Ch.107107. Distrust (4)

“Ray, don’t you… know anything?”

When Lavi asked, it was Aria who reacted first, not me.

“I’ve been wondering what you’ve been thinking about so intently, but you wouldn’t tell me anything… Lavi Cournel. What do you mean by that?”

“…It was when I was examining the orcs lying fallen along the path where the carriage was supposed to pass, as per your orders, Lady Aria. At first, I couldn’t be certain, but… the fierce stab wounds left on the orcs’ bodies definitely looked like they could only have been made by magic.”

“If you’re talking about fierce stab wounds, perhaps Siabel, who has reached Expert rank, could have caused them. If there were arrows embedded, it could have been an archer shooting at an orc that wasn’t quite dead yet.”

“No.”

Lavi firmly denied Aria’s suggestion.

Her dark red hair swayed gently as she slowly shook her head. Her rather long bangs shifted with the movement, disturbing the part that had been revealing her fair forehead, and partially covering her eyes.

“Those wounds weren’t something an entry-level Expert knight could inflict.”

Her eyes, visible through her hair, shone with caution.

“The visible stab wounds were completely different from Lady Siabel’s hunting style… Especially around the deeply embedded arrowheads, the orcs’ insides were already torn and mangled. Tearing up the insides like that would be difficult for an entry-level Expert knight.”

“Lavi.”

“Yes?”

“Speak slowly, don’t rush. No one is hurrying you.”

“……”

Lavi took a slow sip of her drink on the table to moisten her throat at Aria’s words.

As Aria pointed out, she had been rattling off her thoughts like someone being chased.

I needed time to consider how to respond. At this rate, she looked like she might run out of breath soon.

I waited patiently for Lavi to continue.

“So… as the commander of the 2nd Combat Mage Unit of the proud Marquisate of Allenar, I can say with certainty that magic was involved.”

“…Perhaps a mage from the Marquisate caused it?”

“I’ve already confirmed that none of our mages summoned any wind. The magic must have traveled using the arrow as a medium to sweep through the enemy… Someone from the County who was holding a bow must have wielded it.”

“But there shouldn’t have been anyone among the County’s personnel who could use magic.”

“That’s why I’m asking now.”

Lavi brushed aside her bangs that were blocking her view.

Like a winter galaxy. Her black eyes, not bright but deeply luminous, focused solely on me.

Aria stood beside her with arms crossed like her friend Siabel, merely observing this interesting situation.

“I remember you were preparing a bow with Sione Sianella that day—”

Lavi narrowed her eyes as she drew out her words.

Tap. Tap.

She had been lightly tapping her lips with the blunt end of her pen, but now she naturally switched to informal speech.

“You didn’t imbue that arrow with magic, did you?”

I had no obligation to tell Lavi about my spirit magic. Nor did I need to.

I shook my head without hesitation.

“Even if I’ve awakened mana, how could a man possibly handle magic? Unfortunately, the most I can do is circulate the small amount of mana gathered in my heart throughout my body.”

“Right… what am I even asking? Of course men can’t use magic…”

“……”

“Hmm……”

After saying this, Lavi erased her expression and observed my demeanor for a while, then began moving her pen again. The light scratching sound of the pen tip on paper grew increasingly dull and intense.

After pressing down hard to write something, she posed another question to me.

Meanwhile, Aria raised a hand to temporarily stop Lavi’s questioning.

“If you don’t wish to answer, you don’t have to. We called you here to talk, not to interrogate you. Understand?”

“…I understand.”

“Good. Lavi, tone down your intensity a bit.”

“Yes, I’ll be careful.”

After saying this, Aria gave Lavi a meaningful look, and Lavi nodded obediently to Aria’s words.

About Flora and about Sione.

Why do they have so many questions, and why are they so persistent about finding who used magic?

Feeling like this conversation could go on endlessly, I explained that it was difficult to maintain visibility due to the snowstorm. I expressed uncertainty about whether Flora or Sione could use magic.

When necessary, I firmly kept my mouth shut and avoided answering.

Once I had given adequate responses, Lavi fixed her gaze on her notebook and drifted deep into thought.

Aria, who had been quietly observing the situation, finally spoke.

“Thank you for your time. You may go now.”

At this brief dismissal, I carefully rose from my seat, greeted them, and left.

While I had been conversing with the Marquisate’s people, I wondered how Sione had reacted to Siabel’s request to become my swordsmanship instructor.

…Lavi Cournel had already removed me from her list of suspects and seemed almost convinced that Sione was the one who used magic.

It seems I’ll have much more to discuss with Sione today than usual.

* * *

Aria Allenar confirmed that Ray, Sione Sianella’s attendant, had left. She listened to his footsteps faintly audible beyond the door. As the sound of his steps gradually faded away, and when finally not even a trace of his presence could be detected, she spoke.

“Lavi.”

At Aria’s voice, Lavi, who had been leaning forward as if about to be sucked into her notebook, looked up at her.

“How much of what Ray said do you think was true, and how much was false?”

“……”

“The swordsmanship I witnessed from him showed the experience of a seasoned mercenary, which can’t be explained by mere talent and brief training. And to withstand and counter the heavy attacks of that Demonkin… it would take more than just a little vitality boost to his body.”

“……”

“At least to my eyes, he seemed to be speaking in plausible sentences that cleverly mixed truth and falsehood throughout our conversation. I called him out of curiosity, but I’ve only ended up with more questions. Lavi, what do you think?”

As Aria spoke, Lavi put her pen in her inner pocket and replied.

“Even if you felt that way, I’m… not sure.”

She opened her notebook with one hand and looked down at a single sentence.

“4. Hiding something.”

“I think we need to watch him a bit longer.”

* * *

On my way back to Sione’s room.

Up ahead, I saw Siabel with a hair tie clenched between her lips, neatly gathering her long hair into a ponytail.

Judging by her presence in the corridor and her attire—a fluffy fur coat over thick winter activewear that I hadn’t seen earlier—it seemed her conversation with Sione had ended quite some time ago.

“Hmm?”

Just as I noticed her, Siabel seemed to spot me as well, approaching with a pleased expression.

With both arms raised to hold her hair, she quickly came closer, mumbling something with her red lips. The round hair tie bobbed up and down with her movements.

“Did your conversation with Sione go well?”

“Mm-hmm.”

She nodded vaguely and moved her lips again, saying something unintelligible.

“Cuh yuh hahnd meh thish?”

“…Pardon?”

“Mmm…”

“Are you asking me to hand you the hair tie?”

“Mm.”

I mean… she could easily do this herself, so why is she asking for help?

Judging by the way she was grinning with upturned lips, she seemed to be in a playful mood.

Inwardly shaking my head, I reached toward her mouth.

As I casually picked up the hair tie from between her lips,

Siabel opened her mouth and—

“Chomp.”

—tried to bite my finger.

Siabel was twenty-three, wasn’t she? What kind of behavior was this from a noble who was old enough to know better?

I jerked my hand back in disgust as Siabel giggled.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh come on, it was just a little joke. Now hand over the hair tie.”

“…Here you go.”

Siabel took the hair tie from me and quickly tied up her neatly gathered hair.

Even while tying her hair, and afterward as she gazed at me, she wore a faint smile.

It wasn’t a fleeting smile of amusement at what had just happened.

The deep positive emotion emanating from her showed no signs of disappearing anytime soon.

“Did something good happen?”

“Oh? Was it that obvious?”

I nodded in response to her question.

Siabel chuckled and ruffled my hair.

“Yes, something good did happen. I finally got my first disciple.”

“By disciple, you mean…”

“He’s standing right in front of me now.”

Siabel tilted her head as she put both hands in the pockets of her fur coat.

“My disciple. Ray.”

“…Did Sione give permission?”

“Of course. He readily agreed, saying that even he thought it would be a sin to waste your talent. I’m fortunate that my brother and I are on the same page. Now then—”

Siabel took her right hand out of her pocket and extended it to me.

“I look forward to working with you, Ray.”

Since she was offering a handshake, it would be impolite to just stand there watching.

I took her hand, and at that moment:

[You have become Siabel Sianella’s disciple!]

[Your mana efficiency has greatly improved due to your relationship development with her.]

[From now on, your sword will occasionally inflict more critical wounds on enemies than usual.]

[Siabel Sianella’s interest in you has exceeded a certain level.]

[Siabel Sianella’s assessment of you is ‘A disciple I covet above all else.’]

[When entering battle within a certain distance of Siabel Sianella, a portion of your power will be unlocked in a limited capacity.]

After checking the newly appeared status window, I smiled brightly as well.

“I look forward to your guidance, Master.”

“Hmm… ‘Master’ is too formal, so call me Sister Siabel.”

“Sister Siabel.”

For a while, our teacher-student relationship was filled with mutual smiles.