Gardenia Of Blooming D_e_s_i_r_e

Aster strolled around the garden with Ramuja. It should be a happy moment for him, since no one would disturb them. But it had been so many days that Ramuja had been silent. It felt like his mouth was shut after that meeting with Gaum.

Aster sighed, he really disliked this atmosphere, since he was quite positive that his servant would look at him with his dazed look, sometimes adoring, sometimes embarrassed. Those looked entertaining and heartwarming. But he kept the same expression for days.

Ramuja had that desolate expression of someone who lost hope, as if his light had been dimmed by a heartbroken experience. Aster recalled whether he said something wrong to his servant, but he really didn't remember any mistake.

'He started doing this after I met with Gaum, did I say something wrong to him?' Aster pondered.

'Maybe he was displeased because I got close to Gaum?'

'Or maybe he got really mad when Gaum flirted with me?'

Aster's face blushed and he staggered a bit.

'No way! He... actually got jealous?'

Aster coughed a bit and asked his servant, "Ramuja, what do you think about Sir Gaum Cresthold?"

Ramuja lowered his head, "Sir Gaum is very kind to Young Lord."

"Hm? He looks handsome, right?"

"... Yes."

Aster glanced at his servant's expression and he saw a bitter expression.

'He did get jealous! My god!' Aster rejoiced in his heart. It felt really good to see Ramuja being jealous.

"Y--You know, in Golden Camellia, it is legal for two men to get married, as long as they agreed to adopt a child," Aster smiled, "Maybe I should get married when I reach early twenty, what do you think?"

There was a long pause before Ramuja opened his mouth.

"This servant is sure that Young Lord could get married to anyone, since Young Lord is very attractive and powerful...'

"So, who do you think fits me if I want to marry a man? Gaum Cresthold or my cousin, Crown Prince Charles? Or..." Aster gave Ramuja a deep stare, hoping that he would invite himself to his option. Thus, Aster would immediately say that he would pick the last option.

But he heard no answer, which was expected.

'He looks sad and bitter. I feel bad, but he looks very cute when he is jealous! It makes me wants to tease more.' Aster giggled in his heart. Never had he ever this much fun for a while.

Aster stopped near the garden fountain and sat on the edge of the fountain. He looked at his reflection in the water, his face turned red already, and he saw a weird flicker in his eyes.

'Huh? My golden circle is dilating?' Aster knew that Charles and his mother's golden circle could dilate and even their pupils could turn golden. But no one ever told him if there was any reason. Thus, Aster always considered it as the unique trait of his family. It was harmless anyway.

But this was the first time he realized that his golden circle could dilate too. Not long after, his golden circle turned back into the normal ring around his pupil. He was attentively observing the change in his eyes from the reflection that he got surprised when he saw Ramuja's reflection beside his own in the water.

"Wha!" Aster slipped and his body directly falling to the fountain.

"Young Lord!" Ramuja circled Aster's shoulder with his hand and embosomed him into his embrace. Aster was still surprised, but his shock turned into embarrassment with jittery feeling in his heart. He stared at the smooth, sturdy bronze c_h_e_s_t in front of his face. He could listen to the heartbeat of Ramuja and his masculine smell, it smelt like wood and morning forest, it wasn't displeasing in Aster's s_e_n_s_i_t_i_v_e nose. In fact, he liked it a lot.

Aster instinctively leaned his head to this c_h_e_s_t and listened to his servant's heartbeat slowly.

'It is... pleasant.'

"Young Lord?" Ramuja called him. Aster opened his eyes immediately and pushed Ramuja's body away from him.

"... Are you alright, Young Lord?" Ramuja asked. Aster nodded, but shifted his gaze to the side to avoid having eye contact with Ramuja.

"B--But, you shouldn't touch me! It is improper for a servant to touch his master like that!" Aster blurted in panic.

Realizing how ungrateful he sounded, Aster opened his mouth to say thank you, but Ramuja immediately kneeled in front of him.

"This servant dares touching Young Lord indecently, requesting Young Lord to punish this servant!"

Aster frowned immediately, "What do you mean?"

"This servant is requesting for punishment, because this servant had committed an offense!"

"What?!" Aster was shocked with such bold claim. He didn't remember any offense committed by his servant.

"This servant has touched Young Lord who already has a lover, besides, Young Lord is very mighty, and this servant dares not touching Young Lord indecently in any case!" Ramuja said with suppressed anger in his heart.

"What are you saying?" Aster didn't understand what did his servant just said. A lover, who? Also, high and mighty? Aster didn't recall any moment when he insulted Ramuja's position as a servant.

Ramuja raised his head and stared at Young Lord's eyes directly. There was contained anger, jealousy, hatred and grievance mashed together in his eyes. Aster was surprised and took a step back.

"Young Lord, this servant believes that he is not the best advisor for your blossoming romance. Please, with due respect, refrain to ask a question about love to this servant. This servant has been alone his whole life."

Aster felt like his servant's sentence was directed in an aggressive way to him. He gazed at that pained eyes of Ramuja. He didn't understand where did that pain coming from. He didn't remember ever hurting him.

'Did I say something wrong?'

"Rise, you don't need to kneel. I did not take that as an offense," Aster said awkwardly, since he didn't understand what was happening right now.

"May this servant ask a question, Young Lord?"

"Y--Yes."

Ramuja's stare becoming increasingly piercing and painful, and his eyes represented his despair and boiling anger, "Between Sir Gaum or Crown Prince, which one is your choice? Or you want both? Young Lord is a dazzling man, this servant is sure that you can add as many man and woman as possible in your list if Young Lord wants to."

"Y--You..."

"This servant will be supporting all Young Lord's action, since this servant is devoted to you," Ramuja said sarcastically. Usually, Aster felt really joyful whenever his servant said this, but now, all of it turned into bitter rage, passive aggressive remarks thrown at him.

Unable to contend his annoyance and confusion, Aster snapped, he pointed his finger at Ramuja and snarled, "You dare making aggressive remarks on me! I shall punish you! Go to the workers hut and you are also denied food for two days!"

Ramuja stared at Aster with bitter rage, he nodded, but before he left, he said another sarcastic remark, "Young Lord should've punish this servant more severely, I suggest death sentence, because it is fitting."

Aster was left alone in this garden. He sat near the edge of the fountain again, but this time, there was no blush in his cheek, only his pale skin turned even paler.

'What went wrong?'