The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: To the Mountains (1)

After finishing our business with Siabel, we returned to Sione's room.

I'd expected her to immediately dive into bed claiming exhaustion, but instead,

Sione sat at the table where I'd laid out refreshments and began eating cookies one by one.

"Would you like some tea as well?"

Nod nod.

Sione nodded while savoring a cookie in her mouth.

I poured tea in front of her.

She must have been possessed by a gluttonous spirit—watching her eat like that made me worry she'd choke at any moment.

"Cough! Ugh..."

Sure enough, just as I'd thought, she seemed to have swallowed wrong and coughed while drinking her tea.

No one was going to steal them, so why eat in such a hurry?

Shaking my head, I asked about what had happened earlier.

"How did your conversation with Lady Siabel go?"

"We exchanged greetings and talked about the Beltrin Mountains. Thankfully, Sister led the conversation."

"Was the atmosphere alright?"

"Hah... it was still awkward, but that couldn't be helped."

"You did well. Would you like another cup of tea?"

"Yes, please."

I poured more tea into her cup.

Sione watched the rippling tea for a moment before slowly lifting the cup.

After drinking, she shook her head slightly.

She seemed to be trying to shake off the lingering memory of the awkward interaction with Siabel.

"If you keep talking bit by bit, things will gradually improve with this opportunity."

"It would be wonderful if things worked out as you say."

Scrape.

Sione rose from her chair.

As she trudged over to flop onto her bed, I cleaned the table.

After I finished organizing the cookie crumbs and empty teacups, Sione, who had been rolling around, let out a deep sigh.

"Haah..."

What did she want to say now?

I responded to her theatrical sigh as she stared intently at me.

"What's wrong?"

"They said we'll be going to the Beltrin Mountains in three days. We've only just returned, and it's such a shame we won't get much rest."

I could only shake my head at Sione's words.

She'd rested to her heart's content during the carriage journey, so what was there to complain about?

It wasn't even like she'd sat properly—she'd laid comfortably on blankets spread across the floor.

My fists clenched hearing such complaints from Sione, directed at me who had worked hard making soup and washing dishes.

Would one light knock on the head be too much between us?

As I pondered how I might deliver that knock, I remembered something I was supposed to receive from her instead.

She had promised to lend me the flower language dictionary.

Since I was quite curious about the meanings of the flowers she'd mentioned, I hadn't forgotten.

"Lady Sione."

"Hmm?"

"Could I borrow that flower language dictionary you promised?"

"Ah... that."

She sat up and pointed at a bookshelf standing in the corner of the room.

"It's on that bookshelf, go look for it."

Would it kill her to find it herself?

Clearly Sione had no intention of leaving her bed.

In the end, I had no choice but to search the bookshelf for the dictionary myself.

I diligently read through the titles in the continent's common language, looking for the flower dictionary.

"Ah, here it is."

I pulled out the book.

The cover was decorated with various flowers, and its thickness suggested finding the flowers I wanted would be quite a task.

"First, the fairy herb."

I looked up the flower language for fairy herb.

The meaning was "I trust and follow you."

Was it that I trusted and followed Sione?

Or that Sione trusted and followed me?

Either way, the meaning was quite amusing and made me smile.

"Next was plum blossom."

I then looked up plum blossom.

Let's see, plum blossom meant... noble heart.

It seemed Sione had quite a high opinion of me.

Being told I had a noble heart made my shoulders rise with pride—I was only human after all.

"And the last one was..."

Ah, poppy.

Finally, I looked up the poppy she had mentioned.

When I saw the flower language for poppy, my thoughts froze for a moment.

Weak love? Fleeting love?

Why was love coming up here?

Even rubbing my eyes and reading again, the words didn't change.

I looked back and forth between the flower meaning and Sione.

"Lady Sione."

When I called out, Sione turned to face me.

"I've looked up the meaning of the poppy..."

"Ah..."

"Do you like me?"

At my direct question with no room for retreat, Sione's expression subtly twisted.

Her face seemed to redden slightly... she must have been angry at my ridiculous question.

Well, if I was curious, I could at least ask once.

"O-of course I don't like you...!"

"But earlier when you told me which flowers suited me, you included poppy..."

"You must have heard wrong!"

With those words, Sione dove under her blanket.

Why get so angry over simply mishearing something?

I could only put the flower book back on the shelf and wait for Sione's anger to subside.

***

Finally, three days passed and the day to head to the Beltrin Mountains arrived.

I was fully armed, wearing leather armor instead of my usual attendant's uniform.

'Given the quest content too...'

Since the monster elimination quest specified protecting Sione until the mountains were cleared,

Once a quest appeared telling me to protect her, even though we'd be with dozens of soldiers,

It meant there would be at least one time when I'd need to protect her myself.

It wouldn't do to encounter orcs or wolves without any equipment, so it was better to be thoroughly prepared from the start.

As I carefully checked my equipment at Sione's side, Siabel finally approached after finishing her conversation with the other soldiers.

Bronte following behind her was a given.

"Sione. We're about to depart—are you fully prepared?"

"Of course. We can leave anytime."

"Good."

As Siabel nodded with satisfaction at Sione's decisive response,

I waved to Bronte.

Bronte watched me cautiously for a moment before waving back in response.

After finishing our brief greetings, we boarded the carriage.

Originally we were supposed to share this carriage—the same one we'd taken to the Feiosha Marquisate—with Siabel.

But thanks to Siabel taking a different carriage, saying she had matters to discuss with the other soldiers, only Sione and I were in this carriage now.

"We're departing!"

With the coachman's words, the carriage began moving forward.

As the carriage drove on and was about to pass through the walls,

I asked Sione, who was unusually quiet with her eyes closed:

"May I ask how long it will take to reach the Beltrin Mountains?"

Sione opened her eyes at my question.

"About an hour or so. It's not far, so it wouldn't be bad to get some sleep."

Her energy seemed quite low as she said this.

She'd been so lively this morning—why had she become so listless now?

I really couldn't figure her out.

"You seem lacking in energy... are you feeling unwell?"

"Thank you for worrying, but it's nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"I'm just worried about you."

"I just don't like that we'll have to camp in the Beltrin Mountains... thinking about that..."

...She'd had an atmosphere like she was carrying all the world's exhaustion,

But that was the only reason?

I felt my strength drain away at having worried unnecessarily.

Seeing me like this, Sione smiled slightly.

"Didn't I tell you it was nothing?"

"Indeed you did."

Making people worry for no reason.

Afterward, I stopped paying attention to Sione and closed my eyes.

After some time passed, I opened my eyes at the bustle around us to find Sione gathering her quiver.

"...What's happening?"

"They've spotted goblins. We need to eliminate them—they're not far from the territory, so they could harm the village homes if we let them pass."

"Are you planning to help, Lady Sione?"

"Goblins make perfect targets for archery practice, don't they?"

"I'll follow along then."

I quickly gathered my bow and arrows and followed her out of the carriage.

Outside, a small number of soldiers and Siabel were already engaged with the goblins.

Watching the soldiers confidently cutting down goblins, it seemed all the goblins would be eliminated before long.

"We won't get any at this rate."

"Let's hurry."

Sione stopped mid-run and pulled an arrow from her quiver.

Following her gaze, I could spot a lone goblin in the distance.

The problem was not only the considerable distance, but that allied combat was taking place nearby.

I hardened my expression and spoke seriously:

"You must not hit our allies."

"Hmph, stating the obvious."

"There are quite a few soldiers around."

"Don't worry."

How could I not worry when she told me not to?

With the considerable distance and the possibility of an arrow hitting someone's stomach if she missed slightly, I couldn't help but be tense.

Ignoring my concern, Sione released her arrow using the sliding release technique.

Sione's arrow flew.

Fortunately, her arrowhead didn't end up slicing into and embedding itself in any allies.

Sione's arrow successfully pierced cleanly through the rampaging goblin's forehead.

The goblin, with an arrow lodged in its head, collapsed lifelessly.

"How was that? Clean, wasn't it?"

Sione wore a radiant smile, clearly quite pleased with her archery skill.

Caught up in that momentum, she began shooting arrows enthusiastically.

And in the end—

"Very clean indeed."

"...Be quiet."

Most of her arrows had cleanly missed their targets.

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