The Male S*ave of the Count Sianella Family

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I could sense the fragments of emotions leaking out from Shione, despite her efforts to hide them.

Even when we stopped by a village on our way to the Feiosha Marquis family…

When she killed the demon worshipper who had been going to great lengths to kill her, Shione felt a considerable shock and guilt.

At that moment, Shione questioned her morality, shaken by her first murder.

It was as if she needed a hiding place, like the room she had been cooped up in, curling her body and trembling like a madwoman.

Later on, thanks to my words that coaxed her back, she wasn’t able to land a proper attack on the bandits we encountered, but she managed to calmly draw her bowstring.

I thought it was admirable; my master, Shione, had built a new belief atop her shattered morals, brilliantly overcoming what had happened that time.

“Who’s worrying about whom…”

That thought was my misjudgment.

My timid master had not completely overcome what had happened back then.

She was the most cool-headed and wise person I had ever seen.

She was merely using the masks of Siabel and Ainel to hide her emotional impulses.

At least to my eyes—

Every time that deep scent of iron arose from the deepening red on her blue dress, she hurriedly composed herself.

In the sensation of splitting apart the fabric stained with the dreadful feeling of blood as it rode up my dagger, Shione was busy calming her trembling hands.

I was sure I had told her back then not to feel guilty over such matters.

…Seriously, what a foolish girl who doesn’t listen to a single word.

I expressed my gratitude to her as calmly as I could.

For now, that level of expression seemed sufficient.

“…Thanks to you, Princess Shione, I’m safe. Thank you.”

“If that’s the case… I’m relieved.”

Shione weakly smiled.

I felt her trembling had settled to some extent.

I looked directly into Shione’s beautiful eyes and said.

“Princess Shione.”

In response to my call, her eyes, disguised in calmness, met mine.

“You don’t have to push yourself too hard.”

With just my one word, cracks began to appear in her mask.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Are you not struggling?”

With large distortions appearing over the mask, cracks began to extend outwards.

“There’s no way I’d be struggling with just this… So don’t worry about it.”

“Did you think you could deceive my eyes?”

“That’s…”

Seeing Shione noticeably agitated at last, I sighed softly and casually spoke.

“Who do you think I am?”

Shione opened her mouth, then closed it repeatedly.

Adelhaite was still standing there, arms crossed, simply watching me and Shione with a faint smile.

She didn’t show any signs of action at all.

After taking in the annoyingly idle situation of those two, I shared a serious gaze with Shione.

“For now, as not just your humble servant but as your knight, whenever you feel tired and want to rest, please don’t hesitate and feel free to rest behind me.”

“But…!”

“Didn’t I once protect you in a similar situation? Do you think I can’t do it again this time?”

So, I kindly asked.

Instead of clumsily helping and causing annoying problems, please just stay quietly beside Adelhaite.

I know it may sound harsh.

But in this life-and-death situation, if an ordinary warrior, not an exceptional one, feels guilt over taking lives, it wouldn’t benefit either our side or herself.

Shione should step back.

This is my responsibility.

“…I’ll do as you say.”

Fortunately, it seemed Shione understood my intention and nodded.

Yet, seeing her gritting her teeth, it seemed there was still something bothering her.

But with those demon-worshipping scum rushing towards the princess, we had neither the time to spare nor the luxury to linger.

I shifted the attention away from Shione and drew my momentum back up.

“Seriously, you shouldn’t mess with those demon-infested fools.”

Anyone witnessing the chaos would surely agree with me.

Suddenly overwhelmed by the mana flooding my body, those who couldn’t handle it lost their sanity and began rampaging, entangling the knights and wizards.

Meanwhile, those fortunate enough to control their mana didn’t stop even when knights cut off one of their arms or slashed them in the back. They frantically charged towards the princess.

It was absolutely insane, simply sickening.

How sweet must have been the lies of those demons to result in such fanaticism?

“Adelhaite!! The descendants of whores who lucked out and nested with dragons—!!”

“…I’m really going crazy.”

The mental state of those demons mocking the princess with ludicrous words was highly questionable.

Even the one doing so was clearly nobility, not some peasant. How did they end up like that?

I leaped towards the fool who got too close to Adelhaite.

Taking up position at the unprepared fool’s side, I deftly swung my sword.

Whoosh!

The sword traced a large crescent.

Crunch!

With a short and precise attack, the fool couldn’t continue their insult toward Adelhaite and the royal family, losing their breath.

I wasn’t the only one to have struck down the demon.

“Lady, wouldn’t it be wise to be cautious of your sides instead of staring at your servant?”

“C-sides? Ah…! Hmph…!”

“It would be better to kick them away and create distance, my lady. Can you do it?”

“I’ll give it a try…!”

Shione cut down the parts of her dress that were hindering her movement, and with the hem brushing just above her knees, she was facing Adelhaite and the demon.

“Good. Take advantage of their unsteady posture and strike back.”

“Yes…!”

Finally, Shione managed to take down a demon while catching her ragged breath.

Tremble.

Seeing her shoulders quaking and hands clutching the dagger still shaking endlessly, it seemed too much to expect more from her.

I stood before Shione and Adelhaite.

Shione’s blue eyes, staring back at me, were undeniably trembling yet still held a gleam of light.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Shione merely nodded silently.

“You can rest now. I will take over.”

“But there’s still….”

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

“Ugh….”

“You, Princess Shione, have worked hard and achieved meaningful results. Now, please let me take care of this.”

Shione yet again compressed her lips and went along with it.

After offering her a faint smile as a sign of encouragement, I shook the blood that had started to harden on my blade and faced the enemies.

“Ha…”

I could clearly see three of my friends’ heads rolling.

These fools were still charging at us with murderous intent.

My mana had considerably dropped.

At that moment, when I had resolved to protect Shione Shianella,

[Begin to protect Shione Shianella.]

[Your power will be partially unlocked.]

The awaited status window appeared.

After guarding Shione against the demon-worshippers during our journey to the Feiosha Marquis family, I gained this ability.

As my mana level gradually rose again, I felt my physical capabilities enhance in tandem.

Once more, I sharpened my senses and set my gaze upon the enemies.

‘…There are too many.’

Where on earth had these three demons come from, charging at us in succession?

It seemed challenging to handle this with only mana…

Given the situation, I might have to utilize spirit magic.

As I hesitated with that thought, a surprisingly composed voice that felt almost arrogant reached my ears from Adelhaite, who shouldn’t be calm in this urgent situation.

“You’re hesitating. It’s unexpected to find you mulling over this situation alone. It seems you are hiding something from us.”

Not only her penetrating gaze but also every movement of Adelhaite emanated an elegant grace that started to conquer the atmosphere around us.

“Your relationship with the lady and what you’re hiding; both are becoming more intriguing.”

The dragon is a race that brightly illuminates their lives until the moment of death with the absolute blessing of mana and magic.

This generation’s princess of the Aisilia family, carrying dragon blood, had successfully awakened the fading essence of the dragons more intensely than anyone else.

Now, she was beginning to wield the power infused in her blood without waste and command the mana surrounding her.

“Ah…”

Having such an ability, why in the original timeline would Adelhaite sustain at least a serious injury here?

No, if this was true… then why the hell had she been content watching me dance around with a sword until now…?

As I let out a sigh of contemplation, she cynically smiled and delved into the demons with a keen sense.

“I have a mountain of questions to ask. It seems I’ll finally have some proper entertainment… Servant, Ray. Let’s discuss our future stories, just the two of us.”

“I’ll comply.”

“Good.”

Adelhaite cast a chilling ice spell that sent shivers down my spine.

As dozens of beautifully shaped ice spears rained down on the demon, their bodies were riddled with holes, and they met their demise without question.

Once the skirmish had settled to some extent, various figures gathered around Princess Shione, me, and Adelhaite.

Royal Knights Order, High Priest, and Wizards among others.

Surprisingly, I recognized quite a few familiar faces.

Ania Alenarr, with a troubled expression and wielding a sword, appeared to be out of practice since she only usually handled a spear.

Leona Rephelia, the wizard showing her powers with fireballs in a controlled manner, as if she wouldn’t burn down the entire garden.

Peira Feiosha, elegantly felling enemies with the simplest of motions.

Lastly, various clan heads radiating monstrous energies following Ainel.

Indeed. Familiar faces abound.

Though I found it a bit bothersome that Noah Belreya was yet to make an appearance.

It seemed Noah lacked divine power or mana; there was little he could be faulted for.

Anyway, thanks to those who gathered around us leading the charge, the situation resolved swiftly.

‘That person…?’

Lastly, the woman who should have been discussing with Shione today.

Eunice Kalia, the lady of the Kalia Marquis family, responsible for the eastern borders of the kingdom.

With her bloodstained sword and shield partially obscuring her face, she fixed her brown eyes upon me, whispering as if she wouldn’t forget.

“…A real knight.”

“Umm…”

I let out a slight hum.

Just as Eunice said.

At the instant the situation erupted, Shione became a noble shining example, risking herself to guard the princess.

And as it turned out, I had ultimately become a true knight, carving out the lives of two demons on my own.

…With the rumor spreading through the Shianella family, I was utterly exhausted.

I never expected it would escalate to such an extent.

As I sighed under the intense gazes of everyone around me, someone from the forest tribe not too far away was also reflecting my image.

“Everyone—”

With her eyes fixed in one direction, the crescent-shaped curvature at the corners of her eyes glinted, and greed began to seep into her teal eyes filled with freshness from the forest.

“Isn’t that human male interesting?”