LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 92
“Don’t you call me sister?”
…What a sudden thing to say.
‘This just means you were eavesdropping from the start.’
I felt more than a little annoyed and burdened.
Surely Siabel had been over there, tidying up the passage with the soldiers… But now, right after coming here, she brought up the sister thing, implying she had heard everything that Shione and I had said from the beginning.
What kind of valuable information did she think she could gain by sneaking in like this?
“…”
“So, what’s your answer?”
A deep sigh almost escaped me, which I stifled by swallowing hard, leaving a tight feeling in my chest.
I couldn’t tell if Siabel was joking or speaking seriously.
From the way she carried herself, it seemed she was definitely teasing me… But then again, looking into her subtly heavy gaze, it felt genuine.
As I hesitated to respond, Shione suddenly stepped in and spoke on my behalf.
“Um… Sister…?”
“What is it?”
“Did you hear everything we discussed?”
Was the conversation from just moments ago really that embarrassing?
The way Shione’s eyes flickered with shame was quite striking.
Siabel seemed to find her reaction amusing, finally redirecting the excessive attention that had been on me towards my younger sister.
‘Thank goodness.’
While Shione had built a solid relationship over the course of a year, my encounter with Siabel felt fleeting in comparison.
I might not know Shione that well, but I was still a bit hesitant to call Siabel sister, even if she had a pretty decent opinion of me.
No matter how well she thought of me, I was just a mere servant, while Siabel was none other than a young lady of the Count’s House.
I subtly took a step back and watched the two sisters.
“I didn’t intend to listen… but it just happened that way?”
“…”
“Now that the situation is somewhat sorted out, I came to talk for a bit, and it seems you were having quite an interesting conversation. I listened quietly for a moment.”
“Uh-huh…”
As Siabel let out a small chuckle, Shione’s previously composed demeanor crumbled.
On the verge of tears, Shione’s expression almost looked as if she would break down at any moment.
Siabel, meanwhile, brushed off the chill of her earlier mood and turned to me again.
“Shione’s archery skills have noticeably improved since six months ago. This must be thanks to you, right?”
I had indeed sown the seeds of her little talent in the flowerpot that is Shione, gradually nurturing it.
As she said, everything Shione had accomplished stemmed from my guidance, so it wouldn’t be wrong to call it my handiwork.
Yet, I softly shook my head in response to her question.
“I merely pointed out the direction and helped her along the way. The level she has achieved is solely the result of Shione’s own effort.”
No matter how much I instructed her, if Shione lacked determination, she would have been content to waste her time in the air with her mediocre skills.
Keeping my humility while lifting Shione up in conversation seemed to have been the correct answer.
Just with a bit of clever phrasing, I managed to win the favor of both sisters.
Had I known this would be the case, I should’ve attended a public speaking academy back on Earth.
After all, the saying goes that one word can repay a thousand debts, and it couldn’t be more true.
After my words, Siabel looked at Shione with a proud gaze for a moment before deepening the oceans of her blue eyes.
“Of course, we appreciate Shione’s efforts, but…”
Her eyes gleamed.
It was the spark of someone who thinks deeply and observes closely.
“The merit of the wise teacher who has led my sister down the right path cannot be overlooked, either. Your swordsmanship was impressive, and the archery I saw today was even more incredible.”
“You never lose your composure and perfectly support the attack suited to the situation… The number of kobolds you’ve slain has gone beyond six.”
…Furthermore.
After saying that, Siabel paused for a moment, and the corners of her eyes turned upward.
“Your senses are sharp enough to find a kobold that I couldn’t even detect, and shoot it down right away, aren’t they?”
I felt a sense of déjà vu from her expression.
Ah, right. That was the feeling when she first saw my magic.
“I don’t remember your archery being this impressive six months ago. Have you been hiding your skills?”
Siabel, not satisfied with my swordsmanship, began showing considerable interest in my archery as well.
Just as I was about to respond to her, Siabel straightened her hair that was being disturbed by the wind and spoke up.
“I didn’t mean to pry, so don’t look so serious. On that note, I have a favor to ask of you—how about joining Shione and me?”
Shione, who had been the first to react, stepped forward as if she finally found an opportunity to interject.
“What do you want to ask?”
“It’s simple. I’d like you to stop wandering off alone and come along with us. Keep me company so I’m not bored. Ray—”
For some reason, Siabel’s smile faded as she crossed her arms.
Her left arm dropped.
In an odd turn of events, Siabel’s left hand gently rested on the cold handle of the sword at her waist,
“I need you to help my sister.”
“…Help her?”
“Simple. Don’t ignore me and talk with us.”
“…”
“And help with keeping an eye on our surroundings. Flora is a new ranger and still a bit inexperienced.”
Flinch.
Flora, who was resting not too far from us, jolted up at the mention of her name.
Seeing her straightening up and looking at us with wide eyes like a startled rabbit, Siabel waved her hand.
Wobble, wobble.
After the gesture indicating ‘it’s nothing,’ Flora seemed to finally relax, exhaling a sigh of relief.
“Speaking of it… I’d like you to keep an eye on Flora too, if possible.”
“What do you mean by keeping an eye on her?”
“Observing and scouting. And if possible, a little archery training as well.”
As soon as those words were said, Shione began to look at Siabel with a troubled expression—
“But this doesn’t mean you have to stick together all the time. It’s just to give some brief tips. Until we fully secure the route is all I’m asking. It won’t be difficult, right?”
Eventually, after what seemed like a firm decision from Siabel, Shione reluctantly agreed.
For some reason, I found myself drawn to Siabel’s left hand gripping the handle of her sword, and I said hesitantly.
“I will follow Siabel’s wishes.”
“Siabel sister.”
“…Sister.”
*
After a brief rest following one battle, we began to move along the path once more.
The goal for the first day was simply to catch a few kobolds while coordinating with the team.
So we didn’t venture too far up the road.
The path was not that dull.
Whenever the atmosphere grew quiet, Siabel would invariably start a conversation, guiding the discussion.
Shione and I could walk on quite enjoyably, but.
Flora, who was now under my guidance for scouting and observation as a favor from Siabel, didn’t seem too pleased with this situation.
‘Well…’
It must have been quite a burden to have two members of the Count’s House bloodline paired with a commoner recruit right beside her.
I might be used to sticking by Shione every day and having seen all sorts of things at the Royal Castle, but.
For Flora, it could be quite a trial.
While I felt a twinge of sympathy for her, well.
If that was her fate, then so be it.
I was only there to help Flora not feel entirely isolated between the two sisters in my new duties assigned by Siabel.
And so we moved forward for a while.
I spotted a tangled mass of footsteps.
Following the trail, I searched for the remnants left behind.
“Hmm…”
Not good…
The weeds in this area were bent sideways as if pressed down by something heavy, and there were scars on the trees that seemed like they had collided with immense force.
Moreover, several saplings were snapped cleanly, indicating there had been some sort of battle.
Just as I was about to check the footprints on the ground to guess who had wreaked havoc around here—
Siabel, who had been observing the landscape alongside me, spoke with a serious face.
“…The marks of that tiresome battle from the west.”
As she said that, she clicked her tongue with a chilly atmosphere, akin to the howling wind.
Her annoyed and irritated voice seemed to weigh down on those nearby.
“It seems the orcs that fled north caused trouble here. Furthermore—”
Siabel smirked deviously.
Her cold expression combined with that smile added to the ruthless aura she emanated.
“…Even after we kill so many, it appears a good number are still left.”
…With such distinct marks remaining,
It dawned on me that there might still be orcs lurking nearby, and my expression crumpled.
These signs on a cold day were certainly not a good omen.
After checking the marks, I returned to Shione, who had been watching us from behind.
If things got dangerous, I’d be ready to scoop Shione up in my arms and run without looking back.