The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 81
Added 2025-04-05 16:33:54 +0000 UTCChapter 81: At the Training Grounds (2)
Siabel clicked her tongue, as if struck by Aria's words.
“Tch.”
Aria’s final remark, about preparing to be beaten, seemed to have been the final straw.
“…That spear-wielding northerner, hiding behind her long stick…”
A cold smile touched Siabel’s lips.
The chilling expression she shared with Ainel made me increasingly uncomfortable.
It was nice that they were such close friends, but…
Why did they have to use me as a messenger for their rather aggressive exchanges?
Couldn’t they show a little consideration for the poor attendant caught in the middle?
I remained silent, watching Siabel cautiously.
After muttering a few more complaints about Aria, Siabel finally smoothed her long hair and composed herself.
“‘Prepare to be beaten,’ she says. How very thoughtful of Aria.”
“…You and Lady Aria seem quite close.”
“Close…? Yes, I suppose we are. I am Aria’s only friend, after all.”
“Her only friend?”
“Well, have you seen Aria? She probably stands alone at banquets, sipping wine and not speaking to anyone. She’s quite shy, you see.”
“…I see.”
Siabel was right. Aria had indeed spent most of the banquet alone, occasionally exchanging polite greetings and clinking glasses with others. And I’d been the only one who’d had a proper conversation with her.
So perhaps Siabel’s assessment was accurate.
As I nodded, acknowledging her words, Siabel asked playfully,
“So, Ray, who do you think would win in a fight? Me or Aria?”
“I…”
I couldn’t exactly tell Siabel I thought she would lose.
Generally, a spear user had the advantage against a swordsman of equal skill. But…
Siabel had reached the realm of Sword Expert, while Aria hadn’t yet caught up.
I carefully chose my words.
“A Sword Expert’s skill is formidable. It would be difficult to overcome, even with the techniques of a spear user. I believe you would win, Lady Siabel.”
Siabel seemed pleased with my answer, her expression softening.
After chatting for a bit longer, Siabel began to wrap up the conversation. Just as I was about to bow and take my leave,
“Ah, yes.”
Siabel’s words stopped me in my tracks.
What else did she want to discuss?
As I met her gaze, a wave of intense emotion washed over me.
Anticipation. A long-held anticipation that now shone brightly in her sky-blue eyes.
“You said you were skilled enough with a sword to kill a wolf. We made a promise to spar, didn’t we?”
She was referring to our conversation in the Beltrin Mountains, after I'd killed the ash wolf that had been consumed by demonic energy.
She’d remembered my words all this time.
“Initially, it was postponed because your arm was injured after fighting the arachne. And then my arm was injured.”
Siabel flexed her left hand, then patted her right arm.
“Well, my arm has fully healed now, so…I think it’s time we finally sparred.”
Unlike Siabel’s healed arm,
My left arm, injured while protecting Sione from the spider, had taken quite some time to recover, further delaying our spar.
And then, after my arm had healed, Siabel had been injured during her scouting mission in the Beltrin Mountains, her right arm wounded by a demonically empowered human.
Our long-awaited spar had been repeatedly postponed.
“How about we spar in a week, after you've recovered from my journey?”
Her tone, gentle yet firm, left no room for refusal. Her eyes shone with a determination to finally test my skills.
It seemed Siabel had been looking forward to our spar all this time, while Sione and I had been dealing with one crisis after another in the capital.
“…Would you mind coordinating the schedule with Lady Sione?”
Siabel nodded, and at that moment,
[Quest has been formed.]
I hadn't even been back at the County for a full day, and…
A new quest had already appeared.
「Proof of Swordsmanship」
‘Siabel Sianella is deeply intrigued by your abilities. Though your mana and magic are impressive, her primary interest lies in your swordsmanship. To further earn her favor, demonstrate a level of skill that exceeds her expectations.’
「Reward: Siabel Sianella's Authority Awakens, Mana Efficiency Improved」
The quest required me to impress Siabel with my swordsmanship, not just spar with her casually.
And the reward was the awakening of Siabel’s Authority.
The Demon Slaying Authority that was passed down through the Sianella family.
And an improvement in my mana efficiency. My mana efficiency had increased after completing previous quests related to Siabel, so…
It seemed this quest would also offer a similar reward.
Mana efficiency was a valuable asset, especially given my limited mana reserves.
But it was the other reward, the awakening of the Demon Slaying Authority, that truly caught my attention.
‘The awakening of the Demon Slaying Authority…’
It meant restoring the power that had weakened over time.
That was good.
No, not just good. It was excellent.
Those audacious cultists who’d attacked the royal palace during the coming-of-age ceremony…
House Sianella, always eager to hunt down anything related to demons…
The demonically empowered humans and demon worshippers who’d appeared near the County…
Even now, demons and those connected to them were running rampant. Things would only get worse as time went on.
The Demon Slaying Authority would prove invaluable against demons and anyone wielding demonic energy.
It would be incredibly beneficial, especially when the true demons finally arrived, to have Siabel, a promising knight, wielding the full power of her Authority.
As I considered this, I bowed my head.
“Though my swordsmanship is crude…I will do my best to meet your expectations, Lady Siabel.”
“Good. I look forward to it.”
Siabel smiled and gently stroked my hair.
***
After my conversation with Siabel, I went to Sione’s room.
Her room, which I hadn’t seen in a while,
Was spotless, as if the servants had cleaned it regularly during my absence in the capital.
And inside the room…
Sione, freshly bathed and dressed in comfortable clothes,
Sat on her bed, wrapped in a blanket, her expression slightly sulky as she looked at me.
“…You’re late.”
It seemed she was displeased by my tardiness.
“Did something happen on your way here?”
I explained my encounter with Siabel.
“I ran into Lady Siabel Sianella in the hallway and chatted with her for a bit. I apologize for the delay.”
“Ah, if you were talking with my sister…there’s no need to apologize. But…”
Sione patted the empty space beside her on the bed.
“Come sit here and…pet me.”
She was so predictable.
I sat down on the bed and began to stroke her hair. Her recent increase in affectionate behavior was rather endearing. It almost felt like having a younger sister. I no longer felt any discomfort at her touch.
As I petted her soft hair,
Sione suddenly asked,
“So…how is my sister? Is she alright?”
“Her right arm has fully healed, and she seemed to be in good spirits. She asked if I would be willing to spar with her after I’ve recovered from my journey, so there’s no need to worry.”
“…That’s good to hear. She mentioned wanting to spar with you before we left for the capital.”
Sione paused, lost in thought, then looked up at me.
“What do you think?”
“What do I think about sparring with Lady Siabel?”
“Yes. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. I can talk to her.”
I shook my head.
A simple spar was a perfect opportunity to awaken Siabel’s Authority.
Of course, to successfully complete the quest, I would have to display a level of skill that would truly impress her.
But I'd already revealed my swordsmanship and mana abilities while protecting the princess, so there was no point in hiding my skills any longer.
Besides, Siabel already knew about my magic.
As I explained this to Sione, she said, her voice laced with concern,
“Be careful not to get hurt.”
It was just a spar, not a life-or-death duel.
I shrugged casually.
“It’s just a spar. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Sione nodded, though her expression remained troubled.
Yes, it was just a spar.
It would be far less dangerous than facing those demon worshippers who’d tried to kill me. I wouldn't get hurt.
