Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: I Want to Be Sien-nim's Subordinate Too
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At Ashid's words, Ted looked at him with a bewildered expression.
I was the same. Why was Ashid suddenly swearing loyalty to me...?
More than that...!
“Ashid, isn't the oath of loyalty something only knights can do...?”
I pointed out the plain fact.
Our baby puppy-like Ashid might get hurt, but I had to say it.
At that moment, Ted spoke quietly.
“No, Lady Sien.”
“Huh?”
Ashid and I both looked at Ted at the same time.
“Ashid has awakened his healer abilities... so with that power, he can perform the oath of loyalty.”
I pondered with a serious expression.
There was a solid reason why Ted absolutely had to swear loyalty to me.
In the future where we'd clash with the original protagonist, or face off against Axel, holy power was an essential weapon.
Especially since most of the villains in the Mirmod family were vulnerable to holy power, Ted could just slice them up with the holy sword Armos.
But Ashid was still young, and I wanted to help him choose for himself who he wanted to serve as his master.
Of course, I'd be thrilled to become Ashid's master and gain full use of his healer abilities, but I still had a conscience.
After a slight internal conflict, I spoke cautiously.
“But if you swear the oath of loyalty, then I'd become the master of both of you... Is that okay?”
At that instant, Ashid's face lit up brightly.
It wasn't the tense expression he'd had when he came in.
“I want to become Lady Sien's subordinate.”
Subordinate, huh.
*Lately, why are so many people volunteering to be my subordinates...? Do I have that much charisma?*
After a bit of self-praise, I shook my head.
“Nope, we're friends!”
“Y-Yes, th-then... I'll swear it as a friend.”
Ashid glanced at Ted, then imitated him by cautiously dropping to one knee.
Ashid was serious.
His earnest demeanor naturally drew me in, and I extended my hand.
“Here, my hand!”
With trembling hands, Ashid grasped my right hand. He was so nervous that sweat was pouring from the boy's palm.
Strangely, it didn't feel unpleasant.
I quietly stared at my hand.
Ted held my left hand, Ashid my right.
The sight of the two brothers kneeling before me was surprisingly impressive.
Ted, the older brother, seemed a little tense, but Ashid was sweating beads on his forehead, which was kind of cute.
I gripped their hands tightly again, then cleared my throat a couple of times.
“Now, swear your oaths!”
Ted spoke first.
“...Ashid, I'll go first, so follow along word for word, adjusting it to your situation.”
“...Okay.”
For the first time, Ashid didn't refuse being called by his name. The awkward atmosphere between them was slowly fading.
It was then, as Ashid's shoulders rose in extreme tension.
Ted gazed into my eyes and whispered in a low tone.
“I, Ted, master of the sword Armos, once ennobled as a holy knight of Senao, pay my respects to my liege, Sien Mirmod, to whom I offer my loyalty.”
After hearing Ted's words, Ashid hesitated for a moment before cautiously meeting my green eyes.
“I, Ashid, once a street child, master of the sacred blue light, pay my respects to my liege, Sien Mirmod, to whom I offer my loyalty.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a faint light flowed from Ted's holy sword, and blue light emanated from Ashid's fingertips.
Ted waited silently until the lights touched the back of my hand, then spoke as they slowly faded upon contact.
“I swear to take Sien Mirmod as my eternal lady and master, and to protect her with my life.”
Ashid said it just as firmly.
“I swear to take Sien Mirmod as my eternal lady and master, and to protect her with my life.”
The moment he finished, intricate magic circles in circular and triangular shapes etched themselves into the floor.
Once the magic circles clearly encircled us, Ted whispered quietly.
“When a knight's oath is made with full sincerity, the magic circle appears. It binds one to their lady and master.”
I opened my mouth wide.
“That's so cool!”
After staring at the magic circle for a while, Ashid blankly looked at my yellow dress and murmured in an emotional tone.
“Thank you for accepting me as your subordinate, Chickie...”
Wait, what did he just say?
“Huh?”
Ashid's cheeks flushed bright red.
“C-Cute... like a chick... Sorry.”
He was so cute when he said it like that, even during the loyalty oath.
I hid the back of my hand they'd kissed behind my back and declared haughtily.
“The chick is you!”
“...Y-Yes?”
“I'm not cute, I'm cool.”
I straightened my shoulders sharply, and Ashid nodded as if entranced.
***
Surprisingly, Ted and Ashid became much closer right after swearing their knightly oaths.
I was a bit worried about how their relationship would develop, but...
*For now, they're living in the same mansion.*
I was absolutely thrilled. Ted had sworn his knightly oath to me, and cute Ashid had sworn loyalty to me too.
I wanted to hurry and brag to Dad and Leonhardt, but neither was anywhere to be seen.
“Unnies, where did Leonhardt and Daddy and Delphia unnie go?”
“Ah. Well...”
The maid sisters unexpectedly looked flustered.
When I put question marks in my eyes, they spoke cautiously.
“Lord Axel is here... It seems both of them got busy as soon as he arrived.”
“...Huh?”
“Lord Leonhardt is an adopted son of the vassal family that serves Lord Axel, and Lords Mathias and Delphia are his rivals. It seems Lord Axel notified them that he's returning soon.”
“Looks like another storm's brewing soon...”
The muscle maids sighed. At that moment, I realized.
“Axel Mirmod...”
“Yes? Lady Sien?”
The muscle maids looked at me with worried faces. They knew too. About Axel Mirmod's villainy.
“Until he arrives... it's not a month...”
“Yes, about two weeks left. Could be even sooner.”
My available forces were: idiot Dad, Delphia who's a bit strong but also an idiot, Dad's pushover friends, holy knight Ted, healer Ashid, and the muscle maid sisters.
*That's more than I thought?*
I rested my chin on my hand and fell into thought.
Let me think in detail about Axel Mirmod's weaknesses.
“Looks like she's thinking about candy again.”
“Yeah, look how serious she is.”
“So cute...”
My maid sisters... had flower fields for brains.
I sighed deeply and recalled Axel.
Axel Mirmod was a terrifying guy.
He had a charismatic appearance and a sharp temperament, and the only way to weaken him even a little was with holy power.
But Melodya had captured Axel and brought him to his knees. She possessed strategic wits unlike a saintess and summoned numerous astrologers from the East to outmaneuver him.
Axel didn't believe in God, but having rolled through so many battlefields, he put quite a bit of stock in jinxes and spells, making it possible. And through those sorcerers, Axel Mirmod met his end.
*The problem is I can't properly acquire any sorcerers.*
There's no way Dad would let me go all the way to the East, and even if I did, I wouldn't know where to find them.
There was an even bigger problem here. As I racked my brains, drowsiness started creeping in.
*Ahh, sleepy again...*
The damn physical debuff was kicking in again, sleepiness washing over me.
Thinking I needed to take the item I'd prepared for times like this, I said sternly to the maid sisters.
“P-Pine needles!”
I tightly grabbed a maid sister's arm, took the pine needles, and chewed them vigorously.
Fortunately, mental clarity returned. It was like my cognitive abilities to observe my surroundings had come back.
I looked at Ted, who was standing guard nearby like a sturdy bodyguard, and yawned.
“Ted, why that face?”
“Ah... It's nothing. I'll tell you once it's confirmed.”
His expression had turned fearsome. I tried to observe Ted's face but lost to my drooping eyelids.
*Pine needles are only temporary, huh...*
I slowly succumbed to the hellish wave of sleepiness.
***
The sensation that someone was watching her was no illusion on Sien's part.
Currently, the 'Sien Activity Scouts' sent by Mathias had melted into the shadows around Sien.
Just two of them, but it was a lineup worthy of the name.
Their names were Pat and Matt.
Pat was once the head of the Shadow Information Guild, rising swiftly through the ranks, skilled at extracting all sorts of information from people.
Matt was known as the 'Judger,' wielder of the magic sword Elpiros. Like Melly, he killed child sex offenders and murderers, earning the title of judge of justice from the victims.
At first, when ordered to serve the freshly five-year-old Sien, they felt a subtle discomfort, though they didn't voice it.
There were plenty of people in the world who liked children.
But they weren't among those soft types.
Seeing a child instinctively made them feel queasy, uncomfortable, displeased. It was like an instinct etched into their DNA.
The combination of themselves—rotten killers who had slain others—with a pure young child.
It was like warm milkshake; it just didn't make sense.
But...
*Pat, Matt. You're in charge of monitoring Sien's surroundings.*
It was an order from Lord Mathias, so no choice.
As they headed out thinking *whatever*,
Some who had met Sien before surrounded Pat and Matt.
*Ahh, jealous. I want to guard Lady Sien's side too...*
*You're so lucky, huh?*
*Haven't seen her since last time, withdrawal symptoms kicking in...*
A few who'd already seen Sien voiced their envy, but honestly, they couldn't fathom what was so enviable.
Executing criminals was far more comfortable. Babysitting sounded nothing but annoying.
Their loyalty to Mathias pierced the heavens, and having been steeped in society's underbelly, they didn't say such things out loud.
But no matter how they looked around, it felt like not even a speck of dust would be an issue. Yawning, they muttered lowly.
“I really don't get what’s so cute about kids.”
“Me neither. And she's supposed to be evil, right?”
They shook their heads at each other.
Sien's appearance did seem exceptionally cute compared to other kids.
Puffy white cheeks that looked like they'd sink in if poked, fluffy pink hair like yarn balls. Even the occasional pout.
But was she cute enough for everyone to envy them?
“For now, let's watch a bit longer.”
“Yeah. She's been active all day, so she'll rest soon.”
“Wanna drop the escort and go harass some other guys already.”
The moment they nodded at each other, something unexpected happened.
“Today, we gotta go to the back alleys!”
Sien clenched her fist and stood up.
A child's stamina was tremendous.
And back alleys...? They might just spot the 'group corrupting Sien' that Lord Mathias suspected.
Their eyes gleamed.