Ch.6767. Sianella’s Male Knight (4)

I could sense fragments of emotion leaking out from Sione despite her attempts to hide them.

Even when we stopped at a village on our way to the Marquisate of Feiosha.

When she killed the demon worshipper who had tried everything to kill her, Sione felt considerable shock and guilt.

Back then, Sione questioned her own morality, shaken by her first kill.

She curled up and trembled violently, as if she needed a place to hide, just like her room where she had been cooped up until now.

Later, thanks to my words that somehow coaxed her out.

Though she couldn’t land a single proper attack on the bandits we encountered afterward, she at least became composed enough to aim her bow.

I had proudly thought that my master, Sione, had admirably overcome that incident by building new beliefs upon her shattered morality.

‘Who’s worrying about whom…’

That thought was my misjudgment.

My faint-hearted master hadn’t completely overcome that incident yet.

She, the most cold-headed and wise person she had ever known.

She was merely hiding her emotional impulses behind the masks of Siabel and Ainel.

At least in my eyes—

She was busy composing her expression whenever the rich scent of iron rose from the blue dress stained red.

I could see Sione busy calming her trembling hands, unsettled by the sensation of fabric being split that had traveled up her dagger and felt so vividly on her hands.

I’m sure I told her back then not to feel guilty about such things.

…Really, such a stubborn fool who never listens properly.

I expressed my gratitude to her as calmly as possible.

That level of expression should be enough for now.

“…Thanks to you, Lady Sione, I’m safe. Thank you.”

“If you say so… I’m glad.”

Sione smiled weakly.

I could feel her trembling had subsided somewhat.

I looked straight into Sione’s blue eyes and said.

“Lady Sione.”

As if responding to my call, her eyes, feigning calmness, meet mine.

“You don’t need to push yourself.”

With just one sentence from me, cracks appeared in her mask.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“You’re struggling, aren’t you?”

Large distortions begin to spread across her mask, with several cracks extending outward.

“How could I be struggling with something this trivial… I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“Did you think you could deceive my eyes?”

“That’s…”

Seeing Sione finally visibly shaken, I sighed softly and spoke casually.

“Who am I?”

Sione opened and closed her mouth repeatedly.

Adelheid, still with her arms crossed, merely watched Sione and me with a faint smile.

She showed no other reaction whatsoever.

After taking in the sight of these annoying women, I exchanged glances with Sione, my gaze unwavering.

“Right now, I’m acting not as Lady Sione’s mere servant, but as your knight protector. Whenever you feel tired and want to rest, please feel free to rest comfortably behind me without concern.”

“But…!”

“I’ve protected Lady Sione in a situation like this before, haven’t I? Can’t I do it again?”

So I’m asking you this.

Rather than creating trouble by awkwardly trying to help from the front, please just stay quietly next to Adelheid.

It might sound harsh.

But in this life-or-death situation, a warrior of unremarkable skill feeling guilty about taking lives would do no good for either allies or themselves.

Sione, step back.

I’ll handle this.

“…I will do as you say.”

Fortunately, Sione seemed to understand my intention and nodded.

Though from the way she was gritting her teeth, something still didn’t sit right with her.

Seeing those demon worshippers turned Demonkin charging toward the princess, there was no time to spare.

I shifted my attention away from Sione and raised my fighting spirit once more.

‘Indeed, one should never associate with those who have fallen to demons.’

Anyone would agree with me seeing how this coming-of-age ceremony was unfolding.

Those who couldn’t handle the sudden influx of Magia in their bodies lost their reason, rampaging and hindering the knights and mages.

Those lucky enough to control the Magia and bring it under their command were charging madly toward the princess, not stopping even when knights cut off one of their arms or slashed their backs.

It’s truly terrible, terrible.

How sweet must the demons’ honeyed words have been to inspire such fanaticism?

“Adelheid!! You descendant of a whore who was just lucky enough to bear a dragon’s seed—!!”

“…This is insane.”

The mental state of these Demonkin insulting the princess with such outlandish words was highly questionable.

Moreover, judging by his attire, this one wasn’t even a commoner but a nobleman. How did he end up like this?

I leaped toward the one who had gotten too close to Adelheid.

After taking position at the defenseless man’s side, I swung my sword with agility.

Whoosh!

The sword drew a large crescent.

Slash!

With a short and concise attack free of excess movement, the man breathed his last before he could continue his insults against Adelheid and the royal family.

I wasn’t the only one who had beheaded a Demonkin.

“Princess, instead of being distracted by your servant, you’d better watch your flank?”

“My flank? Ah…! Hnngh…!”

“It would be good to kick him away to create distance. Princess, can you do it?”

“I’ll try…!”

Sione, having cut away the skirt portion of her dress that had been flowing down and hindering her movement, was facing the Demonkin alongside Adelheid.

With her skirt now fluttering just above her knees, Sione kicked the Demonkin as Adelheid instructed.

“Good. Now follow up with an attack while his posture is broken.”

“Yes…!”

Sione finally managed to dispatch one Demonkin and caught her ragged breath.

Tremble.

Judging by her shaking shoulders and hands that wouldn’t stop trembling as they gripped the dagger tightly.

It seemed difficult to expect any more from her.

I stood in front of Sione and Adelheid.

Sione’s blue eyes, which I faced directly, were clearly trembling, but they hadn’t lost their light yet.

“Well done.”

Sione nodded silently.

“Now rest. I’ll take over.”

“But still…”

“Your shoulders and hands are trembling, aren’t they?”

“Ugh…”

“Lady Sione, you’ve tried hard enough and achieved meaningful results. Now please leave it to me and rest.”

Sione bit her lip again but nodded in agreement to my words.

I gave Sione a gentle smile to show she’d done well.

Then I shook off the blood that was beginning to congeal on my sword and faced the enemies.

“Haah…”

They should clearly see that three of their friends have already been beheaded.

Yet these bastards don’t seem to learn.

They’re still charging at us with murderous intent.

My mana had fallen below half.

The moment I decided to protect Sione Sianella, not Adelheid.

[You are beginning to protect Sione Sianella.]

[A portion of your power is being unlocked in a limited way.]

The status window I’d been waiting for appeared.

The ability I gained after protecting Sione from attacking demon worshippers on the carriage route to the Marquisate of Feiosha.

My mana, which had fallen below half, began to rise again, and I could feel my physical abilities increasing simultaneously.

With all my nerves sharpened once more, I focused on the enemies.

‘…There are too many of them.’

Where did they all come from? Now three of them are charging at once.

It seems difficult to handle them just by using mana alone…

I’ve already drawn too much attention in this situation.

I hesitated slightly, wondering if I would need to use spirit magic as well.

Then, in contrast to the urgent situation, Adelheid’s voice came through, sounding so nonchalant it could be perceived as arrogant.

“You’re hesitating. Not because you’re perplexed by the situation, but because you’re lost in your own thoughts. It seems you have more secrets.”

Not just Adelheid’s dragon eyes, but now her every action began to exude elegant dignity that dominated the space.

“Your relationship with the princess, and whatever you’re hiding. The more I see, the more interesting you become.”

Dragons are a race that brilliantly illuminate their lives until the moment of death with the absolute blessing of mana and magic.

The current generation’s princess of the House of Aicilia, who carries dragon blood.

Having successfully awakened the fading dragon blood more strongly than anyone else through alternate generation inheritance.

She began to control the mana in the surrounding area, utilizing the power in her blood without any waste.

“Ah…”

With such abilities, why on earth would Adelheid suffer at least serious injuries here according to the original history?

No, really, if she could do this… damn, why has she been just watching me dance with my sword in front of her until now…

As I sighed at that thought, she looked cynically at the Demonkin with her power of insight and said.

“I have mountains of questions piling up. I’ve finally found proper entertainment… Servant, Ray. Let’s unravel the story between just the two of us from now on.”

“…I will comply.”

“Good.”

Adelheid used ice magic that sent chills down one’s spine just by looking at it.

As dozens of beautifully crafted ice spears rained down on a single Demonkin, they predictably lost their lives with holes pierced throughout their bodies.

Once the situation was somewhat under control.

Various figures gathered around the princess, me, and Sione.

The royal knights, high priests, and mages.

There were quite a few familiar faces as well.

Aria Allenar, grimacing as if unaccustomed to wielding a sword instead of her usual spear.

Leona Lephelia, the mage, hurling fireballs while controlling their power as if reluctant to burn down the entire garden.

Then Feira Feiosha, cutting down enemies with concise, disciplined movements.

Finally, the heads of various houses, each emanating a monstrous aura like Ainel.

Hmm. All familiar faces.

It’s a bit vexing that Noah Velleia is nowhere to be seen.

But Noah didn’t seem to have either Divine Power or mana. So it can’t be helped.

In any case, thanks to the initiative of others who gathered around us, the situation was quickly resolved.

‘That person is…?’

Lastly, the woman who was supposed to have a separate conversation with Sione today.

The lady of the Marquisate of Kallia, responsible for defending the eastern border of the kingdom, Eunice Kallia.

With her blood-stained sword and shield half-covering her face, she whispered as if committing my face to memory with her brown eyes.

“…A real knight in shining armor.”

“Hmm…”

I sighed.

As Eunice said.

Sione had become an exemplary noble who risked danger to protect the princess as soon as trouble broke out.

And in the end, I had become a true knight in shining armor, single-handedly cutting down two Demonkin.

…The rumors spreading in the County of Sianella were already tiresome enough.

Who knew things would escalate like this here too.

As I sighed, feeling the gazes of various people on my skin.

Far away, one of the forest folk was also taking in Ray’s appearance.

“Everyone—”

With her gaze fixed in one place, she called to her companions, and the corners of her eyes curved like crescent moons.

Greed began to spread in her teal eyes that captured the freshness of the forest.

“Isn’t that human male interesting?”