Gardenia of Blooming Desire Chapter 42: Just Like that Woman II

Aster's grin disappeared after he left Empress' chamber. He went his room again and rushed to the bathroom. He washed his hand clean with soap. He frowned, even after he washed his hand, he couldn't get off the disgust staining his hand.

'Even gripping Empress' neck disgusts . I could feel her wrinkly skin in my hand. Disgusting. Disgusting.' Aster frowned.

After he cleaned himself, he took the guard dal in his pocket and inspected it. It was a simple gold plated dal shaped like a shield. It was the official guard dal. There are only important ministers and few royals that could have guard dal. Because with this dal, you could take three people as your subordinate forcefully, even without their willingness.

If the guards you took betrayed you, then you have the right to execute them as their life was already in your hand.

However, guard dal couldn't forcefully make soone in high position, like another royal, general, or military commander under your rule. It was only usable for lower ranked officials, guards or regular citizen.

Aster smiled. He may know nothing about this palace. The Empress must have thought that he would take regular guards around the palace like an idiot.

'Let's see who will win.'

Aster's smile turned into a grin. He pocketed the guard dal again and headed to Rosalie's pavilion.

"I want to see Rosalie." Aster said. He wasn't as humble as before. Golden Princess' guards that guarded the door stared at each other before nodded. They opened the door for Aster.

"Oh, cousin. You hadn't said anything about visiting ," Rosalie greeted him. She had her eyes darted sowhere else, as she felt too guilty to face Aster. She was indirectly the one that set up the eting between Aster and Lady rse in the garden anyway.

"I am about to ask you a question." Aster said. He sat before Rosalie let him. Rosalie followed and sat facing him.

Aster took the guard dal from his pocket, "Tell , whom will you recomnd for to use this dal?"

Rosalie gasped. She obviously knew what it was, because she had one herself. But Aster wasn't the royal family, and Grand Duchy Stormhill was already banned to have military power by late Emperor Grandpa's edict.

"H--How did you get this?" Rosalie hurriedly asked.

"That is not the answer I want," Aster replied short.

Rosalie was again, flabbergasted. She never saw Aster acted like this. He was always a bit nave and soft. Now he looked very harsh and condescending, as if his personality had changed overnight.

She observed Aster's eyes and realized that he almost lost the golden circle on his pupil. It was still there, but faintly.

"Aster, I am sorry for--"

"I just need you to recomnd few people worthy as my subordinates. Nothing more, nothing less," Aster cut her words.

Rosalie sighed. He was probably very mad because of that incident with Lady rse. Rosalie could only nodded and took a paper and pen.

She was about to write real recomndation with few special hidden people acted as regular guards and maids. But she decided not to write them.

'If Aster have real power to submit these important people, it would be troubleso. No, it would be disastrous. He might misuse them and got caught. I don't want to get dragged down too.' Rosalie thought.

If she wrote real recomndation, Aster might get caught easily. She secretly glanced at her cousin who stared at her seriously. Rosalie couldn't lie that Aster did have intimidating aura, sothing new for him.

But she couldn't trust Aster for these people. They were far too precious for a kid like Aster to play around with. Even she might get trouble if she was revealed to be the one who recomnded these hidden guards.

Thus, Rosalie wrote fake one. She recomnded list of servants, officials and guards that was either ordinary or will pose no threat for her. Rosalie glanced at Aster once more.

'This will be okay. Today Aster might look scary, but it is just because he is mad at .' Rosalie reassured herself. She gave the list to Aster.

"These people are the one I recomnd. They are quite good and will help you later." Rosalie said.

Aster nodded and thanked her. Before he left, he abruptly said to Rosalie. "Rosalie, I will et Lady rse tomorrow."

"What?! Why would you et her again?"

"I have unfinished business with her. I want you to do sothing for ." Aster replied, but for this, he replied with a smile. Rosalie subconsciously gulped nervously. She was about to reject his request, but thinking about creating favor for Aunt Duchess, she nodded.

"What do you want to do?" Rosalie asked.

Aster's smile turned into grin that shocked Rosalie. It was similar to that woman, Aunt Duchess. It bore the sa maliciousness and intimidation. "I want you not to interfere about anything I do with rse tomorrow."

"What?" Rosalie was unsure if she heard it right. "You want not to interfere of what?"

"If my mother ever cos and asks about , don't say anything unnecessary." Aster said.

Rosalie's hand trembled under her gloves. She swallowed her saliva again and again.

'Did he already know that I... collided with his mother?'

"I reckoned that my affair with Lady rse might spread wide after this. If my mother ever cos to you, say that everything is okay." Aster repeated once more. He needed to make sure that Rosalie would shut her mouth.

"Aster, but... your mother never cos to ..." Rosalie replied.

"She will, after this." Aster turned his back and leave Rosalie's pavilion.

Rosalie took a deep breath of relief. Aster didn't know, he still hadn't found out about the agreent between her and Aunt Duchess, his mother. But she was still baffled to why would Aster et Lady rse with his initiative.

'Whatever it is, I cannot afford to offend Aunt Duchess. I'm sorry Aster, but I will interfere.'

***

Aster went into his room and opened the paper given by Rosalie. It was supposed to be the list of people recomnded for the guard dal.

Aster snorted. He almost had the urge to torn the paper, but he still needed this list.

'Did Rosalie really think that I would be fooled? These people she wrote, they are all trash.' Aster laughed mirthlessly. There was no way that Rosalie would put the real list just to help him. This list of people was obviously the one that posed no threat for her and her people.

'Rosalie was soone who could set up to a wretched old lady. She also could betray her own mother. Did she really think I would believe soone like her?' Aster sneered.

"Hah, Rosalie does help indirectly. Now, I already have the list of useless people that I don't need. Well, I just need to summon the ones who are not in this list."

Aster had a mont of silence before he showed a mysterious smile. He called the guards in front of his room. Even though these guards were not his people, thus, he couldn't order them freely. But once Aster showed the guard dal, those guards scurried away trying to find the people who were requested by Young Lord of Grand Duchy. They were afraid that Aster would use the guard dal to take away their freedom, making them slaves under the dal forever.

'As I thought, power is indeed a nice thing to have.' Aster thought in his heart.