The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Rabies (1)

The third day dawned.

While escorting Sione through the mountains was usually tiresome enough.

Today had been grueling since morning.

Siabel kept hovering near me from dawn, giving me looks because of yesterday's events.

Whenever I exchanged words with Bronte, she would casually approach to talk with her attendant and subtly strike up conversation with me too.

What's more, unlike before, she did this while wearing a friendly smile - it made me shake my head involuntarily.

Why not just come talk to me directly?

Why go through all this unnecessary trouble?

That wasn't the only difficult thing.

"Aren't you a bit too close, my lady?"

"Too close? Not at all, don't worry about it."

"But being this close makes climbing the mountain..."

"I said don't worry about it."

The mountain was already difficult enough to traverse with its uneven terrain.

Sione clung unusually close to me compared to before, refusing to move away.

If we stumbled like this, we'd obviously end up rolling together in an embrace again.

Even after giving her several hints to move away, Sione just kept gripping my sleeve and cutting off my words.

That wasn't even the worst part.

While Sione and I were bickering about this issue.

The problem was that Siabel kept watching us intently, constantly turning her head in our direction.

Why were these people suddenly so interested in me today?

"Sister Siabel seems to be checking on us more often than usual today."

Even Sione had noticed how much more Siabel was observing us than before.

Come to think of it, I needed to tell Sione that Siabel had discovered my magic.

But with so many ears around, that would have to wait until later.

I came up with an appropriate response.

"She's probably frequently checking if you're alright, my lady, remembering yesterday's incident."

"Hmm. For that, she seems to be quite aware of you as much as me."

"Didn't I throw myself to save you yesterday, my lady? She's likely paying extra attention because I rolled several times while holding you."

"I suppose..."

Sione narrowed her eyes as she watched Siabel's back.

Just then, their eyes met as Siabel turned to check on us again.

Siabel waved with a small smile in greeting.

Sione awkwardly returned the wave with a forced smile.

Seeing Sione like this, the corners of Siabel's mouth lifted even higher.

Then her gaze followed me.

Why was she so desperate to watch me?

I mouthed words to her:

Please stop watching us. You're making Lady Sione uncomfortable.

I meant it sincerely when I asked her to stop watching.

But somehow finding this amusing too, Siabel chuckled and nodded.

Finally one annoying gaze was gone.

It had been rather bothersome how some soldiers would glance our way whenever Siabel turned to look at us.

Now things could be a bit more comfortable.

Seeing Sione still wearing an awkward expression even after Siabel had looked away, I spoke:

"Lady Siabel seems to care for you greatly."

"Yes, it seems so... but it's quite awkward having my sister, who barely exchanged words with me before, being so kind now."

"Haven't you been exchanging greetings with Lady Siabel without much awkwardness whenever you met?"

"Just greetings were fine. But I've never received this kind of attention before, so I don't know how to react. Maybe it's just my imagination but—"

Sione continued speaking calmly.

"I feel a distance that can't easily be bridged."

I quietly nodded.

As I listened to Sione's words with a composed expression, she suddenly poked my cheek.

Wondering what this was about, I looked at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Fuhuhu."

Seeing her burst into laughter, she seemed out of her mind despite being my master.

Here I was seriously listening to her, and she just poked my cheek and laughed.

Though it wasn't particularly harmful, it was rather deflating and not very pleasant.

"No need for such a stiff expression. Were you worried?"

"...?"

"You don't need to worry. I'll handle it well enough."

"Pardon?"

"I'll work on becoming close with Sister Siabel again from now on. What was I doing, being awkward all by myself like some beggar?"

"Ah."

Sione's expression brightened.

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly and her eyes curved prettily.

A small but deep smile overlaid her like soft moonlight.

"Besides... um... don't I have you besides Sister Siabel...?"

"Yes, I'll do my best to help you become close with Lady Siabel quickly."

I saw Sione's smile crack slightly at my words.

Even objectively, I thought it was nearly a perfect answer.

But it clearly wasn't to Sione's liking.

I had no idea what answer she had been expecting.

"Perhaps I said something to upset you, my lady—"

"Ah, no. It's nothing, don't worry about it."

Sione waved her hands with a face that had somehow turned slightly red.

Well, if she said it was nothing.

There was no need for me to give myself a headache thinking deeply about it.

That's when it happened.

"Ah!"

Not watching her feet properly while waving her hands at me, Sione stumbled on a tree root.

Since she had been walking unusually close today, if she grabbed my arm while falling, we'd probably roll down the mountain together.

I quickly caught and steadied her with my right arm before she could fall.

"Please be careful, the ground is treacherous."

Having some sense of shame, Sione hung her head at my words.

Her face turned bright red, embarrassed about almost tripping on the tree root.

"Ugh... sorry..."

"Please be more careful next time."

As I said this, I felt someone's gaze from ahead again.

"Hah..."

Of course, who else would be watching me?

When I caught clumsy Sione before she could fall, Siabel was staring at me again.

This time she looked only at me intently, not even glancing at her sister.

Moreover, for some reason she wore a crooked smile this time.

Why were both sisters so desperately determined to torment me?

After watching Siabel turn her head away sharply again, I released my arm from around Sione.

"Th-thank you for catching me..."

How nice it would be if she didn't create situations requiring thanks in the first place.

Contrary to these inner thoughts, I spoke as politely as possible:

"I only did what was natural."

Hearing this, Sione began walking with her eyes fixed on the ground, apparently trying to avoid tripping on tree roots again.

Regardless.

I walked on, already feeling tired in body and spirit despite having done little.

How much time passed as I occasionally answered Sione's comments and let Siabel's gazes wash over me without thought?

"We've confirmed a pack of ash wolves ahead."

"How many?"

"Just over 10 individuals. However, they all appeared to be in an unusual state unlike normal specimens."

"Unusual state?"

"Whether to say they seem ominous and violent... you should see for yourself."

We had finally found monsters.

However, Siabel furrowed her brow at the mention of their unusual state.

But it didn't take her long to make a decision.

"Even if they're more violent, they're still just ash wolves. Once we take down the leader they'll easily fall apart, so let's eliminate them and move on."

The moment it was decided we would clear out this pack of ash wolves and then search for others.

We began moving quickly.

Even Sione, who had been walking with eyes on the ground, prepared for battle by nocking an arrow.

With appropriate tension, we advanced toward the location the soldier had reported.

After walking for some time.

Finally we could see the ash wolves said to be in an unusual state.

"This is..."

The ash wolves famous for their glossy gray fur and cold, intelligent eyes despite being monsters were nowhere to be seen.

Bloodshot eyes and drooling mouths.

And fur that had turned pitch black at the tips, becoming dry and split.

Moreover, that cursed energy I had felt sickeningly often in the past.

My expression soured involuntarily.

It couldn't be helped.

The energy these ash wolves were emanating was.

'Demon magi.'

It was the same energy as the demons who had reduced countless worlds to mere dungeons of Earth.

Too violent in nature to be called mana.

Something fundamentally different from holy power.

Seeing that detestable dark energy unique to demons again reminded me of an important fact.

I had temporarily forgotten while being so focused on supporting Sione lately.

This was a dungeon world that had already been destroyed.

Moreover, it was a world destroyed by demons.

I thought of Sione with an uneasy heart.

Though she tried hard, she always seemed to have a screw loose somewhere.

My master who froze completely unable to move when a single orc charged at her.

I couldn't even imagine how to make her fight demons.

I sighed internally.

Would praying to the gods help?

Asking them to please make new main quests with the somewhat capable Siabel instead of Sione.

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