22. My Knight (4)

Some time has passed since Shione buried her head in my arms and recovered her emotions.

Her body trembled less and less, and now she was just hugged in her sober mind.

She can’t be doing this all the time.

I spoke to her cautiously.

“Are you calm?”

“…Thank you.”

Shione, who had been holding me, finally let me go.

I was worried that her leather armor might have some of her runny nose on it, but luckily that didn’t happen.

What the hell is going on among the corpses.

This was great too.

Shione, who had fallen away from me, rose from her place.

Her eyes seemed to be slightly swollen as if she had shed a little bit of tears.

She looked down at me, puzzled.

“Let’s get up quickly. This place is no longer a place to be, so let’s go back quickly.”

I looked up at her.

“It’s mana exhaustion, isn’t it? Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to control my body easily yet.”

“Ah.”

“Please carry me.”

I spread my arms.

As Shione said, there is nothing good about staying in a place like this for a long time.

I also just wanted to get away quickly.

“…I understand.”

Before, when I asked to be carried, he was so embarrassed.

This time, Shione picked me up with a calm expression for some reason.

I was carried on Shione’s back.

As I was hanging on my back, I felt sorry for something because my shoulders became skinny due to dieting, unlike before, when my shoulders were wide and soft.

Certainly, I think Shione before losing weight is more comfortable to carry around.

I was a little sorry for being quietly carried away after passing the time thinking about trivial things.

“Isn’t it heavy?”

“It’s not particularly heavy, so don’t worry.”

“Then I’m glad.”

Well, you say you’re not heavy.

If it’s hard, they tell you to use mana, well.

I even protected him from monsters, but what can I do for a benefactor like me?

I just quietly closed her eyes while sitting on her back.

* *

When I arrived at the inn, I could see Dioria.

Seeing Sione carrying me on her back, she quickly approached me with an expression of disbelief.

Dioria looked at me with an expression that she didn’t know what the hell was going on.

When she saw the scent of her blood and the bloodstains she had subtly cut on Sione and me, her expression hardened.

“Could you explain what’s going on?”

Dioria asked for an explanation in a calm voice.

Shione, who was just walking in front of her, gave her her gaze for a moment and then took it back.

Dioria was just silent at Sione’s cold reaction.

“Rather than that, let’s start with Ray. Could you ask for bath water at the inn?”

“…I will do that.”

Dioria glanced at me and moved on with her steps.

She asked the waiter for bath water.

Thanks to that, I was able to take a bath in no time.

“Can you wash yourself?”

“Of course. I was carried on my back when I came, and I was able to move thanks to a short break.”

Although it’s still hard because my body doesn’t have enough strength.

This is about enough to be able to solve it somehow.

I went into a separate room, washed off the blood, and changed into a servant’s uniform and came out.

After I changed my clothes and came out, I could see Dioria waiting on the other side.

“Since we still have a conversation to share, let’s go to Shione-sama’s room.”

“I’ll follow you.”

“I heard that it’s mana exhaustion. Would it be okay if I didn’t support you?”

“Yes, it’s much better than before, so I’ll try to walk on my own.”

“Um… I see.”

I followed Dioria to Sione’s room.

Since Sione’s room was on the upper floor of the room where she finished her bath, the stairs appeared in front of me.

… I don’t think I can climb the stairs yet.

In my original body, even if my mana was empty, there was no difference except that I lost a little energy.

This goddamned body has a feeling that whenever mana exhaustion comes, it loses too much power.

I quietly looked at the stairs and Dioria’s back, then said.

“…Could you help me up the stairs?”

“Okay, come here.”

With Dioria’s help, I was able to climb the stairs again and again.

She let go of her braces and bowed her head.

“Thank you for your help.”

“What are you doing with this much?”

After a brief greeting, I hurried my steps to Shione’s room.

Upon entering the room, I could see Sione sitting on my bed and waiting for us.

Shione’s gaze reached me.

“There will still be aftereffects of mana exhaustion, so please sit over there.”

“Thank you.”

I approached the chair she gestured to.

Dioria finally asked as if she had waited as she quietly sat down in the chair.

“Now can you tell me what the hell happened?”

Looking at Dioria asking that question, it seemed that she hadn’t heard anything from Shione even when I was washing.

In response to Dioria’s question, Sione also said without a change in expression, as if she had sorted out her thoughts.

“I was attacked. Cyanella, the devil worshipers who were preying on me for riches.”

“…Why are the devil worshipers here?”

“Five people attacked and Ray protected me. That’s all.”

“But.”

Dioria’s gaze turned to me.

Judging by the look on her face, she seemed to want a more detailed explanation of Shione’s too-short story.

“Could you elaborate a bit more?”

“…Of course. A total of five people who seemed to worship demons dared to attack Shione-sama. Also, three of them reached the level of sword users.”

“There are three sword users?”

“Yes, I saved Sione from three sword users. Thanks to you, Sione saved me from mana exhaustion.”

“Wait.”

Dioria’s eyes were fixed on me, asking what the hell were you talking about.

I knew you would react like this.

Well, in general, it’s unbelievable that a weak man who couldn’t even awaken a single mana killed three sword users.

There is a gap of the same degree as the neighborhood wild dog biting and killing an elephant.

If I were Dioria, I wouldn’t have believed it.

“You killed a sword user. That’s three.”

I nodded.

But this is true, what can I do?

I was simply explaining the situation in more detail.

“Even sword users were mediocre. They only knew how to use mana to enhance their physical abilities, but their swordsmanship was poor.”

“No matter how insignificant your swordsmanship is, you are a sword user. Besides, as a slave, you must have never properly learned swordsmanship… How can you avoid and deal with their swordsmanship?”

“…I was able to barely dodge it using mana.”

Dioria shook her head at my words.

“No matter how much you say you have awakened your mana, I don’t understand. Isn’t the small amount of mana that a man needs to awaken to strengthen his physical abilities?”

“But-“

Pair!

Shione, who had been quietly listening to Dioria’s conversation with me, cheered the mood by clapping.

At the same time, Dioria and I looked at Sione.

“Sir Dioria, I’ll let you go that far. The important thing now is not how he protected me, but whether he protected me.”

Did the planting bother you?

It was a flat horse with no height, but it was colder than any other horse in Sione.

Dioria shut her mouth at Sione’s cold words.

“…I understand.”

Dioria became quiet, and Sione looked at me again.

“I’ll finish this story with Dioria and I, so go to your room first. So that you can rest well today.”

“I will do that.”

I nodded at Shione’s words and got up.

Then, before I left the room, I lowered my head to Dioria and said.

“The devil worshipers have mentioned the shaman. It seems there are still remnants left, so I’d like an escort.”

“…I will continue to escort you, so you can go safely.”

After that, I returned to my room.

As long as Dioria acts as an escort, it won’t be so dangerous anymore.

Now you can rest in peace.

* *

As I lay down on the bed, I took a deep breath and woke up to find that dusk had descended outside the window.

Since I just woke up, I’m quietly chatting with Ian while looking out into the dark.

Smart.

I heard someone knocking on the door.

Ian said as he glanced at the door where he heard a knock.

“I’ll go and check who it is.”

As soon as he got up from his seat and opened the door, we could see the main character of Knock.

“What is Lord Dioria doing here?”

“I came here because I have something to say to Sione-nim’s attendant. Will it be okay?”

I stood up at Dioria’s words.

I don’t know what the heck you’re doing at this hour, but there’s something to talk about.

It wouldn’t be much different if Ian dealt with Diolia like that.

From noble mtl dot com

As I approach Dioria, her Ian bows her head and returns to her place.

Dioria and I left the room behind Ian and started talking.

“What are you doing at this hour?”

Dioria paused for a moment at my question.

I wish I could answer you sooner.

After a while, I was able to hear her answer.

“…Sione-sama is anxious.”

“Sione-sama is anxious?”

“Yeah, it seems like it’s because of daytime work… Sione-nim is the type to rely on you a lot, so I called because I thought it would be good for you to stay by my side.”

“Okay. I’ll be there soon.”

I nodded at Dioria’s words.

After all, he must be struggling alone with his daytime work.

Shione, who is known as a reclusive loner, has a weak mind that doesn’t match her rumors.

When I try to move her steps right away.

“Wait…!”

Dioria held her wrist for a moment.

“What’s up?”

“…It seems like I said it in a scathing way during the day. That… I want to apologize.”

If you said it like a shot during the day—

It must have been an answer to the words that I defeated a mana user.

Originally, it was almost impossible for a man here to catch a sword user.

It’s been a long time since I fully understood her reaction and forgot about it.

“Do I even need to apologize? Even if I were to say that a man defeated three sword users, I would not easily believe it, so I fully understand Lady Dioria’s position.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Dioria showed a faint smile.

“Well, as an escort, it was true that I was always by your side. Thank you so much for protecting Shione-nim instead of me.”

Then she bowed her head at me.

Cianella’s promising knight bows her head to me.

I think that’s too much treatment.

I looked up at her figure and the corners of her mouth small.

“Is it okay if I ask for Sione’s escort for the night?”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

With that, I ended my conversation with Dioria.

Then, I immediately went to Sione’s room, where she seemed to be shivering by herself.

Smart.

I knocked politely, opened the door and entered the room.

Upon entering the room, I could see Shione’s appearance.

Shione seemed to be uneasy about something as she looked confused as to whether she hadn’t been able to take a proper rest.

Seeing her eyes trembling from time to time, it seems that it reminds me of the daytime scene.

I looked at Sione and sighed lightly.

After all, it takes a lot of work.

“Shione-nim, I’m here.”

Only then did I speak, and Shione looked at me in amazement.

Shione pulled up the blanket enough to cover half of her face and stared at me.

“…Ray? What brought you here at this hour?”

When you see him talking just above his eyes like this, he looks no different than usual.

A little while ago, I saw myself looking like a puppy who was anxious.

“I came here because I wanted to talk a little… But if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave right away.”

Looking at me wide-eyed, she immediately lowered the blanket she was pulling up with her hands and smiled lightly.

“It’s even a hindrance. Rather, it’s a welcome.”

Only then did Shione lean back on the bed with her face relaxed.

“May I sit in the chair?”

“Make sure you sit comfortably.”

“Okay.”

At her words, I sat down on a chair.

Sitting in the chair, I thought about it. Dioria had called for her, but she didn’t bother to say anything else.

As I thought about what to say, I naturally fell silent.

Shione also only looked at me, but she was quiet for a while.

Come to think of it.

Shione was about to say something before the demon worshipers came out.

She had a serious atmosphere and she tried to talk about it.

I don’t think it was a light story.

“Shione-sama, after looking around the market earlier, you said something you wanted to say at the end.”

“Ah, if that’s the case.”

Shione blushed at my words, embarrassed at the same time.

I showed her a bright smile and at the same time put her index finger to her mouth.

Shhh

When Shione saw my smile and gesture, she quietly shut her mouth.

I continued my words slowly.

“Since I didn’t like the tour of the market this time, I wonder if we can listen to it again at the estate of the Marquis of Peosha.”

“That means—”

“Why don’t you look around the street one more time and then tell me?”

Shione finally smiled brightly at my words.

“Of course.”

“Aren’t you excited, Marquis of Feiosha?”

“Yes, that sounds like fun. There must be a lot to see in the southern part of the kingdom as it is famous for being wealthy.”

I told her about her story in a playful way.

“Of course, Sir Dioria will be with us this time.”

“Whoops, isn’t it obvious?”

Shione seemed to have finally completely relaxed and laid her body comfortably on my bed.

There was no more deep worry to be found in his relaxed expression.

Shione, who quietly closed her eyes, brought up the story of her getting drunk little by little.

“Ray.”

“Yes?”

“…Thank you.”

I laughed out loud at Sione’s words.

“About this much, nothing.”

Shione, who was trembling in her bed alone, was able to sleep comfortably with the corner of her mouth slightly raised before she knew it.