Ch.109109. Oath (2)

“I’m back─”

“…You’re late.”

Before I could even finish my greeting upon returning to the room, Sione’s whining voice reached my ears.

I was already tired from the unavoidably prolonged conversation earlier. And now she’s taking it out on me.

Well, it’s not like Sione acting this way is anything new. I casually shrugged my shoulders and walked calmly to her side.

“My conversation with Lady Aria went longer than expected. I also ran into Sister Siabel on the way back.”

Sione was sitting on the bed wrapped in a blanket, looking at me with a sullen expression. Her puffed-up cheeks deflated as her eyes narrowed.

That sharp aura piercing through the thick blanket wrapped around her body. The fine wrinkles forming on her fair forehead visible between her disheveled bangs. She was clearly demonstrating her displeasure.

Glare!

“Hmm.”

Sione let out a displeased sound, even glaring at me in a way that was uncharacteristic of her.

That gaze was more intense than I expected, leaving me flustered. Due to her cold stare, I stopped in my tracks before reaching her side. This only provoked a stronger reaction from Sione.

…Seriously, what does she want me to do? Come closer or stay away?

With an awkward expression, I carefully approached her side, and Sione’s blue eyes followed my every move.

“…Sione?”

“…You must have gotten quite close with my sister. You’re calling her ‘sister’ even when it’s just the two of us.”

“Ah.”

Her voice was sulky and displeased.

Until just now, caught up in the mood, I had called Siabel “sister.” Unconsciously using that term in front of Sione seemed to have made her jealous.

Why on earth would she be jealous over something so trivial as how I address her sister?

I recognized the emotion behind that sharp look in my master’s eyes. Despite her age, being confined to her room had given her some rather childish tendencies.

“Are you jealous?”

“…Hmph, jealous? I just noticed you seem closer to my sister than I thought, that’s all.”

She can say what she wants, but she can’t hide it from my eyes.

Her expression twisted slightly in embarrassment when I mentioned the word “jealous.”

Smiling at her obvious emotional state, I gently sat down on the bed.

“Then you want me to call you ‘sister’ too, right?”

“W-what?”

“If it’s not jealousy…there doesn’t seem to be any other reason for you to glare at me like that…”

“…I-I told you. I just noticed you and my sister seemed closer than I thought, so…”

“Sister Sione, don’t be angry.”

As I gently pushed aside the blanket she was wrapped in and stroked her head, Sione finally softened her demeanor.

With the situation resolved, she looked up at me with her head lowered and murmured quietly.

“…When I’m waiting for you alone in the room, try to come back as quickly as possible next time.”

I silently nodded, and Sione gave me a skeptical look.

She stared at me for a while before adding one more thing.

“…That’s an order.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

After this exchange, we slowly began to converse.

The topics were naturally predetermined.

How Siabel came to teach me swordsmanship and what Aria and I had discussed when she summoned me. Mixing these two stories appropriately and occasionally exchanging light jokes, time passed quickly.

As time went on, the sun began to lose its strength. The bright light that had been streaming through the window was gone. Now only a gentle glow provided warmth to the shaded room.

Just as I noticed the relentless passage of time through the window.

Knock knock.

Someone was knocking on Sione’s door again.

“We seem to have a lot of visitors today.”

“Indeed. I’ll check who it is.”

Leaving Sione behind, her hair and clothes disheveled from rolling around on the bed.

I quickly straightened my clothes before greeting the visitor.

When I opened the door, I saw a maid. A familiar face. After being brought to the Count’s residence by Ainel’s hand, I had learned my duties as a servant from this maid. It was somewhat nostalgic seeing her face after quite some time.

But that aside, there must be a reason for her visit.

I gave her a polite nod and asked about her business.

“What brings you here?”

“Lord Ainel has requested that Lady Sione and her personal attendant, Ray, come to the office as she has important matters to discuss.”

“Lord Ainel, you say?”

“Yes, please come as quickly as possible.”

“Understood.”

After delivering her message, the maid withdrew and the door closed again.

What kind of day is this? Why won’t things end today?

I swallowed a sigh and turned around.

Sione must have heard Ainel’s name mentioned in my conversation with the maid. She had already gotten out of bed and was tilting her head curiously.

I relayed what I had heard from the maid.

“The head of the family is calling for us.”

* * *

Knock knock.

Sione, having tidied her appearance, knocked on the door of Ainel’s office.

“Mother, I’m coming in.”

With a cold expression and stiff tone.

Sione seemed quite tense about Ainel’s sudden summons.

And I was just as tense as Sione.

‘Every time Sione visits the office, something happens.’

Whenever Sione was called to Ainel’s office, troublesome matters always followed her back.

Being sent to the Marquisate of Feiosha, her former fiancé’s family. Going to the Beltrin Mountains with Siabel. Even hunting monsters this winter. All these events came after Sione’s visits to the office.

And it wasn’t just her.

‘It’s the same for me.’

It’s the same when I’m summoned to Ainel’s office instead of Sione.

Though I’ve been made human now, I remember how bleak things seemed when I first became this troublemaker’s personal servant. Even now, I still feel a bit of that resentment when I think about it.

Not to mention Ainel holding a sword to my throat, and the abrupt announcement about going to the kingdom’s capital.

Ainel in her office always presented trials for Sione and me.

And I expect this time will be no different.

“Come in.”

Hearing the permission from beyond the wall, Sione opened the door and took the first step inside.

I carefully followed her into the office.

I looked straight ahead and saw Ainel.

She was calmly observing Sione and me with her arms crossed.

“…You came quite quickly. Though many things have changed over the year, your slow pace remains the same.”

The same words Ainel had spoken a year ago, chiding Sione for her bear-like tardiness, came from her lips again.

However, everything else was distinctly different from a year ago.

The cold, indifferent wall-eyes of a mother looking at her daughter, which had once seemed impenetrable, no longer existed. The difference between indifference and serenity. Her wall-eyes now held a touch of warmth instead of cold disinterest.

Her tone was different too.

The rebuke was gone, replaced with just a hint of grumbling.

We had certainly taken some time to prepare before visiting Ainel, so this level of complaint was understandable.

“…I apologize for being late.”

When Sione bowed her head in apology, Ainel raised her hand in forgiveness.

“May I ask why you’ve called for me and Ray?”

“Here, read this parchment.”

“This is…”

Sione received a piece of parchment from Ainel.

After examining the writing on it for a while, she looked up again.

“…A mana oath?”

“Yes. It’s an oath your attendant will take. I thought you should know about it too, as his master, so I called you together.”

Ainel, who had been fiddling with her fountain pen while looking at Sione, now turned her gaze toward me.

“Although it’s not an oath mediated by an exceptional mage, so breaking it won’t cost you your life. But it’s enough to make you an idiot or cripple if violated.”

“…Enough to make one an idiot or cripple.”

Squeeze.

Sione’s hand holding the parchment tightened.

“…No.”

“Didn’t you read it? It’s just simple conditions about not betraying the Sianella family…and it’s also an oath to protect you.”

“But…”

“Sione. Your concern is evident.”

Ainel rested her chin on her hand and began tapping the desk with her index finger.

“Do you see your slave as someone who would become crippled for failing to keep a single clause?”

“…No.”

“Right, given his behavior toward us so far, he should be able to keep it easily. Now, hand the parchment to Ray.”

Sione carefully passed the parchment to me.

I received it from her and calmly read the inscribed words.

A mana oath.

I remembered that day after catching the Arachne in the Beltrin Mountains, when Ainel had interrogated me. She had mentioned making me take an oath.

However, with no news for over half a year, I thought it had been forgotten, but apparently she intended to have me take the oath today.

The terms of the oath were simple.

In summary, I was to be loyal to Sione, and my sword and magic—more precisely, my hostility and killing intent—should never be directed at her. And I must not betray the County of Sianella.

Yet there were also provisions allowing certain exceptions in special situations to protect Sione’s life and my own.

Since I had no intention of harming Sione or betraying the County anyway.

As I wouldn’t break it anyway, I nodded readily.

“I’ll do it.”

My response elicited contrasting reactions from Sione and Ainel.

Ainel nodded with satisfaction, while Sione showed some anxiety.

As Ainel said, with such basic and simple conditions that I wouldn’t break anyway, I didn’t understand why she was so worried.

She seemed displeased by even the slightest possibility that I could become crippled or an idiot.

Kid, I guess you’ve grown fond of me after all this time. I’ll make sure to give you a big hug when we get back to the room.

I proceeded with the actions needed to complete the oath.

“Take this. Mark the bottom with your blood.”

“As you command.”

I pricked my thumb with the small blade Ainel handed me.

With a sharp pain, a dark drop of blood emerged.

Squeeze.

I pressed my thumb onto the designated space for the blood mark on the parchment.

Woong!

The words inscribed on the parchment began to glow blue. The blue light seeped into my beating heart, then constricted around me.

The sensation wasn’t particularly pleasant.

“Tsk.”

I couldn’t help but grimace.

“Ray, are you okay?”

Sione showed deep concern at this.

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all now.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’m truly fine.”

“If you say so…”

With Sione behind me, I handed the completed oath parchment to Ainel.

Ainel, who had been watching Sione and me with interest, took the parchment from me and said while touching her lips:

“You’ve taken the oath. No regrets?”

“I will be loyal to the County and Lady Sione.”

Ainel slightly raised the corner of her mouth and nodded at my words.

“As long as you keep your oath, the County and my protection as a knight will always be with you.”

“You mean…”

“Congratulations. The Margrave of the western kingdom, who possesses more power than anyone else, will be your ally from now on. You no longer need to hide yourself.”

“…”

“Even if many are watching you, you may unleash all your power without hesitation when necessary, such as when Sione is under attack. For instance, that spirit magic of yours.”

“But.”

“We will bear the repercussions that spread throughout the world.”

“…Are you capable of that?”

It might be an arrogant question, but I needed clear confirmation.

“The moment you reveal your power, I will declare that our family and I stand behind you. Those who send assassins out of jealousy or try to test you will become enemies of our family. At least within the kingdom, those branded as enemies of our County will live each day as if in hell.”

“…”

“However, you must not display that power out of mere vanity.”

“I’ll be mindful of that.”

As I quietly listened to her words, Ainel opened her desk drawer and took out an elegant box.

Placing it on the desk, she spoke:

“Sione, take this.”

“This is…”

“You may open it.”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Inside the box were rings. A pair of couple rings. Each ring had a white gemstone embedded in it, giving off a subtle glow.

“When mana is infused, a blue light will surround the matching ring. If anything happens to you, call your attendant with that ring. And Ray, when the ring responds, put aside all other matters and focus on Sione.”

“…I will comply.”

After the conversation ended, Ainel picked up a document from beside her and placed it in front of herself. She began writing something with her fountain pen again.

Taking this as our dismissal, Sione and I quietly left the office.

* * *

We returned to Sione’s room.

My master excitedly hurried to the table.

She took out one of the rings and then hurried back to me.

“Ray, your hand!”

…I’m not a dog that just gives its paw when asked.

I grumbled internally but extended my right hand to her.

“No, not your right hand. Your left.”

“My left hand?”

“Yes, yes.”

I reluctantly offered my left hand.

Sione slipped the ring she was holding onto my finger.

“Hehe.”

After putting the ring on my finger, Sione smiled broadly and returned to the table.

It was on the ring finger of my left hand.

Then Sione, wearing a matching ring, infused it with mana.

Woong─

My ring resonated with Sione’s and glowed with a blue light.

With a slightly reddened face, Sione exclaimed:

“Bring me cookies!”