The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Siabel Sianella (2)

My initial interest in Sione's servant began quite a while ago.

After the day Sione threw down her sword in front of Diolia, who had been her swordsmanship instructor.

I thought she would never pick up a sword again, nor come near the training grounds.

But after Mother assigned her a new servant, Sione began to change.

It was intriguing.

How could adding just one servant bring about such changes in Sione?

Though I wanted to ask what had happened right away, I couldn't.

Our relationship had grown distant long ago.

Moreover, my sister found conversation with me extremely burdensome.

Just as I was about to quietly tuck away my curiosity after time passed like this, Sione came to me.

"...Mother ordered me to eliminate monsters in the Beltrin Mountains with you, Sister."

When Sione visited me the day she returned from House Feiosha, I heard words that reignited my interest.

"Would it be alright if my attendant comes along...? He's awakened to mana... and his archery is excellent, so he won't be a burden."

What if I refuse? - that anxiety.

And her faith in her servant's abilities.

Just what had happened to make Sione show such emotions?

My curiosity grew even stronger.

"We'll be climbing mountains and hunting monsters. I doubt an untrained man could keep up."

"He's different."

Without a moment's hesitation, Sione shook her head and began defending her servant.

She rambled on trying to convince me, saying he had enough stamina to climb mountains, possessed mysterious archery skills that could pierce moving targets instantly, and was even skilled with a sword.

In the end, I granted Sione's request.

"Very well then."

I was confident I could protect one servant.

Above all, I was curious what kind of person could earn such deep trust from Sione.

Watching him as we eliminated monsters in the Beltrin Mountains exceeded my expectations.

Not only did he skillfully teach archery while staying close to Sione.

He even pierced goblins' heads without hesitation the moment they charged at her.

His attitude, as if he were used to killing monsters, was particularly impressive.

'Mother certainly said he had nothing special about him except awakening to mana.'

His appearance completely contradicted what Mother had briefly told me about him in the past.

Just like when I first held a sword guided by Mother's hands.

Curiosity about him came flooding in.

That's why I asked through conversation with Sione.

"Come to think of it, I heard the servant who taught you archery was your attendant. Is this that servant?"

"Yes. Ray personally taught me archery."

"A servant teaching rather than an archery instructor..."

"He said he learned archery briefly in the past. Not only does he teach well enough... but he's also trustworthy."

"Oho."

He briefly learned archery in the past, she said.

His skills seemed too excellent for just brief training.

Those sharp skills like our county's archers couldn't have come from brief learning.

"Well, though I only saw briefly, you do possess sharp skills like our county's archers."

I crossed my arms while looking at Sione's servant, Ray.

"How interesting."

Everything about him was fresh and novel.

From how he showed clear discomfort at my attention.

Though he tried to hide things, unfortunately everything was obvious.

A type of person I'd never seen before.

I began observing him as carefully as I did Sione.

And the turning point came the next day, while facing the orcs.

"What are you doing!"

The soldiers failed to stop the orc.

The enraged orc charged at Sione, who had been shooting arrows from afar.

Sione seemed paralyzed with fear, unable to properly dodge.

Even if I ran immediately, the distance made me uncertain I could reach its neck in time.

Moreover, I was still dealing with another orc.

My heart began racing with urgency.

After quickly cutting the neck of the orc before me.

I realized something unbelievable was happening.

"Eh?"

I let out a foolish exclamation.

My gaze fixed on Sione's attendant.

"Hah..."

A gentle breeze began blowing around Ray as he sighed.

I had already noticed it wasn't an ordinary wind.

"Impossible."

Though he tried his best to hide it, with barely any sign of magic manifesting.

My intuition, sharpened by becoming an Expert knight, told me he had used magic.

Then he saved Sione at an incredible speed.

I couldn't believe it.

A man who could handle proper magic, not just pathetic magic like creating tiny sparks.

I quietly watched Ray, who had rolled on the ground after cutting down the orc threatening Sione.

"Magic?"

At my words, I saw Ray's eyes grow cold as he held Sione.

His reaction confirmed I hadn't seen things.

Even while checking if Sione was alright, my attention remained focused on that servant.

My curiosity and questions grew together, and my expanded interest focused precisely on him.

That's why I called him when the sun set and the soldiers were asleep.

"Wait. Don't we have something to discuss?"

"Discussion?"

"Don't play dumb. Follow me."

I began the conversation in the forest away from camp where no human presence could be felt.

"I'll ask directly. That magic from earlier. How could you, a man, possibly use it?"

"Magic? You mean when I threw myself to save Lady Sione?"

"Yes. You know exactly what I mean."

"...Don't they say people can display superhuman strength in desperate situations?"

"It seems you have no intention of telling the truth willingly."

"Me, a man, handling magic? That's impossible."

As expected, he seemed unwilling to readily answer my questions.

He denied my questions with skilled acting.

But I remained unshaken.

"Are you saying the mana movement I felt was false, and everything I saw with my own eyes was my hallucination?"

I had seen and felt him use magic myself.

"Don't try to drag this out. It won't work on me."

Unfortunately his flimsy excuses had no effect on me.

"...Please keep this secret from others."

"I swear on the name of Sianella. I will keep your ability to use magic as a secret."

And finally I got the answer I wanted.

My heart began racing with excitement at something new.

A male magician?

To think something that only existed in legends and novels stood before my eyes?

That brief glimpse of his magic from earlier wasn't enough.

I wanted to see his magic again.

"Could you show me your magic?"

Ray nodded.

"Of course."

Whoosh!

A flame appeared above his hand.

It was definitely magic. But this alone wasn't enough.

I'd heard there were a very few men who could create single flames, though their numbers were extremely limited.

This kind of simple magic wasn't what I wanted.

As if that wasn't all he could do.

Like I'd seen earlier today, a gentle breeze began spreading from his center.

Whoosh—

The mana-infused wind created wind paths, sweeping widely around Ray and me.

The flame he created in his hand bloomed beautifully, following the mana and wind paths.

"Wow."

I couldn't help but admire how beautiful it was.

Under the soft moonlight, the thin curtain of fire surrounding us created quite an elegant scene.

Soon he withdrew the magic.

I quietly watched him.

I felt thirsty.

Until now, only matters concerning the sword had given me such deep enjoyment.

But now, this man before my eyes was more interesting than anything else.

Sorry, Sione—

"How fascinating."

So much that I wanted to keep him.

***

I stared blankly at the status window for a moment like an idiot.

My mana efficiency improved just because she found me interesting?

No, before that.

I never imagined my abilities would improve based on matters related to Siabel, not just Sione.

'Well, it's not bad either way.'

Whatever the reason, the improved mana efficiency would definitely be a big help.

The spirit magic I used was originally meant to be used while summoning spirits.

Without summoning spirits, using just my mana to draw out spirit power required double the mana.

Thanks to that, I was always in a mana-starved state.

The more my mana efficiency improved, the more skillfully I could handle the incredibly demanding spirit magic.

'Then... what about Sion or Ainel?'

When I cleared quests related to Sione, my spirit magic and total mana improved.

When I earned Siabel's interest, my mana efficiency improved.

Seeing how my abilities gradually improved based on my relationships with the Sianellas...

Perhaps there might be something hidden with Sion Sianella or Ainel Sianella as well.

As I was lost in thought before Siabel like this.

Siabel addressed me with a deep smile.

"You're quite impressive. You haven't formally studied magic, have you?"

"...Given my humble origins, I've never had formal magic training."

"Really?"

"How could I possibly lie to you, Lady Siabel?"

Siabel let out a small laugh.

"Just earlier you were telling me quite well that you couldn't use magic, weren't you?"

"That was—"

"Well, I'll graciously overlook that much."

"...Thank you."

Siabel giggled as if teasing me was so entertaining.

As I silently suppressed my anger at her rather annoying behavior, she suddenly spoke:

"When it's just the two of us, I'll speak informally, so keep that in mind."

"What? When we're alone?"

"Why. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, it's nothing."

Though I wondered if there would ever be times when I was alone with Siabel in the future.

There was no need to needlessly upset her, so I went along with her words for now.

We continued talking for a while with me answering Siabel's questions.

When appropriate time had passed and the conversation was wrapping up, I spoke:

"Please keep my ability to use magic secret."

"Don't worry."

Saying this, Siabel's previously cold demeanor was nowhere to be seen as she smiled like an innocent child.

"I won't tell anyone.”

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