Ch.141141. Know Your Place (1)

Sione’s shooting practice had finally ended.

She approached me after exchanging brief greetings with Flora, the Ranger in the next position.

Flora, who had turned around following Sione, awkwardly bowed her head toward me as well.

She talks so comfortably with the County’s young lady.

Perhaps because it’s been a long time since we hunted Kobolds together.

Unlike back then, seeing her awkward gestures now, it seems she’s actually more comfortable with Sione, who outranks me, than with me.

I briefly nodded to her before greeting Sione.

“Good work.”

“Thanks, Ray. You too. You must have been sparring with my sister… and now you’ve handled a bow as well. Are you not tired?”

“No. I’m fine.”

I’m not the same person who just escaped from iron bars a year ago.

The Mana I’ve accumulated and the physical abilities I’ve developed while clearing quests have now reached a certain level.

Well, this much is nothing. I am tired, but not enough to worry about.

We left the training grounds, exchanging trivial conversation as we entered the corridor inside the mansion.

Bright light streamed through the windows lining the sides. The corridor, filled with the subtle scent of aged wood, seemed unusually empty of servants today.

As a result, the only sounds echoing through the tranquil corridor were the footsteps of Sione and myself.

Then suddenly.

“Hmm…”

Sione gradually closed the distance between us, let out a small sigh, and then…

She glanced at me with the kind of look that children have when they want something.

I see she’s going to ask me to run an errand before I can return to my room.

“Ah, I’m a bit hungry after drawing the bowstring so much—”

See, I knew it.

“Should I bring cookies as usual?”

“No, something different today.”

Whoosh!

Sione raised her small hand.

“One sandwich made by Ray.”

She extended her index finger from her clenched fist to indicate one.

Her fingertips had calluses from long practice with the pinch-grip archery technique.

She made an enigmatic expression for a moment, rolling her pupils around, and then…

Whoosh!

She suddenly extended her middle finger, making it two.

“No, I think two would be better.”

I stared at her blankly for a moment.

It’s already annoying to make one, and now she wants two.

I was a bit irritated by how boldly she made demands without ever getting her own hands wet, but…

Grumble…

“Ah…”

“…Hmm.”

Since our master seemed hungry enough to boldly request two sandwiches, I quietly nodded.

“I’ll make them.”

“…Thanks.”

Sione, embarrassed that I had heard her stomach growl, couldn’t easily lift her head.

Surely a robust young lady of this continent shouldn’t hang her head so easily over a mere stomach growl.

I smiled gently to help ease her embarrassment.

“There’s no need to be so embarrassed.”

“Ah, I don’t know. Be quiet…”

“It’s not like the sound echoed loudly through the corridor. It was just a small noise. Don’t keep staring at the floor—hold your head up proudly and look forward.”

“I said I don’t know—”

Finally, as Sione gave in to my urging and raised her head to look ahead…

“Lady Sione?”

Sione stopped walking and stood still.

Looking at her profile, which had held a small smile just moments ago…

I could see her sky-blue pupils focusing on something ahead of us.

I too turned my head to look forward and…

‘That’s…’

I could see the figure that had suddenly appeared before us, capturing Sione’s attention.

Warm brown hair fell to her shoulders in a medium-length cut.

A rigid expression that made her seem like a person harboring cold, colorless emotions. Sharp eyes gazing at us impassively.

It was a look that might evoke fear, discomfort, or rudeness, but her face far surpassed the beauty possessed by most noble ladies, to the point where even this became a kind of charm.

She was a woman whose beauty alone would earn her decent treatment wherever she went.

But if there was one flaw—

‘An elf.’

The pointed ears protruding through her hair.

Those pointed ears proved that she was an elf, not a human like us.

I knew there was another elf besides Friel Arielt residing in the Count’s mansion.

But the elves’ quarters were quite far from here, and they had no reason to come to this corridor.

Why on earth was an elf walking from the direction of Sione’s room, causing us to encounter her like this?

Click, click.

As we momentarily lost our focus to her, she slowly approached us.

After closing the distance somewhat, she greeted us in a flat, emotionless voice.

“I offer my greetings. Lady Sione Sianella, and—”

Inscrutable black eyes. Only her pupils rolled to take in my appearance.

Sniff, sniff.

She inhaled once as she took in my appearance.

Her straight nose twitched slightly, and finally, a small emotion appeared in her previously mechanical demeanor. Curiosity and surprise.

She must be surprised by my spirit energy. She would smell not only the refreshing scent of wind but also the burning wood aroma that leaked from me.

With slightly widened eyes, she continued her greeting while looking at me.

“The lady’s spirit mage.”

Seemingly displeased with the elf’s gaze…

Sione stepped slightly in front of me and responded to her greeting.

I also quietly bowed my head behind her, and as silence returned to the corridor, the pointy-eared one’s eyes rolled toward Sione again.

“I am Elisa, serving Lord Friel from the House of Arielt.”

Sione quietly met her gaze and spoke.

“Elisa… do you have some business with me?”

“Lord Friel Arielt has a message he wishes to convey to Lady Sione, which is why I’ve come here.”

“From Lord Friel Arielt of the Great Forest?”

“Yes. Lord Friel says that he has great interest in the spirit mage’s spirit arts. If Lady Sione permits, he would like to offer advice on spirit arts to the spirit mage as a personal favor without compensation, not as a master-disciple relationship but as a guest and simple advisor.”

“…I see.”

Sione briefly crossed her arms, thinking about Elisa’s words, then uncrossed them and answered.

“…I’m very grateful for Lord Friel’s kindness, but I find it difficult to give an immediate answer. I’ll need some time to think about it, if that’s acceptable?”

“Of course.”

Elisa gave a formal, faint smile at Sione’s words and took a step back.

“If you are interested in Lord Friel’s offer, please visit the room assigned to Lord Friel tomorrow morning.”

Having said that, Elisa bowed her head again, offering a respectful greeting.

* * *

Elisa, the servant of Friel Arielt.

After the conversation with her, Sione went to her room first.

I returned to her side after making sandwiches for both of us.

Two for Sione. One for me.

We were sitting at the table, slowly tasting our sandwiches while talking.

“Ray, what do you think about what that elf Elisa said?”

“If you mean Friel Arielt offering to give me advice on spirit arts…”

I gently placed the sandwich I was holding back on the plate.

I needed to focus on thinking rather than chewing food for a moment.

“I think it’s not a bad offer.”

Friel Arielt.

For a dark-eared pointy-ear, it actually sounds quite reasonable. No, I actually think it’s a good offer.

“Lord Friel Arielt is from the Arielt family blessed by spirits, and is more proficient in spirit arts than anyone among the elves. For an ordinary spirit mage, this would be an opportunity they couldn’t get even for vast sums of money.”

“Hmm… I guess so…?”

“Moreover, he clearly stated that this isn’t a master-disciple relationship, but merely offering advice on spirit arts as a simple gesture of goodwill, as a guest of the Count’s family.”

Indeed, the elves’ spirit arts are truly impressive.

The power of magic cast through arrows, techniques for conserving Mana, methods to resonate more easily with spirits.

They live their entire lives practically alongside spirits, so they can rightfully be called masters with deep expertise in spirits.

Their help will certainly be useful someday, even if it’s only understood intellectually rather than physically mastered. This can be called nothing less than a fortunate opportunity.

Moreover, rather than becoming entangled in a troublesome master-disciple relationship…

The statement about advising from a guest’s perspective, at a distance…

The claim that everything will be done out of personal goodwill… This indicates that she doesn’t intend to make any major schemes out of this.

It seems she wants to gain favor with Sione and me through this opportunity.

“So Ray… what do you think about receiving spirit arts advice from Friel…?”

“I—”

But unfortunately—

“I don’t really need to bother receiving her advice.”

Since I’m not just a mediocre spirit mage.

“My spirit arts are already superior to those of most elves.”

It’s just that this body is a bit lacking right now.

I have a higher understanding than ordinary elves.

As I confidently spoke about my abilities, which I’m quite proud of…

“Wow—”

Sione just looked at me with an expression that said I was being obnoxious, while continuing to munch on her sandwich.