Ch.165165. First Impression (2)

“I was quite nervous about the meeting with the Marquisate of Kallia. Fortunately, the head of the family welcomed us kindly. You did well, Lord Diolia.”

“Didn’t Lady Sione answer almost all of the head’s questions? I merely stood beside Lady Sione… there’s nothing to praise me for.”

“Being there beside her is what matters. Don’t you think it would have been suffocating if she had faced the head alone without you?”

Sione’s voice carried a hint of playfulness.

Diolia rolled her eyes slightly to gauge Sione’s mood.

Since Sione seemed to be in a good mood, it appeared safe to engage in some light banter.

Diolia also relaxed a bit, just like Sione, and said:

“I see. But for such a role, wouldn’t you have been more comfortable bringing Ray along instead of me?”

Diolia asked in a subtle voice.

“Ah….”

Sione responded with a blank voice to Diolia’s words, unconsciously agreeing with her statement.

Then, turning to the side and noticing Diolia’s slightly upturned lips, Sione let out a somewhat awkward laugh.

“Haha…. Not just Ray, but you are also a loyal and reliable knight. I rely on you just as much.”

“That’s quite pleasing to hear. I will serve with utmost loyalty until the day we return to the County.”

“Mm.”

Sione nodded quietly and walked slightly ahead of Diolia.

As a result, Diolia missed Sione’s profile. The daughter of the Count who had just pledged her loyalty could only observe Sione’s back and her somewhat excited footsteps with her characteristically deep gaze.

“Come to think of it… the head of the family mentioned Ray quite a bit… and expressed a desire to have a chance to speak with him. It seems news from our County has already reached here.”

“Indeed. After all, demons crawled out of a Magia field that had been quiet for over a thousand years. And some time has passed since then. Moreover, we could only achieve victory after receiving reinforcements from the royal family. It’s impossible for them not to know.”

Diolia nodded at Sione’s words.

Especially if news of the war had reached them, wouldn’t the unique existence of the County—the male knight of Sianella—have become an interesting topic of gossip along with it?

If rumors had merely spread abundantly, unless they had seen him directly from the city walls, the drunkards in taverns would have been wasting time debating whether those rumors were true or false. But since the head of the County, Ainel Sianella, had announced his existence and officially declared her intention to protect him, the existence of a male knight who skillfully handled Mana and stood proudly among strong women could no longer be dismissed as an urban legend.

It seemed that even the head of the Marquisate was curious about the true nature of this rumored figure.

“Next time when we have a chance to meet with the head, it might not be bad to bring him along with me.”

“Hmm….”

“Though he is of humble birth, his talent and abilities are no less than those who come from distinguished bloodlines. The head, who was once a born warrior, would probably enjoy conversing with Ray.”

“…Do you know the head from when she was younger?”

“Of course. I can still vividly remember the head’s appearance at the academy over ten years ago. The way she fluidly connected her sword techniques was remarkable.”

“Over ten years ago?”

Sione’s narrowed gaze enveloped Diolia.

Diolia’s eyes sparkled with admiration as she recalled the past.

But that was only momentary; under Sione’s prolonged stare, which was almost burdensome, she could only shrug her shoulders.

“Why do you ask?”

“Lord… may I ask how old you are now?”

“I’m just over thirty. But… why do you suddenly ask about my age…?”

“Hmm, that’s right. You look quite young for your age. For a moment, I misjudged your age.”

“Haha, thank you for the compliment. As a knight who has accepted Mana, my aging process is slower, that’s all. The real issue is that at this age, I haven’t managed to catch a husband, like a rabbit.”

Diolia seemed pleased by the comment about looking young.

The atmosphere relaxed considerably, similar to when she conversed with her subordinates.

“Lady Sione should be careful too. If someone you want as a partner appears, you should take the initiative and firmly grasp their heart. Otherwise, you might end up like me.”

In a world where most people marry by twenty-five, Diolia was a knight who remained single past thirty.

Sione nodded, seemingly absorbed in Diolia’s self-deprecating joke.

“…Take the initiative and firmly grasp their heart.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Diolia simply agreed with Sione’s words, which somehow felt sincere, without giving it much thought.

As they slowly walked through the corridor, returning to their assigned quarters, they began to see two figures approaching from the opposite direction.

Zzzzt—

‘Hmm…?’

Sione’s intuition detected something strange about them.

Before crossing paths with these strangers, Sione and Diolia’s attention focused on the two ahead.

‘Those people….’

Sione’s blue eyes scanned the two people in front.

One was a man, the other a woman. The man was dressed in clothing made of expensive fabric, suggesting he held a high status. The woman wore a priest’s robe with the same design as the one her younger brother had worn when he gifted her a necklace.

‘Hmm.’

Sione’s gaze shifted from the priest to the nobleman.

His warm brown hair and deep black eyes hinted at his lineage.

That color and the subtle etiquette he displayed…

They were very similar to those of Illeina Kallia, the head of the Marquisate of Kallia.

As she quietly observed him approaching from a distance, Diolia spoke:

“…That’s Lord Allen Kallia, the second son. Would you like to exchange greetings?”

While Illeina’s wrinkled face allowed one to imagine the beauty she must have possessed in her youth, and Eunice Kallia, whom she had seen at the royal palace, displayed a fox-like allure, Allen Kallia was somewhat different.

Though he possessed an overall excellent appearance due to his distinguished lineage, his eyes, which were narrowly slanted, gave an impression that could be described as cold and rational at best, or vile at worst.

Combined with what she had previously heard about the second son from Friel Arielt, his impression did not sit well with Sione.

“We’ll exchange greetings another time. For now, I’d like to return to our room and rest.”

“As you wish.”

The distance between them and Allen Kallia continued to decrease.

His demeanor, appearance, and her intuition began to evaluate him more accurately.

Finally, his gaze started to focus on her silver-white hair and then her face.

After briefly taking in her silver-white hair, he smiled gently and met her eyes.

‘…A sense of discomfort?’

While she felt an inexplicable deep discomfort from him, his increasingly upturned lips gave her an uneasy feeling.

It was strange.

‘I don’t sense any Magia…’

The sense ingrained in her blood to repel Magia gradually awakened.

This was an unprecedented situation she had never experienced before.

—The second son, Allen Kallia, has something ominous about him, so it would be better to approach him with caution rather than goodwill.

Following Friel Arielt’s advice, Sione kindled a spark of doubt and vigilance in her heart.

The flame that began to burn spread throughout her body with each heartbeat, seeping into her blood.

“I heard many distinguished guests have arrived today…. And here we meet. You must be Lady Sione Sianella, correct?”

A low, mid-tone voice that had the power to calm its listeners.

“Welcome to our Marquisate, my lady.”

He skillfully produced a bright smile.

“…Thank you for your hospitality.”

Quite a handsome appearance. Had she not heard about him beforehand, she might have accepted that smile purely as goodwill.

But now, that smile only made her uncomfortable due to the sense of discomfort she felt from him.

Allen Kallia then exchanged greetings with Diolia, and formal conversation continued for a while.

After some time, Allen Kallia took a step closer to the priestess and said:

“Well… I’d like to talk with you longer, but unfortunately, I have matters to attend to now. My lady?”

“Yes?”

“If it’s not too presumptuous, I’d like to share some refreshments and conversation with you next time… would that be alright?”

“…With me?”

“Yes! Since stories about the County and your heroic deeds have spread here…. Hehe, I’ve been secretly admiring you.”

It was a frivolous smile.

That’s why his words about heroic deeds and admiration didn’t stir any emotion in her.

Therefore, Sione continued to treat him with a businesslike, cold demeanor.

“…It wouldn’t be bad to have a conversation sometime if the opportunity arises. However, I will be heading to the Great Forest soon… so it might be a bit difficult.”

At that response, Allen Kallia’s bright eyes cooled for a brief moment before returning to normal.

“Hmm… I really wanted to have a conversation with you…. That’s unfortunate….”

Skillfully mixing sincerity and nasal tones in his voice, he subtly acted coquettishly and slightly puffed his cheeks.

“Well, it can’t be helped then. Please enjoy your stay at the Marquisate.”

Every conversation inevitably ends with a parting.

Since they met by chance on crossing paths, there wasn’t much opportunity for a lengthy conversation.

Allen Kallia began to leave the place with the priestess, showing some signs of haste.

‘That priestess….’

Sione, who had been carefully observing the priestess following Allen Kallia from the corner of her eye, also slowly began to take steps again.

Once they were at a distance where no one could overhear their conversation, Diolia, with a displeased expression, spoke:

“Lady Sione, did you see?”

“If you mean what I saw.”

“The priestess standing beside Lord Allen Kallia.”

“Her… yes, I saw.”

Sione slowly nodded.

“…For some reason, the focus of her pupils couldn’t settle and kept dilating.”

Allen Kallia and the priestess.

They were individuals with many suspicious aspects.

“But I think it’s better to avoid delving deeper into this question. What do you think?”

“I will simply follow Lady Sione’s will.”

* * *

“Is that what happened?”

“Yes, it was quite suspicious… it’s probably best to avoid them as much as possible from now on.”

“Hmm… there are certainly some dubious aspects.”

I pondered over the encounter with Allen Kallia that Sione had told me about.

My first impression of Allen Kallia, properly felt through her, from the rumors to the priestess accompanying him, was that he was an incredibly suspicious second son of a noble family.

Both officially and personally, he was someone I absolutely did not want to associate with.

“Well, anyway… I indirectly told him I have no intention of conversing with him. So he probably won’t bother us much in the future.”

“Hmm… that’s a relief then.”

But things would have to go smoothly at least once for me to feel at ease about it.

I could only reluctantly nod at Sione’s words with an uneasy feeling.

* * *

In Allen Kallia’s soundproof room.

Allen opened his desk drawer and took out a small box with a lock.

“Meril. You endured well. This is what you needed, right?”

“Yes. Yes…! P-please, Master, g-give me the medicine…!”

The priestess began to beg on her knees.

Allen Kallia nudged her with his foot, wearing a deep smile.

“Oh my, Meril. What are you doing, looking so unsightly? Did you miss this that much?”

“Ah, aah…!”

When Allen took out a paper envelope containing white powder from the small locked box, the priestess began to convulse.

“I’m giving this to you because you played your part well this time too. Understand?”

“Yes, y-yes… thank you, M-Master….”

The priestess, with bloodshot eyes, was busy checking her share while muttering things like “thank you, Master.”

Allen looked at the priestess with cold eyes and murmured:

“Silver-white hair… quite pretty.”

The captain of the First Knight Order, who had now become his loyal pawn.

A woman who had given him a cold gaze devoid of even a trace of emotion, just like during their first meeting.

“Perhaps targeting the lady would be easier in many ways than the stubborn elf.”

After saying that, Allen sank into his armchair and let out a deep sigh.

“…I must become the head of the family.”

Allen’s black eyes gleamed sharply in the shadowy room, harboring ominousness.