Gardenia of Blooming Desire

Gaum's carriage arrived in front of Grand Duchy Stormhill's mansion. This mansion was quite far from his current residence in the city of Dionde. The real office of Grand Duchy Stormhill was in that city, but it seemed that Grand Duke and Duchess already stayed in this white palace on top of a cold hill for almost ten years already.

The reason? It was because their only son, Aster di Arlingdon had a skin condition, which he would get severe rash and burns whenever he got exposed with sunray or caught in extreme heat.

Gaum had prepared a gift for this high and mighty Young Lord of Grand Duchy Stormhill. However, he still had to meet Grand Duke for their business in Kingdom Rhea.

"This way, sir," a butler escorted him to Grand Duke's office. Gaum's lips perked up when he face this middle aged man, whose body still looked youthful and strong even though he was around early forties.

Grand Duke got up from his seat and approached Gaum, then shook his hand, and then sat face to face.

"Welcome, this will be your first time visiting me, right?" Grand Duke smiled.

"Yes, Honorable Grand Duke Harion Di Arlingdon. I believe this is my first visit here. But it's normal, right? Since your business in Kingdom Rhea is flourishing independently, there is no need for me to come here."

"I see, I hope my investment works well to help your kingdom."

"Oh, it is beneficial for us!" Gaum said cheerfully, "After Late Empress passed away, our kingdom has been in jeopardy, but my kingdom can stay and even flourish because of Milord's aid."

"That is good," Grand Duke laughed, but his short laugh turned into somewhat cold laugh, "But it's not free, Kingdom Rhea is a beneficial location to set up my business and investment, but it's not appealing enough for me to keep investing. Apparently, your kingdom fails to meet my expectation compared to another location, like Vassal Kingdom Yurn."

Gaum gritted his teeth. Vassal Kingdom Yurn was his neighboring kingdom, they were always at odds even though both were under Golden Camellia Empire. This was the way Grand Duke threatened him to obey, Gaum knew that.

'It's not like there is a choice either.'

"But of course, to pay tribute of such hefty contribution, this vassal prince, Gaum Cresthold, is at your command," Gaum bowed his head.

Grand Duke's smile thinned, "I heard that you've met my son in the party and going to meet him after this, is that right?"

"Yes, sir. Young Lord invites me to meet him today," Gaum replied truthfully, but hid the fact that he brought a gift to Aster.

Grand Duke's thin smile finally disappeared and he turned solemn, "And you're bringing a gift to him? What does this mean?"

Gaum gulped. How could Grand Duke already know everything about his meeting with Young Lord? There was no way Young Lord would tell his parents about it. Gaum had investigated about Aster before approaching him, with his awkward and secluded nature, he wouldn't even tell anything to his imaginary friend.

Sensing Gaum's astonishment, Grand Duke said, "There is nothing I do not know about my son's activity, I just don't interfere much."

"Th--Then... Since Milord already know about it, is there any task for me?"

"Not particularly, I just have to warn you two things," Grand Duke intertwined his fingers and cupped it together, "First, this mansion have ears, in fact, as long as you are beside my son, you shall never be alone. And second, if you dare to harm him, you will face very grave consequences. My part would be painful, but it wouldn't be as painful as the one from Grand Duchess. So, know your place."

Gaum shivered, once Grand Duke mentioned about his wife, Grand Duchess Camille, he had this ominous feeling of a monster that could eat him alive out of nowhere. Gaum nodded subconsciously.

"Good, then, you're permitted to leave,"

"Milord, about the grain silo fund--"

"Yes, I will help your kingdom to prepare for fall and winter later."

"Thank you, Honorable Grand Duke is very generous," Gaum smiled and bowed his head once more before heading out of the office.

Gaum walked and followed the corridor, he didn't bring a servant of his own because his meeting with Grand Duke shouldn't be known to anyone from Kingdom Rhea. He was lost in thought about Grand Duke and Duchess' extreme fondness to their son.

It was, as if they would really topple a kingdom if their son asked them to.

He still didn't get how crazy people could get just for this one man. Sure, his appearance was captivating, one look could simply trap you into deep fantasy. But how could people like his own brother become a daydreaming idiot because of him?

'That guy could bewitch people like Gamasiel, the just and logical king, the best king Kingdom Rhea could ever had.'

Gaum remembered his older brother, Gamasiel Cresthold, the best king that brought Kingdom Rhea to great economical stability and military advancement. Although they were still under Golden Camellia Empire, but the kingdom was better than ever.

However, two years ago, after the Winter Feast in Golden Palace, while Gamasiel's body returned to the kingdom, but his mind lost somewhere. He was dazed all day long, unresponsive when questioned. He smiled constantly, but his eyes seemed to look up, as if he was daydreaming about beautiful thing.

And after that, Miss Claudia pulled out all her help and Kingdom Rhea soon fell into economic instability. They could ensure their stability, but it needed Gamasiel to represent Kingdom Rhea in front of Emperor and Empress. With his current condition, he couldn't even order the Kingdom court.

Thus, it was Gaum who begged for Empress to help them, since the kingdom was allied to her and he was one of her guard medal subordinates.

'Then, not long after, she died, and my kingdom is in chaos.'

Gaum clenched his fist.

'My master... Empress Ceci...'

He couldn't do anything, his desire to take revenge was still burning in his heart. But he was in a very disadvantaged position currently. He would avenge his master when he could find the real culprit behind all this staged death of late Empress Ceci.

'For now, all I can do is to approach this boy...'

Gaum walked aimlessly, this mansion was so big that when he snapped out of his own zone, he was lost in some corridor. He looked right and left, but there wasn't any guard here, strangely. He stood in the corridor and chuckled low.

'The rumor said, this huge mansion is just a pocket money for Grand Duchy Stormhill, and Grand Duke took me and threatened me with some pocket money of his. Hahahaha, ridiculous...' Gaum laughed self depreciatingly, the more the think about the future of his kingdom, the more he felt so small. One year worth of pocket money from Grand Duchy Stormhill could stabilize Kingdom Rhea's economy for two years.

"Excuse me..."

Gaum turned his head, but his eyes met a wide, bronze strong chest in front of him holding a tray with a glass berry juice on it. He looked up and saw this big, masculine man looking at him anxiously.

"P--Pardon me, honorable guest is blocking the way, this slave needs to deliver this to Young Lord," he said humbly.

Gaum's brows perked up, he suddenly remembered about this man in who stared at Aster from the window during Aster's birthday event. He wore some ridiculous outfit that made him look funny.

"You are working here?" Gaum asked.

"This slave is Young Lord Aster's personal slave," Ramuja answered sheepishly.

"Oh! I see, that's why you dressed ridiculously for his birthday. You are serving as the party clown there, right?" Gaum laughed. "Well, I laughed when I saw you before, you did a great job."

Ramuja didn't answer and lowered his head. Gaum chuckled, "No need to be embarrassed, I'm sure your Young Lord was entertained too."

"Please excuse this slave, Young Lord needs this slave's attendance..."

"Oh, you are going to deliver this berry juice to him right? Then take me too, I'm his guest for today, Gaum Cresthold from Kingdom Rhea."

Ramuja raised his head and checked Gaum from head to toe. Gaum sensed hostility from this dumb-looking slave, but he didn't take it as offense, it was just a slave anyway.

The slave nodded and said, "This humble slave will take honorable guest to Young Lord's chamber, please follow me."