Chapter 44 - Preparation with Jain Tellah

The next day, Aster wrote an invitation to Lady Merse. He wrote it with a bit of frivolous words that itched one's heart. He called the servant and smuggled the letter to his lunch tray that had been served personally by Lady Merse's servant in the palace.

"Do not forget to deliver it soon. I have been expecting her arrival." Aster said. The servant nodded. He didn't really understand why would Young Lord want to meet his master, Lady Merse. His master was infamous to have been preying on young men. Thus, most men she already touched ended up traumatized.

But this Young Lord, he wanted to see Lady Merse. He didn't even look reluctant. The servant went to the kitchen, put back the tray and took the letter stealthily. He could smell the strong fragrance that made him intoxicated for a moment. The letter even had Young Lord Aster's perfume lingered on it. The servant was in doubt. It was simply unbelievable for someone as bright as Grand Duchy Stormhill's Young Lord to be interested to an old woman, an old married woman for that.

'Young Lord Aster is indeed perfect, but if he is interested with my master like this... the royals are sure bunch of lunatics.' The servant thought. He kept the letter and prepared to hand it to Lady Merse's messenger tomorrow.

***

Aster looked at the food delivered by Lady Merse's servant and he scorned. He ignored it and waited for Jain to enter his room.

Jain entered his room with different tray and removed all the food delivered by that servant. He served a new set of meal for Aster. His expression was nothing but smile, and it was sincere smile.

Aster attentively observed Jain's movement when he put the food in front of him. He noticed something and immediately grabbed Jain's wrist.

Jain froze. He saw at his master's expression. It turned sharp and full of suspicion. "Is there something wrong, Young Lord?" Jain asked.

Aster loosened his grip and slowly rolled the sleeve up, showing Jain's wrist. He noticed something and glared at Jain. "You haven't told me that you are an assassin."

Jain's eyes widened. He didn't know that Young Lord could notice that he was an assassin by a mere stare. He thought he hid the knife perfectly in his sleeve. It was a small knife that he always had. He didn't have a master for ten years until he decided to be a regular butler.

"This servant was an assassin, Young Lord. This servant had a master ten years ago, but he died in a battle. This one just have this knife tucked because of habit." Jain answered truthfully.

"Then, for ten years you don't have a new master and decided to be a regular butler instead?"

"Yes." Jain nodded.

"You still give me an incomplete story. There is no way that you can be a butler in a palace without any notable background." Aster scorned. "And for ten years, you have no master. But now you want me to be your master? I don't believe in such coincidence."

Jain smiled ironically. He couldn't tell the real reason or Young Lord might get offended.

'If I say that I decided to be your servant because you look like a small, cute animal, you would find it unpleasant, right?' Jain remembered his previous master fondly. He was similar to Young Lord Aster, because both are dazzling men. But Jain had more reason than that. It was because he found Aster looked beautiful and pitiful, like a small animal that needed protection.

He was raised in Tellah clan, a secret clan who looked like regular lower noble house, but was actually family of trained assassins. He never had any pity to human or animal. But seeing Aster for the first time when Empress humiliated him had sparked his instinct to protect Aster.

"This one comes from House of Tellah, a small barony house." Jain replied.

"I see. I learned something now. Your family... is bunch of trained assassins, right?" Aster asked.

Jain was again mesmerized. Young Lord really had a sharp mind. It was strange that he looked so weak in the outside. He also looked different than what he was when he entered this palace for the first time.

Since there was no point of hiding it any longer, Jain nodded. "Yes, House of Tellah is a family of trained assassins. We served based on our willingness. And it was our tradition to follow a master--"

"--And we believe in fated relation. This one served my previous master for four years before he died when this one was 20 years old."

"--But I... Jain Tellah, believe that my fated master is you, Young Lord." Jain said sincerely. He kneeled in front of Aster and raised his palms equal to Aster's hand. "This servant hadn't had a chance to say it before. But if Young Lord is willing, I requested Young Lord's hand to hold mine."

"Hold hands?" Aster frowned. He wasn't fond of physical touch, but in front of Jain, he didn't feel disgust. He was just a bit baffled by this sudden development.

"It is my clan's personal oath to our master. This one never do this before," Jain said. "Young Lord just needs to let this servant hold Young Lord's hand for a moment."

Aster nodded. He put his hands to Jain's palm. Jain c.a.r.e.s.sed it gently, closed his eyes and pledged his oath. "I, Jain Tellah, am my master's hand. I shall follow my master to both glory and doom. I shall not question master's order. I, Jain Tellah, will follow Young Lord forever."

Jain opened his eyes and softly kissed Aster's hand twice, once on each hand.

'I'm sorry Young Lord. The last sentence of my oath, I added it myself. Also that kiss.' Jain said in his heart.

Aster's heart skipped a bit. He was a bit uncomfortable because he had to let his palms getting kissed twice. But he just nodded and said, "I, Aster di Arlingdon, accept your oath."

Jain smiled in satisfaction. After he finished his oath, he took the item that Young Lord had requested before. It was a star keychain from a guard medal. However, it was different from his guard medal. The star was actually made with diamond and engraved with a small crown at the back of the star. It was, the Empress official guard medal.

"This one knows one of the Empress' secret follower who has one of Empress' guard medal. This servant stole it myself."

Aster was surprised. Getting the Empress' guard medal was just a test to whether Jain had a useful ability, especially since he 'worked' as room checker. With this one star from the guard medal, he could do the best plan he could ever think of.

"Perfect!" Aster said. He smiled and patted Jain's shoulder. "You did a good job." Jain didn't say anything. But he bowed his head, trying to hide his obvious embarrassing smile.

Aster didn't take the guard medal however. Instead he gave it back to Jain. "For our plan later, can you be the main pawn?" Aster asked.

Jain nodded, but he gave even better idea. "Young Lord, using this servant as the pawn would only raise suspicion of Emperor and Empress. This servant has a subordinate that I personally trained and he also works under me. We can use him instead."

"Hmm, if you think he is trusted. Then don't forget to give the medal to him and set up the scene." Aster ordered.

"Yes, Young Lord. This servant will do as you ordered." Jain nodded and excused himself. He left Aster's room and his smile instantly bloomed.

'Young Lord actually smiled and praised me...' Jain walked through the corridor, but he was dazed the whole time.

Grand Duchess stirred the tea while hearing the report from one of his servant. He was a cook that poisoned Aster's food with Ferce powder before. Which ended up killing the female assassin hired by Grand Duchess.

"So, my son thinks that you work under somebody else?" Grand Duchess asked. The cook nodded. He was sweating the whole time, because he didn't know whether Grand Duchess would be pleased or not. If she found him displeasing, then his life was over.

Grand Duchess giggled. She stopped stirring the tea and sipped it.

"I see that my son is developing. This is such a pleasant surprise." Grand Duchess said. She had her eyes darted towards the kneeling cook, "Who was with you in Aster's room?"

"Replying to Grand Duchess, it was a young guard name Irion and the recently promoted butler, Jain Tellah."

"I see." Grand Duchess frowned, something was both pleasant and unpleasant at the same time. It was pleasant because Aster was finally growing and able to filter the best candidates to use a guard medal for. She knew the background of both Irion Swordheart and Jain Tellah. They would definitely be a huge help for him later.

However, it was also unpleasant because both Irion and Jain weren't directly affiliated with her grand duchy. Thus, it would be hard for Grand Duchess to observe Aster now.

It wasn't the most unpleasant thing, though. The most unpleasant was the fact that Aster didn't use the third star on somebody else. If he really saved it for someone... that person must be special for him.

'Aster won't save the last medal for that slave, right?'

Grand Duchess light smile and beautiful expression turned dark in an instant. Every servant in her chamber suddenly jolted in fear. If Grand Duchess' expression turned sour, there must be someone with unfortunate soul that would die today.

Grand Duchess looked at the cook in front of her. She glanced at the guards and the guards immediately understood. They dragged the cook out of the chamber.

The cook trembled and desperately tried to cling on Grand Duchess' feet. "Her Majesty Grand Duchess! What is my fault? I--I didn't do anything wrong!"

Grand Duchess sighed as if it was a boring thing. "You are no longer useful. You can't observe my son, because my son already suspects you, and there might be the chance of you getting caught by Aster or another nobles."

"But I promised! No, I have my oath to never betray you, your majesty!"

"It is also stated in your oath that your life is in my hand. Now, go. Don't worry I will not kill you. I will just cast you out to somewhere outskirt and have you live as regular peasant."

"But, your majesty, I am born as a cook! I couldn't get ingredients to cook if I am a peasant! I also have a wife!"

"I will give you compensation. But after that, it is not my problem. Now leave, before I find you even more displeasing." Grand Duchess ordered. The cook was lost of words. He felt like he already sold his soul to the devil and now this was his retribution. He followed the guards weakly.

Grand Duchess sipped her tea. She knew that her son was planning something, but she now had limited information due to these two new subordinates of his. And the last guard medal, she could only wait to see whether the guard medal would be used on that slave or not.

'This is really unpleasant. But I could only sit and watch while planning against Merse.'