Chapter 676: [Blood Moon War] [21] Gruna Moonfang

After spending a while chatting with Viessa—mostly dodging her persistent and weirdly enthusiastic attempts to adopt me as her new little brother—I ended up resting in the lounge area for a bit longer. It was peaceful, sure, but sleep? Not a chance. My body felt a lot better, no doubt about that, but not my mind.

Since I couldn’t sleep, I figured I might as well be productive. So, I shifted my focus inward, training myself to better control Wrath... and Sloth. Yeah, both at once. Not because it was a good idea, but because, honestly, I didn’t have many other options left.

I tried to recall what I had seen of Durathiel’s technique—how he visualized, how he shaped his Sin—but trying to replicate it? It was like learning to swim in a whirlpool. Wrath and Sloth weren’t just opposing elements—they were outright hostile toward each other.

And yet... Samael was someone capable of wielding all seven Sins in harmony. Balanced. Controlled. Perfected.

I couldn’t help but ask myself: Was that guy seriously sane? Like, actually okay in the head? Because that level of mastery just felt... unnatural.

Eventually, after pushing myself until I was half-dizzy, I called it a wrap. A cold shower in one of the castle’s guest rooms helped clear my head. The sky outside was still dimly lit by early morning light, so rather than stay cooped up, I decided to stretch my legs and take a stroll through the city.

Elyen Kiora was different for sure.

Vastly.

Five hundred years was more than enough time to completely reshape a city after all.

I stood quietly at a street corner, watching the crowd, the vendors, the fluttering banners.

"This city without Alvara is truly nothing," I muttered under my breath, lips curling into a sad smile.

It was like the soul of the city had gone missing.

Was I just missing her?

After what happened in Moonfang Capital—Elizabeth’s death, the chaos that followed—I had no doubt Alvara rushed back to Utopia the moment she got word. But I wouldn’t be there.

How could I? I had literally vanished from the timeline, taken Alicia and jumped five centuries into the past. There was no trail to follow. No clues to find.

Still... Freyja was there.

She should’ve been able to sense I was alive. Right?

I rolled up my sleeve and stared down at the golden emblem etched into my right arm. Its faint glow shimmered in the morning light.

’As long as they don’t think I eloped with Alicia...’

I sighed and turned on my heel, heading back toward the castle. The Resistance knights stationed around the perimeter shot me the usual cold stares. A few glares here, a few muttered whispers there. But none of them stopped me. They couldn’t. I was technically a guest—an unwelcome one, sure—but a guest nonetheless.

Just as I reached the castle steps, a small blur darted out from the side and leapt toward me. My instincts kicked in, and I caught the little missile swiftly

"Papa! Where have you gone?" Levina clung to me, her big eyes brimming with unshed tears.

I smiled gently and ruffled her hair. "Just out for a walk. Nothing to worry about."

With her in my arms, I looked up to see Alicia and Amaya approaching. They’d changed into more era-appropriate clothes—modest tunic-skirt dresses that flowed elegantly around their legs as they walked. But even modest clothes looked like high branded ones when they were wearing it.

Alicia crossed her arms as she stopped in front of me, arching a brow. "Where did you go off to?"

"Just needed some fresh air," I said, trying to sound casual. But she didn’t look convinced.

She probably realized I hadn’t just gone for a walk. Maybe she noticed I had left and didn’t come back.

Of course I wouldn’t say that I was crying alone like some broken thing in a dark corner until Viessa barged in and tried to emotionally blackmail me into calling her ’big sis’.

Thankfully, before the interrogation could continue, a maid hurried toward us, dipping into a respectful bow.

"Excuse me, Milord. Her Majesty requests your presence in the dining hall."

"Breakfast time," I said under my breath with a grin.

"Yeeah!" Levina cheered in my arms, her voice lighting up with giddy joy.

"They better serve us food worthy of royals," I muttered as we began walking inside. The moment the words left my mouth, a few of the knights nearby shot me another round of dagger-eyed glares.

Their looks seemed to say,

Who does this guy think he is?

Alicia, Amaya, and I walked side by side, following the maid as she led us through the castle corridors. I didn’t really

need

a guide—I already had a general idea of where the dining hall was, assuming they hadn’t moved it in five centuries.

Turns out they hadn’t.

The room was just as I remembered, though noticeably less grand than the version from my time. The gold trims were a bit duller, the tapestries less detailed, and the lighting a touch more muted. Still, the bones of the place were the same.

But what caught my attention wasn’t the room itself—it was the people inside.

It was far from empty.

Immediately, I spotted Viessa and Ernest sitting at one of the longer tables toward the center. They weren’t alone. In fact, it looked like they were in the middle of a discussion—with none other than the other three Heroes of this timeline.

Finally, the full group had assembled.

A black-haired woman with a warrior’s aura stood with arms crossed, her sharp yellow eyes narrow and slit like a predator’s. She wore battle-worn armor, like she was ready to march to war at a moment’s notice. Her fiery black hair fell wildly around her shoulders, and from the look on her face, Ernest’s words weren’t impressing her.

Next to her stood a pale, white-haired woman with a calm yet distant demeanor. Her silence contrasted heavily with the third presence—an older man with messy red hair and a booming laugh that practically bounced off the stone walls. He looked like the eldest in the group... and possibly the dumbest.

Just as I stepped inside, Viessa spotted me and her face lit up.

"Oh, Edward! You’re here!" She called out with a cheerful wave.

The entire room froze reacted

All heads turned toward me—and then, toward the two figures flanking me. Alicia and Amaya.

"V—Vampires!"

"I–I thought it was a joke!"

"May Eden save us."

A few people even took instinctive steps back, their eyes wide, hands twitching near their weapons. Two vampires casually strolling through the royal Teraquin Palace—during the Blood Moon War, no less—was probably something that had never happened before. Not without bloodshed, anyway.

I shrugged it off.

"I’m hungry. Levina is too," I said simply, looking around the hall. "Is anything ready?"

I caught sight of Amael, Lisandra, and Sylvia seated together at a distant table near the window. They were talking quietly amongst themselves until Amael spotted me. He gave me a small wave and smiled at me.

"Eh? So you’re the famous Olphean who had the balls to waltz in here with two vampires, huh?"

I turned my head and saw the black-haired warrior woman grinning at me, baring sharp canines in amusement.

"And you are?" I asked.

"Gruna Moonfang," she replied, stepping closer. Then, before I could react, she leaned forward and gave me a long sniff.

Her nose wrinkled in disapproval. "Hm. You smell way too clean for a man."

What in the actual hell?

I blinked, trying not to recoil. "That’s... great to know."

Viessa rushed in with a sigh, placing herself between us. "Gruna, seriously? Could you not sniff him like he’s some kind of roast lamb fresh from the kitchen?"

Then she turned back to me, gesturing politely.

"Anyway, Edward, allow me to formally introduce our other companions. You’ve just met Gruna Moonfang, Queen of the Moonfang House. Over there"—she pointed toward the white-haired woman who still hadn’t said a word—"is Cleara Indi Zestella, royal princess of House Zestella. And finally—"

"I’m Cedric!" The redhead man interrupted with a wide grin, practically bouncing over to join us. "Great to meet you, man!"

He offered a hand but I ignored it.

My eyes flicked back to Cleara. Her eyes briefly met mine coldly, before she looked away without a word.

Before I could say anything—

"Keep your eyes off her. She’s mine," Gruna said growled.

I blinked.

"You... what?"

Gruna didn’t reply immediately. She just flashed a grin then tilted her head slightly toward Alicia and Amaya, her gaze dragging over them like a wolf appraising her next meal. She gave a long, low whistle.

"Damn," she muttered. "I don’t even care that you two are vampires. Women really are the most beautiful creatures in existence. Tell me, how about dropping that boring guy—" she jerked a thumb toward me, "—and joining my bed instead?"

"What?" Alicia blinked, her brows drawing together in genuine confusion. I could see Viessa palming her face behind her.

Gruna’s grin widened as she stalked forward, brushing past me with the faintest graze of her shoulder against mine—completely ignoring me. She came to a stop right in front of Alicia, her intense yellow eyes gleaming with mischief and something far more dangerous.

"Such a cute little beauty," she said, reaching a hand out slowly, finger extended toward Alicia’s chin. "I’ll make you writhe in pleasure all night long. Much better than whatever he’s managed to do—if anything. Come with me, and I’ll show you just how much you’ve been missing."

Alicia froze like a deer caught in a spotlight. Her brain took a few precious seconds to process exactly what Gruna was saying.

When it did, her face went nuclear.

"W-W-We’re not doing anything like that!" She shouted, her hands rising up defensively as her cheeks turned scarlet.

Gruna’s eyes lit up like she’d just unwrapped a gift.

"Oh, even better! Untouched? Perfect. Innocence like yours should be cherished... and then blossomed. Slowly. Thoroughly." She leaned in closer, voice practically purring. "Let me be your first—and your best."

She was clearly enjoying every second of Alicia’s embarrassment. So much so, it looked like she was writing smut in real-time.

And she wasn’t subtle about it either.

"I can already see it," she whispered. "You, above me, trembling, gasping out moans with that sweet little voice of yours. We’ll spend the entire night tangled together, your golden hair spread out across my chest, your legs—"

Wow...

She was so accurate about it that it made all the men and women alike around blush just imagining it.

"Mama belongs to Papa!"

The room fell silent.

The unexpected voice came from right in my arms—Levina had suddenly spoken up, her tiny body squirming indignantly as she puffed out her cheeks, her eyes fiery with childlike possessiveness.

Gruna stopped mid-sentence and looked down at her, eyebrows raised.

"What?" She asked, blinking.

"Papa and Mama are together!" Levina said again, hugging my chest tightly.

Gruna let out a short laugh. "Oh? You guys have a kid?"

Alicia immediately panicked as she stuttered, "N-No! That’s not—it’s not like that! She’s not... I mean, we didn’t..."

But one look at Levina’s big, hopeful eyes was enough to silence her.

She didn’t want to make the poor girl cry.

Gruna, clearly amused, gave her a smirk. "Huh. Complicated setup, huh? Did he force you into anything? You can just tell me, you know. I’ll beat him to a pulp, and then..." Her fingers slipped into Alicia’s hair, slowly running through the blond strands. "Then I’ll take care of you the right way. You, me, all night long. We’ll lie in bed together—naked, of course. I’ll be underneath, and you’ll be on top, straddling me, letting out those cute little—"

"Alright, you can stop now," I said with a sigh, still holding Levina. I stepped forward, slipping between Gruna and Alicia, one arm stretched slightly outward like a protective barrier.

Even though, truthfully, I had been mildly entertained up until now. Alicia’s flustered expression, the stunned silence of everyone else, Lisandra frozen mid-bite with her fork in the air, the other men in the room trying very hard not to imagine what Gruna just described—it was a spectacle.

Even Amael looked like he was interested as well.

This creep...

But then I heard Levina sniffle quietly.

"Papa..."

"Yeah?" I looked down.

"S–Save Mama..." She mumbled tearfully, hugging my shirt tighter.

Poor thing.

She was really scared someone might steal Alicia away.

Damn it, she was just too cute.

I turned back to Gruna, my face blank. "You’re bothering us. How about backing off?"

Gruna raised an eyebrow, still grinning. "Oh? Why? Getting jealous, boy? I was this close to conquering her—"

"You’ve conquered shit," I cut her off coldly.

That shut her up.

She blinked, taken aback, her grin faltering just slightly. Clearly, she hadn’t expected me to bite back.

Without a second thought, I reached out and slipped my arm around Alicia’s waist, pulling her to my side.

"...!"

She let out a soft gasp, visibly stiffening as she landed squarely against me. One of her hands reflexively came to rest on my chest, her eyes wide with surprise.

I held her close, not looking at her but instead locking eyes with Gruna.

"Alicia is mine," I said. "No one touches her but me. Got that, Grona Moonfang?"

"It’s Gruna! Get it right, damn it!" She snapped, but the bite in her voice faded fast. Her sharp eyes darted to Alicia, looking for doubt, any sign of discomfort. "Besides, she’s obviously feeling awkward with you! Look at her—she’s not even denying it. You’re forcing her, aren’t you—"

"H-He’s not forcing me..."

Alicia’s voice broke through Gruna’s accusations, shaky at first, but clear. She took a deep breath, then looked Gruna dead in the eye with her usual expression.

"I-I’m already taken by Senior..." She said, her grip tightening around my arm.

Her voice trailed off into a whisper by the end, her embarrassment radiating like heat waves. Her head might as well have been smoking from how flushed she was.

Still, she followed the act beautifully.

Gruna stared, wide-eyed. "N–No way..."

Then she crumpled to her knees dramatically, as if she’d just watched her favorite love story end in tragedy.

"Mama!!"

Levina, who had been positively beaming ever since Alicia stepped in, wriggled out of my arms and hurried over to her. Alicia knelt down to catch her in a warm hug, lifting her gently into her arms.

For a moment, Alicia’s expression softened. A rare smile appeared on her lips as she held Levina close. But when she looked back up at me, her face tried—tried—to return to something more neutral.

"Senior..."

"Oh, right," I said with a light sigh, removing my hand from her waist.

"Why!?"

Gruna screamed as she slammed her fist into the stone floor. "Why did you let go!?"

I grimaced, glancing at her with a mix of pity and secondhand embarrassment.

But then something shifted in her expression.

Her eyes lit up again—an expression that should’ve been hopeful, but instead filled me with dread. She was looking... past me.

At Amaya.

For a second, I assumed she was just pulling another stunt. But her genuine shock was real. Her jaw slackened. Her pupils dilated. And honestly? That made it even scarier.

"A—And you!" she gasped, standing back up. "You’re not taken, right—?"

Before the words fully left her mouth, Amaya had already moved.

Smooth, silent, and fast.

She stepped to my other side and latched herself onto me without hesitation, her chest pressing against my arm, her hands intertwining tightly with mine—strongly.

Gruna froze mid-reach, her outstretched hand trembling in the air.

"I belong to Edward," Amaya said with a cold gaze.

Gruna’s whole body shook.

"N-No..." She whispered, turning to me with a look of utter betrayal. "You monster!!! How dare you—ugh!!"

-BAM!

A fist slammed down on her head, and she collapsed instantly like a puppet with its strings cut.

Viessa stood behind her, shaking out her knuckles and smiling apologetically.

"I think that’s enough from you for today, Gruna," she said cheerfully, though the embarrassment in her voice was clear.

The entire hall was dead silent, except for a few awkward coughs and the clinking of dropped forks. Everyone had just watched a public confession, a love triangle... and then a KO.

I didn’t even know what to say.

My brain was still trying to catch up to Amaya’s sudden move.

I turned toward her slowly. "Amaya?"

She looked up at me with those crimson eyes—deep, mysterious, and gleaming like polished rubies under moonlight. There was something almost haunting about it. Unlike other vampires, whose red eyes felt like threats, hers felt like... something else. Even the shade of was different.

For a moment, I found myself pulled in, my fingers instinctively reaching out toward her cheek.

She didn’t stop me. In fact, her grip on my hand tightened, her nails subtly digging into my skin. Not in a painful way—but it felt like a threat like telling me not to let go.

But before I could say anything—

My other hand was grabbed.

I turned, startled, to find Alicia gripping my hand with equal stubbornness, pulling it up toward her.

She was glaring.

"Levina is hungry," she said.

Then, without waiting, she pulled me away.

Amaya didn’t release her grip either, so she was pulled as well.

"Oi, Alicia," I muttered, half-whining. "You can drop the act now... she’s unconscious."

Gruna was heartbroken enough and she must have understood, she couldn’t get Alicia or Amaya or at least I hoped.

But Alicia didn’t reply.

She didn’t even look at me.

Just kept walking... her ears tinged a bright shade of crimson.