The Male S*ave of the Count Sianella Family

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After staying for a few days at the Feiosha Marquis Family, we started our journey back to the Shianella Count’s House, feeling completely refreshed.

I felt a shudder at the thought of returning to the carriage life, but I couldn’t lay out a mat and live here for a lifetime.

So, I resigned myself to fate and climbed into the carriage with a heavy body.

On the way back, nothing significant happened.

We did encounter bandits once, but…

‘Against a Sword Expert, regular bandits are nothing to worry about.’

Thanks to Diolia’s prowess, they were easily dealt with.

The shimmering blue mana around her sword was a testament to her expertise as a knight.

When the bandits caught sight of Diolia’s sword, their morale broke, and they acted like goblins facing an orc.

As a result, it became easier to handle the confused bandits.

‘And Shione even attempted to help by stepping out of the carriage once.’

Not just that.

Shione, perhaps having undergone her own change inside, aimed her bow at the thieves without a hint of hesitation.

Of course, in the end, she only aimed and didn’t actually shoot any arrows through the bandits.

It was surprising to see her showing such courage, especially after trembling when faced with the fanatics who had threatened her life.

Moreover, during this return trip, both Shione and Diolia contributed a little to the troublesome matters.

Thanks to that, our carriage life was more comfortable than when we headed to the Feiosha Marquis Family.

And finally…

“…Finally.”

The long-awaited castle walls of the Shianella Count’s House began to come into view.

Starting today, I should be able to put an end to this tiresome stay away from home.

I was going crazy missing my designated room and its plush bed.

As I turned my gaze toward the window, my eyes landed on Shione.

Naturally, Shione was lying flat on the carriage floor, staring intently at me.

Crunch. Crunch.

She was devouring an apple without pause.

Munch. Munch.

Shione took a large bite of the apple and chewed in a comical manner.

Considering I’d given her too many cookies lately, she seemed to have gained some weight.

Her cheeks were puffed up a bit.

She hadn’t moved much in the carriage, just lying there snacking away…

Well, there’s nothing to be done.

I could just push her to exercise hard once we’re back.

At the moment she swallowed the apple, I opened my mouth.

“The castle walls are coming into view, so we should be arriving at the territory soon.”

“Really?!”

Shione’s face instantly brightened as she sprang up from her seat.

She launched herself towards the window like a squirrel.

“Phew… I’ve had enough of carriage life. I miss my room.”

She had been living comfortably in this carriage, just like her room, yet she was still whining.

I asked the elated Shione, “What do you plan to do once we return to the Count’s House?”

“There’s nothing to plan. I will just carry on as before. First, I’ll stop by my room for a bit, then I’ll go see Mother.”

“You mean the Head of the Family.”

“Yes… There are things we need to discuss, including the broken engagement…”

Shione’s shoulders slumped.

It seemed she might be imagining Ainel Shianella’s reaction to the broken engagement.

I silently cheered her on in my heart, not saying anything more.

It’s not like I was the one being scolded.

This was all Shione’s causality.

The zinnia should accept this humbly.

*

We arrived inside the territory and then to Shione’s room.

Looking at the familiar hallway and surroundings, it finally felt like I was back home.

This place that I thought I could never get used to now felt like home.

Time is truly frightening.

As I slowly scanned my surroundings, pondering if anything had changed, Shione pulled out a neat set of clothes from her wardrobe.

“I plan to change before visiting Mother, so please step out for a moment.”

“I’ll wait by the door.”

I followed her instructions and stepped outside her room to wait.

After a while, Shione, dressed in her new clothes, called for me from beyond the door.

“You can come in now.”

I stepped back into Shione’s room and observed her in her changed outfit.

She twirled around to show off her clothes.

“What do you think? Is this good enough to meet Mother?”

“It should be sufficient.”

I nodded slightly.

“However, your collar is a bit askew… Let me fix that for you.”

While the rest of her appearance was impeccable, that collar was undeniably bothersome.

If she went to Ainel like that, she’d surely hear a lecture about paying attention to her clothes.

It would be best to have her hear as few bad remarks as possible, so I needed to fix it.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Please.”

In the past, she would feel shy and shy away at the slightest proximity.

But now, it seemed she had matured, waiting patiently while I adjusted her collar.

Thanks to that, I easily straightened her collar and stepped back.

“All done.”

“…Thank you.”

Shione expressed her gratitude with a gentle smile.

She continued, “I will go see Mother now. You can relax and wait here.”

“…Is it alright for me to drink some tea while I wait?”

“Of course. But I’d appreciate it if you could also bring some treats for me to enjoy when I return.”

“I will do just that.”

“Good.”

With that, Shione passed by me and opened the door.

She flashed a bright smile as she said, “I’ll be right back.”

*

I enjoyed tea in Shione’s room as I waited for her return.

Time flew by quickly as I savored the refreshments and tea leisurely.

Hence, waiting for Shione wasn’t entirely dull.

Still…

Shione had mentioned borrowing a flower language dictionary when she returned.

How much better it would have been if I had gotten that while I waited.

Reading a book would be far easier to pass time than just sipping tea idly.

What were those flowers again? Immortality, plum blossom, and what else?

Anyway, I was curious about the meanings of the flowers Shione mentioned.

I should casually ask for the flower language dictionary once she returns.

Just then, the door creaked open.

It seemed Shione had finally finished her conversation with Ainel and returned to the room.

I set down my tea and welcomed her.

“Princess Shione, you’re back.”

“Yeah…”

Why did her response sound so lacking in energy?

I lifted my head to look at Shione as I had bowed to greet her.

She seemed visibly drained, as if she might have endured a serious scolding from Ainel regarding the broken engagement.

Dark circles were quite noticeable under her eyes, and her hair might have been pulled during the journey back, looking messy.

Moreover, her expression was full of worry.

“Sigh…”

Shione flopped down on her bed with a heavy sigh.

It was somewhat pitiful seeing her burying her face in the pillow.

I spoke to Shione.

“Princess Shione, are you alright?”

“No. Not at all.”

“…Could it be that it’s the broken engagement with Evan Feiosha that bothers you?”

Shione, who had been burying her face in the pillow, turned to lay on her back.

Then she shook her head, looking at me.

If it weren’t because of the engagement…

What on earth had made her so upset?

Fortunately, before my curiosity could grow too large, Shione provided the answer.

“The scolding regarding the broken engagement was manageable; I had prepared myself for that. But now that I’ve just returned, they want me to hunt monsters…”

“Excuse me…?”

Hunting monsters?

What ridiculous words were those?

That cowardly Shione is to hunt monsters?

For a moment, I felt my thoughts freeze.

“Were you really told to hunt monsters?”

“Yes, my mother instructed me to follow Siabel to hunt monsters in the Beltlin Mountains west of the territory. I know it’s an obligation as a member of the Shianella family that I would eventually have to do this, but I never expected it to happen now…”

With her words, something I hadn’t seen in a long time appeared in the corner of my vision.

[Quest formed.]

“Monster Subjugation”

“The Beltlin Mountains to the west of Shianella once housed high-level demons. Though the first Head of the Shianella family succeeded in eliminating them, the monsters spawned by those demons remain, causing significant harm to humans. Without periodic extermination, the increasing number of monsters will venture down the mountains and wreak havoc on the Shianella Count’s House, thus the heirs of the Shianella family must periodically hunt these monsters. Keep Princess Shione safe until the monster subjugation with her sister Siabel Shianella is complete.”

“Reward: Increase in Princess Shione’s favor towards you, Increase in Siabel Shianella’s interest in you.”

“Failure: Acceleration of world destruction.”

How could a quest appear?

The content was straightforward and easy to understand.

It was a simple task to keep an eye on Shione as she set out to hunt monsters.

However, it was a challenging and dangerous affair.

The Beltlin Mountains would not be a safe place for Shione.

While it was fortunate that Siabel, the eldest daughter of the Shianella family, would be with her, it would be difficult for Shione to remain alongside her sister for long, given their relationship.

If Shione fell behind with the others hunting monsters, I would need to protect her from potential attacks.

At least, it was a relief that the opponent wasn’t a troublesome human, but rather those monsters I had faced almost daily before.

Still, with this frail body, I questioned whether I could accomplish such a task.

I was weak and weary from mana depletion and felt utterly incapable compared to before.

It hadn’t been long since I returned after the carriage ride, yet I had already been roped into such troublesome work.

Now I understood why Shione had sunk her face into her pillow, sighing heavily.

“I feel I have to talk to Siabel about this…”

Shione stared at me with pleading eyes.

When I met her gaze, her pupils began to shake as if experiencing an earthquake.

“How on earth should I start a conversation with Siabel?”

[Quest formed.]

“Reconciliation with Siabel”

“Ever since Shione Shianella was constantly compared to her sister, Siabel Shianella, she has purposefully avoided her after setting down her sword. Likewise, Siabel Shianella has been aware of the comparisons and hasn’t approached Shione. That awkward relationship has persisted for years, making their bond one of distance. Help ease the tension between them to restore the once-close sisterhood.”

“Reward: Accelerated flourishing of Siabel Shianella’s talents.”

“Failure: Increased probability of world destruction.”

The quests, which I had scarcely seen before, had now doubled.

As I read through the quests, I vaguely responded to Shione’s question.

“Perhaps it would be good to mention some nice flowers or their meanings to break the ice.”

“Um… Are there none?”

Ah, I hadn’t been fully paying attention because I was focused on the quests.

“Could you repeat that?”

“Are there any flowers that would suit Siabel?”

The offhand comment was the problem.

Shione had already fallen deep into thought about which flower might pique her sister’s interest enough to start a conversation.

Would Siabel, who usually swings a sword, even care about flowers?

I quietly sighed deeply.

“…Thinking about using flowers to strike up a conversation seems a bit unnatural.”

“What would then be a more natural way to start a conversation?”

“Perhaps inquire about her well-being and mention any occurrences from the Feiosha Marquis Family to ease into the discussion.”

“Oh….”

Shione bobbed her head up and down, letting out a deep sigh.

She had approached Diolia with no issues, but she seemed to be struggling with Siabel, who seemed no different.

“Are you particularly anxious about speaking to Lady Siabel?”

Shione nodded her head softly.

“…Please help me.”

Ultimately, I couldn’t refuse her plea.

I needed to complete these quests after all.

I don’t understand why the world’s destruction probability increases if Shione and Siabel can’t reconcile.

Nonetheless, it was vital that they become close in order to avoid penalties.

I moved closer to Shione, whose face filled with relief.

Clop. Clop.

As I approached her bed, she looked at me with a confused expression.

“Get up.”

Upon realizing what I meant, Shione’s expression turned sorrowful.

I simply smiled gently.