The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Lady of House Sianella (2)

I doubted my eyes for a moment.

Why was Siabel here when Sione was the one I'd been expecting?

It was surprising enough that Siabel had personally come to Sione's room to see me.

But what drew my attention even more was Siabel's attire.

Unlike the practical clothes I'd seen to the point of being sick of them in the training grounds and Beltrin Mountains, Siabel looked quite beautiful in formal dress with pretty embroidery.

Perhaps genes really couldn't lie.

It reminded me of when I first met Ainel.

'Ainel looked exactly like that.'

When I first saw Ainel through cold iron bars, she had worn exactly such formal dress.

Like mother like daughter - apart from Siabel being slightly gentler than Ainel, there wasn't much difference in their faces.

Unlike Ainel who always maintained an expressionless face like someone without emotions, Siabel was someone who knew how to smile properly.

The atmosphere around Siabel was also somewhat gentler.

What was certain was that the current Siabel seemed like she would be greatly welcomed not as a knight of the training grounds or battlefield.

But as a young lady at a tea party.

Perhaps because I had been staring silently for a while.

Siabel shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you disappointed it's not Sione?"

Having too obviously stared quietly to her face.

Siabel spoke primly, her first greeting having been ignored.

Not wanting to earn a noble's dislike, I hurried to explain.

"No, it's just..."

"Just?"

"Your attire suits you so well that I was momentarily distracted. Please forgive my rudeness."

"Oho."

She seemed quite pleased with that answer.

She smiled deeply while keeping her arms crossed as usual.

"Bronte also made a fuss saying the formal dress I haven't worn in a while suits me."

Her words made me imagine Bronte making a fuss with his thick voice affected with nasality.

...It wasn't particularly pleasant to imagine, so I quickly stopped picturing Bronte.

Being someone who didn't enjoy seeing macho men act cute.

"So—"

Siabel sent an expectant look.

The way she lifted her head slightly to look down at me felt very noble.

"In what way?"

"...Pardon?"

"You said it suits me."

I wondered what nonsensical thing she was saying.

Apparently she wanted a more precise explanation rather than just being told it suited her.

I put into words what I had just felt, as she wished.

"Rather than your usual appearance as an excellent knight, you look like a beautiful and graceful young lady."

"A beautiful and graceful young lady—"

Siabel chuckled softly.

Seeing how the atmosphere brightened when I called her beautiful and graceful, it seemed that was indeed the kind of praise she had hoped for.

Siabel came closer to me.

I asked her something I was curious about.

"Might I know how long it's been since I collapsed?"

"Only a day has passed, so don't worry. I just finished reporting to Mother after returning to the territory."

I could see her gaze move to my left arm as she looked down at me from right beside the bed.

"So how's your arm? One priest gathered all their holy power, even what they didn't have, to heal your wounds."

"...It doesn't hurt and there are no remaining wounds. Everything is perfect except that strength won't enter it well."

I lifted my left arm.

Droop...

Though it lifted slightly, my left arm fell limply back onto the bed.

Siabel nodded seeing my arm.

"The priest said they would need to treat you several more times. Thanks to that, Sione is talking with the priest now... she'll probably come tell you about it soon."

"You mean Lady Sione herself is talking with the priest rather than another servant?"

"Yes."

Siabel nodded.

"Last night, even when asked if she wanted to leave the nursing to another soldier, she nursed you with open eyes saying it was fine. As soon as we reached the territory, Sione was also the one who called the priest to heal you."

"..."

"You should have seen how much she pestered the priest when you wouldn't wake up even after they finished healing."

I quietly listened to Siabel's words without any particular reaction.

It seemed not just me, but Sione had also grown attached enough to cry when I collapsed.

I was quite satisfied by the fact that she had watched over me herself instead of ordering subordinates.

Well, after I protected her by sacrificing my body like that, it was only right for her to do that much.

But separate from that, I couldn't help feeling quite satisfied.

Though just earlier I had felt somewhat annoyed at Sione when Siabel visited first after I had saved her.

Now that I knew it was because she was talking with the priest about healing my left arm.

Rather than being annoyed at Sione, I was starting to see her in a better light.

Meanwhile.

Siabel's gaze, which had held a somewhat warm atmosphere, changed when.

"By the way... you managed to tear up that arachne's head quite well. Could you tell me how you did it?"

Though her words ended in a request, the atmosphere was closer to an interrogation.

She had already discovered I could use magic.

There was no need to hide from Siabel how I had killed one arachne now.

I opened my mouth readily as she said.

"I simply caught the arachne by offering my left arm and borrowing magic's power."

"How is your mana state now?"

"...Since a day has passed, my mana seems to have recovered sufficiently."

"Then—"

Her expression that had been growing endlessly cold became colored with amusement.

"The magic you used to catch the arachne. I'd like to see it directly."

"As you wish."

I simply coated my right hand with flames.

Spirit flames that could burn only what the caster wished.

Thanks to the quest rewards improving my mana capacity and efficiency, the mana consumption burden was less than when facing the arachne.

Not just flames manifesting and burning, but flames coating something without any felt heat.

Even someone without deep knowledge of magic would probably notice this was extraordinary.

Indeed, Siabel stared intently at my magic until I dispelled the veil of fire on my hand.

Whoosh!

Only after the thinly burning fire disappeared did Siabel look at me.

"...The more I look, the more fascinating."

"A man handling magic—"

"No, not the magic."

Siabel lowered her waist.

Thud.

She supported her upper body by placing both hands on the bed sheets.

Then with cold eyes, her previously frozen expression now full of interest, she brought her face closer to me.

"You, Ray."

My mind wouldn't work easily at Siabel's sudden action.

Though I stared at Siabel with wide eyes.

She simply continued speaking as if unconcerned with my reaction.

"Even to me without deep knowledge of magic, your special magic is one thing. The way you use such magic so casually is another. Though they say every man hides at least one secret in his heart..."

Siabel's eyes shone like a predator that had found its prey.

"You keep revealing new secrets without getting tired, to the point I can't even guess how many secrets you're hiding."

With a soft "fufu" laugh, she came even closer to me.

Flustered by her approach, I squirmed and moved back.

"You said you had enough skill with a sword to handle one wolf despite being male. I'm quite looking forward to crossing swords with you."

Her gaze swept over my left arm.

"With your arm like this, swinging a sword wouldn't be very comfortable. Regrettable, but we'll have to wait for next time."

Saying this, Siabel reached out her right hand to ruffle my hair while.

Preventing me from escaping further sideways, she brought her face even closer.

With the shortened distance, suddenly only Siabel's face was visible before me.

...Just why was she suddenly acting like this?

How long had we even been talking?

I swallowed dryly at the overwhelmingly uncomfortable distance with her.

"From tomorrow I'll be searching for and eliminating traces of cultists in the Beltrin Mountains with the knights... so focus only on healing your arm until I return from finishing my work."

When I just quietly watched for cues at her words.

Siabel tilted her head.

"Your answer?"

"...I will strive to do as you say, Lady Siabel."

Whoosh—

A cool breeze blew in through the open window.

Siabel's silver hair that reached her chest swayed gently in the wind.

At the same time, wearing a quite satisfied smile, she said:

"Good."

Only then did Siabel remove her hand from my head and pull her face away.

Creak...

Right at that moment, the door opened again.

This time the person who appeared was none other than Sione.

It seemed it wasn't a lie that she had nursed me through the night.

Dark circles hung beneath her eyes.

Sione's gaze quickly swept over me and Siabel.

At the same time, her expression crumpled so slightly it would be hard to notice without looking carefully.

Had Siabel noticed her sister's change in expression?

She let out a small "pfft" laugh.

"Well then, I'll see you next time."

"...Farewell."

Siabel gave her sister a simple greeting before leaving without lingering.

Behind her sister's departure, Sione fixed her gaze on me again.

"Ray... you finally woke up. Are you feeling alright?"

"Thanks to your concern, nothing hurts at all. Please don't worry."

"Fufu, that's good then."

Sione pulled the chair from in front of the table and approached the bed.

After quietly dragging the chair right next to the bed, Sione sat down.

Finally after a moment of silence, Sione opened her mouth.

"Could I... hear what you and Sister were just talking about?"

At that moment, for some reason my sharp instincts urgently warned me.

...To answer carefully.

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