109. Oath (2)

“I’m back─”

“… Late.”

As soon as I returned to my room, before I even finished my greeting. I heard Shione’s whining voice.

I’m getting tired of the conversation that dragged on due to force majeure. You’re going to ask me for this

Well, it’s not even a day or two that Shione has been doing that. I shrugged my shoulders and walked calmly to Shione’s side.

“I was a little late because the conversation with Aria was getting longer. On the way back, I ran into Siabelle noona once.”

Shione was alone on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, looking at her with a puzzled expression. The corners of her eyes twisted as her puffy cheeks slimmed down.

With that sign shooting through the thick blanket surrounding my body. From the immaculate forehead visible through the disheveled bangs, to the thin wrinkles on it. She begins to show off that she is not feeling well.

Cheer!

“Hmm.”

Shione let out her voice as if she didn’t like it, and even glared at me unbecoming of her for some reason.

Her eyes were more stinging than I thought, so I couldn’t help but be embarrassed. Because of her cold glare. Let’s stop her steps before she gets to her side. An even greater backlash emanated from Shione.

… No, what are you asking me to do? Come closer, don’t.

Carefully with a shy expression. As I slowly walk beside her, Shione’s blue eyes follow me.

“… Sione?”

“… It seems that she became very close with her sister. Even when the two of us are together, call me noona.”

“Ah.”

A gruff voice, as if he didn’t like it.

She called Sia Belle her sister because she was in a high spirits just a moment ago. Because I called Siabelle older sister in front of Shione without even realizing it, it seemed that Shione was jealous.

Why the hell am I jealous of my older sister because I have nothing to be jealous of?

I recognized the emotion of the sting in my master’s eyes. When I was really old, I ate what I ate. Maybe it’s because I’m confined to my room, so there’s a corner where I’m a little child.

“Are you jealous?”

“… Heh, jealous. I just said it because I think I got closer to her sister more than I thought.”

Even if you say that, you can’t avoid my eyes.

When the word “Jealousy” Came out of my mouth, my expression twisted slightly in embarrassment.

She gently sat down on the bed, smiling at her emotional state.

“Then, Shione would also like to be called older sister.”

“Mmm, what?”

“If it’s not jealousy… Other than this, I don’t think there’s any reason to glare at me like that….”

“… No, you said It just seems closer to her sister than you ever knew, so it’s just… ….”

“Shione-sister, let go of your anger.”

She gently pushed away the blanket she was wrapped in and stroked her hair, and Shione finally calmed her down.

Eventually, the situation was sorted out. She lowered her head and remained still, looking up at me and muttering softly.

“… I’m waiting for you in the room, so please come back as soon as possible next time.”

Without saying a word, he quietly nodded, and Shione gave a suspicious glance.

She stared at me blankly for a while before adding a word.

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“…… It’s an order.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

After a series of situations, we slowly started talking.

Of course, the topic was decided.

Siabelle taught me the sword and what I talked about when I was called to Aria. The time passed quickly as we mixed the two stories appropriately and even exchanged silly jokes from time to time.

As time passes, the sun begins to lose its power. Where did the bright light that came in through the window go? Now, only the calmly shining light gives warmth to the shaded room.

At that time, I checked the helplessly passing time through the window.

Smart.

Someone knocked on Sione’s door again.

“There are a lot of customers coming today.”

“That’s right. I’ll check.”

Shione’s hair and clothes were disheveled because she had been rolling around on the bed all the time.

After simply tidying up my clothes, I welcomed the guest.

When I opened the door, I saw a maid. It was a familiar one. Since I came to the county by Ainel’s hand, I have learned from this maid as her servant. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her, so I feel a little new.

But that’s it. She had no reason for this maid to come here for nothing.

Instead of knowing it, I calmly bowed her head once and asked what she had to say.

“Why did you come here?”

“Ainel-sama has something important to say to Sione-nim and her exclusive servant, Ray, so she told them to come to the office.”

“Ainel-nim?”

“Yes, please come quickly.”

“Okay.”

The maid who delivered her words went away, and her door was closed again.

What kind of day is today? Why doesn’t work end all day?

I swallowed a sigh and looked back.

Shione heard that the name of the child Nel came up in the story between me and her maid. At some point, I got out of bed and was shaking her head.

I told her what I had heard from her maid.

“The head of household is calling.”

* *

Smart.

Shione, dressed neatly, knocked on Ainel’s office door.

“Mom, I will go in.”

A cold, hard expression, even a hard tone.

Shione seemed very nervous at Ainel’s sudden call.

And I’m just as nervous as Sione.

‘Since Shione comes to the office once, something happens every day.’

Every time Shione is called by Ainel to her office, her troublesome things always follow her.

The family name of Shione’s ex-fiancee. She also left as a writer after Fei Osha. She also went to the Beltrin Mountains with Siabel. At least she was hunting monsters this winter. These are all the things Shione brought with her every time she went to her office.

Not only that.

‘I am the same.’

It was the same when I, not Sione, was called to the office by Ainel.

Now it’s made into a human like this. How bleak it was when I first became this idiot’s exclusive servant. Even now, just thinking about it reminds me of the feelings she felt at the time.

Other than this, from Ainel aiming a sword at my neck to saying that I will go up to the capital of the kingdom without any fuss.

Ainel in the office always gave Sione and me trials.

And predictably. It won’t be that different this time.

“Come in.”

With permission from over the wall, Shione opened the door and took his first step.

I also followed her carefully into the office.

I looked straight ahead, and I had Ainel in my eyes.

She came out with her arms crossed and calmly looked over at Shione.

“… He’s coming too soon. Even if a lot of things change in a year, the slow pace is still the same.”

A year ago. The words that rebuked Shione’s late appearance, which was like a bear, came out of Ainel’s mouth again.

However, other than her words, everything was noticeably different from a year ago.

Looking at my daughter, who never got an answer, her mother’s cold, indifferent side of the wall no longer exists. The difference between indifference and serenity. Instead of cold indifference, there was a little bit of warm tranquility in her wall.

The tone is also the same.

The rebuke is gone, only a little murmuring remains.

Certainly, I spent quite a bit of time preparing to go to Ainel. It was only natural to grumble like this.

“… Forgive me for being late.”

When Sione bowed her head and apologized, Ainel raised her hand and she forgave.

“Do you know what caused you to call me and Ray?”

“Here, read this parchment.”

“This is…….”

Shione accepted one of her parchments from Ai Nell.

She looked at the words written on her parchment for a while, then she raised her head again.

“… Is it the oath of mana?”

“Yes. It is an oath to be made by your servant. First of all, his owner, Sione, I called him because I thought you should know.”

Eye Nell, who was looking at Sione as she touched her fountain pen, began to look at me.

“Even though it’s not an oath to have an outstanding wizard as a mediator. There will be no risk of losing one’s life as a result of a reaction. But even this should be enough to make you an idiot or crippled.”

“… That would be enough to make you an idiot or crippled.”

Kwok.

Shione’s hand, which was holding the parchment, gains strength.

“… It’s not possible.”

“Didn’t you read it? It’s just a simple condition that you won’t betray Cianella… It is also an oath to protect you.”

“But… ….”

“Shione. I am very worried.”

Ainel stood on his chin and started hitting the desk with his index finger.

“Does your slave look like a person who will be crippled if he fails to keep a single clause?”

“… No.”

“Yes, the steps he has shown us so far will be enough to keep. Now he’ll stop passing the parchment to Ray.”

Sione carefully handed over the parchment.

I received her parchment from her and read her writing calmly.

Oath of Mana.

The day I was questioned by Ainel after I caught Arachne in the Beltrin Mountains. I remember that you told me that you would make me sign an oath.

However, since it had been unreported for more than half a year, I thought it was a non-existent story. It seemed like he was trying to make me sign an oath today.

The pact of the oath was simple.

In short, I will be loyal to Shione, and my sword and magic. More precisely, her hostility and intent to kill were not directed at her. And it was all about not betraying Countess Cianella.

However, there is a point where he tolerates it up to a certain extent for the sake of Sione and my life in a special situation.

She has no intention of harming Shione in the first place, and she has no intention of betraying the count.

In the first place, there is nothing to be violated, so I nodded my head willingly.

“I will.”

Shione and Ainel reacted very differently to my words.

Ainel nodded her head in satisfaction, while Sione showed some anxiety.

As Ainel said, if it were such a basic and simple condition, there would be nothing to violate. Why the hell are you so worried?

She didn’t seem to like the slightest chance that I might be crippled or an idiot.

Bastard, but I’ve seen it for a long time. I’ll go back to my room later and give her a hug.

I took action to fulfill the oath.

“Take it. Down there, smear your blood.”

“I will follow.”

I poked her thumb with the small blade that child Nell had given me.

Along with a tingling pain, thick drops of blood gushed out.

Kwok.

One side of the parchment. I pressed my thumb into the interfering space.

Ugh!

The words engraved on the parchment begin to glow blue. The blue light soon seeped into my beating heart, and then clamped me down.

The feeling was not very pleasant.

“Use it.”

Unknowingly, I made an impression.

“Ray, are you okay?”

Shione, taken aback by this, expressed her deep concern.

“It’s okay. I am fine now.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s really fine.”

“If you are….”

Leaving Shione behind, I handed Ainel the parchment on which the contract had ended.

Ainel was looking at me and Sione with interest. After she retrieved her parchment from me, she touched my lips, she said.

“You made an oath. Do you have any regrets?”

“I will be loyal to the Count and Sione.”

Child Nell raised the corner of her mouth at my words and nodded her head.

“As long as your oath is kept, from now on with the Count. And as a knight, my protection will always be with you.”

“That means… ….”

“Congratulations. The Marquess, who has more power than anyone else in the western kingdom, will be your ally from now on. You can stop hiding yourself from now on.”

“… ….”

“Even if many are watching you. This means that you can unleash all your strength without hesitation when you think it’s necessary, such as when Shione is under attack. Like your elemental magic, for example.”

“But.”

“The count’s family doesn’t shoulder the impact that will spread throughout the world.”

“… Would that be possible?”

This may sound like an arrogant question, but it needs to be confirmed.

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“The moment you show your strength, I will announce that my family and I are behind you. Those who are jealous of your power and try to rip you off will become your family’s achievements. At least within the kingdom, those who are stigmatized for our count’s achievements will have no choice but to spend every day like hell.”

“… ….”

“However, you shouldn’t show that power just out of vanity.”

“I will take note.”

As I quietly listened to her, Ainel immediately opened her desk and took out one of her fancy boxes.

The child Nel, who placed it on the desk, opened her mouth.

“Shione, take this.”

“This is….”

“You may open it.”

“Excuse me for a second.”

What was in the box was a ring. A pair of couplings. The two rings were studded with white gems, shining softly.

“When injecting mana, the same pair of rings will glow blue. If you get a byeolgo, call your servant with that ring. And Ray, you too if the ring reacts. Put everything behind you and focus on Sione.”

“… I will follow.”

After her story was over, Ainel picked up a piece of her paper that lay beside him and put it in front of him. She picked up my fountain pen again and started writing down something of hers.

After the following decree, Shione and I quietly went out of her office.

* *

I returned to Sione’s room.

My master went to the front of the dodo table excitedly.

She took out a ring and returned the dodo to me again.

“Ray, hands!”

… It’s not a puppy that will give you a hand if I ask for it.

I grumbled and held out her right hand to her.

“No, not the right hand. Left hand.”

“Left hand?”

“Yes.”

I reluctantly handed over my left hand.

Shione put the ring on her hand to me.

“hehehe.”

Shione put a ring on her finger and went back to the table with a big smile.

It was the ring finger of the left hand.

Soon, Shione, who wore a ring like me, poured her mana into it.

Ugh-

My ring resonated with Shione’s ring and shone blue.

Shione, who created the light, shouted with a slightly reddened face.

“Get the cookies!”