Surviving As An Obsessive Servant Chapter 161

We walked side by side, slowly making our way through the estate.

“Oh—over there! That’s where we first met, remember?”

As soon as I started calling him Young Master again, the words flowed so naturally—

Just like before.

Edric must have felt it, too, because his expression was as warm and content as if he were wrapped in a soft blanket.

“Of course I remember.”

“Over there is where you practiced walking with your crutches. Oh, and do you remember cursing me out? You swore at me so much that day.”

“…When did I ever?”

We continued touring the manor, and the next day, we headed into the city.

I had wanted him to rest, uncertain about his condition—

But he firmly shook his head.

“I have to go.”

Then he jumped out of bed and hurriedly dressed himself, more eager than ever.

How could I stop him after that?

As our carriage rolled through the streets, people began to recognize it, whispering excitedly.

But Edric remained composed.

He simply told me to wait inside while he stepped out—returning each time with more snacks and drinks.

This happened again and again.

By the fourth time, guilt started gnawing at me.

Having him run around in his condition felt wrong.

Even though he didn’t show a hint of annoyance, I couldn’t ignore my conscience.

Watching him unwrapping another piece of bread from a brown paper bag, I hesitated—then suggested cautiously,

“…Why don’t we just go together?”

“No.”

“…What?”

“I said no.”

With that, he stuffed the bread into my mouth before stepping out of the carriage.

I sat there, speechless, chewing as I sighed.

Through the window, I could see him striding briskly down the street.

…Has he regressed into a child because he’s sick?

Still—

It was cute.

The moment he came back, I’d have to kiss him for it.

But then—

I saw what he was holding.

“This is…”

My favorite candy.

The one I had fallen in love with after a senior attendant recommended it to me—

And had been carrying ever since.

Memories flooded back.

Every single thing he had bought today—

Was something I had once bought for him.

While I stood there, lost in thought, Edric unwrapped the candy and popped it into my mouth.

“How is it?”

His eyes sparkled with expectation.

When I said it was delicious, he looked pleased—and carefully tucked the wrapper into his pocket.

I almost let it slide.

Almost.

Instead, I leaned in and kissed him.

Even though he didn’t like sweet things, he smiled through the kiss.

As evening fell, I suggested we head back for his health—

But again, he refused.

“How long are we staying out?”

“There’s one last place I want to go.”

Once again, Edric took us somewhere from our past.

At last, we reached the city’s tallest tower.

By then, the sky had darkened, leaving only shimmering waves of golden lights below.

The view was so breathtaking that my eyes burned with the sight.

I wiped them quickly, turning my head—

And Edric, from behind, wrapped his arms around me.

“When my legs healed, I wanted to walk up here with you.”

“….”

“That was my wish. Thank you.”

He told me he was grateful.

For fulfilling a childhood wish.

There was not even a trace of resentment or blame.

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything at all.

A few days later, Edric departed for the guild researching the new medicine.

And I boarded a carriage back to the capital.

That day was the first and last time I sought out Manellano myself.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

“These bastards, seriously…”

Manellano scowled as he looked at the two people sitting in front of him.

“…First, it was Edric Denkart. Now it’s Evo Martin?”

He couldn’t even fully savor the excitement of discovering the past records of Dif that Heaz Rezendar had hidden.

After all, he still couldn’t enter Denkart, and all he had heard was that the young lord and Lobel had gone down to the territory.

With no choice but to bottle up his frustration, he turned his gaze to Evo Martin.

“There were more records left.”

“Besides what you wrote in the carrier pigeon message?”

Lobel had been exchanging messages with Evo Martin via carrier pigeon.

She had done all the work, yet it felt like Evo Martin was the only one benefiting.

Manellano wanted to butt in, but Lobel’s expression was far too serious, so he kept his mouth shut.

He had tried to get under Evo Martin’s skin to hear the details, but the man didn’t say a word.

“…Rezendar, Denkart, and now the head of a merchant guild are all tangled up. What the hell is going on?”

But more than the content of the matter, what irritated him was being ignored by Lobel.

Manellano looked down at his own hands, pouting.

His fists still ached from beating up Heaz Rezendar.

That bastard had dared to mock Lobel and insult her, so Manellano had thrown punch after punch, unable to hold back his rage.

In the end, he had to use the holy water he had prepared on the bastard as planned. Even when his knuckles were scraped raw, he hadn’t used a single drop on himself.

He had gone that far, yet she didn’t even acknowledge it—it stung.

“The last records left behind by the mages who investigated the ancient magical kingdom… Based on those, it’s possible you were right. The answer might be there.”

“…I knew it.”

She should at least drink her tea.

Manellano listened to their entire conversation while staring at the now-cold tea sitting in front of Lobel.

It was only good when hot. Should he call a servant to reheat it?

“If more than one person went, then there must be other records.”

“…”

“Then we have to confirm it. I need to finish before Edric returns.”

She nodded as if she had already made up her mind long ago.

“…Yeah. That would be the safer option.”

“What exactly are you trying to finish?”

Manellano crossed his arms, frowning.

He could guess what was happening with Edric, but he had no idea what was coming next.

No one explained anything to him, which only made it more frustrating.

As he narrowed his eyes and glared, Lobel turned to face him.

The moment he met her violet eyes, Manellano’s lips parted into a slightly foolish smile.

All his previous resentment melted away.

Finally, she’s looking at me.

But now there was another problem.

“Manell, thank you.”

Out of nowhere, Lobel bowed to him politely.

Completely caught off guard, Manellano blinked in confusion.

…What’s with her?

Lobel didn’t move at all.

When she finally straightened up, her face was filled with determination.

“…Lobelia, tell me I’m just being paranoid right now.”

He tried to play it off as a joke, but an ominous feeling gnawed at him.

Lobel was kind and gentle, but she wasn’t someone who bowed her head easily.

And when Evo Martin spoke next, the bad feeling only grew stronger.

“…If you go, you could die.”

“If I don’t go, Edric might die.”

Lobel let out a small, dry laugh before continuing.

“He saved my life. I can’t let him die. There’s no way that’s right.”

“…Yeah.”

That alone was enough for Evo Martin to understand.

Once again, Manellano felt left out.

Evo Martin handed a book to Lobel as she prepared to leave.

“You’ll need this.”

She instinctively turned to look at the black cover, and her face stiffened.

It was a copy of The Secrets of Hornet—the very foundation of Hornet.

It was also everything Evo Martin had.

“Take it. You’re the reason I was able to finish it.”

“…”

Lobel hesitated to accept it.

Having read the original, she knew its true value.

Even the former head of Hornet had clutched onto it until his dying breath, refusing to pass it on to his successor.

“It’s just a copy. Use it and burn it afterward.”

“…Thank you.”

Even with a complicated expression, Lobel eventually took the book.

If it meant bringing Edric back safely, she was willing to sell her conscience—or anything else.

Once she finally left, Manellano crossed his arms and stared out the window.

Just watching her hurriedly running off told him how desperate she was.

Lobel was usually calm. There was no way she would act like this under normal circumstances.

Even after she disappeared, Manellano kept his gaze fixed outside before finally turning to Evo Martin.

Both of their faces, reflected in the window, looked just as haggard and grim.

They were quite the sorry sight.

Instead of pressing him for details like before, Manellano simply asked,

“Why did you give that to her?”

Though he didn’t run a merchant guild like Denkart or Rezendar, he still kept an ear to the ground regarding their affairs.

So he had a rough idea of what merchants considered their most valuable secrets.

Judging by Lobel’s reaction, that book was worth more than Evo Martin’s own life.

That’s why it was strange.

A schemer like Evo Martin, willingly giving something like that for the young lord’s sake?

It made no sense.

Did he really believe that just because he spent a little time in Denkart as a child, he owed them some great debt?

As he stared him down, Evo Martin finally opened his mouth.

“…Who knows.”

Manellano narrowed his eyes.

…Look at this guy. He was using honorifics earlier, and now he’s casually speaking informally?

But he didn’t bother pointing it out.

Evo Martin had always been someone who prided himself on noble decorum and upheld the class system.

But not anymore.

Thanks to Lobel, he had learned that many nobles were lower than commoners.

“If I didn’t give it to her, I knew I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”

“…”

Even without further explanation, Manellano understood what he meant.

It wasn’t his regret he feared—it was Lobel’s.

…Both of them are such idiots.

The biggest idiot of them all, though, was himself.

He had been foolish enough to offer Lobel the Stell family’s massive cruise ship, capable of breaking through icebergs, without hesitation.

But if that ensured Lobel’s safety, then it didn’t matter. If she hadn’t refused, he would have personally handed it to her.

Evo Martin must have felt the same way…

But the two of them were fundamentally different.

Manellano wasn’t as weak as Evo Martin—he wasn’t someone who gave up so easily.

“Hey, Evo Martin. When Lobel comes back, I’ll be the one to greet her, so you stay out of it.”

Lobel hadn’t mentioned when she’d return, but he already had a good idea of which port she would arrive at.

With that half-threat, Manellano grabbed his coat.