The Male S*ave of the Count Sianella Family

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Those drunk easily confuse courage with recklessness. The dizziness swirling in their heads turns daring acts into what they perceive as bravery. They even mistake ridicule for valor, losing sight of what true bravery is!

And especially, Shione is one of those who gets easily dominated by just a few sips of alcohol. Her track record when it comes to getting drunk is quite… flamboyant.

“This is troublesome,” I thought.

Just like the current relationship, before Shione and I closed the distance completely.

The alcohol was the catalyst that transformed her from the usually timid girl into someone shockingly proactive. It’s this trickster that turns perfectly normal people into something resembling goblins with their intellect.

I reached out toward the glass in front of her.

“It seems the effects of the alcohol are kicking in. I think it would be best to stop here.”

“Cough… No, I’m fine. There’s no way I’m getting drunk off this little bit, right?”

As she said this, Shione was definitely looking at me with clear eyes… but—

“…Hic! No, I’m not drunk! Why are you looking at me like that…!”

Her hiccups were destroying any credit she might have had.

With a chuckle, I cleared her glass, and Shione, as if to prove a point, grabbed the wine bottle.

She was ready to make a fuss if I didn’t give her a glass. Eventually, unable to win that battle, I placed a glass in front of her, and she promptly set the bottle right in front of her face.

I couldn’t help but ask the unusually alcohol-enthusiastic Shione, “By the way, what’s with you drinking now? Even with Lady Diolia’s encouragement, you’re not one to enjoy alcohol so much, are you?”

She doesn’t particularly like it.

The bitter, sharp taste that lingers in her mouth is not something she savors. Even though she tried to hide it, the slight downward turn of her mouth every time she sipped proved otherwise.

Furthermore, she usually melts into her bed or indulges in light snacks when her head starts to spin.

It’s obvious she had a different reason for secretly bringing the alcohol.

“…I just have a lot on my mind today. Think about it, Ray.”

Had she somehow circulated her mana to chase away the drunkenness?

Shione’s eyes, usually filled with clarity, seemed to sink deeper, holding a profound intellect. They looked less like the waves of a sunny beach and more like the depths of an endless ocean.

“There are cultists appearing at the Academy, and even among our insiders, there are traitors. Moreover, they’ve been audacious enough to attack our Sion. Something that should never have happened at the Academy.”

“Yet, from Your Highness’s message today, it seems the Princess already knows about this incident and has even prepared something regarding it.”

“…What on earth has the Princess prepared? If you hadn’t been there, Sion would have been gravely injured, and we wouldn’t have been able to stop the cultists from infiltrating.”

The Royal Academy was in complete upheaval. They claimed to have made preparations but failed to protect anything, and even now, things remain unresolved. What kind of preparations are those?

Shione was likely thinking the same deep down, her mind brewing thoughts she soon voiced.

If things go awry, it might lead to trouble and mark an insult to the royal family. Well, outside, discussing such matters would be a delicate topic.

“Shione does make a valid point.”

Our lodgings have excellent sound insulation. Based on what I sensed, there were no individuals with extraordinary mana nearby. So, there was no one to overhear this conversation.

Just like with the Princess, who we saved alongside Shione.

“Indeed, Your Highness lacks in loyalty.”

“Wait, what?”

With that sudden bold remark, Shione stared at me like a fool with wide eyes.

“We saved the life of the Princess. Is it not rather concerning that the preparations were insufficient to even protect our Sion?”

“Ray, that’s a royal insult─”

“There’re no ears around. It’s just the two of us. Surely, any noble faction opposing the royal family has been locked away in the royal dungeons by now.”

“…That is true.”

At my unabashed attitude, Shione finally chuckled.

Her eyes, once so deep, returned to their usual blue sea light, lifting the mood in the room.

“Anyway, it’s best to return Sion to the Count’s House. The scheduled training should be postponed indefinitely… it’d be wiser for her to stay at the Count’s House until the situation settles down.”

“I should visit Sion tomorrow. The family’s retainers have also been waiting for her, so perhaps it’s a good development after all.”

“Right, and… it would be better to assist with the Academy’s situation too. Even if our help may only amount to a few battles—”

Shione poured wine into her glass, inhaling the fragrance deeply.

After taking a small sip, she exhaled a slight warmth. The subtle aroma of the wine tickled my nose as I watched Shione’s now slightly dazed eyes whispering.

“Since the Princess’s message came and the headmaster also expressed a desire to see us, as long as the meeting with Professor Epheana doesn’t get reduced, it should work out.”

Identifying the internal enemy and creating opportunities to cleanse the academy is the Academy’s task.

Certainly, as Shione mentioned, apart from laying down her magic and assisting in battles, there isn’t much else we could do.

Nodding to express agreement with Shione’s words, I noticed she once again filled her empty glass with wine.

“…Wait, aren’t you drinking too much?”

When did she drink this much?

Shione, ignoring my question, hastily emptied her glass again.

In the end, I was faced with Shione, who could no longer resist the effects of the alcohol, her eyes blinking wide.

“Ray, now that I look, it’s all gone, huh?”

“If we’re talking about alcohol, then yes, Shione drank it all. I doubt she’ll bother getting more.”

“No, I meant not the alcohol—”

Shione’s subtle gaze turned to my neck.

“The kiss mark I left.”

Her glittering eyes.

That expression, I felt like I’d seen it before. It was identical to the one she wore just five seconds before she lunged at me on the day of her coming-of-age ceremony.

“I’ll have to make a new one. So that no one can touch it.”

And like that, I found myself stuck with Shione clinging to me like a leech.

*

“Your Highness, new information has arrived from the Academy and the Alenarr Marquis Family.”

“Oh… has news finally arrived from the North? How exciting.”

“Shall I start with the North’s updates then?”

“No. If I hear the North first, I’ll have a hard time concentrating on the Academy’s news.”

“Then I will relay the Academy’s news first.”

Adelhaite listened closely to her retainer’s voice.

While investigating the Knight Department, they discovered deeper infiltrations than expected. Some professors had conveniently hidden and disappeared.

Listening to various conversations, she maintained a neutral expression and composed demeanor. Her loyal retainer commented.

“Your Highness, the headmaster of the Academy has requested additional support. How about distributing some of your resources in the North to the Academy?”

“No, that’s unnecessary. The headmaster seems more resilient than expected. He’ll suffer significant damage from this, but the Academy won’t collapse. Moreover, haven’t we already placed some loyal knights and wizards there?”

“However…”

“The problem lies with the North.”

With confident tones, Adelhaite stated.

Her decisive words left her retainer with no choice but to quietly listen.

“It seems you still don’t quite believe my words, as the North is unusually quiet. Let’s hear what they have to say from the North.”

Upon the Princess’s command, the retainer began to recite the new updates.

“Unprecedented large-scale movements of mountain beasts and monsters have been detected. Additionally, numerous signs of predation have been observed near the smaller territories of lesser nobility.”

“What about any damage?”

“So far, there have been none. However, it seems tenacious monsters from the North are making efforts to move downward. Northern nobles have started to unite under the Alenarr Marquis Family to prepare for war against the monsters.”

“Any other peculiarities?”

“A new bandit group appears to have emerged. However, they’re proving quite elusive and troublesome to hunt down.”

“Hmm.”

Adelhaite surveyed the room before speaking.

“Isn’t this quite similar to the conflict that took place recently?”

Though she didn’t mention where the war took place, everyone was thinking of just one battle.

“I feel it resembles what the Earl of the Western Front experienced. Moreover, every time such anomalies are observed in the North, the kingdom suffers quite significant blows.”

Adelhaite whispered, stroking her chin.

“Just as there’s a demonic realm beyond the Count’s House, there are still dragons alive beyond the Marquis’s borders.”