The Villainess's Secret Bedroom Service
Chapter 20: Match Made in Hell

Chapter 20: Match Made in Hell

The entire Garden was shaken with loud gasps and subtle exclamations traveling across the noble crowd, while hundreds of pairs of eyes gawked at Damien Dio, who held Lady Ashter’s trembling hand.

Rosalie, on the other hand, was speechless. She covered her open mouth with her left hand, her clear grey eyes widened, and her heartbeat rang in her ears, drowning out everything else.

Nobody could understand what was happening. Grand Duke Damien Dio, the infamous warlord, a crazed cursed beast, the only man among the nobility who despised socializing and preferred killing monsters and people over engaging in conversation with beautiful ladies at formal gatherings and parties... That very same Damien Dio was now proposing to one of the most despised and undesirable women in the entire Empire of Rische. That mere idea was hard to comprehend.

"A match made in Hell, I suppose."

Estelle Viden whispered through her gritted teeth while fixing Lady Ashter with her dark, beady eyes. Although it was true that no noble lady in her right mind would willingly marry Duke Dio, it would have been rather absurd to admit that neither of them had ever considered that possibility.

And there were three reasons for that. First, Damien’s blood relation to the Imperial Family. Second, the nearly boundless wealth and power that he possessed. And last, but certainly not least, his unbelievably gorgeous looks.

The Duke was every lady’s desperate and dreaded yet still a plausible fallback plan. And Rosalie Ashter was taking that away from them.

Encouraged by Lady Estelle, Anastasia Filmore covered the lower half of her face with a colorful hand fan and mumbled, rather spitefully,

"The Cursed Monster and The Unwanted Lady... I wonder how long this will last before she will be discarded again."

While the entire garden was in disarray, the Crown Prince, seemingly oblivious to the prevailing confusion and bewilderment, curled his plump lips into a smug smirk and muttered under his breath, lightly rubbing his perfectly shaped chin with the index finger of his left hand,

"So it was Lady Ashter, huh?"

Marquess Ian Ashter nearly jumped to his feet and offered William Amado a somewhat awkward and apologetic look. Damien’s sudden proposal caught him off guard, just as much as the young Duke, who was now darting his gaze back and forth between Duke Dio and his promised fiancée-to-be.

"What is the meaning of this, Lord Ashter?! Are you trying to break off our deal?!"

Duke Amado, William’s father, glared at the Marquess with malevolence, demanding an explanation, his chest heaving and his perspiring face flushed with uncontrollable fury. However, Ian Ashter had no explanation for this; he was just as confused as everyone else.

Amidst the emotional chaos, it appeared that the only person capable of maintaining a somewhat composed demeanor was Raphael, even though jealousy and frustration were already beginning to cloud his mind. He clenched his fists, causing his knuckles to turn white, and was about to approach his sister when the Imperial Garden suddenly fell into silence. It was then that he noticed the Emperor himself rising from his designated seat.

"Grand Duke Damien Dio, is this what I think this is?"

The Emperor’s icy glare, firmly fixed on Damien, seemed capable of freezing the entire capital if he possessed such power. As the deafening silence, induced by the mere shift of his position, continued to stretch, the remaining guests couldn’t help but feel as though the very air was being sucked out of the space around them.

But, Damien Dio harbored no fear of the Emperor. In fact, he enjoyed the luxury of fearing no one. Thus, feeling particularly audacious and self-assured, he pulled Rosalie’s hand toward him, helping her wrap it around his broad, sturdy shoulders. To everyone’s shock, he then scooped her up from behind, supporting her under her knees, and held her closely, just as princes held their beloved in romantic movies and tales.

Lady Ashter gasped, completely taken aback by that bold move. While her mind was in turmoil, her tongue failed to produce anything remotely coherent, and Damien seized this moment of verbal hesitation as an opportunity to speak first,

"Yes, Your Majesty, you are not mistaken. I, Grand Duke Damien Dio, am asking Lady Rosalie Ashter, the only daughter of Marquess Ian Ashter, for her hand in marriage. Before. All. These. Witnesses."

The man emphasized his last words on purpose, brazenly glaring at Raphael, who was staring back at him from underneath his eyebrows, his face covered with a dark shade of growing madness.

The Emperor was evidently satisfied by that reply, however impudent, and nodded his head, showing his approval. He then turned his head toward Marquess Ashter, and asked in a loud and serious tone,

"Well, Lord Ashter, do you approve of this union between your daughter and Duke Dio?"

All eyes were now fixed on Marquess Ashter, whose face grew pale, either from the unwanted attention or the overwhelming predicament itself. The man found himself torn between two significant decisions. If he were to decline and proceed with the arranged marriage to Duke Amado, he would receive a substantial payment that could help him settle his debts and potentially invest in a promising business venture.

On the other hand, Damien, as the sole Grand Duke of Rische and of royal blood, presented the possibility that, if his suspicions were correct and the Duke genuinely cared for Rosalie, Lord Ashter could swiftly regain his lost wealth and prestige.

The choice now seemed obvious.

"Why are you hesitating, Lord Ashter? Do we not have a deal?! William, you fool! What are you doing simply sitting there?! Ugh!"

Duke Amado smacked his son on the back of his head and released a disgruntled groan, causing the Garden to shake as if thunder had rumbled through. The Emperor raised his hand, signaling the man to silence, and proceeded,

"Quiet! Well, Lord Ashter, what will be your answer?"

At that moment, unable to suppress his frustration any longer, it was Raphael’s turn to break the silence,

"Father ––"

"I..."

Ian intervened, preventing his son from uttering another word, and cast a pained glance toward Rosalie, who remained nestled in Damien’s tender embrace.

"... Approve."

A fresh wave of gasps rippled through the Garden, only to be swiftly silenced by another gesture from the Emperor. He turned his gaze back to Damien, pausing for a few moments, seemingly contemplating his next words. Finally, in a solemn tone, he declared:

"In that case, I hereby announce the official engagement of Grand Duke Damien Dio and Lady Rosalie Ashter. You have my blessing, Your Grace."