Free Web NovelChapter 180: A Trendsetter.
"We are here."
Claire spoke as the car slowed down in front of the University Gate. Lucian looked outside the window and a small smile appeared on his face.
He stared at the familiar large entrance in front of him. Students walked in and out, talking with their friends, some rushing because they were already late.
It all looked... normal.
Well, at least at first glance.
"You look happy."
Claire looked at him from the driver’s seat.
"I strangely am."
He leaned back comfortably.
That was when Claire reached towards the space between them, picked up a phone, and handed it to him.
"Here."
"Oh."
Lucian blinked as he looked at his original phone.
They had taken away his normal phone during the protection mission. Ordinary phones were too easy to track, monitor, or hack. So he was given a special Enclave device that used protected channels.
"I almost forgot this existed."
"I’ve charged it."
"Why do I feel like you are opening up to me? Has my charm finally reached you?"
Lucian grinned.
Claire simply ignored him. Instead, she picked up another folder and gave that to him as well.
"What is this?"
Lucian opened it.
"Confirmation of your reward."
"My reward?"
"For the protection mission."
Claire nodded.
"You performed well."
Lucian paused at those words.
"You praised me. You’ve definitely fallen for my charm."
He was now sure.
"I repeated the official conclusion."
"That still counts."
"It does not."
Lucian placed a hand over his chest.
"You praised me. I will remember this moment forever."
Claire stared at him with her dead, emotionless eyes.
Lucian grinned and unfolded the papers. He saw several official lines, signatures, and account details, then he folded it back.
"Not interested?"
Claire questioned.
"I already have enough money."
Lucian shrugged.
After his parents died, their life insurance and savings had gone to him. He honestly had enough money to live comfortably for a long time. Not to mention, the Enclave paid for most things connected to his work.
Training.
Medical treatment.
Travel.
Food.
Lucian did not have many reasons to spend money.
Claire didn’t ask anything either, she only shrugged. Lucian placed the folder inside his bag and stepped out of the car.
"Ah."
He felt the morning air and stretched his arms as he looked at the campus. However, just as he was about to walk away—
"Lucian."
Claire called.
"Hmm? Missing me already?"
Lucian tried to joke as he looked back inside. Claire, however, only sighed.
"Please do not make it worse than it already is."
"What does that mean?"
Lucian frowned.
Claire looked at him. For a moment, she thought about explaining, but then she sighed again—
She left.
"Hey, wait!"
Lucian screamed. Claire drove away, leaving him alone at the entrance.
"What was that about?"
Lucian’s frown deepened.
Make what worse?
He didn’t understand.
"Tsk, just don’t say anything if you aren’t going to continue."
He snorted.
In the end, however, he just shrugged and decided not to think about it right now. He had more important things to do right now than to solve Claire’s puzzle.
With that thought in his mind, Lucian turned around and walked inside the University Campus.
At first, nothing felt strange.
Students passed him without looking properly, a few stood near the entrance, talking about classes, others stared at their phones.
But then—
Lucian noticed something.
A boy walking ahead about a hundred meters away from him, his eyes were purple.
For a moment, Lucian’s face turned solemn.
A demon?
He thought inwardly, but he did not sense any demonic aura from him. That made him narrow his eyes.
He expanded his senses and just as he did, his expression changed.
One, two, three, four, five, six...
Just here, he saw six students, all had purple eyes and that was when Lucian realised it.
They weren’t demons.
They were wearing purple contact lenses.
It wasn’t just purple, some students were wearing red, some green, pink, heck, even golden was a choice.
And that was when Lucian realised it.
’Don’t make it worse than it already is.’
That was what she meant.
He remembered reading the online blogs about him, those fan pages, the constant focus on his purple eyes and that...
That must have influenced the students.
Because of that, because of him, purple contacts had become popular in the university, not just popular, they were practically everywhere.
And as Lucian stared at the mess in front of him, the mess he had indirectly made, he—
A wide grin appeared on his face.
’So this is what it feels like to influence people.
Does that make me an idol now?
A trendsetter?
A fashion icon?’
Lucian straightened his clothes.
"Should I wave at them?"
He wondered seriously.
These people were clearly waiting for their icon to return, he should at least greet them now that he had, no?
For now, however, he decided against it. He wouldn’t attract attention on his own, he would stay put and silently wait as the attention came to him on its own.
With that thought in his mind, Lucian continued walking like nothing had happened and just about twenty seconds later—
"Isn’t that him?"
Someone pointed at him.
That made Lucian grin, for now, however, he kept a straight face and kept walking, waiting for it all to explode.
"That really is him!"
That someone was now sure.
"...no way."
The girl beside him froze.
Within seconds, more heads turned.
Then—
"Dude!"
One boy shouted.
"The purple-eye guy!"
Lucian blinked at the sudden excitement, but then he straightened his face and turned around innocently.
"Oh? Do you perhaps mean me?"
He asked.
"It really is you!"
The boy hurried over with two of his friends.
"Lucian Cross, right?"
"Yes, the purple-eyed guy."
Lucian nodded.
"We knew it!"
The three looked at each other excitedly.
"I told you!"
One of them quickly pulled out his phone.
"I have the picture!"
He opened a social media app and instantly pointed out a picture of Lucian standing beside Evelyn in a black suit. Some of the pictures solely focused on his face, some focused just on his eyes.
Lucian was... quite popular.
"Damn..."
Lucian scratched his cheek as he leaned into their phone.
"I look pretty handsome."
