Chapter 847: ELLIS’ PREDICAMENT
ELLIS blinked once. Then twice. Surely she was seeing things. There was no way the Empire’s fearsome prince was standing inside Astrid’s apartment wearing a pink apron. But no matter how many times she blinked, he stayed right there, looking at her without any hint of embarrassment.
She was so stunned that she didn’t even register when Astrid gently tugged her inside and closed the door. By the time she snapped out of it, he was already guiding her toward the living room.
"Please tell me that’s not the prince," she whispered, keeping her voice low so only Astrid could hear.
Astrid looked at Ellis, clearly amused. He had been caught off guard when he opened the door earlier, only just remembering that he had a schedule today, but he had recovered quickly. "You know he can hear you, right?"
"Yes, I can hear you loud and clear," Wulfric said, confirming Astrid’s point. "And yes, I’m really here. You’re not imagining things."
Ellis straightened and inwardly groaned. Of course he would have heard. She had momentarily forgotten that one of the many things that made the prince so intimidating was his SSS physique. She took a steadying breath and gave a polite bow. "Your Highness, it’s an honor to meet you."
Even though she felt the complete opposite on the inside. She knew about Astrid’s relationship with the prince, of course. So she had always known this meeting would happen eventually. But she had assumed it would be much further down in the future. She was completely unprepared. She was not ready for this. Not mentally, nor emotionally.
"Likewise," Wulfric said. "Are you here to join us for lunch?"
Lunch? Ellis had assumed Astrid would be cooking, and she had half expected to eat here. She just had not expected to share a meal with the prince. Wait. Was that why he was wearing an apron? Was he actually helping Astrid cook? The thought felt so absurd that she almost laughed. But there he stood, pink apron and all, like it was nothing out of the ordinary. That was the most surreal part.
"Ah, Wulf, Sister Ellis is actually here because I have a schedule today," Astrid said, offering an awkward smile. "Sorry, it completely slipped my mind."
Wulfric’s expression flickered with surprise. He had thought he and Aster would have the weekend to themselves, so hearing that he had work today was a bit of a letdown. He tried not to let it show on his face, but something about what Aster had just said caught his attention. The part about it completely slipping his mind. That meant Aster had been so caught up in their time together that he had forgotten about his own schedule. The thought sent a small, pleased warmth through his chest.
He grinned at Aster, his golden eyes bright with mischief. "Slipped your mind? Does that mean I’m distracting enough to make you forget your own plans?"
Astrid rolled his eyes, but the slight curve of his lips gave away that he wasn’t really annoyed. "Yes, you’re a terrible distraction."
"I sure hope so," Wulfric said, his smirk widening. "At least now I know I have that kind of effect on you."
Oh good lord. Now she was watching the prince flirt. And not just a casual flirting, but a full on, shameless, completely unbothered kind of flirting. Ellis was not sure if she should be shocked, horrified, or a little impressed. She settled on a bit of all three.
Astrid just shook his head and turned to Ellis. He nearly laughed at the look on her face. It was like she was constipated and couldn’t decide whether to run to the bathroom or just power through it. But Ellis was Ellis. Within a second, her expression smoothed back into its usual composure, as if nothing had happened.
"Sister Ellis, we just finished making lunch," he said. "Let’s eat."
Like a robot, Ellis followed Astrid and the prince into the dining area. She watched as Astrid moved around the table, setting out plates and utensils. Then she saw the prince come out of the kitchen carrying dishes, setting them down without a single complaint. She stood frozen, completely stunned by the sight of the prince looking so... domestic. The shock was so overwhelming that she completely forgot her manners and didn’t even offer to help.
In fact, she was so stunned that her mind just went blank. Before she knew it, she was already sitting at the table with a plate in front of her, eating. The food was undoubtedly good, since Astrid had made it. But her nerves were so rattled that she could barely taste anything.
She looked at the two. The prince reached over and gently wiped a speck of sauce from the corner of Astrid’s mouth with his thumb.
"You’ve got a little something there."
Astrid blinked, then smiled. "You could have just told me."
"Where’s the fun in that?" the prince said, his thumb lingering for just a second longer than necessary.
Astrid shook his head, but his smile didn’t fade. "You’re impossible."
"And yet you still like me," the prince said, his voice dropping just a little.
Astrid picked up his fork and pointed it at him playfully. "I tolerate you. There’s a difference."
The prince laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Sure, my star. Whatever you say."
Ellis stared at the two of them, her expression blank. The way they moved around each other, the easy touches, the way their eyes kept finding each other, it all painted a very clear picture. They didn’t just like each other. They were completely gone for each other. And somehow, watching it happen in real time was even more startling than hearing about it.
She let out a quiet sigh. It was time to accept that this was actually happening. When she had first heard that the prince was interested in Astrid, she had assumed it would be a passing thing. Not because she thought less of Astrid, never that. It was because she didn’t trust the prince. But watching them now, she couldn’t deny it anymore. The prince was truly in love with Astrid.
And she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.