Ch.5757. Noah Velleia (3)

Sione hesitated for a long time at my question.

She crossed her arms and made quiet groaning sounds. Then suddenly her expression crumpled and didn’t smooth out.

As I quietly watched her sitting in place, making a show of her discomfort in every possible way.

Soon Sione emerged from her private thoughts and looked up at me with eyes full of hesitation.

Staaaaring—

It’s not like I can read minds.

You’ll bore holes in my face. What’s the point of just staring like that? If you have a mouth, use it to speak, speak!

Seeing her act like a child despite being twenty years old in Korean age, I almost let out a sigh.

Well. I suppose that’s part of Sione’s charm, if you can call it that.

I surrendered to her persistent gaze and spoke first.

“Have you decided whether to mend it or cut it off?”

As if she had been waiting for just these words, Sione nodded her head vigorously.

“What would you like to do?”

“I…”

Unable to express everything at once, Sione’s voice trailed off.

Her anxious demeanor was frustrating, but fortunately, Sione soon showed a determined expression.

“I don’t want to cut ties with Noah. Rather… though it may just be my selfish desire, I want to untangle our messy relationship.”

Fortunately, Sione wanted to face and resolve the relationship she had ruined rather than avoiding and ignoring it.

If that was Sione’s choice.

Though it would obviously be troublesome, feelings of pride and satisfaction occasionally welled up within me.

I began with a faint smile.

“Do you know why Ainel brought you, Lady Sione, to the princess’s coming-of-age ceremony where all the kingdom’s nobles gather to discuss politics in their respective factions, rather than Lady Siabel, the next head of the family?”

“That is…”

“You have definitely changed over the past half year, Lady Sione. Externally, you’ve become more beautiful, and internally, you’ve grown stronger.”

The First Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony being held this time isn’t simply a party to bless the princess.

It’s an opportunity to gain favor with her, who has been designated as the kingdom’s next ruler and holds legitimate succession rights.

Since all the prominent nobles in the kingdom gather in one place.

If Siabel, who was designated by Ainel as the next head of the Sianella family, had come here instead of Sione.

Under the name of Sianella’s knight who reached the expert level at a young age, she could not only solidify her own position but also secure allies. Depending on the connection, she might even catch the princess’s eye.

But the reason Ainel brought Sione instead of Siabel to such an important place…

“Ainel wanted to show your changed appearance to the various nobles. The head of the family said—”

As I was about to share what Ainel had told me in the past, Sione began to focus with unprecedented seriousness.

“She said that since you haven’t shown your face at social gatherings for years, only rampant rumors remained in your place, becoming gossip material for them. She hoped that you would clear away those rumors and widely announce your changed self through this opportunity.”

It would be right to say this was all to give Sione an opportunity.

Although the Sianella family holds the rank of count rather than duke or marquis, they are the frontline fortress protecting the kingdom from the magical realm beyond the Beltrin Mountains.

With their long family tradition and having produced excellent talents in every generation.

Given the social recognition comparable to that of a decent marquisate, news about a member of the Sianella family would inevitably spread throughout noble society.

Thus, Sione’s past misdeeds and retreat to her room would have subtly permeated deep into noble society.

Ainel must be thinking to suppress the bad reputation spread among them on this occasion.

Sione finally seemed to understand Ainel’s intentions. Like the Milky Way rising on a summer night, her eyes began to glow softly.

That calm yet radiant appearance felt quite beautiful.

“Did Mother truly say that?”

“How could I fabricate the head’s words and report them to you, Lady Sione?”

“Yes, that’s true…”

As Sione began to reconsider Ainel’s words.

She started to grasp my meaning.

“Do you have enough determination?”

“Determination?”

“To reveal your changed self completely before numerous nobles as Ainel wishes, and change their perception.”

The warm night in Sione’s eyes began to fade. The Milky Way disappeared, and her eyes no longer glowed softly like her silver-white hair.

But that wasn’t much of a problem.

Because in Sione’s eyes, as night passed, the sun was slowly raising its head, and dawn was breaking.

“…I must. When I cut my hair. And even then. I firmly resolved to change myself.”

By now, Sione had begun to shine brightly as a proper noble lady of a count’s family.

She looked so uncomfortable all hunched over before. Now she’s finally presentable.

I smiled again at Sione’s brightened appearance.

“I’m glad.”

“About what?”

“With such determination, you’ll be able to resolve your relationship with Young Master Noah as well.”

“Ah.”

“If you keep that mindset in your heart and address the remaining fragments of the past one by one, you will be able to shine brighter than ever before, Lady Sione.”

Sione looked at me with her mouth slightly open, as if she had realized something from my words.

I shrugged my shoulders and gave a playful smile.

“Until then, I will always be by your side to help you, Lady Sione.”

“…Hup!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Sione drew in a sharp breath and lowered her head as if burying it in the ground.

Well… I suppose my words were a bit cringeworthy this time.

It seems Sione is embarrassed by my cheesy words.

After covering her face with her hands for a while, avoiding my gaze, Sione looked up at me through her fingers and said:

“…Thank you.”

Sione spoke in a tiny voice.

I almost missed and ignored her voice because of how quiet it was.

Fortunately, I caught it and nodded in response to her words.

“It’s nothing.”

After my response, silence followed for a while.

Since we’ve spent a long time together, I would normally handle such quietness easily and look out the window.

But today, perhaps because of some vague and subtle current flowing between Sione and me in the carriage.

Both this silence and Sione’s occasional glances.

Everything was bothering me, making it impossible to lose myself in the scenery outside alone.

At this rate, until the carriage stops. No, even after it stops, it would probably continue like this, so I brought up a topic to change the atmosphere.

“Lady Sione.”

“Oh, yes? What is it?”

Startled by my question for no reason, Sione looked at me with bright eyes.

“How about touring the garden at the royal palace today or tomorrow? While the count’s garden is excellent, the royal palace’s garden is no less impressive… I’m sure you’ll be able to enjoy it thoroughly, Lady Sione.”

“Hmm, certainly… Since it’s a bit late today, let’s go tomorrow during the day.”

“An excellent choice.”

Thanks to spending some time talking about gardens and flowers, the atmosphere lightened.

Then I suddenly asked one thing.

“Lady Sione, could you tell me what kind of person Young Master Noah is?”

“Noah? Yes, Noah… Noah is…”

For a moment, Sione pulled out memories of Noah from her mind.

“I don’t know how he is now… but Noah was a boy who admired knights, loved flowers, and was good at empathizing with others.”

“If he admired knights and loved flowers, he seems to have many similarities with you, Lady Sione.”

“Perhaps. But back then, I wasn’t particularly interested in flowers. We mostly talked about knights, I suppose.”

Taking advantage of Sione being lost in memories, I quickly turned my thoughts.

I don’t know about the past, but the current Sione also likes flowers. So Sione and Noah share interests.

Not only is Noah handsome, but he still shows a favorable attitude toward Sione, who cursed at him and drove him away.

Moreover, Sione also wants to return to an amicable relationship with Noah.

‘Isn’t this an opportunity?’

If things go well, couldn’t I match Sione and Noah together?

Sione said she couldn’t have a loveless marriage and even confessed to Evan asking for a broken engagement.

If there’s still affection between her and Noah, there seems to be plenty of possibility.

If those two get together, I could protect my lips and prevent false rumors about me seducing Sione from spreading.

Perhaps because I was immersed in this sudden train of thought.

Before even verifying whether what I was thinking had sufficient plausibility and logic.

I blurted out to Sione.

“The more I think about it, Young Master Noah and Lady Sione seem to be a good match.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Not only do you share overlapping interests… you both have noble character. And isn’t Young Master Noah also very handsome?”

Sione pressed her lips tightly.

As she looked at me as if daring me to say more.

I continued without hesitation.

“How do you feel about Young Master Noah, Lady Sione?”

“…Are you asking me how I view Noah romantically?”

“Given Young Master Noah Velleia’s status and his excellent character, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to consider—”

“No.”

As I was rambling on with my opinion, I heard Sione’s cold voice, unlike anything I’d heard from her before.

I closed my mouth and assessed the situation.

Sione was staring straight at me with coldly dead eyes.

…Why is she taking this so seriously?

This doesn’t seem right.

Seeing her current appearance, so drastically different from the Sione I usually knew, I wondered if this was really the same naive Sione I knew.

Gulp.

I swallowed dryly at Sione’s changed atmosphere, which somehow made people tense.

“It’s not even worth considering, so don’t mention it again.”

Sione slowly rose from her seat.

She looked down at me quietly, then bent over to bring her face close to mine.

Hssss. Hssss.

A tense atmosphere began to surround us at a distance close enough to hear Sione’s breathing.

“After all… I already have you, don’t I?”

Dumbfounded by Sione’s sudden outburst.

She grabbed my chin and lifted my head.

Where was the Sione who used to smile sweetly?

She was still looking at me coldly, with just the corners of her mouth slightly raised, staring down at me as if she would devour me.

“…Lady Sione?”

Without answering my question.

Smooch.

She arbitrarily kissed my forehead and then sat back down.

“I’ll let it go with just this this time—”

Really. I stroked my forehead where the warmth remained and looked at Sione with a bewildered expression.

Seeing me like this, Sione finally relaxed her expression as if satisfied and let her voice flow.

“Though I’m not unaware of a man’s jealousy… from now on, try not to test me by making me jealous. Understand?”

“…Yes, I’ll be careful.”

Just like that, I became an unscrupulous servant who was jealous of Noah and tried to test Sione.