Surviving As An Obsessive Servant – Chapter 129

Author: Asternkm

Once I recover, I’ll leave quietly.

That was the decision I made when I first set foot in Denkart.

At first, I came here just to survive. Once I accomplished my goal, I thought I would simply leave.

But then, I started noticing the young master—someone just as sick as I was. Unexpectedly, I began to care.

Maybe that’s why.

Seven years ago, at some point…

I found myself wondering—what would happen if the young master discovered the truth about me?

If I told him I was a woman… would he refuse to believe me?

And even if he did believe me, what if he was disgusted at the thought of having been served by someone of the opposite sex?

He was already uncomfortable around other men—if he realized I was a woman, wouldn’t he find it even more repulsive?

Just imagining his expression in that moment filled me with guilt.

It was a selfish thought.

My desperate will to survive had inevitably led to deceiving him.

Lost in those thoughts, I made mistake after mistake all day—mistakes I rarely made.

I dropped his coat while carrying it, stared blankly at his empty dishes instead of clearing them away.

At one point, the young master even asked me, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?” with concern in his voice.

I quickly waved my hands. “No, of course not.”

But his worried gaze lingered.

And under that gaze, my guilt only deepened.

Then came the words that left me feeling even stranger.

[ Lobel. If you’re sick, tell me anytime. Go rest. ]

A fellow sufferer.

Because the young master knew pain, he never forced unreasonable tasks upon me.

But that night, despite his good intentions, I found myself indulging in thoughts I usually never had.

“When he was struggling with his illness… there must have been times when he resented or envied the people around him—whether they were family, friends, or just anyone.”

Even if he later regretted it, I was sure he had felt that way at least once.

Because I had suffered from the same illness, I could understand.

There was a reason people called it the disease of the devil.

“So… maybe when he learns the truth, he’ll understand my decision?”

That foolish conclusion led me to speak impulsively.

[ Young master. ]

The drugged boy lifted his green eyes to look at me.

He was so exhausted that it wouldn’t have been surprising if his eyes closed again at any moment.

After all, the medicine he took that evening had been especially strong.

Even I, who had secretly taken a little of the leftover dose, was feeling its effects.

Normally, I would have just let him sleep.

But that night, I didn’t want to.

Clenching my unsteady hands into fists, I cautiously asked him,

[ They say there’s such a thing as a ‘benevolent lie’ in this world… What do you think about lying? ]

[ …Lobel. ]

[ Yes, young master? ]

I waited nervously for his response.

Then, I heard his faint breath.

[ My mother… was killed by the person she trusted the most. ]

His voice was quiet, as if it could disappear at any moment.

But the hatred within it was solid, like bone.

[ And I nearly died at the hands of the person I trusted the most after her. ]

The young master’s hazy eyes locked onto mine.

I don’t remember what kind of expression I had at that moment.

[ I hate it, just like you do. People who aren’t honest… ]

All I knew was that, in that moment, I was relieved that his eyes were closed.

[ It’s utterly disgusting… ]

…I can’t tell him.

A single, absolute thought settled in my mind.

I had, in the end, gained the young master’s trust.

But if he ever found out the truth…

If he realized that someone he trusted had only been kind to him for their own survival…

He would be devastated.

That’s why I wanted to hide it.

I didn’t want to see it.

The look of disappointment on his face.

The young master was always beautiful, but he was most beautiful when his eyes shone while looking at me.

When his trusting gaze was fixed on me, it made my heart flutter—regardless of the fact that he was the protagonist of this world.

For fleeting moments, I would fall into the illusion that I was truly the protagonist of his life.

At some point, I had even started wanting to remain that way forever.

That’s what helped me endure the grueling labor underground.

“I kept wondering how much longer I should pretend not to know.”

But now, with my worst nightmare unfolding before me, I could do nothing but tremble as if I had forgotten how to breathe.

Should I apologize?

No—if he already knew everything, wouldn’t an apology just be further deception?

“But now, I don’t think I need to pretend anymore.”

…When did he find out?

Had he known all along and just played along?

My mind was too overwhelmed to process anything properly.

I couldn’t even manage to control my expression.

Which meant the young master must have read every ounce of my confusion.

But he didn’t look at me with pity.

He didn’t try to comfort me.

Instead, he simply waited—watching for my reaction.

He wasn’t looking for an apology.

Rather, his unwavering gaze seemed to demand that I face this reality instead of running from it.

“For over seven years, I’ve only cared about you. So don’t even think about running away—keep your eyes on me.”

Seven years.

Somehow, those words felt heavier than they should have.

Did that mean…

He had known the truth all this time and had been waiting for seven years to say it?

Just as guilt and confusion pulled my head down, the young master spoke again.

“Lobel. Look up.”

The once-fragile voice of the boy I knew had transformed into the firm command of a man accustomed to being obeyed.

I couldn’t refuse.

Slowly lifting my gaze, I found him approaching.

If it were someone else, they might have hit me upon discovering the truth.

But the young master wasn’t like that.

Even if he resented me, he would simply grumble a little and move on.

No matter how skilled he’s become as a swordsman… he’d sooner cut off his own hand than hurt me.

So, though I trembled with guilt, I did not tremble with fear.

I simply waited—like a prisoner awaiting their verdict—anxious for the words of judgment he would cast.

Stopping right in front of me, he lowered his head and rested his forehead against my shoulder.

His warm breath tickled the skin between my shoulder and neck.

“Don’t run away… Just look at me.”

I remained frozen, unable to respond in any way.

In this moment—the very scenario I had feared—he did not look at me with contempt.

“If I scared you… I’m sorry.”

Instead, he apologized to me.

“But you don’t have to decide anything right away. Just wait and see. I’ll do plenty of lovely things from now on….”

He pleaded.

“So please… just don’t abandon me yet.”

His long, slender nape was flushed red with embarrassment.

Nothing was going as I had feared.

Everything deviated from my anxious expectations.

And all I could do was let out a heavy sigh—deep within my heart.

****

“Everything is prepared, Lord Evo.”

At the subordinate’s polite report, Evo slowly swept his gaze forward.

The grand mansion of the Martin family was as vast as its reputation suggested, and its living room was no exception.

Yet today, the usually immaculate space—maintained meticulously by skilled servants—was filled with something entirely different.

A massive black stone slab occupied one entire side of the room.

Not just any ordinary stone, but magical rock slabs—so rare that an average person might never even see one in their lifetime, let alone obtain one.

If not for the duke’s support, even Evo wouldn’t have been able to acquire such a variety and quantity of these slabs.

He soon turned his gaze to the opposite side of the room.

There, he saw the new resources he had received from Denkart.

“Everyone, leave.”

After staring at the items for a brief moment, Evo dismissed the subordinates who had brought them in.

Then, from an old leather bag, he carefully retrieved a case of spectacles and a roll of parchment.

The parchment, visible beyond the lenses of his glasses, was a treasured relic of the family—preserved for no less than several centuries.

As he read through it meticulously, Evo pressed his hand against his forehead.

He hadn’t even begun, yet the sheer volume and complexity of the text already made his head throb.

And more than anything else… the fact that all of this was connected to Lobel filled him with an inexplicable sense of unease.

…Why had Lobel tried to obtain this in secret, without the duke’s knowledge?

Letting out a sigh, he turned his gaze to the towering stack of stone slabs.

But he did not look away.

Not even a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes.

Just then, a knock sounded, and his agent stepped inside.

Evo, ever sharp, recognized the man by the distinct, precise sound of his footsteps alone.

“Lord Evo. If we delay any longer, we’ll be late for the Merchant Guild’s assembly.”

He was well aware that this moment was more critical than ever.

Yet, Evo neither turned his head nor responded.

His gaze remained fixed on the slabs in front of him.

The jet-black stones were as unfathomable as the intentions of the Duke of Denkart.

I need to understand why Lobel was kept as the heir’s attendant for so many years and why he was made to handle these underground slabs…

But asking the person in question wouldn’t yield any answers.

Lobel, with his rough hands yet easy smile, would never speak a word of it—not in his entire life.

And so, Evo’s frustration burned black within him.

This wasn’t the only mystery that needed solving.

Why had he abandoned his real name, Lobelia, and chosen Lobel—taking on a precarious false identity?

Why did he only send the occasional letter to his family instead of visiting?

Still… Lobel isn’t someone who acts without reason.

There was undoubtedly something he couldn’t tell even his own family.

Evo also had a gut feeling that the reason Lobel had once said he was about to leave—only to remain indefinitely—was hidden somewhere within this truth.

But for now, everything was mere speculation.

…I haven’t uncovered a single thing with absolute certainty yet.

Frustration welled up inside Evo, and he bit his lip.

He needed real proof.

Lobel had endured and accomplished things even his own family couldn’t know about—so he needed someone who could support him.

That meant Evo couldn’t simply overlook this and let it go.

He needed to understand it fully.

Only then could he become either Lobel’s shield or his sword.

“I won’t be attending for now.”

“Lord Evo!”

“Just pass the message along.”

Finally turning his head, Evo spoke to his agent in an even, composed tone.