Gardenia of Blooming Desire Chapter 72: Birthday Party

Aster's lip curled while looking at the guests that started appearing one by one. He was still on the balcony of second floor, silently checking on every guest had exited their carriage while comnting on each of them. He couldn't greet them because of the custom for birthday party. He had to stay still here until a servant called him.

'Lady Berzhenia, The Duchess of Silvor. She was getting fatter each ti I saw her.'

'Marques of Viete, Florentino. Hah, he still looks the sa, just even shallower than before.'

'Lady rse, Duchess of Arion...' Lady rse arrived with her dark green dress. She looked elegant, though not beautiful. She had her half face covered on mask because of the permanent scar Aster inflicted during that staged assassination attempt.

There was uneasy feeling inside his heart. Aster was unsure if what he did against Lady rse back then was necessary. Sothing made him felt guilty, yet at the sa ti, scared that Lady rse might know about it.

Aster shook his head. There was no benefit of regretting, what he could do now was to develop better relationship between them.

'Helene with... is that her little sister?' It had been a while since he t Helene. She was twenty-one years old now, the sa age as Charles. She brought her little sister, probably the sa age as Aster.

There were many guests arrived with their carriage on the Grand Duchy's yard. But whenever a carriage door was opened, Aster's smile dimd. It wasn't him. It wasn't Ramuja.

'Damn, where is he?'

He nervously tapped the table. Ramuja should have arrived already. He waited until a golden carriage entered the Grand Duchy's yard, Uncle Emperor, Emperor Audric IV and Golden Princess Rosalie had arrived.

Aster's smile faded. With Uncle Emperor and Rosalie here, the party will start soon, and Ramuja wasn't here.

Not long after, a servant approached him, "Young Lord, His Majesty Emperor is here. The party will start soon."

Aster nodded, but the displeasure on his face was obvious. Aster descended to the first floor. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

He stepped and stood at the center of a bifurcated stairs, people looked up and shifted their attention to the spotlight of that staircase. Under the bright lighting of chandeliers, a man with glinting white-gold doublet erged, the shoulder wasn't padded, and thus making the man looked slender and tight fitting in that doublet.

The white gold reflected the shine of chandelier, it was obvious that the doublet was sewed with pure gold thread, signifying the wearer's wealth. He wore a fitting black pants which both sides were also threaded with gold thread and black boots.

He had a diamond earring shaped like Callia flower dangled on his left ear, symbolizing his identity as a nobleman.

He wore no make up, but his features were already perfect, combined with Golden Blood's signature trait, he was breathtaking enough to make the whole audience dazed and made few people drooled unconsciously.

Aster frowned. He always hated this kind of event. Because everyone acted the sa whenever they saw him. It was even worse nowadays, compared to two years ago. His eyes looked down on them, it showed contempt, but none seed to be intimidated. He even saw few people blushed.

'Disgusting.' Aster said in his heart. Their stares were very different than his servant's. Ramuja would stare at him adoringly, and Aster could feel the tenderness inside his eyes.

'Unlike these wolf eyes.'

Grand Duchess was the first one to approach him and stood besides him. She clapped twice, snapping people out of their daze.

"First, I would like to offer my gratitude for all the honorable guests, especially Golden Callia Emperor, Emperor Audric IV, may Golden Callia prosper until the last eternal petal falls." Grand Duchess smiled.

Emperor Audric IV who was flat-faced the whole ti finally showed a warm smile directed towards his sister. He replied shortly, "It is my pleasure."

"Today, my son, Aster Di Arlingdon celebrates his seventeenth birthday. He will be an adult soon. As our only son, Aster will be the one in charge after and my husband retire," Grand Duchess held Aster's hand gently, and winked to the guests below, "Naturally, he is also eligible for engagent."

Aster's eyes widened. He turned his head to his mother. He wanted to ask about the aning of her words, but Grand Duchess ignored him.

"My son is a handso, well mannered and intelligent man. It would be my pleasure to entertain a suitor for my son."

Many young maidens who stared unblinkingly at Aster blushed when they heard Grand Duchess' sudden proposal. They didn't seem to catch the obvious displeasure in Aster's face, while drowning in their own fantasies.

Aster gritted his teeth, there was no talk about engagent before. Why would his mother announce such thing deliberately in his birthday party?

"That is all, please enjoy the party, we have the best musician and many delicacies that would suit your tongue, thank you." Grand Duchess smiled and turned around, then walked away. The smile on her face turned into a smirk.

'Let's see if your pea brain understands my warning, filthy slave.'

***

Aster was in a bad mood. He was standing on the corner while being sward by many young maidens and few n. Usually, Charles was the one who kept him out from other people, but he wasn't here. They were all asking about random stuff just to catch his attention, but Aster was simply uncomfortable. There were few monts when he just needed to step back because these people kept getting closer to him.

However, Aster noticed a maiden who was standing alone behind these flock of people. She didn't approach him, but stared at him attentively. When their eyes t, her face turned red and she casted her head down.

'That's Helene's little sister... right?'

'I think she could help.'

"Excuse , I have to et my friend," Aster smiled and dazzled everyone. He was frowning the whole ti, seeing him smiling like this made them gasped.

Aster made his way to this young woman, probably around his age or a bit younger. She had long, auburn hair and wore a thin eyeglass. She was quite similar to Helene, but looked feminine and soft.

"I have been expecting you," Aster said, while holding her hand. The maiden was taken aback, she tried to pull her hand from Aster's grasp, but the grasp tightened. Aster kept his expression and said, "Let's go."

Aster kept holding her hand and led her outside to the west garden. After there was no one who followed them, he let go of her hand.

"P--Pardon , Young Lord Arlingdon, but why are we here?" the maiden asked. She seed jittery. Aster chuckled.

"I just need to escape those flock of people, it's uncomfortable."

"T--Then, I will leave--"

"No, I should thank you for helping ," Aster grasped her hand. "I know your sister, I should know your na too, I suppose."

"Um... my na is Esther Yvette, Second Princess of North Fort Kingdom," Esther replied.

Unable to bear the soft gaze of Aster, Esther casted her eyes down.

"I'm Aster di Arlingdon, Young Lord of Grand Duchy Stormhill," Aster said softly, "It is my pleasure to know Miss Yvette. As for my gratitude, I shall invite you sotis later."

"I--Invite?!" Esther's mind wandered off wildly.

Aster laughed lightly. "I an, we can have a nice chat later."

"Ah... I see," Esther finally cald down. Her face was still red and Aster still held her hand. "I--I would love to... um... Young Lord, I need to return to the party again."

"Ah, I'm sorry for holding you. Please enjoy the party," Aster let go of his grasp and Esther scurried inside.

Aster's smile disappeared instantly. It was very uncomfortable holding soone's hand. But he had to do it.

Aster fished out his handkerchief and wiped his hand.

He was about to call Jain, but he heard soone from behind. "Did I disturb your mont with that lady, Young Lord?"

Aster turned around. A man with dium build, a head taller than him, wearing a dark blue vest smiled at him. On his chest, there was a lapel pin shaped like a peacock, the signature lapel pin owned by Kingdom of Rhea's royals.

With devilishly handso smile, he took Aster's hand and kissed it gently. "My na is Gaum Cresthold, Second Prince of Kingdom Rhea."