Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

I had never met that lovely girl before, but I knew her very well.The royal family had always considered children a rare blessing, and princesses were especially uncommon.Thus, the emperor, who had no sisters, cherished his only daughter deeply. The crown prince felt the same way.Because of this, the girl frequently appeared in the original story—none other than Delilah, the princess, a strong candidate for the young master’s fiancée.Hiding behind the shrubs, I observed her for a moment.In the original story, both the crown prince and the princess followed the duke. It seemed likely she had come to see him.“She must’ve gotten lost along the way…”I thought I could faintly hear someone calling out for the princess in the distance.Yet Delilah, rather than crying, was trying her best to find her way, moving with determined steps.“Well, it was said that despite her appearance, she had a rather independent personality.”From birth, Delilah had been showered with love and attention due to her noble status and charming appearance. However, she had never been fond of it.She disliked being accompanied by maids and avoided interacting with others whenever possible.No one truly understood her, except for one person—Crown Prince Louis.He was the only one who saw through to her heart.When he was with his sister, he always dismissed others and let her handle things on her own whenever something arose.Because of this, the text hinted that dealing with the young master was easier for her.She had even mentioned that the prickly young master reminded her of her brother. …But this wasn’t the time to think about that.“…She’s wearing a skirt and uncomfortable shoes. I can’t just leave her like this.”With that, I emerged from the shrubs and walked toward her slowly.“Um… Are you uncomfortable?”“…Oh my!”Her pink eyes widened in surprise when she saw me.I smiled and approached her slowly, trying to appear as unthreatening as possible.“Shall I call for a maid, or would you prefer I carry you?”…Neither seemed to please her.I’d asked lightly, but her expression darkened, so I quickly suggested something else.“Or perhaps, you could hold your dress a bit higher and try walking that way?”This was likely an idea she would appreciate, given her preference for solving things herself.I also spoke in the soft manner typical of the crown prince, a tone she was known to like.At that, she snapped at me.“You’re asking me, a princess, to do something improper?”“I apologize for making such a request to Your Highness… but I’ve heard that etiquette is not just about maintaining dignity but also about considering others.”“…That’s true.”“And right now, I’d feel better if Your Highness could walk comfortably and take a break.”“……”“If Your Highness were to grant me this request… wouldn’t that be keeping true etiquette? Besides, I don’t believe raising your dress slightly for easier walking would harm your dignity in the slightest.”“…Are you giving me an order?”“No, it’s a plea.”My final words were short and straightforward but spoken with sincerity.Delilah preferred such candid speech. She abhorred flattery and insincere remarks.As expected, this approach worked.“…Fine. Lead the way.”She still seemed reluctant to act against protocol but had been convinced by my reasoning.As I walked ahead, Delilah followed, lifting her skirt high above her calves.Naturally, her steps became much more comfortable.I refrained from turning around or talking to her, ensuring she didn’t feel any discomfort.I didn’t mind the silence—it reminded me of the times I used to accompany the young master, who was similarly taciturn.Before long, we emerged from the maze-like garden.It seemed they had been searching for her for a while, as the maids were sweating profusely, and the escort knights looked pale with worry.Yet Delilah paid them no mind… She kept her gaze fixed on me.“What’s your name?”“Lobel.”“Bel…”True to her habit of giving people nicknames, she quickly shortened my name.…I couldn’t help but think of “Bel,” a horse from our merchant group, but I let it slide.“Bel, huh. What a pretty name. I like it.”Delilah looked at me with a face flushed with excitement.“Hey, Bel. Shall I play house with you?”  **** ‘A bug drawn to Lobel like a moth to a flame…’Edric wore a faint smile, but his gaze shot daggers at Manellano.The sentiment was mutual.Manellano maintained a refined, aristocratic expression, yet his discomfort was palpable.Edric allowed his lips to curl into a sly smirk.Even being in the Stell family’s residence twisted his stomach.But he reminded himself he would be leaving by the end of the day. There was no need to waste his energy on anger.[Other nobles are no match for Denkart.]He recalled the haughty teachings of Count Clant.[Only the royal family warrants caution.]‘That’s right. This fool is no match for me.’The man had come all this way, desperate to curry favor with Denkart.Getting riled up over someone like that wasn’t worth it.Instead, ensuring Lobel could naturally receive treatment from his personal physician was a far more valuable endeavor.Lost in thought, Edric quickened his pace. Even the brief time away from Lobel made him feel uneasy.But as he neared the garden, he was greeted by an unexpected sight.Manellano was the first to speak.“…What is that?”For once, their thoughts aligned perfectly.They stood dumbstruck, staring at Lobel and the princess seated on a pastel-toned picnic mat in the corner of the garden.The two wore matching flower crowns atop their heads, sharing a scene so friendly it was almost surreal.Pretending to feed one another in mock play, they seemed like long-time friends.Edric had never met the princess before, but her platinum hair, cascading to her waist, was unmistakably the symbol of the royal family.Yet the sight felt unbelievable, given her infamous reputation for being difficult to approach.Even Count Clant had repeatedly emphasized extreme caution when addressing her.Manellano seemed just as perplexed.“Well… it seems Her Highness is extremely fond of Lobel.”His tone was dripping with disdain, as though something dear had been stolen from him.Edric shared the urge to pull Lobel away immediately, but he maintained his composure.“Was Her Highness’s attendance part of today’s plans?”“Of course not. If it were, we’d have brought in the Stell orchestra to perform. She’s the future mistress of Denkart, after all.”Not needing to hear Manellano’s sarcasm any further, Edric strode forward.The princess, fully engrossed in her pretend play, finally raised her head.The gazes of the two—embroiled in engagement rumors—met, and nearby maids exchanged excited glances.“May the goddess’s blessings be with you. Edric Denkart greets Her Highness the Princess.”But the princess transformed in an instant, her once radiant smile reserved for Lobel disappearing entirely.“Are you blind? Can’t you see we’re playing house right now?”She snapped at him with a sharp tongue, treating him like an unwelcome intruder.Edric knew he was obligated to apologize. This was a royal, after all, and he had disrupted her mood. Count Clant had endlessly stressed the importance of respecting the royal family.But even knowing this, the words wouldn’t come.If anything, he felt he was the one owed an apology.Playing house with Lobel—something even he hadn’t done—and right before his eyes?Even the most precious bloodline in the empire couldn’t be forgiven for this.Edric finally spoke, his gaze fixed on Lobel, who awkwardly removed the flower crown from his head.“With all due respect, Your Highness, Lobel is my personal servant and has a scheduled engagement.”“Hmm. Bel already told me. You’re here to see the duke, aren’t you?”Her tone, implying he should just leave and get on with his business, made Edric grit his teeth.He had heard of Princess Delilah’s infamous willfulness, but this was beyond his expectations.‘Trying to steal Lobel…’Seething, Edric forced a smile.The maids admired his beauty, but Lobel could sense his growing irritation.“Lobel must have been mistaken. Unfortunately, Your Highness, he has personal obligations with me.”The blatant lie rolled off Edric’s tongue without hesitation.He delivered it so convincingly that even Lobel, who knew the truth, was momentarily taken aback.Young and innocent, Princess Delilah appeared somewhat skeptical.“…Is that true?”“Yes, it seems so. My apologies, Your Highness, for forgetting my prior commitments,” Lobel chimed in smoothly, reading the mood.The princess, visibly dissatisfied, pouted. Meanwhile, Edric’s expression brightened.But her next words quickly erased his brief moment of triumph.“Fine. Then I’ll come by tomorrow and play house with you myself.”