Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

Today happened to be Flower Day.To celebrate the occasion, Edric had prepared gifts in advance and, first thing in the morning, piled them into Lobel’s arms.“Ah… What should I do…? I didn’t prepare anything for you!…”The moment she stepped into his room, Lobel was showered with gifts and looked completely overwhelmed with guilt.And judging by the way she opened and closed her mouth, she was definitely about to refuse them.So before she could even speak, Edric cut in first.“You gave me a gift before, too.”“……”As expected, Lobel was weak against old memories.She had been on the verge of rejecting the gifts, but at Edric’s words, she fell silent.In the end, she stepped back for her master’s sake.Settling onto the couch, she began unwrapping the gifts one by one—exactly the reaction Edric had hoped for.But rather than any of the luxurious presents, Lobel’s eyes widened at the cookies Edric had personally made.The delicate flower-shaped cookies, wrapped in clear packaging, were golden brown.However, they looked a little rough—clearly not the work of a professional chef.Still blinking in surprise, Lobel held up the cookies and asked,“Did you… make these yourself, young master?”“Yes.”When Edric admitted it so easily, Lobel looked dazed.It made sense—after all, the cookies she had once gifted to Edric had been rather clumsy-looking.To this day, he still vividly remembered their unique appearance. They were the most peculiar food he had ever seen in his life.“Wow… You even bake well now. You really… can do anything. Wait… Hold on. But your hand—how did you even manage this??”“It’s not completely unusable. It took time, but I could manage.”“…Thank you. Wow. But seriously, these are delicious. They’re really, really good.”Lobel looked on the verge of tears, torn between guilt and gratitude.Even as she chewed, she kept holding up her thumb, declaring them the best.Seated across the table, Edric lazily watched her, taking in every detail.In the tradition-bound Denkart family, Flower Day was a significant occasion.When he had first agreed to inherit the family, he had also made a firm decision—he would properly celebrate special days with Lobel.To his younger self, that was far more important than the immense power and wealth he stood to inherit.So this very moment… was something he had long wished for.And because he had yearned for it so deeply, seeing it play out filled his chest with indescribable fulfillment.Once she finished the cookies, Lobel absently fiddled with the empty wrapper and murmured,“I feel bad just receiving gifts…”“You’ve already given me one. Just being here with me is enough.”“…Young master.”Seeing Lobel so touched that she couldn’t even speak, Edric felt his simmering anger toward that nameless foreign bastard cool further.Yes, this was enough.Edric smiled coldly to himself.Lobel was reacting to everything exactly as he had intended.That meant he could be sure—Even if they found that bastard, she wouldn’t leave so easily.Yes.“Ah, young master. By the way…”Lobel, who would never leave him alone in his current condition,“I’m going out today.”…would have.For a moment, Edric didn’t comprehend what he had just heard.Then, slowly, he repeated,“…You’re going out?”“Yes. It was decided suddenly. I’m leaving today. Please allow me.”Though Lobel said “please,” it was practically a notification, not a request.The way her gaze flicked to the clock made it clear: “Hm. It’s about time to leave.”Rather than feeling humiliated that his expectations had been wrong, Edric felt… hurt.She had acted like she would stay by his side. And yet, now she was suddenly disappearing?Now that he thought about it, Lobel, who normally took her time enjoying food, had devoured those cookies in a rush—Something she would only do if she had something extremely urgent to attend to.‘…Don’t tell me she’s going to meet him?’A sharp glint of murderous intent flickered through Edric’s once-calm green eyes.If that was the case, his men needed to find that bastard immediately.Eliminate him.His darkened gaze shifted swiftly to his subordinates. They promptly vanished without a sound.But first, he couldn’t just let Lobel walk out the door.The moment he reached this conclusion, Edric instinctively pressed a hand to his forehead.It was obvious.This method had always worked on Lobel.“Lobel. I think I feel a little dizzy…”“Here, lean on me. I’ll help you lie down.”It all happened in an instant.Just as always, Lobel shot to her feet and rushed over, gently helping him onto the bed and laying him down with expert precision.The smooth and practiced way she handled him was exactly what one would expect from the Denkart heir’s personal attendant.And before he could even think of exaggerating his condition, she pulled the servant’s rope without hesitation.Her actions were so firm and decisive that the faint smile Edric had maintained up until now finally cracked.Because this meant she was truly leaving.As he silently watched, Lobel spoke in a gentle yet unwavering voice.“…If I call another attendant, you might feel uncomfortable.”“Oh. Then I won’t have them come inside right away—I’ll just explain the situation. From now on, whenever you pull the rope, they’ll only crack the door open, so you can just tell them what you need. That way, they can prepare it as quickly as possible.”She would try to minimize unnecessary contact, but in the end, she wouldn’t stay.Edric was dumbfounded.And what was that about “the kids”? Those massive, hulking knights? That nickname didn’t suit them at all.It also irritated him that she was speaking so casually about them, as if they were close.Meanwhile, though for a completely different reason, Lobel seemed to have noticed his discomfort.She hunched her shoulders apologetically.“I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly.”Then… don’t go.Edric swallowed back those words and forced himself to maintain his expression.At the same time, he desperately searched for a way to keep her from leaving.“…I feel a little sad. We’ve only just reunited, and now you’re leaving again so soon.”“But I have to go. It’s better to take care of this quickly, rather than letting you stay sick for a long time.”“Take care of what? What do you mean?”Finally—a lead.It was time to uncover the real reason behind this sudden outing.Hiding his sharp curiosity, Edric softened his expression and voice, pretending to be innocent.Sure enough, Lobel answered readily, as if she hadn’t intended to keep it secret.“There’s a way to get medicine for your hand.”Apparently, she was going to meet Evo Martin to find an herb that could heal his hand.More importantly, today was a rare gathering of renowned foreign herbalists, making it an unmissable opportunity.Lobel had clearly gone out of her way to research this, all because her foolish master had lied about his condition.Her eyes shone with determination.“They say it’s a trusted marketplace, even in Hornet. It’s worth checking out. As soon as I get the medicine, I’ll prepare it for you.”So in the end… this outing was for Edric’s sake.But since the illness was fake, this entire situation was absurd to Edric.He wanted to keep her here by any means possible.But nothing came to mind.If only it would rain.Lobel never left his side on rainy days.But Flower Day had always been sunny, as if ordained by the gods.That morning, the maids had cheerfully commented that it was perfect laundry weather, just like every year.Back then, Edric had felt the same.Now, he cursed the weather.“Just wait. No matter what, I’ll find a way to heal your hand.”“…Thanks.”But despite his words, Edric didn’t feel the least bit grateful.Because this was entirely his own doing.   ******   Ever since the young master gifted me those glasses, I had worn them every day.They were feather-light and comfortable, but more than anything, I liked how they carried the warmth of his thoughtfulness.Even at night, I often found myself absentmindedly fiddling with them before bed—until suddenly, I sat up in bed.Then, I moved to my desk and sat down.I wanted to help the young master as soon as possible.After much deliberation, I picked up a pen. To Evo.…I don’t usually send letters around this time, but…From reading the original story, I knew all too well how calculating Evo was. That was why I had originally planned to contact him only during our prearranged times.No matter how kind and considerate he had always been to me in the past, that was just the past. He was someone whose true thoughts never matched his outward demeanor.If I broke the terms we had set, there was no telling when he might decide to distance himself.However, right now, nothing mattered more than the young master’s health.I needed to find something, even the smallest clue.Since Evo had already established a solid presence overseas, his connections with foreign merchants might lead me to information about the herbs I was searching for.Steadying my thoughts, I began to write.…I can see so clearly.Maybe it was because of the glasses, but even with just a single lamp lit in the dead of night, my vision felt sharper than usual.The words flowed effortlessly onto the page. I could write much more than usual.And the results were good.As soon as Evo received my letter, he responded with news about a black market—a secretive trade hub that only those with special privileges could enter.He also offered to take me there himself.After securing the young master’s permission, I left the mansion.But even as I stepped outside, my thoughts remained entirely on him.His smile—still beautiful, yet tinged with a quiet sorrow—lingered in my mind.It reminded me of the fragile child he had once been, someone who always feared showing his pain to others.Just thinking about it drained my energy.But… I can’t just let this continue.Even if my absence caused him some temporary inconvenience today or tomorrow, it was far better than him remaining sick for years to come.As someone who had suffered from illness for a long time, I understood this better than anyone.And since his condition was rare and poorly documented, there was no telling when or how it might worsen.That was why, despite the risk of severing ties with Evo, I had reached out to him.