The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 693: TURNED OUT BETTER THAN EXPECTED

ASTRID felt slightly nervous at Caseyʼs words. He hadnʼt expected the conversation to go in this direction. The idea that his uncle might already have an idea about White Wolfʼs identity caught him off guard. He kept his expression calm, but his mind started turning. Did Casey really know? And if he did, how would Astrid react to it? He wasnʼt sure if he was ready to dive into that topic, especially after such a long night. Still, he decided to play it cool and see where Casey was headed with this.

”Are you saying White Wolf isnʼt his real name?” he asked, maintaining an innocent expression.

”Iʼm pretty sure itʼs not his real name,” Casey answered despite the hint of uncertainty in his words. ”If I had to guess, White Wolf is probably just an online persona. And if Iʼm right…” He paused, as if weighing what he was about to say next carefully. ”Well, the person behind it might be the only prince of the Empire.”

Once again, Astrid silently thanked whatever cosmic force was watching over him that he wasnʼt drinking or eating anything at that moment. If he had been, he might have choked—or worse, pulled a repeat of the embarrassing incident that had ended his last life. The memory of that moment still made him cringe, and he wasnʼt eager to relive it, even metaphorically.

He put on his best shocked and confused expression, channeling every bit of acting skill he had to make it convincing. ”How could that be?” he asked, his voice laced with just the right amount of disbelief.

Casey studied Astridʼs expression carefully, his eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to gauge whether the reaction was genuine. After a moment, he let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. ”Yeah, right? It sounds crazy when I say it out loud. Forget I mentioned it.”

Astrid forced a laugh, trying to sound as casual as possible even though he found nothing funny about the situation. ”Itʼs probably because his name is White Wolf that you thought that. It does sound like a fake name. And itʼs the same as Wulfʼs infamous moniker. If it were really him, wouldnʼt he choose something less obvious? Something that couldnʼt be traced back to him so easily?”

Casey considered Astridʼs explanation and found it made sense. At first, heʼd seriously wondered if his nephew was trying to fool him, but Astridʼs genuinely confused expression made him feel guilty for even suspecting it. Now, he just felt a little silly for bringing it up in the first place.

Thinking back to all the post that this White Wolf had made since creating his [Cyberspace] account, he couldnʼt imagine the prince writing and posting any of it. Well, maybe he could to some level. Thatʼs why he even considered the possibility of him being this White Wolf. But still, no matter how obsessed Wulf might be with Astrid, Casey doubted heʼd go this far.

Creating an entire alternate account just to gush about Astrid in every post was too much—even for someone as intense as the prince. Casey couldnʼt imagine the prince willingly putting himself in a position where, if discovered, it would become the most humiliating moment of his life. The thought alone was enough to make Casey dismiss the idea entirely.

He laughed again, this time with a hint of self-deprecation. ”Yeah, youʼre probably right.”

Astrid decided it was time to steer the conversation elsewhere. ”By the way, Uncle,” he began, ”that flower shower at the finale walk—was that your idea?”

The question seemed to do the trick, as Caseyʼs attention shifted immediately. ”Ah, that,” he said, as thinking back to that moment. ”Despite what I told Oli earlier, it wasnʼt my idea. It was probably a last-minute addition by the showʼs director or someone on the team.”

That made Astrid pause. The scent of jasmine seemed to linger in his memory, and if Casey hadnʼt been the one behind the flower shower, then… He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. There was no point in overthinking it now. He could just ask Wulfric later.

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Wulfric poured himself a glass of whiskey, the rich amber liquid catching the light as he settled into his home theater. On the massive screen in front of him, Astridʼs runway walk played in stunning high definition. Heʼd already watched the livestream of the show, but that hadnʼt been enough. As soon as it ended, heʼd cut Astridʼs part from the footage and now had it on repeat. Watching it on his Terminal wouldnʼt have done it justice—he wanted every detail to be larger than life. The home theaterʼs surround sound and crystal-clear visuals made it feel almost like being there in person.

He watched as Aster walked down the runway, his movements full of confidence and grace. The deep crimson suit he wore fit him perfectly, the fabric catching the light with every movement, making him look like he was glowing. The long trail flowed behind him like a river of fire, adding a dramatic flair to his walk.

Asterʼs black hair, styled in loose waves, framed his face perfectly, contrasting sharply with his pale skin. His dark eyes, accentuated by subtle makeup, seemed to pierce through the screen, even from a distance. The way the light caught his features, highlighting the sharp lines of his jaw and the curve of his lips, made Wulfricʼs chest tighten.

He leaned back in his seat, his glass of whiskey forgotten for the moment, his focus entirely on the screen. It didnʼt matter how many times he replayed it; he could watch Aster like this forever and never get tired of it.

As Aster reached the end of the runway and paused, a cascade of flower petals began to rain down, catching the light as they fell. Wulfricʼs lips curved into a faint smile as he watched Asterʼs momentary surprise, followed by the way he effortlessly regained his composure. The petals added an ethereal quality to the scene, framing Aster in a way that made him look almost otherworldly.

Wulfric took another sip of his whiskey, his satisfaction evident. Watching the petals fall, he thought to himself, That turned out even better than I expected.