108. Oath (1)

Siabel and I let go of our hands for a handshake and slowly cleared our faces.

Cooling down his excitement with the unexpected reward, he quickly thought about what to do with Siabelle in the future.

‘If Siabelle becomes my swordsmanship teacher.’

You will probably have to cross swords with her for quite some time.

It certainly won’t be an easy task to receive the poisonous sword dance that you experienced with your own body in the past. Surely, after each sparring, the body would feel exhausted and tired. I’m not thinking too bad about this either.

Yes, compared to the days when I went into dungeons and killed monsters every day in the past, I’ve become dull lately.

Every day, the sword that grips Siabelle’s throat more tenaciously than that demon. No, if you deal with them periodically, even if not every day, you should be able to regain your senses.

It’s funny that an archer is thinking about this with a sword, not a bow, but what.

I think it’s okay because it’s nothing else but to awaken my sense of battle that has become lax.

‘If there’s one thing that gets in the way, it’s just that the nobility and the common people form a relationship with the priests…….’

I don’t know much about this anymore.

Siabelle also has an idea, so everyone must be accepting me as a disciple.

… The eldest daughter of a count, and a male slave who is being taught martial arts by the next head of the family. What kind of gossip will spread here again this time?

Nobles and slaves aren’t joking around, they have a serious relationship with priests, so the gazes and rumors around them are just a little annoying.

Siabel said, poking her hand into my fur again.

“I’ll come back after adjusting my schedule in a few days. Until then, Sione and I are resting comfortably.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Yes, you can rest in peace until the festival. I’ll visit you after the festival, so I’m preparing slowly.”

Ah, the festival.

Certainly, Shione brought up the story once before. Around this time of year, there’s a pretty big festival going on in the estate.

A festival to honor the achievements of the first family head, or something. I remember that Shione was quite excited about playing with me.

“Can I ask when the festival will start?”

“I know it starts next Tuesday. If nothing special happens, the festival will last for three days, just like every year.”

“Next Tuesday… All right.”

It’s next Tuesday.

Today is Wednesday, so it’s a little over a week away.

Since Siabelle came to visit me after the festival, I think it would be a good idea to prepare a training sword for me in advance.

The conversation after that was neither long nor short.

From noble mtl dot com

Sia Bell asked about my conversation with Arya, and I answered her question.

In particular, when a wizard named Ravi Crunell told me what she had to say, she calmed down the subtle smile that she thought would never be erased today. She showed her understanding with her slightly hardened face.

After that, the story was briefly over. I nodded and said.

“If you do, Sione-nim will be waiting for me, so I’ll go.”

Shione will be waiting anxiously in the room. Now she has to go back.

* *

“Haa… ….”

How long has it been since you let out such a deep sigh? Looking back, it wasn’t even that distant past.

The coming-of-age ceremony for the first princess held in the royal castle. When the anniversary that should have been the most magnificent and splendid was corrupted by the devil’s heinous henchmen, I took a deep breath.

As the Marquis of the western part of the Kingdom of Isilia, the head of Cianella. The day after a deep discussion with His Highness the King and the First Princess about the recent cultists.

After hearing the words of my second daughter’s exclusive attendant who came to me early in the morning when I was extremely tired, I sighed once more.

Tuk─ Tuk─ Tuk─

Resting on his chin with his left hand, he habitually teased his index finger. At regular intervals, the sound of lightly tapping the wood enters my ears.

It was a habit. The habit of coming out when organizing your thoughts or if there is something you don’t like.

The regular, non-stimulating sound calmed my displeasure with things not going the way I wanted.

“… Late.”

The second search party and reconnaissance party sent to the Beltrin Mountains. Their return has been delayed more than expected.

Sent when the guests from the Marquis Allenar entered the Count’s residence. After Dioria’s return, I was expecting them to come back with news soon. My expectations were unfortunately not met.

He selected rangers who had been raised with great care even within the count’s family and organized a search and scouting party. Half a year ago, there was a record of demons crawling out of the mountain range. They asked for support from the church belonging to the Holy See, which was located in the county’s inner castle, and even sent trusty priests along with them.

What the hell is going on out there in the west, why is it so late?

I can’t help but be annoyed. That’s why I have no choice but to suffer even more.

If the eastern part of the kingdom is troubled by the imperial army, obsessed with territorial expansion, the western part is infested with ferocious monsters left behind by demons.

Since the Count is closer than anyone else to the cursed land beyond the mountains, the meaning of the Demonic View cannot be taken lightly.

─I led the knights and subdued all the enemies that were rushing in at once. I was able to put an end to the turmoil that swept through the territory… The silence now feels like the night before the storm.

The deeper I thought, the more Dioria said the other day.

“It feels like the night before the storm.”

Took─. Took-.

The index finger that had been banging on the desk began to exert more force.

What is really happening in the mountains? Could it be that a detached house has been created in the demonic landscape over the mountain range that has been quiet for thousands of years.

“Tsk.”

Whatever it is. I’m sure something annoying will happen.

I closed my eyes while fiddling with the familiar fountain pen with my right hand that had been banging on the desk.

The world was dark.

The occasional strong wind blows the windows. And my light breathing was the only sound I could hear in the quiet office.

In silence and darkness, I slowly captured my thoughts. It took some time to calm the unpleasant thoughts.

Through.

As soon as the wrinkles between her fine eyebrows were smoothed out, she returned to her usual expressionless expression. With her regained composure, she slowly lifted her eyelids.

The image of an object formed on the retina.

It was an expensive ornamental sword. A sword with high value as a work of art, from the handle to the scabbard.

However, not only the black appearance, but also its practicality was very good. The sword blade also possesses foresight and durability comparable to the hilt and scabbard.

Indeed, as soon as I held that sword in my eyes, I remembered what had happened the other day.

─Is it right to kill you with the excuse that it is dangerous to keep you by your side? Or would it be right to let her stay by Cianella’s side as she is now?

People of the lowest class. The only thing you are born with is your appearance. And Shione’s attendant, who only had Mana Awakening and shouldn’t have had anything else.

The first thing that came to mind was aiming that sword at Ray’s throat.

─Mother, I have someone I want to teach myself swordsmanship.

The second was a story that her eldest daughter, Siabel Cianella, had been telling herself recently.

“Yes… ….”

I know better than anyone that she has no interest or interest in anything other than her sword and her own martial art.

It was strange that my daughter had someone she was interested in other than a sword for the first time.

I was curious about who the target was and asked.

Shaking his head when I asked if he had found a soldier with exceptional talent in swordsmanship at the training ground he went to every day.

Didn’t you shake your head again when I asked if you had discovered a person with a bowl that would shine brighter among knights with inexperienced skills?

When you stop asking and ask for an answer, it makes you more curious, let alone the name you wanted.

─We’ll let you know when the time comes. Don’t worry. It’s not that we’re going to teach you our unique swordsmanship that is being handed down.

“… Looking forward to it.”

I wonder if the words of wanting to teach swords really came from the heart. Having said that, she even said that she would like to rent my private training room, which is being neglected today.

I thought as I put the fountain pen I was fiddling with back on the desk. Who the hell was he that made Siabelle show so much interest?

Of course, simply showing talent in swordsmanship. This one reason alone is not enough. The count family is a family of brave knights. Even if they are not the heirs of Cianella’s blood, there are many soldiers and knights who are quite talented with swords in our territory.

In order to attract Siabelle’s attention, there must be a talent that clearly shines other than swordsmanship, and a special talent that does not lack talent.

But… Coincidentally, why?

“… Ray.”

Among those who met the conditions, the first thing that came to mind was none other than Shione’s slave.

I had a silly idea.

What if the man I aimed a sword at his neck was taught by my daughter?

… The deeper you think, the more you imagine strange things.

Shaking off my petty imagination, I opened the desk drawer on the right side with a relaxed motion.

Dripping…….

Through the quietly open chest of drawers, you can see a stack of documents carefully placed. After reaching out her hand and taking it out, she carefully puts it on the desk.

“Hmm.”

Rather than doing this endlessly, it would be better to end the problem that can be solved right now.

Opening the briefcase, a sheet of parchment with the form of a contract appeared.

I took out the parchment and held it. Afterwards, he pushed the briefcase aside and removed it from sight. Fill in the blanks with various conditions and details with a fountain pen so that the contract can have a certain effect.

After completing a series of actions with an indifferent expression. I called the servant who was waiting outside the office.

“Did you call?”

“Yes. Shione and her exclusive servant, Ray. I have something important to say to the two people I called, so could you tell them to come to my office together?”

“Yes, I will deliver as you said.”

The maid bowed her head. She backed out, and she closed the door.

Tuk─ Tuk─ Tuk─

The room was once again filled with the sound of knocking on the desk and the silence of people waiting for guests.

With Ainel still holding her chin, she took her parchment again. She looked precisely at the top of the parchment, at the large writing on the gown.

『I swear in front of Mana』

The writing contained mana and made the viewer feel mysterious.