Chapter 254 - A Walking Disaster II

The Autumn Festival in Great Arctyr was held on Sunday. Saintess Celine City harbor was crowded with lavish sh.i.p.s from other neighboring countries and there were also smaller sh.i.p.s from other smaller countries colonized by the Great Arctyr to attend the Autumn Festival.

The Autumn Festival in Great Arctyr was slightly different than Autumn Banquet in Golden Camellia. Because the Autumn Festival was held only once every five years, and it was always five times larger than any Autumn Banquet in Golden Camellia. The festival was to commemorate the good harvest for the last five years in Great Arctyr.

Aster heard the crowd of people chattering and laughing together in the corridor. He smiled and then continued to enjoy the autumn breeze in his room. He was unable to sit on the balcony, fearing that someone might saw a mysterious man on the balcony. Thus, Aster asked the maid to open the balcony door and he sat on the sofa inside the room instead.

The cool breeze of autumn was always his favorite, because of his condition, he was unable to endure the summer heat. Although his skin condition got better as he aged, he still had the uncomfortable rash when the heat was too much, thus, his affinity to cold season never really disappeared.

'The only thing missing here is Ramuja who would constantly nag at me for not taking care of my health seriously. He is an even worse nagger than Anne or any kind of grandma, seriously,' Aster chuckled.

Honestly, Aster was a bit scared that someone from Golden Camellia would discover him, but Tuskan said that the maids outside will tightly guard the door. He was unable to dispatch guards to protect the door though, because it would raise suspicion from other nobles instead, in which Aster agreed.

'I hope everything will go well…'

*** 

"Wow, Great Arctyr Palace is much more majestic than what I expected," Merry was amazed by the architecture of Great Arctyr Palace. Although it didn't have that golden gate, or golden statue like in Golden Palace, it was twice larger than Golden Palace. And it looked like everything was in order in Great Arctyr Palace.

The carriage stopped and then the coachman opened the door, Merry stepped outside with her white heels, she wore a purple dress with star decoration surrounding the waistline, her dark hair was thickly braided. She created an air of a beautiful, soft and dignified lady. Everyone in the main hall knew that this lady was definitely from Golden Camellia, because the dress looked really expensive, completely out of reach from a regular noble.

Merry smiled beautifully, inside her heart, she was enjoying all the attention, 'Ah, I know I'm born to be a queen. I am extremely beautiful, much more beautiful than Aster. Of course, people will like me, I was just unlucky to be born from slave parents. But the priority is not these low nobles, I know that Great King Tuskan must have been waiting for me.'

The crowd of men who flocked around Merry started courting on her, trying to woo her with their charm and wealth, but Merry did not budge at all. She only smiled faintly and responded politely, 'Disgusting! They are all low nobles! Emperor Charles is like… a hundred times richer, stronger, and more handsome than them and he never mentioned anything about his appearance!'

'I am fit with the high aristocrats, not some low sc.u.m like them!'

Merry excused herself from the crowd and she looked around to find the Great King. Tuskan was actually busy talking with the other kings from other nations, discussing further possibilities of trade or diplomatic relations. He didn't bother with some random nobles.

After Merry spotted the Great King, she was getting excited, because Tuskan was wearing his Great King garment instead of a regular noble garment like he did during the Golden Princess' wedding.

Tuskan wore a white and silver tuxedo with a red rose in his pocket. He wore a waist length, star blue robe on his left shoulder, and he wore the crown of the Great King. Tuskan was really tall as he was slightly taller than big Ramuja, he also looked handsome and vigorous with his short auburn hair and beautiful green eyes. When Merry saw the crown, she already imagined how beautiful the crown was for the Great Queen.

She approached the crowd of the kings slowly and then acted as if she tripped, "Ouch!" the glass of wine in her hand fell and wet Tuskan's suede shoes.

"A—Ah! Pardon me, Your Majesty, I tripped!" Merry looked up to Tuskan and other kings. She already lowered her dress a bit, so her cleavage was showing slightly, the other kings were instantly enchanted with such beauty that they were stunned silly.

Tuskan himself noticed that this girl was the one who was with Emperor Charles during the Golden Princess wedding. He was actually a bit annoyed, because this girl was definitely intentionally trying to show her charm, because her cleavage was showing slightly, as if she was inviting the kings to indulge in it. He sighed and then helped the lady get up, "I'm fine, are you alright though? Did you get hurt?" Tuskan asked out of politeness.

Merry blushed instantly, "I… I am alright, I'm sorry, Your Majesty…"

Merry tried to lean closer to Tuskan's arm, so her c.h.e.s.t was pressed on Tuskan's arm, she smiled charmingly, "Thank you for the help…"

Tuskan was disgusted with such undignified act, in front of the kings, this girl shamelessly seduced him. But he couldn't get angry at her either, because she was the guest from Golden Camellia, thus, he still had to respect her. Technically, although Golden Camellia and Great Arctyr was in the same power hierarchy, Golden Camellia still had a slight upper hand due to their enormous economy, which, at least thirty percent of it came from the contribution of Grand Duchy Stormhill to the country.

"Miss, your face is a bit red, is the wine too much for your tolerance? If you are tipsy, please drink water and take a walk around the palace. I'm sure you will get better once you take a tour around," Tuskan suggested. Merry's smile got wider as her beautiful dark pupils dilated.

"Thank you for Your Majesty's suggestion, I will take a walk around, to familiarize myself with Great Arctyr Palace," Merry said, 'Because this will be my third palace~'

Tuskan frowned upon hearing her response, but he had a serious talk with the kings here, he almost struck a trade deal with a neighboring country, thus he nodded and Merry finally let go of her hands. She was happy with how Tuskan reacted.

'Ah, he reacted positively. He must've been wanting to kiss and embrace me, but because there are so many kings in front of him, he was embarrassed! Maybe he will be the one who takes my v.i.r.g.i.n.i.t.y right after this autumn festival? Oh my, what should I say to Emperor Charles and Prince Rama! Hm… well, they loved me too much, of course they will forgive me and love me unconditionally!'

Merry walked around the Great Arctyr Palace. The palace was indeed majestic from the outside and the inside. The palace was decorated mostly with white marble, and the porcelain vases planted with rare flowers in the corridor gave this Great Palace the clean and fresh atmosphere.

Merry was deep inside her imagination that she forgot the corridor she walked. The Great Arctyr Palace was twice bigger than Golden Palace, which was already huge. She looked around and saw no one on this side of the palace. Not even a guard or servant, maybe because the event had started, so the nobles and servants gathered in the main palace.

She walked around to find a servant to help her go back to the main palace, until she stumbled upon a corridor with a single room. There were two maids chatting outside, tightly guarding the door.

She walked to them, wanting them to guide her back. When she was near the maids, the maids didn't realize that someone was near them.

"Ah, Milord must have been sad, his beauty was breathtaking, it is a waste that he cannot join the party!"

"Yeah, that's right, but maybe when he becomes our next queen, he will be able to attend parties with His Majesty Great King. Maybe he can attend a party in Golden Camellia too, his birthplace…"

Merry was shocked with the words 'he', 'queen', and 'Golden Camellia.'

'The queen position is mine! Who is this guy! Dares taking my throne!' Merry rushed and confronted the maid, "Open the door! I want to talk with the one inside this room!"

The maids were shocked with the sudden appearance of this woman, but they did their duty and said, "Pardon us, Miss. But His Majesty Great King does not allow any visitor to enter this room."

Merry didn't care, he pushed the maids to the side and she pushed the door, but it was locked, "Unlock the door!"

"M—Miss, no one is allowed, this is the direct order from the king himself…"

"Do you know who I am? I am the distinguished noblewoman from Golden Camellia, I am the important guest here! I am also the fiancée of Emperor Audric V! Do you want to lose your head for disrespecting the next Empress of Golden Camellia?!"

The maids were so scared when this woman boldly claimed that she was the next empress of Golden Camellia. Great Arctyr and Golden Camellia had a long bloody history, they didn't want to cause another war.

Aster was dazed as he sat on the sofa, he was half asleep, but he heard the door was slammed open. His head turned at the door and asked warily, "Who's there?!"

Merry couldn't believe what she saw. She saw the man with his signature ethereal beauty, sitting leisurely on the sofa, her gaze darkened as the acc.u.mulated anger inside her heart finally burst.

Merry cursed at this guy in front of him with a voice almost like a hiss, "You dirty bitch."