11. Rebirth (3)

Tramping.

Walking leisurely, what appeared was a woman who was ready to strike at any time.

She just wore a sword at her waist, and she wasn’t wearing any other weapons.

Unless your skin is stone, the arrow I’m aiming at should be able to pierce your flesh.

Even so, he defenselessly showed his gaps with the feeling that if he did something in vain, he would ask for an arrow to be inserted.

Since I was so relaxed, I was more concerned about what she was hiding.

“Stand back.”

“…Yes?”

“In this case, wouldn’t it be right for a woman to protect a man?”

Shione stepped out in front of me.

“Moreover, he is the one who swore allegiance to Cianella, so don’t worry, he’s not the scoundrel you think.”

“Is that so?”

“Have you ever heard of Sir Dioria of the Cianella family?”

“I’ve heard of it. But since I’m with Sione-sama every day, I’ve never seen her face.”

Dioria? If it’s Dioria.

A knight of the Cianella family who has reached the level of a sword expert.

Even though she had the opportunity to become a member of the Royal Guard, she became a knight of the Cianella family and is known to be quite well-liked by the head of the household, Nel Cianella.

Moreover, her usual behavior was excellent, and I could sometimes hear her good comments about her.

“Look at it now so you can memorize her face. Put down the bow for now.”

“…I understand.”

I lowered her bow, which was aimed at her.

Pulling on her string, she released her strength and retrieved her arrow.

At least as a knight who dedicated his sword to Cianella, there will be no attack on Sione, who inherits the direct lineage of the lord here.

Of course, my heart is beating because I’m a bit scared that I’m aiming my bow at a knight who’s a sword expert…….

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to have any intention of blaming me for it.

Rather, she showed a surprising expression, as if she hadn’t expected to see Sione Cianella at the shooting range.

“……Sir Dioria, why did you come to the shooting range at such an early hour?”

The expert knight bowed his head neatly to Sione, bowed, and then spoke.

“Recently, strange rumors have been circulating among those who practice here, so I came to check it out today.”

“What about rumors?”

“Every day, the position of the bow changes, the number of arrows decreases, or one or two arrows fall on the ground. Everyone whispers that a ghost appears at night and does this.”

“Hmm…I thought I had it properly organized, but I can’t ignore the attention of the people who come every day.”

“They are like hawks targeting distant enemies.”

I paid attention to cleaning up every day, but after all, it lasted for about a month, so I noticed that someone had come and gone.

I didn’t know that rumors about ghosts and whatnot spread.

“Do I look like a ghost?”

Dioria shook her head.

“How could Sione Cianella look like a ghost?”

“Until now, I’ve been living in a room like Ji-Bak-Ryeong.”

“hahahaha…”

Dioria smiled awkwardly.

Dioria’s reaction must have been so amusing, her expression softened.

“Since Sir Dioria confirmed the reason with his own two eyes today, I hope you will tell them well so that the rumors don’t spread further.”

“It’s been a while since the rumor spread… Why don’t you directly tell us the truth, saying it’s because Sione woke up earlier than anyone else and practiced every morning?”

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Shione’s head moved.

There was a faint glimpse of self-deprecation in the small artificial smile.

“If I said it myself, would they believe it? It’s obvious that it would be much better for you to make up and convey it than I do.”

“That’s…”

Dioria couldn’t say much about Sione’s words.

She said she didn’t agree with Shione’s words. To say her words out of her mouth, it’s obvious that she, too, is well aware of her self-evaluation.

My master has lived as a woman in the corner of a room until now, but he is not a person who can ignore others’ voices to the extent that he can’t hear my own swear words.

It’s strange that he says he’s never heard of his curse and current reputation when he has both good ears.

Dioria doesn’t seem to be able to cope easily, so I went in at this point.

“Then why don’t they make Shione’s words believable?”

Sione and Diolia’s eyes were focused on me.

Shione started to pay attention to my words as if she was used to it.

Dioria seemed amused when her mysterious attendant, who had been well and quietly, was suddenly engaged in conversation.

“All I have to tell them is that Sione-sama has been practicing with her bow for about a month or so, no more, no less. So, if you approach them first and show them what you’ve been practicing and what you’re practicing, even if you don’t want to believe it, you can’t help but believe it. Wouldn’t you?”

“You mean to tell them what I’ve been doing?”

“What spreads comes into my ears and sees the truth with my own eyes. Which one can you believe more if you are Shione-sama? Even more…”

A scarecrow with arrows stuck in many places like a hedgehog.

Most of the arrows are stuck in vital points, no matter who sees it, it is not something that a person can do with a bow for a day or two.

“Isn’t a little bit of time running out of time in the morning now? Moreover, if you have skills like that, you’ll have no choice but to admit that Sione-sama’s words are true.”

“But…”

“You don’t have to reveal yourself now. Just when you think the time is right, don’t hesitate to reveal yourself.”

“……I understand.”

Honestly, the reason I dared to say this was to support Sione, but it was also mixed with her personal greed.

Shiva… How long do I have to wake up early in the morning and go back and forth to the shooting range…….

If you can come out to the shooting range during the day, you can shoot the bow during the day, not at such an early hour.

Because I won’t have to wake up at dawn every day.

I also want to get up after the sun rises.

Fortunately, Shione seemed to think deeply about my words.

Meanwhile, Dioria tapped the handle of her sword with her index finger while listening to our conversation as if it were interesting.

Her eyes met mine.

Dioria was an impressive knight with black long hair embracing the clear night sky and her cold, deep gaze.

Then she asked, raising the corner of her mouth.

“I heard that the head of the family gave Shione a new exclusive servant… It seems that you are. Yes, how long has it been since Shione came here to practice her bow?”

“It’s been about a month.”

“Every day?”

“Thanks to Shione-nim’s interest, I practice with me every day at this time.”

“You’re the only one who has almost no contact with anyone other than a servant… The person who taught you archery… I can’t believe it, but it seems to be you.”

Dioria glanced at a scarecrow.

The first scarecrow I shot today. The arrows, which were stuck only where they would inflict fatal wounds if hit, were proving my bow skills.

“It’s probably not long after you came that Sione started holding the bow, right?”

He quietly nodded in agreement.

Then an unexpected voice was heard.

“Thank you.”

“……Yes?”

“It seems that Shione-nim’s eyes, which had been crumbling, began to rekindle the old vigour. As if it had finally returned to the starting point. All of this must be thanks to you. Isn’t it?”

“That is-“

When I was embarrassed, she continued without interruption, as if trying to finish the story quickly.

“I, who taught Sione-nim the sword, couldn’t bear to stop him from letting go of the sword. Please, I hope that you will guide Shione-nim well even if he gets stuck.”

Dioria bowed her head to me.

I quickly waved my hand.

“…Hurry up and raise your head. I can’t handle it.”

Seriously, it seems that all five organs are shaking.

A sword expert, and a knight at least, would be at least a semi-nobleman, but it doesn’t make sense for such a man to bow his head to the lowly me.

If anyone sees it, it feels like they will be taken to an unknown place the next day and beaten to death.

Shiva… Now, who is going to overreact like this with just one thing that lowers his head? Problems if I grasp my subject too well. It’s only at this point that I wonder if I’m going to live because I’m tired.

“hahahaha, what are you so afraid of when you aimed your bow at me just a moment ago? Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

Dioria put her hand on my shoulder.

Tuk-tuk.

Dioria, who lightly patted her on the shoulder, whispered to her.

“Of course, the reason why the head lord appointed you as Sione-sama’s attendant, who possesses archery skills like that, is all because of your will and trust. If you go to the people of Cianella… You’d better be careful, as they’ll cut your neck without hesitation. Going to be.”

“…I understand.”

Is this what the pressure from a distant superior is like?

I had no intention of doing that in the first place.

My heart beat like crazy at the pressure pouring down on me for no reason.

Looking at me like that, Dionella smiles as if she is relieved now.

It took quite a while for my heart’s pumping to stabilize.

* * *

The sun has risen in the middle of the sky.

As usual, Shione was taking a break after finishing her morning workout.

Originally, I would die now, I don’t want to do it, and it’s time to start burying myself in bed.

This time, instead of standing up, he hesitated for a moment before staring at me.

He’s staring at you as if you’re about to pierce your body.

Although he has the status of an exclusive servant, his status is that of a slave.

All I have is my body, so what am I going to do if I get a hole in it?

I reluctantly responded to her gaze.

“Do you have anything to say?”

She seemed to have made up her mind at my question, and she managed to get her momentum going.

“Let it go.”

“Are you saying you’re going to… Go out without a break?”

“Yeah, it’s boring to be in the room now.”

“Really?”

“Then is it a lie?”

What happened? Did you say that we should go out first in broad daylight?

Except when I went out to the garden to look at the flowers the other day, I’ve never seen him try to go out on his own at a time like this.

Could it be because of those words this morning?

After he said that, before he changed his mind, he followed Shione as he left the room as if he wanted to do it quickly.

“Do you want to go to the garden?”

Dori Dori.

Shione shook her head.

“Hasn’t the time spent shooting a bow reduced considerably with the morning exercise?”

“That word.”

“I’m going to the shooting range.”

“… Sir Sione.”

She stopped at my words and turned to me.

“You don’t have to force it.”

Shockingly.

She flinched at my words for a moment and smiled faintly.

Her smile, with her sun-drenched silver hair, was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.

“Didn’t you tell me. Don’t hesitate to bring me out when the time is right. So I thought about it slowly and one passed by.”

“Sometimes don’t come to me when my bow skills and appearance aren’t laughable, but maybe they come when I’m determined to do it.”

“Thinking about it again—”

“I think today is the time when they will start seeing with their own eyes who I am. What do you think?”

Maybe along with the fat belly, that yellow sprout has also disappeared, so now I know how to say something special.

Who knew that the Shione I knew would say something like this?

My head nods at the grandeur and uniqueness.

Shione, who seemed like a bad girl, disappeared, and now my master, who is properly sane, has taken his place.

“It’s good. It seems to me that there is no shortage of time.”

Since you’ve started to change properly from the inside out, you’ll be able to brag about yourself with Shione in no time.

My master worked so hard and changed like this.

Of course, I also managed to create that Shione.

Me and Shione laughed together.

Now, the only ones who will have a bad expression are the archers who are suddenly being watched by my instructor’s superior, Sione, and will shoot with their bows.