Aster sat on a chair near the window while waiting for Lady Merse. He had his face wrinkled, frowning with displeasure while fiddling rubbing his fingers to his satin sleeve. He wasn't nervous at all, unlike himself before. He had the plan in mind and should be executed perfectly. But the most important thing is, his mind constantly thought about Ramuja.

'I wonder what would he say if he ever see me meeting a woman...'

'Would he be jealous?'

'Maybe showed displeasure and hostility towards that woman?'

'That made me a bit happy.'

'Hehe... heheheh...'

Aster chuckled, which flustered Jain who was standing behind him. "Young Lord, is there anything wrong?" Jain asked.

"Oh... No, everything is perfect," Aster replied with a smile. Jain suddenly remembered about that one person who Young Lord had saved the last medal for. He couldn't help but be slightly envious.

'To be able to make Young Lord laugh like this... how fortunate.' Jain said in his heart.

Not long after, the door got knocked, then Irion's voice was heard from outside. "Young Lord, Her Highness Lady Merse of Thana come to visit."

"Yes, let her in." Aster said.

The door opened. Aster saw Lady Merse with that disgusting face smiling to him. She wore a tight red dress with revealed shoulder and showed her figure. But because she was very thin, it only made her look even more ugly in Aster's eye.

'How can a person be so ugly, yet so confident?'

Aster hid his displeasure in his heart and stood up to greet Lady Merse.

He kissed Lady Merse's hand and led her to the seat directly facing him. Lady Merse smiled to Aster and saw nothing was wrong. She observed the area around with her quick fox eyes and saw no harm like ȧssassin, she also smell the tea that was served for her and there was no sign of poison.

It was really a regular invitation for her.

Lady Merse thought that Aster would be traumatized with her that she needed to find a way to eat this boy. But it seemed that he liked her in some ways.

Lady Merse smiled and drank the cup of tea. She saw Aster observed her dress and immediately bowed his head. He had pale skin, thus, Lady Merse could definitely notice his shyness, his cute blush.

'Cute... I've never seen someone this cute...' Lady Merse thought. She grinned behind the cup of tea on her lips.

"Cute boy, what is your intention to invite me? Or maybe... you really missed me?" Lady Merse teased. Aster blushed once more.

"No... I'm just... feeling a bit lonely..." Aster said with his head bowed down.

"Lonely?" Lady Merse raised her eyebrows. After she inquired about Aster's origin, she then realized that Aster was very popular in noble circle. Everyone talked about his undeniable beauty, but to see the same person said that he was lonely was quite surprising.

Aster nodded. He smiled sheepishly and said, "Her Majesty Aunt Empress prohibit me to leave the palace. So I really have no friend here, no one to talk to," Aster said, there was slight grievance in his face. "Thus, when I heard that Milady would like to visit me anytime soon, I was enthralled. I thought I finally have someone to talk to..."

Aster's eyes glanced once more to Lady Merse and his face blushed tomato red. "B--but, Lady Merse showed up with such beautiful dress... I was caught unprepared..."

Lady Merse was surprised. She was used to some people saying nasty words about her appearance, thus she paid no mind to what people said. But this boy actually blushed when he saw her.

'Does this boy actually... like me?' Lady Merse's heart skipped once. She was about to jump out of happiness. For years, she was powerful, but unwanted. Now there was a young man in front of him that blushes to her appearance.

'And I thought I was not beautiful anymore.'

Lady Merse smiled and her hand reached Aster's hand. She could feel Aster's hand trembled.

'He must've been nervous, so cute...' Lady Merse thought.

"My sister forbids you to leave the palace? Are you being punished?" Lady Merse asked.

Aster shook his head, he opened his mouth, but hesitated. Lady Merse saw this gesture and said, "No need to be hesitant. I wont report what you said to my sister."

"In fact, I've been in a bad term with my sister for a while," Lady Merse said to convince Aster even more.

Aster's body trembled. Lady Merse could feel his hand started sweating, "What's the matter?"

Aster took heavy breaths but couldn't control his panic, "M--Milady! Please don't say such thing recklessly!"

Lady Merse frowned, "I don't see anything particularly dangerous."

"Milady, once, I showed displeasure to Empress, and she punished me horribly." Aster said.

"Hm? What kind of punishment? I doubt she would give you extreme punishment."

"M--My hands were tied to a branch and I was forced to stand in the palace yard during harsh winter without any warmer, not even a shoes was allowed. My feet was frostbitten until I couldn't stand anymore, then my cousin, Crown Prince Charles saved me from her punishment." Aster said. He shuddered, "If Charles wasn't there, I might already had my feet amputated."

Lady Merse frowned. She knew that Empress and Emperor were rigid and could be harsh sometimes. But to punish a young boy until he risked his feet to be amputated was too far. Besides, this was the only heir of Grand Duchy Stormhill, and their direct nephew.

Lady Merse's relationship with her Empress sister was particularly in a bad terms too. Since her sister seemed to suppress her in many ways, maybe she noticed that House of Thana's military power was getting stronger each day that it scared the Empress.

Lady Merse observed Aster's expression and couldn't help but ask, "But you're from Grand Duchy Stormhill, Grand Duke and Duchess should be able to do something."

Aster shook his head; "There is an agreement because I am now under Uncle Emperor's tutelage. So my life is in his hand and Aunt Empress'. My parents got fooled. Besides, we don't have military power at all." Aster grieved.

It was true that Grand Duchy Stormhill doesn't have military power at all, under the edict of late Emperor. The duchy was well protected because it holds economic value.

Lady Merse saw the grieving Aster and couldn't resist to rub his cheek, "Cute boy, don't be sad. I am actually powerful. I will help you."

Aster raised his head. Lady Merse's hand was nuzzling his cheek, but he seemed to be unbothered. "Milady, I... I don't need that kind of help. I just you're your help to guard me for few days."

"Guard you?"

"Yes, it has been few days that I see a figure observing me from the tree branch outside my window. First, I thought it was just a regular shadow guard... until few days ago, he broke into my room and tried to kill me."

Lady Merse jolted. "Tried to kill you?!"

"Yes... he brought a knife, but lucky that the guard outside, my only guard, was able to react and immediately entered the room. The ȧssassin left in a flash that my guard was unable to catch him."

"The guard in front is my only guard, and he hasn't been sleeping for three days straight. I'm afraid he would die out of exhaustion. That is why I wish Lady Merse could lend me few guards, so my guard can rest."

Lady Merse recalled the guard outside the room. She did notice that the guard was a bit wobbly. Lady Merse looked at Aster pitifully. "Have you tried to ask for protection from my sister or the Emperor?"

"I tried... but they said the guard around the palace didn't see anything wrong. So, Aunt Empress said that I was just trying to find reason to leave."

Lady Merse sighed. This boy was really pitiful. "I will lend you my two personal guards that will guard your room."

"T--Thank you, Milady." Aster finally showed a relieved expression. However, he bowed his head not long after, "But I don't have anything to pay you... I--Umm... not ready for physical relationship..." Aster said while blushing once more.

Lady Merse chuckled. "Cute boy, I am helping you because I want to. About such relationship, you don't need to think about it."

Lady Merse smiled sincerely. She thought she could just eat him once and then leave. But something else was growing inside her. Looking at Aster, she realized that he was such an innocent boy.

'If my child is alive, he should be around Aster's age.'

Lady Merse recalled about her bitter memory. The moment when her son died during childbirth and she couldn't conceive a child anymore, she thought she lost everything. Thus, she lived recklessly.

But after talking to Aster for a moment, she realized something more than pure ŀust grew inside of her. She wanted to protect this boy.

'And I'm here thinking about eating this vɨrġɨn boy before.' Lady Merse felt ashamed of herself.

"Thanking Milady for your generosity," Aster smiled. He volunteered himself to pour the tea to Lady Merse's cup. "Does Milady need to leave after this?"

Lady Merse chuckled. "Cute boy, do you miss me already? I will stay for the night in the palace, because I also have to meet my sister tomorrow. Maybe I can talk to her about you."

Aster paused, and then smiled again, "That would be perfect. Indeed, perfect."