“I will leave now,” Charles said. He stole another kiss in Aster’s lip and said, “Today is my last day in Dionde before I have to do a campaign in Great Kingdom Arctyr.”

            Aster tried hard to control his emotion and resumed his reserved demeanor. He glanced and asked Charles, “To Great Kingdom Arctyr? But the twins are here, Mariette and Tuskan…”

            Aster wanted to confront Charles about his involvement in Clearwater Academy, but Charles emotion was not right, so did his. If Aster confronted Charles right now, he might have to deal with even bigger consequences.

            Charles smiled mysteriously and replied, “I’m going to help them.”

            Aster was unsure about the detail, but with this, Charles and the twins, especially with Tuskan, did have a political affair. Aster had a wild guess in his head, but he dared not spoke it unnecessarily in front of his enemy.

            ‘And I already treat him as my enemy…’

            Aster glanced at Charles who still smiled at him and said, “You should leave now, you know… your presence makes the air hot…”

            “Is that an invitation?” Charles chuckled. Fortunately, he already regained his self-control and rubbed Aster’s head fondly, “I’m leaving, I will return in few months and I will bring you a souvenir, we will also have a vacation in one of my private islands.”

            Aster gulped, he would be done for if they ever went to one of Charles’ private islands, because he wouldn’t be able to leave that place once he entered. Aster nodded silently, which made Charles satisfied.

            Charles and his troops finally left Aster alone. Aster waited anxiously in his carriage, few times the coachman asked him whether they should depart, but Aster held them.

            He was waiting for Jain and his servant to return. After he waited for almost an hour, Jain and Ramuja appeared in front of him.

            Jain’s face was bruised and his suit was tattered, Aster asked worriedly, “Is there any deep wound?

            “No, Young Lord. This subordinate is fine,” Jain said. He was indeed fine, because his fights against Crown Prince’s assassin ended abruptly when Young Lord kissed Crown Prince, “Thank you for worrying about this subordinate, Young Lord.”

            “No, it’s my fault that you have to fight against his assassins again…” Aster blamed himself. This prove that he was too weak to protect his subordinate.

            Ramuja gritted his teeth, his fist clenched tightly. He was holding this fire inside his heart for a long time. He tried to calm down in the meadow, but his anger only built up slowly until he didn’t care anymore.

            He said to himself that it was stupid for him to wish Young Lord would love him, but the way Young Lord forgave and nurtured him, it was inevitable that Ramuja had this deep feeling inside his heart.

            And it shattered when Young Lord took the initiative to kiss Crown Prince.

            Aster glanced at Ramuja who kneeled with his head lowered, still silent. He didn’t know what to say, as much as he wanted to explain, what Aster felt now was shame and guilt. Yet, at the same time, he wouldn’t have the courage to move if Ramuja didn’t protect him first.

            “Young Lord, shall we go now?” the coachman asked again.

            “Return back to Dionde City, go to Grand Duke’s mansion near the Diamond monument.”

            “Yes, Young Lord.”

            Ramuja raised his head instantly and he glared at his master, “Young Lord, why are we going back to Dionde?”

            Aster knew that Ramuja’s eyes filled with resentment. Since his servant confessed to him six months ago, he knew that his servant loved him. But he couldn’t return back his feeling for now, because Ramuja would definitely get killed in various possibilities.

            Yet, when his servant glared at him resentfully, his heart ached. He couldn’t stare at Ramuja’s eyes, fearing that he would actually cry and showed his weakness in front of him. Thus, he kept his head high.

            Aster kept his cold demeanor, as if nothing happened before, “To send you back to my father’s mansion, I will order the servants there to send you back to the palace tomorrow.”

            Ramuja couldn’t control his resentment any longer, he burst out with sarcastic question to his master, “Young Lord, is this how you treat your servant who just risked his life to you?”

            Aster frowned, “What do you mean?”

            “Do you really like to show your intimacy to other people?”

            “Ramuja—”

            “I was really worried about you, I didn’t mind if I died there as long as you are safe! But my master turned to be a debauched man!”

            “Ramuja!” Aster’s voice thundered. Jain already pressed his knife in Ramuja’s throat, but Ramuja didn’t even blinked. He ignored Jain and stared at his master resentfully, “Young Lord, why did you do that?”

            Aster snorted and turned his head to the side, “Everything is within my expectation.”

            “Including me, am I within your expectation, Young Lord?” Ramuja asked.

            Aster stared at the scenery outside. It was only dark woods, but with the candle lamp hanging outside the carriage, he could see the reflection of himself and Ramuja staring at him with his deep anger.

            ‘You are not within my expectation, you are… a pleasant surprise, Ramuja.’

            ‘But, is it even important to say it now?’ Aster said in his heart.

            Ramuja wanted to say something again, but Jain pressed the knife until bloods started dripping slowly from Ramuja’s neck.

            “Young Lord, this slave had offended you, asking for permission to eliminate him,” Jain asked. He admired this slave for a bit, but if this slave dared to offend his master, Jain would be the first one to cut his head.

            Ramuja ignored Jain and continued glaring at his master. Aster bit his lip and ordered Jain, “Jain, take him to another carriage and send him back to Dionde.”

            “What about you, Young Lord?”

            “I will go to meet Marquis of Viete, I still have to continue my work.”

            “Understood, this subordinate will order my disciples to watch over you while I send this slave back.”

            Jain was relieved, he put his knife down and held Ramuja’s shoulder.

            “You should have killed me, Young Lord,” Ramuja said.

            With that remark, they disappeared instantly.

            After Aster couldn’t feel the presence of Jain anymore. His tears fell to his cheek and he closed his eyes with his hand.

            Aster bawled his eyes out, but he held his voice. He didn’t want the coachman or anyone near to know that their master cried like a baby.

            ‘Why did you say something so hurtful, Ramuja?’

            ‘You won’t know that my heart ached so bad, so bad that I felt numb already.’

            ‘Why can’t you understand that I tried to protect you even if I have to throw my dignity! Why did you say you want to die?!’

            Aster cried for a long time until his tears were dried out. He wiped his tears with a handkerchief and took a small book he hid inside his vest. It was his collection of his memories with Ramuja, he only wrote the happy memories. He read it every time he felt stressed or sad.

            Aster smiled a bit, but his smile dissipated when a tear dropped on this book. He wiped it carefully and closed it. He sighed as he recollected his rationality. Aster chanted what his mother taught him whenever he needed to be strong.

            ‘A strong ruler needs no one except himself to stand.’