Asher felt that this was something he would have to find out himself later. But remembering the blurry memories in his head, the reason Ceti said matched with what he saw.
"It is just as she said. My father, for some reason, entrusted me with your life. So whether you like it or not, you can't leave this castle without my say-so. If you want anything, there will always be servants around here to help you," Rowena said as she got up and walked towards the door to leave.
"Wait!" Asher called out as Rowena paused and turned around, "What is it?"
"Isn't this supposed to be your room as well? I mean…shouldn't a husband and wife be staying in the same room?" Asher felt that if he was going to be totally isolated, when would he get a chance to get closer to her?
He was interested in her, but only to use her to avenge his unfair death.
"How presumptuous!" Ceti was about to say more when Rowena gestured to her to stand down as she looked at Asher impassively, "You seem to misunderstand something. You might be my husband, but the only reason I married you was to respect my father's wish. Other than that, we share no sentiments, not in the past or now. All I can do is keep you safe."
'Does she think of me as some vase to be locked behind walls forever?' Asher knew her response was to be expected. Still, it left him frustrated, and seeing Ceti smirk at him only ticked him off even more as he said with a firm gaze, "Then I want Ceti to serve me in your place."
"What?!" Ceti's eyes shook as she wondered if she even heard him right.
Even Rowena had a blinking expression, and before the two of them could say anything, Asher added as he curled his lips subtly, "I am not mentally crippled like I was before. I am still a man with various needs. The fact that you forbade me to leave this castle is something I can still understand. But if you were to leave me in total isolation, especially when my own wife does not want to stay with me, I would go mad with loneliness and depression. I might get worse than I was before."
Rowena's expression became thoughtful upon hearing his words.
But Asher was not finished as he went on, "Even if you do not hold any sentiments towards me, I am sure your late father wouldn't want you to neglect me. Otherwise, it would be better to die than live as a dead man," He finished with a pitiful look.
"This is ludicrous! Your Majesty, let's leave. We don't have to listen to his nonsense," Ceti said with a scowl.
Asher roared, "Hey! Is that the way you are supposed to speak to the Royal Consort? By showing disrespect to me, you are disrespecting my wife too."
Asher wasn't scared of Ceti since just before, not only Rowena but even Ceti herself had said that no harm should come to him. He wouldn't have to worry about any consequences…at least not within the castle. Doesn't this mean he can at least act freely before Ceti?
Ceti was slightly shaken when Asher suddenly raised his voice since, for a second, she felt as if she wasn't standing before someone who can rattle a person's spine with just their eyes.
But then she shook off this silly thought but felt Rowena's gaze on her as she immediately apologized, "I am sorry, Your Majesty. I meant no disrespect to you," Ceti couldn't believe she was made to look bad by this weakling.
"You have to apologize to me as well. Otherwise, your apology to her is meaningless," Asher said with a cold smile.
Ceti gritted her teeth as she forced herself to look at him and said in a strained tone, "I…I apologize…" She told herself that she was doing this only for her queen and not for some useless thing who didn't even carry the noble bloodline of this house.
Asher scoffed, hearing her half-assed apology, but he was satisfied to let her know her place.
Rowena finally spoke, "I understand that you have your needs as a man, but for that, I can give you any maid you want…the prettiest ones with their virginity intact if that is what you prefer. They will happily serve you."
Ceti was glad that her queen was dealing with this fool for her. She inwardly snorted, wondering how he even had the balls to demand something like that. A weakling like him surely wouldn't be able to satisfy even a lowly maid.
Asher softly chuckled as he asked with a brief shake of his head, "How could you think so lowly of your husband, Rowena? As a Royal Consort, don't you think lowly maids are beneath me? Besides, I took a liking to Ceti," Asher said as he purposefully scanned her curvy red body from top to down, making Ceti's eyes glint with disgust.
"And since she is your servant, she is mine as well, right? Or does she hold a higher status than the Royal Consort himself? Are you willing to let her disrespect the values of our kingdom at your expense?" Asher asked as the corners of his mouth turned up while looking at Ceti.
In his previous life, Asher would never think of saying something like this to a woman, no matter how much hate he might have.
Being stuck in 14 years of hell where he couldn't even raise a finger to protect himself coupled with the betrayal he faced had given birth to flames of resentment inside him.
And now, his spite for Ceti was feeding these flames, and he wanted her to know that her actions has a price. After seeing how much disdain she had for him, he suspected that she must be one of the people who tortured and made his life miserable when he was a helpless kid.
However, he knew Rowena would stop him, but his main goal of making Ceti know her place would be a success.
Ceti felt like cutting his dirty tongue out and only felt even more contempt for him since there was no way her queen would tell her to serve this pervert.
But she heard her queen sigh softly with her eyes closed before looking at her with a firm expression, "Ceti, you will serve him as he pleases. As the servant of the royal household, you can't ignore the Royal Consort or his wishes."
'Oh? Interesting…' Asher still found it surprising that Rowena actually agreed. He expected her to defend Ceti and disagree. He only wanted to make sure Ceti didn't keep annoying him by scaring her, but it seemed things took an unexpected turn.
He knew that the royal household would mean only Rowena and him, her husband, since she was the ruler of this kingdom.
Ceti's eyes quivered as she bit her lip, unable to believe her queen was actually letting this weakling do as he pleased.
"Your Majesty…" Ceti helplessly mumbled, but it seemed Rowena was really firm in her decision, and thinking about her words, it wasn't like she was wrong. Still, how could she serve this weakling and lose her dignity?
But there was no other choice. Her queen's orders were like a decree that could not be dismissed.
And so, in a suppressed, resentful voice, she asked, "What do you need me for…Your Highness?"
Asher's mouth twisted as he said, "Strip yourself naked and come lie down on the bed," He gestured to the bed.
Ceti looked at him with an outraged expression and then looked at her queen, "Your Majesty…Please…"
Rowena held her wrist as she looked at her with a mild gaze, "This might be hard for you, but you have already pledged your life to serve me and my consort. Your duties would be the same as any other servant or maid. You are free to leave as well, but you won't serve me or this house any longer."
Ceti's expression fell as reality dawned on her. Her queen's orders might seem cold-hearted, but she was right about the duties a servant of the royal family should follow.
The title of the Battlemaster was honorable and respectful before the people, but they were still a servant to the one who lords over the kingdom, and they were expected to follow any orders without question. She even took the oath of following her duty toward the queen and her husband before becoming the Battlemaster. But at that time, who would have thought that this husband would one day wake up to cause trouble for her?
Situations like these weren't unprecedented, and even in the past, servants of the highest rank had done similar things for their masters. It was actually considered a common thing, but for someone like her, she never expected she would be faced with such a situation.
But she can't give up and let her queen think her loyalty can be shaken, "I...I will do my duty, my queen. I won't let you down."
She slowly turned around and, with trembling hands, began to remove her armor while Asher looked on with a subtle smirk, finding it pleasing to see her ego slowly crumbling.