Chapter 169

The book signing event began smoothly, with fans lining up eagerly.

Jeff, observing from the sidelines, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. The commotion just moments ago had rattled him.

Clearly, there were troublemakers in the crowd, trying to sabotage Martin's autograph session. Who could they be? Competitors?

Jeff quickly ran through the faces of the individuals who had caused the disruption and dialed Gordon.

"Gordon, I need you to keep an eye on those people. If they cause any more trouble, take them down," Jeff instructed, his voice steady but concerned.

"Also, after the signing, try to follow one or two of them. See if you can find out who's behind this."

Jeff paused and shook his head. If the mastermind behind the scenes wasn't a complete fool, they would never show their face again. He realized he'd let his guard down, something he regretted. With how smooth things had been in recent years, he'd grown a little complacent.

As time passed, the line for the book signing grew shorter. Martin continued signing autographs tirelessly, moving swiftly and efficiently.

"Hey, Martin! I'm a huge fan of your books. I love Harry Potter so much, I've memorized all the spells! Watch this—"

"Wingardium Leviosa," "Alohomora"—the boy recited enthusiastically.

Martin glanced at the boy in front of him, his reddish-blonde hair and somewhat plain face looking oddly familiar.

"Hey, could you hurry it up?" a voice called from behind, urging the boy to move along.

The boy, blushing, paused for a moment, then excitedly asked, "Martin, can you sign my Harry Potter book? Write something like, 'I wish Rupert Grint the best of luck in becoming a real wizard!'"

Martin chuckled, "No problem!"

He wrote the message in the boy's book, handing it back with a smile.

"Thanks so much! This is amazing!" Rupert Grint said, his excitement palpable. "I'll treasure this forever."

Martin stretched out his hand to Rupert, who shook it enthusiastically. "Thank you, I will!" Rupert said before running off, already planning to avoid washing his hands for the next week.

Next up was Avril Lavigne.

"Hi, Martin, I'm Avril Lavigne, and I'm a huge fan of your work," she said, her nervousness clear. "Uh, and a fan of your books too."

Martin smiled warmly at the familiar face. "No problem! If you want me to sign your album, I'm happy to."

Avril was almost mesmerized by Martin's charm. Her face flushed as she nervously opened the album. "Can you sign here on the cover?" she asked, a little flustered.

Avril had initially wanted to ask Martin to write, "I wish Avril Lavigne would become a super singer in the future," but she hesitated, feeling embarrassed.

But Taylor Swift, standing behind her, was bolder. She nudged Avril playfully and whispered, "Tell him to write that sentence, let him write that sentence!"

Martin, now realizing the situation, put down his pen and looked at Avril with a smile. "What message would you like me to write? Go ahead, don't be shy!"

Avril coyly asked, "Can you write, 'I wish Avril Lavigne would become a super singer in the future'?"

Taylor, ever the strategist, chimed in with, "And make it extra special. Add 'dear' in there."

Martin nodded, amused by the playful banter, and wrote: "I wish my dear Avril Lavigne to become a super singer in the future."

Avril gleefully hugged the album to her chest. "Thank you! I swear I'll buy your book!"

She dashed off, clearly overjoyed.

Next up was Taylor Swift.

"Martin, I'm a huge fan of your books, your music, and your films!" Taylor said, pulling out a pile of items from her bag.

Martin laughed. "You can only choose one, Taylor."

She froze, caught off guard by the decision. "What do I choose?" she wondered aloud.

Andrea, Taylor's mother, whispered to her, "Hurry up, sweetie. There are others waiting."

With a decisive nod, Taylor chose her album, "Martin 1.0." "Can you write something like what you wrote for Avril, but with my name?"

"Of course!" Martin wrote in beautiful script, "I wish my dear Taylor Swift to become a super singer in the future."

"Perfect! Martin, I want to be like you when I grow up—writing lyrics, composing music, and singing! I want to be a creative singer like you!" Taylor gushed excitedly.

Then, she turned to Andrea. "This is my mom, Andrea. She's also a fan of your book—she's obsessed with Twilight."

Andrea playfully tapped Taylor on the head. "Now's not the time to chat, Taylor."

She handed Martin her Twilight book. "Could you please sign it for me?"

Martin raised an eyebrow at Taylor and winked at Andrea, his demeanor shifting from charming to playful. "Just a signature?" he teased.

Andrea's heart skipped a beat at the sight of his flirtatious grin. She quickly regained her composure, smiling. "Yes, just the signature."

Martin signed the book in his elegant handwriting, which many fans considered a work of art in itself. As he signed, the crowd moved along rapidly, and the line continued to shrink.

Despite the growing fatigue, Martin remained patient, responding to each fan with kindness and maintaining his cheerful smile. It was clear he had perfected the art of managing his popularity, making each fan feel valued.

For Martin, signing books was just a physical task. After all, in his previous life, he had needed to charm and seduce to level up his magic power—this was far simpler.

As the signing event progressed, Martin occasionally flicked his wrist and wore an expression of exhaustion, but his bright smile never faltered.

The fans, many of whom were young girls, appreciated his dedication. They knew he was tired, but he made them feel special, signing thousands of books with care.

Soon, another girl approached, holding up her T-shirt. "Martin, can you sign this?" she asked, pointing to the off-white bar.

The staff attempted to step in, but Martin held up a hand, signaling them to stop. "No problem," he said.

He picked up his pen and wrote: "To these two little cuties, I wish you'll always stand tall—Martin Meyers."

The girl left thrilled, and her behavior seemed to encourage others. Soon, another girl, Alice, stepped up.

"My name's Alice, I'm 14…" she said shyly.

Martin smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Alice." He took the Twilight Saga from her and wrote, "I wish you're as beautiful as an angel."

Alice hesitated before speaking again. "Martin, could I get a hug?"

Martin, ever the gentleman, stood up, opened his arms, and said, "Bring it on!"

Soon, more young girls followed suit, each asking for a hug or a handshake. The event had turned into an impromptu display of affection for the star, especially from his female fans, who far outnumbered the men in the crowd.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧