Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

Recently, at dawn, the young master’s closest aides visited the mansion.That day, whether it was due to secrecy or because it was too late at night, I wasn’t the one to personally escort the young master.However, I was curious about the people who had served him for so long.So, I watched them disembark from the carriage through my room’s window.‘So those are the people.’The knights walking toward the mansion had such sturdy builds and black uniforms that it was impossible not to recognize their identities at a glance.As I observed them, I couldn’t help but smile.Thinking about how our young master had been commanding these people since he was young made me admire and appreciate him even more.But… one knight stood out.His delicate features were striking, but what caught my attention even more was his strange expression.‘What’s with that guy…?’He looked just like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse, which made him all the more noticeable.Once they entered through the front door, their figures quickly disappeared from sight.So, I closed the window and lay down on my bed.But I couldn’t fall asleep easily and kept tossing and turning.‘…Are the others taking good care of the young master?’Even though I had already prepared refreshments in the parlor with meticulous care, I still felt uneasy.Even if his closest aides knew about the condition of the young master’s hand, the other attendants didn’t. It was certain that he would find it uncomfortable when eating…Because of that, I ended up having a restless night.But I wasn’t particularly tired.I was already used to barely getting any sleep in the underground quarters.Still, staying in my room felt suffocating and dull, so I wandered through the hallways.My footsteps stopped at the grand garden.‘…This place is always the same.’Remembering the young master here at such a late hour had long become one of my habits.Recalling how he had overcome his illness and stood proudly in this place often made my troubles seem insignificant. That night was no different.But then, suddenly, I started coughing.‘Cough, cough.’A strong scent of perfume filled the air.When I turned my head in that direction, I saw a knight striding toward this place.‘…It’s that guy from earlier.’The carriage at the front gate was still there, and the lights in the second-floor parlor were still on… So why was he the only one outside? It was a little strange.Meanwhile, he didn’t seem to notice me on the opposite side. He walked over to a wooden bench and collapsed onto it.His entire body trembled like a cow that had barely escaped the slaughterhouse.His suspicious behavior continued.He grabbed his head with both hands.[ I swear, I’m not going to survive this… Why, why did they have to drag me here too! ]Even though he lowered his voice as much as possible, his fear was evident.[ Damn it… I’m scared to death!! ]In that instant, I knew instinctively.‘…He’s talking about the young master.’My life in Korea and my life in Terua were completely different from head to toe. But there was one thing they had in common.I had been involved in commerce.I had worked as a department store sales associate in Korea for quite a long time.That’s why I was always the busiest during Christmas.Well, I never expected to be hit by a traffic-violating truck on my way home from work…Anyway, that’s enough depressing talk.Here in Terua, I was born into a family that had run a trading company for generations. Thanks to my various experiences, I could somewhat gauge people’s personalities.It was also the reason why I trusted Brother Rimson from the beginning.Still, seeing our young master, who had grown into such a tall and beautiful figure, filled me with both pride and a strange feeling.An icy aura surrounded him.Even when he smiled, curving his eyes and lifting the corners of his mouth, his gaze remained melancholic. His smile always carried a chilling edge.Simply put, if I were a customer, he’s the last person I’d ever want to run into…‘No, no. That’s not right.’Before such disrespectful thoughts could solidify, I shook my head firmly.[ It’s not the young master’s fault. Who knows what kind of hardships he went through over there for that atmosphere to cling to him like this. ]Meanwhile, a maid hurried over, glancing around before sitting beside the knight.The knight, now sniffling, clung to her and muttered something about risking his life to sneak out by using the bathroom as an excuse.Leaving behind the cloying display of affection that followed, I quietly returned to my room.On my way, I found myself muttering under my breath.[ If he’s going to be the future head of the family, then he needs to have that kind of presence. ]From that night on, I kept repeating it to myself.[ There’s a reason hierarchy exists. ]It was practically self-hypnosis.[ Subordinates shouldn’t take their superior lightly. ]Besides, the way our young master treated me was sincere.Even if his smile was a little awkward, he genuinely cared for me and wanted to look after me.Whenever I tried to carry even a single towel, his eyes would widen in surprise—it was such an endearing sight.But… I couldn’t deny the truth.I looked at the young master, who was still smiling, but whose lips had stiffened, and spoke.“You’ve been putting on an act ever since you returned. Do you really think I wouldn’t notice after all the time I’ve spent caring for you?”“……”“Pretending to be kind, pretending to be innocent, forcing a smile… I can only ignore it for so long.”The young master gazed at me for a long moment before slowly erasing his smile.To be honest, that expression suited him better.His dry tone as well.“So, do you hate it?”“What, did you suddenly develop protagonist-like short-term memory loss? Who do you think I was working for when my clothes started smelling like some cow dung-covered herb?”No one else might care, but the young master should never forget the exhausting effort I put in.Feeling indignant, I emphasized my words with determination.“This isn’t something you do for someone you dislike. Even if you get amnesia, remember this well. Do you have any idea how much my pride was hurt when Brother Rimson avoided me because of the smell?”The young master, who had been staring at me with a puzzled expression—probably wondering why I called him a protagonist—finally let out a small chuckle.“Lobel, you don’t smell bad. You’ve always smelled nice, ever since before. So nice that I want to keep smelling it.”His green eyes sparkled as he looked at me.It was a face I had always thought was beautiful… His skin even seemed to glow.“Wow. You’re really pretty. Meanwhile, someone else ruined my skin…”As I stared in awe and admiration, the young master’s eyes sparkled even more, and the corners of his lips lifted further.“So, you do think I look pretty.”“Do you not look in the mirror? It may not look natural, but you’re definitely pretty.”“…It sounds like a compliment, but did I understand that right?”“You sure have a lot of questions today.”I shot him a glare.“You’ve never been this talkative. You didn’t say a word even when you secretly tried to watch me from the terrace, tripped, and scraped your knee.”On a rainy day.He had paced around the rain-soaked terrace, trying to catch another glimpse of me, only to fall and bruise his knee.He must have been in pain, bumping into a crutch and falling onto the ground, but he never showed it.That’s why, even as I secretly mixed painkillers into his medicine, I had been so upset.“You always try to endure everything alone… every single time.”Of course, like most things in the world, his tendency to endure wasn’t entirely frustrating.I remembered his stiff cheeks when he pretended to sleep just to stop me from leaving.‘It was so hard to keep a straight face back then.’I remembered how he waited for me to read to him and how, on chilly days, he warmed my seat in advance.While I was lost in thought, the young master seemed to be deep in his own thoughts as well. He murmured to himself.“…At least it’s not negative.”“Think about it. There’s no way I’d see you in a negative light. If anything, I like you too much.”I had never raised a child, but I doubted I would even love my own child this much.“When I left this place before, I couldn’t even sleep properly because I kept thinking about you.”It was because of the way he was looking at me now.Those eyes—eyes that made it impossible to believe there was no affection in them—kept appearing in my mind, keeping me awake.After a moment of deep contemplation, the young master spoke in a dry tone.“Then what should I do? How should I act so that you’ll be at ease?”“That’s the most inefficient question I’ve heard all year.”I stared at him in disbelief before shrugging.“Why are you asking me that?”Just as I was about to take another sip of champagne, I noticed something odd.‘…Huh? When did this turn into a water glass?’Before I knew it, all the wine glasses in front of me had disappeared and were now sitting in front of the young master.Pouting in frustration, I eventually sighed and looked at him.He was waiting anxiously for my answer.“Just do whatever makes you comfortable.”So, I spoke in a softer tone.“You must have been uncomfortable the entire time over there. Now, just live comfortably. Be healthy, be happy. Stop holding everything in.”At my words, the young master’s lips stiffened slightly.He looked both happy and sad at the same time.But it seemed like he was more happy than sad, which was a relief.“But there’s one thing you need to remember. I never taught you to lie. So don’t lie to me…”“…Alright. Let’s do that.”His tone was firm, as if he had made a strong resolution.“From now on, I should really be honest. I shouldn’t lie.”How admirable…For some reason, my heart ached.Seriously, where else in the world would you find a nobleman who, after rising to such a position, still listens to the advice of a mere servant?Perhaps encouraged by that thought, I found myself saying something I had been keeping inside.“And, young master, all that’s left now is for you to find a good wife.”“……”“His Highness the Crown Prince will surely—oh, wait. I shouldn’t have said that. Ah… this damned mouth of mine.”Realizing my slip of the tongue too late, I smacked my lips with my palm.But before I could hit myself, the young master quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled it down.And at that moment, I couldn’t believe my eyes.‘…Wait, isn’t that the hand that was supposed to be injured?’Since the condition worsened intermittently, maybe it was okay for him to use it for a brief moment…But why did I feel so uneasy?Was it because I left the window open? A sudden chill ran through me, and I shivered.Then, the next thing I heard made me question my own ears.“Lobel, you’re still hung up on that Crown Prince bastard, huh?”…What?“But Lobel.”As I stared at him blankly, the young master narrowed his eyes coldly and spoke.“Why are you bringing up another bastard’s name when it’s just the two of us talking? That’s seriously disgusting.”