The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Evan Feiosha (3)

"Since our relationship was decided by the heads of our two houses, I'd like to hear your opinion."

If asked how I felt about my engagement to Evan, the answer was already set.

This marriage was nothing but a means to connect the Sianella and Feiosha houses.

I believe this arranged marriage was linking two problematic figures within the two houses.

I was a runaway... and I'd heard Evan was so frail he could barely leave the mansion, let alone engage in public activities.

In the end, they'd simply matched up two burdens to their houses.

That's why I wasn't particularly pleased with this engagement.

"I'm sorry, Young Master, but I view this engagement rather skeptically."

"Hehe, I expected as much."

Evan laughed softly behind his hand at my words.

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have ignored all my letters."

"...I apologize about the letters. I'm truly ashamed."

I lowered my head.

My behavior in ignoring dozens of Evan's letters certainly deserved criticism.

Better to apologize directly than add unnecessary words.

"Please raise your head, my lady."

I lifted my head at his words.

Evan took a sip of tea and looked at me.

I met his gaze as calmly as possible.

"May I ask why you're displeased with our engagement?"

I nodded.

"...For me, this engagement was misaligned from the very beginning."

It was an engagement decided after I'd hidden away in my room, after even my mother, Head of Sianella County, had given up on me.

The only use for someone as worthless as me was selling the Sianella name to forge connections with other houses.

Thus, I was engaged to him to create a link between Sianella and the southern Feiosha Marquisate.

Now that I'd cut away my once-lifeless long hair, this engagement felt completely distasteful.

"It's an engagement made without regard for my wishes, and moreover, I apologize, but I hold no personal feelings whatsoever for Young Master Evan."

Most importantly, I had neither affection nor any interest in Evan Feiosha.

Without the engagement binding us, it was a relationship that could break at any moment without seeming strange.

Nothing more, nothing less.

"I think it would be difficult to develop our relationship further in this situation."

Evan slowly nodded after hearing my words.

"I understand your opinion well."

After my words ended, silence fell over the reception room once again.

I moistened my dry throat with tea and picked up another cookie.

As he quietly watched me, I asked him the same question he had asked me.

"What are your thoughts, Young Master Evan?"

"I too... am not particularly fond of this engagement at present."

Evan's eyes deepened.

"Unlike my siblings, I was treated as a burden due to my poor health, and this engagement was the only worthwhile thing I could do. Like you, my lady, this engagement wasn't decided purely by my own will."

His eyes met mine.

"But now things are different. Because I can handle holy power."

"You've awakened to holy power?"

"This was also mentioned in my previous letters... which you didn't read?"

Evan said this with a soft laugh.

I could only quietly close my mouth at his laughter.

To think it was already in the letters.

I should have read at least some of them.

Then Evan raised his hand.

A sacred light gathered above his palm.

It was the light shown during manifestations of holy power.

"But now things are different. After awakening to holy power, my weak body has become as healthy as others'. Thanks to that, I'll be attending the academy from next term."

The bright light above his hand faded.

His manner of speaking didn't seem much different from mine.

We shared some conversation about our pasts.

Evan, who had spent his time practically living in bed.

Since the academy wasn't just a place of learning but also where nobles sought fiancés,

Now that he'd gained admission to the academy, he seemed unwilling to remain bound by his engagement to me.

It seemed Evan also secretly wanted to break off the engagement.

This wasn't bad news for me.

I finished the last sip of tea from my cup and said:

"Young Master, could you show me the garden?"

"The garden?"

"Yes, as I'm quite fond of flowers, I kept thinking about the garden I saw on my way here. And... there's something I'd like to tell you separately in the garden."

"How unexpected. I didn't know you liked flowers, my lady.... It's no trouble, I'll show you around."

Evan stood up first.

As I rose to follow him, I noticed the still quite abundant cookies.

I put one in my mouth and grabbed another as I followed the young master.

***

Just how long would their conversation go on?

I was getting tired of being awkwardly stuck between that stiff fellow Ron and our Lady Diolia.

All the sword-wielding Hunters I'd known had keen hearing.

I wondered if Diolia was the only one hearing what was happening inside.

While killing time with such pointless thoughts, the reception room door finally opened.

"Ron, I'll be showing Lady Sione the garden. We have matters to discuss privately, so please keep unnecessary personnel at a distance."

"Understood."

At Evan's words, Ron immediately began moving busily.

As I watched his back heading to the garden first, Sione emerged from the reception room.

Judging by her worse complexion, she must have had some emotional strain talking with Evan.

Well, it couldn't have been easy meeting her prospective husband after ignoring his letters and disappearing.

While Evan's gaze was fixed on Ron's back,

Sione looked at me and opened her mouth in an 'O.'

...What was this brat doing now?

Her mouth wasn't particularly clean, probably from eating cookies just before.

If she were my sister, I'd have given her a few smacks.

As I stared at her wondering what she was doing, she quietly made a sound.

"Ah—"

'Ah'? What?

I stared at Sione suspiciously while opening my mouth.

"Ah—"

Then, as if she'd been waiting, Sione put something in my mouth.

Just what had she suddenly stuffed in my mouth?

After chewing a few times, I could tell it was a cookie.

As I munched on the cookie, Sione lifted the corners of her mouth in amusement.

"Shall we go, my lady? The Feiosha gardens are quite large, so there should be much to see."

"I look forward to it."

With a more relaxed expression, Sione began walking alongside Evan.

Following the two from a bit behind, I observed Diolia.

She seemed somewhat disappointed that Sione had only given me a cookie.

"I'll give you cookies separately later, Lady Diolia."

"...What cookies."

"Would that be alright?"

"I'll accept the thought."

Well, despite her words, she seemed to feel better.

We had mountains of cookies prepared for feeding Sione anyway.

Making a mental note to save some for Diolia later,

Following Evan and Sione eventually brought us to the garden.

The Feiosha Marquisate's garden was larger than Sianella's.

Moreover, the harmonious landscaping plants and structures were beautifully coordinated, making it quite enjoyable to view.

Sione kept turning her head to look around, clearly pleased with the flowers blooming throughout the garden.

"The cornflowers have bloomed beautifully."

"Cornflowers, you say?"

"Those purple flowers there are cornflowers."

"Then perhaps you could tell me the name of those yellow flowers over there?"

"Those are... yellow whitlow grass. I believe their flower language means 'maiden's love.'"

Just who is this guy really?

For a reclusive shut-in, he speaks far too eloquently.

Telling her the flower language of yellow whitlow grass meant "maiden's love" was the peak.

Unlike how Sione had shown a thorny attitude to almost everyone until now, she was conversing quite naturally with Evan.

It's not like she'd secretly learned the art of conversation.

Either way, this was much better than her constantly whining about breaking off the engagement.

Even Diolia was watching with interest as Sione explained flowers to Evan, as if she couldn't have imagined Sione like this.

Evan led Sione to the center of the garden.

While admiring the surrounding flowers, Sione kindly answered Evan's questions.

They arrived at the garden's center in this rather warm atmosphere.

With Sione and Evan at the center, surrounded by flowers, the scene had quite an ambiance.

The light chatter between Sione and Evan briefly paused.

Sione composed her expression that had been relaxed while looking at flowers.

Noticing Sione's changed atmosphere, I focused on her.

"Young Master Evan."

Sione called to Evan.

He shifted his gaze from quietly observing flowers to Sione.

"What are your thoughts on breaking off our engagement?"

No, this crazy brat.

What happened to the yellow whitlow grass?

What happened to "maiden's love"?

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