The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Adelheit Aisilia (3)

Things to discuss, she'd said.

What could I possibly have to discuss with someone I’d met for the first time today?

I suppressed my rising panic and bowed deeply, until I could practically see the top of my head.

A princess of the kingdom had personally sought me out and spoken to me.

If a lowly commoner like myself met her gaze with my head held high, I could have my head chopped off without a second thought.

"I humbly greet Your Highness, Princess Adelheit of the Aisilia Kingdom."

Thankfully, my swift greeting seemed to please her, and she nodded slightly.

"Raise your head."

"How dare I raise my head before Your Highness?"

"Do I need to say it again?"

"…I am grateful for your consideration."

As I raised my head, she studied me once more, just as she had when she first entered the banquet hall.

And once again…

Adelheit narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing me with a piercing gaze while stroking her sharply defined chin.

"Hmm..."

A thoughtful hum escaped her, a mixture of dissatisfaction and curiosity, before she finally opened her eyes fully.

She lowered her hand and crossed her arms. A pose that the men of this kingdom paid no attention to, but which emphasized her ample bosom, making me, at least, quite uncomfortable.

In that moment, she leisurely asked,

"What is your name?"

"…I am called Ray."

"Ray…you don't have a surname, so you're not a noble. How did you gain entry here?"

"I entered thanks to my position as an attendant of House Sianella and Lady Ainel's consideration."

"So, an attendant…you mean you rose to the position of attendant despite being a commoner?"

I carefully shook my head.

"…I am not a commoner."

"If not a commoner, then are you implying you are of even lower birth?"

Adelheit tilted her head at my confession of being neither noble nor commoner.

Her beautiful hair cascaded down as she moved.

"…I am a slave and personal attendant of Lady Sione Sianella, second daughter of House Sianella."

"Hmm."

I worried she might look at me with contempt, like a rotting fish, upon hearing I was a slave, the lowest of the low.

But instead, her amethyst eyes, beautiful and mysterious, deepened in color as she looked at me.

"I thought the only person in this world I could not read was the Emperor of the Empire."

She murmured words I couldn’t comprehend.

"For my eyes to fail to penetrate the veil around not some minor noble or commoner, but a mere slave…how intriguing. It makes me wonder—"

The corner of her usually impassive mouth curved upward slightly.

"—if you truly belong in this world."

If I truly belonged in this world…

Her words jolted me awake.

"Your Highness, what do you mean…?"

"How much do you know about our royal family, the Aisilias?"

Shamefully, I knew little of the royal family's long history or the legends surrounding them.

What reason would the original owner of this body, born and raised as a slave, have to read storybooks about the kingdom's history or listen to minstrels singing praises of the royal family?

"I apologize, but…though I know of the Aisilia Kingdom’s greatness and sanctity, established after driving out demons, I know little of the royal family itself."

"Then allow me to enlighten you."

Adelheit lifted her chin and continued,

"The royal family carries the blood of dragons, and though weakened, we have inherited the dragon’s power. These violet eyes, granted only to noble dragons, are proof of that."

"Ah…"

"Moreover, I—"

She touched her hair.

"—have inherited this violet hair through atavism. While normally my eyes are no different from others', if I wish, I can wield the dragon's power to its fullest extent."

Adelheit's pupils shifted.

From human to reptilian. Her vertically slit pupils glowed faintly with a bluish light.

Then, in a voice so low it was as if she were whispering secrets, she spoke,

"Even when I wield my power to its fullest, I cannot read you."

"Your Highness?"

"For a mere slave to evade the power of discernment contained within the dragon’s eyes…it’s absurd. Therefore, I will ask you now, here and now.”

The princess's voice, calm yet tinged with hostility, pierced my ears.

"Slave of Sianella, Ray. Reveal your true identity."

I couldn't easily respond to Adelheit's words.

I had a few theories as to why I was unreadable to her dragon eyes.

But even if I explained those theories in detail…

Would this princess believe a single word?

That I’d been a Hunter on Earth, died in a dungeon, and fallen into this strange world where gender roles were reversed.

That this world was the past form of a dungeon I’d tried to clear, already doomed to destruction.

That I, of all people, not some great hero or princess, but a lowly servant of a rather clueless Count's daughter, held the key to saving this world…

Honestly, that story would be less believable than a goblin suddenly contorting and evolving into an ogre.

Seeing my hesitation, Adelheit scoffed, as if expecting this reaction.

"To remain silent before my question…how rude. Regardless, your silence confirms you are hiding something."

The blue glow faded, and Adelheit's eyes returned to their normal human form.

“…You will meet with me privately after my coming-of-age ceremony.”

I was doomed.

A private audience with the princess, no less, and one who harbored deep suspicions about my true nature…

My head was already starting to pound.

While I desperately wanted to refuse…

How could I, who couldn’t even refuse a simple request from the comparatively easygoing Sione, possibly defy a princess?

“…I understand.”

In the end, I agreed to a private meeting with the princess.

Someone of her stature could easily have Ainel or Sione bring me to her.

“Then I'll see you at that time.”

I could only silently bow my head.

With those final words, the princess moved on, entering the midst of the heated debate between Sione and Feira, and proceeded to extract Feira and lead her toward Julia Feiosha.

It seemed she had things to discuss with the Feioshas.

Apparently, Adelheit had managed to conclude our conversation while simultaneously retrieving Feira.

It seemed Sione and Noah were also exhausted, as if their spirits had been drained, while I had been mentally sparring with the princess.

But then…

‘…Why is he smiling again…?’

Noah seemed to have developed another enormous misunderstanding, as he was smiling faintly behind Sione’s back.

And that wasn’t all.

[Quest Completed.]

[Sione Sianella's growth rate has accelerated.]

Just what had happened?

The quest to mend Sione’s relationship with Noah had been completed. What could Sione have possibly said in that tense atmosphere with Feira to complete the quest?

I stared blankly at the status window, and then watched as Noah hurried back to his mother’s side.

His steps were light, as if a burden had been lifted. It seemed the quest had indeed been completed.

‘I don’t understand anymore.’

Whatever. Let it be.

The conversation with the princess had been exhausting enough. I didn’t want to think about quests right now. Clearing my mind, I approached Sione.

“How did your conversation go?”

“…Ray.”

“What is it?”

“I want to go back to my room…”

Sione looked up at me, her posture slumped like a rain-soaked animal.

I was just as exhausted and wanted to return to my room as much as Sione, but…

I shook my head resolutely.

“We still have Lady Aria Alenar and Lady Leona Refilia. Please try to endure a little longer.”

“Right…that’s true…”

“If you're feeling too drained, try recalling the bet we made.”

“Ah, the bet.”

Sione straightened up as she remembered our wager.

Seeing her regain some of her energy, I said, “Then why don’t you speak with Lady Leona Refilia first? In the meantime, I'll find an opportunity to relay a message to Lady Aria Alenar.”

“What…? Relay a message? What do you mean?”

I inwardly sighed at Sione’s question.

“…Lady Siabel Sianella personally asked me to deliver a message to Lady Aria Alenar.”

Before departing for the capital, Siabel, lying in her sickbed, had requested this of me.

Now that Aria Alenar was standing alone sipping wine, this seemed like a good time to deliver Siabel's message.

‘If you don't want to incur Aria's wrath, I suggest relaying my words exactly as I said them.’

I recalled Siabel’s whispered words and touched my neck.

…I hoped I wouldn’t be beheaded for blasphemy.

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