Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

‘There’s nothing for him to gain from me right now…’ “Here, take it.” Once again, Lobel offered him half of his bread without hesitation.Evo, wearing his habitual polite smile, awkwardly accepted it with his hand. had made his fortune by cheating and stealing from people in the capital. Naturally, his main targets were adults, as children were far easier to fool. But for some reason, he found it difficult with this boy. Perhaps it was because Lobel kept looking out for him, which made him feel strangely uneasy yet oddly comforted. Because of this strange discomfort and calmness, Evo never felt hungry. He had always lived with a full stomach. Evo munched on the bread, mumbling to himself. “Aren’t you going to ask?” “Ask what?” “The scar in my nose. Everyone always asks about it when they see it.” It wasn’t just one or two people. Rimson and others were no exception; they all had questions about the scar. The first time was when the gardener trimming his hair noticed it. “Tsk, tsk. You must’ve gone through something terrible at such a young age.” The elderly gardener had clicked his tongue in pity, openly expressing his sorrow. Some people were even more upset about the scar on his handsome face. There was a suspicious girl who looked at him as he passed by, and showed the inside of his arms and wanted to move the scar here… The same with two aides of the Duke. Benjamin, one of the aides who handed him test papers with a perpetually annoyed expression, had loudly questioned what he could’ve done to end up with such a scar. But Lobel was different. He didn’t ask. He neither stared curiously, pitied him, nor admired him as some girls had. There was no jealousy as with other boys, nor sympathy. Lobel simply stayed silent, as if he already understood the situation or didn’t want to pry. Evo found Lobel’s attitude baffling. ‘…Are noblemen’s servants always like this?’ He wasn’t anything like the haughty, arrogant servants Evo had imagined. Wayne, the other servant who scrutinized Evo from head to toe with suspicion, fit the stereotype much better. “You already told me earlier.” “When did I do that?” Evo had a memory as good as his eye for detail. When he asked with a frown, Lobel added nonchalantly. “Earlier, you mentioned that something happened in your past to cause it.” He had indeed said something like that to the gardener trimming his hair. The gardener also asked several times to say what happened in the past, and Evo had given evasive answers each time. But Lobel seemed satisfied with just that vague explanation. ‘… Strange kid. ‘ “If you’re not going to eat it, can I have it?” The simple question was foreign to him, as he had been threatened over food. Evo turned his head away to hide his complicated thoughts. But Lobel’s call forced him to turn back. “Hey, brother Evo, by the way.” “……? ” “You know, there are so many people in the world who look alike. Even those two over there—they’re not related, but don’t they resemble each other?” Lobel pointed at two passing servants with the hand that wasn’t holding his bread. Evo glanced at them. It was true that their tanned skin and broad builds, likely from working the same job, made them seem similar. But the appearance was completely different from a distance. “Maybe working together makes people start to look alike? Haha, I bet their names are similar too. ” … Even without asking, Evo was certain their names wouldn’t be remotely alike. Evo didn’t agree at all, but being quick-witted as always, he gave the answer Lobel wanted to hear. “Yeah. I think so too.” Hearing that, Lobel awkwardly shifted his gaze and let out a sigh of relief. … Why is he doing this? Evo thought to himself, concluding once again that this boy was truly odd. He resumed eating his bread. Suddenly, a strange itch tingled at his cheek. He looked up at the strange sensation and saw a boy up ahead. ‘… Edric Denkart. ‘ Leaning forward with his arms resting on the railing, Edric was staring down at them. Evo had heard rumors about him while wandering around the capital, he looked so strong it was hard to believe he’d limped off so long ago. It was even stranger to see him up there, staring down at me like he was going to kill me ‘It can’t be me… It must be Lobel. ‘ If that was the case, Evo figured it was time to send Lobel back. Evo quickly made up his mind and fiddled with the water bottle Lobel had given him before casually speaking. “Thanks to you, I’ve memorized all the paths around the estate today. But, Lobel, aren’t you supposed to be a personal servant? Shouldn’t you be heading back now?” “It’s fine. I still have plenty of time left.” “No, really, I’m fine on my own now. I can handle the rest of the test by myself, so don’t you think you should return to your master?” “Come on, there’s no need to worry. My master personally gave me permission!” Lobel spoke confidently, puffing out his chest with pride. At that moment, Evo realized one thing for certain about Lobel, if nothing else. This boy had absolutely no sense of awareness, especially for a noble family’s servant. * * * As expected, Evo quickly impressed the aides. Benjamin, who constantly grumbled, ‘I’m already busy, but why should I do this?’ ended up calling him back. He even planned to officially test Evo’s skills. This meant I didn’t have to get involved, giving me a rare bit of free time. I went into the master’s room to take advantage of the time I had left and just watch him for a while. “What were you talking about in the garden?” Before I could even take a step inside, the young master, who had been reading on the sofa, spoke up. “I happened to see you two chatting away and laughing about something.” … When did you see it? A bit startled, I figured he might’ve glimpsed us while taking a break on the terrace. “It wasn’t anything significant. I just chatted with Evo over lunch outside so he wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable.” … Though it wasn’t really just small talk. We’d discussed how many people in the world look alike—a topic I’d brought up because it reminded me of Robert. I wanted to plant the idea in case Evo ever encountered Robert during trade business. That way, he wouldn’t overthink it. Though Evo was likely destined for much loftier heights and might never even cross paths with our trade network, I wanted to prepare just in case. Still, despite my explanation, the young master kept his face expressionless, his gaze fixed on his book. “I see.” Was I disturbing him? He seemed irritated. Although, he preferred a quiet atmosphere when he was studying. It’s understandable that he would be offended by my barging in here without knocking. I’d better get out of here before I disturb him further. “Um… Do you need anything?” At that, the young master finally closed his book. But instead of answering, he stared at me intently. I couldn’t tell if that was a yes or a no, so I was about to ask again when there was a knock at the door. The clear, pleasant knock belonged to Mrs. Sylviet, the etiquette tutor. “Come in.” At the Master’s command, the doorkeeper opened the door and Mrs. Sylviet walked in. With her luscious blond hair tied up in a high bun, she was a woman of grace and refinement. “It’s a pleasure to see you, young master.” She moved with the kind of grace that could be called the pinnacle of etiquette. Even the subtle motion of lifting and lowering her dress hem inspired admiration. Although I’d never been interested in formal etiquette before, I found myself unconsciously absorbing Mrs. Sylviet’s poised demeanor. Since she was here, I decided to quietly slip out. But before I could, the young master spoke again. “Mrs. Sylviet, today I’d like to practice the etiquette we’ve been learning in a more practical setting.” Her fair, middle-aged face instantly brightened. Although the young master always participated diligently in lessons, he showed little interest in etiquette compared to other subjects. In particular, Especially when it came to practice, he often avoided them. So Mrs. Sylviet had taken a cautious, step-by-step approach to avoid overwhelming him, mindful of his humble origins as a former commoner. “But, Mrs. Sylviet.” He looked at her, hiding his excitement with a restrained smile, and said with a hint of regret. “I’ve never been to a social gathering before, so I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to practice on my own.” Nervous that he might change his mind, she smiled again at his next words. “It would indeed be ideal to have a practice partner,” she said, her voice thoughtful yet eager. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. A realistic scenario is always the best approach,” the young master replied smoothly. Mrs. Sylviet lowered her gaze slightly, as if already mulling over potential options for this practice. She seemed to be contemplating seriously how to organize this sudden opportunity. This was unprecedented—the young master had never suggested such practice on his own before. Knowing her, she’d seize the moment and plan something for today itself. “Do you have a specific type of etiquette in mind, my lord?” she asked. “Social dancing.” “Oh, social dancing! You’re interested in that?” Mrs. Sylviet’s eyes sparkled with delight. And honestly, I couldn’t help but feel just as excited. ‘Our young master, dancing?’ He is naturally good-looking, with long limbs and a well-built physique these days, so it must be a pleasure to watch. ‘Not getting to see it myself… that’s a shame. ‘ As someone who had watched him grow from his earliest steps—if not literally from when he first learned to walk—I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Still, it was time for me to leave. Besides, Evo had been on my mind lately. Just then, the young master, who was discussing with Mrs. Sylviet about the practice partner, muttered in a tone that was even more troubling. “Even so, practicing with a stranger for the first time would be uncomfortable, and Mrs. Sylviet will have to coach me from the sidelines.” “That’s true, young master. But we can easily find someone suitable. I’ll consider other arrangements ” Mrs. Sylviet replied gracefully, lowering her gaze in thought. At that moment, as I was inching toward the door, our eyes met. ‘… Oh no.’ Her gaze sparkled, sharp and predatory, like a hyena spotting prey.