The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 833: TELLING THE ELDERS (I)

EMMY looked up at the moon and took a slow sip of her tea. She was sitting in the garden with her husband and her father. The three of them had just finished dinner and were now enjoying the quiet evening outside. It had become something of a routine ever since her father started joining them for meals.

She could not say that they had a normal father-daughter relationship now. They had never had that kind of bond to begin with. But at least now, when she thought of him, it was as her father and not just the duke. That alone was more than she had ever expected.

She took another sip of her tea, letting the warmth settle in her chest. Just then, her Terminal buzzed with an incoming video call. She glanced at the screen and saw Astrid’s name. A small smile tugged at her lips as she accepted the call right away.

Her son’s face appeared on the screen, a warm smile on his face.

"Hey, Mom." At the sound of Astrid’s voice, Gage scooted closer to Emmy so he could see the screen. Astrid let out a small laugh. "Dad." Then his gaze shifted slightly, looking past them. "Grandfather."

It was only then that Emmy realized her father had gotten up from his seat and was now standing behind them, looking over her shoulder at the screen.

The corner of Anthony’s mouth lifted just slightly. Every time Astrid or Reas called him "grandfather", it felt like his heart was being squeezed in the best way possible. Though he secretly wished they would call him "grandpa" instead, he knew he had to be content with grandfather for now. He believed the day would come when they would feel comfortable enough to call him "grandpa".

"Congratulations on the movie, Aster," Gage said, his voice warm with pride. "Everyone here at the farm really enjoyed it."

Astrid’s smile widened at that. "Did you convince them again to watch my movie?"

"Hey, I didn’t have to convince anyone," Gage said, putting on a look of mock offense. "Everyone here is already a fan. Maybe I had to do some convincing for your first movie, but now they’re the ones asking me when your next one is coming out."

"It’s true," Emmy said, nodding in agreement with her husband.

"Alright, alright, I’ll just have to take your word for it," Astrid said in a light, teasing tone.

After discussing the movie’s success, his first week back at school, and new developments on the farm, their conversation began to slow. Astrid took a breath and cleared his throat. It seemed it was time to say what he had called for.

"By the way, Mom, Dad, Grandfather, I have something to tell you," he began. The three of them looked at him with curious expressions, waiting for him to continue. He took a breath and then added, "But first, there’s someone who wanted to join our call. Is that alright?"

"Of course," Emmy said, already assuming it was Reas. But then she paused. If it was Reas, Astrid would not have asked for permission like that. So who could it be?

As if to answer her question, the screen split in two. On one side, Astrid’s face remained. On the other, the prince appeared. He was looking at them with an expression she could not quite read. Steady, polite, maybe a little nervous. Emmy blinked, caught off guard. And she’s certain Gage and her father felt the same as well.

"Your Highness," Anthony said in a measured and formal voice. His eyes had sharpened the moment he recognized the face on the screen. "To what do we owe this unexpected... surprise?"

Wulfric looked at the three faces on one side of his screen. He had expected just Aster’s parents, but the Duke was there too. He should not have been surprised. The man had been living on that farm for a while now, playing farmer and trying to make up for lost time. Of course he would be there with them.

Well, it didn’t really matter. The extra person didn’t change what needed to be said. He glanced at Aster, his expression softening. Aster had planned to tell his parents on his own, since that was what he had already decided to do. But Wulfric had been the one who pursued him. It only felt right that he should be the one to tell them about their relationship. That’s why he had asked to join the call.

He turned his attention back to the three on the screen and spoke before Aster could. "I’m sorry for joining so suddenly. I just wanted to share something important with you." He glanced at Aster and smiled briefly before looking back at the others. "Aster and I are officially together now."

For a moment, Gage’s mind went completely blank. He stared at the screen, the prince’s words echoing in his head. Together. Officially together. He blinked, then blinked again. Maybe he had heard wrong. Maybe the prince meant something else. He had to make sure. "Officially together?" he repeated slowly, his voice carrying a hint of disbelief. "Does that mean you’re in the capital with him, Your Highness?"

Emmy remained composed, but just barely. Her eyes had gone wide, and her mouth had fallen open just a fraction. Unlike her husband, she understood immediately what the prince was saying. Her gaze moved from the prince to her son. This was clearly not a misunderstanding. If they were in this kind of relationship, it meant Astrid wanted this. Her son was not the type to let himself be pushed into something he did not choose. And that realization filled her with a complicated mix of feelings she could not sort through right away.

Anthony had the same thought as his daughter. He did not know how to react. Some part of him wanted to be protective, to step in and make sure his grandson was not making a mistake. But he also knew he had no right. He had not earned that kind of place in Astrid’s life. So he swallowed all his worry and held it inside. But his eyes still narrowed, and he fixed the damn prince with a glare that could cut glass.