The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Noah Beleia (3)

Sione hesitated a long time at my question.

She hugged herself while quietly groaning, then suddenly scrunched up her face and couldn't smooth it out.

As I quietly watched her putting on every possible expression while sitting in place.

Soon breaking free from her private thoughts, Sione looked up at me with eyes full of hesitation.

Staaaare-

It's not like I learned mind reading.

You'll bore holes in my face. What's the point of just staring so long? If you have a mouth, use it to speak.

Seeing her still acting like a child despite being twenty in Korean age, I almost let out a sigh.

Though I suppose that was Sione's charm in its own way.

I raised the white flag to her intense stare and spoke first.

"Have you decided whether to fix it or cut it off?"

As if she had been waiting for just these words, Sione nodded her head vigorously.

"What would you like to do?"

"I..."

Unable to get all her words out at once, Sione's voice trailed off.

Though her anxious appearance made me feel frustrated, fortunately Sione soon showed a determined expression.

"I don't want to cut off my relationship with Noah. Rather... though it may just be my selfishness, I want to untangle our twisted relationship."

Fortunately, rather than avoiding and ignoring the relationship she had ruined, Sione wanted to face it directly and resolve it.

If that was Sione's choice.

Though it would obviously be troublesome, feelings of pride and satisfaction occasionally welled up.

I began speaking with a faint smile:

"Do you know why Lady Ainel brought you, Lady Sione, to the Princess's coming of age ceremony where all the kingdom's nobles gather to discuss politics in their various factions, rather than Lady Siabel, the next head of house?"

"That is..."

"You have clearly changed over the past half year, Lady Sione. You've become more beautiful outwardly, and stronger inwardly."

This First Princess's coming of age ceremony wasn't just a party to celebrate the princess.

It was a chance to catch the eye of she who was designated as the kingdom's next ruler and held legitimate succession rights.

Since all the prominent nobles of the kingdom would gather in one place.

If Siabel, who Ainel had designated as House Sianella's next head, had come instead of Sione, under the name of Sianella's knight who reached Expert level at a young age, she could not only firmly establish her own position but also secure allies or perhaps even catch the princess's eye depending on connections.

But the reason Ainel brought Sione rather than Siabel to such an important occasion.

"Lady Ainel wanted to show your changed self to the other nobles. The head said-"

As I began relating what Ainel had told me before, Sione started focusing with utmost seriousness.

"Since you hadn't shown your face at social gatherings for years, only abundant rumors remained in your place as gossip fodder. She said she wanted you to clear away those rumors and widely show your changed self through this opportunity."

Though it would be right to say it was to give Sione a chance.

Though House Sianella held the rank of Count rather than Duke or Marquis, they were the frontier fortress protecting the kingdom from the demon realm beyond the Beltrin Mountains.

Being a house with long traditions that had produced excellent talents every generation.

News about a member of Sianella, which had social recognition on par with decent Marquis houses.

Would inevitably spread through noble society.

Thus Sione's past misdeeds and retreat to her room must have gradually permeated deep into noble society.

Ainel likely intended to suppress the bad reputation spread among them through this opportunity.

Sione seemed to finally understand Ainel's intentions too. Like the Milky Way rising on a summer night, her eyes began to softly shine.

That calm yet brilliant appearance felt quite beautiful.

"Did Mother truly say that?"

"How could I make up the family head's words to tell you false things, Lady Sione?"

"Yes, that's true..."

To Sione who had started reciting Ainel's words again.

I began conveying my meaning.

"Do you have enough resolve?"

"Resolve you say."

"To show your changed self completely before countless nobles as Lady Ainel wishes, and change their thoughts."

The warm night settled in Sione's eyes began to end. Though the Milky Way disappeared and her eyes no longer shone softly like her silver-white hair.

That wasn't particularly problematic.

Because as night passed in Sione's eyes, the sun began to raise its head and dawn was breaking.

"...I must. When I cut my hair, and even then. I firmly resolved to change myself."

Now Sione began shining brightly as a proper Count's daughter.

Having been uncomfortable seeing her so shrinking before, she was finally decent to look at.

I smiled again at Sione's brightened appearance.

"I'm glad."

"About what?"

"With such resolve, you should be able to fully untangle your relationship with Young Lord Noah too."

"Ah."

"If you keep that mindset in your heart and gather up the remaining fragments of the past one by one, you'll be able to shine brighter than ever before, Lady Sione."

As if having realized something from my words, Sione stared at me with her lips slightly parted.

I shrugged and gave a playful smile.

"Until then, I'll always be by your side to help, Lady Sione."

"...Ah!"

As soon as my words ended, Sione took a sharp breath and dropped her head as if burying it in the ground.

Well... my words were a bit cringeworthy this time.

Sione seemed quite embarrassed by my cheesy words.

After covering her face with her hands and avoiding my gaze for a while, she looked up at me through her fingers and spoke:

"...Thank you."

Sione said in a tiny voice.

I almost missed and ignored her voice because of how small it was.

But fortunately I caught it and nodded at her words.

"It's nothing."

Silence followed after my answer.

Having spent so much time together, normally I would easily handle such quiet while looking out the window.

But today somehow there was an ambiguous and subtle atmosphere flowing between Sione and me in the carriage.

This silence, and Sione's occasional glances.

Everything bothered me so much I couldn't lose myself in the outside scenery alone.

At this rate, until the carriage stopped - no, even after stopping it would be like this, so I brought up a topic to refresh the atmosphere.

"Lady Sione."

"U-um? What is it?"

Sione looked at me with bright eyes, startled for no reason at my question.

"How about looking around the palace gardens today or tomorrow? Though the Count's gardens are excellent, the palace gardens should be no less impressive... you should be able to fully enjoy them."

"Hmm, certainly... Then since it's a bit late today, let's go tomorrow afternoon."

"A good choice."

Thanks to spending some time talking about gardens and flowers, the atmosphere lightened.

Then I suddenly asked one thing:

"Lady Sione, could you tell me what kind of person Young Lord Noah is?"

"Noah? Yes, Noah... about Noah..."

Sione pulled out memories of Noah from her mind for a moment.

"Though I don't know how he is now... Noah was a boy who admired knights, loved flowers, and knew how to empathize with others."

"If he admired knights and loved flowers, he seems to have many similarities with you, Lady Sione."

"Perhaps. Though back then I had no interest in flowers. We mostly talked about... knights."

Taking advantage of Sione being lost in memories, I quickly turned my thoughts.

Though I didn't know about the past, now Sione also liked flowers. Sione and Noah had overlapping interests.

Not only was Noah handsome, but he still showed goodwill toward Sione who had cursed at him and driven him away.

Moreover, since Sione also wanted to return to a good relationship with Noah.

'Isn't this an opportunity?'

If things went well, I thought I might be able to match Sione and Noah.

Sione had said she couldn't have a loveless marriage and confessed wanting to break off the engagement to Evan.

With Noah who likely still had lingering affection, there seemed to be plenty of possibility.

If those two got together, I could protect my lips and there would be no false rumors about me bewitching Sione.

Perhaps due to being immersed in these sudden thoughts.

Before even verifying whether what I was thinking had sufficient plausibility and logic.

I blurted it out to Sione.

"The more I think about it, Young Lord Noah and you seem well matched."

"...What do you mean?"

"You have overlapping interests... he has good character, and isn't Young Lord Noah quite handsome?"

Sione pressed her lips tightly together.

As she stared at me as if telling me to say more.

I continued speaking smoothly.

"What do you think of Young Lord Noah, Lady Sione?"

"...Are you asking how I view Noah romantically?"

"Given Young Lord Noah Beleia's status, and since he seems to have excellent character, it wouldn't be bad for you to consider-"

"No."

As I was rambling on with my opinion, Sione's voice came to my ears colder than I'd ever heard.

I closed my mouth at her unusual voice and assessed the situation.

Sione was staring straight at me with dead cold eyes.

...Why such a serious reaction?

This wasn't normal.

Seeing her current self so completely different from the Sione I knew, I even doubted if this person was really the same clumsy Sione I knew.

Gulp.

I swallowed dryly at Sione's changed atmosphere that made me inexplicably tense.

"It's not even worth considering, so don't speak of it again."

Sione slowly rose from her seat.

She looked down at me quietly then bent down to bring her face close to mine.

Huff. Huff.

A tense atmosphere began swirling at a distance where I could hear Sione's breathing.

"After all... don't I already have you?"

As I was stunned by Sione's sudden action.

She grabbed my chin and lifted my face.

Where had the Sione who smiled cutely gone?

She still had cold eyes, just the corners of her mouth slightly raised as she looked down at me like she would devour me.

"...Lady Sione?"

Without answering my question.

Chu.

She arbitrarily pressed her lips to my forehead then sat back down.

"I'll be patient with just this this time-"

Really. I stared at Sione with a bewildered expression while rubbing my forehead where warmth remained.

Seeing me like that, Sione finally relaxed her expression as if satisfied and let her voice flow.

"Though I'm not ignorant about men's jealousy... from now on you should avoid trying to test me through jealousy. Understand?"

"...Yes, I'll be careful."

I had suddenly become a shameless attendant who had tried to test Sione out of jealousy toward Noah.

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