AT THE GRIMALDI MANSION (III)

THE three men wore identical blank expressions upon hearing the name of the one and only prince of the Empire from Astrid's mouth. It seemed as if they were collectively questioning whether they had just heard an auditory hallucination. Their strikingly similar reactions made their features even more similar.

To dispel their 'misunderstanding' that they were collectively experiencing an auditory hallucination, Astrid repeated, "His Highness, Wulfric de Lunaris, is offering his help to us."

Finally, realization dawned on them. Astrid really just mentioned the lunatic prince.

"Wait- how- I mean, why would that guy, I mean the prince, offer his help?" Casey asked, clearly very confused.

Both the duke and Thomas had their gazes fixated on him, showing how focused they were on whatever he would say next.

"I met him by accident last year in Delryria. And... we became friends," Astrid could only say without explaining further.