The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

WULFRIC was browsing a grocery channel to order fresh produced. The grocery was not only for Aster, a portion of it was for him. So he could practice cooking. He had been practicing for more than a week now and he felt like he was truly making progressed. At least he could now fry an egg without burning the egg or the pan.

Now, he was going for a more difficult one. Fried sausage!

He had been doing that since morning and so far, it had all been a failure. He seriously didn't know what he was doing wrong. If he couldn't get over this, how the hell could he even go to the next level? Like making a stew or something?

No, he shouldn't lose hope. Didn't he not even know how to boil an egg a week ago? Now, he not only knew how to boil, he could even fry one. Surely, with more practice, he could even make a delicious steak.

Maybe, one day, he could even cook a full-course meal for Aster. It would be better if he could do that before he left the capital and return to Alluna. Although he wondered if he had enough time to do it.

Wulfric decided not to think much about that and just concentrate on cooking. Or at least his version of it.

It was past lunch when he received a video call from Leland. Normally, he would just ignore it. But since he had been ignoring the other's call a number of times now, if he ignored this once again, Leland might flow directly to the capital and he would find himself being chained to a spacecraft and flown back to Alluna.

He reluctantly put down the knife he's holding and answered the call. Leland's face quickly appeared on the virtual screen.

"Your Highness," Leland greeted first. He seemed to want to say something, but when he noticed the things around Wulfric, he changed what he's about to say. "What... are you doing right now?"

"I'm cooking."

Leland only raised his brow at that simple answer. He made a quick glance around the prince and saw burnt pans. There were also questionable things on plates that almost looked like burnt fat worms. But he decided not to question it since the prince's failure in cooking wasn't really his problem. So, he just went straight to why he called the other.

"I apologize for interrupting Your Highness'... cooking time," he first started. "But when will you go back to Alluna?"

The prince was silent for a second. "Do I need to go back?"

"Your Highness, may I remind you that you're a General? You have a lot of work pile up here, and they will keep piling up the longer you're away. And it's not as if Your Highness is on vacation right now. So, I respectfully ask Your Highness to go back to work."

There was another silence before the prince answered, "Then I will take a vacation now."

"Asking for a vacation now is a bit too late," Leland said with no room for argument. "And if Your Highness will say that I should just send all the documents you need to review, and you can work there on your own, then please erase that thought. I hate to remind you, Your Highness, but you need me to review these documents with you. And no, I won't do it on my own." He smiled. "I'm only a lieutenant, after all."

When Leland thought he said everything that the prince could think of as an excuse, the other still defied his expectations.

"Then I'll just promote you," the prince said shamelessly. "You can be the General from now on."

Leland only felt a vein on his forehead throbbing after hearing that.

----------

After the afternoon classes, both Astrid and Snow went to Polaris. Snow had a meeting with his agent, while Astrid planned to do some acting practice. Since he didn't have any filming gigs currently, practicing in the agency was the next best thing to hone his talent instead of doing nothing.

If the casting of [Serendipitous Summer] was going well, then there would be more than two weeks left before the start of the filming. If not, then it probably would be a month. He hoped it's the former. Not only because he's itching to film again, but it would be better for the whole production if the schedule was not pushed back because of casting problems.

Astrid spent two hours practicing. He was planning to spend an hour more, but then he remembered that there was a certain prince waiting for his home-cooked dinner. That sounded absolutely domestic. As if the two of them were already a pair of old couple.

Despite realizing that he was having this weird idea, he still ended his practice and planned to go back to his apartment. But as soon as he got out of the practice room, he received a message from Ellis, asking him if they could meet at her office after his practice.

All agents on Polaris had their own office. So, of course, Ellis also had her own office here as well. The road managers, on the other hand, didn't have their own office like agents did. Theirs were more like an office departmental room, where each one had their own desk and stuff.

After replying that he was done with practice, he walked straight to the elevator. Wondering what Ellis wanted to talk about.

Arriving at the other's office, he knocked first, and when he heard he could go it, he went inside.

They greeted each other, and Astrid sat down on the seat in front of Ellis' desk.

"I just got a call from Director Hale," Ellis started. "It seems they're having a problem with the casting of one of the characters."

Astrid raised his brow at that. "Which character?"

"Abby's older brother."

Astrid frowned a bit. "Isn't he a pretty important character?"

Ellis nodded. "That's why Director Hale was having trouble right now. She even asked if I could recommend someone."

A sudden idea popped inside Astrid's head when he heard that.