The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

WULFRIC looked at Hildred with confusion. After the 'sadistic' comment he made, the other looked like he wanted to shoot him.

He tilted his head and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Hildred seemed like he was trying very hard to control his temper. So, even though he was smiling, there was still a faint bloodlust emanating from him. "I'm just wondering if our wonderful general and one and only prince of the Empire is just super dense, or just plain stupid."

Wulfric's face crumpled, not liking what the other was trying to say. "How do you expect me to understand when you're being cryptic as hell?"

Hildred only gave him a look as if saying, 'You call that cryptic?'. As if even a child could understand what he just said, and Wulfric was just stupid for not being able to. Which only made him even more annoyed.

"Can you just tell it to me straight, instead of going around in circles?"

Hildred sighed as if he had given up hope for him. "Fine. I'll spoon-feed you the answer. But in return, you have to do me one favor in the future. Deal?"

Wulfric almost blurted out, 'why do I have to do that?'. But good thing he managed to stop himself at the right moment. Because currently, he could only discuss these things with Hildred.

Leland had no interest in such things and would probably only look at him as if he needed some psychological therapy. Slade was more interested in training rather than things like these. And there's no need to mention Ed. That guy was much more clueless than he was.

n

Since Hildred was his only hope, he really had no choice but to comply to whatever the other wanted.

"Okay, fine," he grumbled.

"Then I suggest you prepare your heart because you're in for the greatest discovery of the decade," Hildred said with a teasing grin.

Now he was the one who had the urge to shoot the other. "Stop with the theatrics and just tell me."

"It's either one of the two. Either you think of him as a brother. Or... dun da-da-dun... dun dun... dun dun..." Hildred stopped and then dramatically made drumming sounds. "You're in love with him."

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[You're in love with him.]

Those words were still echoing in Wulfric's mind even after a few hours since the call with Hildred ended. Heck, it would probably remain in his mind for the next couple of days. No wonder that guy told him to ready his heart.

Seriously, when he heard those words, it felt like something exploded inside him. He didn't know if it was his brain or his heart. Or maybe it was both.

To be perfectly honest, he couldn't understand it.

Love. Just what exactly was it?

It's an emotion that was not easy for him to understand. Maybe because it's not something that was common in his life. He didn't receive it from the people who were supposed to unconditionally give it. So, even if this 'love' stood right in front of him, it's not something that he would immediately recognize.

His mother died early, his father didn't give a shit about him, and his relationship with his brother, at least most of his life, could only be considered as strained. His feelings for them couldn't be really called 'love'.

He didn't have much feelings for his mother since he barely knew her. He didn't even have that much memory of her. And that already said a lot, considering how good his memory was.

He hated his father, though. He didn't care much about the other's neglect. What he couldn't accept was what that bastard did to Cynric. He was just sorry that he found out about it too late. That the other didn't die in his hands instead.

It might sound heartless when he said that. But that trash deserved the ending that he got.

When it came to Cynric, his relationship with him was just too... complicated. He cared for him, as any brother should. But because of the things Cynric had experienced, it's hard for them to truly have a loving brotherly relationship. It was only now that they were able to talk properly. Before, Cynric couldn't even look at him without hiding his hatred. And that's understandable.

Wulfric shook his head. No, this was not about the shitty relationship he had with his family. If he continued to think about that, he would just go down to another rabbit hole.

This was about his feelings for Aster.

So, was it really the feeling of 'love'?

Honestly, he couldn't say immediately that it was. But then again, he also couldn't immediately deny it.

As he pondered the question of whether it was truly love, a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts consumed his mind. He reflected on the moments they had spent together, the shared laughter, the conversations, and the way their eyes met. There was a sense of comfort, a connection that seemed to transcend words and logic. Yet he couldn't shake off the lingering doubts that clouded his judgment.

He wondered if what he felt was simply infatuation - a temporary surge of intense emotions that would eventually fade away. That's what people called it, right? After all, love was a complex and multifaceted emotion that probably required time to develop and deepen. It hadn't even been a year since he met Aster.

Was it possible that he was mistaking the initial rush of excitement for something more profound?

On the other hand, he couldn't ignore the way his heart skipped a beat every time they were together, how his thoughts revolved around Aster even when they were apart. The mere thought of Aster's happiness brought a warmth to his chest, and the idea of losing him sent shivers down his spine.

Maybe, just maybe, this was indeed the beginning of something real.

Something that could be called 'love'.

He stared at the ceiling. Whether it turned out to be love or not, he was determined to give it a chance and see where this path would lead him.