Ch.213213. Probation (3)

“I’m sorry, but could you please step aside for a moment… or would you mind quickly handing over that potion?”

Faced with her unexpectedly cold and negative, cynical response, Airine pressed her lips tightly together.

She picked up one of the potions beside her as Sione had requested and handed it to her.

“Here—”

“Thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Swish!

Without hesitation, Sione snatched the potion, uncorked the glass bottle, and began pouring the red liquid over Ray’s leg.

The magia in the wound had already faded considerably due to Sione’s efforts.

Finally, as the weakened impurity’s resistance diminished, the potion’s effects gradually appeared. Slowly, very slowly, new flesh began to form over the wound on Ray’s leg.

“Haaah…”

Sione let out an exhausted sigh after confirming with her own eyes that his leg was gradually healing.

Her voice carried a hint of relief, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

However, until the wound was completely healed and Ray regained consciousness, she couldn’t truly relax. Sione’s excessively sharp demeanor showed no signs of subsiding.

After using an entire bottle of potion solely to heal his injured leg, Diolia took a step toward her, as if she had been waiting for this moment.

Sione immediately began channeling her mana into Ray once again.

“Lady Sione. Didn’t you promise to rest after using that last potion?”

“…”

“The potion has clearly started healing his leg, so you can afford to relax a little.”

Sione remained silent in response to Diolia’s words.

Diolia continued speaking, clearly frustrated and trying her best not to furrow her brow.

“You’ve already emptied six mana potions completely. Two or three might be manageable, but six is pushing yourself too far.”

Forcibly squeezing out what little remained, and then drinking several more bottles to pour out even more mana—it was inevitable that her body would suffer.

Signs of fatigue were clearly visible throughout Sione’s body.

“At this rate, you’ll collapse too. If Ray were conscious right now, he would surely stop you from overexerting yourself like this.”

As Sione gazed down at Ray lying quietly, Diolia took another step forward and urged:

“Truly, you must rest now.”

At these words, Sione’s eyes finally turned toward Diolia.

Airine had stepped back and was quietly listening to their conversation, carefully reading the situation.

“Sir, do you know how many times Ray has thrown himself in harm’s way for me?”

“That is—”

“You surely know the first time. Starting with when he single-handedly stopped those who attacked me on our way to the Marquisate of Feiosha.”

Diolia had been about to respond to Sione’s cold tone but chose to remain silent instead.

“Twice in the Beltrin Mountains. Once, he protected me by throwing himself into danger until his arm was torn to shreds. At the royal palace during the commotion, and on the estate during the storm, and on the walls swarming with enemies. I’ve been saved by him countless times, both in major and minor ways.”

“Sir Diolia, what I’m doing now is nothing compared to what he has done for me. Besides Ray, who else would repeatedly risk their life to protect mine since ancient times?”

Sione laughed cynically.

Ray was the only one who had sworn complete loyalty to her.

While Diolia was a faithful knight, if asked whether she would sacrifice her life for Sione… unfortunately, Sione wasn’t convinced she would.

In her world, Ray was the only one willing to throw away his life for her alone, and he was the one with whom she shared the deepest bond.

“After all I’ve received…”

Sione whispered quietly.

“I must repay it.”

With her head bowed, hiding her face, she rolled her eyes to glance at Airine on her left.

Airine of House Ianet had been secretly watching her and Ray before, and while Friel had suffered such severe injuries, she had managed to kill one Demonkin without sustaining major wounds herself.

Though she was grateful that Airine had brought Ray here before his leg was completely ruined…

Frankly, she was suspicious.

She couldn’t tell what intentions the woman might harbor.

“I’ve only repaid him once so far.”

Sione’s eyes gleamed coldly.

While he remained unconscious, she would ensure that no one’s evil hands would touch him.

By any means necessary.

* * *

“It seems I’ve ended up eavesdropping on your conversation. I hope I haven’t been rude.”

“It’s fine. Lady Sione was aware of your presence. She won’t mind.”

“That’s a relief then. I can rest easy.”

After pausing for a moment, Airine closed her eyes briefly, lost in thought.

When she opened her eyelids again, she sighed softly and addressed Diolia.

“The bond between the Lady and her knight seems deeper than I expected.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I too have someone I’ve known for a long time. But no matter how long we’ve been together, it’s difficult to achieve the depth of relationship that the Lady and her knight have.”

“Ah yes. Lady Sione and Ray are particularly close.”

Diolia nodded slightly and continued.

“As Lady Sione mentioned, he has risked his life for her numerous times—”

She stopped mid-sentence to organize her thoughts, preventing her words from becoming unnecessarily lengthy.

How best to summarize their relationship?

After a brief silence, Diolia offered this assessment of the relationship between the two masters and servants, lord and vassal:

“They trust each other without a moment’s hesitation.”

The image of Sione and Ray fighting side by side on the walls was still vivid in her mind.

Even when pointing swords at each other, they never flinched, and depending on the situation, they would shoot arrows past each other’s heads without a single complaint. They simply nodded to each other.

They were bound by the deepest trust.

Sensing Diolia’s sincerity, Airine nodded thoughtfully.

“…Trust, is it.”

It was somewhat unfamiliar to her.

“I envy that.”

Airine envied their genuine trust, not the ambiguous trust she had built.

A little, or perhaps a lot.

* * *

We decided to rest for an entire day before moving again the next day.

Since we had completely destroyed one massive altar, we judged that a day of rest would be acceptable, especially with so many exhausted individuals.

Though we hadn’t encountered any demons hiding in the forest, we had successfully killed all but one of the Demonkin. Having dealt with the most troublesome obstacles, one day wouldn’t hurt.

Now we just needed to take the head of the remaining Demonkin to be able to return. As for the demons, we could form another unit to attack them later.

I briefly informed the elves about our rest and tomorrow’s plans in place of Friel, who was still lying down, and checked on them.

Fortunately, thanks to Ray’s and my achievements that had shown them possibility, everyone’s eyes were filled with hope.

At least, that’s how it appeared to me.

* * *

A new day dawned.

The severely injured remained behind with a few guards. We searched the surroundings and guessed where the enemies might have fled. Having roughly confirmed their location, we could sweep them away tomorrow or the day after and then return.

The problem, however, was the night.

When we returned to our morning location to spend the night, monsters hiding in the darkness came again.

“Prepare for battle!”

This was becoming familiar.

The problem was that one of the two humans who had been actively resolving the situation was still in a deep sleep.

The Lady was insufficient. While skilled at sensing them with her spiritual perception, she lacked the ability to shoot and reveal their positions.

But today was different.

Bang! Swish! Whoosh!

For some reason, the small wind spirit hadn’t been unsummoned despite its summoner falling asleep. It assisted the Lady, and her archery skills visibly became more fluid and quick.

The battle went smoothly.

The Lady claimed most of the credit on the battlefield.

However, the Lady’s condition didn’t look good. With that strange atmosphere, she was coldly shooting arrows like a machine. It was different from her usual self.

Eventually, her hands were injured from the bowstring, and red blood began to flow.

—Meow.

The small spirit brought finger guards in its mouth.

“That’s a hindrance. It makes shooting uncomfortable.”

But the Lady ignored it. She was busy pulling the bowstring like a machine.

Unable to watch any longer, the knight said:

“Please use them.”

“…?”

“Ray would surely say the same.”

“…”

Hearing those words, the Lady silently put on the guards.

The spirit, seemingly displeased that she ignored its advice but listened to the knight, ran up to her and repeatedly patted her cheek, clinging to her face and refusing to let go…

But this night passed without much trouble.

* * *

I saw the people of Ianet discussing something, deliberately excluding me.

Their focal point was my forest keeper.

I had known they were talking behind my back before.

But why?

…This time it bothered me a little.

* * *

Friel woke up.

She complained of burning pain from the wound in her chest.

She believed the accident, which happened due to our forest keeper’s subtle manipulation, was entirely her own mistake and fault.

Instead, I overheard laughter quietly spreading among Arielt’s confidants, saying they had successfully protected her and managed to behead the Demonkin.

Something was wrong. I don’t understand.

* * *

The Lady collapsed once from exhaustion. It was the result of overexertion. Yet the man still hadn’t awakened.

The magia in the man’s body had calmed down, largely because I had asked Friel to treat him.

Guilt seeps into my heart. He was the one who worked the hardest among us.

Our elves have been talking among themselves more frequently. Deliberately excluding me. It’s irritating.

* * *

We were attacked during reconnaissance. Finally, a demon appeared.

* * *

The damage is greater than expected.

Friel complained of burning pain again.

* * *

The night battles have intensified.

Most are beginning to tire.

* * *

Attacks have become more frequent.

Supplies are running low.

* * *

We succeeded in cutting off the remaining Demonkin’s arm, but the damage is severe.

It’s dangerous. We need to retreat.

And today—

The man has awakened.