Chapter 240 - The Great King Cried

"Does the news about the Roagelt Massacre become controversial around the continent?" Charles asked his minister. He was sitting leisurely in his throne, but deep inside, his sanity was slowly deteriorating because of Aster's absence.

"Yes, Your Majesty, that monstrous guy had been portrayed as a monster all across the continent and had been condemned for his heinous act," the minister replied.

"Good, we are lucky that slave had killed a boy, or else, the news wouldn't be as controversial, make sure that everybody knows. I don't know where Empress Aster is right now, but as long as we can portray that slave in a bad way, I'm sure Aster will also be in trouble."

"Yes, Your Majesty," The minister left the Emperor Chamber after reporting about the news. Charles laughed maniacally, he took Aster's small portrait from his pocket and kissed it gently.

'You are really stubborn, even after that slave showed up, you are still hiding somewhere. I will make sure that everybody knows how terrible this guy is, so you know that your road with him will not be smooth sailing.'

'Compared to me, why wouldn't you just pick me? I am loyal to you, I love you for years and I have a clean record, I'm also powerful.'

'Aster, you are making me crazy. But it's fine, the reward will be more satisfying the more we play this cat and mouse game, my sweet Aster,' Charles smirked as he kissed the portrait again.

***

"Tuskan, why did you dispatch many of your shadow guards around my room? You know that I'm still a golden blood albeit a blind one. I know that they are all around me," Aster said.

Tuskan seemed to be shocked by Aster's sharp deduction. What he said was true, a day after Mariette told him about Aster and his criminal servant who was a bad influence on Aster, Tuskan started dispatching as many shadow guards as possible around Aster room. In case something happened to Aster.

"I—I—I didn't mean it in a bad way…" Tuskan reasoned, "I'm just anxious that something bad would happen. I just want to protect you."

Aster had the hunch that this would happen, but he just didn't know how to react to Tuskan. He was adept to sense people's emotions and inner thought, although he couldn't read their minds, he would usually guess what was in their minds and it would usually be the correct one.

'He really didn't mean it in a bad way, Tuskan, if you are like Charles who is ruthless and unforgiving, it might be easier to deal with you,' Aster said in his heart.

Aster took his walking stick and walked out from the room, he wanted to get some fresh air, maybe taking an evening walk around the garden. Tuskan said nothing, because Aster was definitely in a bad mood today, he just silently followed Aster from behind and tried to be as stealthy as possible, but Aster immediately ruined it, "If you want to follow me, just walk beside me, why do you need to be a stalker. Tuskan, you are a great king, stand tall and walk proudly!" Aster lectured Tuskan.

"Also, get your shadow guards away. You are here with me, do I need even more supervision? You alone is enough to watch over me!" 

"YES!" Tuskan immediately stood straight and walked side by side with Aster. Aster was still frowning in a bad mood, but he didn't want to have a meaningless fight with Tuskan. Because Tuskan was a good guy, 'Maybe in a different perspective, Ramuja does look villainous...'

Aster had a deep thought for the whole night about what Ramuja did, and he came to the conclusion that, either Ramuja went berserk and lost his mind temporarily, or because Charles baited him with a kid. Knowing Charles, it was possible that he took a random kid and baited Ramuja with it, so he was forced to kill that kid.

"Stay here for a moment, I will bring you some fruits, maybe it will lighten up your mood," Tuskan said. He rushed out, but Aster ignored Tuskan's suggestion and kept walking.

'I know that Ramuja is not that kind of guy, but how to prove to Tuskan and Mariette that Ramuja is not a villain?' Aster pondered in his heart, he didn't realize that he walked to the pond near the center of the garden. When he felt that his walking stick didn't tap to anything, he lost his balance and fell to the pond.

Aster couldn't swim at all, he struggled but the pond was actually deep, "Help! Help me!" he struggled for a while and slowly lost his consciousness.

Aster couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything, as his consciousness drifted away, he closed his eyes and calmly accepted his fate.

'If only you are here, Ramuja. If only you are here to protect me…' Aster thought in his last piece of consciousness.

"ASTER!" Tuskan who had just returned with a box of fruits immediately jumped in and dove to save Aster. He took Aster out of the pond and found that Aster had been there for a while. His face was pale and his body temperature was cold.

Tuskan's eyes started getting red, seeing Aster laying weakly like this crushed his heart. Tuskan pumped Aster's c.h.e.s.t to get the water out of his lung. He also kissed Aster to give him some respiration.

Tuskan started crying while he didn't stop pumping the water out of Aster's c.h.e.s.t, "Aster! Aster! Don't break me like this! Don't kill yourself because of this!"

After a while, Aster reacted and he coughed all the water. He was shivering because of the cold, the first thing he noticed was Tuskan who sobbed and he was hugged immediately by this guy.

"Aster… don't do this to me…" Tuskan said while sobbing, "I will never forgive myself if you died because of me."

Aster could feel that Tuskan's hand trembled, but he was trying to be as gentle as possible, "Sorry, and… thank you…" Aster said. He felt guilty himself, because Tuskan rarely cried, if he ever actually cried.

Aster patted Tuskan's head gently, "I'm fine, I didn't do it on purpose too. I was just careless."

Tuskan still sobbed and whimpered like a small kid, he hugged Aster gently, "Aster, I didn't want you to get hurt by anything. I don't want to force you over anything either, but…"

Tuskan held Aster's shoulder with his hands, he observed Aster's pale face, blindness, and overall fragile appearance. He started crying again, "But I will never forgive myself if you got hurt by someone because I couldn't protect you."

"Tuskan, relax, I'm fine…"

"Fine? I only left you for a moment and you almost drowned. Don't you see this? I did all of this because I love you, Aster!" Tuskan declared his love for the first time.

Aster already knew that Tuskan loved him, but faced with his boldness did take him by storm. Aster was silent. He was silent because he already knew that he couldn't reciprocate Tuskan's feelings.

'This is not the right time to reject him, besides… he is the one that saved me. I'm not a man without conscience…' Aster thought. Aster pinched Tuskan's cheek, "Why did you cry? You are a great king! You shouldn't cry over a small matter!"

"This is not a small matter!" Tuskan argued, "This is the matter of life and death of someone that I love! Of course, I will cry!"

"Alright… alright," Aster sighed and then kissed Tuskan's cheek gently, "Thank you, my hero. You saved me," Aster said and he smiled.

Tuskan was again stupefied. And for the first time, he had the urge to do something spontaneously. He held Aster's back head and then kissed him consciously without any flower between their lips.

A feeling of wanting grew inside his heart, and he wanted more. The conflicted feeling of greed and protective behavior clashed inside his head, as he didn't want to hurt Aster, but he wanted Aster for himself.

"Aster..."

***

Surprisingly, he could feel a shadow lurking somewhere. The shadow condensed and turned into a man that already kneeled in front of him, Aster smiled, "Irion trained you well, that is Jain's technique, right?"

The shadow guard called Nate felt flattered that he was complimented by his master, he replied excitedly, "Yes, Milord! Sir Irion said that I'm his best disciple! He even gave me his needle choker, he said that it will remind me that I should be your dog forever!"

Aster laughed dryly, 'Wow, Irion hadn't changed at all.'

"Well, you are here to hear my command, right? I suppose you will be back to Golden Camellia after this," Aster asked. And the shadow guard nodded.

'I couldn't leave Great Arctyr right now, Mariette and Tuskan's men are lurking around, besides, what can a blind man do in the volatile Golden Camellia? I will only be a hindrance for Irion.��

'But I miss Ramuja… I really miss him. Whenever I recall the moment about us, he will always come as a humble and gentle person.'

'Ramuja, I can't meet you right now. But I will make sure that you are safe, I just hope that… your love still lingers for me when we meet again.'

Aster took a deep breath and then voiced his command, "Tell Irion to contact Florentino Viete, since his position is in danger. Also, contact my father, Grand Duke Harion. I'm sure that I've left him the note to hold a charity event in case something bad happens in Dionde City while I'm gone. Irion will know what I'm talking about once you told him about charity."

"Also, for Ramuja…" Aster wanted to write a letter, but he was blind, thus, he asked Nate the shadow guard to write something down for him, "Write this, and I will sign it after you write it."

My handsome knight,

I cannot see you, but you are always the man I dreamed every night.

Be strong, because you are going for a fight.

My handsome Ramuja, you are my hope. I Believe that you will fight for our right.