Surviving As An Obsessive Servant Chapter 132

When Rober spoke, his voice carried far more strength and affection than before.

Lobelia had always been both a source of guilt and pride to him.

Perhaps because she worried about the future of the merchant guild—more than her own useless older brother—she sent valuable trade information from across the continent, even while away from home.

It had been a great help to the guild’s growth.

[ Hmm. If she takes after you, then she must have inherited that magnificent silver hair. ]

The noble likely hadn’t meant anything by it, but Rober’s lips twitched in amusement.

Talking about his little sister was his favorite topic.

Even if he was with strangers, he would boast about her at least once. If he was with someone familiar, he’d mention her at least three times.

Today was no exception.

Once the dam broke, the words poured out.

[ Her name is Lobelia Flor. She’s so intelligent, beautiful, and kind that there’s hardly anyone in Felican who doesn’t know of her! She’s incredibly sharp—far sharper than me!—and she’s gotten so tall! …Though, due to circumstances, she’s left Felican for now. ]

[ Ah… that must have been hard on you. Losing a sister you treasure so much. ]

[ Yes. It’s been seven years. ]

[ …Seven years. ]

The way the noble repeated those words sounded oddly weighted, but Rober was already too lost in his own world to notice.

[ She’s always had such a strong sense of adventure—oh, come to think of it, she’s the same age as you, Lord Manellano. ]

A sudden realization hit Rober mid-sentence.

Feeling as though he’d talked too much about himself, he searched for a commonality between his sister and Manellano.

[ That year must have truly been blessed by the gods, considering how many remarkable people were born. Hahaha! ]

And yet…

Despite his rough and intimidating appearance, the noble seemed strangely pure.

He listened to Rober’s story with such rapt attention, as if it were some grand, life-changing revelation.

Even his breathing was hushed, as though he feared missing a single word.

For a moment, Rober wondered if he had spoken too freely.

Most merchants found his family stories dull and would plug their ears. The young lady he had met a few days ago had even looked visibly annoyed.

But this man?

He was genuinely engrossed.

…If he turns out to be decent, maybe I should introduce him to Lobelia—

No, NO! What the hell am I thinking?! A noble is absolutely out of the question!!

Rober violently shook his head, chastising himself.

Lobelia didn’t know, but when she was very young, one of their relatives had taken her own life.

After being abandoned by a nobleman’s son, she had thrown herself into the river.

The memory weighed heavily on Rober’s heart.

He still remembered how much his parents had wept.

At the funeral, they could barely stand.

They had kept the tragedy hidden from young Lobelia, but every now and then, their father still wiped away tears.

That’s why they warned us—never get involved with nobles.

Since both siblings had striking appearances, their parents had been extra cautious.

Seeing how this so-called noble had been staring at him earlier, it was clear that their worries weren’t entirely unfounded.

And yet, when Rober finally snapped out of his thoughts, he was stunned.

…Is he still like that?

Manellano was still staring at the family portrait—his face flushed, utterly dazed.

He looked like someone who had just laid eyes on a portrait of their long-lost first love after lifetimes of yearning…

…Did he have some kind of tragic family history?

Was he using this as some weird form of emotional catharsis?

But I never heard anything like that during my background check…

Cough, cough!

Lost in thought, Rober was startled back to reality by the noble’s excited coughing.

When he looked up, he was met with Manellano’s beaming face—followed by a question in a tone so sweet it was almost sickening.

“How many warehouses do you have for storing gold bars, hyung-nim?”

*note: 형 (hyung) Brother (elder brother), 님 (nim) is a respectful way to referring someone.

 

****

 

 

“…Lobel.”

The moment I practically fled from the stopped carriage, Arif called out to me with concern.

He had been following behind on horseback at a distance, yet somehow, he had arrived here first and was already waiting.

As I lowered my hand—half-covering my burning face—I let out several deep sighs internally.

Normally, he wouldn’t dare speak to me so openly in case the young master was watching… That meant whatever was on my face must have been really obvious.

But still… the carriage curtains had been drawn, the doors tightly shut—so as long as I didn’t say anything, there was no way he could know.

“Nothing happened in the carriage.”

Even to my own ears, my tone sounded uneasy and awkward.

“Really. I mean it.”

“…What?”

“I said nothing happened!”

“…What are you referring to, exactly?”

Arif blinked his gentle eyes in confusion.

I stared at him just as blankly.

And for a moment, the two of us just stood there, silently looking at each other.

“…?”

“…?”

“Ah… no, it’s nothing. Never mind.”

Though he didn’t seem to have noticed anything, I couldn’t fully relax.

…What the hell did I even do back in that carriage?

My fingers still tingled slightly.

Of course, the young master hadn’t bitten me or anything… And thanks to Dif, my hands had been thoroughly washed and dried…

But the odd sensation lingered.

Somehow, the damp feeling still hadn’t gone away.

…I’m going to lose my mind.

Maybe it was because I could still picture him as the child he used to be.

The thought made me feel like some kind of terrible person, and I struggled to keep my face from burning up again.

“What are you two talking about?”

And just like that, the young master had already stepped beside me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

He had gotten out of the carriage at some point and now stood there, completely unbothered.

Does he feel no shame at all?

Feeling the heat rise to my face again, I stepped away.

Naturally, he followed.

I stared at him, exhausted, and in response, he flashed me a melting smile.

…Like a cunning fox.

He knew I was weak to that expression. That was why he kept using it.

But I no longer had the energy for this pointless back-and-forth.

…Focus. This is my first time attending the Merchant Guild Assembly. I need to stay sharp.

Even if it was mostly a formal event, it was still crucial.

Since the young master had virtually no presence in the public sphere, this was one of the few chances for him to make an impression.

As a servant, I had to ensure nothing went wrong.

Just as I was reaffirming my duty, Arif lowered his long lashes.

With his sorrowful beauty, he looked as though he were deep in contemplation.

But before I could say anything, a large hand blocked my view of him.

The young master had stepped forward to physically shield him from my sight.

…Was he always this childish?

Today was proving to be full of surprises.

Not only that, but he seemed intent on preventing me from talking to Arif at all.

“Why? What’s the issue?”

“Well…”

Despite being a knight of the highest caliber, Arif didn’t seem fazed or discouraged.

Still, he hesitated, as if struggling with how to phrase what he wanted to say.

After a few deep breaths, he carefully turned to me.

“Lobel, are you truly okay with Lord Manellano?”

“Why are you suddenly—”

I paused.

Man—

I want noodles.

Wait, NO. Why is that name coming up?

It felt like trying to speak a forbidden name.

And sure enough, the young master made a face as if he’d just had a bug crawl into his ear.

Knowing how he’d react, I couldn’t even bring myself to say it outright.

Instead, I hesitantly asked,

“Why… why are you bringing that up?”

Arif spoke cautiously.

“He came to see me recently. Said he needed to confirm something about you personally.”

“That’s… not unusual, though?”

“No. This time was different.”

His brow furrowed slightly.

“He didn’t go into specifics, but… he’s been looking into you. And unlike before, something felt off.”

Internally, I sighed at the sheer privilege this man had.

Who else would have the time and energy to go around personally investigating someone?

Still, seeing Arif so genuinely unsettled, I smiled lightly to reassure him.

“He’s always been weird, but there’s nothing to worry about. I told him I was getting married. That’s probably why he’s acting that way.”

I assumed he was just thinking of sending me some kind of wedding gift and brushed it off.

But then, the young master suddenly spoke.

“That bastard doesn’t know anything about Lobel.”

His voice was filled with an almost triumphant satisfaction, as if he had won a high-stakes bet.

“I’m the only one who truly knows Lobel. There’s no one else—only me.”

“…….”

The sheer childishness of his statement was enough to make me turn away in secondhand embarrassment.

Arif also looked uncomfortable but still managed to respond with a dutiful,

“…I see.”

The loyalty was admirable.

As we approached the grand buildings of Terua—renowned for their splendor and scale—I took in the sight.

The location was fitting for a gathering of merchants; intricate carvings of feathered hats adorned the structures in long rows.

Each one represented a legendary merchant of their era.

…Wait. If that’s the case, Brother Evo will be here too, won’t he?

Maybe I’ll run into him…?

Excited by the thought, I started looking around—only for the young master to suddenly grab my hand.

The same hand that had just been in his mouth earlier.

“Let’s go.”

“Just because you didn’t kiss it doesn’t mean it’s fine! Holding hands like this makes no difference!”

“Alright. Then do whatever you want, Lobel.”

I struggled to free my hand, but he only smirked and loosened his grip—like he was allowing me to escape.

And in that moment, I completely forgot about the flustered Brother Arif and the soon-to-arrive Brother Evo.

 

 

****

 

 

I had no idea what he might try next.

Because of that, I kept a cautious distance as I walked behind the young master.

Fortunately, he behaved himself once we were inside the building. Little by little, the incident in the carriage began to fade from my mind.

It helped that our surroundings were so dazzling.

The ceiling shimmered with ornaments suspended from diamond-threaded cords, catching the light in every movement. The walls of the grand corridor displayed the crests of prestigious merchant guilds, meticulously carved in repeating patterns—a testament to their long-standing traditions.

Here and there, the most luxurious forms of artwork—paintings, sculptures, and other masterpieces—were on display. Their sheer worth was staggering, beyond what I could even begin to calculate.

The interior was just as magnificent as the exterior, and because of that, I felt a twinge of regret.

…It would’ve been nice to bring my parents here.

Their lifelong dream had always been to expand the guild.

A place like this was something they deeply admired.

Honestly, it would have made more sense for my mother and father to be here instead of me…

Still, I wanted to remember as much as possible so I could share it with them later.

The young master also observed the surroundings—but only for a moment.

Most of his attention remained on me.

The way he stared was so blatant that it was becoming unbearable.

…It felt a little self-centered to think that, but I couldn’t help but wonder—did he really like me that much?

The question nagged at me.

At first, I assumed he thought of me like an old childhood comfort—like a favorite blanket or stuffed toy.

But after everything that had happened today…

I was sure no one would ever do that to a mere blanket or toy.

Then… if being around me makes him all nervous and flustered… And if he…

“Lobel. Are you hot?”

“…No. It’s just right.”

I didn’t need to ask why he was asking that.

My face was already burning hot—it couldn’t get any worse.

Great. Now I’m even thinking about the young master in this way… Lobelia Flor, have you completely lost your mind?

I really must have gone crazy.

And yet, the cause of all this—the young master—looked completely unfazed, which only made it feel more unfair.

Feeling wronged, I turned my gaze away—only to catch him smiling at me.

But this time, there was something different.

Just a slight, barely noticeable difference.

…The tips of his ears are a little red.

He had been acting so unaffected, but maybe… he wasn’t so different from me after all.

I didn’t know why he had acted so recklessly earlier, but now, it seemed like he was trying—however clumsily—to hold back.

Honestly… I can’t tell if our young master is innocent or not.

Grumbling internally, I lowered my gaze to the marble floor.

The intricate patterns seemed endless, yet none of them truly registered in my mind.