Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

‘—That sounded a bit like a wait and see.’

Did I hear it right?

I walked down the hall, scratching my back head with a little bit of discomfort.

Manellano’s hand tapping on my shoulder earlier was light but intense.

So even though he left completely, I didn’t feel good. I felt a bit uncomfortable.

‘It seems like he has a hidden agenda behind me—. Still, it seems like he just wanted to see him at the reading.’

In fact, in the carriage that Manellano sent for the Young Master this time, there were finely crafted diamonds and gifts for the Young Master needed for the reading session. 

Even I, who is blind to the trend of the capital city, agree that no jewelry suited the Young Master as good as this one.

It’s not too much—. I hate to admit it, but he was a man of great sense. He has an eye for it.

In other words—it wasn’t a bad greeting to be around a Young Master. Because if you are an aristocrat, you must associate with the aristocrat.

But I couldn’t help but worry when I read the original. It was already painful to think he would be obsessed and bother our Young Master.

As I returned to the Young Master’s room, worrying about various things, I met Wayne, who stood neatly in front of him.

As soon as the preparations for the urgent reading session were completed, he seemed to return immediately.

Indeed, apart from what he did to me, it was worth acknowledging his sincerity and desire to appear well to the Young Master.

Meanwhile, when he found me, he gave me a shameless smile and asked politely.

“Why are you so late? Oh, did you have a hard time coming back today?”

Maybe one of his gang locked me up somewhere else, so he thought I was late. 

The more I look at him, the more I hate him.

But this reading, too, may have to use his hands well later, so let’s hang in there for now.

“I’ll be careful next time.”

I shrugged my shoulders as if I were depressed as usual.

Then as expected, Wayne looked satisfied.

I asked in an anxious voice to make it more satisfying.

Take that. 

“Where did—the Young Master go?”

“He has been away for a while with Crimson-ssi.”

—No way, he didn’t go to the Duke alone without telling me, did he?

I was anxious for a moment, but soon my heart calmed down. 

He made a promise last time, so there is no way the Young Master will break my trust. Of course. 

“Then I’ll wait in the Young Master’s room.”

I lowered my gaze to look weak, and Wayne cleared the way.

He was smiling, not as bloody fake as before.

It’s not that he’s not, but he seemed really happy because he was in charge of preparing for this reading session. 

Thank you. I look forward to your continued support.

I entered the room alone, feeling much better, but no one was there. There was neither the Young Master nor Rimson Hyung, so it felt particularly lonely.

Even at the merchants, I tend to get along well with people, but I have never been able to live together like this all the time. So now I’m just getting used to being crowded.

Well, there wasn’t much to be bored with, though. As I sat on a chair and yawned carelessly, the Young Master came in.

His hair was a little wet, as if he had come from a bath, and he smelled of perfume.

Would it be like a single rose petal that got wet with dew in the morning—?

‘Phew—’

I swept down my chest inside.

I’m so glad he didn’t show it to Manellano.

“Where have you been?”

“I looked around the mansion. What about you, Lobel?” 

—I feel like there’s a little thorn in the words somewhere, or is it just me? 

However, Rimson Hyung, who was pushing the Young Master’s wheelchair, moved his mouth from behind and tried to say something to me eagerly.

I was about to burst out laughing. This is because Hyung’s expression was too serious.

I tried to force my eyes to understand what he was saying.

What is it? Actually—.

‘Actually?’

—He must have seen me with Manellano.

I spoke up immediately after judging.

“Young Master. By the way, Manell-nim came just a moment ago.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. He gave the Young Master a present to celebrate his arrival here. He was pleased.”

“….”

I felt it last time, but he seems to hate Manellano terribly.

This is because the Young Master now looks like someone who received poison instead of a gift.

But why does he hate him so much? He hasn’t been obsessed with anything like a novel yet— What is it? Does he feel instinctively??

“Manell—”

However, the Young Master mumbled the nickname of Manellano that I had unconsciously spit on. 

He had a dirty expression on his face as if an insect had bitten him.

I looked at the Young Master like that strangely.

If he has seen Manellano and me, he probably also saw him put his arms around my shoulders.

In that case—.

‘Does he— maybe feel like he’s lost his friend?’

In other words, my role now was more of a first friend than a servant.

Still, I thought it would be okay because Rimson Hyung and others were there, but it doesn’t seem to be the case. 

—Since I’m also human, the Young Master always plays with Rimson Hyung, which makes me a little sad.

I’m sorry Young Master, but I feel a little bit better. Because that’s how much you care about me. 

Anyway, I had to make our Young Master feel better first.

So I was thinking about what to do, but the Young Master said calmly. 

“Ed.”

“….?”

“‘Call me Ed.”

‘Oh, that’s— a nickname only the Young Master’s mother used.’ 

I couldn’t answer right away, and I was sweating inside.

In the novel, when the Crown Prince called the Young Master by that nickname, he hated it very much. 

He even sharply pointed out that it could only be used by his mother— and eventually, the Crown Prince gave up using the nickname.

I don’t know the details, but at first glance it seems like someone told a sad story about the nickname.

‘But if you tell me to call you that when you sulky right now—. You’ll feel uncomfortable later on.’

My conscience pricked me to answer lightly and move on.

Because I don’t know if I’m the one who will stay by the Young Master’s side forever.

If I suddenly disappear later— it could also be a trauma for him. 

I didn’t want to harm the Young Master in any way.

It was the same after I disappeared.

“Why?”

But in my silence, the Young Master asked with an expressionless face.

“You don’t like it?”

“Why are you saying that? I can’t hate it. It’s just that I’m—”

Behind the master, Rimson Hyung said, ‘Robel! You have to answer well!!’ He was strongly expressing his meaning with his eyes.

—I agree. 

If I make a mistake here, I will hurt the delicate and soft heart of the Young Master.

I rolled my head hard and said in a very, very sad tone. 

“Why do I have to shorten Young Master’s pretty and cool name to two letters? If I’m going to call it, I must fill in one more letter!”

I clenched my fists and spoke enthusiastically.

Then, as if the Young Master was never angry, he asked. 

“…My name is pretty and cool?”

“Yes. Is there any other name in the world that is prettier and more wonderful than Young Master’s? Even His Highness Crown Prince’s name is worse than the Young Master. Rimson Hyung. Louis and Edric. Which one is better?”

“You idiot. Are you asking that now? Of course, it’s the Young Master Edric!”

“Look!”

The Young Master raised his eyes when I spoke in perfect harmony with Rimson.

—Phew, still, he’s not saying anything. Will he let it go? 

His fierce eyes have eased a little, and the subsided atmosphere has also improved.

So, shall I take a chance?

I approach the Young Master and beg him to read the children’s book I saw today.

Then, with a straight face and one hand still on me, the Young Master said. 

“It’s not a children’s book. It’s just a book I read.”

“Then please read it. Okay?”

I felt completely relieved at that point, and the Young Master had gone to pick up a book.

He— is pushing the wheel of the wheelchair himself. No, by the way, it’s the first time I’ve seen that wheelchair. Did he buy a new one? Suddenly?

Anyway, I had no choice but to stare at the scene with admiration. 

‘—Are you good at moving on your own? You couldn’t even push yourself in a wheelchair before—’

But looking back, it seems he has been moving alone for quite some time.

‘So… since when was that?’

He got to the desk quickly, put out his arm, and picked up a book as if he wanted to get a certain amount of time if he could.

A translucent silhouette was reflected between the sleeves as if the body was less dry after bathing.

A translucent silhouette could be seen between the sleeves, as if the body was less wet after a bath.

Between the sleeves, there was a reflection of a translucent shape, as if the body had been wiped dry after a bath.

‘—I think Young Master’s arms and thighs have gotten a little thicker?’

While observing hard, I touched the Young Master’s arm who was reading the first page without realizing it.

Then he stopped reading.

“…What are you doing?”

Unlike before, the Young Master looked at me with surprised rabbit eyes.

Well, I only touched his hands, this is the first time I’ve touched anything else like this—. Oh. Is it not? 

Anyway, when I saw Rimson Hyung’s eyes, I felt like I should apologize.

“I’m sorry. It looks like there’s some dust in here. Oh, this brat’s dust. It’s gone down a bit now. But, it knows what’s good, so it sticks to our Young Master.” 

“….”

“Huh? It’s new, but it looks like there’s a thread on it—”

I played tricks a few more times and slowly touched the Young Master’s arm.

Rimson hyung standing behind me looked at me and muttered, ‘A pervert punk with no solution.’’

I can hear anything. Hyung-nim.