The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

If he continued to argue with the other and insist on what he thought was the right thing to do, he would only seem like a stubborn guy who simply didn't want Wulfric's help. All the things he said would only sound like excuses.

"You really are quite tenacious."

Wulfric shrugged. "It's my only virtue, so I might as well use it properly."

"I don't think that's your only good point."

Wulfric's ears perked up and then asked like a puppy waiting to be praised, "What else do you like about me?"

Astrid raised a brow. How come the 'good point' he mentioned turned into things he liked about him? But since Wulfric surprised him in a lot of ways today, he might as well indulged the other.

"Hmm... if I were to choose, then it would be your willingness to change," he said. "I know it took a lot of willpower and determination for you to do that. But you did it anyway. So, yeah."

"Because it's for you. So, it's not really that hard," Wulfric said, a hint of red appearing on his cheeks.

Astrid almost laughed again when he saw that. After straightforwardly telling him his feelings, he would suddenly feel shy about something like this. The contrast made Wulfric even more adorable.

"And, to be honest, I haven't really changed that much," Wulfric added. "I'm still the same jerk I've always been to others. You're the only exception."

Astrid had already expected as much. But he really didn't care. The fact that Wulfric was willing to change for him already meant a great deal. "Then I'm honored."

Wulfric scratched his cheek while showing what seemed to be a shy smile. Then he cleared his throat. As if only now realizing that it's not time for him to act love-struck.

"So, have you already decided?" Wulfric asked, changing the topic. "About the help I'm offering, I mean."

Astrid fell silent once more and then sighed with a helpless smile on his lips. "Okay. Please, help me."

Wulfric grinned. "Of course I will. So, where shall we start? Should I destroy the Lancasters first? Although I still lacked evidence that could incriminate them, maybe it's time I take matters in my owns hands and just--"

"Wait, stop!" Astrid interrupted Wulfric before he could propose anything drastic, like assassinating Duke Lancaster. "I don't want you to do anything illegal. Moreover, I've heard that the Emperor supports the Lancasters. That's how they managed to regain some of the power the former Emperor had taken away. If you go against the Lancasters, won't you end up on the Emperor's bad side?"

Wulfric's expression darkened, clearly understanding what Astrid said.

"Those bastards have damaging information about Cynric."

It took a while for Astrid to realize that the 'Cynric' Wulfric mentioned was none other than the Emperor. Of course, he knew the name of the Emperor. It's just that he hadn't encountered anyone who directly called the other by his name.

When that finally registered in his brain, his first thought was; 'is it really okay for him to know about this?'. But even though that crossed his mind, he still couldn't help but asked;

"They're blackmailing him- I mean, His Majesty?"

Wulfric nodded with a grave expression. "It's the reason I want to destroy that family."

Astrid didn't expect such a reaction from Wulfric. Because he thought that he and the Emperor were not close. After all, the other hardly ever mentioned the Emperor whenever they talked. Anyway, more than that, he couldn't believe that the Lancasters actually had the guts to blackmail the ruler of this gigantic Empire.

The information they had against the Emperor must be truly detrimental if the other could support the Lancasters to this extent. Now, this just made things much more complicated.

"We've been trying for years to obtain evidence of what they have against Cynric, but it has all been in vain. We suspect they didn't keep it digitally; instead, they have a physical copy," Wulfric continued. "As long as those bastards have that, it's hard for us to do anything. So, what I said earlier was mostly bravado. But if you insist on wanting to assassinate--"

"Okay, stop. I never insisted on anything like that," Astrid said, cutting off what Wulfric was saying.

He then fell into deep thought. Based on what Wulfric had said, as long as the Lancasters held that blackmail material, they were essentially untouchable. After all, they had the Emperor as their backing.

He wondered what could the Emperor have done that was so damning that he could be blackmailed to this extent. But Astrid had no plans to ask. He would be overstepping too much if he did that.

He decided to just go back to what they were originally talking about.

"Regarding the help you're offering, I will be very satisfied if you can help the Grimaldis to meet my parents without alarming the Lancasters."

Wulfric was a bit surprised by the sudden change in topic. He thought Aster would ask more about Cynric being blackmailed by the Lancasters. But then again, this reaction was also very much like Aster. Besides, it's not like he could tell him about it even if he asked. It's Cynric's traumatizing past, after all. Wulfric had no business telling others about it.

Even if that person was Aster.

"I can help with that," he said in response to what Aster had said. "But I need to talk to both parties so we could coordinate everything easily. Have you... told them about me? I mean, about us specifically?"

Astrid subconsciously winced. "About that... let's just say, it's on the works?"

He just had no idea how he would go about it. He probably wouldn't have trouble telling this to the Grimaldis. No matter what their reaction might be, he wouldn't be that affected. The real problem was how he would tell it to his parents.

Just thinking about it was already giving him a headache.