Gardenia Of Blooming D.e.s.i.r.e

Aster opened the door slowly and saw a room with only a candle as the source of lighting. Aster never entered the workers hut, let alone entered the room. It wasn't bad and the room was clean anyway, but it was extremely terrible compared to his room, even his first room in Golden palace, which in his impression, a horrible experience, was better than this.

Aster saw a silhouette lying on the bed weakly, with only dim lighting from the candle, he could see the striking outline of that masculine face. However, that masculine face wasn't as bright as usual, in fact, he looked very weak.

There was untouched food on the table. Aster's body shook involuntarily.

Ramuja opened his eyes, feeling someone was staring at him, he looked at the door and saw someone so dazzling and gorgeous even with in this dim place. There was no one as charming as this man, whom he loved even with all the hurtful things he said.

Ramuja rose from his bed and then walked slowly, he wobbled few times until he stopped in front of this man, and then kneeled deep, "T--This servant greets Young Lord."

Aster could hear the hoarse voice coming out of his servant's mouth and he tried really hard to control his body. Because if he followed his instinct, he would hug his servant and said sorry repeatedly.

"Y--You may rise..."

Ramuja tried to stand from his position, but he immediately slumped back to the wooden floor. He tried it again, but his body just couldn't move. His energy was all drained because he hadn't eat for almost two days.

Aster stared at Ramuja, and then switched his gaze to the untouched food few times. He just couldn't believe someone would really stop eating or drinking for two days straight just because of his stupid words.

Sensing that Aster was staring at the food on the desk, Ramuja replied nervously, "Y--Young Lord, this servant never touch that food, someone delivered it to me, but I swear I didn't touch it at all!"

'You can lie a bit, you know.'

'Even if you eat everything, you could lie that it is your roommates' food, you can also eat it and hid the plate from my sight.'

Aster's golden circle dilated slowly, but it didn't dissipate, the ring grew bigger until it covered half of his pupil. He put his palm on top of Ramuja's head and rubbed it slowly.

Ramuja was of course, surprised by such gesture. However, it was a very silky palm landed on his coarse hair. He was afraid that Young Lord would accidentally prick his finger by his hair strand.

Thus, Ramuja avoided Aster's head rub politely, "Young Lord, this servant's hair is coarse, it might prick your finger."

Aster chuckled lightly. There was no way a hair could prick a finger, even to a baby's fingers. Thus, Ramuja unknowingly just committed an offense by indirectly saying that his master's hand is even softer than baby.

'He just insulted me, and he didn't even realize it.'

'Ramuja, why are you so stupid?'

'Yet so adorable...'

Ramuja interpreted his master's chuckle as a mirthless chuckle, the sign that his master wasn't amused. He prostrated immediately in front of Aster.

"Young Lord, this servant had lost his rationality and dared offending Young Lord two days ago. This servant is very ashamed, this servant deserves more punishment than this!" Ramuja said, while pertaining his prostrating position with his head knocked the wooden floor.

'I haven't say anything you know.'

'Usually, slaves and servants would beg for lighter punishment, or forgiveness. Why do you ask for more punishment?'

'I really don't understand your way of thinking.'

Aster maintained his silence while staring at his servant, his golden circle gradually expand slowly.

Ramuja thought that his master's silence was the sign of wrath. For two days, he starved himself, following the order of Young Lord. The hunger hurt him, but it wasn't the first time he went into hunger strike, he got quite used to it when he was still a s.e.x slave.

Ramuja swallowed his breath, if Young Lord was already fed up with his impertinence, then there was no way out other than this. Since his worth was determined based on his master's satisfaction.

'I'm still his slave, what is the point of living if I can't get his forgiveness...'

"Young Lord, if you are unwilling to punish this slave, then this slave deserves death. This slave begs Young Lord to order an execution," Ramuja said solemnly.

"What slave dares to order me for punishment!" Aster said.

Ramuja shrieked. He felt that this was really the end for him. His body trembled involuntarily.

Aster regretted his choice of words immediately. He didn't mean to scare his servant. He was just panicked because his servant seemed to be so dead set about his severe punishment.

'Am I that scary?'

'Please don't be scared, I don't know what to do!'

Aster squatted and tried to pull his servant up. But his body was so heavy, that it made Aster lost his balance and fell on his back.

"Young Lord!" Ramuja immediately lifted Aster up with his strong hand. He carried Aster to the bed and put him gently. Ramuja tumbled down again because he already spent his last energy.

Aster wasn't hurt at all, and it was ridiculous that his servant would react exaggeratedly over something like that. Ramuja was now sitting on the ground, his body trembled out of exhaustion.

'You are overly worried about me, I didn't even ask you to carry me with that last strength you have left.'

Aster saw the food on the table was still fresh, probably because it was supposed to be Ramuja's dinner. He took the plate and stirred the beef porridge with the spoon. The soup was still warm, Aster scooped the beef porridge with the spoon and fed Ramuja directly.

"Y--Young Lord, w--what is this?"

"I order you to eat," Aster said.

"T--This servant can eat by himself..."

"No, I order you to eat and I shall be the one who feed you until you finish the plate."

Ramuja stared at the spoon and opened his mouth reluctantly. Aster smiled and continued feeding him.

Unwittingly, Ramuja started sobbing and tears welled up in his eyes before he started crying. His masculine appearance wasn't really fitting with those tears, but it softened Aster's heart.

"Young Lord, this servant begs you to stop, please..."

"Why do you cry? Do I scare you?" Aster asked.

"No, Young Lord, this servant is sad. Because this servant is just useless," Ramuja sobbed, "This servant has never been treated kindly by my previous masters before, you're the only one who cares about me and never hurt me physically."

"But, this servant is still a slave even though you don't want me to address myself as 'slave'. For a slave to be fed by his master, and the most powerful and gorgeous master this servant ever has, I don't deserve it. I feel ashamed to receive your grace."

"That is why, Young Lord, this servant begs you not to be too kind to this servant. Because this servant has indecent thought, this servant has sinned to have immoral thought about you."

Aster seemed to catch on something, he puts the plate to the desk and asked his servant, "What kind of indecent thought you have?"

Ramuja couldn't hold his tear, he was a big man, but he felt very fragile now. Knowing he couldn't hold his own feeling anymore, he replied sincerely, "This servant has acted out of emotion, jealousy, anger, and other indecent thought a slave shouldn't have."

"What you did two days ago was also out of emotion?"

"Yes, this servant is jealous because there are many men and women who can be close to you, but this servant will never be able to..." Ramuja lowered his head, "This servant cannot act like a property in front of you. This property has emotion, Young Lord."

"So, you didn't hate me at all?"

"How could I?! Y--Young Lord, you are the kindest, the most gorgeous, and the most charitable! How could a slave like me hate you!" Ramuja replied anxiously. Then he calmed down and tried to prostrate again, "Young Lord, this slave already offend you with my indecent thought, please kill this slave."

Aster stared at his servant intensely, there was brewing feeling in his heart that he couldn't control. And he felt like there was a burst of lightning started from his heart and gradually trailed around his body. Aster's golden circle finally enveloped his pupil and his pupil turned bright golden.

"Raise your head and look at me," Aster said, his voice sounded different, "Whether I would execute you or not, depends on your next answer..."

Aster's golden eyes met with Ramuja's eyes. He c.a.r.e.s.sed his servant's cheek.

"Are you in love with me?"