Gardenia of Blooming Desire

Chapter 196: The Great King Courting

Lady Merse left Lantern Palace the next morning, she ignored Ramuja like air, as if the incident last night was just Ramuja's dream. Meanwhile, she kept giving advice to Aster, "Aster, you shouldn't be nave, okay? Don't be fooled with anyone with bad intention, don't get involved emotionally with anyone, at least don't be too much, understand?"

Aster had been nagged for almost an hour already, he took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, Aunt Merse. I will keep that in mind. In fact, you should trust me! I have a great intuition to spot evil minds!"

Lady Merse only looked grievingly at Aster, this young man really didn't know what was lurking behind him. A vile bitch that would ruin him anytime. Lady Merse ended her nagging with, "I just want you to be safe, please send me a letter if you need something, I will help you whenever possible."

"Yes, Aunt Merse, thank you."

Lady Merse's carriage left the palace. Aster turned to Ramuja and said, "Ramuja, why did you have that face in front of Lady Merse?"

Ramuja was startled, he tried to tone down his nervousness and asked, "PPardon, Milord, what face?"

"That unwilling face, as if you don't like her at all."

"Milord is just imagining things"

Aster had naturally high intuition, similar to his mother. He knew that there was something wrong with Ramuja since yesterday, "If it's because of her weird mask, then please ignore it, there was a misunderstanding between us before."

Ramuja didn't understand what his master was talking about, but he tried his best to evade the topic, "This servant has no other intention, Milord."

Aster stared at his servant for a while, and then shrugged, "Well, my word is still valid, I want you to tell me the secret you hide when you are ready, understand?"

Ramuja's heart cooled down. Milord said that lightly, as if his secret was just a small secret, 'Milord, my secret is not cute or funny. I'm afraid you'll be disgusted when you knew that I was a sex slave, and I cheated on you with Merry'

Aster sighed when Ramuja was dazed again. Every time they talked about this secret, it always ended with Ramuja dazed and said nothing, only lowering his head shamefully.

To be honest, he was fine if Ramuja had some dark secret, maybe because of his life as a slave. He would accept him anyway, 'Well, as long as his secret is not about him actually being a sex slave in the past, if that one is true I will still accept him, but it'll be even harder for us to marry, maybe impossible'

'Hm maybe cheating too. I won't forgive him if he cheated on me. But this is Ramuja we are talking about, I couldn't even imagine Ramuja flirting with a woman like Gaum.'

Aster imagined Ramuja saying flowery words to charm a woman, and somehow, he shuddered.

"Milord, are you okay? Why are you shuddering?" Ramuja asked worriedly.

"NNothing, never mind. Anyway, I have another guest today. But this one well, they just simply sent their envoy to me this morning, saying that they would come for dinner," Aster sighed, "Do they think that my palace is just a guest house for them?"

Again, Ramuja didn't understand what his master was talking about, but he just nodded. As long as his master didn't dwell into this secret of his anymore.

"You, maid, come here."

"Yes, Milord."

"Tell the head chef to prepare another small feast for dinner, use the best ingredients as always. There will be a great king coming tonight."

"Understood, Milord."

The maid left, and Aster walked to his office to do his usual menial job of administration. Ramuja Wondered a bit, and he asked, "A Great King will come tonight?"

"Yes, him and his sister. Honestly, I would love to have a lot of talk with his sister, because she is pleasant and mature enough for a discussion. But the Great King himself ugh."

Aster sighed. He only met the twins for a few hours in the academy. Supposedly, after they retook the throne from their greedy uncle, they stayed there to rebuild the Great Kingdom again.

'Why are they here anyway? I thought I wouldn't see him for a long time.'

***

Mariette was sipping her tea while Tuskan walked back and forth, he looked restless today. Mariette didn't mind her brother and continued reading the novel she just bought. They were currently inside the luxurious inn in Dionde City with their guards outside.

"Mariette, do you think it's okay for me to come?"

"Hm? We are going to visit Aster only for a dinner. We are not going to talk about politics or anything involving money with him. What are you nervous for?" Mariette said, still with her eyes focusing on the book.

"BBecause Agh! Never mind, you won't understand anyway!" Tuskan stormed out of the room, while Mariette shrugged uncaringly.

"Well, I would love to see my nephew too," Mariette smiled. They were actually around the same age as Aster, but they were technically his uncle and aunt, "Father said that our cousin, Camille, is a very strong and beautiful woman. Before he died, he wanted us to reunite her back to the Great Arctyr. It's unfortunate that she died already"

"Well, at least we can do that to Aster. He is still part of our family anyway, the only one that's alive" Mariette glanced at the door, Tuskan had just left, probably to cool himself down, "Tuskan, you shouldn't be rash. Everything needs proper calculation."

Tuskan was scurrying around, he walked around the city with a regular tunic so people didn't notice his regal garment. But, because of his handsome appearance and tall figure, it still stood out.

Tuskan still remembered when Aster took his first kiss. After he retook the throne and exiled his uncle, the ministers kept asking him about his spouse. There were countless offerings directed to his door, many of them wanted their daughter to be his queen, or at least high concubine.

But Tuskan rejected everyone. Because Aster already took his first kiss, and as a man of tradition, it was his duty to take Aster back as his queen.

'Well, Arctyrians are not as liberating and intimate as Camellians, but I think they will accept a male queen. It's just, how do I propose anyway? Aster is a prideful and stubborn high aristocrat'

Tuskan imagined the moment when Aster kissed him in the garden inside Velvet Castle. He thought he would hate it, since he just got kissed by a man! But surprisingly, 'Well, surprisingly, it's actually not that bad his lips are soft, tender, and his gaze was very intoxicating.'

Tuskan blushed again, he shook his head, 'Stop it, Tuskan! You are a Great King! What if your loyal subordinate knows that you are easily swayed by a kid like him!'

Tuskan walked around until he stopped outside a flower shop. He glanced at the flowers that were lined neatly, and the beautiful bouquet. He stood there for a while until he decided to take his wallet out and purchased one bouquet.

*** 

Mariette and Tuskan arrived in front of the Lantern Palace at night, they were amazed by the lush dome covering the main courtyard and the lanterns that were lit beautifully in various colors. It was like in a fantasy land.

Aster was standing in front of the main hall again, greeting them politely. He wore a loose blue shirt with thin material, thus, it showed a bit of his skin under the fluorescent light.

"Welcome to Lantern Palace, Honorable Great King Tuskan Hessel Signe and Great Princess Mariette Hessel Signe," Aster said politely.

Mariette approached Aster with a pleasing smile and held his hand, "It's been awhile, right?"

Aster responded positively and replied, "Yes, I thought I wouldn't see you for a long time!"

"Of course not, Tuskan's popularity has been well-established even before our uncle snatched the throne. So, we finished him without much effort, and people support Tuskan more, right, Tuskan?" Mariette glanced at Tuskan, who was dazed with Aster's appearance.

'So mesmerizing'

'He matured and became even more charming, he is such an eye candy no, maybe he has a candy factory inside of him, how could someone be so beautiful and handsome at the same time?'

"Tuskan?" Mariette called him again. Aster finally gave Tuskan a glance and smiled at him, "It's been a while."

"YYYou! How could you use that kind of clothing! SShameless!" Tuskan scolded Aster harshly, "Why would you let everyone see your skin! Are you planning to seduce everyone here? Hah! It doesn't work on me!"

Aster frowned in displeasure, while Mariette face palmed hard, "Forgive him, Aster. You know that his social skill is still zero."

"I can see that," Aster said curtly.

"What he actually wants to say is, you are so incredibly mesmerizing, he thinks you are such an eye candy that he is afraid everyone here will be in love with you. Maybe he likes you?"

"IImpossible! How could I like him!" Tuskan blurted, but his face was blushing red like a tomato.

"See? Well, Tuskan, don't you want to give something to Aster?"

"II don't" Tuskan glanced at Mariette who sighed deeply, then he lowered his head in shame. He showed the flower bouquet that he hid behind his back since they arrived in Lantern Palace, he said; "Ddon't misunderstand, this is just our tradition to express respect in Great Arctyr, wwe give flower to respect other."

"We don't have that kind of tradition in the Great Arctyr," Mariette rebuked him briefly.

"Shut up, Mariette!"

Aster kept switching his gaze to Mariette and Tuskan, and he sighed, he took the flower and said, "Thank you for your uh respect, Great King.

"YYou shouldn't call me Great King, what are you? A low born?" Tuskan said sheepishly, "JJust call me Tuskan."

Aster scratched his head, it was really hard to talk with Tuskan when he was nervous. But Aster knew that this man was actually a kind and gallant man, he was just awkward, very awkward.

"Then, shall we go to the dinner hall? I've prepared a small feast for you two."

Aster walked with Mariette and Tuskan to the dinner hall, Ramuja was standing near his Milord silently. He tried to minimize his presence. But, when he saw this Great King Tuskan, he could see the hot gaze of this man to Milord and how they were able to talk on equal footing.

He clenched his fist silently, there was a surging emotion, a greedy emotion inside of him.

He was jealous.