The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: A Request

"Ray, I have somewhere to go. Come with me."

"Somewhere to go? Are you thinking of the shooting range?"

"No, I plan to visit Sister Siabel in the sickroom today."

"Visit Lady Siabel... has she woken up?"

Sione nodded.

She had collapsed unconscious after returning, having been severely wounded during the cult search and elimination operation.

It seemed she had finally awakened now, two days after her return.

But...

I wondered when Sione, who had been with me every day, had heard the news of her sister waking up.

"How did you know Lady Siabel had awakened?"

"During dinner yesterday, Mother mentioned having a private conversation with my sister after she woke up."

"Ah."

"I thought it might be rude to visit my ill sister so late... so I was planning to go around noon today."

"I see."

When Siabel hadn't appeared at dinner yesterday, I'd assumed she was still unconscious in bed.

It seemed she had already awakened, spoken with Ainel, and had dinner separately in her room.

When I nodded slightly, Sione laughed softly and took my hand to lead me.

"Well then, let's go."

"As you wish."

I let myself be helplessly led by Sione's hand toward Siabel's room.

Since being dragged along with my hand held would obviously make me look like a servant being taken for punishment to other staff members.

I freed my hand from Sione at an appropriate moment and leisurely followed behind her.

Though she looked quite disappointed when I subtly tried to untangle our interlocked fingers, well.

As if showing she wouldn't force it if I disliked it.

Eventually Sione released my hand first.

After reaching Siabel's door, Sione called out to her sister.

"Sister, are you there?"

"...Sione?"

"I came to visit and talk with you."

"Come in."

When permission was granted, Sione gently opened the door.

Thinking I should wait outside as before, I started to speak.

"Then I'll wait here-"

"And Ray, you come in too."

Siabel's voice called from inside the room.

At Siabel's words, the corners of Sione's mouth curved up slightly as if pleased.

"Since Sister Siabel said so, let's go in together."

"Very well."

Given how she had been covered in blood stains on her armor, even her beautiful silver hair dyed red.

And how she had collapsed unconscious right after reporting her return to Ainel.

I had also been internally worried about Siabel's condition, so I quickly followed behind Sione into the room.

Inside, we could see Siabel lying in bed to greet us.

"Has everything been alright?"

Siabel's condition didn't look very good as she asked after us.

Her long hair was disheveled and tangled.

Her usually perfectly neat clothing was completely disordered.

Through her smiling expression, her fatigue and exhaustion were clearly visible.

I couldn't even say she looked fine as a polite gesture.

Sione also wore a gloomy expression seeing her sister's state.

"Sorry I can't get up to welcome you when you came all this way."

"...It's fine. You're unwell after all."

Reading the concern in Sione's stiff tone, Siabel shrugged and said:

"Why so formal? Speak comfortably like before, Sione."

"But... would that be alright?"

"Why wouldn't it be? If you speak comfortably, I can relax and speak comfortably too."

Sione slowly nodded.

Finding it quite awkward to address her sister in a friendly tone rather than her usual formal speech.

Sione opened and closed her mouth several times trying to speak before finally managing to get words out.

"Sister, how are you feeling...?"

Siabel grinned at Sione's awkward words and answered.

"Thanks to the high priest's constant care day and night, I'm feeling a bit better. Though the demons' energy seeped into the wounds, so they say they're having trouble healing quickly."

"Demonic energy seeped in...?"

"The demon-slaying energy flowing in my blood and holy power have cleansed it, so don't worry too much. I just need to avoid intense movement for a while, they said."

Afterwards, Sione and Siabel naturally fell into conversation.

Though Sione's speech returned to polite forms partway through, the atmosphere had lost much of its earlier stiffness so Siabel didn't point it out.

While I stood there blankly listening to their conversation.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

"I'll check."

Since I had just been standing quietly unable to join their conversation.

Having nothing to do but wait leisurely, I quickly opened the door to see who had knocked.

Opening it revealed a man in servant's attire.

"May I ask why you're here?"

"The lord called for Lady Sione... since she wasn't in her room or the training grounds, I came here. Is Lady Sione here?"

The servant sighed in relief seeing Sione behind me.

When her name was mentioned, Sione approached and the servant explained the situation.

Learning Ainel had summoned her, Sione relayed messages to Siabel and me.

To Siabel, worried words about getting plenty of rest.

And to me, instructions to talk with Siabel for a bit then return to her room.

Siabel and I agreed to Sione's words, and she left with the servant to meet Ainel.

Left alone with just Siabel in her room.

With conversation cut off, silence and awkwardness filled the space between us.

In the continuing quiet, Siabel was the first to speak, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

"I told you to focus on healing your arm so we could cross swords when I returned from the Beltrin Mountains."

"...You did."

"I'm sorry. After saying that-"

Siabel began undoing her clothes.

Wait, had she really lost her mind after being unconscious for days?

I couldn't understand her suddenly undressing in front of an unrelated man.

My expression completely froze watching what she was doing right after Sione left.

Siabel pulled her right arm out of her clothes to show me.

"Ah."

Siabel's right arm was thickly wrapped in bandages.

Come to think of it, when she first returned to the territory, her right arm had been hanging limply.

"With my right arm like this, crossing swords will be difficult for a while."

"...Is your arm alright?"

Siabel shrugged her shoulders.

"Somewhat. But the demonic energy seems to have seeped in deeper than expected, slowing the healing... they say I should avoid intense activity as the wounds could reopen."

"Then we'll wait until you're fully healed and rested before crossing swords. I'll wait."

Siabel showed a playful expression at those words.

"Wait? As if you have time to wait."

"...Pardon?"

Siabel continued speaking as if it were nothing.

"Yesterday Mother told me you and Sione will be going to the capital for the First Princess's coming of age ceremony."

"That means..."

"On that note, there's something I'd like to ask of you. Would you listen?"

"...If it's something I can do."

"Good, come here for a moment."

When I approached somewhat close to Siabel.

She grabbed my clothes.

Bringing her mouth to my ear, she whispered her request.

I could only grimace hearing Siabel's whispered words.

"...If I relay your words as ordered, I feel my head might roll... moreover, I'm not even sure I could speak with that person."

"No."

Siabel firmly shook her head.

"You'll definitely find a chance to speak. With the overflowing friendship between me and her... just relaying my words won't cost you your head. After all."

I could see Siabel's bright smile spreading through her tangled hair covering her face.

"She's someone similar to me."

***

While organizing my thoughts about Siabel's unexpected bombshell of a request, waiting for Sione in her room.

The door opened and Sione returned.

A deflated Sione trudged in and collapsed onto her bed.

Like someone whose soul had escaped, Sione stared blankly at her room's ceiling and spoke.

"Ray, what should I do about this situation?"

"If you're in a difficult situation... is it about going to the capital for the Princess's coming of age ceremony?"

"Yes, the Princess's... huh?"

Sione turned her head to look at me.

"I haven't told you yet. How do you know about that?"

"I heard from the lord earlier."

"...You heard something so important and didn't tell me?"

"The lord ordered me not to tell you until she spoke to you herself."

When Ainel's name came from my mouth, Sione who had been about to argue immediately closed her lips.

Then Sione began sighing endlessly as if deeply worried about everything she would have to do in the capital.

Already being so full of complaints, I was starting to worry what kind of trouble she would cause in the capital.

After she spent a long time unable to accept reality, I got tired of watching and walked to Sione's side.

Her unfocused gaze that had been staring blankly at the ceiling returned to me.

Since she shouldn't do anything strange like the previous engagement incident out of defiance, I should properly tell her now.

"Don't worry so much. I'll handle all the troublesome things."

So stop sighing like this making people lose energy watching.

"Lady Sione just needs to stay by my side."

Don't think about doing anything strange in the capital either, just stay beside me.

"...I will."

Finally her mood that had been buried in the ground lifted at my words about handling all the troublesome matters.

"Hehe."

My master finally started grinning happily.

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