Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

“Sent away three times… Good heavens, the young master has committed a grave discourtesy toward Her Highness the Princess.”Count Clant, having received a full report from Edric’s knight, was utterly dumbfounded.It was an unprecedented opportunity—meeting both the princess and the duke—which should have at least included a formal dinner. Yet Edric had made excuses to avoid it.And after making those excuses? He had simply spent his time at the estate reading books and chatting alone with his servant.‘…Of all the headaches I’ve had, this one might be the worst.’Count Clant, who had tirelessly emphasized the importance of building connections with the imperial family, couldn’t make sense of it.The young lord had always listened well and responded effectively to his education, so the count hadn’t foreseen any problems. But now, Edric had caused trouble in an entirely unexpected way.This prompted a realization.‘So… those rumors weren’t entirely baseless after all.’He had dismissed them as trivial gossip, especially since Edric was still under ten years old.Among the nobility, there were plenty who kept mistresses, and even some who indulged in their preference for the same sex. Count Clant had assumed it was an issue to consider only when the boy was older.But to neglect the princess—someone destined to form a significant bond with him—before their engagement was even finalized? That was a different story altogether.“Count.”At that moment, one of his most trusted subordinates spoke in a grave tone.“We’ve discovered that Lobel recently sent letters using yet another forged identity badge. Furthermore… it appears he’s been using trained birds, different from regular carrier pigeons, to communicate with someone else.”The subordinate’s revelation was alarming: sending letters under a forged identity was suspicious enough, but secretly exchanging messages with trained birds was even more unsettling.Though Denkart had many allied families, it had just as many enemies.Lobel could very well be an infiltrator sent by a hostile faction.From the start, he might have been planted to gain the young lord’s trust and ultimately undermine or destroy him.If that were true, there was only one solution.‘I must find the right moment to eliminate him.’  *****  “Bel, Bel! Let’s play house together!!”What is this… Did a ghost who died tragically from never getting to play house in a past life attach itself to her?Princess Delilah tugged hard on my left hand.Not to be outdone, the young master pulled just as firmly on my right hand.Save me, Lobel…“Lobel has other plans with me. If you wish, please come another time.”“No way! This is an imperial command! Let go of him!”…What on earth is this situation?Caught between the tugging forces on both sides, I couldn’t help but stare blankly.Sure, being adored by such charming kids felt nice, but… it was starting to wear me out.This was already the fourth time.Princess Delilah had been coming to our mansion every single day without fail.Her reason? In the absence of the crown prince, she felt bored and declared that I should serve as her toy… no, her playmate.It was a rather presumptuous demand to make of the duke’s personal servant, but she had proudly announced that she’d already obtained the duke’s permission.Well, I’ve always liked children, so I thought I’d just go along with it. But the real problem was the young master.Even with the duke’s approval, the young master flatly rejected her request, saying it was out of the question.I had tried to mediate, suggesting, “I’ll just entertain her briefly. She’ll leave eventually.” But my attempt only seemed to irritate him further, so I gave up trying to persuade him after that.The princess was just as stubborn.Having been pampered and accustomed to getting her way her entire life, she trembled with anger, her tiny shoulders shaking.“I said let go! Are you defying an imperial command, young master?”“Your Highness, are you not the one disregarding my scheduled duties?”The spectacle left Rimson and the other servants watching from afar, thoroughly entertained by the scene.Of course… even I found it amusing.The young master’s attitude toward the so-called most noble bloodline in the empire was remarkably aristocratic.It brought back memories.In the past, he would have simply gotten angry or thrown things when dealing with people. Now, he had greatly refined his noble “skills.”He’d mastered the art of insulting people with a smile. Honestly, it felt like he’d surpassed even the duke in this regard.“Are you just making this up?”“Of course not.”Though the young master’s face remained composed, his tone practically screamed annoyance… This didn’t feel like how one should treat their fiancée.The princess seemed no different.From the very beginning, she’d made no effort to hide her distaste for him, and her words were laced with mockery.“How silly! Do you think Bel will be yours forever? Bel, stop wasting time here. Come to the capital with me. You know, Bel? If you become my servant, you’ll enjoy wealth and glory beyond imagination!”Listening to her, I wondered if she truly understood what “wealth and glory” even meant.“Hmph, and not just wealth and glory! Playing house with me is so much fun. Everyone begs me to play house with them!”The maids standing behind her—who likely counted among that “everyone”—looked visibly exhausted.…Their job seemed just as tough as mine.The maids and I exchanged silent, empathetic glances for a brief moment.“I can provide all that,” the young master cut in smoothly.“Are you stupid? How can two boys play house together?”Delilah glared at the young master as if he were the most clueless person in existence.“Playing house is something a husband and wife do. Listen carefully: it’s between a wife and a husband. Don’t tell me you’ve never learned even the basic rules of playing house, which even commoners know?”At that moment, I gently raised the left hand she was holding.Why? To soften the inevitable shock the princess would feel later.But the young master’s gaze suddenly turned icy, so I slowly lowered my hand and spoke carefully.“Your Highness, in a distant kingdom… it’s legal for two men to marry. There can be husband-and-husband relationships as well.”“Why bring up foreign laws in Terua? In our kingdom, same-sex marriage isn’t allowed!”“Well… that’s true. But laws can always change.”“No. That will never happen. Once my brother returns, he’ll make sure such laws are never allowed!”Funny, because her brother would be the first to change that law…More than that, I found myself deeply concerned about the empire’s peace, considering these two might somehow become family.Anyway, I pondered how to reconcile the two children. Then, on a whim, I grabbed both of their hands.I raised their joined hands high into the air as a symbol of reconciliation.“Your Highness, young master, you’ll both meet wonderful men someday!”No sooner had I finished speaking than Rimson, who had been munching on bread from a distance, choked and spat it out, staring at me like I’d lost my mind. ****  “Lobel, you’re dismissed for now.”As soon as Princess Delilah left, Edric ordered Lobel to take a break.Lobel found the command unusual, especially since a session of Count Clant’s successor training was scheduled. He had always attended those lessons alongside Edric.‘…Could it be some kind of secret family training?’It seemed the only plausible explanation for such a firm and sudden order.Understanding the mood, Lobel quietly left without further questioning. Edric didn’t say another word until he was gone.Thus began the private lesson between Edric and Count Clant.Edric stared at the count, his expression calm, but his eyes razor-sharp.“You must have something to report to me.”“….…”“Were you planning to keep deceiving me?”Edric’s lips curled into a wry smile instead of further interrogation, sending a chill through Count Clant.The atmosphere was eerily reminiscent of the duke himself, who would coldly punish treacherous retainers by having their limbs severed.Adding to the unease, Edric always carried a sword. Even now, there was one beneath the sofa where he sat.Edric had often declared that, despite being accompanied by four knights, he would personally eliminate any threats.It was an attitude reminiscent of the duke’s—swift and merciless judgment against those who offended him.Edric noticed the count’s wary glances toward the sword beneath the sofa and found it amusing.“You thought I wouldn’t notice the knights glaring daggers at Lobel?”“My apologies for not informing you sooner. However, that servant is undeniably suspicious. Keeping him close will pose a threat to Denkart.”“So you dared to plan his elimination without my permission?”Even though the sword remained beneath the sofa, the count felt as though a cold blade was pressed against his throat.In that moment, Count Clant fully understood why the duke had immediately named his common-born son as heir.Overwhelmed by Edric’s presence, the count swallowed hard.Still, as a noble, his sense of duty outweighed the fear of death. Summoning his resolve, he spoke again.“Even if I had turned a blind eye, others among your retainers would have acted. Be realistic, my lord. Do you truly believe that servant is an ordinary individual?”Edric couldn’t deny it.At first, he had simply thought Lobel’s talents were remarkable. But as he received the same noble education, his perspective changed.Rovel had clearly been trained—perhaps even extensively educated—somewhere. His skills and demeanor were too refined for a mere commoner.He hadn’t acquired those abilities by chance.In other words, Lobel was undoubtedly hiding something, just as Count Clant suggested.Even if Edric didn’t eliminate the count, someone else would inevitably question Lobel’s true identity.The count must have foreseen this as well.“You can’t fool the eyes of your retainers. Even if you were to send him away, there’s no guarantee he wouldn’t pose a future threat.”“……”“You must kill him.”The steely expression Edric had maintained throughout his noble training finally cracked.…Kill Lobel?For a fleeting moment, Edric wanted to draw his sword and cut down the count who dared to utter such nonsense.But he couldn’t.If news spread of such a drastic punishment, Lobel’s position would become even more precarious.‘…Even if I forced the count to back down, others would find a way to harm him.’In the Denkart family, potential threats were always removed at the root.And Edric, as the heir, knew this principle better than anyone.That was why he had made preparations.After listening to Count Clant’s continued arguments, Edric finally spoke in a calm, subdued tone.“There’s another way. Gather all the retainers.”