Spring Garden

"Hey! Hey! Have you heard?"

Annie pulled me to sit down with her on the chairs in the servants' dining room.

I almost yelped because the soup on my plate was about to fall down.

"Annie!" I called her, irritated.

Oh this girl! She really does not have an ounce of mindfulness!!

"Sorry sis!" Annie clasped her hands in front of her. It made me sigh. All that's done is done.

I sat down comfortably and fixed the plate in place.

"What is it?"

Why was she so worked up in this quiet morning?

Well, not so quiet.

I looked around.

For some reason, the girls are giddy today.

"You haven't heard the announcement yet that's why you're so complacent, sister!" Clora said pointing her spoon at me. She looked like an amazona ready to fight a war.

Actually, all the ladies are like that. Cheeks flushed paired with bright eyes.

It's like seeing everyone in a dreamy state.

I had to take care of my little Luke today, that was why I was late.

I'm just glad the baron's headmaid allows me to come to work late as long as I finish my tasks for the day.

It's my Baby Lucas's first second week at daycare. I can still remember his cute chubby cheeks even when I was far away from my baby... and how he looked wearing the small uniform meant for children.

Ugh! My heart just can't!

It feels like I want to go and fly to his school right now!

"You're thinking of baby Luke, aren't you?" Annie caught me. She giggled at me while I replied to her with a smile.

"It's his second week at daycare."

"He's already at that age, isn't he?" Clora mushed her cheeks, it looked like she also remembers my baby's cuteness!

"Hmm, I would also be as happy as Eustia if I were with little baby Luke!" Annie agreed. The three of us laughed and fangirled together.

I am already twenty-six and had a kid so at first I thought that I'd be shunned by the other ladies at the baron's home. Some people will often look at my situation unfavorably because I don't have a husband, I chose not to marry some other guy even when I know that the past between me and Erden was completely severed.

People said that he became extremely capable.

Yet the man who professed his love never tried finding me.

Months after he disappeared, I hoped that he would appear again. But after giving birth to Lucas, my whole world focused on my baby. That was why I didn't even try chasing after him, even if he was very powerful and well-known now.

Why am I thinking about that guy anyway?

He's happy now and I'm happy now. I should shooo! him away from my mind.

Anyway, what I meant to say was I am super happy and comfortable with Annie and Clora right now.

"I almost forgot! The test!!" Clora cried out, remembering the topic that we pushed aside after we talked about my little baby.

"Right! Right!"

"What test?"

"They say that the baron is conducting a test to be Lady's handmaid today!"

"And if you pass, I heard that the pay will be tripled!"

Trippled??!

Now, now... I am not a servant of money but...

I tried counting the figures in my head.

Tripple of what I earn now... If I can get a hold of that... I can prepare for Luke's elementary fees.

He's four years old now, but time is fast, so it is best to invest in something for my child.

Right?

"But doesn't the lady already have enough handmaidens?"

"This time it's for---"

Before Annie can continue explaining, the head maid enters the room.

The old lady exuded grace even as she worked her whole life out of loyalty to only the Baron's family.

Everyone stood up and bowed.

"Good morning Miss Leila!" We said in chorus like children meeting their first teacher of the day.

I raised my eyelids a bit, the head maid often takes care of the masters and mistress... and it was rare for her to be seen at the servant's dining place.

She is after all always busy and eats after everyone is done.

"Seiz, Lisa, and..." Her eyes grazed the whole dining room. Our eyes met. I immediately bowed down and looked at my plate. "and Eustia."

Yes?

I looked up again, she was sternly looking at me.

Did she mean me?

I was the only Eustia around.

"Proceed to the east garden at ten, the three of you will undergo the first phase of testing."

Testing?

Annie and Clora gasped.

Annie winked at me.

"Oh my gosh, Eustia! Do your best okay??!"

"Tripple pay!!" Clora made a circular sign with her hand happily cheering me on.

Tripple pay...

Tripple pay...

Tripple pay...

The words echoed repeatedly through my head.

It won't be bad to try right??

*****

"What is this?" Erden Abaddon threw the piece of paper he found wandering in the streets of the empire during his travel to the palace.

"What? What do you mean??" Kailus, the current emperor replied to his aide, playing the role of an innocent accused man.

"Are you selling my loyalty?"

"Selling??" Kailus pretended to be shocked. "That's your problem, Erden. You're too loyal to the empire." And the past. Kailus caught the words he wanted to add.

Erden's face crumpled at the words of the one he served.

"I don't need anything else or anyone, Kailus."

In the paper Erden presented to him were the words 'Spring Garden' with a tacky tagline 'Who will be the next rose within the Dukedom?'

"That's what you're saying now." The emperor shrugged it off. "But you won't be saying that tomorrow."

The war was over for everyone, and yet his closest friend was still fighting the demons of whatever happened to him before. Everyone was moving on and yet he was still frozen in time.

"I still don't get it Erden, why do you keep chasing after someone you don't know?"

The whole office became quiet. Erden opened his mouth and closed it again.

The emperor was right in many ways.

"I will not play the part of a gardener."

"You don't have much of a choice my friend." Kailus giggled. "Besides, I already made the announcement, what can you do??" He patted the piece of paper to his head.

"From here on out, we'll be able to see which families I should hold on to and which families do not matter very much."

It was not only a dating show that would pique the whole empire's interest, it was a full-on show to showcase who was most powerful, who was against the throne, and who was willing to spill blood to support the vassal of the throne.

Upon hearing this, Erden was able to see the other side of why the emperor hosted such an event.

He was after all a machine he can wield at any time.

That was the sole reason why the emperor took him in, and he accepted his help to clear his name.

But who knew that even he would rise up the ranks to the point of being a duke?

He wanted less.

Because that was what she wanted.

She hated the nobility and the empire very much.

Erden heaved a sigh and cleared his head.

Until now, he kept waiting for her to find him.

But was 'she' really just a figment of his imagination? a figment of a past he was not currently aware of?

In the end, all he could do was make sure the empire would prosper.

For imagination's sake.

For 'her' sake.