Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

Before Evo left Denkart, the young master summoned him.Edric, with his long and elegant eyelashes lowered, looked displeased.

Even as the fragrant scent of black tea filled the room, his mood didn’t seem to improve.

His voice was no different, openly revealing his irritation.“As I said before, Denkart will sponsor your orphanage, and those children will have the opportunity to grow up and work as part of the merchant guild.”But Evo didn’t feel the least bit offended.

Even becoming a low-ranking member of the guild was more than he could hope for.Thinking of the children in the orphanage, Evo bowed his head deeply.

“Thank you for your immense kindness. I will repay this debt without fail.”“But…”The young master narrowed his eyes and asked,

“What did you… do to Lobel?”His expression seemed to ask why Lobel treated Evo so well.That was something Evo wondered about, too.

Why was someone as insignificant as him, who once roamed the capital with nothing, being treated so exceptionally?At that moment, Edric looked at him with suspicious eyes.

“Don’t tell me… Lobel asked you to hit him too?”Evo, about to ask what he meant, froze mid-sentence.‘If he also means…’Then the young master must have struck Lobel before.Suddenly, Evo recalled the time Lobel tore the button off his jacket. Beneath the white shirt, Evo had caught a glimpse of thick bandages.

He also remembered Lobel leaving the chamber early at dawn during Evo’s stay here.Lobel must have thought Evo was asleep, but Ibo rarely fell into a deep sleep—an instinct born from surviving constant threats.So he had accidentally observed Lobel returning from an early bath under the pale moonlight.

The faint light revealed Lobel’s shirt, his slender waist, and the thick bandages underneath.“Why aren’t you answering?”“… There is no cause for concern.”Lost in thought, Evo replied slowly.Now everything made sense.

Why such a healthy young man wore bandages daily… Evo realized he had to stay silent about this.Yet, as he adjusted the glasses Lobel had given him and looked at the young master, he couldn’t help but speak.

In a sharper tone than usual, Evo asked,

“May I ask one thing? Did you… hit him somewhere other than his face?”“Of course.”Edric, who had seemed irritable earlier, suddenly brightened. He even answered without hesitation.Evo was speechless.If he could say it so boldly, he clearly felt no guilt about laying hands on someone.‘… So Lobel is hiding this from his master and planning to stop eventually.’If those thick bandages were anything to go by, just how badly had Lobel been beaten?Evo wanted to probe further, but he shut his mouth.In a house full of people ready to kill one another, on frozen city streets, and in filthy sewers, he had learned a basic instinct for survival.He sensed that getting more involved could endanger his life.However, no matter how tightly he pressed his lips together, he couldn’t control the look in his eyes. To hide his emotions, Evo lowered his gaze.Sensitive and perceptive by nature, Edric quickly caught on to Evo’s emotional shift.Edric shot him a cold look and extended his palm.“Buttons.”“……”“You should hand them all over before you go.”There was no way to refuse.Evo had kept the buttons in his pocket, intending to return them to Lobel personally before leaving.If the guards decided to search him or his room, the buttons would undoubtedly be discovered.He knew he had to give them up, but his hands didn’t move as easily as he expected.As if sensing his hesitation, Edric asked,

“What are you waiting for?”“……”Evo, thinking of his younger siblings, slowly moved his hand toward his pocket.After receiving the small pouch containing the buttons, Edric checked its contents and gestured toward the door, signaling that their business was finished. His manner was unbearably arrogant.Once the meeting was over, Evo stepped out into the hallway.But he felt an odd sensation. Even though the buttons, which weighed next to nothing, were gone, his hand felt strangely empty.He stared blankly at the hand that had held the buttons just moments ago.It wasn’t unfamiliar—his hands had always been empty, as he’d never truly possessed anything.But this emptiness felt different, unsettling in a way he couldn’t explain.‘…..’At that moment, Lobel approached him with a bright smile.

“Did your talk with the young master go well?”“……”Evo wanted to say it had, but the words wouldn’t come.Lobel, seemingly misunderstanding his silence, patted Evo’s shoulder.“You’ll do great wherever you go.”That gesture of reassurance, as if Lobel were comforting him, stirred something deep within Evo.‘… You said he hits you. So why are you helping me by serving the master who hurts you?’Evo knew he had to turn away from reality.As he had always done, he needed to feign ignorance, accept goodwill, and seize practical benefits.But seeing Lobel, who offered to secure him a carriage right away, something unbearable surged up in his throat.He couldn’t spit it out, nor could he swallow it down. As the feeling lingered, Lobel began to sense something was wrong.“… Brother Evo? What’s wrong?? Did something happen??? Wait, did the servants come back again?”Lobel’s face looked as if he was ready to run after them and demand answers.His persistent questioning about whether Evo was okay made his insides churn even more.Suppressing those emotions, Evo slowly opened his mouth.“…And you.”“…What?”“Are you okay?”“Of course I am. Starting today, I’ll be right back at the young master’s side, serving him as usual.”This foolish boy…Why can you protect others but not yourself?Unable to hold back any longer, Evo grabbed Lobel by the wrist and pulled him forward. ***** “How long do you plan to keep living like this?”After finishing his meeting with the young master, Evo took me to the backyard and asked abruptly.His eyes and voice were filled with certainty… This is driving me crazy.‘It seems he’s already figured out that I’m a woman.’It felt like he was asking how long I intended to keep deceiving a high noble.Though I’d been extra careful, knowing how perceptive he was, I couldn’t help but regret not choosing to stay in a separate room.Still, it didn’t seem like he’d spread the word. That’s probably why he called me aside like this…I was racking my brain, ready to beg and plead my way out of this, when Evo suddenly said something strange.“Why are you living like a fool, letting yourself get hit?”It wasn’t what I’d expected him to say.“…What?”“You know how to read, and you’re skilled enough to work in any noble household. Don’t tell me… that young master has some kind of hold on you?!”“Th-thank you for the compliment, but what do you mean, letting myself get hit?”Confused, I asked hesitantly, and he answered in an uncharacteristically serious tone.“I heard you’re letting Edric Denkart hit you.”He spoke in a low voice, just enough for me to hear… and said nothing more.At that, my tension melted away.Thankfully, it seemed he hadn’t discovered that I was a woman. Though it looked like he had figured out that I let the young master slap me.Not that it was hard to figure out. Most of the mansion staff were aware of the playful games we shared as close acquaintances.With a lighter heart, I replied,

“Oh, it’s nothing. I mean, I do get hit, but that’s because I let him. It’s not really hitting—just a slap, that’s all.”I waved my hand dismissively, but Evo froze for a moment.Then his face turned bright red with anger.“…Just a slap?”From behind us, Rimson, who had been munching on bread, chimed in,

“He’s a freak. Getting hit is his hobby.”“…..!”Evo stared at me in bewilderment.“How could that possibly become a hobby…”“Why are you taking it so seriously? Brother Rimson’s just joking. He loves teasing people.”“I don’t think hitting someone is something to joke about.”For once, Evo had dropped his usual calm demeanor entirely.…What’s with him? Is he acting so differently because he won’t be around much longer?Though I found it strange, I noticed his mood was no joke, so I hurriedly tried to explain.“No, really. I mean, yes, he did hit me, but it was just a simple game between the young master and me… like a playful pastime.”But my explanation only made Evo’s expression harden further, as if he couldn’t understand at all.Rimson, who had often grumbled about the extra work I caused him, seemed to enjoy teasing me now that I was in a tight spot.He decided to fan the flames.“Let it go, Evo. This guy’s the only one crazy enough to stick around as the young master’s personal attendant. Even when the butler ordered him locked up, he didn’t complain. Do you think he’d care about getting hit?”“…Locked up?”Evo echoed, looking as though he’d just heard the most horrifying thing in the world.I wanted to explain that it wasn’t punishment at all—that I’d just used the time to enjoy a good nap.But a few servants passed nearby, so I couldn’t say anything.In the end, I chose the safest option: changing the subject.“Brother Evo, the food and clothes for the children have been sent. Isn’t that great news?”Bringing up the orphanage, his greatest concern, didn’t help. His face only contorted with more anguish.So I smiled even wider, saying how much I looked forward to all the good work he’d do in the future. But that only made him bite his lip.When he finally spoke, his voice was rough, like sandpaper.“Rimson, could you give us a moment alone?”“…Ah, maybe I went too far with my jokes. But seriously, the young master hitting Lobel is just harmless fun.”Rimson, seemingly realizing the seriousness of the situation, tried to smooth things over.But Evo shook his head, saying that wasn’t necessary. Rimson cleared his throat awkwardly and left… What a traitor!Once we were alone, Evo looked straight at me with a calm yet heavy gaze and asked,“Be honest. How long do you plan to stay here?”