Gardenia of Blooming Desire

Chapter 146: To Ruin an Incompetent King III

Aster was pacing around the corridor with Gamasiel, then he stopped in front of the king public chamber where the officials already gathered to report about the current affairs and troubles in Rhea.

"This is the public chamber, right?" Aster asked.

"Yes, let's go inside. I have plenty of work to do," Gamasiel said, he wanted to hold Aster's hand, but Aster took a few steps back and shook his head.

"It's best for me not to go in, I will leave now."

"Why?" Gamasiel frowned, wouldn't it be better if Aster was present in front of the court? So, the minister would know him and came to respect him later on.

"Because I'm just a refugee here," there was a trace of sadness in Aster's face, "My duchy might be able to stand side by side with Rhea, but I don't bear that name now. You should do your duty well as the king, your ministers are waiting for you."

"Then, where will you go? Will you wait for me?" Gamasiel asked.

"It's okay, I will ask Gaum about the palace layout," Aster smiled. However, that smile was like a kitten who just got abandoned by his master. He lowered his head and turned his back.

Gamasiel immediately held Aster's hand to halt him, "You are going with Gaum again?"

"What do you mean?" Aster raised his brows, "I had spent more time with Gaum before. We talked about many things together, of course I'm familiar with him."

Gamasiel stared at Aster's deep blue eyes, the more he gazed at those mesmerizing eyes, the more he wanted to indulge. When he heard that Aster was familiar with Gaum, there was a fire in his heart.

"What about me? What do you think about me?" Gamasiel asked.

"I know that you are the king of Rhea, and that's it. The reason why I reject your gardenia right off the bat was because I don't know much about you. How could you marry someone you just met? Who gave you that idea anyway? This is not a fairytale."

Aster's words slapped him on the cheek. It gradually restored his rationality, he just realized that he was living in a fantasy world. And he forced Aster into his fantasy. Of course, Aster would be mad.

Gamasiel remembered what Gaum said before, that Aster would immediately accept his proposal, if he rejected it, that meant he was just shy. If Gamasiel thought about it rationally, of course what Gaum said was bullshit!

'Gaum! He trapped me! He wants Aster to hate me and use it for his benefit!'

Gamasiel stared at Aster's uncomfortable expression and he loosened his grip on Aster's hand.

"That I'm sorry."

"Well, I recount that King Gamasiel is a very popular bachelor in Golden Camellia. I believe you can find a better partner, we don't know much about each other, we might not fit," Aster freed his hand from Gamasiel and walked away.

'But I want you, and only you.'

"Aster, we should spend more time now," Gamasiel tailed Aster from behind.

"You have your king duty, you know how important that is?" Aster warned. "You can't abandon the king duty just for a refugee like me, your officials will be displeased."

"But"

"King Gamasiel should go now, I don't want you to be in trouble," Aster warned him again, "Remember, a monarch's duty is to make sure that everything went well and his subjects are well off. I believe you can make that happen."

With that, Aster walked off and left Gamasiel alone.

Gamasiel stood alone in the corridor. Aster was very sincere when he reminded him about his king duty, about how Aster cared for his position.

'He is such a tender, yet strong man. I can't believe I've missed the opportunity to be with such a perfect partner.'

Gamasiel finally walked towards the public chamber and opened the door. There were people immediately kneeling in front of him, they were his officials with many troubles he needed to solve.

Each time an official came to him to report and asked what he should do, Gamasiel just gave a half-assed answer, because his mind was not there. He kept thinking about Aster. His perfect face, mesmerizing eyes, and his tender yet strong attitude. Something that would never come twice.

'I think, I'm really in love with him.'

Aster sneered after he returned back to his room. He didn't need to force Gamasiel to forget about his duty, because that man would come to him anyway.

'The best way is to bait him with caring words, so he would think that I care, after that, he should have even more trouble with his officials.'

Aster smirked. He already created enough discord between Gamasiel and Gaum, which was the most important thing. With this, Gaum would struggle against Gamasiel as he had his own ambition.

Because he couldn't destroy the fanatic trust of the people in Rhea for the kings, he should let the king destroy himself. And the people's faith would crumble after.

'Gamasiel is extremely popular and well known to be a good king, with him ruining Rhea, it would be hard for people to trust anyone after him.'

Aster racked up his brain last night to come up with meticulous, but he was stuck until he realized the probability of Ramuja seeing him and Gamasiel getting married. Aster didn't want to see what would happen to Ramuja. Because with a kiss from Charles, Ramuja was already so heartbroken.

'I will not let him feel any pain anymore! Let me bear the pain, so he could live!'

Aster felt the same warm feeling flowing around his body, and his golden circle flickered. Then, Aster immediately thought of something, to divide the monarchs and rule the kingdom, he needed to destroy the two brothers first.

He laid on the bed while staring at the ceiling, 'Why am I like this? How did I suddenly lay a perfect plan after I imagined Ramuja?'

Aster had thought that Ramuja must've bewitched him with something. But the more he closed his eyes to imagine about this servant, the more he saw a dumb bear that gave him a sunflower after running two hours straight, the one that would fuss over his food consumption because he was afraid that Aster would get sick

'And the one that risked his life to save me, even though he was not strong at all, so dumb.'

Yet, he loved this dumb bear with all his awkwardness. Because with him, Aster could feel the warmth and safety he had always wanted. He was someone who could see through people's lies easily, but with Ramuja, all he saw was a sincere and honest person.

'I will fulfil my promise to you Ramuja, because I lov'

Knock. Knock.

Aster glanced at the door, and the door was knocked once more, "Who?"

The one at the door didn't answer, instead, he just opened the door and entered. He grinned at Aster with his signature devilish grin and used a spare key and locked the door.

"Gaum? What's the matter? Aster asked.

Gaum took off his vest and threw it on the side, then he sat beside Aster and said, "How is it, with my brother? What plan is in your head now? Let's discuss it."

"I don't understand," Aster said. He tried to distance himself from Gaum, but Gaum approached him again.

"You want me to get rid of Gamasiel, right?"

"Wha"

"I know that you are uncomfortable around him, so, let's just eliminate him," Gaum smiled, "I've planned to usurp the throne anyway."

"Gaum, you should think about this clearly. Eliminating Gamasiel would have a bigger impact than just you replacing him as the new king. He has way more important roles than just a stand-in king."

Gaum looked displeased, because it hurt his ego more than anything. He tried his best to make the kingdom stay afloat even after Miss Claudia cancelled all the support from her family and the death of Her Majesty Empress. He tried his best and miraculously able to salvage the crumbling kingdom.

And Aster said that Gamasiel was not a stand-in king.

Gaum clenched his fist, he tried his best to leash his fury in front of Aster, "You think he is more important and more capable than me?"

"Don't put words in my mouth," Aster frowned, "I never say that."

"Then, between me and Gamasiel, which one do you prefer more?"

Aster saw the hopeful eyes of Gaum waiting to be chosen, Aster smiled and said, "You hold my silver pin, of course, I feel more comfortable with you, but it's not only about that. To eliminate Gamasiel completely, you need to prove that you are more capable than him."

"So, you choose me?" Gaum's was really hopeful that Aster would say yes, but instead, Aster chuckled and said:

"You are more than you look."

Gaum was stupefied with that simple sentence.

'I am more than I look? So that means he thinks I am way more capable.'

'Somebody admits that I'm a capable person, not a useless flirt!'

'And he is damn right about it!'

That simple sentence moved his heart. Because he had always lived under his brother's shadow, but there was one person that believed he was capable. Gaum could finally lift the stone in his heart, he was scared that Aster would just abandon him after he saw the pathetic display before.

"That's more than enough," Gaum smiled, he pecked Aster's cheek and took his vest, "I will prove it to you, watch me, darling."

Gaum unlocked the door and left the room. Gaum's footsteps were getting farther and Aster smiled mysteriously, he said a word in a low voice.

"Jackpot."