Gardenia of Blooming Desire

Chapter 219: The Last Winter Feast

"Milord, this year's winter is very cold, please be mindful of your health," Anne, the head maid said. She was picking good clothing for today's Winter Feast. She was busy picking a good set of clothes for her master, while Aster himself was still busy writing in some documents.

Anne noticed that her master was still busy with documents, she scolded Aster, "Milord, today is Winter Feast, please take a rest. You've been shouldering all the administrative and business of Grand Duchy Stormhill, you are going to die overworked in your own room!"

Aster finally stopped writing after he finished the last document, the documents that he had just finished was to transfer all his asset temporarily to his father, Lord Harion. Because somehow, Aster had a bad feeling about this day, 'Just in case.'

He put down the quill and glanced at Anne who looked wary. He laughed in mirth, "Anne, I am already the Grand Duke of Grand Duchy Stormhill, not the little boy that you nursed and carried around."

Anne felt wronged, she sighed, "Well, in my eyes, you are still the little boy who would cry over many things. Ah, Milord, I'm getting old now."

Anne put down the set of garments she had selected in front of Milord, "Milord, maybe I should retire and rest. But I am just a widow, where will I go if I leave the duchy?"

"Then, don't leave," Aster smiled, "You're a senior maid here, everyone is looking up on you, it would be quite a menace if you left abruptly."

"Milord, you're willing to take an old widow like me here? To stay here?"

"I don't see any problem with that, in fact, if you want, I can always make a home for you in Dionde City or the countryside, so you can retire whenever you want to."

"No need, I will live and die serving Grand Duchy Stormhill," Anne said proudly, her wrinkles were showing, but she looked vigorous. Aster smiled, Anne had been serving the duchy for a long time, she was fifty-four years old right now. But she always executed all the maid tasks perfectly.

"Thank you, Anne. Now if you excuse me, I will wear the garments that you chose."

"Yes, Milord," Anne bowed her head and left the room. Aster started undressing and wore the clothing that had been chosen. An ink black collared shirt, a trouser and he wore a soft white coat with patterned black shapes around the neck and the sleeves, 'Ermine coat eh? Well, I usually don't like fur coats, but today is indeed too cold for everyone'

'Wait until Ramuja sees this, he will be charmed! Hehe~'

Aster readied himself and combed his hair, he looked at the clock and nodded. The Winter Feast would be held at seven in the evening, and this was already three. Aster left the room to meet his lover whom he ordered to stay at the bottom of the staircase that led to his room.

He still used his old bedroom, simply because it was more comfortable. Everything inside the main room in Lantern Palace reminded him of his father and late mother, too many memories stored inside, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Aster walked down the stairs, the spiral staircase was quite a pain, especially since he wore this thick coat, but he managed to descend. He reached the end, and saw a big figure stood near the staircase, Aster grinned happily, "Ramu"

"Mmh!" Aster stopped midway, he saw right in front of his eyes, Merry draped her hands around Ramuja's neck, while Ramuja stood still unblinking. Merry indulged with the kiss while Ramuja was unresponsive. Ramuja pushed Merry immediately and yelled at Merry, "Merry, you've gone too far!"

"But I just want my kiss, aren't we supposed to be a couple? A kiss in Winter Feast between a couple is a tradition, we should keep each other warm!"

"You are crazy! Crazy bitch! What if Milord saw this!"

Aster gripped the stair handrail and calmly said, "It's fine, I already saw it."

Both Merry and Ramuja were shocked when Milord was already behind them, still standing in the staircase. His eyes were cold, and finally, there were dark spots scattered in his eyes.

"Why did you need to hide it? You two are couples, right?" Aster looked at Merry and repeated his question, "Merry, answer me, you two are couples, right?"

"Milord, this is not"

"Silence! I'm asking Merry here, not you!" Aster glared at Ramuja, the ink black spots around his pupils started to thicken.

Merry was scared with Milord Aster right now, because somehow, Aster exuded a wrathful thick aura that made her tremble, she nervously replied, "YYes, Milord, we are a couple, it's been three years!"

Aster's grip around the handrail tightened so that his hand became bloodless, he trembled in anger and his pupils almost turned black.

"Milord, listen to me, she just shoved herself to me! I never want to kiss her like that!"

Aster sneered, "If you don't want to kiss her, why are you letting her kiss you for a good minute? You are a trained soldier, don't say that you're just surprised. Because that alibi is bullshit!"

"No, Milord! She is threatening to to" Ramuja was tongue-tied, because it would directly reveal everything about him to Milord. He lowered his head in shame, it was indeed his fault for being careless.

Aster's pupils finally turned pure black and he called the guards and shadow guards, "Irion! Shadow guards! Arrest this man!"

In a few seconds, many guards and shadow guards gathered around, including Irion who already unsheathed his sword. What surprised him was that he thought there was an intruder wanting to hurt his master, but it was Ramuja who lowered his head in shame, while he clenched his fists until his nails pierced his palm and blood dripped to the floor.

"Arrest this man, take him to our underground jail," Aster said while pointing at Ramuja.

Irion and the shadow guards hesitated, especially since Ramuja didn't even fight when the regular guards tried to reprimand him.

"Don't hurt him, just put him in the jail, I have a few questions for him," Aster glanced angrily at Ramuja and then continued, "You, I will see you again after the Winter Feast, don't even think about escaping!"

"I will not escape, Milord. But please, I'm begging you please don't let Merry to join the Winter Feast, she she is going to ruin everything!" Ramuja tried his best not to be too blunt, because it would bring shame to Milord if all the guards here knew about it.

"You are not the one to rule over me," Aster said coldly, he glanced at the girl beside Ramuja, "Why are you still here?! Go to your carriage! Sing a song before I slit your throat!"

Merry was too scared to provoke Aster, she ran to her carriage instantly. Aster ignored the rest of the people and left Ramuja with the guards. Aster sat inside his carriage and his carriage set off.

Irion appeared inside his master's carriage and asked carefully, "Milord, if you are willing to tell, what happened? Why do you need to imprison Ramuja?"

"He cheated on me," Aster said curtly.

Irion's breath shortened, he glanced at his master's pupils that had yet to return back to normal, 'It is pure black'

'Ramuja could easily struggle and fight all the guards there, but he accepted everything. What did he do?!'

"Milord, are you alright? You may need to take a rest, going to the Winter Feast would only worsen your mood"

"I don't need your advice, Irion. Go scout outside before you worsen my mood," Aster said. Irion nodded immediately and disappeared. Aster was finally alone in his carriage. He had been trying his hard to keep his calm, at least to not cry in front of the people, especially Ramuja himself.

Because if he cried like a distressed pitiful maiden, it would only hurt his pride. Aster shook his head many times so he could brush off those crazy imaginations inside his head, 'Ramuja, do you know how much I want to cut your limbs right now? I want to cut your limbs so you can't leave. I want to pull out your eyes so you can't see anyone, and I want to cut your tongue and lips, so you won't be kissing anyone!'

"But I can't" Aster sobbed softly, fearing that the coachman outside would hear his sobs, "Why am I soft hearted for you? It is me who is in denial, everything has been quite clear since the first day she entered the door"

Aster glanced at the carriage in front beside him, it contained Merry, the Singer of Winter Feast, his eyes grew cold, 'I don't know who you are, but I will never give you mercy after this, treat this night as your last day to sing. So, sing with your heart content before I scald your throat.'

***

Ramuja was sitting behind the bar silently. His hands and feet were chained, but he didn't struggle at all. Ramuja could easily break the steel bar, he could also defeat all the guards here, but he decided not to, because this was supposed to be his punishment.

It was Merry who caught him off guard, she suddenly said, 'I will sing the song where Aster shook his ass in the flowerbed, under a sex slave he moaned like a bitch! I will sing the song of a cheater like you too! But don't worry, we will be together after this!'

It was so sudden that Ramuja was unresponsive for a minute. It was indeed his fault for being careless. He didn't mind if his master killed him after the Winter Feast, as long as Aster survived the Winter Feast.

'Milord, It's fine for you to punish me, kill me, as long as you are safe. I'm begging you, please stay alive tonight.'