Ch.106106. Distrust (3)

Sione didn’t go to the shooting range today. Instead, she hid her entire body under the blanket, but eventually seemed to get stuffy. With only her face peeking out, she watched me clean her room.

However, she wasn’t just mindlessly staring at me. Her gaze was directed at me, but her focus was on something more distant. Of course, she did say she needed to think. She probably needed to sort out her thoughts about Sion along with what I just told her.

“It’s clean.”

It was worth putting in a little extra effort to clean after so long. Whoever had been maintaining it before, every corner of the room was quite tidy.

You could call it professional pride. After continuing this life of cleaning and taking care of others for so long, I think I’m developing a sense of professional consciousness.

The cleaning is done, and the room has been sufficiently aired out.

Creak. Thud.

I closed the window that had been letting in cold air at random times.

“Hmm…”

At that, Sione, who had been hiding under the thick blanket, began to squirm and slowly rise. Perhaps because she’d been rolling around under the blanket, her appearance was disheveled. Her messy hair proved how comfortable she’d been while I was busy cleaning.

She glanced at me cautiously and peered at the table where I usually prepared cookies and tea. She seemed to be checking if there was anything to eat as usual. Unfortunately, not even a crumb of snacks remained in the room, so Sione soon smacked her lips with a dejected look.

Seemingly reluctant to return to bed, Sione sat down at the table and rested her chin on her hand with a pouty expression.

I couldn’t help but smile at her transparent feelings.

Growl—

Her stomach rumbled loudly, demanding food.

Whoosh!

As she quickly turned her head to check my reaction, I gave her a genuine, innocent smile.

“Uuugh…”

In the end, Sione lowered her head in embarrassment, avoiding my gaze.

My lady is hungry, I see.

I said casually, as if in passing.

“I’ll make you a simple sandwich. Just wait a bit.”

“…It’s fine. You must be tired from cleaning. Just rest.”

“Really?”

“Yes, real—”

Growl.

“ly…”

Well. Talk about timing.

Silence fell at the sound that echoed from her stomach at the most perfect moment.

I finally burst into laughter, while Sione tried to hide her embarrassment by pretending to be nonchalant.

That clumsy act looked fun to break, so I said in a playful voice:

“I guess my lips weren’t enough.”

As expected, my words caused a massive earthquake in Sione’s pupils, making them shake violently. A blush bloomed on her snow-white skin as she started to stammer.

She addressed me with slurred pronunciation.

“Wh-wha-what did you say…?”

Watching her clench and unclench her fists and wiggle her toes, I nodded with satisfaction. Then, without answering her question, I slowly walked toward the door.

With her face covered by both hands, Sione’s blue eyes followed my movements through the gaps between her fingers.

I shrugged casually yet gently at her.

“I’ll make you a sandwich, so wait a bit, Sione.”

She’s clearly hungry.

I should make something for myself too, with plenty of ham or bacon.

* * *

Nom. Munch munch.

Sione took a bite of her sandwich with an expression of pure bliss.

I too devoured my portion that I had made for myself. After modestly filling our stomachs, we chatted for a while.

How much time had passed like that?

Just as I was having the trivial thought that humans truly are creatures of adaptation—seeing how naturally Sione now called me “oppa” without any awkwardness—

Knock knock.

Someone came to Sione’s room.

“I’ll check who it is.”

Creak.

Opening the door to identify the visitor, I saw a familiar face.

Sione’s older sister.

Our visitor was none other than Siabel.

“It’s been a day. Have you been well with Sione?”

Saying that, Siabel naturally patted my head while scanning the room.

Screech.

From behind came the sound of a chair being pushed back urgently as someone stood up.

“…Lady Siabel, what brings you here?”

Sione’s reflection could be seen approaching slowly in Siabel’s blue eyes.

She withdrew her hand from my head and crossed her arms. At the same time, she shifted her gaze from her sister to me and gave a relaxed smile.

“I mentioned it once before. That I wanted to be your swordsmanship instructor. I also wanted to speak with Sione about that separately.”

…Since she hadn’t said anything for a while, I had assumed it was just a casual remark, but it seemed Siabel really did intend to teach me swordsmanship.

Rustle.

Someone gently tugged at my clothes from behind. It seemed Sione had immediately moved behind me upon seeing Siabel’s arrival.

Siabel, taking in the sight of both of us simultaneously, said:

“The young lady of the Marquisate who has come to visit our county wishes to speak with you now. A servant over there will guide you. I think it would be good for you to meet her now.”

Having said that, Siabel uncrossed her arms and pushed back her bangs that occasionally covered her eyes.

Since Siabel’s gaze was directed through me toward Sione behind me, I tactfully took a step to the side so they could see each other’s faces rather than the back of my head and my face.

Sione’s hand, which had been weakly holding my clothes, fell away, and their gazes finally properly met.

Finally able to see her younger sister’s face up close, Siabel smiled and opened her mouth.

“It won’t take long. Just a moment will do. Is that alright, Sione?”

“Yes, if it’s just for a moment… that’s fine.”

After Sione’s permission, I bowed my head and left the room to meet Aria. Before the door closed behind me, I faintly heard the sisters’ conversation.

“By the way, Sione, your forehead looks a bit swollen… Did you bump into something?”

“Eh, yes…? My forehead…? Nothing happened—”

“Hmm. Your reaction seems a bit suspicious.”

I inwardly shook my head at Sione’s awkward response and headed off to meet Aria Allenar.

* * *

“Thank you for your guidance.”

“Then I’ll take my leave…”

I arrived at the room where Aria was waiting, guided by a servant.

The maid of the mansion seemed curious about why I had been summoned by the young lady of the Marquisate, but fortunately, she didn’t ask for the reason.

I quickly straightened my collar and entered the room.

A clearly expensive long sofa faced another across a sizeable table.

The sofa near the entrance was empty, presumably my seat. Across from it sat Aria and—

‘Lavi Cournel…?’

With crimson hair and a small notebook and pen in hand—though I had no idea what she was writing or reading—the magician of the Allenar Marquisate, Lavi Cournel, was sitting beside Aria, looking up at me.

‘Why is she here too?’

Only Aria should have requested to speak with me. It was strange to have another unexpected person join in.

But I couldn’t just stare at them intently.

I gave them a simple bow in greeting.

“Thank you for making time. I called you because there’s something I’d like to ask… Would you sit across from us first?”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Following Aria’s words, I sat on the sofa opposite her.

“Um… if it’s not too presumptuous, there’s something I’d like to ask…”

Aria stroked her chin and nodded.

“May I ask why Lady Lavi Cournel is here with you, Lady Aria?”

At my question, Lavi flipped through her notebook and opened to a specific page. She placed her pen tip on the paper and began to quietly observe me.

…She’s not a street artist drawing portraits. Even I feel a bit uncomfortable being stared at so openly like this.

I wasn’t particularly fond of Lavi’s inexplicable interest.

‘Because she’s a magician.’

Magicians are persistent. Once they become curious about something, they’ll dig into it thoroughly to find answers.

I might not know how to use Mana, but if she discovers that I can use spirit magic, it would be quite troublesome.

The implications of my ability, which transcends gender limitations, are not trivial. In both the kingdom and the vast empire, while Divine Power might be different, they say there are absolutely no men who can handle magic through Mana.

With such a prime research subject right before her eyes, even the most virtuous person would be tempted if they were a magician.

‘Even if that’s not the case.’

It’s best to keep my magical abilities hidden as much as possible.

With my ambiguous status—basically a commoner and at best a dedicated servant of a count’s family—the moment it becomes known that I’ve obtained power beyond my station, I might get entangled with all sorts of people and situations.

Until I’ve built up enough strength, I plan to keep magic as my last resort in all but the most dire situations.

“It seems Lavi has something she wants to ask you. So, if possible, after my questions are done, I’d like you to briefly answer hers. Would that be alright?”

“…If it’s something I can answer, I’d be happy to do so.”

“That’s good. When Lavi has something on her mind, she can barely sleep.”

Looking at Lavi’s complexion after hearing Aria’s words…

She looked a bit haggard compared to when I first saw her. It seems she really does have something she’s curious about.

After a brief check, Aria finally began to get to the point.

“I have something to ask. When you wielded a sword to protect Princess Adelheid and Lady Sianella previously, it looked like you were using Mana. Can you answer that?”

Awakening to Mana and knowing how to use it—Adelheid, Eunice Kallia, and others who saw me at that time had already figured it out.

Aria’s demeanor also suggested she was already certain and just seeking confirmation, so I nodded readily.

“…I was fortunate enough to awaken to Mana and can perform the miracle of infusing some vitality into my body.”

“Just by ‘infusing vitality,’ you beheaded two Demonkin… Well, anyway, you’re confirming that you’ve awakened to and can use Mana. Then… can you tell me how you learned to use a sword, being a man?”

I answered her question with words that were just enough to satisfy her curiosity without revealing too much.

Aria’s curiosity was consistent. It was all about my combat abilities. Whether I could use Mana. Where I learned swordsmanship. She mentioned seeing me with a bow before—could I shoot it? If so, where did I learn archery?

She seemed to be simply curious about my martial abilities as a warrior, without any ulterior motives.

After answering Aria’s questions one way or another.

“Hah…”

As I quietly exhaled and caught my breath, Lavi finally brightened her eyes as if it was her turn at last.

“When you hunted the orc, I found traces.”

Saying that, Lavi narrowed her eyes with the blunt end of her pen against her lips.

“Our Marquisate’s magicians found traces of wind magic that none of us had used. It was like magic sent through arrows as a medium, similar to the elves in the great forest on the eastern border of the kingdom.”

Lavi kept her gaze fixed on the man before her while writing elegant cursive in her notebook.

“Ray, do you know anything about this?”

After saying that, Lavi briefly looked at her notebook.

「 ★ Sione Sianella / Second daughter of the County of Sianella

1. Seems able to handle magic with arrows. Might have exceptional talent in archery and magic like elves…

└…It’s said the young lady showed no talent for magic whatsoever.

└Then how exactly?

└Is she hiding her talent? If not…」

「 ★ Ray / Dedicated servant of the Sianellas

1. Killed two Demonkin.

2. Handles a sword at a proficient level.

3. According to Lady Aria, seems able to use Mana in a way uncharacteristic for a man.

└ Can actually use it.

4. Hiding something.

└ It sounds crazy, but… he might be able to use magic.

5. Clearly handsome.」

Ray, a man special in many ways.

…It sounds crazy, but… he might be able to use magic.