Eulogy of the Prince 20

I gasped and opened my eyes immediately. I looked left and right, and I was still in my servant room, in this wooden bed. I took a deep relieved breath.

'Thank god, it was just a dream.'

I looked at the window to see the moon was still full, but the servants were already busy everywhere. I frowned, 'It's still too early, what are they doing?'

I left the room and walked towards the kitchen to see the maids were busy cooking.

"Excuse me, ma'am," I said to one of the senior maid, "Is there any important guest coming this morning?'

"You don't know?" the maid frowned in dissatisfaction, "Grand Duchess will be leaving to go to Roagelt Capital City, and Grand Duke will come after his long business trip. They will have breakfast together and Grand Duchess will be heading off after that."

'G—Grand Duke!' I remembered my promise to work under him and report all Young Lord's activities in exchange of money. But Young Lord left me alone here.

After Young Lord's departure, it was quite strange that Grand Duchess hadn't come up to me and started threatening me or hurting me like usual. So, I helped the servants do odd jobs, it had been two weeks since Young Lord left the palace and there was no sign of him coming back.

'Was it because of me?'

'I… I didn't mean to hurt him.'

'I just don't want him to know that his only friend…'

"Move!" a butler pushed me aside and harshly scolded me, "If you are not going to help, then move! We're busy here!"

I didn't care much about his scolding, I look around to see the people were packed in the kitchen and there was no odd job for me. So, I left the kitchen and decided to clean Young Lord's room. I was the only servant allowed to clean his room, it was what he ordered the guards to before he left the palace.

'It made me… happy, at least he still trusts me.'

I entered the room with broom and mop. I started my daily routine, sweeping the floor, cleaning the rug, wiping all the furniture and Young Lord's books, then I mop the floor. Only this time, I did it at four in the morning.

The sun started rising, Young Lord's room looked especially beautiful when the sunrise directly entered his room through the big window. What sad was that, Young Lord always closed the window and closed the curtain in order to avoid the sunrise, because his skin might burn.

I observed the room and smiled contently. Because everything was squeaky clean, he didn't want his master's room to get dirtied even though he wasn't here.

The sunlight slowly hit all edges of the room, and my eyes feasted on the marvelous decoration in this room. My eyes wandered around the room until I saw something familiar hidden behind one thick book in one cabinet. I didn't dare to touch it because it was Young Lord's important documents, but I saw something familiar, something that came to my dream last night.

I opened the cabinet and took the book carefully until I could see what was behind it completely. It was a dried-out sunflower in a glass box. The petals had wilted already and the middle was fully black, it was indeed an ugly dried-out sunflower. Just like in my dream.

My hand trembled because I remembered last night dream.

'No, there is no way it is true. Young Lord wouldn't love me like in my dream, that is just fantasy.'

'But, why would the same sunflower exist here? I thought he threw it already.'

I was hit by my own fear, the fear of Young Lord dead with this sunflower in his hand. It got worse if I imagined that Young Lord died because of me. If he really died because he was brokenhearted, that would be my biggest mistake.

'Calm down, Ramuja. This is just a coincidence, this might be because he forgot to throw it away. He is a busy man after all.'

'He wouldn't drink a poison because of me, right?'

I put the sunflower back carefully and closed the cabinet. I left the room anxiously.

'Young Lord, why do I keep wishing my fantasy to come true…'

***

Grand Duchess left the palace after breakfast and I was summoned by Grand Duke in his office. I was kneeling in front of him, dared not raising my head because I knew I failed.

"T—This subordinate is present in front of Milord…" I said. Grand Duke scoffed and continued reading his documents. I stayed in this position for so long that my left started getting cramped until Grand Duke ordered, "Rise."

Grand Duke's deep eyes observed me from top to bottom and shook his head, "You failed even the easiest task, what you have to do is just stay with my son. Was that order not clear enough to you?"

"No, Milord, it is clear…" I replied weakly.

"No good, you are no good." Grand Duke sighed, "It seems you are a failed investment to me."

"M—Milord, give me—"

"I heard from my people that you are in relationship with that peasant girl that lives in Grand Duchy's land, is that true?" Grand Duke asked coldly.

I lowered my head and nodded silently. Grand Duke's eyebrows scrunched, as if he was holding a rage, "It seems you underestimate my power as Grand Duke. I may be lenient to my people, but that doesn't mean you can freeload in my estate."

"Milord, please give this subordinate a chance!" I kneeled again in front of him, but Grand Duke was nonchalant.

"I supplied your little family with food and proper shelter because I thought you have a use. I send my people to protect your sister in Dionde City because you begged me to. Turns out that little sister is your own lover, you insolent slave," he mocked, but there was not even a sliver of raging anger in his tone, which made it even more chilling.

I prostrated in front of him and smacked my head to the floor, "This subordinate has failed! Begging for Milord's mercy!"

"I do not care over a failed investment, I should cut all the supply from your little family and take the land. It is still my land they currently resided in."

"Milord! Begging your charitable Milord to spare this one's family! I—I will try to get close to Young Lord again!"

Grand Duke sighed and write something in a paper before handing it to one of his subordinates in the room, "Take this person to Dionde city, give him a room in one of my mansions in the city."

"Yes, Milord."

"Raise your head," he said. I raised my head, "I will give you one more chance. My son will have to check on Dionde hospital administration in Dionde City, three days from now. I will let you try to win him back, at least for him to spare you. Remember, I do not take failure kindly."

A smile finally bloomed in my face, "Yes sir! I will not disappoint!"

"You will be leaving tomorrow morning. Now, leave my room, I have plenty of businesses to do and you are just giving me a headache."

I nodded and left the room. When the door was finally closed, there was a big stone that finally lifted off my shoulder. But now, I have to leave this duchy in order to chase Young Lord.

'Wait for me, Young Lord.'