Surviving As An Obsessive Servant

“I swear upon all of Denkart.”Turning my head, I saw the young master standing there.At some point, he had removed his hood, and his piercingly cold eyes were locked onto the scene as he approached.“If my servant has made a mistake and falsely accused you, then I will compensate you however you wish.”For a brief moment, I wondered if something was seriously wrong with my eyes and ears.‘The young master isn’t someone who usually steps forward like this…’But no matter how many times I blinked, he only kept getting closer.Even the sharp scent of the sea had been completely overpowered by his warm, floral fragrance.Yet, the aura he exuded was anything but soft.Despite his smile, he didn’t seem the least bit amused.There was a wild, almost murderous intensity lingering around him, sharp enough to send a chill down even my spine.“If my servant has caused someone harm, then it is only right for their master to take responsibility for the damage.”The surrounding onlookers, more eager for drama than the truth, reacted sensitively to his words.More than anything, Denkart’s name carried immense weight no matter where it was spoken, making everyone intensely curious about the young master’s identity.The nobles began whispering amongst themselves while stealing sidelong glances at him.“Who is that man?”“If he’s using Denkart’s name, could he be a representative of their merchant group?”“No mere merchant representative could invoke Denkart’s name so easily. Besides… he looks an awful lot like the duke.”…Fantastic.Thankfully, most of those present only remembered the young master as a sickly figure from the past, so they hadn’t recognized him immediately.“So, who does that silver-haired servant belong to, anyway?”“They’re wearing the uniform of the Hornet merchant group… but why is Denkart claiming ownership?”As the murmurs spread, more people began gathering.Although there weren’t any nobles from the imperial capital here—yet—it was only a matter of time before someone who knew the young master’s identity appeared.And some were already tilting their heads, wondering if he might be Denkart’s heir.‘…This is a nightmare.’This was bad.The young master had only just returned and was still avoiding summons from the imperial family.If word got out that he had attended the Black Market and caused a scene, his reputation would take a hit.‘Dragging this out any longer won’t do anyone any good.’At the same time, though, it was too late to secretly pull the merchant aside and have the Black Market officials verify everything.The public had already turned this into a matter of trust between two of the most influential merchant groups. They wouldn’t be satisfied unless they saw the outcome with their own eyes.The best option now was to resolve this as quickly as possible.Which meant I had to act.“So… where exactly does this guy belong?”The scammer, who had been watching in a daze, blurted out the question.He shifted his eyes between Evo and the young master, clearly sizing them up.His attitude had softened considerably compared to before.It seemed he was more intimidated by the young master’s striking resemblance to the duke and his overwhelming presence than by Evo’s authority.Even as he tried to assert his innocence, he was now looking for the safest way out of this mess.More than anything, his attitude would change depending on my response.In that case… the best move was to distribute the weight equally between both men.After all, in a public setting like this, if Hornet was backed by Denkart, no one would dare touch it in the future.Standing between the two, I spoke with confidence.“I serve both households. I’ve worked under many different masters, so it wouldn’t be wrong to say that both of them are my lords.”…That, however, turned out to be the wrong choice of words.The moment I finished speaking, the young master stared at me in utter shock—like I had just crushed his worldview.It was a look that made me feel guilty for no reason.I had seen that exact expression before—on a merchant from my hometown who had lost his entire fortune after cosigning a loan he shouldn’t have.Feeling slightly flustered, I hesitantly pointed toward the young master.“If I’m wrong, then this gentleman will compensate for everything.”Only then did the icy aura surrounding him finally begin to melt away.‘…I just wanted to buy some herbs, and now look at this mess.’I sighed internally before lowering myself to the ground.Still, since I had started this, I had to see it through.More importantly, I wanted to prove Evo’s trust in me was well placed. And, of course, to put that arrogant merchant in his place.I selected two of the tablets I had been eyeing earlier—one to lay flat on the ground and one to hold in my hand.Just then, Evo’s resolute voice rang out above me.“I was the one who initially requested verification, so I will cover the cost of these tablets.”I stopped mid-motion, completely caught off guard.…Why was everyone so eager to throw their money around?“What, you think you’ll get away with just reimbursing the original price? Dream on! You’ll pay ten times the amount! Go on, try it!”The scammer, still keeping an eye on the young master, barked defiantly.The way he was desperately clinging to his false bravado was textbook fraudster behavior.“Come on, melt them down right here if you dare! Bring holy water, too! My merchandise is the finest, proven to radiate divine light even in the temple!”I couldn’t help but laugh.Neither the young master nor Evo would have to spend a single coin.Because I was going to settle this myself.I had already been influenced by the young master’s Dif power, and few people in this world knew more about stone tablets than I did.Which meant that even a simple action could produce a very different result.I can do this.Taking a deep breath, I focused on the two tablets in my hands.Then, as if striking flint, I clashed them together with sharp, deliberate movements.The scammer scoffed.“What is this, some kind of childish game?”The merchant scoffed at what seemed like a meaningless action, while everyone except the young master watched in confusion, wondering what I was doing.But soon, their expressions morphed into pure shock.Like a fire igniting, a crackling sound erupted from the tablet I had placed on the ground. With a loud snap!, both tablets split cleanly in half.Just as I had expected, the outer layer was nothing more than a thin shell. Inside, hidden beneath the fake exterior, lay a much thicker tablet.There had been a second tablet concealed within.“Hornet’s claim… was true.”“How is that possible…?”“I bought a tablet from that merchant, too… Then what was that glow in the temple?”“Could that have been some kind of trick as well?”“Wait, does this mean all the tablets I bought are fake? That paper-thin layer is supposed to be a magical rock tablet?!”Fury erupted across the deck as the realization set in—these nobles had been scammed.The merchant, now pale and speechless, looked completely cornered, while the Black Market officials shifted uncomfortably.Their reputation had just taken a severe hit.They had hesitated before, unsure of the truth, but now they were whispering among themselves, likely debating how to contain the situation.Meanwhile, the nobles’ outrage continued to grow. Some were already vowing to take the matter to court the moment they reached land.Fortunately, their attention had fully shifted away from the young master and Evo, focusing entirely on this outrageous scam.“What’s the point of a fancy exterior if the core is made from the cheapest junk?”I exaggerated my words deliberately, driving the final nail into the coffin of the scam.“If you’re going to mix real and fake, at least try to make them match. Put some effort into it.”At that moment, I noticed the young master’s sleeve flick sharply.And then—The merchant, who had been trying to inch away, suddenly collapsed onto the floor with a strangled yelp.“H-Hiiik!”Somehow, the young master had moved so swiftly that I hadn’t even seen him draw his sword. But now, the blade was pointed directly at the merchant’s throat.The sunlight reflected off the blade’s edge with an eerie glint.But even more chilling than the sword was the young master’s expression.He gazed down at the trembling merchant, his eyes filled with a quiet, deadly intensity.“My servant wasn’t finished speaking. Where do you think you’re going?”I stared, momentarily stunned.He had used his left hand to swing the sword, but… Was he really able to move that freely?Maybe he had been telling the truth when he said his hand didn’t hurt anymore.Maybe I had been worrying unnecessarily—maybe that’s why he hadn’t bothered getting the herbs himself…But before that thought could settle, something unexpected happened.Clang!The sword slipped from his grip and clattered to the floor.The young master swayed violently, nearly collapsing.I shot to my feet and rushed to his side.“Y-Young master! Are you okay?”“Mm… Ah, it’s just been a while since I last held a sword. That’s all… I just have a bit of a headache.”“Take him to his room. Now!”I barked at the men who had been trailing behind him the entire time, shadowing him like silent bodyguards.Yet, instead of moving immediately, they hesitated, as if unsure whether they should step in. It took them a moment to finally move and support him, but even then, their actions were clumsy and awkward.I clenched my lips tightly as I watched.If they were this slow and uncoordinated, what would they do if the young master were ever in real danger?I had been right to come for the herbs as soon as I did.Suppressing a sigh, I focused on guiding them toward the guest rooms so they could take the young master inside.Then, out of nowhere, his voice—soft and laced with something unreadable—reached me.“…Lobel, aren’t you coming with me?”