Chapter 119 - A Piece of the Past II

Aster closed his notes as he had finished inspecting everything. There seemed to be no hole in this place for royal family to slander. He lowered his guard against Lady Merse, since House of Thana had been withdrawing its troops from Roagelt. It was such a huge hit to the capital, because House of Thana was the most respected military house in Golden Camellia Empire.

Because General Wirgard's health constantly deteriorated, Lady Merse was now in charge of the house, and she had been neutral the whole time after Aunt Empress death. She took no offer to join any side and no agreement or oath to other houses, even royal family.

"Aunt Merse, pardon me, but I have another event I need to attend," Aster said politely. He took a brass pin from his pocket and gave it to Lady Merse, "This is my personal pin, please show this to the staff if you need anything."

Lady Merse was delighted that Aster finally handed his personal pin. It was only a brass pin, but knowing the time they met and what wretched thing she did to Aster, it was more than enough. It was already generous for Aster to forgive her.

Lady Merse took her silver pin shaped like a stretched-out bat wings, which created an 'M' shape to Aster.

"Aunt Merse, this is…" Aster was fl.u.s.tered, because he only gave her a brass pin, not silver one.

"No, please take it. You deserve that," Lady Merse showed bitter smile and continued, "In fact, because of my disgusting action back then, you must've suffered, I'm grateful that you forgive me."

"T—That was in the past…" Aster was instantly reminded how cruel he was to scheme against Lady Merse. Well, granted that she was a predator, but Aster carved lifetime scar on her face and framed her sister. To this one, Aster regretted his action.

"I was… desperate back then, but I haven't play with other young men after meeting you," Lady Merse said, she was embarrassed, "Probably because I finally see someone that I can consider an heir…"

"What?"

"No, it's nothing," Lady Merse took back her words, "Aster, you should leave now, don't you have another event to attend?"

"Ah yes, then if you'd excuse me," Aster finally left the room with Ramuja and went straight back to his carriage. He wondered about Lady Merse's words about heir, but his mind instantly focused on one thing when he entered his carriage. He glared at Ramuja who was cowering in the corner of the carriage, dared not raising his head.

"Jain," Aster called. Jain appeared immediately beside Ramuja. The carriage was now filled with three people, but the two of them seemed to glare at this servant who was scared out of his wits.

Ramuja prostrated and said, "Young Lord, please forgive this servant's irrational behavior, this servant was just—"

"What? You are scared because your secret might get revealed?" Aster interrupted harshly. "You know that I hate being lied to the most."

"Y—Young Lord, this servant never lied to you���" Ramuja replied weakly. He knew that he lied to his master a lot, but what could he do…

"I knew you hid something from me, just because I tolerate you, doesn't mean that I will let your trick slip in front of me!" Aster stomped his boots near Ramuja's ear, which made him trembled slightly.

'Spill it! Tell me what are you hiding!'

Ramuja hid his expression and replied with his face facing the carriage floor, "… Young Lord, if I tell the truth about Lady Merse, would you execute me right away?"

"Depends." Aster replied short.

"Because… I don't want you to hate me, Young Lord…" Ramuja said, "You are my life, I can bear with any punishment as long as you will not hate me…"

Aster's heartbeat quickened when Ramuja said that. He tried to brush it as another trick, but the way Ramuja said it sounded very sincere, as if it was deep ingrained in his heart.

'Trick! This is a trick!'

"You won't trick me with this, raise your head and look at me, and say that again!" Aster ordered. Ramuja raised his head slowly and his eyes looked up at his master whose golden circle was dilating.

'What I said is true, Young Lord. I may lie, but this one… is true.'

"Young Lord… you are my life, I can bear any punishment as long as you will not hate me."

Aster tried to find the lies in his words. He was usually very good at noticing lies, especially in this position, when a servant looked up at him. But Ramuja's eyes were very sincere, very certain.

Ramuja repeated it again, "Young Lord… you are my life, I can bear any punishment as long as you will not hate me."

Again, no lies.

"Young Lord... you are—"

"STOP!" Aster screamed. Jain and Ramuja was surprised with his sudden outburst. Aster screamed because he couldn't control this weird feeling in his heart. It was surging around his body, tickling, and gradually gave him a dangerous warmth that almost made him float in strange fantasy.

Aster held his undulating c.h.e.s.t. His heartbeat quickened and he almost spouted some nonsensical words.

'You are my life, I could bear any punishment as long as you will stay with me…' he almost blurted that in front of Ramuja.

'I cannot let him do this to me.' Aster thought. He calmed down and tried to maintain his regal, "I will give you a chance to explain your entanglement with Lady Merse."

Ramuja lowered his gaze and replied slowly, "T—This servant was a slave in House of Thana when I was around… ten years old."

Aster's gaze sharpened, he remembered Lady Merse said that General Wirgard's s.e.x slave was young. Aster's heart sank when he imagined Ramuja was being used and passed on by everyone. There were both anger and disgusted feeling inside his heart. He was unsure how to react and what to do. Because there was law that made it impossible to give a s.e.x slave a normal life.

"That s.e.x slave… was that you?" Aster asked.

"N—No! Young Lord… this servant was just a regular slave working in the garden. That s.e.x slave… was this one's friend. He was sold as s.e.x slave and… General liked him, he never left the bed and was tortured with various toys until he couldn't feel his body."

"How did you know all that if your friend never left the bedroom?" Aster asked suspiciously.

"B—Because this servant is tasked to bring food to that s.e.x slave everyday…"

"So, you are tasked to work in the garden, while delivering the food to that slave too? I found that unbelievable, usually, a young slave was only tasked to work in one spot because they are prone to do mistakes."

"T—This servant is a very capable slave since I was kid."

"Is that the truth?"

"Yes, Young Lord."

Aster knew that Ramuja was lying. However, he didn't know to what extend did he lie, he couldn't inspect Ramuja's eyes either. Because whenever Ramuja stared directly at him, his heart would quiver.

'What can I do to you… Ramuja…'

'I don't want to eat your lies, but I don't want to hear the truth either.'

'But, since that is your truth, then I will accept it… for now.'

'Because I couldn't bear losing you.'

Ramuja tried really hard to cover his emotion. Because he almost leaked out a sob when he told the story of that poor young s.e.x slave. The pain he went through to the point he was almost broken.

'I'm sorry, Young Lord…'

"Alright then, I will accept your explanation," Aster said.

"Young Lord!" Jain who was silent the whole time opened his mouth and protested. "Please reconsider! He might--"

"Silence, Jain! I did not allow you to speak!" Aster reprimanded him. Jain zipped his mouth, but his face showed clear disapproval. He glared at Ramuja and seemingly ready to kill this filthy servant.

Aster sighed. He looked outside, his mind was full of doubt and uncertainty. He found himself weak when handling the problem with his servant. He doubted that his servant was a s.e.x slave, but Ramuja definitely was hiding something.

'He can't be a s.e.x slave. He would be dead all along. Almost no s.e.x slave able to survive that long, and he is stupid…'

Suddenly, the carriage stopped and the coachman hurried and opened the carriage door, his face was pale, "Y—Young Lord! Crown Prince's carriage is blocking our way!"

Aster's dissatisfaction turned into fear, he immediately looked at Ramuja and got alerted instantly.

'No, Charles shouldn't know Ramuja is here!'