The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

Chapter 645: NOTHING WOULD EVER FEEL COMPLETE

She picked up her cup and took a sip. Her eyes followed the prince as he lifted the cup to his lips. Normally, she wouldnʼt give much thought to how someone drank their tea, but something about the way he did it caught her attention. His brow creased ever so slightly, and his fingers trembled as they clutched the delicate porcelain, as if he were about to sip something far deadlier than mere tea.

Like poison or something.

Wait— poison?

A ridiculous, yet amusing thought suddenly crossed her mind. If she was wrong, no harm done. But if she was right, she might just have the chance to make this arrogant prince more uncomfortable than heʼd ever been in his life. And wouldnʼt that be worthwhile? Thatʼs a small price to pay for daring to covet her son.

”Is it the tea to your liking, Your Highness?” she asked in a gentle voice.

”...Yes.”

Frankly, Wulfric couldnʼt taste a thing. He wasnʼt even sure if he had actually sipped the tea or merely pretended to. The irrationality of his own anxiety left him bewildered—why was he so on edge over the thought that Asterʼs mother might have poisoned his drink?

If he were an ordinary person, it would make sense. But he wasnʼt. He was one of only two royals left in the Empire. Assassination attempts, including poisoned food, had been a part of his life since childhood. So why would the thought of a poisoned cup of tea unsettle him now?

He could think of only one reason: her identity. And it wasnʼt about her being a Grimaldi—it was because she was Asterʼs mother.

Poisoning his drink was no different from trying to kill him. On the battlefield, two opposing forces trying to take each otherʼs lives was understandable, even expected. But here, in a peaceful garden, sipping tea? Such an act was nothing short of an assassination attempt on a prince—a crime punishable by death.

The three captains heʼd brought with him, however unreliable they might seem, would be the first to eliminate any threat to Wulfricʼs life. The last thing he wanted was a standoff between them and Asterʼs family. Especially when he had only just managed to get into the good graces of Asterʼs father! |v-lʼ

If Emmy could read Wulfricʼs thoughts right now, she might have burst out laughing. Who would have guessed that the fearsome prince had such an overactive imagination?

But since she couldnʼt read them, she could only proceed with her plan.

”Then, please feel free to drink all of it,” she continued with a smile. ”Every last drop.”

Wulfric felt the hairs on his nape rise as Asterʼs mother spoke, her smile calm, but her words carried an undertone that concealed something far more unsettling. Sure enough, this tea was really poisoned!

Yet despite knowing the truth, he couldnʼt simply refuse. If he did, wouldnʼt her opinion of him sink even lower? She might think his feelings for her son werenʼt genuine. To prove his sincerity, he had no choice but to drink the poisoned tea. After all, the one thing he couldnʼt allow was for anyone to question his feelings for Aster.

So what if he was poisoned? With his strong constitution, he knew he wouldnʼt die so easily. He was confident that as long as he proved his sincerity to Asterʼs mother, she would eventually give him the antidote. After all, she wouldnʼt risk disrupting her peaceful life just to get rid of a future son-in-law she disapproved of.

Without further ado, Wulfric picked up the cup and drained its contents in a single gulp.

He couldnʼt actually taste any poison in the tea, though that could easily have been his nerves dulling his senses. Yet even after finishing it, he didnʼt feel any different. Was it possible the poison was one of those slow-acting types?

What Asterʼs mother said next answered his question.

”Your Highness, youʼve likely realized by now that Iʼve added something to your tea. Itʼs tasteless and odorless, so I doubt you noticed. It will take effect in about ten minutes. In that time, I suggest you convince me that youʼre worthy of my son. If you fail to do so, well, Iʼm afraid youʼll have to endure some discomfort.

Donʼt worry, it wonʼt kill you—youʼll just experience pain beyond anything youʼve imagined. Surely, Your Highness doesnʼt mind that, right?”

She delivered her words with a gentle smile, her tone light and almost casual, as if she were discussing something as mundane as the weather. Yet, beneath that warm exterior, there was an unmistakable edge, a quiet warning woven into every word. Her eyes gleamed with a steady assurance, making it clear that, despite the playful delivery, the threat was very real.

Wulfric put down the cup. He had meticulously prepared a long speech in his mind, yet in the moment, not a single word came to him. Instead, he found himself speaking not from memory, but from the heart.

He took a breath, his voice steady but filled with emotion. ”I know Iʼve made mistakes, and I know Iʼm not perfect, but I love Aster more than I can put into words. Heʼs changed me in ways I didnʼt even realize were possible. Iʼve never cared about being better, never felt the need to change for anyone. But with him, itʼs different.”

He glanced down briefly, then looked back at Asterʼs mother. ”Aster makes me want to be better, but only for him. When Iʼm around him, Iʼm not the same person. Iʼm not that entitled, reckless person who does what he pleases without thinking. Around him, I want to be someone who listens, who respects his boundaries, who sees the world the way he does.

Iʼm trying, not because I have to, but because I want to. Because he deserves that from me.”

His voice softened, a hint of vulnerability creeping in. ”I know I didnʼt deserve him in the past, and maybe I still donʼt, but Iʼm working to be better. He makes me see my flaws, but he also makes me want to fix them. Not for anyone else—just for him. When Iʼm with Aster, I feel like I can be someone better, someone worthy of him. Itʼs like he opens up a side of me that I didnʼt even know existed.

If itʼs me in the past, I would have hated this. But surprisingly, I donʼt. All because it was Aster who brought this change.”

He leaned forward slightly, his expression earnest. ”I love him, more than Iʼve ever loved anyone. Iʼll do whatever it takes to prove that, even if I have to keep showing it every day for the rest of my life. Aster is like the missing piece of my heart, the one that makes everything feel whole. Without him, nothing would ever feel complete.”