The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era



THAT night, Astrid was busy going through different channels on the projector screen. He was looking for anything that might be related to Snow. Since Ellis said earlier that he should wait for tonight to hear some good news about the other, he guessed that Snow might be appearing in some show tonight.

He was browsing through big channels since he had a feeling that Snow would probably appear in one of the shows there.

"Aster, the next episode of [God of War] is about to air. Why are you still browsing through different channels like that?" Reas, who just sat down beside him, asked.

Astrid glanced at his brother and then explained the reason why.

"Wouldn't Snow at least message you to tell you that he's appearing in some show?"

Just right after Reas mentioned that, as if on cue, Astrid heard a message notification from his Terminal. He opened it and saw that it was from Snow. He quickly read the message, thinking of what Reas had just said.

[Astrid, I'll be appearing in a show called <Youth Avenue>. I will be on three episodes starting with the one airing today. I'll be very happy if you can watch it. ^^]

Astrid had to scour his memory about what [Youth Avenue] was. Although he's not watching every show that was currently airing, he made it a point to be familiar with what show, drama, or movie was presently popular. So, after just a few seconds, he finally remembered what [Youth Avenue] was.

As the title suggested, it's a drama about the youth. The show was celebrating the power of friendship, self-expression, and pursuing one's passions. Each episode brought new challenges and hilarious situations as the characters embarked on hilarious escapades. 

[Youth Avenue] infused lighthearted humor, relatable teenage dilemmas, and themes of friendship, romance, and self-discovery. It embraced the joyous energy of youth while addressing universal teenage experiences, including identity exploration, peer pressure, first crushes, and the excitement of chasing dreams.

That's why it's very popular among the young demographics of the Empire right now. Being able to appear there for three episodes meant that Snow's role was not just a simple extra. He was practically a special guess at that point. As long as he showed a good performance, he could get a lot of fans by appearing in this show.

Astrid felt happy for his friend and immediately replied.

[Of course, I will definitely watch it!]

Seeing his happy smile, Reas asked, "Did Snow send you a message?"

Astrid closed his Terminal and answered, "Yeah. He would be appearing in a show. Let's watch it later."

It just so happened that [Youth Avenue]'s timeslot was just after [The Great War]. So, they could watch it comfortably.

And so, Astrid changed the channel to the TV station where [The Great War] was being broadcasted.

This was the fourth episode of the show. It still showed Caesar's struggles to amass more force and power amidst the threat around his life. The different intrigues happening in some of the important parts of the continent were also shown. Making the audience want to know just what would happen next.

In this episode, Astrid's screen time was still not that long. It was just a simple scene in which he demonstrated his kindness. Showing to the audience that he was just this kind of 'holy father' character.

This was the scene in question:

=====

When a group of newly ordained priests went on a pilgrimage to spread the word of god, they happened to hear a rumor about a village that was being held hostage by a group of bandits.

Everyone only showed their sadness and regret at that rumor, but no one said anything about helping. Only one asked the question that they should have asked first the moment they heard of the rumor.

"Shouldn't we help?"

Everyone looked at the young priest with black-haired hair. Some frowned, while others shook their head helplessly. Since all of them had been ordained at the same time, that meant that they also belonged to the same batch of acolytes and had known each other for quite a long time.

So, they knew that this guy would help anyone who he thought was in need. It was definitely an admirable train for a priest. But sometimes, in certain situations, it could become annoying. 

"Luan, although it's sad to hear about these people's situation, going there ourselves wouldn't change anything. We're not knights who have a strong force to fight against those bandits. We only have our faith. And sometimes, faith is not enough to fight the darkness in people's hearts," one of the older priests said in a kind tone.

Luan looked down and clenched his fists. Everyone thought that he would fight for his case and convince everyone that they should all go on a suicide mission to save that village. But surprisingly, the other just nodded and said in a subdued voice;

"I understand."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. But what they didn't see was the determination that flashed in Luan's dark obsidian eyes. Those were not the eyes of someone who just gave up.

=====

"Will you go to that village next episode?" Reas asked after the episode ended. "But wouldn't you be in trouble, considering your character didn't have much firepower in terms of strength?"

"No spoiler," Astrid said.

"Come on, just a little bit? I'm only asking about your character, anyway. Besides, shouldn't I receive a perk of being your brother?" Reas insisted like a kid.

Astrid shook his head and pinched his brother's face. "No spoiler."

"Tsk. Cheapskate."

Astrid laughed and poked Reas' side. "What cheapskate? Is that the right attitude to give to your older brother?"

"Older brother by only a few seconds!" Reas reasoned. But after continuously being poked on the side, he finally had no choice but to raise his hand in surrender. "Stop, stop. Let's just watch Snow's show, okay?"

With a triumphant expression, Astrid smirked at the other before turning the channel to the station where [Youth Avenue] was being aired.