9 A Smile

Days passed and Aster had grown accustomed to his servant's presence around him. He still forbade his servant to talk unnecessarily, but he still let him talk when needed and let his servant praise him sometimes.

Well, Aster thought it was nice, since he didn't feel repulsed with his flattery. It felt genuine and modest. In fact, he was eager to hear this weird servant open his mouth. Sometimes he spoke such ridiculous things.

"Young Lord, this servant had never tasted a spiced grilled lamb. This servant did not understand Young Lord's preference," said the servant with his head lowered.

Aster wanted to laugh, his lips curled up a bit, but he pinched his own thigh to hold his laugh.

Sometimes his servant gave him few amusements, similar to this one. To say someone never tasted a spiced lamb? Ridiculous, this servant's lie was obvious. There were many spiced lambs every start of autumn feast, also winter feast.

The Grand Duchy of Stormhill, Aster's duchy, had always held a feast for nobilities every autumn and winter. Spiced lamb was one of the foods provided during the feast. It was the food that Aster liked, but only ate moderately because he needed to keep his stomach for the dessert and sometimes, drinks.

Almost all nobles were not keen to eat a lot, thus, many of these leftovers were just thrown away to the garbage. Aster had seen the duchy's serfs rummaging the leftover food in the garbage just to eat the leftovers. Even though they had their own plate provided by the duchy.

Even the cooks served such meat if Aster requested it right away.

And this servant said that he never tasted such common food? That was a funny joke. A foolish joke, but still funny for Aster.

'He can be entertaining sometimes.'

Aster turned his back and a smile flashed on his face, the more he spent his time with this servant, he became somewhat bearable to Aster. They walked around the garden in silence.

Aster turned his head at his back from times to times, to check whether his servant was still following him. He saw his servant look at him in awe, but when their eyes met, he immediately casted his eyes down.

'Weird, I don't think I use an intimidating face. Why is he avoiding my eyes?'

Aster had thought on how to be closer to this servant. He looked like a good person to befriend with, at least the one without hidden intention. Granted, the master-slave relationship would still exist between them, but casual friendship would be nice.

He hadn't lifted the speaking ban, but it was necessary as this servant's foul mouth might trigger his mother's displeasure again. Aster had considered it, wouldn't his servant be grateful if this ban was lifted?

"You, I had considered lifting your punishment," said Aster.

He glanced and saw his servant's eyes flashed a surprise, Aster felt a slight joy in his heart.

"This servant is very grateful for Young Lord's kindness!"

"However, I do not give it for free," said Aster, still with his cold voice. He finally turned and faced his servant, "You will have to accompany me again, after breakfast until I allowed you to leave."

His servant was taken aback and actually kneeled to him and said, "Young Lord, this servant… this servant is speechless. This servant is finally able to serve Young Lord again. This servant is truly grateful!"

Aster felt uncomfortable to see his servant actually kneeled on something very light. Was serving him actually gave this servant a pleasure?

He hesitated. This servant action was very genuine that it felt surreal for Aster. He had expected everyone around him to have a hidden agenda behind their kindness. But this time, he couldn't sense it inside this servant.

'Was he, truly genuine?'

Aster glared at his servant as he tried to probe this person's intention.

He felt erratic as he kept missing any trace of maliciousness within this servant. This was too unreal.

'It couldn't be, no one would be genuine to me.'

"I don't need your exaggeration. It was not an important matter," said Aster coldly. Even though he was not sure if his voice was still as stern.

"How could it be? Young Lord, serving you gave me the greatest pleasure!"

His servant looked determined with his eyes sharply stared at Aster unwaveringly.

Aster swallowed his saliva as he was bewildered by this servant's bold claim. Aster had prided himself for his skill to read people's intention, it had become a survival skill as it was an essential lesson taught by his mother.

But now, he couldn't sense anything. Strange.

Aster kept his silence while his gaze grew uglier, he hated obliviousness, and he felt like he was oblivious now.

His servant looked up to him, but instead of showing fear, he actually smiled and said: "Young Lord, this servant is truly grateful. Because Young Lord had bought me, this servant can live."

Aster's heart skipped a bit, this servant's smile made him lose his sense for a moment, but he tried to maintain his expression, "Whether I bought you or not, you will live. Someone will buy you either way," said Aster.

"N--no, Young Lord. This servant is an expired slave, if Young Lord hadn't bought this servant, he would be killed," replied his servant hurriedly.

"Killed?"

"Yes, this servant will be killed because no one would buy this servant," said his servant, his grip around Aster's leg tightened, "This servant only wants to live, Young Lord."

Aster paused, his gaze finally softened even though he did not say anything. Aster brushed off his servant's hand from his leg and said: "You will need to attend me after this, and I do not favor a tardy person."

"Yes! This servant will attend Young Lord immediately!" his servant smiled again and again, Aster's heart skipped a bit.

Aster walked to the tower in a hurry. He was still unsure about the intention of his servant, but his servant looked really grateful to him. If that was really true, then this servant was genuine to him, to Young lord of Grand Duchy of Stormhill.

Aster saw the maid finished preparing his bath and then excused herself, leaving him alone in his room.

He hurriedly took off his clothes and jumped to the bathtub, maybe a bath would cool down his heartbeat. His heart actually skipped twice when his servant smiled.

'Maybe because it was rare for a servant to smile at me, most of them showed fear. That must be it.'

'Anyway, if he was really genuine, that means we can become a… friend.'

Aster was joyous. At last, there was some progress about this servant. He could finally have a friend, a companion that was genuine to him. Unaware, his lips curled up and Aster smiled deeply.

****

A woman looked at the scenery, her white dress swept the floor as she sat silently in the balcony. She gazed at the west garden, but her bright eyes looked bored. She sipped her tea, bitter, with a hint of ginger like usual. She glanced at her pocket watch, which she opened and put on the table.

'Two minutes late.'

She had woken up earlier to wait for the information, but these watchers were bold enough to have her waiting.

She had thought about discarding some of them and recruiting new ones, but it was such a hassle to train a new one.

'Maybe a punishment would fix it.'

A watcher silhouette emerged and a watcher jumped from the roof. He immediately kneeled to her, Grand Duchess of Stormhill, Camille Anna Camellia.

"This servant begs Your Majesty's forgiveness for his tardiness," the watcher said. Though he sounded bold, everyone, even the maids who stood behind the Grand Duchess could hear his voice trembling.

"You are fortunate that you came ten seconds earlier before I had a reconsideration about you," said Grand Duchess Camille coldly. "Now, what is your report?"

"This servant answering Your Majesty, Young Lord had allowed his servant to attend him again and will lift his punishment after that," the watcher reported.

The Grand Duchess disdainful eyes got sharper as her grip on the teacup got tighter. She had predicted it would happen, but it was faster than she had calculated.

"I expect you to bring me more information," Grand Duchess said.

"This-- This servant is not sure if this is necessary information…" the watcher gulped, "Young Lord flashed a smile to his servant this morning."

CRACK!

The watcher and the maids jolted when they heard the sound of the teacup getting smashed into its saucer. Grand Duchess' eyes became ugly, while it still maintained its beauty, but they knew that the Grand Duchess was displeased.

"You may leave now."

The watcher excused himself and left the balcony. The maids were increasingly terrified, but they said nothing. They had seen the Grand Duchess being displeased occasionally, but they never got used to it.

After a long silence, Grand Duchess stared at the cracked teacup and said: "This could be the time for him to mature."