Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

Edric, who was thinking about when he did it, was startled.

Wait. He thinks something similar happened the last time… Thinking about it, he quickly nodded.

“Ung, ung.” 

It was because Lobel was putting out such intense eyes.

Edric’s heart pounded again, looking forward to seeing the twinkling purple eyes up close. 

“…Yes, yes. Ah, yes. I understand.” 

Lobel, who hesitated like a person facing a very difficult task, said.

“Excuse me, Duke…The Young Master said there was no need to list any of the items there.”

It was a look that other servants could only see. With his head bowed, he looked terrified.

Yeah, as expected, Lobel. What were you thinking again this time! 

As Edric looked forward, there was a strange noise.

“They were all fake?” 

“….” 

“That’s what the Young Master said.” 

It was a completely unexpected and clearly angry voice.

* * *

Torturing people with hope is—I think it’s a bad habit that can’t be dealt with.

In that regard, I think the Duke is a human being who can’t be dealt with.

‘No, where in the world is there a father who makes his son do what he can’t do?’

So, not a very good voice came out of my mouth.

“The art pieces kept in each room, and even the historical objects, including old books, were elaborate fakes made by skilled swindlers.”

As my hometown is a business city, various merchants from all over the continent gathered.

So, among them, there were scammers, even the punk of different classes.

In some cases, they tricked them into buying fakes and delivering them to noble families. Later, when they revealed the truth, some people unfairly paid large compensation.

As a result, my ancestors used to pass down their knowledge of how to tell the difference between real and fake items from generation to generation.

For reference, I memorized the entire book as if I were going to eat it all.

And I used to learn things that weren’t in the book through ancient stone slabs.

“The vaults were even worse. He said that everything, from the jewelry on the exterior, was a well-made imitation.”

I looked through the rest of the items one by one just in case, but there was no real item.

Of course, there was no need to look around more, nor was it worth making a list.

I found the Duke who did such a ridiculous thing funny, but the successive Dukes of Dencart were also amusing.

The imitations here are all from the time of William I, so others, if not the first Duke, would have known. 

‘There’s no way they couldn’t find out it was an imitation.’

But none of them revealed it.

To be precise, I think they were trying to hide it—.

“I’m not sure. It’s difficult to stick to the old tradition of not allowing a successor to attend classes just because one tutor ran away.”

I’m not sure what he meant, but I snorted.

“He said he wondered if it was worth it—So he didn’t organize it at all. Right, Young Master?”

“U, ung. Right. That’s right.” 

When I asked, wiping away the anger that comes out more without realizing it, the Young Master nodded hard.

Still, the Young Master worked hard to manage his facial expressions. As expected, how great we are. The unity was perfect since we had one heart and one mind.

The Duke took off his glasses.

The eyes that felt clearer a little while ago became thinner.

He was facing me.

“How did you find out?”

“You don’t have ears? Lobel just explained it kindly…to you.” 

When I pinched his back a little, the Young Master vaguely corrected the title.

With a slightly dissatisfied expression on his face, he added softly.

“What I said is just as Lobel told…you. Anyone who saw it could tell it was an imitation, so there was no need to write it down.”

It was a tone of questioning as to why he was hugging that garbage.

“That’s a waste of time.”

Young Master, nice shot.

I chuckled inwardly and lowered my head as if terrified.

Even though I had been agitated by my emotions not long ago, I needed to be more cautious now.

But then, something unexpected happened.

“You will know when you come up to this position. Why am I wasting my time like this.”

The Duke stared at the Young Master with tired eyes and boredom.

“Don’t tell anyone about what happened today, not even your grave.”

“….?”

“….?”

“Get out.”

In the end, our journey to the capital has been confirmed. 

* * * 

Contrary to expectations that he would find some more fault, the Duke let us go without hesitation.

And, with a shaky voice, the aide informed them about the trips to the capital.

The Duke, who was strict and cool-headed in everything, changed the tradition for the first time.

At this, the servants made a lot of noise while saying that blood is thicker than water.

Of course, it was a ridiculous tradition no matter who heard it, so they didn’t care much.

Most of them were filled with people who were disappointed.

However, the Young Master became a little strange.

“I’m fine.”

As I was packing the few things in the Young Master’s room, I felt the tenacious gaze and smiled broadly.

This is because the Young Master in the wheelchair was looking up at me anxiously the whole time.

At that time, he seemed to think that I slept because I was sick like the Young Master. In fact, he has asked that many times. 

“I’m really okay, you know?”

So when I repeatedly said it, the Young Master replied quietly, saying, “Okay.” 

But from then on, he wasn’t looking at me properly. I was wondering what kind of thoughts he had fallen into.

He just stared blankly down at his palm. Somehow, he seemed depressed and upset.

I think I’ve seen this attitude before—. 

‘…Are you upset because you’re leaving a place where you’ve barely adapted?’

However, it wasn’t in the atmosphere to receive an answer by asking. It wasn’t in the mood for a light joke anymore—.

As I noticed it and finished organizing it, he sat down on a chair and fell asleep.

Although he didn’t show any signs of it, it was because he hadn’t been able to rest properly before meeting the Duke and had been sensitively paying attention.

Still, he couldn’t fully rest, so he woke up whenever his consciousness returned halfway through.

But he kept looking down at his hands. And in the vague last memories, the Young Master clenched his fist so tightly that it looked painful.

It was a face that was firmly determined on something. 

*****

“Are you— really going?”

I was packing up my small luggage in the room all the time, but Rimson Hyung kept talking to me behind. 

No matter how wide the space between the bed and the bed is, it is impossible not to pay attention to it.

I stopped packing my clothes and looked up at Hyung. 

He was looking down at me with a face full of regret.

This Hyung really—.

“Why do you keep doing this when Hyung comes with me?”

“—I, I! I like it better here!!” 

He seemed to have grown attached to it, and his voice was full of lingering feelings.

Anyone who heard would know that he has been working here for over ten years—. 

But he actually had another reason.

“Didn’t Hyung get dumped after seeing Renee Nuna every day, so it doesn’t matter, does it?”

Love, it’s because of unrequited love, which is different from day to day—.

When I asked because I didn’t understand at all, Hyung got angry right away.

“This punk!”

“H, hold on, Rimson.”

“Be patient, Rimson!”

The other Hyungs grabbed Rimson’s arm and stopped it on both sides.

Rimson Hyung, of course, was able to shake it all off, but he only drooped as if he had lost his will.

Looking at his face, he seems to have been dumped after confessing for the last time yesterday.

What do you mean foolish? Isn’t it an old saying that no tree doesn’t fall for ten strokes?

And I personally hate that word.

‘Why are you forcing someone who doesn’t like you.’

“You, you! You’re doing that to the Young Master who hates you! Don’t you think you’re qualified to say something like that to me?” 

—Huh? 

Maybe I said it out of my mouth again, but Rimson Hyung roared like an angry bear.

I apologized because he had a really angry face. But the Young Master didn’t hate me unilaterally, he was ashamed of me—.

Anyway, the servants who shared the room with me looked relieved and disappointed.

Except for Rimson Hyung and me, most of the newcomers had quit, so they all said they would be assigned to their original duties. 

Because in the beginning, the Young Master was also close to a guest here. So it all goes back to its original place.

‘If it goes as planned, I will return to my hometown sometime this winter or next spring—’ 

Maybe it’s because I feel affection in my way, but I couldn’t leave even after I finished packing.

Normally, because of the Young Master, I couldn’t even talk much, so I wanted to talk a little bit.

If I leave this time, I’ll never see them again.

Even if we met by chance later, they wouldn’t recognize me. 

My hair won’t be as short as it is now, and I’ll be a lady with pretty dresses and shoes.

“What do you think makes you laugh like a pervert?”

“You’re talking a bit harsh.”

“In any case, listen carefully. Don’t hide under the Young Master’s bed. Because you’re going to lose your neck for sure this time. I hear the knights there are so straightforward.” 

After a while, the Hyungs surrounded me and murmured.

It smelled like men’s unique sweat, but it was okay.

I can purify the inside of my nose with the body odor of the Young Master later—wait. 

“But how did you know I was hiding under the bed?”

“Do we not have ears? We heard it.”

I think they heard the Young Master angry at me in the beginning because he pulled the rope and told them to kick me out. 

All the Hyungs nodded in sync as if they knew.

What? Why is the rumor spreading so well here?— I should be more careful in the capital.

And I have to be careful not to reveal the fact that I am a woman as well. 

I remembered the danger by tightly hugging my knees to my chest, encouraging the Hyungs who misunderstood my stiff expression.

“If you’re as patient as you are, there’s no problem of going to the capital.”

Well, as expected, I’m a wonderful servant.