The Male S*ave of the Count Sianella Family

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The coming-of-age ceremony for Princess Adelhaite took place grandly and solemnly in the vast garden of the royal castle.

Several high priests blessed her with divine power.

The Royal Knights Order swore eternal loyalty to Adelhaite and the royal family…

Furthermore, the king of the Aisiliah Kingdom proclaimed that Adelhaite Aisiliah would rightfully inherit the position of the next monarch.

The reason is said to be that she carries the blood of the first king who founded the kingdom most strongly.

It must be the intergenerational inheritance mentioned at yesterday’s banquet.

Amid their praises, I focused on one story.

‘The one who carries the blood of the ancestors who slaughtered thousands of demons to establish the country.’

How can one not be intrigued by such a tale?

In a world that is on the brink of being destroyed by demons, it speaks volumes that she has the blood of someone who so effectively hunted them down.

If a member of the Shianella family inherited the power to exterminate demons from their ancestors, then Adelhaite carries the bloodline of the colossal lizard, the master of magic.

‘Our paths will inevitably intertwine.’

Even now, amidst a time when demon worshippers run rampant, if demonic matters escalate, whether I like it or not, I will likely get involved with Adelhaite.

Of course, wasn’t it stated in the status window when I first fell into this dungeon-like world?

That the will to sustain the world would lead me to a new fate.

If it is to save a world once conquered by demons,

Then the princess of one nation must indeed forge connections even with the emperor of the neighboring empire.

Ultimately, whatever the world’s will to sustain may be, it will certainly lead me to intertwine with Shione and Adelhaite alongside my quests.

‘…Just thinking about it is exhausting.’

Even at yesterday’s banquet, I was looked at with suspicion.

And after this coming-of-age ceremony, they said there would be a private audience.

Just two days ago, I was drained by Noah’s misunderstandings with Shione, and then again yesterday by Aria’s sudden surge.

Now, on top of that, a private meeting with the princess?

When will I ever find peace?

“Phew…”

I tried to let out a sigh in my increasingly pressured heart.

At that moment, Shione, who had been watching Adelhaite’s coming-of-age ceremony beside me, quietly asked while observing my expression.

“Ray, is something the matter?”

I turned my head slightly at Shione’s voice.

Unlike yesterday, she appeared in a bright sky-blue dress, adorned in a joyful mood, yet wore a worried expression.

“It’s just that I’m catching my breath for a moment, so there’s no need to worry.”

“…You didn’t look so composed though.”

Shione squinted her eyes and tilted her head.

Her hair, which had been cut between spring and summer, had grown a bit by autumn, and as she turned her head, her hair danced on her shoulder.

What kind of answer was she looking for, staring at me so intently?

I tried to brush it off with just a small smile, but Shione began to glance at me with concern again.

If she’s desperate to hear an answer,

Then it wouldn’t be so bad to tease her a little.

“I was just thinking about you being drunk yesterday, Shione.”

“Ah, well…”

Shione, taken aback by my comment, stuttered.

After a moment of flustered expression, she caught her breath.

“…Forget about what happened yesterday.”

“I’ll try my best.”

“No, I mean forget it, not try!”

“Do you think just saying ‘forget it’ is enough for you, Shione?”

“Ugh…”

Shione gritted her teeth in frustration and lowered her head.

Ainel, who had been quietly watching us, asked.

“Did something happen yesterday?”

“That is…”

Shione looked up at me with pleading eyes.

If I continued to tease, she might just burst into tears.

A woman must not show her tears casually.

I decided to end the teasing here.

“Shione tripped over her own feet yesterday… That’s what we were discussing.”

“…You didn’t show such an embarrassing sight to anyone else, did you?”

“She tripped in my lodgings, so no one else saw you fall, Shione.”

At my words, Ainel nodded, glaring at Shione.

“To think you’d trip over your own feet… Shione, while in the capital, you must not touch a single drop of alcohol.”

“…I will do that, Mother.”

As we were momentarily engaged in conversation, the coming-of-age ceremony for the princess finally came to an end.

The solemn atmosphere dissipated, and a somewhat free-spirited mood began to form.

Not only were the kingdom’s key figures present, but the garden was also filled with ambassadors from other countries and high-ranking beastmen.

The nobles began to mingle, attended by their guards, and exchanged pleasantries.

Ainel, too, scanned the crowd and said.

“I have someone important to speak with, so you two should explore the place.”

“…Can’t we go together?”

This socially awkward lady can hardly speak even with me standing beside her.

I really needed Ainel’s help.

Unfortunately, Ainel shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but I have an important matter to attend to.”

Shione reacted to Ainel’s mention of important matters.

“What sort of important affair could it be?”

To Shione’s question, Ainel answered with a smile stretching to her lips for once.

“I’ve finally found the last clue to reach the level of Master with the help of my friend.”

“That means… is it true?”

“If I can manage it, I might soon become the kingdom’s new Master.”

Shione nodded as if entranced.

Her eyes shone with envy.

A natural reaction.

After all, it’s nothing less than the realm of a Sword Master.

One who can draw forth extraordinary swordsmanship, crushing enemies and changing the tide of war.

If one doesn’t envy someone capable of wielding such power, then who should they envy?

“It won’t take long, so please look after Shione until then. This time, Shione must absolutely not drink any wine.”

“I will obey.”

As I nodded in agreement with Ainel’s words, she went off to find her friend.

Shione and I began to explore the crowded garden.

Interestingly, today Noah Beletia didn’t cling to us, nor were there any piercing gazes like Peira Feiosha’s.

Thanks to the nature of the relationship between them and Shione, there was no exhausting interaction.

If there were any other issues,

‘The eyes are definitely lingering too much.’

The fact that other nobles were glancing my way.

It was probably because of the sword hanging from my waist.

If they want to look, they should just look openly; glancing at me like that is more bothersome than anything.

As I was trying to nonchalantly brush off the stares while wandering in the garden,

Shione quietly pointed to one side and spoke to me.

“Looking at those pointed ears… It seems like elves have come here.”

“Elves, you say?”

“Yeah, the eastern border of the kingdom is adjacent to the Great Forest where the elves live. They must have attended the coming-of-age ceremony to foster goodwill.”

As Shione mentioned, I found elves in one corner of the garden.

With pointed ears and beauty that far exceeds the human average.

As I became captivated by the presence of the elves after so long, my lord shot me a glance and slyly asked.

“Both men and women are renowned for their beauty, so Ray, what do you think?”

“The elves’ looks, you ask?”

The appearance of elves…

Surely, their beauty can make even picky men slack-jawed.

But unfortunately, I’m not swayed by their stunning looks.

“I have no interest in the appearance of elves.”

“Really?”

“Surely, a person’s inner qualities are more important than their outward appearance.”

The race steeped in elitism, elves.

They are beings born with the blessings of spirits, possessing extraordinary magical abilities from the moment they enter the world.

It seems that since they start with such an advantage over other races, they become accustomed to receiving even long-standing favors from the divine.

Outwardly friendly and pretending to empathize, they inwardly sneer and mock others.

These annoying pointy-eared folk have a vile tendency to relish their superiority at every level of their being.

Knowing the true nature of such perverted elves, I had no particular value for their superficial beauty, so I answered that way.

“Oh? Is that so?”

Shione seemed to take a liking to that somehow.

“Hehe…”

She quietly giggled, as if she were a girl in love, shyly smiling.

It looked like she was envisioning some outlandish fantasy, but if she was happy, I had no intention of spoiling her mood, so I simply took a step back and watched her.

“By the way…”

It could become troublesome if elves are around.

I calmed my mind and examined the elves.

One man and two women—there were three of them in total.

I wasn’t sure how it would affect the men of this world, who struggle to receive mana.

But fundamentally, elves who can manipulate spirit powers are capable of sensing spiritual energy.

So if I were to approach within their range of sensitivity, they would surely feel the spirit’s presence I contain.

‘Things have become inconvenient.’

That’s precisely what it means.

The limitations of my race.

Humans can hardly harbor spiritual energy.

No, it’s not just humans—most races, excluding elves, find it difficult to manipulate spirit powers.

Therefore, it can be said that even if there are women who can handle mana but are not elves, they would struggle to hold mana imbued with spirit energy.

If a man, especially one of the very few who awaken mana, emits spirit energy, it could be unbearable for them.

‘They’d surely cling to me almost against their will.’

It’s rare enough to find someone harboring spirit energy.

If they were to find someone with enough energy to use spirit magic, they would be drawn to me out of curiosity.

Having seen some races like beastmen and dwarves, but not elves, I was momentarily at ease.

Yet here, an elf suddenly appears.

My faint hope that today would pass quietly has been shattered.

However, unlike my frigid mood, Shione, who had been shyly smiling alone, seemed to find the elves fascinating.

Her eyes sparkled with interest as she looked at them.

“By the way, I’ve heard that elven bows are exceptional… Ray, do you know about that?”

She asked with eager anticipation, and surprisingly it wasn’t about the elves’ abilities or attributes but specifically about the elven bows.

Looks like Shione has matured into quite a skilled archer.

I chuckled to myself and replied.

“Elven bows… Well, apart from being sturdy and flexible, they aren’t that outstanding. It’s far better to use other wooden bows infused with magic.”

“Hmm? So, you’re saying the stories about elven bows are all lies?”

As I shook my head to deny her statement, Shione frowned and pressed me to answer quickly.

Overwhelmed by her urgency, I eventually gave her the answer she yearned for.

“Only if the user is human.”

Elven bows.

As widely known, they are indeed exceptional.

Although that is, of course, only when wielded by our superior elven kin.

“The reason why elven bows are formidable is that they maximize the effects of spirit magic. Therefore, elven bows will always surpass any weapon for those elves mastering spirit magic. But that doesn’t apply to us. Those who are not elves cannot handle spirit magic under normal circumstances.”

“Then the fame of elven bows stemmed from…”

“Perhaps it’s because the sight of elves wielding bows alongside spirit magic has become widely known.”

The arrows fired alongside the spirit magic of the elves are ornate and potent.

So it’s no surprise that tales of elven bows would circulate.

Possibly imagining herself sweeping across the battlefield with an elven bow, Shione did not hide her disappointment upon realizing that the bow wasn’t suited for her.

To uplift her mood, I offered a sliver of hope.

“There’s no need to be so disappointed. We have dwarven bows instead of elven bows.”

“Dwarves… You mean that skilled race?”

“Of course. Who else but them would excel in crafting exceptional weapons?”

Unlike our esteemed elves, the dwarves are yet another race within the realm of short-lived beings.

“Dwarven bows are not only durable but also possess excellent tension. More importantly, they harmonize well with common mana, making them the best bows for us humans and similar races.”

While I prefer elven bows as someone who can wield spirit magic, for typical archers like Shione, dwarven bows would be the best choice.

As I answered Shione’s curiosity, sparing a glance at the crowd starting to stir around us—

Suddenly, Shione stiffened and murmured.

“Your Highness…?”

Why would Adelhaite, who should be conversing with another high-ranking official, come out of Shione’s mouth?

I turned to face the direction Shione was looking, hiding behind her.

There, steady purple eyes locked onto me and Shione, as Adelhaite approached.

In an ominous manner, Adelhaite stopped in front of us, her gaze settling on me after passing by Shione, and then she raised one corner of her lips.