The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Hard Road (1)

[Quest completed!]

[Sione Sianella's talent development speed has increased.]

[Bond with Sione Sianella has increased.]

[Through resonance with her, a small portion of your original power has been unlocked.]

The long-running rehabilitation quest cleared along with Sione Sianella's smile.

I couldn't help but smile at hearing her talent development speed would increase further.

This world was destined for destruction.

Since the world's fate hung on Sione Sianella's growth, I couldn't help but care deeply.

Moreover, the portion of my power that returned due to our increased bond was quite impressive.

'My mana capacity has increased significantly.'

Though I couldn't feel the power of spirits other than wind yet, my total mana had increased greatly.

With this much, I shouldn't collapse from mana exhaustion even after using spirit magic two or three times like before.

Moreover, it would be easier to enhance physical abilities, not just magic.

Well, that's what the quest rewards were.

I asked about my master's recent actions.

"Why did you cut your hair?"

"To cut away my gloomy past along with my hair. Though I regret cutting the long hair I grew... hair will grow back eventually. How about it, quite a good idea, right?"

"...Nothing is better than what satisfies you. It's a good decision."

"Thank you for saying so."

Trudge trudge.

Sione approached a nearby table and set down the blade she'd used to cut her hair.

She played with her shortened hair.

Even though she'd cut it herself, she seemed unaccustomed to the shorter length.

"There's something I want to ask..."

"Which is?"

"Your name. I want to know your name."

"...My name?"

Sione gave a small nod.

You mean you didn't even know my name until now...?

I thought she wasn't using my name because she was embarrassed, but she actually didn't know it.

It was quite something to ask my name now after living together for months.

"...Well, I didn't need to call your name since you were always by my side."

"It's Ray. Naturally, I have no surname."

My name in this world, Ray.

Originally I didn't even have a name but a product number, but this was the name decided by the guards' lottery right before being sold to nobility.

"Ray..."

Sione murmured my name several times, rolling it around.

"Not a bad name."

"Thank you."

"Then, Ray. Wait here for a moment. I have somewhere to go."

...Somewhere for Sione to go?

Suddenly, when she doesn't go anywhere besides the archery range and garden?

"Where might that be?"

"I plan to speak with Mother. I'll visit her office."

"Understood."

"Do some light room cleaning while I'm gone."

After Sione left the room with those words,

I quietly cleaned up the hair scattered on the floor.

She really cut off quite a lot.

***

Knock knock.

She knocked on the office door.

"...It's Sione Sianella, Mother. I've come because I have something to discuss."

"Sione? Come in then."

She carefully opened the door and entered the office.

As expected, Ainel Sianella sat at her desk handling stacks of documents.

...Recently there had been issues with the slums and merchant groups within the territory.

She was probably processing documents related to those matters.

Only after finishing signing one document did Ainel look at her daughter Sione.

Her deep blue eyes took in Sione's appearance.

"You cut your hair."

"...Yes."

"Finally looking somewhat human. Well then, what did you want to discuss?"

I always used to shrink and couldn't speak properly before Mother.

Even now I'm a bit nervous and trembling, but at least this time...

"...It's about my personal servant—I want him to be my personal attendant rather than just a servant."

"I'm well aware that he's supported you like a loyal attendant rather than simply following orders like a common servant."

"Then—"

"However, his lowly birth is also a fact. Even if you've lived detached from it, you're still a noble of the Count's house, isn't that an unchanging truth?"

Ainel Sianella's ice-cold gaze pierced through Sione.

Sione bit her lower lip slightly.

"No matter how much you like him, I don't think it's right to raise a slave, not even a commoner, to the position of personal attendant."

"...I know that. But... who else could become my attendant, given my reputation?"

"Oh?"

"Would it be right to have men who smile to my face while rushing to criticize me behind my back become my attendants? Or those who offer nothing but flattery without a word of honest counsel?"

Sione took a breath before continuing.

"Rather than taking in such deceitful people as my personal attendants... I want to appoint Ra...y, who understands me and doesn't hold back honest advice, even if his status is low."

"An attendant must assist their noble and guide them on the right path. That's why we often use intelligent young men from lower nobility as attendants. Can someone uneducated like him really handle what I described?"

"...Please acknowledge that thanks to him, I who lived like livestock have lost weight and now shoot at the archery range."

Sione even added that at least he never held back honest counsel to guide her on the right path.

Seeing such a Sione, the corners of Ainel's mouth turned up with interest.

"To think you, who could barely speak properly before me, would go this far. You must really like him."

"...Yes."

"Raising him to your personal attendant would be entirely your independent action. You must take full responsibility for placing a lowborn slave in such an important position."

"You mean—!"

"I'm saying I'll allow your request."

"Thank you!"

Sione's expression brightened dramatically.

But her requests didn't end there.

"There's one more thing I'd like to request."

"One more?"

"Ray's slave certificate—I want it."

"Why, do you want to burn it and make him a commoner?"

Sione shook her head calmly, as if she'd never considered burning the certificate.

"On the certificate, you're Ray's owner, aren't you, Mother?"

"You mean."

"He's the first person who's truly become mine. I know you'd never do such a thing..."

Sione looked straight into Ainel's eyes.

"But still, I don't want to leave any possibility of someone taking him away."

Ainel began laughing amusedly at Sione's words.

After calming her laughter, she spoke in a lighter mood than before.

"Is that all you want?"

"Yes."

"So that's all you came to say, making you visit my office for the first time in years?"

"...Yes."

Ainel chuckled while resting her chin on her hand, and Sione's cheeks turned slightly red.

It was amusing to see her daughter show such changes over a mere servant.

And fascinating to see the male slave who had caused such changes in Sione Sianella.

He'd seemed to have no talent except for being a man who had awakened to mana.

"Your requests will all be granted. I'll have the slave certificate modified and sent separately."

"...Thank you."

"But of course, there are conditions."

"Conditions?"

"Yes, something I've been putting off but can no longer delay—I was going to summon you, but you came at a good time."

Ainel opened her desk drawer and took out a letter envelope.

The elaborate pattern engraved on the envelope showed this was no ordinary letter.

Ainel held out the letter to Sione.

"A letter for you."

"This is...?"

"To be precise, it's a letter from your fiancé."

Ainel took in Sione's shocked expression.

Seeing such a reaction, she must have been living having forgotten even the existence of her fiancé.

It was a reaction impossible otherwise.

"Though it's a political marriage, he suggests discussing how you both feel about this engagement before the ceremony."

"Surely not..."

"Sione Sianella, you will visit the Feiosha Marquisate."

"...Really?"

"Well, would this Feiosha Marquisate seal stamped here be fake?"

Ainel said as she began processing the accumulated documents again:

"I'll assign Diolia as your guard, so prepare to depart in three days."

***

How long had it been since I finished cleaning Sione's room?

After the wait, the door opened and Sione returned.

I stood from my chair and immediately greeted her.

"Welcome back."

"...Yes."

Sione's expression wasn't good.

Seeing how drained her voice was, she must have taken quite a blow in the office.

She trudged to her bed, lay down, and stared at the ceiling like someone in a daze.

As I looked at her questioningly, Sione let out a small laugh and said:

"In three days, we'll be leaving the territory to live in a carriage, just so you know."

"Suddenly?"

"...Have to go see my fiancé at House Feiosha."

"...?"

Wait, this brat had a fiancé?

My mind went blank trying to process this incomprehensible information.

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