The Male Slave of House Sianella - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Sione Sianella (4)

"What?"

Sione growled as fiercely as when she'd said Sion's name.

Though rather than a lion or tiger, she sounded more like a bulldog's rumble—not particularly threatening.

The threats of someone who had never been a predator held no weight with me.

Though perhaps due to her overwhelmingly high status, my heart was beating a bit faster than usual.

But a slightly elevated heartbeat wasn't enough to make me give up on this quest.

While it might prove to be quite a stimulating challenge, the main point of this quest wasn't the trivial reward of increasing her favor.

The failure consequence—accelerating Sione's breakdown.

As seen in the quest description, her breakdown would likely mean becoming even more of a shut-in, consumed by self-loathing.

Since both this world's fate and my return to Earth hinged on her transformation...

At the very least, I couldn't let her collapse from self-loathing.

Having already started with provocative words, I might as well push forward.

Steeling my nerves, I spoke boldly:

"There's no need to fixate on the sword like Lady Siabel."

"How absurd. They said you were lowborn, but are you so ignorant you don't even know what House Sianella is?"

I knew well that House Sianella was a prestigious martial house that had consistently produced exceptional knights from its founding until now.

Even without other talents, those of their bloodline were said to handle swords remarkably well.

That's why House Sianella was synonymous with swords and knights.

At least until the current generation.

"I've heard that Lord Sion achieved excellence by pursuing the path of priesthood rather than the sword. Lady Sione need not be bound by bloodline to persist with swordsmanship."

Sion, one of the current generation's Sianellas, had talent as a priest.

Moreover, though I wasn't certain, I'd heard that Sion was only proficient in holy power and didn't possess particularly outstanding talent with the sword.

With Sion as an example, it wasn't right to assume Sione had no other talents.

From my position, the notion that she had no choice but the sword simply because of history sounded like nonsense.

I found her obsession with swordsmanship quite unreasonable.

"No one is born without talent. Lady Sione has simply not yet discovered the talent given to her."

"..."

"Have you ever tried training in anything besides the sword?"

Sione looked up at me for a while, then drank the water I had poured.

Gulp gulp.

Clank.

The emptied cup was set rather forcefully on the table.

She spoke irritably as she put down the cup:

"After giving up the sword, I tried the spear. But just like the sword, the spearhead never moved smoothly in my hands."

"After that, I tried learning magic. But unlike Sion, I had no affinity for holy power, and ultimately, magic didn't suit me either."

"Still, I thought it was too early to give up. Realizing I wasn't suited for active pursuits, I went to the library to build static knowledge through reading."

"But—"

Sione's shoulders trembled slightly.

Her pupils wavered.

In her unsteady gaze, I could tell she was recalling past memories.

Sione took a moment to catch her breath, suppressing her intensified emotions as much as possible.

"I didn't even want encouragement. I just wanted them to understand and wait until I found my path. But everyone was too busy comparing and belittling me when I went to the library to read."

"That's fortunate."

"...I must have heard wrong?"

Suddenly, Sione's gaze turned murderous.

Her reaction was natural.

Even I thought such words were completely inappropriate for this atmosphere.

But as they say, one should listen to people's words until the end.

The important meaning wasn't in picking at Sione's wounds, but in what would follow.

Maintaining my composure under the bulldog's fierce glare, I continued:

"It's fortunate that I still have something I can teach you."

That dumbfounded expression suggesting she didn't even feel the need to get angry anymore. Sione just stared blankly, seemingly not understanding my words.

"Have you ever drawn a bowstring?"

"What are you getting at? If you're trying to mess with me... hasn't it been enough?"

Sione's voice began to tremble.

"Starting tomorrow, it might be good to try it little by little when you have time. What do you think?"

"Me, going outside this room to shoot arrows? Ha, I can already hear the knights' mockery from here."

Sione gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh.

"What's this about you teaching me? Even if I follow you out, it's obvious I'll just become a laughingstock again. Why should I go out of my way to face such humiliation?"

"Though born a lowly slave, I am a man who possesses mana. Since birth, it was decided I would be sold as a noble house's plaything under the title of male knight, so I learned basic swordsmanship and archery."

"..."

"Though I learned superficially to maintain the appearance of a male knight... I can at least teach you the proper stance and how to shoot."

Who am I?

Park Shin-woo, South Korea's top-tier Hunter who was on the verge of S-rank, specializing in archery.

Given that background, I can confidently say I'm better qualified than anyone in this territory to seriously teach archery.

Moreover, this body's original owner had received various training to be sold as a slave fitting nobles' taste for male knights.

Among that training was definitely archery, so I could use that as a pretext to teach her.

The conditions were perfect for persuading Sione.

Time to drive home the final nail.

"If you're worried about others' mockery, don't be. Since it would be troublesome if the targets are hard to see in darkness, we can go out when dawn breaks and return before others arrive. I'll wake you when it's time."

"Really, haha."

Sione laughed as if this was absurd.

I simply waited silently as she let out weak chuckles.

"You, teaching me archery. Can you take responsibility for those words?"

"Of course."

"My, I wonder where that confidence comes from. It's been a while since I heard something so amusing. Now, stop this nonsense and leave."

Trudge trudge.

Sione got up and headed back to her bed.

I turned toward her.

My final argument hadn't been strong enough.

If not now, I might never get another chance like this.

Should I take a gamble and go all in...?

The moment I had the thought, my impudent mouth couldn't hold back:

"Would you believe me if I stake everything I have?"

She stopped just short of the bed.

Sione half-turned to look at me.

Again, she wore an expression of utter disbelief.

"All you have is probably just your measly wages and your body, yet you'd stake it all on this pig?"

Her unexpectedly frank expression felt like a blow to the head.

Of all things, to call herself a pig.

If I hastily agreed with her words, wouldn't that mean I was openly agreeing that I saw her as a pig?

I hesitated briefly before answering.

"...Yes, that's right."

"Why are you so desperate to cling to me?"

Cling to her—

At her words, I recalled the self-loathing Sione from moments ago, and how she could only quietly suppress her anger after hearing Sion's words earlier.

Hearing her lament now, I found myself quite displeased—more than a little—with how powerlessly she'd endured being openly ignored.

While I feared failing the quest, I also genuinely wanted to use my one skill to help fix her listless state, even if just a little.

Making such statements while trembling uncertainly.

She'd been so eager to bite my head off on the first day.

It was almost funny how she was now revealing herself as a villain with a backstory.

I just didn't want to see her making such dejected sighs alone in her room anymore.

I couldn't simply look away—it was beyond my control.

"No servant enjoys seeing their master disrespected. If any do... they're the type who have already turned their hearts to others."

"..."

"I won't mock you."

Without answering, Sione resumed walking.

Waddle waddle.

Plop.

Sione sat on her bed.

Unlike usual, she didn't immediately lie down, instead sitting there deep in thought.

I could read her dozens of considerations in her constantly changing expression.

Knowing she needed time to sort out her thoughts, I quietly waited for her answer.

After a while, the deep shadow lifted from her face as she looked up.

"Wake me before dawn since I'll need to prepare."

"You mean—"

"I'm accepting your wager."

As I quietly looked at Sione, she added in a low voice:

"...Know that this will be the first and last time I grant your request."

Surely she wasn't feeling embarrassed now after showing all that vulnerability.

Sione really was unexpectedly multifaceted.

"Thank you."

For now, I simply expressed my gratitude quietly.

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