The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: My Knight (4)

Some time passed as Sione buried her face against me to collect her emotions.

Her trembling had gradually subsided, and now she was just consciously staying in my embrace.

Since we couldn't stay like this forever,

I carefully spoke to her.

"Have you calmed down?"

"...Thank you."

Sione finally released me from her embrace.

I'd worried she might have left snot on my leather armor, but fortunately that hadn't happened.

What a sight we must have made among the corpses.

This was quite something too.

Sione stepped back from me and stood up.

Her eyes seemed a bit swollen, as if she'd shed some tears.

She looked down at me curiously.

"Hurry and get up. We shouldn't stay here any longer, let's quickly head back."

I stared up at her blankly.

"I'm still mana exhausted. Unfortunately, I don't think I can move well yet."

"Ah."

"Please carry me."

I spread my arms.

As Sione said, there was nothing good about staying in a place like this longer.

I wanted to leave quickly too.

"...Alright."

Unlike before when she'd been so embarrassed about carrying me,

This time Sione lifted me onto her back with a composed expression.

I was carried on Sione's back.

Being limp while carried, I felt somewhat sorry about her shoulders—once broad and soft, now thin from dieting.

It had definitely been more comfortable being carried when Sione hadn't lost weight.

While passing time with such pointless thoughts, I felt a bit bad about being carried in silence and tried making conversation.

"Am I not too heavy?"

"Not particularly heavy, so don't worry."

"That's a relief then."

Well, if she says I'm not heavy...

If it gets difficult, she can always use mana.

After I protected her from those monsters, what wouldn't she do for a benefactor like me?

I just quietly closed my eyes while being carried on Sione's back.

***

When we arrived at the inn's entrance, we could see Diolia.

Seeing Sione carrying me, she quickly approached with an expression of disbelief.

Diolia stared at me with a look of complete incomprehension.

Her expression hardened as she noticed the lingering blood scent and bloodstains on Sione and me.

"Could you explain what happened?"

Diolia asked for an explanation in a calm voice.

Sione, who had been looking straight ahead while walking, briefly glanced at her before looking away again.

Diolia remained silent at Sione's cold response.

"More importantly, let's take care of Ray first. Could you ask the inn for bath water?"

"...I'll do that."

Diolia looked me over briefly before moving.

She asked an employee for bath water.

Thanks to that, I was soon able to take a bath.

"Can you wash by yourself?"

"Of course. I had to be carried here, but after resting a bit, I can move well enough."

Though it was still difficult with my body not responding well.

But I could manage this much somehow.

I went into the prepared room, washed off the blood, and changed into my servant's uniform before coming out.

After changing clothes and coming out, I could see Diolia waiting on the other side.

"We have matters to discuss, so let's go to Lady Sione's room."

"I'll follow."

"I heard you're mana exhausted. Will you be alright without support?"

"Yes, I'm much better than before, so I'll walk on my own."

"Hmm... very well."

I followed Diolia toward Sione's room.

Since Sione's room was upstairs from where I'd just bathed, stairs appeared before me.

...I don't think I can climb stairs yet.

In my original body, even with completely depleted mana, I would only feel slightly fatigued.

But this cursed body loses too much strength whenever mana exhaustion hits.

I quietly looked back and forth between the stairs and Diolia's back before speaking.

"...Could you help me with the stairs?"

"Yes, come here."

With Diolia's help, I managed to climb the stairs somehow.

After releasing her support, I bowed my head deeply.

"Thank you for your help."

"This much is nothing."

After that brief exchange, we hurried to Sione's room.

Entering the room, we found Sione sitting on her bed waiting for us.

Sione's gaze landed on me.

"You must still have aftereffects from mana exhaustion, so sit over there."

"Thank you."

I walked to the chair she gestured toward.

After I quietly sat down, Diolia finally asked what she'd been waiting for.

"Now can you tell me exactly what happened?"

Looking at Diolia asking this, it seemed she hadn't heard anything from Sione while I was washing.

At Diolia's question, Sione seemed to have organized her thoughts and spoke without any change in expression.

"We were attacked. By demon worshippers targeting me as a sacrifice because I'm a Sianella."

"...Why would demon worshippers be here?"

"Five attacked and Ray protected me. That's all."

"But."

Diolia's gaze turned to me.

From her expression, she clearly wanted more detailed explanation than Sione's overly brief account.

"Could you explain in more detail?"

"...Of course. A total of five people who appeared to be demon worshippers dared to attack Lady Sione. Furthermore, three of them had reached the level of Sword User."

"Three Sword Users?"

"Yes, I protected Lady Sione from three Sword Users. Thanks to that I became mana exhausted, and Lady Sione saved me."

"Wait."

Diolia's gaze fixed on me with a look that said 'what are you talking about.'

I'd expected this reaction.

Well, normally it would be unbelievable for a weak man who could barely awaken to mana to kill three Sword Users.

It was like a neighborhood dog killing an elephant—that level of disparity.

If I were Diolia, I wouldn't have believed it either.

"You killed Sword Users. Three of them."

I nodded.

Well, what could I do—this was the truth.

I simply explained the situation in more detail.

"Though they were Sword Users, they were only half-baked. They only knew how to enhance their physical abilities with mana—their swordsmanship was terrible."

"Even with poor swordsmanship, they were still Sword Users. Moreover, as a slave, you probably never properly learned swordsmanship... how could you dodge and counter their sword techniques?"

"...I was barely able to dodge using mana."

Diolia shook her head at my words.

"Even though you awakened to mana, this doesn't make sense. The small amount of mana a man can awaken to shouldn't be enough to enhance physical abilities."

"But—"

Clap!

Sione, who had been quietly listening to my conversation with Diolia, clapped her hands to change the atmosphere.

Both Diolia's and my attention turned to Sione at once.

"Lady Diolia, that's enough interrogation. What's important now isn't how he protected me, but that he did protect me, isn't it?"

As if her mood had been disturbed,

Though her voice was flat and emotionless, it was colder than any words Sione had spoken before.

Diolia closed her mouth at Sione's cold words.

"...I understand."

When Diolia quieted down, Sione looked at me again.

"I'll finish the rest of this discussion with Diolia alone, so go back to your room first. Get plenty of rest today."

"I'll do that."

I nodded at Sione's words and stood up.

Then before leaving the room, I bowed my head to Diolia and said:

"The demon worshippers mentioned a sorcerer. It seems there are still remnants, so I request your protection."

"...I'll continue standing guard, so you can go rest assured."

With those words, I returned to my room.

With Diolia standing guard, there shouldn't be any more dangerous situations.

Now I could finally rest easy.

***

When I woke up after a deep sleep in bed, twilight had already settled outside the window.

Just as I'd woken up and was having casual conversation with Ian while quietly looking out at the dark outside.

Knock knock.

The sound of someone knocking at the door was heard.

Ian looked at the knocked-upon door and said:

"I'll go check who it is."

As he got up and opened the door, we could see who had knocked.

"Lady Diolia, what brings you here?"

"I have something to discuss with Lady Sione's attendant—would that be alright?"

At Diolia's words, I got up.

Though I wasn't sure what business she had at this hour, she said she had something to discuss with me.

There was no point in Ian dealing with Diolia.

When I approached Diolia, Ian gave a deep bow before returning to his spot.

Diolia and I stepped outside the room and began our conversation.

"What brings you here at this hour?"

Diolia hesitated for a moment at my question.

I wished she would answer quickly.

Only after a brief pause could I hear her response.

"...Lady Sione is anxious."

"Lady Sione is anxious?"

"Yes, it seems to be because of what happened during the day... Since Lady Sione relies on you quite a bit, I thought it would be good for you to be by her side, so I called for you."

"I understand. I'll go right away."

I nodded at Diolia's words.

She must be struggling alone again over what happened today.

Though known as an arrogant recluse, Sione had a surprisingly fragile nature that didn't match her reputation.

Just as I was about to step away,

"Wait...!"

Diolia briefly grabbed my wrist.

"What is it?"

"...I feel like I spoke too harshly earlier today. I... wanted to apologize."

Speaking too harshly earlier—

She must mean her response when I said I'd taken down mana users.

Since it's nearly impossible for men in this world to defeat a Sword User,

I fully understood her reaction and had long forgotten about it.

"There's no need to apologize. Even I wouldn't easily believe a man defeating three Sword Users, so I completely understand your position, Lady Diolia."

"Thank you for saying that."

Diolia showed a faint smile.

"Still, I should have stayed by her side as her guard. Thank you for protecting Lady Sione in my place."

Then she bowed her head to me.

A promising knight of House Sianella bowing to me.

This felt like too much.

I lifted the corner of my mouth slightly at her gesture.

"Would it be alright to request you guard Lady Sione through the night?"

"Of course. Don't worry."

With those words, I ended my conversation with Diolia.

Then I immediately went to Sione's room, where she was probably trembling alone.

Knock knock.

I knocked politely before opening the door and entering the room.

Upon entering, I could see Sione's condition.

Perhaps unable to properly rest, Sione looked haggard and seemed anxious about something.

Seeing her gaze occasionally trembling and unfocused, she must be remembering the scenes from today.

I let out a small sigh looking at Sione.

She really needs a lot of attention.

"Lady Sione, I'm here."

Only when I spoke did Sione startle and look at me.

Sione pulled her blanket up to cover half her face while staring at me intently.

"...Ray? What brings you here at this hour?"

Peeking out just above the blanket like this, she seemed just like usual.

But I'd already seen her looking like an anxious puppy earlier.

"I came hoping to talk for a bit... but if I'm intruding, I'll leave right away."

Looking at me with wide eyes, she soon lowered the blanket held in both hands and showed a faint smile.

"You're not intruding at all. Rather, you're welcome."

Only then did Sione lean back on her bed with a relaxed expression.

"May I sit in the chair?"

"Make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you."

I sat in the chair at her words.

Sitting there thinking about it, though Diolia had called me here, I didn't really have anything specific to say.

As I tried to think of what to say, silence naturally fell.

Sione too remained quiet for a while, just watching my reactions.

Come to think of it.

Before those demon worshippers appeared, Sione had been trying to say something.

She'd been about to speak with quite a serious atmosphere.

It probably wasn't light conversation.

"Lady Sione, what were you trying to say earlier, at the end of our market tour?"

"Ah, that."

Sione blushed with embarrassment at my words.

I showed her a bright smile while putting my index finger to my lips.

Shhhh—

Sione quietly closed her mouth seeing my smile and gesture.

I slowly continued speaking.

"Since this market visit wasn't satisfactory, perhaps I could hear it when we reach House Feiosha's territory?"

"You mean—"

"Won't you tell me after we explore the streets once more?"

Only then did Sione break into a bright smile.

"Of course."

"Aren't you looking forward to House Feiosha?"

"Yes, it sounds fun. Being famous for wealth even in the kingdom's southern region, there should be much to see."

I playfully said to her:

"Of course, this time Lady Diolia will join us."

"Hehe, naturally."

Only then did Sione completely relax, letting herself sink comfortably into her bed.

Her relaxed expression showed no more deep worries.

As Sione quietly closed her eyes and began drifting toward sleep, she spoke:

"Ray."

"Yes?"

"...Thank you."

I let out a small laugh at Sione's words.

"This much is nothing."

Sione, who had been trembling alone in her bed, could now sleep peacefully with slightly upturned lips.

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