Grand Duchess sat with few other noblewomen and smiled whenever they told a joke and she followed the conversation elegantly. She was never the one who spoke vulgarly, nor the one who showed careless emotion. She was always in control of herself.

            “Speaking of which, your son looks gorgeous, too gorgeous!” one old lady said. She sat beside Grand Duchess and spoke eagerly, “I see that Young Lord Aster is still single and definitely the best bachelor in this empire! How about marrying him to my son? My son is a major general under the Crown Prince, he is only thirty years old and very handsome too! I’m sure your son would be interested.”

            Grand Duchess darted a sharp glance for a second before returned back to her composed self. She observed the one who initiated that idea of marriage.

            ‘Lady Mierna, the Countess of Urterd, the southeast of Golden Camellia Empire. Not a rich house, not also an influential house. Yet, due to their two sons, they rose up steadily in the noble circle because of the achievement. As I researched before, they seem to be overly reliant on their sons’ achievements in order to gain favor. Very unreliable.’

            Grand Duchess remembered that she had report from one of her spies about this house. Thus, she concluded that this house wasn’t even worth batting an eye, a house that was overly reliant with honor and glory would just fall whenever there was a military setback.

            ‘Besides, her house is siding with Charles.’

            However, Grand Duchess refused in calm manner, “I do not mind, as long as my son wills it. But he is in a poor health condition. I’m afraid he cannot follow your son if he has military campaign.”

            “Oh, don’t worry about that, Young Lord could always wait in the castle, like a good wife,” Lady Mierna persuaded.

            “Pardon me, but my son is a man worth more than just waiting for someone in a castle, he is also managing the duchy, Dionde City and our businesses. Please refrain from making such degrading remark about him, your son should be getting a man or woman who has no other use but a house decoration,” Grand Duchess retorted coldly.

            Lady Mierna seemed to be lost for words. She didn’t expect Grand Duchess to reply in such harsh manner. Thus, Lady Mierna just nodded and excused herself.

            ‘Another trash finally left. How dare they proposed a marriage for my son, but not weighing their own capability as a family,’ Grand Duchess snorted. She continued the conversation until she heard people gathered and their attention was focused on one girl on the stage.

            Merry sang a love song that hypnotized the crowd. They listened solemnly, so did Grand Duchess’ colleagues. They were all stopped and listening to this beautiful voice. But Grand Duchess just smiled and glanced at that girl for one second before leaving the crowd.

            She went to her room and sat on the sofa. She sipped a wine slowly while reading about the report of Grand Duchy expenses. She was waiting for someone to report about the whole thing in this autumn banquet.

            After two hours, the guests had left the banquet one by one and her spy appeared in front of her and kneeled, “This subordinate have information for Her Majesty Grand Duchess.”

            Grand Duchess closed her book, her lips upturned slightly, as if she was expecting something satisfying, “Tell me.”

            “Yes, this subordinate was tasked to observe Young Lord’s movement. Right now, Young Lord is in his room sitting, while tending the wound of that butler.”

            “That butler is really his guard medal subordinate?” Grand Duchess asked.

            “Yes, Milady. That butler is Jain Tellah, a mysterious butler from the palace. He seems to be a highly trained assassin.”

            Grand Duchess chuckled lightly. She finally uncovered one of Aster’s guard medal subordinate. She just needed to find a way to eliminate that butler without Aster knowing.

            “How about the whole situation from the start to finish? Did my son meet that Second Prince from Rhea and Crown Prince?”

            “Yes, Gaum Cresthold gave him two pair of earrings and two golden pin, personal pin of himself and Gamasiel Cresthold, King of Rhea. It seems they already fell in love with Young—”

            There was a sound of the wine glass getting shattered into pieces before the spy finished his sentence. Grand Duchess’ eyes turned black suddenly, she chuckled lightly, “So, they really try to snatch my son way from me? Kingdom of Rhea is nothing compared to Grand Duchy. I will destroy that kingdom to pieces, no, I will let them went through unrecoverable poverty until their citizens eat each other to death to survive. That is befitting punishment.”

            The spy shuddered, he knew that Grand Duchess was cruel woman, but there seemed to be no limit of that viciousness.

            After few rambling, Grand Duchess returned normal again. She cleared her throat and said, “Continue with your report.”

            “Yes, Milady. Crown Prince Charles… kissed Young Lord intensely, pushed him to bed and kissed his body, Young Lord’s chest and belly was already touched and exposed.”

            “But he didn’t do more than that, right?” Grand Duchess asked.

            “Yes, as what Milady had ordered to me, I went in and helped the butler, Jain, to defeat Crown Prince Charles’ two shadow assassins on the right time, so, Jain could save Young Lord Aster.”

            “So, I assume that my son admitted that his butler was a guard medal subordinate in front of Charles to protect him, right?”

            “Yes, Milady.”

            “You did a very good job,” Grand Duchess praised her spy delightfully, “Your job helps to uncover Aster’s guard medal subordinate, his entanglement with King and Second Prince of Rhea, and finally I got to make him hated Charles to the bone, now there is no way they can reconcile.”

            The spy went silent for a second and then daringly asked, “Milady, may this subordinate ask a question?”

            “What?”

            “Are you the one who inform Crown Prince Charles about autumn banquet here?”
            “Yes.”

            “… are you also the one who let Crown Prince entered the Lantern Palace, so, he can meet Young Lord?”

            “That is also correct,” Grand Duchess replied lightly.

            “But Young Lord’s purity almost got… taken by Crown Prince…”

            Grand Duchess went silence, and then she laughed mirthlessly, as if she was laughing at someone’s stupidity, “Everything I do is within measurement and control. My son has to understand that he needs to protect himself, he needs to hate, to be in such humiliation, so he wouldn’t be soft hearted. Besides, he shouldn’t hide something from me, I’m just trying to protect him wholeheartedly.”

            Grand Duchess leered mockingly and kicked the spy with her heels, “Do you question my capability?”

            “No, not at all, Milady,” the spy kneeled down again.

            “Well, since you did your job well, I will reward you later. Now, go, I will be seeing a guest soon,” Grand Duchess smirked. The spy nodded and vanished instantly.

            Half an hour later, her door was knocked, the maid opened the door and a shadow guard brought a young maiden with black hair and fresh face, she was a bit scared, but when she saw Grand Duchess in front of her, she kneeled instantly.

            “T—This peasant girl begs to see Her Majesty Grand Duchess,” the girl said.

            Grand Duchess smiled amiably, “Come here.”

            The peasant girl approached Grand Duchess cautiously, there was mix of fear and relief in her face.

            “Did you do your job well?”

            “Y—yes, Milady, this peasant girl was able to hold Ramuja during the whole banquet,” she replied humbly. “Ramuja also watched me singing, hehehe,” she continued with an obvious blush in her cheek.

            “Good, well, I’m here to give you two a good time together. It must be hard for you,” Grand Duchess said.

            “Thank you, Milady! Your Majesty Grand Duchess is very kind to this peasant girl!” she said while kneeling deeper, “U—um… Milady, about my payment…”

            “Ah, yes. I promise you ten gold coins, right? Here, I give you five more gold coins for your hard work. You have such amazing voice too!” Grand Duchess praised her again.

            “T—Thank you, Milady. Milady is too kind…” Grand Duchess handed her a bag of coin and she received it gratefully, “U—um… Milady, this peasant girl wonders about Young Lord Aster and Ramuja. W—why is Ramuja seem to be extremely reliant to Young Lord?”

            “Ah, you don’t know?” Grand Duchess gasped, “Well, his slave contract binds him to give his everything, including his life. Sometimes, I feel pity for Ramuja. Because he always looked spaced out, I heard a rumor that he has a girlfriend, so he must be missing you a lot. But he cannot say anything, because his life is not in his hand. That is why I’m trying to give you two a time together, I know the pain of missing someone you love.”

            “By god, M—Milady is so kind! T—this peasant girl is very grateful for your kindness!” the peasant girl teared up and prostrated in front of Grand Duchess’ feet and kissed her high heels.

            Grand Duchess had the urge to kick this peasant girl’s head with her heels, but she needs to control it. Because this girl is important to develop Aster into a perfect ruler.

            ‘Disgusting! She just touched my shoes with her lips!’

            “It is my pleasure, just keep doing your job. I will help you free Ramuja,” Grand Duchess said.

            After series of praises, gratitude and tears that kept dropping on the rug. The peasant girl left the room. Grand Duchess’ smile vanished instantly, she ordered her maid to take off her high heels.

            “Burn this high heel, and this rug too. It’s too disgusting.”

            “Yes, Your Majesty,” the maid nodded. She took the high heel and rug out of the room, presumably burning it.

            “Hm… her name is Merry, right? A very useful thing.”

            Grand Duchess looking very satisfied. She chuckled few times and drank few more sips of wine, “Everything is going well, delightful.”

            Grand Duchess was looking at her reflection in the wine glass, the golden eyes shone brightly, and a smirk was painted on her face.