The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 77

Chapter 77: A Private Audience (3)

“Ray, what are your thoughts on this?”

I remained silent.

I had a guilty conscience.

In the original course of events, Adelheit was supposed to have been cursed after being wounded by the demon worshipper’s blade.

But because I’d intervened, her fate had been altered.

It seemed she’d used her dragon eyes to see this change in her own destiny…

This was troublesome.

I could make excuses about my mana, my swordsmanship, even my archery skills…

But how was I supposed to explain fate?

‘…What should I say?’

As I racked my brain for a plausible explanation…

Adelheit spoke first.

“…Lady Sianella’s fate has been constantly changing. It was quite intriguing when I first noticed. I’d never seen anything like it.”

Sione Sianella.

The Count’s daughter I’d been tasked with reforming and raising, according to the quests.

It would have been more surprising if her fate hadn't changed. I'd put so much effort into guiding her, pulling her out of her self-imposed confinement.

“But after becoming involved with you, though not as drastically as Lady Sianella’s, my own fate has also branched into new paths. And that’s not all.”

And Adelheit Aisilia.

It seemed the quest reward, “The heroes who were destined to fade before their time will have a chance to shine brightly,” was referring to her.

Instead of being weakened by a curse, her fate had shifted towards new possibilities.

As I listened attentively, Adelheit held up two fingers.

“…The head of House Sianella, whom I met with yesterday, now has two new fates.”

“…How intriguing.”

It truly was intriguing.

Ainel Sianella, the head of House Sianella.

My last quest involving her had been long before our arrival in the capital.

And since arriving here, I’d only had a few brief conversations with her. Yet, two new fates had emerged for her.

Was it a ripple effect from Sione’s transformation?

Or perhaps it was because of my recent conversation with Ainel, when I’d warned her about the elves…a conversation that never would have happened in the original course of events.

Adelheit nodded, seemingly as intrigued as I was.

“It is intriguing. To think a person’s fate can be so easily altered. So—”

Adelheit lowered her hand, which had been forming a delicate V, and placed it demurely on her lap. She lifted her chin slightly and continued,

“—I began to wonder why only the fates of those connected to House Sianella were changing so drastically. And I realized…it all leads back to you.”

This proud, composed princess,

was clearly enjoying this situation.

“Those born commoners are meant to have insignificant, predetermined fates. Yet you possess mana, swordsmanship, archery skills, and even a connection to the spirits.”

She smiled faintly, stroking her chin thoughtfully.

“Who else but you, someone so full of exceptions, could possibly alter their fates?”

“…”

Adelheit refilled my empty teacup. The bright red liquid filled the cup, and the fragrant aroma tickled my nose.

She then refilled her own cup and, before taking a sip, inhaled the scent deeply, her violet eyes fixed on me, not the tea.

“…Now that our fates have shifted, I’ll tell you something.”

She took a sip of tea and continued,

“Before, my fate resembled a rotting rope. A rope I clung to desperately, even though I knew it would inevitably break and send me plummeting. That was my fate.”

A rotting rope…

She was referring to the original course of events, the attack that was supposed to have left her cursed.

…Why was she so readily revealing such personal information to me?

I cautiously spoke, feeling the atmosphere grow increasingly heavy.

“…To think Your Highness, whose fate should be radiant, was destined for such a grim end…”

“Indeed, it’s hard to believe. That I, who inherited the strongest concentration of dragon blood in generations, was destined for such a fate.”

Adelheit shook her head slightly.

“But that is what I saw, every time I used my dragon eyes.”

She began to stroke her hair slowly.

“I am the pride of the royal family, meant to be perfect in every way. Especially since my eyes and hair possess such a vibrant color.”

She laughed, a hollow, empty sound.

“That’s why, when I first saw my fate, I struggled desperately to escape it. Such a fate was unbefitting of someone like me.”

“But in the end, I had to accept it. Fate is decreed by the heavens. Even with the blood of dragons flowing through my veins, how could I, a mere mortal bound to this earth, defy the will of the heavens?”

“So I lived a life of quiet resignation, waiting for my inevitable fall. And during the coming-of-age ceremony, when I saw that blade aimed at my back, evading my senses so skillfully…I knew. This was my fate.”

Her empty laughter began to fill with emotion.

“But that blade, which should have pierced my back—”

Beyond amusement and intrigue,

A faint hint of affection, almost fondness, entered her voice.

“—you deflected it, altering my fate. Didn’t you?”

She stood up from the sofa and, taking a small step towards me, closed the distance between us.

“One last question.”

She leaned down, her face now level with mine.

“Ray, how did you alter fate?”

How could I answer that?

I couldn’t tell her I’d simply followed the quest instructions.

And any other explanation would be a flimsy lie, easily exposed.

The quest had mentioned my mana, even my spirit magic, but it hadn’t said anything about altering fate.

I remained silent, unable to answer, our faces now so close I could feel her breath on my skin. I simply stared at her, hoping this uncomfortable situation would end quickly.

“…It seems you are unwilling to answer.”

She smiled faintly, her expression devoid of emotion. Then she reached out and gently cupped my cheek with her hand.

“But there’s something else…Your eyes. It seems you know something.”

Her hand moved from my cheek to my hair, brushing it aside.

“I hope you will answer my question next time.”

With those whispered words, she returned to her seat.

She sat back on the plush sofa, crossing her legs elegantly, and finished the remaining tea in her cup. She picked up another pastry and took a small bite.

Then, with a haughty air that somehow suited her perfectly, she lifted her chin.

“Now, let’s move on to the next question.”

The coldness in Adelheit’s eyes was replaced by a flicker of intrigue. The subtle shift in her expression spread, altering the atmosphere around her.

“A commoner, a human, and a male at that…insisting on an elven bow—”

She traced her fingertip along her lips.

“—it seems our conversation will be longer than I anticipated.”

***

I stepped out of the stuffy palace and into the crisp autumn air. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the refreshing scent of the season,

“Hah…”

And exhaled, a wave of exhaustion washing over me.

‘…That was tiring.’

My private audience with Adelheit had taken a lot out of me.

I’d lived my entire life as a commoner, my only experience with swords and bows limited to the meager training I’d received before being sold as a male knight. Even now, as an attendant of House Sianella…

My swordsmanship was far beyond what my background would suggest, and my mana control was at a level unattainable by most, even nobles.

Simply explaining those abilities had been mentally exhausting, but…

‘…The spirit magic part was especially difficult.’

I’d trusted the quest and revealed my spirit magic to Adelheit.

As I’d explained my abilities, I’d been plagued by visions of being captured by the royal mages, dissected, or even burned at the stake like a witch.

My mana and spirit magic were a double-edged sword.

Revealing them would undoubtedly attract considerable attention, but…

I couldn’t predict whether that attention would be positive or negative.

Thankfully, I’d managed to extract a promise from Adelheit to keep my secret until I chose to reveal it myself.

I replayed our conversation in my mind, then checked the quest status.

[Quest Completed.]

As expected, the quest had been completed.

I checked the rewards.

[Adelheit Aisilia was generally satisfied with the audience, but she has some lingering regrets.]

“…Tch.”

That stung.

I’d wracked my brain for answers, carefully crafting my responses.

Her regret likely stemmed from the one question I hadn’t answered, the question about fate.

But that couldn’t be helped.

I quickly scanned the rest of the rewards.

[Adelheit Aisilia is intrigued by your mana.]

[Your magic power has increased slightly due to her interest.]

[Adelheit Aisilia is awed by your spirit magic.]

[The power of your spirit magic has increased slightly due to her interest.]

“Oh.”

An increase in magic power and the potency of my spirit magic was definitely a welcome development.

Though the total amount and efficiency of mana were important…

The raw power of one’s abilities couldn’t be ignored.

The unexpected boost to my magical abilities lifted my spirits slightly.

Then I saw the next reward.

[Adelheit Aisilia has become deeply intrigued by your true identity.]

[She will take a significant interest in your actions from now on.]

“Hmm…”

I groaned inwardly at this rather ambiguous reward.

As I pondered the implications of the quest rewards, I headed back towards Sione’s quarters. I walked slowly, enjoying the scenery, until I reached the building where she was staying.

Just as I was about to enter,

“It’s been a while, Ray.”

A familiar voice called out, and I turned to see,

“The scent…it’s even stronger than before.”

That elf from the Arielt family.

Priel Arielt was smiling at me, her words cryptic.

Next Chapter

Index

Previous Chapter