Gardenia of Blooming Desire

Chapter 191: Past Sin

Florentino Viete quietly sat in his carriage. He was nervous because the new lord of Grand Duchy Stormhill was summoning him to the Lantern Palace. Because he was still aligned with the late Grand Duchess, albeit forcibly, he still had the responsibility to follow the order of Grand Duchy according to his previous contract.

Floren used to go back and forth to Lantern Palace because Grand Duchess Camille kept summoning him to satiate her sadistic grudge against his father.

Floren lowered his gaze to the mirror in his hand, there were still plenty of kiss marks left after the wild party last night. Because there was no contract termination from the grand duchy's side, Floren still had to obey the humiliating contract for a few more years.

He was never used to it, every lascivious party always ended up with him crying in his small chapel, begging for forgiveness from his god. Because he went astray too much, maybe at this point, praying was already a sin for him.

'I just hope that Aster is not the same as his mother'

The carriage stopped inside the Lantern Palace. Floren was expecting that Aster would wait inside his office like a mighty ruler and waited for him kneeling in front of him like a servant, because it was what the Grand Duchess did. To his surprise, Aster was standing in the main hall with his servant behind him.

He smiled gently and greeted Floren, "Welcome to Lantern Palace, I hope my invitation doesn't bother your schedule."

Floren was a bit flustered with the warm greeting, Aster even waited for him in the main hall. There was a bit of suspiciousness in his heart, 'If his mother can be that crazy, then her son must have some of her quality too.'

Aster knew what was in Floren's mind. But this was necessary to change the viewpoint of this marquis. Because Aster needed his talent to slowly build his alliance.

"NNot at all, Milord is this one's lord, I still have to obey all your summons."

Aster's lips twitched, Floren's docile answer might be courteous and polite. But it was directly drawing a line that he was only here because of the contract between Grand Duchy and House of Viete.

"Then, shall we discuss more in my office?" Aster invited him again, which Floren nodded in agreement. He followed him to a room in the second floor of the palace. The guards in front of the door immediately greeted him and opened the door.

Aster sat on his chair with his servant behind him, tailing silently. Floren was sitting on the opposite side of Aster, "Milord, may I know why did you invite me here? I don't think I made any mistakes for so long.

"It's not about mistakes," Aster took the document inside his desk and then slid it to Floren, "I just want to return what you own previously."

Floren frowned, of course he knew that document. It was the document to own almost half of Viete's land, but after he fell into a debt trap set by the Grand Duchess, it was the only thing he could do before his house fell apart.

Of course, it cost many things, including himself.

"According to my contract, it will be returned in eight years since it was taken. I still have five years to fill before I get it back. What is the meaning behind this generous offer, Milord?"

"Well, Marquis of Viete is actually a sharp man. You caught my intention immediately," Aster complimented honestly, "I just think rather than forcing you to do immoral things for the sake of pleasure like my mother did, it is better to ask for your cooperation based on your own willingness."

Rather than flattered, Floren became even more vigilant. This was simply too good, especially when facing against Grand Duchy Stormhill, Aster might not be as scary as his mother, but who knew about his true nature.

"I'd like Milord to explain to me clearly, what kind of cooperation do you need from me?" Floren asked.

"I've read the data about you and found out that you are really good at managing the social circle, even without my mother's help. You are able to connect with many ladies and gentlemen and convince them to join your party, it was indeed an impressive feat!"

"Milord wants me to gather even more people?" Floren guessed. In which, Aster nodded in agreement, "I will return all your assets, but you will be my asset instead. You are going to be the leader of my alliance."

"Alliance?!" Floren jolted in shock. "Milord! You are treacherous!"

"No need to be so worked up against it. I'm not here to assassinate the Emperor or Crown prince, I created an alliance to measure how big Charles' power in Golden camellia is."

"Crown Prince Charles is absurdly powerful, I suggest you not to touch him, Milord," Floren warned him. But Aster seemed to be unfazed.

"That is the reason. Because it's absurd, so I have to make sure. If you agreed to help me, I will invalidate the previous contract you did with my mother. I will let you be free and do what you want," Aster said gently.

Floren was finally moved. This was the thorn in his heart, because the Grand Duchess forced him to act like a lascivious manwhore, it cost him all his dignity and he became the whore marquis of Viete.

Flore sighed deeply, he glanced at Aster who was sitting calmly on his chair with his hands cupped.

'If only my father didn't try to take Grand Duchess' purity away, she wouldn't target us like this.'

'And I have to repay all his sin. I admit that he is a monster, but the Grand Duchess is also the same malicious monster.'

"Milord, may I know your true intention?" Florentino asked in a low tone, but his eyes changed from that frivolous flirt into the true Floren.

A man with a lot of suspiciousness, because his father was killed by the Grand Duchess. He was only a teenager when his parents died, and then he was plunged into a debt trap by the Grand Duchess until he was forced into this state.

A manwhore for the entire Golden Camellia.

Aster had to admit, what his mother did to Florentino was unjust and downright cruel. He didn't know anything about his father's Apercino Viete past. But Aster's mother forcefully destroyed his life out of vengeance.

Aster sighed, "Ramuja, leave."

"MMilord, But I'm your guard."

"Leave now, go train with Irion."

" understood." Ramuja glanced at Floren suspiciously, which Floren returned with a sneer. Then, Ramuja left the room.

There was only Aster and Floren left, sitting face to face. Aster cleared his throat and said, "I just want to say that you've been treated unjustly by my mother. I'm sorry."

"It is natural in Golden Camellia. This country is filled with rich people flashing their money on cruelty, like slaves, exotic pets, expensive prostitutes, and the death arena in Roagelt. They are destroying something to show people that they are rich and powerful," Floren sneered, "Including your mother."

Floren expected Grand Duke Aster to get angry, because he just insulted the late Grand Duchess, but Aster nodded instead, "I know. That's why I said sorry."

Floren went silent after that. He always observed Aster Di Arlingdon as a beautiful man, but nave and detached because of his parents' overprotectiveness. He was also prideful to the bone.

But the Aster he saw right now actually uttered the word sorry, twice.

"What kind of compensation do you want from me? I will return the land belonging to your house, I will terminate the contract too."

"But in exchange, you want me to be your subordinate? How is that a compensation? You are just giving me a choice to be your dead mother's slave or your slave!" Floren refuted harshly, "Milord, pardon my impertinence, but if you are inviting me only to humiliate me, then I better leave." Floren stood from the chair, he was going to leave this nauseating palace.

Aster's jaw tightened. He needed Floren in his plan, because Floren was the only way to gain access to that woman. And she was a vital piece in Golden Camellia, although she wasn't exceptional or crafty.

"Your house is going to be swallowed by the Crown Prince," Aster said.

Floren stopped his step, he glanced at Aster, "I never knew that the Crown Prince has particular interest in my house. Or is it just something you made up on the spot to convince me?"

"It's true that the Crown Prince has no interest with your house. But his sister is," Aster showed a note that Rosalie gave to him when he was trapped in Golden Palace. It was supposedly the late Empress' ridiculous 'plan'.

At that time, he didn't notice it. But when Aster turned the last page, there was something completely different written.

It was similar to a confession that Rosalie wrote to Florentino. But never got delivered. He showed Floren the last page, which Floren could identify whose handwriting was this.

Rosalie wrote many things, but the most glaring description was in the last paragraph;

-- After this, I would ask my brother to destroy his house. Then he has nowhere to go, then I will take him to Golden Palace. I will nurture him, feed him, and then I can give birth to his children. I will leash him and his children, then we can have a morning walk together around the palace. Ah, imagining Floren barking like a dog and following me devotedly gives me so much happiness! --

Floren felt like his blood was drained out of his body. Because the handwriting was exactly the same handwriting of Rosalie Anna Camellia, Golden Princess of Golden Camellia. She wrote plenty of letters every month, which he always ignored, because he didn't want her to be entangled with messy problems between him and the Grand Duchess.

'Last time we met, the Grand Duchess forced me to stay with Rosalie who couldn't stop grinning like a madman, and forced me to give my bronze pin to her. I never knew she has this kind of fantasy'

Floren always felt that there was something wrong with Rosalie. But to be this extreme, "HHow could I know if you didn't forge this? You might try to slander her for your own gain."

Aster sighed helplessly, "Look at the content of the book. It was all her handwriting. She wrote this to inform me about the late Empress' true nature, but turned out everything was a lie made by her and my late mother to exile the Empress. I know that she likes you, but I didn't know that she is this crazy"

Aster stood from the chair and tapped Floren's shoulder, "I know that you treasured your house so much, that's why I want to bear the burden for all my mother's mistakes. Just like you bear the burden for all your father's sin."

Floren was unsure. He checked almost every page of this small book, if everything was forged, then it was an amazing craft. Because this style of writing, this way of using words, it was a hundred percent similar to Rosalie.

Floren gulped, he glanced at Aster who looked sympathetic.

'Maybe he is telling the truth. In the end, if I want to save my house, Aster is the only one that can work with me.'

"I will reconsider it. I will be working with you, but in equal ground. I don't want to be your servant or subordinate," Floren said.

Aster's face brightened, "Of course! I just want the best for both of us. For you to leave the past sin, and for me to relieve the guilt because of my mother's sin." Aster gave all the documents and immediately destroyed the contract between Floren and his mother right in front of Floren himself.

Floren was slightly taken aback by Aster's eagerness, it showed that he was really sincere about this. It moved him from the inside, but he didn't say anything to Aster. He also kept his cold expression.

"Then, I will excuse myself thank you, Milord."

"You are welcome! Do you want me to show you the way?"

"No, I can leave myself," Floren stared at Aster for the last time and turned his back, "Thank you." He said again before leaving the room.

***

Aster made sure that Floren's carriage had left the palace, and he finally released the laugh that he tried to contain for so long, "Ahahahahaha! How funny!"

Aster brushed the tears that were about to fall. Because this thing was definitely funny. It was indeed forged. The last paragraph was forged by one of his shadow guards who also worked as a master handwriting forger before.

"He really believed me!"

He was satisfied after laughing so much, he cooled down and then glanced at the notes that were left by his mother inside her chamber. Aster collected all the notes, and in one note, it was said that;

'Rosalie is working under me, but she has other importance in her. She will turn her back against you after my death.'

"Hmph, sure enough. I knew that both of them are malicious, they are the same golden monster."

Aster's gaze grew cold as black spots slowly appeared in his eyes.