Gardenia of Blooming Desire

"Lady Merse kissed Aster?!" Rosalie jolted from her chair. Her usually milky white face turned pale instantly and her hands trembled. She was so shocked that the teacup fell to the floor.

"Yes, this servant swore in her life that this servant saw Lady Merse kissed Young Lord Aster."

'No. That wretched Aunt Merse. She dared kissed Aster! Aster di Arlingdon, the only heir of Grand Duchy Stormhill! What was in her mind!?' Rosalie's mind was in chaos, this was out of her expectation. She didn't know that Lady Merse, Mother Empress' sister would daringly kissed Aster.

'Did she not know how powerful that Grand Duchy is? Aunt Duchess could snap a finger and abolish her status!'

The maid who always accompanied Rosalie hesitated. She never saw her master, Golden Princess Rosalie Anna Camellia to be this panicked. She interrupted Rosalie's panic rambling, "Princess, is that a grave offense for Lady Merse to kiss Young Lord? Lady Merse is very powerful because Her Majesty Empress really favored her as her sister..."

"You fucking idiot! That stupid old woman is nothing against Aster's mother, Grand Duchess Camellia!" Rosalie screamed unrestrainedly. The maid was surprised, she never heard Princess Rosalie cursed like a street bandit like this.

"Pardon this servant's stupidity, but, as much as this servant knows, Grand Duchy Stormhill has no political power in Golden Camellia. This servant doesn't understand why does Princess Rosalie think that Grand Duchess could eliminate Lady Merse easily?" the maid questioned.

Rosalie glared to her servant. She wasn't in her best condition now, and this servant kept asking dumb question. It only irritated her even more.

"You dumb servant! Didn't you know that Grand Duchess was a Golden Princess before me?" she said harshly.

"This servant knows..."

"She controls not only her duchy, but she also has many vassal houses under her wing. If you know who are her loyal vassal houses in her faction, you will know her real power..." Rosalie said, and then her body started trembling.

"Grand Duchy Stormhill might not have any political power under Late Emperor Grandpa's edict. But that duchy is the richest in the entire continent, not only in Golden Camellia Empire. Even the palace is no match for their wealth."

"Now, do your pea-sized brain understand that she has so many hidden vassal houses with real political power, that depended themselves to Grand Duchy Stormhill? How could our Golden Camellia be clean with little corruption case for years? That is because Aunt Duchess could control and intimidate the ministers!"

"... Pardon this servant, but if Grand Duchess is so powerful, why would she put her only son under torture in the palace?" the maid questioned again.

"I don't know. But that is not the problem for me, my problem is that bitch sister of my mother kissed Aster! Don't you realize how fatal it is? Aunt Duchess would... would..."

Rosalie trembled once more. She didn't want to imagine Aunt Duchess' rage. She asked her maid. "Does Aunt Duchess' spy lurked around the garden when Aster was kissed?"

"This servant doesn't know. But this servant think that the spy must be always around Young Lord..."

Rosalie's body finally drained out of her last strength. Aunt Duchess might know about this already. She didn't know how would she face the consequence.

Seeing her master almost fainted, the maid couldn't hold her urge to pacify her master. "Princess, this servant doesn't think that Grand Duchess would blame Princess. Princess isn't Young Lord's guardian."

"Hah, stupid. Do you really think Aunt Duchess would care? She knows that I'm the only one around Aster, but I let such thing happen, whether it is intentional or not, she wont care!"

The maid finally lost all the words that she could think of to help her master. She bowed her head and stood silently while watching Golden Princess Rosalie, whom usually very calm and graceful, became disordered and frightened.

A day after, Grand Duchess Camellia suddenly visited Rosalie's pavilion. It wasn't sudden for Rosalie, for she already knew the outcome of yesterday event. She sat on the chair, but her leg trembled beneath her gown.

When the door opened, Grand Duchess only looked at her niece coldly and sat facing Rosalie.

Without any regular courtesy to open a conversation, Rosalie immediately bowed her head fearfully. "Aunt Duchess, about yesterday event, I--"

"No need for your explanation, I know what happened. Golden Princess, I entrusted my son to you, but you foolishly let this happen. I let you staging a scene for my son to be the bait for that hag, but not letting him to be kissed by such vile creature. You're Disappointing."

Rosalie clenched her gown. If she didn't have the status of golden princess, she might have been killed right away. Aunt Duchess laughed, and then smirked maliciously. "Golden Princess, tell me, what is your interest? I suddenly forgot about your request."

Rosalie's face paled, if Aunt Duchess brought this up, then it was a bad sign. "I... I requested Aunt Duchess to help me obtaining Florentino Viete, young Marquis of Viete house."

"Oh? Golden princess has power, why would you ask me for such help?" Grand Duchess asked sarcastically.

"That..."

'That is because House of Viete is under your command! You let my Florentino roaming as trophy for old women! Do you really think that I don't know?' Rosalie screamed in her heart.

"That is... because Aunt Duchess is the only one who could help me," Rosalie said weakly.

"Is that so? Then, do your job perfectly. This is the last mistake you could afford. Once more, and I will not prevent that promiscuous marquis to roam around."

"No! Please don't let him do it again!" Rosalie screamed frantically.

"Then do it correctly!" Grand Duchess raised her voice. Rosalie instantly cowered. The situation was tense, the servant could only cower, just like her master.

"I... I beg Aunt Duchess not to let Marquis Viete to..." Rosalie couldn't say it. This marquis was her first love and she constantly dreamed about marrying him, having children with him and made him only show his love, his body, to Rosalie.

"To sell himself around old women? I already forbid him, but I might even help some people to eat him. Maybe I can let your aunt, Lady Merse of Thana to spend a night with him. Just like you let my son to be kissed by that hag," Grand Duchess mocked.

"A--Aunt Duchess, please don't. I beg you..." Rosalie could only beg and cower. She couldn't do anything in front of this monster.

"Fine, I will spare you for now. I gain nothing for ruining that good for nothing marquis anyway. Besides, if you do your job perfectly, I will help you breaking that man's leg or crippling him, so he couldn't see anyone but you."

Rosalie could finally catch a breath and be relieved. "Thanking Aunt Duchess for your generosity." Rosalie paused. She knew that if she stopped now, Aunt Duchess might get irritated once more. Thus, she tried to compensate. "Aunt Duchess, my aunt, Lady Merse, dared touching my cousin inappropriately. If... if Aunt Duchess prefer killing Lady Merse, I would support and help with my utmost capability."

Grand Duchess chuckled, "You? You couldn't even watch my son correctly, what kind of capability you posses to help me discarding Merse? House of Thana is under your Mother Empress' second utmost care."

Once more, Rosalie could only casted her eyes down. Yes, she was indeed useless.

"Forget it, your job is to follow my order and watch my son here. About that vile woman, I won't kill her directly. That is a mercy for her. I want her to fall, suffer, and then kill herself after countless humiliation. That is a perfect punishment for defiling my son." Grand Duchess smirked.

Rosalie trembled again. If she didn't have the status as Golden Princess, her head might have disappeared long ago. Rosalie peeked her Aunt's malicious expression and couldn't help but cowered in fear.

'This vile demon...'