The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Noah Beleia (1)

Time flew by from when we started preparing for the move to the capital.

After spending quite some time in the carriage, we finally arrived at the kingdom's capital.

Since even the Heas was traveling by carriage, we had quite a number of servants and soldiers accompanying us relative to the carriage size.

They handled most of the troublesome tasks, so I didn't have to struggle like when we went to the Feiosha estate.

My impression upon arriving comfortably at the capital.

The kingdom's capital was larger and more magnificent than I'd imagined.

In a world where green-skinned monsters and beasts roamed the forests, scaled monsters lurked in the seas, and most people were obsessed with swords and magic rather than science.

I hadn't had high expectations, but.

'Impressive.'

This place had built an impressive civilization that made me unconsciously admire it.

The vast city teemed with people, with endless rows of buildings along well-paved roads.

Moreover, not just humans but even beastfolk races I hadn't seen since falling into this world were visible, making it quite novel.

And what caught my eye most was the royal palace standing firmly in the center of the capital.

Befitting a place where a nation's royalty and nobles lived and handled state affairs.

I could only marvel seeing the countless luxurious buildings on vast grounds and the huge, beautiful palace.

Though she had hated anything to do with the capital before.

Now that she was actually here again, Sione was taking in and memorizing everything around her without missing anything.

Only the palace servant guiding us and Ainel remained unmoved by these palace sights.

"Count Ainel Sianella and Lady Sione Sianella will use these rooms. And-"

The calm-looking male servant's gaze shifted to me.

"The attendant can use an empty room in the opposite building."

"...I understand."

I had hoped I might get a room on this side too.

Of course an attendant couldn't possibly use the same grade of room as their master.

I nodded while swallowing my disappointment.

When the servant finished guiding us, Ainel expressed her thanks.

"Thank you for the guidance."

"It was an honor to guide House Sianella's knights. I'll take my leave now."

The servant bowed his head politely before departing.

Sione peeked at her assigned room's door, apparently curious.

"If you're curious, go check your room first."

"Would that be alright?"

"I have something to discuss briefly with your attendant, so feel free to look around."

At those words, Sione glanced at me, so I gave a small nod and she answered with a bright smile.

"Then I'll go in first."

After Sione scampered off to her room, Ainel took something from her pocket.

Jingle jingle.

She held out a purse that clinked with coins when moved and said:

"You know what this money is for."

"Yes, I know."

"After checking your room, go with Sione. I have separate business so I'll move separately from now."

As I bowed my head to receive the coin purse, she pulled it back.

"Can I trust you?"

"Please trust me. I'll carry it out perfectly as always."

"Good."

Only then did Ainel hand me the purse.

I carefully received the purse from her.

"Then I'll be going."

"I pray your business goes well, my lord."

Ainel nodded to me before leaving without lingering.

After letting Sione know I would check my lodgings briefly, I chose an empty room in the opposite building.

"Not bad?"

The room was much better than I'd expected.

With a fairly soft bed, windows that let in good sunlight, and even the table and wooden chair seemed made of high-quality wood with an antique air.

Being accommodations in the royal palace after all.

Everything was above average.

Ainel had given money to the other servants and guards to enjoy the capital for a few days.

Though I had envied that at first.

Getting assigned decent lodgings helped ease my built-up complaints somewhat.

After unpacking unnecessary luggage in the room, I went back to Sione's room.

Though the distance between the two buildings wasn't far and didn't take long to walk, it was a bit annoying having to go back and forth.

I knocked on Sione's door.

"Lady Sione, may I come in?"

"Ah, Ray. Come in."

I entered Sione's room.

Though my room wasn't bad.

From the design and quality of furniture to the overall room size and atmosphere.

Seeing her room that was luxurious to the point of extravagance.

Looking at rooms meant for nobles, my room did feel rather empty in comparison.

Sione was grinning, apparently pleased with her fancy room.

"How was it, what was your room like?"

"Though not like this, quite livable."

"Really? Tell me if the room is uncomfortable."

"If the room is uncomfortable?"

"Well... the room is so big... if you're uncomfortable, we could stay together..."

"No matter what, there's only one bed, isn't there?"

At my words, Sione hung her head.

Her ears turned red as she fidgeted with her fingers, her whole body hesitating.

After taking a deep breath, she made a determined expression with her bright red face.

"The bed is too big for just me... couldn't we sleep together...?"

"Of course-"

Sione's eyes grew huge with expectation at my words.

If Sione were a beastfolk, she would have been wagging her tail wildly.

Had she eaten some bad cookies from the carriage this morning?

I let out a dry laugh at my master's unsavory desires that were completely impossible.

"Not possible."

"...I promise. Nothing more than just holding hands while sleeping."

"...Just where did you hear such things?"

"I heard it from mercenaries at the inn five days ago. That... couples who like each other often sleep holding hands..."

Five days ago - those damn mercenaries.

Those women who caused a ruckus at the inn sharing vulgar stories.

Sione must have been influenced by those bastards.

Just thinking about how she would try to trouble me with different variations was already exhaustingly annoying.

I said with a small sigh:

"That's not common at all. What grown man and woman would lie in bed just timidly holding hands?"

"W-what...?"

"We should probably postpone this conversation."

I got the atmosphere back on track.

"From now, you and I have somewhere to go together. Please let me know when you're ready to go out."

"...As for preparations to go out, couldn't we just go like this? By the way, you said we have somewhere to go?"

Sione tilted her head.

I answered her curiosity:

"You'll be attending noble banquets, social gatherings, and the princess's coming of age ceremony ahead. Don't you have no suitable clothes for banquets, Lady Sione?"

"Ah, then..."

"We're going to buy dresses for you."

Sione nodded at my words.

"Also, given the occasion, the lord ordered me to get fitted for proper evening dress too... I'll need to try on a few."

"You? Evening dress instead of attendant's clothes?"

"Yes, does evening dress not please you?"

Sione shook her head at my words.

She shook it so vigorously.

Her swaying hair was almost dizzying to watch.

"No, it's a great choice. Let's go right away."

"...I'll guide you."

I boarded the carriage waiting in the palace with Sione.

No need to find guard knights.

Since I could take down even an arachne.

Ainel had permitted me to move freely with Sione without guards.

I told the coachman the name of the clothing shop Ainel had mentioned.

Then the carriage slowly began moving.

'...Just what's so good about evening dress?'

While pretending to look out the carriage window, Sione kept stealing glances at me.

Yet she kept muttering about evening dress, seeming quite excited about seeing me in it.

Just what was there to look forward to about evening dress that wouldn't be much different from my current attire?

As I deliberately ignored Sione's incomprehensible muttering, the carriage stopped and the coachman came.

"We're here, sir."

"We'll be back soon after buying clothes, could you wait?"

"Of course. I'll wait over there."

After briefly speaking with the coachman, I entered the clothing shop with Sione.

Since it was a shop exclusively for nobles, not commoners.

Every piece of clothing here was uniformly gorgeous and sophisticated.

"Hmm... every piece is so extravagant. I wonder if anything would suit me."

I shook my head at Sione's words.

"Anything would suit you, Lady Sione."

Though her looks didn't particularly move me anymore having seen her since she was practically a bear before becoming human.

Objectively speaking, Sione was a beautiful enough woman that,

Honestly, any dress that fit would probably suit her.

So I casually said not to worry needlessly, but, Sione was so embarrassed she couldn't even lift her head properly again.

Now used to such behavior from her, I approached a shop employee behind her and asked:

"Could you help select dresses for our young lady?"

"You mean the young lady with silver-white hair?"

"Yes, if you would please?"

"Of course, leave it to me!"

The employee picked out several dresses and spent a while holding them up to Sione's clothes.

Finally, she held out a black dress to her.

"Would you like to try this on?"

"Me, this...?"

Sione looked back and forth between the black dress in her hands and me.

"Try it on. I think it will suit you well."

Only when I said that did Sione go into the changing room to try on the dress.

Taking advantage of this time, I began looking around the shop.

While browsing the evening dress section, I saw a handsome noble youth with an innocent impression approaching.

A youth with brown hair and delicate features creating a gentle atmosphere.

He held a white formal suit against himself while saying something to his guard knight.

'Good-looking guys really do look good in anything.'

Even pulling off such a stark white suit.

As I felt a mix of envy and admiration, I saw Sione slowly emerging from the changing room in the black dress.

I slowly approached Sione.

"Umm..."

Apparently awkward in the dress, Sione's appearance scratching her cheek as she came out was quite beautiful.

The black dress containing the darkness of the night sky made Sione shine even more in contrast to her white skin and moonlit hair.

"How is it, does it suit me?"

I nodded at her words.

The saying "clothes make the person" really was true.

Dressed like that, even I who had grown used to her face and didn't think much of it anymore unconsciously thought she looked beautiful.

As I was admiring Sione like that.

"Huh...? Sione...?"

That man who had been holding the white suit against himself called my master's name.

How did this guy know Sione?

Sione looked toward his voice.

Finally, she froze upon seeing him and muttered what seemed to be his name.

"...Noah?"

I could only be dumbfounded at the strange atmosphere between them.

...Wait, what kind of situation was this?

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