Chapter 136: With all the sincerity

WULFRIC stood in front of the room where Astrid currently was.  He didn't know what kind of method Hildred used to get the little guy's twin out of the room.  But no matter what it was, he wouldn't just waste this chance.

Although he was still a bit skeptical about the thing Hildred said on how he could fix his relationship with Aster, since the other obviously had a higher emotional understanding of people, he had no choice but to believe it.  Because just like what the other said, he couldn't just leave today and treat everything that had happened between him and Aster as nothing.

He still couldn't explain these feelings.  He probably should be at the same level as Hildred in understanding human emotions before he could.  But that should not be his focus right now.  His first priority was how to mend the other's first impression of him. 

Hildred said that he only needed to do one thing and he had to be very sincere.  That everything that he would say should come from his heart.  Although he honestly had no idea how to do that, he would still do his best to do it.

Wulfric took a deep breath and once again rehearsed in his mind the things that he planned to say.  At least, things that he thought would be heartfelt.  When he was finally confident that he could say those things without a problem, he decided that it was time to meet the teenager.

He was about to raised his hand and knock on the door when the door opened suddenly.  He was struck frozen when Aster appeared in front of him, looking equally shocked.

All the words that he prepared the whole day seemed to be stuck in his throat and he couldn't say anything.  At that moment, he really just wanted to punch himself.  He couldn't believe that he could actually be someone so incompetent.

Astrid stared at their Empire's prince standing in front of the room with posture that looked like he was about to knock on the door.  After the initial shock, he had already calm down. 

He must say that this kind of situation shouldn't really surprise him at all.  In fact, he should have already expected something like this to happen.  Sadly, that little 'I ignore you now because I'm no longer interested in you' act this guy did earlier conned him into thinking that that might really be the case.  Which, in turn, made him a bit complacent. 

Sure enough, with this person, he shouldn't really use too much common sense.  It seemed that his instinct of immediately leaving this place had been correct.  It's just a bit of shame that he and Reas still weren't fast enough to leave. 

Speaking of, where was his brother?  Reas wouldn't just leave him without even saying a word.  He narrowed his eyes at the man standing in front of him.  This guy wouldn't do anything to his brother just to get him alone, right?  With this guy's temperament, there's a high chance that something like that really did happen. 

But he couldn't just be impolite and act rudely.  After all, the other was still a prince.  Then he remembered that he still acted like some 'weak' and 'cowardly' person in that video that that bald person beside this prince had taken.  Should he start acting all weak and cowardly now so as to not be so out of character?

So, he walked out and tremblingly closed the door behind him.  And then he lowered his gaze.  "Y-your Highness…"

Wulfric looked at this sudden posture and he almost vomited blood.  Did this little guy plan to continue to pretend?  So, the speech he planned to say was wiped again in his mind and he just found himself saying;

"Stop pretending.  I already know how good of an actor you are."

Astrid was startled but was not really that surprised.  If he thought about it carefully, since the two met this morning, the other probably inquired what he was doing here.  With his identity, it would be easy for him to do that.  Especially if the other really didn't lose interest in him.

Knowing that, there's a high possibility that this guy had probably seen him filming the music video all day today.  He felt a bit complicated.  If the other had already found out that he was only pretending, shouldn't he be flying into rage right now?

With his temper, he should have grabbed him and taught him a lesson.  Maybe he would even torture him just so he could vent his anger.  But none of that happened.  This day almost ended without anything happening that he was almost convinced that the prince's interest in him had really waned.

And yet, he still ended up in this kind of situation. 

Since the other already knew that he was only pretending, it would be stupid if he still continued his act.  So, he raised his head and looked straight at the prince. 

"Then does Your Highness plan to punish me?"

Wulfric stared at the teenager's fearless look.  And he remembered the first time they met.  He also looked at him like this.  The urge to stretch out his hand and pinch his face was almost overwhelming.  So, he just clenched his fists to his side.

"Why did you pretend?" he asked instead of answering the other's question.

Astrid thought about it.  Should he be honest?  What if this guy was stimulated and he really tortured him?  But somehow, for unknown reason, a voice inside him kept saying that this guy wouldn't really do that no matter how much of a psycho he was.  It was a strange thought with no basis at all.  And yet, a part of him still believed it.

Maybe because of that, he became even more fearless and said, "Your Highness is a smart person, you should know the reason why I did that." 

Wulfric became silent.  Of course, he understood why Aster did it.  He understood all too well.  That's why he couldn't even get angry.  Because just like Hildred said, he was the one at fault. 

At this time, he could no longer think of that speech that he tried so hard to piece together.  He could only think of one thing at that moment.

Wulfric bowed his head and said with all the sincerity he was capable of, "I'm sorry."