Ch.5555. Noah Velleia (1)

From the moment I began preparing to move to the capital, time flew by quickly.

After boarding the carriage, a considerable amount of time passed until we finally arrived at the kingdom’s capital.

Since even the lord herself was traveling by carriage, we were accompanied by quite a number of servants and soldiers despite the carriage’s size.

They handled most of the difficult tasks, so I didn’t have to struggle as much as when I went to the Marquisate of Feiosha.

If I were to describe my impression upon comfortably arriving at the capital…

The kingdom’s capital was more massive and splendid than I had imagined.

In a world where green-skinned monsters and beasts roam the forests, scaled monsters lurk in the seas, and most people are obsessed with swords and magic rather than science…

I hadn’t expected much.

‘Impressive.’

I couldn’t help but admire how this place had achieved such a magnificent civilization.

The vast city was teeming with people, and buildings lined up endlessly along the well-paved roads.

Moreover, not only humans but also other races like beastkin, whom I hadn’t seen since falling into this world, were visible, making it quite a novel experience.

And among all these sights, what caught my attention most was the royal palace firmly established at the center of the capital.

As expected of a place where a country’s king and nobles reside and govern.

I couldn’t help but be amazed at the sight of numerous extravagant buildings and the massive, beautiful royal palace built on spacious grounds.

Despite how much she claimed to dislike the capital before, Sione was now eagerly taking in everything around her, committing it all to memory.

The only ones who didn’t bat an eye at the sight of the royal palace were the servant guiding us and Ainel.

“Count Ainel Sianella and Lady Sione Sianella will use these rooms. And—”

The calm-looking male servant’s gaze shifted to me.

“The attendant will use an empty room in the building across the way.”

“…I understand.”

I had been hoping to get a room on this side too.

Of course, a servant couldn’t possibly use a room of the same caliber as their master.

I nodded, swallowing my disappointment.

When the servant finished his guidance, Ainel expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you for the guidance.”

“It was an honor to guide the knights of Sianella. I’ll take my leave now.”

The servant bowed respectfully before departing.

Sione, curious about her assigned room, peered at the door.

“If you’re curious, go ahead and check your room first.”

“Would that be alright?”

“I have something to discuss with your attendant briefly, so feel free to look around.”

At those words, Sione glanced at me, and when I gave her a small nod, she replied with a bright smile.

“Then I’ll go in first.”

As Sione hurried to her room, Ainel took something out of her pocket.

Jingle jingle.

She held out a pouch that made the sound of coins clinking together whenever it moved.

“You know well what this money is for.”

“Yes, I do.”

“After checking your room, go with Sione. I have separate business to attend to, so I’ll be moving separately from now on.”

As I bowed my head and reached out to receive the money pouch, she pulled it back.

“Can I trust you?”

“Please trust me. I will carry out the task reliably as always.”

“Good.”

Ainel finally handed me the money pouch.

I carefully received the pouch from her.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“I pray that your endeavors go well, my lady.”

Ainel nodded to me and then walked away without hesitation.

After informing Sione that I would check my quarters first, I chose an empty room in the building across the way and entered.

“Not bad.”

The room was much better than I had expected.

A fairly soft bed, windows that let in plenty of sunlight, and a table and wooden chair that seemed to be made of high-quality wood, giving off an antique atmosphere.

As expected of accommodations within the royal palace.

Everything was above average.

The other servants and guards had all been given money by Ainel and allowed to enjoy a few days in the capital on their own.

At first, I was so envious of that.

But being assigned a decent room has somewhat alleviated my accumulated frustrations.

After unpacking some unnecessary luggage in the room, I went back to find Sione’s room.

The distance between the two buildings wasn’t very far, so it didn’t take long to go back and forth, but it was a bit annoying to have to make the trip again.

I knocked on Sione’s door.

“Lady Sione, may I come in?”

“Ah, Ray. Come in.”

I entered Sione’s room.

My room wasn’t bad, but…

From the design and material of the furniture to the overall size and atmosphere of the room.

Seeing her room, which was not just luxurious but extravagant, made my own room feel empty in comparison.

Sione was grinning, clearly pleased with her fancy room.

“How was it? How was your room?”

“It’s quite livable, though not as nice as this one.”

“Really? If your room is uncomfortable, just say so.”

“If my room is uncomfortable?”

“Well… this room is so big… if you’re uncomfortable, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for us to stay together…”

“Even so, there’s only one bed, isn’t there?”

At my words, Sione hung her head.

With her ears turning red, she fidgeted with her fingers, hesitating with her whole body.

After taking a deep breath, she put on a determined expression with her bright red face.

“The bed is too big for me to sleep alone… so couldn’t we sleep together…?”

“Of course—”

At my words, Sione’s eyes widened with expectation.

If Sione had been a beastkin, she would have been wagging her tail vigorously.

Did she eat some bad cookies from the ones she gave me in the carriage this morning?

I couldn’t help but laugh at my master’s inappropriate desires.

“No, we cannot.”

“…I promise. Nothing more than just holding hands while sleeping.”

“…Where exactly did you hear such things?”

“I heard it from the mercenaries at the inn we stayed at five days ago. They said… that men and women who like each other commonly sleep holding hands…”

Five days ago? Those damn mercenaries.

Those fools who caused a commotion at the inn while sharing vulgar stories.

It seems Sione was influenced by them, and I’m already dreading how she’ll try to put me in awkward situations going forward.

I sighed slightly and said:

“That’s not common at all. What grown man and woman would lie in the same bed and just hold hands?”

“W-what…?”

“I think it’s best we postpone this conversation.”

I regained my composure.

“From now on, Lady Sione and I have somewhere we need to go together. Please let me know when you’re ready to go out.”

“…As for getting ready, can’t I just go out like this? Anyway, you said we have somewhere to go?”

Sione tilted her head curiously.

I answered her question:

“You’ll be attending the nobles’ banquets, social gatherings, and the princess’s coming-of-age ceremony. Don’t you lack appropriate attire for such events, Lady Sione?”

“Ah, so…”

“We’re going to buy you a dress.”

Sione nodded at my words.

“Also, Lady Ainel instructed me to have a tailcoat made for myself as well, given the nature of the occasions… so I’ll need to try on a few.”

“You? In a tailcoat instead of those servant clothes?”

“Yes, unless you disapprove of the tailcoat.”

Sione shook her head at my words.

She shook her head so vigorously that her swinging hair was almost dizzying to watch.

“No, it’s a good choice. Let’s go right away.”

“…I’ll lead the way.”

I boarded the waiting carriage in the royal palace with Sione.

There’s no need for a guard knight.

After all, I’m the one who defeated an Arachne.

Ainel had permitted me to move freely with Sione without guards.

I told the coachman the name of the clothing store that Ainel had mentioned.

Then the carriage slowly began to move.

‘…What’s so good about a tailcoat anyway?’

Sione pretended to look out the carriage window while repeatedly glancing at me.

And yet she kept muttering “tailcoat, tailcoat,” seeming quite excited about seeing me in one.

I really don’t understand what she’s so excited about—a tailcoat wouldn’t look that different from what I’m wearing now.

Trying to ignore Sione’s incomprehensible muttering, the carriage eventually stopped, and the coachman came to us.

“We’ve arrived, my lord.”

“We’ll be back shortly after buying clothes. Could you wait for us?”

“Of course. I’ll be waiting over there.”

After briefly speaking with the coachman, I entered the clothing store with Sione.

Being a store exclusively for nobles rather than commoners, every piece of clothing here was elaborate and sophisticated.

“Hmm… each garment is extremely fancy. I wonder if they’ll suit me.”

I shook my head at Sione’s words.

“Lady Sione, you would look good in anything.”

Having seen Sione since she was a bear before becoming human, her appearance doesn’t particularly impress me anymore.

But objectively speaking, Sione is a beautiful woman, so honestly, she would look good in any dress that fits her.

I just casually said that to tell her not to worry unnecessarily.

But there was Sione again, too embarrassed to even lift her head properly.

Now accustomed to such behavior from her, I approached a store employee.

“Could you help select a dress for our lady to wear?”

“You mean for the silver-haired lady over there?”

“Yes, would that be alright?”

“Of course, leave it to me!”

The employee selected several dresses and spent quite some time comparing them to Sione’s outfit.

Finally, she presented Sione with a black dress.

“Would you like to try this on?”

“This? For me…?”

Sione looked back and forth between the black dress in her hands and me.

“Please try it on. I think it will suit you well.”

Only after I said that did Sione go into the changing room to put on the dress.

Taking advantage of this time, I began to look around the store.

As I was browsing the tailcoat section, I noticed a handsome noble youth with an innocent impression coming this way.

A young man with brown hair and delicate features that created a gentle atmosphere.

With quite a kind expression, he was holding a white formal suit against his body while saying something to his guard knight.

‘Indeed, handsome guys look good in anything.’

Even pulling off such a bright white formal suit.

As I was feeling a mix of envy and admiration, I saw Sione slowly emerging from the changing room wearing the black dress.

I slowly approached her.

“Umm…”

Sione’s appearance in the dress, which she seemed quite uncomfortable in as she scratched her cheek, was truly beautiful.

The black dress, reminiscent of the night sky’s darkness, contrasted with her pale skin and moonlight-soaked hair, making her shine even more.

“How is it? Does it suit me well?”

I nodded at her question.

Indeed, clothes really do make the person.

Dressed like that, even I, who had grown accustomed to her face and thought nothing of it, couldn’t help but think she looked beautiful.

As I was admiring Sione:

“Huh…? Sione…?”

The man who had been trying on the white formal suit called my master’s name.

How does this guy know Sione?

Drawn by his voice, Sione looked at him.

Eventually, after pausing for a moment upon seeing him, she murmured what seemed to be his name.

“…Noah?”

I could only be dumbfounded by the peculiar atmosphere between the two.

…Wait, what’s going on here?