Ch.153153. Organizing and Preparing (6)

“…I came to deliver this.”

“What…?”

Sion tightly closed his mouth and held out a small box to Sione.

Like me, Sione was momentarily speechless at Sion’s sudden gift, and could only stare quietly down at the box.

Even though he dressed like a devout priest even within the Count’s residence.

His holy priest’s garments couldn’t cover his past filled with mockery and ridicule toward Sione.

Unlike the gift Siabel had given before, they weren’t yet on reconciled terms. So Sione couldn’t easily take his gift into her hands.

“What is this?”

At Sione’s suspicious question, Sion just frowned as if he’d expected that reaction.

“Just. Take it and open it, why don’t you?”

At those words, Sione raised her hand, but she hesitated, examining the exterior of the box.

Finally, tired of this, Sion quickly placed the box on her hand.

“You didn’t put anything strange inside, did you?”

“…How could a priest play such pranks with a precious box bearing the church’s seal?”

“Hmm……”

Well, recently Sion has been following the path of a devout priest, even wanting to become a battle priest, which is unlike him.

As a devout believer, could he really put something strange in a gift box stamped with the church’s solemn seal?

The problem is that Sion only shows such ill-mannered behavior to Sione. He seems to behave adequately, or even better than that, in matters unrelated to our sponsor.

Still, since Sion has his head on straight, there must be something worth expecting inside that box.

‘A box with the church’s seal. And what’s contained inside.’

It makes me curious.

I know that the church in this world doesn’t misuse their seal and only stamps it on important things that have sufficient value.

How can I not be curious about what valuable item might be inside?

Well, that’s probably why Sione is hesitant to accept Sion’s gift. Because there’s no way Sion would give her such a precious box.

I subtly moved my feet to stand where I could best see the box.

“Wouldn’t it be good to open it now? The sun will set at this rate.”

“Don’t rush me.”

“Then if you don’t want me to rush you, sister, you could just move quickly.”

“Ah, really……”

Zap!

Sione and Sion’s gazes meet.

Their powerful battle of nerves begins, like small sparks flying.

I maintain my third-party position and quietly reduce my presence.

A long battle of wills, like spear against shield.

“Haah……”

The battle ends with Sione’s sigh, and she shifts her gaze to the object in her hand.

“Then I’ll open it now.”

The box in Sione’s hand opens, and finally the contents appear.

She grasped what was neatly arranged inside and lifted it up.

“This is……”

The sound of connected precious metal chains flowing down with a gentle chime.

And then the jewel hanging at the end, containing warm Divine Power, emitting an energy that gives the viewer a sense of stability.

From any perspective, it looked like nothing but an expensive necklace made by the church with Divine Power poured into it.

As Sione was momentarily distracted, quietly looking at the necklace, Sion crossed his arms and observed his sister’s frozen state with blue eyes.

“It would be good to try it on.”

“…You want me to wear this?”

“If not you, sister, then whose hands would be holding the necklace?”

Sione and Sion exchange looks of disbelief at each other.

However, since Sione was the recipient, she didn’t deeply contest his words and only relieved her frustration with a sigh more exhausted than ever.

Clink. Clink.

With the sound of chain friction, the necklace finally hung around Sione’s neck.

White silver chain and an intricately cut transparent jewel.

However, at the center of the transparent jewel, intense Divine Power was trapped, illuminating the entire jewel like the yellow sunlight of a holy morning.

The light escaping from the jewel tinted the ends of Sione’s hair, which fell to around her collarbone, a pale yellow.

I couldn’t help but closely observe the necklace that was clearly no ordinary item.

‘It’s obviously no ordinary object.’

With such concentrated Divine Power.

An object enhanced with magical enchantment. That necklace must have at least one unique ability worthy of being called an artifact.

It seems like one of the items the church put considerable effort into making.

Even I, who am distant from Divine Power, could immediately tell it was extraordinary just by sensing it here.

It was worthy of having the church’s seal on the necklace’s case.

“Hmm.”

Sion briefly checks Sione’s expression as she carefully examines the necklace and begins to speak.

“Thanks to you losing weight… we’ve avoided the sight of pearls on a pig’s neck. It suits you quite well.”

His tone, prim yet sufficient to grate on Sione’s nerves, was more than enough to provoke a punch. It seems Sion’s temperament remains unchanged.

However, whether Sione has become a sage or whether the weight of the necklace around her neck is too heavy.

Without engaging in any battle of nerves, she directly faced him and asked.

“…So this necklace—”

“Since I’ve already told you to wear it… you’ve noticed, haven’t you, sister? That necklace is yours.”

“Sion, you’re giving this necklace to me?”

Sion quietly nodded at her question.

A momentary silence weighed heavily on both their shoulders, stretching out like an eternity binding them together.

The one who raised the white flag first and broke the silence and pressure was Sion Sianella.

“…Sione Sianella, who defeated numerous monsters on the walls and achieved merits not shameful to the County. The church and—”

Then he pressed his lips tightly, and after hesitation, they gently opened again.

“And I……”

A voice as disgustingly small as a mouse crawling.

However, since everyone here could handle Mana.

With senses developed far beyond average due to Mana, Sione and I could clearly hear his voice and understand its meaning.

“It’s a small gift along with praise for you, sister. You can accept it without feeling burdened.”

As soon as the embarrassing words ended, he uncrossed his arms and scratched the side of his head unnecessarily.

“I also heard from mother. That you and that attendant… will soon be going to the Great Forest and various other things.”

Sion’s gaze turns to me, who was blankly watching their conversation from behind.

As the gaze suddenly approached me who was comfortably observing them, I slightly lowered my head in respect.

Fortunately, Sion showed no particular reaction and shifted his gaze to check Sione’s necklace.

She lightly examined that Divine Power and once again looked directly at Sione, and Sione also faced him naturally without wavering.

“That necklace will be helpful. With the Divine Power currently contained, you can perform a total of three divine miracles.”

“…Miracles?”

“You can heal your own wounds, or like magic, if you spread a veil of Divine Power, it can adequately block the swords and spears of ordinary soldiers for a short time. However….”

Sion makes a small sign of the cross.

“This is Divine Power, not a protective spell through Mana. Rather than spreading the veil, it would be better to use it to heal someone.”

“……”

“If you ask priests to bestow blessings, Divine Power can be refilled anytime. So it would be good to use it wisely.”

Sion, who suddenly poured out long words, took one step forward to narrow the distance with Sione.

“Sister Sione.”

“…What is it?”

“I wouldn’t want to hear news that you died unsightly in the Great Forest. If you’re going to die bleeding… not in someone else’s yard but as a dignified person of our family.”

Sione’s eyes widen a little, and then more and more.

“It would be right to die at least under the walls you protected while bleeding.”

“……”

“Whatever happens, try to return alive if at all possible.”

After saying that, Sion stepped back a few paces.

“Well, I’ve said everything I wanted to say… I hope you use that necklace wisely.”

Sion abruptly gave his farewell greeting and left Sione’s room.

The door closed with a thud, and Sione stared blankly at it.

She stroked the jewel of the necklace, looked alternately at the jewel and me.

Then she stared at me with a strangely contorted face.

“Ray.”

“…Yes.”

“I think he ate something wrong.”

Sione asks me in an extremely serious voice, like when she’s muttering about which cookie to eat first.

“…Should I tell mother that Sion is acting a bit strange?”

I moved my head in an ambiguous gesture that couldn’t be said to be either nodding or shaking my head at her words.

Honestly, I don’t understand Sion’s sudden behavior either.

I, like Sione, just stared intently at the glowing jewel of the necklace.

* * *

A new dawn rose brightly, and finally the promised day arrived.

I was lying on the bed in my room, spitting out irritable monologues.

“Ah, please.”

Finally, the day to board that damn carriage had come.