Ch.7979. Gift

On the day I heard from Ainel that we would return to the County of Sianella in two days.

When the sun had set and the full moon rose in its place, brilliantly illuminating the world.

I was sitting in a chair in my quarters.

With my chin resting on my hand, sitting in a crooked posture, I gazed at the round moon outside the window and muttered.

“Sion Sianella…”

Sion Sianella.

Besides being my master’s younger brother.

While born into the County of Sianella, a family where all men are naturally talented in swordsmanship, rather than having talent with the sword.

He was someone with exceptional talent in Divine Power.

I recalled the relationship between him and my master, Sione.

“Surely Sione and Sion…”

I traced back through my memories.

When I first entered the Count’s household, Sion had already left for the academy.

Since I had no memories of him, not even having seen his face, I had to go back quite far in time.

As I recalled the clear image of Sion that remained in my mind.

“Tsk…”

The pig who used to stay cooped up in his room in the past.

I remembered Sion’s appearance when Sione went out to look at the flowers in the garden.

“It was definitely the worst.”

I remember that the relationship between Sione and Sion that I saw then was literally the worst.

More like enemies than family.

Starting with Sione growling at her younger brother.

Even considering that close siblings are rare, still.

Sion, who would belittle his sister and elevate the status of Siabel and himself.

I still remember the sneer he wore when looking at Sione.

A guy who looked like a parasite brother, holding his nose high and sneering.

Even though I only glanced at him from behind, that annoying face was unforgettable.

Indeed, I clearly remember Sion’s expression from back then.

“Haah…”

Thinking about the relationship between Sion and Sione naturally made me sigh.

“…Since he’s coming back to the Count’s house.”

Having heard that he would return home during the academy’s winter break.

Whether they like it or not, Sione and Sion will inevitably meet.

Unlike in the past, Sione has changed a lot.

Her once robust physique has now become slim, even appearing somewhat delicate.

While Sione’s face was like an unscratched lottery ticket, now unlike before, she boasts exceptional beauty…

Although she has restored her body, she hasn’t restored the broken relationship with her younger brother.

Surely when those two meet, they’ll argue just like before, showing their wonderful sibling affection.

“This is going to be annoying.”

Just quietly watching their conversation from behind in the garden was suffocating enough.

I wonder what kind of situation will unfold now.

With a frown, while watching the grass swaying in the cool breeze,

I shifted my gaze to the weapons we had recently acquired, placed right next to the window.

“Let me check them out.”

After receiving all those, I only gave them a cursory check.

Rather than stressing about Sion and Sione,

It would be better to spend time examining those weapons.

Creeak.

I pushed back my chair, stood up, and headed toward the window.

“First, let’s start with this…”

My hand first reached not for the elven bow received directly from Adelheid, but for the sword.

Being the type to save the best for last,

I picked up the sword beside the bow, planning to check the bow last.

The person who dragged me to her room and made me dance with a sword. Eunice Kallia.

The sword she gave me as a gift was clearly of superior quality.

Especially the engravings on the bridge and handle clearly showed its expensive nature.

The length… same as what I usually use. The weight isn’t much different either.

Shing.

As expected, a single-edged blade that looks sharp enough to cut just by looking at it.

“This will be quite useful.”

After using swords that were just lying around in the Count’s storage, I was quite pleased to have obtained such a decent secondary weapon.

As I smiled while looking at my newly acquired sword, something occurred to me.

‘Come to think of it…’

These days, I’ve been handling swords so much that I could be called a swordsman rather than an archer.

Thinking about it, the weapon I used to secure victory in the battle against Arachne, long before this incident, was a sword, not a bow.

Even when I was first attacked by those cultist bastards, the weapon I used to protect Sione was a sword, not a bow.

I never expected to use a sword, which is merely a secondary weapon, this much.

Suppressing my troubled feelings about failing as an archer,

I put the sword back in its scabbard, leaned it against the wall again, and shifted my gaze to the bow.

“Well… I’ve finally got a decent bow.”

From now on, I can make my mark with the bow.

I quietly looked at the bow.

The elven bow is made using branches from the enormous world tree.

This bow too is made from a tree that extends long roots into the continent and feeds on mana.

The processed wood that forms the bow was elegant in every aspect, from its grain to its overall aura.

However, since it lacked elaborate patterns or decorations, it didn’t stand out at first glance.

Probably someone unfamiliar with bows would just consider it a somewhat expensive-looking bow.

I’m quite satisfied with this design, as there’s no benefit in a servant like me carrying a flashy bow.

Next, I checked the bow’s form.

The shape was, as expected, the same as what I used before.

‘It’s a recurve bow.’

It was a recurve bow with elegant curves.

After briefly checking the bow’s form, I quietly positioned myself to draw the bowstring.

Body slightly diagonal, feet in a figure-eight position.

Having taken a simple square stance, I tried to draw the bowstring, but—

“Tsk…”

Due to the stronger than expected tension, the string wouldn’t draw easily.

It seems my damn body still can’t easily overcome this level of tension.

I could easily draw it using mana, but…

Wanting to try drawing the bow in a different stance since it had been a while, I moved my body.

‘In that case, I’ll try a closed stance.’

Following my left hand holding the bow,

I turned my left foot toward the bow and took a step forward. Then bent my left knee.

I slightly leaned my upper body forward and pulled the string with greater force.

Aided by the stance designed for shooting a war bow with strong tension—

Zzzaaa…!

The bowstring was drawn with stronger force than before.

As the pain in my fingers increased the more I pulled, I released the string.

Twang!

With the strong elasticity of the bent bow, the string forcefully returned to its position.

“…Nice.”

Perhaps because it had been a while since I handled a bow with such strong tension.

A smile spread across my face along with the muttered words that slipped out.

Elven bows show their true value when used with spirit magic.

In the future, when I handle this bow with spirit magic,

This bow will shine even more brilliantly.

* * *

Time passed like an arrow.

Since we were scheduled to board the carriage back to the Count’s house right after breakfast tomorrow morning,

I spent time organizing my luggage and Sione’s, and entertaining my master.

A visitor came to our ordinary daily life when the sun was setting and beautiful twilight began to adorn the sky.

Sione, who was chatting with me with a gentle smile, asked Ainel who visited her room with a tilted head.

“Mother, what brings you here?”

Ainel gave no answer to Sione’s question.

She slowly entered Sione’s room carrying a large case.

Sione stood up and faced her mother.

Only then did Ainel slowly open her mouth.

“I came to give you a gift.”

“A gift…you say…?”

“Yes.”

Ainel nodded and handed the case she was holding to Sione.

Sione carefully received the case with both hands.

Sione’s eyes, full of curiosity and interest, went back and forth between the case and Ainel.

“This case is…”

“Open it.”

“…Understood.”

Gulp.

Coming suddenly and handing over a large case as a gift, she must have been nervous.

I could see Sione swallowing her saliva.

What kind of gift could it be that she would come and hand it over like this?

I was also interested and quietly watched from behind Sione.

Ainel gestured with her chin, indicating that I could come closer to see.

So as I was watching from beside Sione, slightly behind her—

“Ah…!”

As the tightly closed case opened, Sione let out a small exclamation.

Inside the case was.

“Mother, this is—”

None other than a bow.

“It’s yours.”

“…”

When Sione couldn’t easily respond to her words, the corners of Ainel’s mouth.

Though subtle, they definitely turned upward.

“Sione, didn’t you rise again through the bow, not the sword?”

Sione and Ainel’s gazes crossed.

The two stood silently in this quiet atmosphere for a moment.

What followed was not a friendly conversation, but a profound silence.

But that was enough.

In the continuing silence, Sione was the first to react.

Sione’s wall eyes began to tremble as she faced Ainel, and seeing this, Ainel.

Instead of the mercilessly expressionless face she had shown on her birthday about a year ago,

She drew a small arc at the corners of her mouth and placed her hand on Sione’s head, stroking it with a rough gesture.

“…I was impressed by what happened this time.”

“…”

“Continue to strive endlessly with this bow to become a knight worthy of the Count’s house.”

Sione bowed her head deeply and clenched her small hands.

“Thank…you…”

Sione’s trembling voice came out as if squeezed.

Ainel silently stroked Sione’s head for a while before leaving her room.

Drip…drip…

My master, who had become quite tearful lately, wet the floor with small droplets.

The lady of the County of Sianella who had no talent for swords befitting her bloodline. She found no talent in spears, magic, or even Divine Power.

She always tried her best to be recognized by her family and the people of her house.

But no one understood her heart.

In the end, the girl fled to her room, exhausted by the constant comparisons and disparagement.

Sione wore the happiest expression ever, joyful at finally being recognized by her mother.

Thump.

Sione fell into my arms and cried silently for a while.

Then, as she gently pulled away from my embrace and looked up at me.

‘Ah…’

…If she’s going to cry, she should just shed tears.

Sione, who had uncomfortably wiped her nose on my chest and even let out snot.

Looking at the mucus running down her philtrum, I said with a playful smile.

“You should wipe your nose first. It looks like it might go into your mouth.”

* * *

“A letter has arrived.”

“A letter?”

“Yes. Here it is—”

A small letter placed on the desk.

The woman opens the letter and slowly reads the neatly written content on the paper.

Line by line.

As she reads through the letter, savoring each word, her expressionless face blooms into a radiant smile.

Eventually, after reading the entire letter, she whispered.

“Finally…”

The woman placed the letter she had been holding onto the desk, and with a satisfied expression, caressed her lips.

“Mother and my sister, Sione, are returning to the Count’s house.”

Siabel Sianella’s wall eyes begin to shine sharply with a spectrum of emotions.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Among the many emotions, the one that shines brightest is—

“I wonder if she delivered the message well to Aria?”

None other than intense interest and amusement.