The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

OF course, Astrid couldn’t mention the more intimate moment with Wulfric. That was strictly between the two of them, and there was no need for Reas to know about it. He also didn’t want to elaborate on what exactly had happened with the Emperor and Valentine. If he gave too many details, his brother might jump to conclusions and form a bad impression of the Emperor. Astrid didn’t really care if Reas thought poorly of Valentine, but he at least wanted his brother to not actively dislike the Emperor.

After all, there’s a high chance they could be family in the future. It’s better to get along with the in-laws. This was especially true now that Wulfric was trying to mend his relationship with the Emperor.

Astrid didn’t know the exact reason the two brothers were so estranged. From the little he had picked up during his talk with Wulfric, it seemed to be tied to something from the Emperor’s past, something that happened when they were both much younger. Since it was clearly a private family matter, Astrid hadn’t pressed for details. It wasn’t his business to know, and he couldn’t just ask Wulfric to share a story that wasn’t his to tell in the first place.

So, yeah, he didn’t know why they had a problem in the first place, and he didn’t need to. The important part was that Wulfric was trying to fix it now. And that was enough for Astrid. Enough to make him want to try a little harder to be on good terms with the Emperor. If they couldn’t be friendly, then they could at least be civil.

Astrid took a sip of his own tea, deciding it was a good time to steer the conversation away from himself. “So, was your vacation just farm work, or did anything else happen while you were away?”

Reas studied his brother’s face, looking for any sign that he was lying. He saw none, just Astrid’s usual expression. Reluctantly, Reas decided to drop it for now. Astrid might downplay things or leave out details, but he wouldn’t outright lie, especially not about something like this.

Now that he thought about it, he really should mention the other big thing that happened on his vacation. Astrid would absolutely sulk for days if he found out about it from anyone else. And since Astrid was the one who asked, well, now was as good a time as any to bring it up.

“Okay, so,” Reas began, trying to keep his tone casual. “Lauren came to Delryria. About three weeks ago. And, well, he ended up meeting Mom and Dad.”

“What?”

***

Let’s go back to the events that happened three weeks ago between Reas and Lauren…

The morning sun was already warm on his back as Reas guided the old, manual tiller through a new row of soil. The machine hummed with a low, electric whir, turning the dark earth. His parents insisted on using it for the specialty herb gardens, claiming the gentle process was better for the delicate root systems than the heavy sonic plows used on the main fields. Reas wiped his forehead with his sleeve, the familiar scent of upturned soil and herbs filling the surrounding air.

Reas had arrived at the farm two days ago. He had spent the first day just resting, trying to shake off the heavy feeling of his trip. Now that he was finally feeling normal again, he wanted to make himself useful. After breakfast that morning, he found his mother in the kitchen and asked if there was anything he could do to help out. She had thought about it for a moment, then pointed him toward the old shed and the manual tiller, giving him this specific task for the herb garden.

When he was about halfway down the row, Reas took a break. He switched off the tiller and walked over to the big tree at the edge of the field. He sat down in its shade and pulled his metal tumbler from his space ring. He unscrewed the lid and took a long, slow drink of water.

He leaned his head back against the tree trunk and looked up. The sky was a clear, bright blue without a single cloud. The weather was perfect, but then again, it almost always was on Delryria. That’s why it was one of the best farming planets in the whole Empire. He let out a soft sigh. He really wished he could show this to Lauren someday. For now, though, he would have to be happy with their usual video calls.

That thought made him wonder if Lauren was free right now. Well, there was only one way to check. He opened his Terminal and was about to type a message when a sound stopped him. It was the sound of footsteps on the path, still some distance away. Even from that far, with his physique level, he could hear them clearly. He turned his head to look in the direction the sound was coming from.

Reas raised a brow when he saw it was his estranged grandfather. The other man was wearing a simple, faded work shirt, a pair of sturdy trousers, and a set of worn leather suspenders. It was a world away from the sophisticated Duke he had met before, with his perfectly tailored, expensive-looking suits.

When Reas had arrived two days ago, he hadn’t seen the Duke at all. Honestly, he had almost forgotten the man was living nearby on the farm. He only remembered when the Duke walked into the kitchen for lunch the next day. Reas was a bit surprised at first, but he was so hungry at the time that he didn’t even feel awkward about the other’s presence.

“Andreas,” the Duke greeted as he stopped a few steps away. He looked at the tiller, then back at Reas. “Your father mentioned you were working out here.” He cleared his throat, his hands resting at his sides. “Can I help with anything?”

Reas shook his head. He wasn’t sure what to make of the offer, and he didn’t need the help anyway. “No, that’s alright. I’ve got it covered.”