the system, his eyes trailing to the golden pillars of the Lunarian palace standing tall above the rest of Moon Haven City.
Standing so close to it would never cease to be breathtaking... Especially after he spent over twenty days away from it.
Just then, Kyren’s hand found Elian’s face, caressing it gently. "I’m sure the Alpha king’s experts are working on the clock finding a solution to whatever happened to Lucian."
Elian lowered his eyes with a defeated sound breaking through his lips. "How can they when you can’t? Lucian left the Dark Lands ten days ago. Who knows if—"
"I do know," Kyren interrupted gently, grabbing his hands, "that it must’ve been something involving technology of sorts. If it were a spell, I could’ve easily detected it and erased it."
Elian couldn’t argue further.
He’d just have to hope to the gods that Lucian doesn’t completely—
"Elian!" A voice broke through the quiet of the palace grounds, coming from the palace itself.
His head swerved to it just in time to spot Lucian running toward him with a bright smile on his face.
Pause... Lucian. Running toward him. With a smile?
Elian blinked with surprise, his face flushing when the Alpha Prince finally got to him and pulled him into a warm embrace.
Elian’s heart stuttered but Lucian was oblivious.
"Oh, I’ve missed you," the Alpha Prince muttered into his neck, not paying much attention to Kyren.
Not that the rogue king would mind anyway.
Hesitantly, Elian placed his hands on Lucian’s back. "I... I’ve missed you too. It seems you’re making a full recovery. Unless—"
"Not exactly a full recovery." Lucian breathed heavily, pulling away from the embrace and giving Elian the chance to take in his form.
Royal blue blazer, golden rings adorned on almost every finger, two buttons let loose. He even had a beautiful golden necklace with a pendant shaped like a wolf’s head attached to it.
[Go, prince charming!]
’I thought you still liked calling him Prince Douchebag?’
[Eh... Things change.]
"I still have... No memories of most of our time together. During those first few days." Lucian continued, his voice low.
But his lips curled into the warmest smile. "But I have a feeling you were one of the best things that ever happened to me. How else do I explain you being by my side in the Dark Lands during my recovery?"
Elian tried his hardest to smile without making it seem awkward.
Lucian... Calling HIM the best thing that ever happened to him?
"By the gods of death..." Kyren let out an amused chuckle just then, forcing them to glance back. "Pardon. It’s just... This feels like so many shades of wrong."
Lucian’s brows furrowed while Elian glared at the Rogue King.
He closed his eyes, utilising the Bond Resonance skill to establish a mind link with Kyren. ’What are you doing?’
’Aw, you’re really catching up with that skill from the system, huh?’ Kyren smirked physically.
’This isn’t funny, Kyren. We need to be careful with how much we share about my time with Lucian before the accident.’
’Why? Isn’t the whole point to make him get his memories back?’
Elian bit his bottom lip, glancing back at Lucian.
The Alpha Prince’s eyes gleamed like twin diamonds, his smile like he really was staring at the best thing that’s happened to him.
And for some reason, Elian didn’t want to get rid of that. Not yet, at least.
[I smell disaster.]
He ignored the system and focused on Kyren’s mind again. ’Just... Don’t rush it. Too much information about what happened between us could overwhelm him. We still don’t know how he—’
Before he could finish that thought, a ceremonial trumpet was blown, causing him to jolt.
The trio whipped their heads to the palace just in time to witness an entourage composed of two lines of golden-armoured guards with the royal family and Beta Axel walking in the middle.
Alpha king Arian’s lips were curled with a practised smile as he stretched out his arms in a welcoming gesture.
"Thank you, Lord Kyren and Elian for gracing us in time for our new moon masquerade ball!"
Elian felt second-hand embarrassment but smiled through it all.
[What could go wrong in a Lunarian royal party?]