Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

However, that feeling didn’t last long.As soon as I finished tidying up, there was a knock on the door, and at the young master’s command, a group of unfamiliar merchants entered.Judging by their red attire, they weren’t from the Denkart merchants.Each one carried a large, luxurious box, and just from the exterior, I could tell the contents would be just as extravagant.‘…Did the young master order some personal items?’Wearing pristine white gloves, the merchants placed the red-embossed boxes on the long table.When the boxes were opened, their interiors were even more refined than I expected. Several compartments were lined with rich, crimson velvet.Inside were glasses and watches—countless of them. Just at a glance, they all looked expensive.I marveled at them for a moment, but then I flinched in surprise.The young master, standing beside me, was simply smiling quietly.But it wasn’t the expression of someone welcoming urgently ordered personal belongings.I had no choice but to ask.“…Are these for me?”“Yes. I wanted to personally gift you the things you use often, as thanks for staying at the mansion while I was away.”With an apologetic yet bashful smile, the young master continued.“The ones I gave you before… they’re a bit outdated now.”Just as he said, those gifts weren’t exactly in fashion anymore.But they had been crafted by the finest artisans, pieces so rare and exquisite that they would only become more valuable over time rather than outdated.In other words, these weren’t ordinary gifts one could measure by common standards.And just like before, these were all far too extravagant for me to accept.Even in our city, such items were difficult to even see, let alone own.No noble would go to such lengths for a mere servant.I was deeply grateful, but knowing this, I couldn’t bring myself to accept them.I quickly tried to think of a way to decline without hurting his feelings.And just as I was about to speak—“Uh, young master.”“Aah.”A gust of wind blew in through the open window. The weather outside was warm, carrying a gentle breeze.Yet, the young master, whose body had weakened, must have felt a chill again—he instinctively curled in slightly.Long shadows fell beneath his thick eyelashes.Seeing him look so frail, just like in his childhood, I found myself at a loss for words.Perhaps worried that I would be concerned, he quickly straightened his shoulders, pretending to be fine.But I had already seen everything.“Did you have something to say?”“……”“Lobel?”“……”I… couldn’t refuse.How could I, when he was already in such pain? I couldn’t bear to leave even the smallest wound on his heart.As I hesitated in confusion, a dazzling smile bloomed before me, filling my vision.“Then, shall we pick one together?”“…Yes.”Honestly, no one could refuse after seeing that face.I held back my frustration and began looking around.But as soon as I started calculating the costs in my head, I felt dizzy.Most of these items were crafted by legendary artisans who only worked for nobility.‘…And he’s giving them to me?’No matter how generous the young master was, this was too much.As I continued browsing, I noticed even prescription lenses had been prepared.‘What kind of business ethics is this…?’There were con artists in our city who scammed customers by adding prescription lenses to gift glasses, even though they were useless if the prescription was wrong.The young master must have been tricked into purchasing them, unaware of such schemes.Even if he had plenty of wealth, this was a waste.Just then, he spoke in a calm tone.“I had them prepared with your exact prescription.”…How did he know my prescription?Seeing my surprise, he smiled and explained that Wayne had told him.While working underground, I was frequently exposed to dust, dirt, and stone fragments, so my lenses often got scratched.I had been so busy that I sometimes asked Wayne to pick up replacement lenses for me.Apparently, while he ignored other things, that was something he made sure to tell the young master.‘Well… the young master has always found ways to take care of me.’He was still smiling warmly—his face pure, as if he never even considered that I might refuse.That kind and generous heart… ultimately changed my mind.“…I’ll use them well.”Since things had come to this, I figured I might as well choose properly.But as I examined the glasses more closely, I noticed something odd.Every single pair had the initials “E.D” engraved on the frame.Anyone could tell—it was the young master’s name.It was clearly a mistake.Who engraves the giver’s name on a gift?‘…Should I say something or not?’After thinking it over for a while, I decided against it.Mistakes happen.Besides, the watches could simply be returned to the merchants waiting outside, and I had already planned to leave the glasses behind when I eventually departed the mansion.But as I was making this plan, I suddenly froze.‘…Wait. I keep thinking about leaving, but why haven’t I actually done it yet?’A creeping sense of unease rose from the tips of my toes.Was I… going to end up staying here forever?That… couldn’t happen.Forcing myself to regain composure, I quickly picked the cheapest pair of glasses.The young master seemed slightly dissatisfied that I had only chosen glasses, but he still respected my decision.Before I knew it, I was already wearing them.Looking in the mirror, I saw that they fit perfectly—as if they were made just for me.And they suited me surprisingly well.“Oh. They look good on you.”The young master smiled brightly, clearly thinking the same.His radiant expression, crystal clear beyond the lenses, melted away my worries and complicated thoughts.After that, he continued to treat me with an overwhelming kindness.He wanted to take care of me, no matter what.And whenever I tried to refuse out of guilt, he simply smiled and reassured me.Compared to the original story… he was a completely different, perfect nobleman.In the novel, he had relied solely on the crown prince for support.But now, he was overcoming hardships and growing stronger on his own.Watching this unfold so closely, my regret over having altered his predetermined future slowly began to fade.…Maybe I had raised our young master too well?   *****   “After all this time… You still haven’t found that bastard?”“…My deepest apologies.”Just an hour ago, Edric’s eyes had been warmly curved toward Lobel, but now they were laced with a sharp chill.Who the hell is it?His subordinates could track even the emperor’s every movement, yet they hadn’t been able to uncover the name of the wretch who dared to try and steal Lobel away.So far, their investigation had only found that Lobel occasionally sent secret letters to Evo Martin or her parents.At one point, they had suspected the parents were a means of contact, but that idea was quickly dismissed.They were far too occupied running their thriving trading company, barely able to keep up with its operations. The only documents they sent abroad were notarized contracts and order forms.Edric, arms crossed, fell into deep thought for a while before speaking.“Keep investigating.”“Yes, my lord.”Though they answered dutifully, his subordinates were inwardly surprised.Given Edric’s personality, they had expected that he wouldn’t lash out irrationally—but still, his expression wasn’t just neutral; it was calm.Despite how adamantly he had ordered this investigation, he didn’t seem the least bit displeased by the lack of progress.And indeed, as they suspected, Edric’s mood was far from sour.If anything, he was experiencing a strange kind of satisfaction he had never felt before.It had been only a few days since their reunion, yet Lobel had already returned to her old self, as if the past years of separation had never happened.She was just as she had always been.The moment he so much as rubbed his forehead from a headache or shivered even slightly from the cold, she would sense it like a phantom and spring to his side in an instant.[Young master!]Her lively voice, her unwavering gaze—both were always directed at him. Each time, Edric had to fight to keep his lips from curling into a smile.Lobel was once again completely focused on him, worrying about him, constantly thinking of ways to help him.She was exactly as he remembered.With that, how could he be anything but utterly satisfied?And yet, despite this, an inexplicable thirst gnawed at him.It was separate from satisfaction—an unfamiliar, peculiar feeling he had never accounted for.After Lobel left his room at midnight, he would sit idly, inhaling the lingering scent she left behind.It wasn’t until much later in the night that he would snap out of it—only to find his entire body burning from head to toe, as if his blood were boiling in his veins.It was bizarre.In the past, being with Lobel had made his cheeks warm, especially whenever they parted—but now, the difference was striking.Now, he couldn’t sleep for entirely different reasons.Even with the windows open all night, the heat wouldn’t dissipate.…It must be anxiety.Unable to rationalize this out-of-control reaction, Edric ultimately attributed it to unease.It was the only explanation that made sense. A life without Lobel was something he had never even considered.There were still debts to repay and even more things he wanted to give her.Which meant—she had to remain in this mansion.Forever.And that arrangement… was already quietly being put into place beneath the surface.