Surviving As An Obsessive Servant Chapter 189 - Manellano (IF) Side Story Chapter 4

Lobelia organized her tangled thoughts and tried to think about the next step.

After finishing the market survey, she planned to go watch the opera.

Originally, Manellano had suggested splitting their meeting into two days, saying there was a better performance on the weekend.

But Lobelia immediately refused.

At the time, she thought spending two whole days with Manellano would be torture.

More than anything, she disliked the idea of being distracted while waiting for the next meeting.

‘……Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad to just spread it over two days instead of squeezing it into one.’

Thinking that, she furrowed her brows.

Somehow, now it felt like she was the problem rather than Manellano.

Letting her guard down and seeing him in a less negative light wasn’t the right thing to do.

After all, people should always be judged in the long run……

While she was troubled, Manellano, who had been walking smoothly, suddenly asked.

“Why?”

“……Why what?”

“You’ve been staring at me this whole time. What do you want to say?”

……Had she really?

Flustered, Lobelia roughly brushed it off, saying she had just been looking at the goods on the stall in his direction.

After that, they roughly browsed through the market, and once she had recorded everything needed for the assignment, Lobelia stopped walking.

They happened to be at a place crowded with carriages mainly used by commoners.

‘We can part here and just meet again later.’

That way, her messy thoughts would also clear up a bit.

With that lighthearted thought, Lobelia waved her hand.

“Then I’ll see you in front of the opera hall. See you later.”

“What? You’re going alone??”

Lobelia immediately revised the generous evaluation she had given him just moments ago.

‘……Why is he overreacting like that?’

After all, Manellano had come in his family’s carriage.

And the carriage would surely be waiting for its master.

That’s why she said it—but Manellano suddenly looked shocked, as if he had been abandoned.

His dazed expression even made Lobelia worry about his mental state, so she asked, just in case.

“……Did you, by any chance, not bring your carriage?”

“You’re saying you’re leaving me behind???”

“No…… not leaving behind, just meeting later.”

“Same thing!”

Manellano pressed his lips tightly together in anger.

Since she had assumed he would naturally take care of such things himself, Lobelia was thrown off guard.

‘But…… is this really something to get that mad about?’

At that moment, one possibility crossed her mind.

They had agreed that Lobelia would handle the market survey, and Manellano would write the review after the opera.

But maybe, in order to fully experience the capital’s culture, he also wanted to ride the carriage with her.

That way, they could share opinions and organize their thoughts together.

‘Manellano Stell…… not bad, huh?’

To think there was a student who took a simple liberal arts assignment this seriously……

Rather, Lobelia felt a little embarrassed that she hadn’t realized that sooner.

So, unlike usual, she decided to be generous.

“Then let’s ride together. I’ll pay the fare.”

“Hey, why would you pay when I’m here?!”

For the first time, Manellano raised his voice.

Even though the area was quiet, people were still passing by, and Lobelia frowned.

“Why are you shouting like that?”

……Do nobles, especially the very wealthy ones, get angry when commoners spend money in front of them?

She thought it might be better for them to just donate money instead, but then Manellano cut her off firmly and pulled out money.

“Forget it. I’ll pay, so just accept it.”

“This is why rich young masters are impossible. Who spends a whole gold coin just to ride that carriage?”

It was like he wouldn’t even notice if someone robbed him blind.

When she pushed the gold coin he offered back at him, his expression hardened.

But soon, as Lobelia tugged at his arm, his expression gently softened.

She walked over to one of the lined-up carriages, choosing the one that looked at least the cleanest.

Normally, she wouldn’t ride one that cost nearly twice as much, but today she had made up her mind.

Then, opening the carriage door, Lobelia spoke.

“Go on, get in first.”

There wasn’t a step to help climb in, but looking at those long legs of his, she figured he didn’t need one.

But perhaps he disliked the carriage itself. At some point, Manellano had pulled his hood low, his expression turning sour.

“Hurry up.”

It wasn’t a noble’s carriage, and being an ordinary one, the ride might be rougher and slower.

At her repeated urging, Manellano seemed to think the same and soon climbed aboard.

Then, unexpectedly, he held out his hand to her as she was about to get in.

Lobelia was startled—she had been rejected by nobles before, but never had one actually offered her a hand.

Yet Manellano, as if it didn’t matter at all, spoke bluntly.

“Take it.”

“……”

“What are you waiting for? Is my hand dirty to you?”

“……No. Thank you.”

After hesitating for a moment, Lobelia took his hand and climbed in.

Just as she expected, it was a rough hand, but warmer than she thought.

Maybe it was his first time in a cramped two-person carriage, because Manellano crossed his arms and furrowed his brows.

But Lobelia wasn’t angry or uncomfortable. It was just funny how he sat with those long legs stretched down as far as possible.

‘……This feels strangely new.’

They had sat side by side during liberal arts classes, but this was the first time she had faced him this close.

Well, in the hallway at least she could avoid his gaze.

Anyway…… it was uncomfortable, but not unbearable.

That’s why she took off her hood too.
Otherwise, she would have just pulled it down to her chin.

And being with Manellano, she started to feel confident that she could get a perfect score on the assignment as well.

Even though he had never directly experienced the culture of commoners, his knowledge was unexpectedly vast.

It was useful in many ways, and maybe because the morning had gone better than expected, she found herself speaking up.

“What perfume do you use?”

“……”

“No, I mean, it just smells nice, so…”

Manellano looked at her with surprise, then gave a short laugh.

“It’s something the Stell perfumer made specially. Its name is Manellano Stell.”

“R-right. Wow, you really make all sorts of things.”

“It didn’t exist before. My grandfather had it created just for me.”

“……What an amazing family. It must be nice to have a grandfather who cares about every little detail. I’m jealous.”

She instantly regretted bringing it up.

As Lobelia smiled awkwardly, Manellano lowered his gaze and said,

“Until he passed away, he was the adult I liked most. You would’ve thought the same if you had met him.”

Maybe because he was fond of his grandfather, but his voice sounded unusually subdued—unlike him.

……She wondered if she should say something comforting, but then the carriage stopped.

“I’ll introduce you next time, so you can greet him too.”

After saying that, Manellano opened the carriage door first and stepped out, not even giving Lobelia time to respond.

It sounded like something he said out of courtesy, so she erased it from her thoughts as well.

Soon, Lobelia followed him out, and the moment her feet touched the ground, she witnessed something shocking.

Manellano was handing a gold coin to the coachman.

‘What in the world is he doing!’

Lobelia quickly held out silver coins to the coachman.
The driver, grinning from ear to ear, said,

“Oh my, this is too much already. Thank you for the tip, my lady.”

“No, this isn’t a tip! This is the fare!!”

“It’s not a tip, that’s true. I’ll just be off then.”

At Manellano’s words, the driver quickly left.

Staring blankly, Lobelia buried her face in both hands.

It wasn’t even her money, but what a waste…!!

“Aren’t you coming?”

“……I’m coming.”

But there was nothing she could do.

If he wanted to spend his own money, she had no right to complain.

He wasn’t a pushover, but rather, maybe just very free with his spending.

‘Anyway…… this is my first time coming somewhere like this.’

The only theaters she had ever been to were small ones.

This was her first time seeing such a large-scale opera, and it felt overwhelming.
Everywhere her eyes landed, it sparkled with splendor.

For non-nobles, it was nearly impossible to even enter an opera of this scale.

If Manellano hadn’t made the reservation, this assignment would’ve been impossible.

‘……Surprisingly, he’s actually useful.’

Before she knew it, seeing him without his hood, she unconsciously parted her lips in admiration.

He looked good in his school uniform too, but dressed this neatly, he truly fit the title of young nobleman.

The people around them thought the same, it seemed.

Maybe that’s why Lobelia started to feel a bit small.

‘No, I don’t need to feel that way. We’re just here for the assignment…….’

……But still, just in case, she tugged at Manellano’s sleeve and asked,

“……This is my first time watching an opera. Is it okay to go in dressed like this? You’re not going to leave me behind if there’s a problem, right??”

“This is the sixth time you’ve said it’s your first opera. And I reserved us seats in my private box today.”

“If it’s a private box, isn’t it just for one person?”

Still suspicious, she couldn’t let it go, and Manellano gave her an exasperated look.

Luckily, it wasn’t a lie—he led her up to the second floor.

On the way, she found herself shrinking back a little.
Even stepping on the marble floors felt like it would cost a fortune.

But when they reached the front row of the second floor, supposedly his private box, she felt strange in a different way.

The seats covered in white velvet looked so wide and comfortable they could almost be called sofas.

Several were lined up together, and behind them, the name “Manellano Stell” was engraved in elegant lettering.

As if by magic, the name gleamed even in the dim hall.

It caught her eye more than the prepared stage did.
When she stared at it intently, Manellano burst out in cheerful laughter.

“My grandfather did like to go overboard.”

“I almost wish I’d been born as his granddaughter. If this is what ‘overboard’ means, I’d envy it.”

His grandfather must not only have been wealthy, but also generous of heart.

This wasn’t extravagance, but a luxury few could ever dream of enjoying in their lifetime.

“You don’t have to envy me.”

Saying that, he handed her an opera glass as he sat down.

“Even if you don’t have a grandfather, you have me.”

In the shadows, his face carried a weight and seriousness it usually didn’t.

That’s why it felt strangely hard to just laugh it off, but Lobelia simply replied, “Well, I guess that’s something,” and sat down.

But for some reason, he seemed displeased again.
After smirking crookedly, he suddenly turned serious and stared straight ahead.

Lobelia glanced at him sideways for a moment, then also turned her head to the stage.

Maybe because the place was so unfamiliar, the performance barely registered.

But at least one thought was clear—she had made the right choice in letting Manellano handle half the assignment.