Chapter 25 - Black Swan.

"A black swan?" Rei asked as she locked her eyes on that delicate swan sculpture, and obviously, she likes it a lot, sparkles of happiness can be seen from her eyes.

"Mmm... To be more accurate, it's a black swan-shaped paperweight. Since you like poems, I believe that you might like calligraphy as well, so... I carved it with a piece of leftover black wood that I feel a bit wasted to throw it away after making something else." said the King, trying to make it sounds like he didn't purposely make that gift for Rei.

"You crafted it by yourself? This is a really incredible piece of artwork. But why black swan though? Aren't white swans supposed to be more common and likeable?" Rei asked, she is also pretending that she is not particularly happy about the given gift.

"Yes, a white swan is indeed more common and more likeable due to its bright and clean appearance. But black swan has its own beauty and goodness as well, and since it's uncommon, it is unique on its way." said the King.

Rei nodded without saying anything.

"You... don't like it?" The King asked.

"Heh? No, I love it very much... Ah..." Rei immediately covered her own mouth as she accidentally slipped out her true feelings.

"Haha... Glad you like it." said the King as he laughed out a bit.

Rei's face blushed as soon as she heard that laughter of the King, in order to reduce her awkwardness, she quickly keep the wooden swan back into its boxes before serving a cup of warm water to the King.

"Your Majesty, have a cup of warm water, you must be thirsty right now since you haven't been drinking anything since just now," said Rei, who still sounds a bit awkward.

The King giggled a bit before accepting the water offered by Rei.

"Uhm... Do you mind if I ask you another question?" Rei asked, after slightly getting over the awkwardness.

"I don't mind, just ask whatever you want to know." said the King.

"It's... It's about the 'Flower Garden'. From your words earlier, I was wondering if that 'Flower Garden' is really a bad place. And if it is a bad place, why would it exists in this castle?" Rei asked, in a careful manner.

"Ah... Well, you are right, it is indeed not a good place. Ben must have told you that it is nothing like a typical 'harem' everyone has gotten used to, to be more accurate, it's not even a harem, it is low-keyly a... A red-light house that is covered by the veil of nobility. It was an extremely sickening culture that was left by the previous ruler. I had been trying to demolish that culture a few times but got strongly opposed by some influential old courtiers of the previous ruler saying that I should not be messing with a culture that had gotten used by everyone an... *cough*... and passed for more than ten generations... *cough*..." Before the King could finish his words, he started coughing all of a sudden.

"Your Majesty! Are you alright?" Rei asked, rather concerned and slightly shocked by the sudden coughing.

"Ah... Don't worry about me... It happens all the time, not a big deal." said the King as he took a short while to readjust his breath.

"It happens... all the time?" Rei asked, slightly astonished.

"Ah... I... Tsk..."

Realising that he had slipped that out, the King feels quite speechless of himself.

"Should I... Uhm... Go get Dr Ben here?" Rei asked, although worried and curious about the King's health condition, Rei decided that she should not continue digging into it.

"No. It's okay. I am alright now." said the King, who seems quite grateful that Rei did not dig too much into his secret.

"I see... I have some honeyed pear Dr Ben gave me, would it be alright if I make you some drink with it?" Rei asked.

The King nodded with a smile...

***

After the King had the warm honey pear drink made by Rei, he continues telling Rei about the dark secret of the 'Flower Garden'.

According to the King, aside from the old courtiers, some of the foreign envoys disagree with the King's decision to demolish the 'Flower Garden' as well. The foreign envoys said that by demolishing the 'Flower Garden', their diplomatic benefits will be greatly affected since lots of the noblemen that are having diplomatic relations with the King tend to send their daughters to the King's palace to become a 'Flower Maiden' hoping that one day the King will be giving a marital status and title for their daughters which will further strengthen their power and property. Or in more direct and layman's terms, they are using their daughters as money-making tools.

"Even without a marital status or title, the family of the 'Flower Maiden' will be given a monthly allowance without doing anything while their daughters are trapped forever in that 'garden'. Everyone like easy money." said the King as he clenched his fist, he looks angry.

"Your Majesty..." said Rei as she gently patted his clenched fist, trying to comfort him a bit.

With that comfort attempt from Rei, the King closed his eyes and took a deep breath with his hand holding onto his left chest.

"Hah... Thanks Rei, I needed that. Anyway, just to clarify, neither Ben nor I had ever designated or sexually interacted with any 'maidens' in the garden, but even with that, they still continue sending ladies into the 'Garden'. I just can't understand what the hell is in their head." said the King as he calmed down a bit.

Rei looked at the King without saying anything, she noticed the King's lips to be a bit pale, which is a bit similar to that day when he was in great discomfort after reprimanding some of the palace guards...

.

.

.

"Hmm... I might know nothing about his condition but it seems like anger and extreme emotions might trigger it and cause him great discomfort. I wondered what can I do to keep him away from those negative emotions that will make him uncomfortable?" That's what Rei thought at that moment...