Chapter 262 - A Servant and A Husband

"Have you contacted your kingdom about our marriage? And about the upcoming war?" Aster asked Ramuja who was standing behind him.

"Yes, Adah said that the Sun Kingdom is getting prepared for the war." Ramuja replied.

Aster was sitting in the Great Queen personal chamber, reading the doc.u.ments about Great Arctyr's economy growth. The previously beautiful and artistic chamber full of unnecessary stuff was turned completely into a regular office once Aster entered.

There was a small argument between him and Tuskan about it, because Great Queen chamber was usually to have leisure time of playing chess or having evening tea, not to work restlessly like Aster, Aster scoffed, "Since I am the Great Queen, I have the right to utilize this room based on my needs. If you want a useless queen that only knows how to buy useless stuff and gossip all day, then I am not the one you need. I know that you need a queen that can help you handle the Great Arctyr's economy, right?"

Tuskan could only lower his head and nodded slightly, because in reality, it was true. He struggled to stabilize the economy of Great Arctyr, unlike Golden Camellia who had Aster as the backbone, with his policies, he could stabilize and improve Golden Camellia's economy easily. Grand Duke Harion was the minister of economy before, now his son should also be one, because Aster is a lot more capable than his father.

Ramuja who was standing behind his wife could only mutter in his heart, 'But, Milord, did you forget that you bought many useless things in Golden Camellia? You bought a twenty gold coins coat, you got ripped off easily, but you thought everything was a bargain, so naive…'

Ramuja could only say that in his heart though, he was afraid that Milord would throw a tantrum at him and kick him out of his office. Ramuja soon realized that his subservience to his wife was already embedded deep in his bones. As soon as Aster ordered him to do things, his body moved on its own.

Ramuja silently gazed at his master from above, Aster's eyelashes fluttered whenever he made a small move, Ramuja could see his wife's c.h.e.s.t from this point of view, because Aster always used a loose shirt for comfort. Aster's profile was always beautiful no matter the angle.

'I think, I'd rather stay like this, to be your servant and husband forever, Aster. So, no one can serve you,' Ramuja thought. The day after their marriage, a maid knocked the door of their chamber, they were dressed with their night pajamas when Aster allowed the maid to go in.

Aster didn't seem to be bothered by the maid's intimate care. She brought a basin of warm water and wanted to wipe Aster's hands and feet, once her fingers touched Aster's fingers, Ramuja was burning in jealousy.

Ramuja's gaze darkened and he said, "You go out, I will take care of Aster myself."

The maid was surprised, never in a million that he heard a husband would wipe his wife's hands and feet, it was simply unbelievable. But looking at Prince Rama's serious gaze, the maid shuddered and nodded, she left the room immediately.

Aster chuckled, "Why are you acting like this? She is just doing her job."

"But she is touching you!" Ramuja protested, "No one is allowed to touch you!"

Aster found that after becoming a prince, Ramuja would be very open to express himself and show his jealousy. He would frown, angry, and even glared at people who tried to get close to Aster, "If you are like this, I don't think I can live long."

"W—What! Why?!" Ramuja panicked and hugged Aster immediately, "Y—You will live long, I guarantee it! I will make sure that you live long!"

"Ramuja, you are overreacting," Aster sighed, "Human needs to socialize, especially a noble like us. I need to have many colleagues. I'll be depressed if Great Arctyr or Grand Duchy Stormhill suffered because I don't have supports from the local landlords and nobles."

Aster flicked Ramuja's forehead and said, "I am yours. My body and soul are all yours, you don't need to be so insecure about it."

"But… you are beautiful… so… I'm just afraid that…" Ramuja mumbled meekly. But in the end, he could only nod. He had one request though, that no one should be allowed to be Aster's personal servant. Ramuja took all that duty.

Aster glanced at Ramuja who was dazed while staring down at him, he sighed, "Ramuja, if you are tired, you should rest."

"I'm not tired." Ramuja said resolutely. He really didn't tire at all.

"Are you seriously going to retain your status as my servant forever?"

"Yes!" Ramuja nodded vigorously, "I will be your husband and servant forever!"

Aster felt a little helpless himself, how could his spouse become his servant? He found it ridiculous, but Ramuja was firm about it, "When you rule the Sun Kingdom, I don't want you to abandon your duty just because you're stubborn to serve me."

"That… uhm… I don't know how to govern… I'm planning to give all the governing stuff to Arjun," Ramuja was a bit embarrassed with the situation, because he lived as a slave for his entire life, he couldn't read, and knew nothing about administration and governing.

"Well, of course, you can, but you shouldn't put all the burden in him," Aster smiled, "I will teach you how to read later, I will also teach you about administration and governing, lest, you won't be completely blind about it. But teaching a grown a.d.u.l.t is hard, you should learn seriously, it will be rewarding though, I promise."

'Teaching. A.d.u.l.ts. Hard. Reward. Promise.' Ramuja's head popped an idea immediately. He held Aster's hand and said enthusiastically, "Can I get reward each time I learned something from your teaching?"

Aster raised his brows, "What kind of reward? I don't think you need money at this point. If you are talking about having a second or third wife, I will not allow it! I know that Sun Kingdom practiced polygamy for their kings, I will not allow you or I will divo—"

Aster was stunned when Ramuja bowed down and then kissed his lips gently, "This kind of reward," Ramuja said. He hugged Aster to his embrace and his hand slid to Aster's shirt, 'The more I learn, the better the reward should be, right?'

Aster's pale face turned completely red and he pushed Ramuja, "P—Pervert!"

Ramuja smiled meaningfully, "I told you that you are the only one, right? I will never marry anybody else, and I will never divorce you. I will never let you divorce me too."

Ramuja said it calmly, but there was a thin dark scarlet aura around his body, Ramuja lowered his head, so Aster couldn't see his dark gaze, "I will not let you marry anybody else too, I will break their neck if they dare to court you romantically."

Aster hit Ramuja's head with a doc.u.ment and said, "Stop making scary remarks, I'm marrying my gentle Ramuja, not that violent Charles."

Ramuja's dark scarlet hue vanished instantly and he pouted, "Wife, you just beat me, this is domestic violence…"

Aster rolled his eyes, "I just hit your head with a bunch of papers! You trained with Irion everyday with all those weird stuff! You also survived so many battles, including a battle with Charles! You're nitpicking again!"

"But I feel nothing when fighting against them, when you beat me with the doc.u.ment, my heart got hurt instead…"

Aster was getting annoyed with Ramuja's trick, he pulled Ramuja's collar and then kissed his lips deeply, "There, satisfied?"

Ramuja's smile bloomed, he was satisfied when Aster took the initiative. Aster read the doc.u.ment that had just arrived, it contained a letter and a new military enlistment in Golden Camellia. Aster read the letter, it was from Irion.

Aster wrote a new letter and then called Nate. Nate appeared after a brief moment. Aster put the letter in an envelope and gave it to Nate, "Give this letter to Irion, that is my order. Also, tell him that I will not return to Golden Camellia until Charles is ready to invade Arctyr."

"Yes, Milord!" Nate said and he disappeared.

Aster glanced at Ramuja who was curious about the plan, he smiled, "I'm instructing Irion to command Esther, so the northern barbarian will invade North Fort Kingdom during Golden Camellia's weakest state. Once Charles leaves Golden Camellia with all the troops he formed, we will attack Golden Camellia from the inside and force him to return back empty handed from the Great Arctyr. He will have no time to fight against Tuskan at all, knowing that Golden Camellia is in a crisis. It will be our advantage after that."

Ramuja nodded, somehow, he still thought that his wife didn't fit well as Minister of economy, or Grand Duke. Because the scale that he controlled was too small, Aster was worth more than that. He was an expert in everything except art… and common sense.

'He fits more as the Emperor of Golden Camellia…'