The Male S*ave of the Count Sianella Family

---

The feeling of being fully armed after such a long time wasn’t exactly pleasant.

‘…I’ve got terrible luck.’

Last time, I had to hunt monsters while climbing steep mountains under the scorching summer sun.

This time, the sun had lost its power, and the biting cold of winter was creeping in.

I was here to deal with uninvited guests that had come to the territory.

I ruffled my hair in frustration, clouds of irritation swirling in my mind.

You might think such a trivial action means nothing, but at least it helped me hold back the curse words that were about to escape my lips.

I was just about to open the door to head to Shione, who was waiting for me after gearing up.

“Ah, right.”

I almost forgot to grab my gloves.

I pulled on a pair of shooting gloves, not wanting to be rude wandering around with my hands shoved in my pants pockets.

In this cold weather, if I went out with bare hands, they would surely turn numb.

Besides, with the new bow I had, which had a strong draw weight, I’d definitely accumulate some strain on my fingers if I kept pulling the string without any protection.

With my gloves on, I took the bow and opened the door.

Screeeech…

As soon as I stepped outside, the chill of the hallway hit me.

“Phew…”

…I didn’t expect to feel winter’s bite here too.

Today, the weight of the armor pressing down on me felt particularly heavy.

*

“Are you all set?”

“About ready?”

Shione nodded.

Afterward, she turned around to show off her attire.

Unlike her usual comfortable clothes, she was fully armed as well.

Overall, her gear didn’t differ much from mine.

She was clad in the same leather armor, looking just as much like an archer as I did.

The only difference was that her leather armor was made of a superior material compared to mine.

Beautiful engravings were etched into the metal plates, clearly showcasing their expensive quality.

When we were climbing the Beltlin mountain range, she and I had worn the same level of armor.

But with Shione’s participation in the monster hunt this time, it seemed Ainel or Siabel had prepared new armor for her.

“Is this enough?”

“It’s colder than I expected. Wouldn’t it be better to wear some extra layers underneath?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m already layered up enough to move freely.”

As Shione said that, she pointed to a corner of the room.

“The quiver has been filled with arrows, so you should take one.”

“Thank you.”

As I slung a quiver over my back, she dashed over to her bed, her eyes sparkling as she turned to me.

She looked like she had something important to say, making me tilt my head in curiosity.

“Do you… have something to say?”

Without missing a beat, Shione, as if awaiting my question, reached into the neatly arranged blanket.

“Ahem. It seems it might be quite cold outside, so I prepared something special. Could you lower your head for a moment?”

At her words, I quietly lowered my head.

As I stared at the ground for a while, Shione quickly approached and placed her hand on my head.

I felt a warm and soft sensation enveloping me all the way to my ears.

“What is this…?”

“It’s a fur hat. Since I figured your ears might get cold while we’re outside, I prepared one like mine… What do you think? Is it alright?”

Seeing her eager demeanor, I couldn’t help but smirk.

I adjusted the fur hat she had placed on me and expressed my gratitude.

“It’s good. Thanks to you, I won’t have to worry about my ears freezing.”

Her bright smile bloomed as I complimented her, and she pulled her own hat down snugly.

Then, she secured her sword at her waist and gathered her bow, and together we stepped out of her room.

Although the sun was high in the sky, the day wasn’t warm at all. The sunlight felt gentle, but its intensity had lessened compared to previous days, replaced by the chilling breeze that cut through the air.

I frowned slightly as I thought.

‘…At least that’s a relief.’

The wind barely brushed my cheek, which was a blessing.

If it had been a strong wind that rattled the windows, it would have been a nightmare.

Just then, Shione, who had been quietly shuffling beside me, spoke up with a serious tone.

“…Do you think I’ll be able to handle this?”

If you’re asking whether she’d do well…

With how Shione was now, she could definitely manage.

Shione and I had walked all the way from the Beltlin mountain range, not to hunt down orc hordes roaming the western part of the territory.

“Of course. We’re only going out to catch some kobolds and wolves.”

We were fulfilling Shione’s duty as the noble lady of the Count’s House to protect the territory, while also helping her gain valuable combat experience by cleaning up the remnants of kobolds and wolves to the north.

Kobolds are not much more formidable than goblins, and as for wolves, I had already dealt with plenty of them on our journey through the Beltlin mountains, so we should be able to handle them just fine.

Additionally, it was to prevent Shione from getting mixed up in any major troubles.

“And besides, I’m right here with you.”

After all, here I was, braving the cold and wearing my armor to stay by her side.

If she really was worried, it would be better to assign a reliable knight instead of having a guy like me beside her in this freezing weather.

‘Why do Ainel and Siabel insist on having me stay close to Shione?’

By some twist of fate, I ended up trudging through the frozen ground alongside her on this monster hunt.

Since it had come to this, I was determined to ensure that Shione would adequately adjust to combat as an archer.

After reflecting on my words, Shione slowly nodded.

“Yeah… That’s true. With you by my side, why should I be worried?”

Seeing the tension in her stiff expression ease into a gentle smile as she looked at me, I was relieved to see her worries gradually dissipating with my reassurance.

“But I can’t help but feel a bit uneasy. Last summer we faced demons, and now in winter, the orcs are coming down from the mountains to the territory.”

She tidied up her bangs and sighed softly.

Haah…

A small puff of breath rose before her, dissipating into the sky, but Shione’s troubles lingered on, only causing her anxiety to brew even further.

“I really hope the scouting team heading to the mountains brings back good news.”

I silently nodded at my mistress’s whisper.

If more problematic matters came up here, I’d probably have to pull off a midnight escape from the Count’s House.

*

The carriage carrying Shione and me moved smoothly onward.

After leaving the mansion, we passed through the heart of the territory and exited the densely packed residential area.

As the carriage went beyond the castle walls, the open terrain was filled with mountain beasts and small monsters, offering nothing but challenges.

Even in winter, the unplowed lands were overgrown with brush, and sturdy trees provided perfect hiding spots beyond them.

Which means…

‘It’s been a long time since the soldiers were deployed, and they still haven’t caught everything.’

With their small stature and brown fur, the kobolds were well-suited for hiding.

The stealthy wolves moved around confidently as if this wild land belonged to them.

As I casually examined the scenery outside the window, the carriage came to a halt.

From outside, I could hear the voices of several women, suggesting we had arrived at the gathering place of the soldiers who had come out earlier to deal with the pesky invaders.

“We have arrived!”

At the driver’s booming voice, I hopped off the carriage first.

The ground was uneven.

If I misstepped while getting down, it would be a sight to behold, so I extended my hand toward Shione.

“The ground is rough. Please take my hand.”

If she was to grab it, then grab it.

Shione hesitated for a moment, but eventually placed her hand softly on mine.

Though what did it matter if she took it?

With her suddenly leaping down like that…

“Ugh!?”

I instinctively pulled her wrist, wrapping my arm around her waist to prevent her from landing face-first onto the cold ground.

Thanks to the quick reflexes, she avoided becoming a misfortunate noble lady flat on the frozen earth.

“I did say the ground was rough, didn’t I?”

“Ugh…”

As I spoke lightly, Shione lowered her head in embarrassment.

It seemed she found her recent stumble rather mortifying.

I patiently waited for her to compose herself before she stood up alone.

Then, I heard a familiar voice coming from the front.

“You both seem to be getting along quite well.”

The knight, Siabel Shianella, donned in armor instead of elegant attire, grinned as she looked at Shione and me.