The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 65

Chapter 65: The Male Knight of Sianella (2)

Adelheit, the corner of her mouth curved into a sly smile, addressed the knight guarding her.

“I have some things to discuss with them privately. Please wait a short distance away.”

At the princess’s words, the knight moved a considerable distance away, and the solemn, refined air around Adelheit dissipated somewhat.

However, only Adelheit seemed to feel a sense of liberation from the knight's departure.

Sione and I grew even more tense.

Not only were we left alone without even a guard to listen in…

But the other nobles, seeing the princess speaking with Sione, notorious for her incompetence, simply glanced curiously in our direction.

No one approached. They must have been wondering what Adelheit could possibly want to discuss that required dismissing even her knight.

This was practically a private audience. What else could it be?

Perhaps because a princess was standing amidst the archers, who had been cheerfully chatting about bows…

“Umm…”

Sione groaned, her fists clenched tightly in nervousness.

Though I stood behind Sione and couldn’t see her face…

I could easily imagine her expression.

Her face would be stiff, her eyes wavering.

She would be trying desperately to appear composed, but failing miserably.

I could practically hear her heart pounding like a drum.

As I watched Sione, consumed by anxiety, Adelheit, after confirming her knight had retreated sufficiently, finally greeted Sione.

“Second daughter of House Sianella, Sione Sianella. We met yesterday, didn’t we?”

“We met briefly in the banquet hall…and then again when you called for Lady Feira Feiosha.”

Adelheit nodded at Sione’s reply.

Then, as she silently crossed her arms and looked expectantly at Sione, Sione cautiously spoke.

“…M-may I ask why Your Highness has sought me out…?”

Despite Sione’s increasingly timid voice, Adelheit calmly replied.

“The reason…well, the fact that you are Siabel Sianella’s younger sister, so famous at the academy, certainly played a part…”

A faint color began to swirl in Adelheit's pupils.

The dragon eyes, unique to the Aisilia royal family, which I'd seen last night, began to activate.

Her eyes shifted, becoming the eyes of a dragon capable of piercing through the veil of reality and discerning the fate of all living things.

Sione flinched at the change in Adelheit’s eyes.

The princess smiled faintly, as if acknowledging Sione’s reaction.

“I simply have something I wish to discuss with you.”

“…With me?”

“Yes, and with your attendant as well.”

Adelheit’s dragon eyes shifted from Sione to me.

Once again, the princess locked eyes with me, trying to discern my true nature.

“…Tch.”

Just as she had yesterday, the princess, unable to read anything from me, clicked her tongue softly.

Sione flinched again at the sound.

Adelheit walked slowly towards me, her gaze falling to the sword at my waist.

“Yesterday, you clearly stated you were a slave and an attendant. What is the meaning of that sword?”

I’d wondered when she would bring it up. It seemed this was the opportune moment.

I calmly answered her question.

“…Lady Ainel Sianella ordered me to act as Lady Sione’s guard, so I am carrying a sword.”

“Sianella has many capable knights. Why you, of all people?”

“That is correct.”

“Hmm…The head of Sianella wouldn’t assign a meaningless task. To entrust you with guarding her daughter…how intriguing.”

Adelheit murmured to herself, then smiled, a mixture of deep amusement and intrigue, as if finally starting to grasp something.

“It seems you are hiding something far greater than I initially thought.”

With those words, Adelheit stepped back, taking in both Sione and me with her gaze. She touched her beautiful hair and asked Sione,

“Do you know the power contained within the Aisilia eyes?”

“…I’ve heard they can discern the truth of all things, a person’s abilities, and even their fate.”

Adelheit nodded slowly at Sione’s reply.

“I see, that makes things easier.”

She stopped stroking her violet hair, and her intense interest shifted from me to Sione.

Sione, sensing the change in the princess's demeanor, tensed up again and listened attentively.

“How many fates do you think a single person can possess?”

“Fates…Your Highness…?”

“Yes, fates.”

“I…believe a person is born with only one fate.”

Adelheit nodded.

“Indeed, unless they are what the world calls heroes. Everyone is born with a single fate. Even heroes rarely possess more than two or three diverging paths. But interestingly—”

Sione gulped nervously.

“—I see dozens of fates surrounding you.”

“…Me?”

“Yes. Your fates, unusually, have branched out from a single root, creating dozens of paths.”

I pondered Adelheit's words.

The fates she saw surrounding Sione…it seemed to be because of me.

From the moment I intervened in Sione’s life, originally destined to be spent locked away in her room…

I must have inadvertently altered her fate countless times.

As I considered this, Adelheit continued.

“What’s even more interesting is that your fates are still changing. How could I not be intrigued?”

Still changing fates.

This likely referred to Sione’s fate, which would continue to be altered by future quests.

This princess was quite perceptive.

As I thought about how Sione had changed since becoming entangled with me…

Adelheit, as if now it was my turn, focused her dragon eyes on me, wielding their power to its fullest extent.

“But that’s not all. Even with the full power of my dragon eyes, I cannot see anything surrounding you.”

At the princess’s words, Sione turned to look at me, standing quietly behind her.

“Lady Sione, would you tell me about your attendant?”

Sione’s expression turned troubled.

It was a natural reaction.

To be suddenly asked about her attendant because he was unreadable…

She wouldn’t know where to even begin.

Sione hesitated, unable to answer immediately, buying time.

Then, just as she seemed to have gathered her thoughts and was about to speak…

“…Lady Sione?”

Suddenly, her expression hardened, and she closed her mouth.

Just what was happening?

Sione’s eyes sharpened, like Siabel’s during combat, as she glanced around and whispered,

“Why is there demonic energy here…?”

I frowned at her whispered words.

Demonic energy here? Inside the royal palace of the Aisilia Kingdom?

Surrounded by high priests and countless knights?

It sounded absurd, but this involved the power Sione had inherited from her ancestor.

The Demon Slaying Authority.

An ability that guaranteed incredible sensitivity to even the faintest traces of demons and magi.

She wasn't drunk like last night. If she was saying this while sober, she wasn’t joking.

Given Sione's unusually sensitive reaction, I decided to err on the side of caution and began scanning our surroundings.

Meanwhile, Adelheit, tilting her head curiously at Sione’s sudden change in demeanor, asked,

“Lady Sione, what is the matter?”

Just as she asked…

A figure emerged from behind Adelheit.

The woman wore a vicious expression as she placed what appeared to be a black jewel into her mouth.

And as she swallowed the jewel…

A thick, ominous aura, far stronger than any lingering trace of magi, suddenly erupted from her.

How could swallowing a single jewel cause such a sudden surge of magi?

Ignoring my confusion and questions in this urgent situation…

I channeled mana to its fullest extent and flicked the hilt of my sword with my left thumb.

Ting!

The gleaming blade slid from its scabbard, and I moved.

I honed my senses, ready to respond to any attack, and positioned myself behind the princess, ready to protect her.

Sensing Adelheit's dragon eyes following my movements, I circulated mana throughout my body, awakening my dormant strength.

“…Hup!”

I drew my sword.

The blade, catching the sunlight, flashed brightly as it moved swiftly upward.

Chang!!

My sword clashed against the dagger thrust towards Adelheit. At that moment…

[Quest has been formed.]

「First Historical Alteration」

‘The first event leading to the world's destruction has begun at Princess Adelheit's coming-of-age ceremony. Due to your intervention, Adelheit has avoided the demon’s curse that was originally destined to befall her. Will you ride the tide of this altered history and forge a new path, or will you succumb to the fate of destruction? The choice is yours.’

「Reward: Transformation of History」

「Failure: Serious injury to Sione Sianella, Serious injury to Adelheit Aisilia, Acceleration of World Destruction」

Just what was going on?

Ominous demonic energy erupted throughout the gardens.

TL Note

After some deliberation, the term "마기", formerly translated as "magi", will be translated as "demonic energy" or "demonic mana" from now on. This term refers to corrupt/demonic energy. While the initial translation isn't wrong, it is not concise either, hence the update. I have also updated prior chapters to reflect this change. Thank you.

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