The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: My Knight (2)

The market was busier than I'd expected, filled with numerous people.

Street vendors selling simple foods and merchants haggling with customers over displays of various fruits.

The discordant sounds created by so many people at once filled every corner of the market with vigor and life.

It was completely different from my dark, quiet room where I spent every day.

This wasn't a place that suited someone like me, who found it more comfortable being alone.

Looking at the market made memories from the past gradually surface.

Wanting to revisit those memories, I quietly began walking into the market.

As I entered, the present scenery seemed to overlap with the landscapes of my memories.

"This is my first time coming to a place like this since I went to the market with Sister Siabel and Sion long ago."

I spoke to my attendant who was quietly following behind me.

He was someone who would always listen first and think about whatever I said.

Without my noticing, he had become the only person I could talk to so comfortably.

"You mean with Lady Siabel and Lord Sion?"

"Yes, back when I was still close with my family, before I shut myself away in my room."

"...I see."

Though it was more than several years ago, the relationship between my sister, brother and I had been enviably harmonious.

Siabel, who had responsibly looked after her younger siblings from childhood, and my adorable little brother Sion who followed me around more than anyone.

Now every conversation with Sister Siabel was unbearably awkward.

And my relationship with Sion had turned ice-cold, completely different from those warm days of the past.

But at least back then, I could say with certainty that we were close.

"Back then, Sion was such an adorable little brother who followed me around even more than our eldest sister..."

I wonder why things became so twisted.

Though I knew the reason well.

"Everything started falling apart when I hid away in my room."

Siabel Sianella—possessed of strong self-confidence and sense of responsibility, showing more talent with the sword than anyone.

Sion Sianella—brilliant and showing exceptional aptitude as a priest with holy power, unusual for House Sianella.

Between them, I who couldn't properly bloom even a single flower, no, not even a sprout, became the subject of people's gossip.

Unlike her sister, she bears the Sianella name yet can't even properly swing a sword—what an inadequate girl.

While Sion Sianella is so proficient in holy magic despite bearing the Sianella name, what can his sister Sione even do?

These whispered words spreading around were sharper than any weapon to me, and a source of guilt I had to bear for the proud House Sianella.

How could someone like me be a member of House Sianella?

When I could no longer bear even the weight of my own name and found it hard to breathe, I hid away in my room just to breathe a little easier.

I thought at least in my room I wouldn't have to hear my name being tossed around outside.

I thought I could forget my exhausting days and breathe easily.

But even my room wasn't completely safe.

When I locked myself away, the servant I trusted as my only window to the outside—

Even they, I discovered, seemed to enjoy spreading rumors about me.

The betrayal of someone I thought was on my side tormented me more painfully than anything else.

I no longer wanted to trust people.

"The longer I stayed locked away alone in my room, I forgot how it would become harder and harder to escape."

The room I'd entered briefly just to survive, just to breathe, instead became my entire world.

I could no longer trust people outside.

Perhaps disappointed by how I'd become,

Even Siabel and Sion, who had comforted me until the end, became coldly distant, no longer speaking a single word to me.

I was sorry. I had nothing to say.

But now I didn't know what I should do.

My will to live had been broken.

All I did was lie in bed, eating sweets to relieve my chronic stress.

The more time passed, the more listless I became and the more unsightly my appearance grew.

"That's when you appeared."

When I was drowning in the swamp of listlessness up to my chin, my personal attendant Ray appeared.

Speaking his name made me want to see him a little—just a tiny bit—so I turned around to look at him.

As always, he was looking straight at me with an expressionless face.

Then I saw the corners of his mouth lift ever so slightly.

"I'm glad I didn't appear too late."

Finding that rather funny, I smiled back.

"Yes, though it would have been even better if you'd come a bit earlier, don't you think?"

We dispelled the gloomy atmosphere with small smiles.

Right, I hadn't come all this way just to dwell on such dark stories.

I remembered why I'd brought Ray here.

I matched my pace with Ray and slowly began looking around the market.

"Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

"Hmm... if you mean food..."

I looked at a street vendor selling grilled skewers in the distance.

Sister Siabel had bought me skewers like that once before.

I remembered sharing them while holding Sion's hand.

"I'd like to try those skewers. I'll give you money, so buy some for yourself too."

"Understood."

I handed him my purse.

"I'll be back quickly."

"There's no need to hurry, we have plenty of time."

Before long, he returned holding a skewer in each hand.

He offered me the one that seemed to have slightly more meat.

"Please eat. It's best while it's still warm."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you for thinking of my portion as well."

I took the skewer from him and took a big bite.

Unlike the food we'd eaten while traveling in the carriage, the rich meat juices filling my mouth were delicious.

Why is meat so delicious no matter how much you eat?

Before I knew it, I found myself holding just the wooden stick.

Ray was staring intently at me.

"Ah, that."

A noble shouldn't show such an unsophisticated side...!

Feeling oddly embarrassed, I stumbled over my words.

My face felt hot and flushed.

But I couldn't show my embarrassment... I had to maintain my composure somehow...

"W-what are you staring at...!"

Good, that came out naturally... right?

"It's nothing. If you'd like another one, just say so at any time. I'll go buy it right away."

"...I'll just accept the thought."

I internally sighed and began touring the market again.

...Though I still had things I wanted to say. But I wanted to say them somewhere quieter than the market—

For now, finishing our market tour took priority.

As we quietly walked through the market, I spotted a modest stall displaying cute accessories.

Long ago, Sion had bought me a small hairpin from a stall like that as a gift.

Once again, memories from the past began floating to the surface.

While I was lost in remembering that time, Ray suddenly approached me.

"Pardon my presumption, but you seemed to want this. Please stay still for a moment."

"Eh... eh?"

He pushed my bangs to the side and fixed a small hairpin in place.

Hmph.

Annoyed at how he tried to fluster me while maintaining that expressionless face, I pinched his arm.

Only then did Ray slightly furrow his brow and step away from me.

"...That hurts. Please let go."

"Hmph, next time show some sign before getting so close."

"I'll be more careful."

Only then did I release my pinch on him and grab his wrist to lead him along.

For someone who had claimed he would protect me, he followed quite docilely as I pulled him along.

"We're moving away from the market area, aren't we?"

Only then did I start feeling some resistance from Ray.

He'd been worried about coming to the market without Lady Diolia, even wearing leather armor when he came.

He must be concerned about going somewhere with fewer people.

In stark contrast to how boldly he had defeated goblins before, he was showing quite a worried side today.

He's being strange today.

"Didn't you ask what I needed to tell you? I'd like to speak somewhere quiet, as it's not something to discuss in the noisy market."

"...Understood."

We walked away from the market until we reached a place with hardly any people around.

This should be far enough...

I took a deep breath.

"Haaah..."

I hadn't properly thanked him yet.

I wanted to express my gratitude properly this time.

Thank you for giving me faith when I was falling apart.

Thank you for giving me new hope when I'd given up on everything.

Thank you for caring about even the things you didn't have to do for my sake.

"Ray—"

Just as I'd organized my thoughts and opened my mouth—

Shing.

"...Ray?"

With an air even colder and sharper than usual, he drew his sword.

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