7: The Green Carnation Flower

“Where’s Tanaka-sensei?” I asked Hanako.

My lesson about becoming the next emperor starts now. I was told that an emperor is a symbol of unity of the people. That we are obliged to keep the tradition alive. As for the current emperor, which is my father, he’s already busy doing the task he needs to do as an emperor. Such as visiting other countries to promote international relationships. Attending meetings and stuff like that, I cannot imagine myself doing all of those things when the day comes for my coronation. I have fallen in love with this palace, but the people around here are not lovely. Everyone around here is fake, they will give you a fake respect and they won’t even mean it. Except for Tanaka, he’s the oldest and probably the nicest. SInce i was separated from my mother at the age of 5, Tanaka is the one who took care of me. I remember seeing Hanako as well but I just realized now how much she hated me. The rules of servants on a low rank were not allowed to look at us is such a useless law. Why are they treated differently from the severance inside the Palace? They were all human, we are all humans. It’s not like they are a wild beast who’ll kill anyone they’ll see. I keep on thinking and thinking of a reason but I still can’t find one. I wanted to talk to Tanaka, for he knows a lot about the Palace. He took care of my father as well, and I know that things aren’t like this before. I know something happened and that is what I will find out. If I'm going to be crowned as the next emperor I'll make sure there would be equality between the servants outside and inside the palace.

“He left a few hours ago,” Hanako answered.

“To where?” I asked.

“To the garden, I presume.”

“Alright. I wanted to go to the garden as well,” I said as if I was ordering her.

I need to talk to him and also I’m kind of curious about the gardener. I remember that he once sniffed my hand but also helped me get away. Also his eyes, it reminded me of something.I feel like I have seen him before, I just can’t seem to recall where.

“You are not allowed to leave the palace alone, Yamabe-sama,” Hanako replied.

“If Tanaka is there then I already have a company,” I answered. She looked at me with a frown but she immediately removed it and put on a fake smile.

“Forgive me Yamabe-sama, but I cannot risk you going out alone. I will accompany you instead,” she said as she opened the door for me. I cannot take this anymore, the mere fact that I was breathing the same air of these fake people makes me sick!

“Do as you wish,” I said as I started to walk. Hanako is walking behind me and I’m pretty sure she’s already talking bad behind my back. She just hated me so much, I don’t even know why.

“Hanako,” I said as I continued walking without looking at her.

“What is it, Yamabe-sama?” she answered. I don’t want to see her face, I know she’s frowning or glaring at me.

“Why do you hate me so much?” I can hear her gasp as she took a long time to answer.

“I don’t hate you, Yamabe-sama,” she said. What a joke, does she thought I’m that stupid to not realize how she’s treating me?

“I guess lying is as easy as breathing for you, huh?” I jokingly said.

After a few moments of silence we arrived at the garden, and to my surprise, Tanaka was there with a servant. I immediately thought it was the gardener. Why would Tanaka-sensei bother to go to the garden just to talk with the gardener? I was about to interrupt their conversation when my gaze wandered upon Hanako. She was half surprised and half happy. Why is that?

“Hanako?” I called. This is the first time I saw her smile without faking it. What is it that’s making her happy at this moment?

“E-Ervin!” she exclaimed.

Tanaka and the servant called Ervin looked at our way. Ervin and I made eye contact, but he didn’t even flinch. He stood up as he smiled while approaching Hanako. He gave her a hug and she hugged him back. It was like watching a movie where the family got separated and now they finally got reunited. It was a heartwarming scene but I cannot seem to understand what is happening.

“Hanako! I long to see you, I’m so glad I finally met you again,” the servant said.

No matter how I think, I still cannot find an answer on what is happening right now. How did an aristocrat like Hanako, became close with a lowlife servant like Ervin?

“Yamabe-sama.” I looked at Tanaka and he’s already holding my arm. “Let us take a walk to this beautiful garden,” he said.

“I have many questions to ask of you,” I said.

“And I’m more willing to answer all of it. When the time comes that you are ready to know,” he said as we walked towards the flowers.

“I’m ready to know everything, Tanaka-sensei,” I replied as I followed his footsteps.

He took a deep sigh, “It was very chaotic and everyone of us cannot seem to find peace.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. Everyone around me seems to know something that I never knew. Everyone has something to hide, everyone has a question they wanted to ask. I wanted to know everything, I wanted to know what happened before.

“Every question you have will eventually be answered as you grow up,” he replied.

“Then can you just tell me who Ervin is, and why are you talking to him?”

“I cannot speak of anything. I’m not the one who’s in place to answer that question.”

Every word that Tanaka mutters seems so hard for me to understand. I have a lot of questions in hand but I’m not in place to receive any answers. When am I going to know everything? When am I going to stop being ignorant? Everything in this Palace is a mystery. The servants, the gardener and the garden itself.