Gardenia of Blooming Desire

Chapter 145: To Ruin an Incompetent King II

Obviously, Aster knew who Gaum was referring to. But he kept pressuring him, "Why are you referring to me as the future queen?"

"Do you think I don't know that he proposed to you last night?" Gaum sneered, "I let him come to your room just to relieve his stupid daydream and then restore his previous self. He needs to lead as a king."

"I do not accept his advance at all," Aster replied.

"But you accepted his gardenia!" Gaum sulked, he leaned on the sofa and crossed his arm. He refused to look at Aster.

Aster observed Gaum's behavior, his golden circle glinted sharply. There was something off with this behavior, a weird feeling that alerted him to stay vigilant from Gaum as well.

'I cannot trust Gaum either, but this is the best way to do it. If he is truthful, I shall salvage him, but if he is not I will let him rot with his brother.'

Aster decided to play around and said, "He forced me to accept it, but, what if I become the queen of Kingdom Rhea? What is the problem?"

"Because the king is not me!" Gaum declared loudly.

Aster was startled, and then chuckled, "I'm just joking, I won't be anyone's queen. But it seems Second Prince Gaum also has his ambition."

Gaum looked away, "Of course, I want to give the best for my kingdom too."

"Understandable," Aster smiled. He fished out something from his pocket and slid it on the table. Gaum glanced and his eyes widened instantly. He saw a silver pin shaped like a stringless harp with the letter 'A' in the middle.

"YYou are giving me this?" Gaum asked. He slowly stretched his hand and took the pin. He caressed it with his finger. He had been wanting this new pin for a while, because this was the sign that Aster trusted him. Silver pin was only given to people with close bonds.

'But, why now? When I'm scheming against him?' There was a trace of guilt in Gaum's heart. He never wanted to harm Aster, but he desired Aster so much. In order to measure how powerful Aster really is, Gaum had to turn Gamasiel against Aster.

Aster sighed, "Of course I'm giving it to you. You know, I've been planning to give that to you sometimes after the autumn banquet. I've been thinking, since you gave me your golden pin, I should at least hand you my silver pin."

"So, this means you trust me?" Gaum asked hesitatingly. He hoped that Aster would say something ridiculous to alleviate his guilt, but instead, Aster nodded and gave his sincere smile.

"I trust you. I hope we can be closer after this."

Gaum was stupefied. His guilt almost took over him and made him say sorry in front of Aster. He gulped nervously. There was something in Aster's sincere smile that smitten him.

'Is he really sincere to me? For what? I don't have anything else other than my status and my appearance.'

'Then, what I did to him I feel so evil.'

Aster predicted what was in Gaum's mind and said, "You know, I'm someone who got very uncomfortable near people, they scared me. But when I'm with you, that disgust and fear disappeared, maybe because you are also sincere to me, right?"

"YYes."

"Well, since you have nothing to do today, why don't you give me a tour around the palace?"

After Aster gave him the silver pin and declared that he trusted him, Gaum somehow felt nervous and embarrassed. He couldn't do his usual smooth flirting, instead, he looked like a kid knowing what is first love.

Gaum nodded stiffly, like a robot, "Well, so this is you, asking me for a date?"

"Huh?" Aster raised his eyebrows, "WWell, I need someone to gui"

"Say no more!" Gaum stood from the sofa and held Aster's hand, "I will give you a full tour! We could probably spend the whole day until dinner! This palace is very wide and we have to walk slowly!"

"Wha"

Gaum grabbed Aster's hand and dragged him outside. At first, Gaum was walking fast, almost half running. But then, he started walking slowly, trying to enjoy the time between them.

Gaum didn't let go his hand, which made Aster slightly uncomfortable, "Gaum, let go."

"I should hold you! What if you got lost!" Gaum threw a childish alibi.

He was enjoying the moment when he held Aster's soft hand. Aster's hand was very soft and smooth, but it wasn't the thing that made him seemingly entranced, it was the fact that he was holding Aster's hand in the public.

He felt like he wanted to show this to everyone, thus, whenever he saw a servant or a guard passing by, he puffed his chest and tightened his hand around Aster's.

Meanwhile, Aster was concerned that Ramuja would see this and might misunderstand. He didn't want Ramuja to feel the same way when he saw the kiss between him and Charles.

They paced around from one corridor to the next, to another tower and so on until they were passing through the king's private corridor. This corridor only had one room, the king's room. It was said that Gamasiel never let anyone in his corridor except his brother and the guards and servants who cleaned the area.

Aster's step halted, "Isn't this the king's corridor?"

"Yes."

"Then we should leave," Aster frowned. He was going to turn back, but Gaum dragged him.

"Don't worry, you have me here?" Gaum said proudly. They paced around the king's corridor slowly, just when they were passing Gamasiel's room, the door was opened and Gamasiel finally readied himself with his king garb.

Aster and Gamasiel's eyes met. Gamasiel's eyes softened when he saw Aster. He thought Aster wanted to say good afternoon to him, but when he saw Aster's hand was being held by his little brother, Gamasiel turned grim.

"Why are you holding his hand?"

"Oh? Of course, to guide him around the palace," Gaum replied with his signature smug smirk.

Gamasiel was dreaming about Aster again last night, he dreamt Aster accepted his proposal and they live together, they adopted many children and had a fulfilling life together. It was unfortunate that he woke up and had to do this mundane task of a king again.

Gamasiel glanced at Aster's uncomfortable frown and concluded that he didn't want this either. Gaum was probably forcing him to do so.

'Aster still needs time to be alone and Gaum is already dragging him around like a trophy, does he want to disturb Aster's mind so Aster would reject my proposal?!'

Bad thoughts swirled around his head. Gamasiel pushed Gaum and separated Gaum's hand from Aster. Aster took a few steps back and watched the Cresthold brothers fighting against each other.

"Why do you want to drag him around like a trophy! Aster needs some time alone!"

"You have no right over me or him! He let me escort him around, so I did!" Gaum had the urge to show the silver pin Aster had just given to him. But somehow, he didn't want anyone to look at this silver pin. Because this was the sign of sincerity from Aster.

Aster was watching from the sideline. Gaum and Gamasiel started spouting insults to each other, it escalated when Gaum said, "You are just a useless king! And you think you deserve more?!"

Gamasiel grabbed Gaum's collar and pulled him. Gamasiel was furious because Gaum started calling him a useless king. He devoted his life for Kingdom Rhea when he was a general, he fought in many bloody wars for the empire, so his kingdom could have a better position in the empire.

Yet, this good for nothing kid, always wasted his life with women and focusing too much on his handsome face dared to call him a useless king.

"Don't you dare call me that again, you have no merit to challenge my position here. You might be my brother, but I will not spare you."

Gaum didn't beg, his face didn't even show the slightest fear. He spat on Gamasiel's face and mocked, "Useless king."

"You!"

Aster was cheering in his heart, everything he planned works well so far. In fact, it worked perfectly. In order to execute the last plan for today, Aster finally stepped in and hugged Gamasiel from behind. He held the retch in his mouth, trying so hard not to vomit. Because hugging anyone except Ramuja felt so disgusting.

'This is for him, for us.' Aster steeled his heart.

"Gamasiel, stop!" Aster said. He circled his hand around Gamasiel's stomach.

Gamasiel, who already raised his hand to hit Gaum, halted his movement. He lowered his head and saw Aster with his pleading eyes shook his head slowly, "He is your brother, don't beat your own sibling."

Gamasiel was caught in the deep whirlpool of tenderness when he saw Aster pleading for someone else's life because he hated violence. He loosened his grip on Gaum's collar and dropped him on the floor.

'Aster is really a gentle person.' Gamasiel thought.

After Gamasiel dropped Gaum, Aster grabbed Gamasiel's hand and said, "Let me accompany you instead."

Gamasiel nodded and they left Gaum who still tried to catch his breath after Gamasiel almost choked him to death. But Gaum's eyes didn't leave Aster figure, he thought Aster didn't care about him until he saw Aster glanced at him slightly and his lips moved, creating a silent word, 'Sorry.'

Gaum's heart was burning with fury, he glared at Gamasiel, he never had such strong hatred to anyone before, and his hatred was now directed towards his brother. He cursed, "Bastard!"