Surviving As An Obsessive Servant – Chapter 142

Author: Asternkm

After that day, I found myself lost in thought.

Why had I felt so down watching the young master being courted by a stranger?

Was it loyalty as his servant? A protective instinct, like caring for a younger sibling? A shallow sense of possessiveness? Or… was it jealousy, as the young master had suggested?

I couldn’t figure it out, no matter how much I thought about it alone.

So, I decided to seek the wisdom of an older and more experienced expert in romance.

“Brother, what do you think love between lovers is?”

“I can’t live a single day without Tilly. If she dies, I’ll attend her funeral and follow right after. What’s the point of money or anything else? Tilly is everything.”

Despite my sudden question, Brother Rimson answered with the utmost sincerity.

As if he truly lived by that conviction.

‘Wait… This person is a much bigger romantic than I thought?’

Surprised, I stared at him, and he nudged my shoulder with his elbow, asking,

“Make sure to tell her every word of that. By the way, how much did you get?”

“Huh? Get what? From who?”

“Didn’t Tilly send you to ask? How much did she stuff in your pocket to make you come and ask such an embarrassing question?”

“What? I didn’t get a single coin from her!”

“Fine. I’ll believe you just this once since you helped me stuff my own pockets through the young master.”

…Seriously, what was with this couple?

I couldn’t tell if they had too much trust in each other or none at all.

As I stared at him with an exasperated look, he patted my shoulder as if being generous and continued,

“That was what I told Tilly. But really, love is when you feel as comfortable and secure as lying in bed in your coziest clothes with a full stomach.”

“Isn’t that just… fulfilling basic human needs?”

“If you can’t eat, wear clothes, or have a place to stay, you die. Same goes for Tilly.”

I couldn’t tell if that was touching or not.

Ever since he got married, it was hard to see Brother Rimson make those love-struck expressions he used to.

Back in the day, just the sight of Sister Tilly would make his eyes sparkle with excitement. People’s feelings really do change easily…

Scraping the dirt with a twig, I muttered,

“But Brother, if that’s the case, wouldn’t you feel comfortable and happy around me too? But that’s not love, is it?”

“Are you crazy? Why the hell would I feel comfortable and happy around you? I live in constant fear of the young master catching me.”

His shuddering was far too genuine.

He even glanced around, checking if the young master was nearby, before I continued.

“Anyway, my point is, there are plenty of people in the world who make you feel comfortable. So… that alone isn’t a measure of romantic love.”

“Yeah, but you don’t go around kissing all the people who make you feel comfortable, do you? Your heart has to move.”

…Huh?

At that moment, Rimson unknowingly gave me an unexpected realization.

And at the same time, it raised another question.

“So… if there’s someone you wouldn’t mind kissing, does that mean it’s close to love?”

“I wouldn’t know—I’ve never done it. But apparently, there are some crazy bastards who kiss even without feelings.”

Then, for some reason, he looked at me with a proud expression.

“You’ve really grown up, huh? You’re finally settling down with the young master.”

“Oi, Rimson, Lobel.”

From behind us, a familiar voice called out.

It was a fellow servant, someone from the Denkart estate and a distant cousin of Rimson—a weasel-like man, waving enthusiastically as he approached.

Lately, he had been acting overly friendly, likely trying to secure his place in the hierarchy.

Of course, unlike him, we weren’t particularly happy to see him.

It didn’t help that he looked almost identical to Brother Rimson, both in face and in their cunning personalities. Definitely not a likable type.

Still, he was older, so I greeted him out of courtesy.

Brother Rimson, on the other hand, didn’t bother, acting as if he hadn’t seen him. Instead, he leaned in and whispered to me,

“Well, think about it. Could you imagine kissing that guy?”

“Are you insane?”

I recoiled at the very idea, grimacing at the sight of the weasel-man’s mustache.

The man immediately flared up. “Hey! Why are you badmouthing me all of a sudden?!”

Forget kissing—this guy wouldn’t even qualify for a handshake.

The thought of him compared to the young master was laughable. The young master’s skin was soft and warm, like freshly sun-dried sheets on a clear day.

I liked things that were clean and smooth.

Ignoring the still-complaining weasel, I sank into deep thought.

Then, where exactly did the young master fit in for me?

I needed to confirm it properly.

Just as I was about to stand up with that decision in mind, the weasel-lookalike servant spoke.

“Oh yeah, Lobel. You’ve got a visitor.”

…A visitor?

I blinked in confusion.

Even Princess Delilah no longer came by since her marriage.

“Who is it?”

“No idea. Didn’t catch the name. He was wearing a robe—some guy.”

If it were Manellano, this guy wouldn’t be so vague.

And the only person I ever met aside from him was Brother Evo, but he always sent letters first to arrange a meeting.

Then… who?

“Lobel, you are settling down with the young master, right?”

Ignoring the unnecessary commentary from him, I headed for the main gate.

Beyond the black iron bars, a man in a white robe stood with a slim yet slightly taller frame than mine.

Even from behind, he looked familiar.

Sensing my gaze, he turned just as I reached the gate.

Under the long hood, his sharp jawline and silver hair came into view.

‘…No way.’

I stopped in my tracks.

Then, my older brother, Rober, spoke.

“Are you coming out or not?”

****

Rober quickly grew close to the heir of the Stell family.

It seemed that Manellano intended to change nearly everything about his mansion’s household. He frequently invited Rober over for consultations and gradually replaced various items—everything from chandeliers and furniture to small accessories. He even went as far as switching the ink used by his servants to products from the Flor Trading Company.

Given his past experiences of being scammed, Rober found it suspicious and decided to investigate Manellano Stell once again.

He even brought along a trusted acquaintance who often supplied goods to noble households to discreetly confirm things.

[Rober, that man… he’s definitely Manellano Stell. His appearance is far from common. But… his personality has changed quite a bit. Watching how he treats you, he seems to have turned over a new leaf.]

The acquaintance muttered in a conflicted tone, eyeing him with both admiration and envy.

[You landed yourself a great client. He’s known for being extravagant with his spending.]

Rober thought that if Manellano kept up his spending habits, the family would probably go bankrupt by the fourth generation. They say even wealthy families last only three generations, after all…

Still, Rober continued selling his goods steadily. However, Manellano treated him with more warmth than a typical merchant.

His handsome looks and friendly demeanor lowered Rober’s guard.

It seemed Manellano felt the same way, as he often shared personal stories with him.

[Hmm… Now that I think about it, I feel like I once saw a man as good-looking as you.]

Rober wondered if his appearance was truly striking enough for a noble to remember and compliment.

He felt a small sense of pride but remained cautious.

One thing led to another, and he found himself occasionally riding in Manellano’s carriage to tour the capital’s townhouses.

It was a rare opportunity.

Being able to observe the latest architectural styles and trending decorations was invaluable to Rober.

‘I should memorize all this and use it to help my trading company grow.’

Then, at the entrance of Denkart, he saw something strange.

[….?]

Rober forgot that Manellano was sitting in front of him and instinctively opened the carriage window.

In the distance, in the garden, he saw his younger sister beaming with laughter.

‘…Lobelia?’

Manellano must have sensed something unusual as well, as he followed Rober’s gaze.

A moment later, he let out a small exclamation.

[Ah. Now I remember. It was that person.]

[…]

Rober froze stiff, unable to react or even breathe.

He was so shocked that he didn’t even register the oddity of a noble heir referring to a mere servant as that person.

[Her name is Lobel… She’s the servant of the Denkart heir, right…?]

Completely unaware of the situation, Manellano noticed Rober’s pale complexion and suggested they take a break, even stopping the carriage.

At that moment, Rober couldn’t even formulate a response or an excuse.

Please…

Please, let it not be true! Please, please!!

He silently prayed, blinking rapidly to make the image before him disappear.

But his sister’s bright, smiling face only became clearer.

“When I saw you… I thought I had gone completely insane. But now I see it wasn’t me—it was you who’s completely lost it. Serving under a noble? For seven years?”

Fine, maybe luck had been on her side so far, and she had managed to keep the truth hidden. But how long did she think that luck would last?

Just as their trading company was finally beginning to expand its influence, if it were revealed that she had deceived the nobility—Denkart, of all houses—it would be over. Completely over.

Fear gripped Rober at the thought of another crisis befalling the trading company.

And Lobelia understood that fear all too well. She looked at him with a pained expression and apologized.

But Rober only lashed out more furiously.

“What if that bastard finds out the truth and blackmails you?!”

“I’m sorry. I know I have no excuse… But my young master isn’t the kind of person you think he is. He knew and still let it slide.”

…He knew and let it slide?

That made even less sense.

Rober tightened his grip on his sister’s wrist, enough to hurt.

“You’re not the kind of person to be this reckless. Why put yourself in a situation you can’t control? This isn’t something to discuss here—let’s go home. You need to quit immediately.”

“…I’ll go.”

Rober was momentarily taken aback.

He hadn’t expected her to agree so easily.

Throughout the conversation, Lobelia never raised her voice or became agitated like he had.

She simply met his gaze with a calm, resolute expression.

“But give me one more day.”

“…”

“There’s something I need to take care of before I leave.”

Faced with that, Rober couldn’t force her further and reluctantly returned.

The only reason he left her behind in such a dangerous place was simple.

‘If it was something she truly didn’t want to do… she would have bitten her own tongue and died first.’

He didn’t know the full story behind why she had disguised herself as a servant and remained there.