Zero no Tsukaima:Volume8 Chapter1 - MTL

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Chapter One: Each End of the War

“How about it? This was a reward from bristle spirits of the dead.”

Guiche, proud as a peacock, showed his White Hair Soul‘s medal to the classmates.

“Waah“ classmates sighed.

“Could it be that it’s not white hair but bristles?”

Someone commented, Guiche blushed.

“Aah! Don’t say that! White hair reward!”

Guiche glimpsed at the nook of the classroom. Montmorency was there. Though all classmates have gathered around Guiche, Montmorency, on the other hand, rested her elbows on a desk and stared outside the window, looking disinterested. Hey, look this way, I want you to hear the story… Guiche felt hurt for a moment.

“Great…Guiche, you commanded the company that lunged first into the City of South Gotha?”

“Don't mention it.”

Guiche proudly nodded. Everyone praised their classmate who had great military achievements.

“No way, Guiche. Honestly before now we though that you were just a big mouthed rascal, but now we can recognize our mistake without fail!

“Great! Guiche! You are awesome!”

Guiche leaned back listening. Then he crossed his legs, and put up a finger still looking as proud as a peacock.

“Now, I will tell you the story about the brave army fights against the orcs.”

Aaaah, the stir happened.

Guiche looked at Montmorency again. And sighed painfully. The reason is that Montmorency still looks the other way ... why she is acting this way… Guiche became sadder. He then raised he voice higher than needed. “When the wall broke, orcs came from inside, one after another! At that time, I calmly commanded my sub ordinate's from gun corps. First platoon! Load! Aim! Fire!”

When saying ‘Fire’ Guiche rose and lowered his wand.

“Still, the enemy doesn't flinch! Magic was needed! I rose and started casting - Earth Hand!”

He cast the spell where the hand expands from ground and grabs one’s feet.

However, there was no soil in the classroom. Nothing happened. A strange silence stelled.

“Ka-boom! Valkyrie emerged!“

Guiche rejects the cane trying to cover himself up again. Petals of the artificial rose scattered around…and changed into seven Valkyries.

“Towards the upcoming orcs, my brave golems jumped out!”

Valkyries began to dance imitating the fight.

Someone recited the winds spell towards Guiche’s golems.

Valkyries were blown off and fell on the floor.

“Who?!”

With a sarcastic smile on his lips, De Lorraine watched Guiche. Before Tabitha’s fabulous results, he was counted to be the strongest in duels among the boys.

“If your golems were blown off by the wind magic, how were they able to withstand orcs blows?”

“Uuh…”

Guiche dropped in a cold sweat. Feeling on a roll, he has enlarged the story without thinking.”

“Well… A decoy! My golems were a decoy, used to distract the attacking enemies!”

“Hey hey, I heard a while ago, that it was all musketeers doing. Did your magic fail? You are not so great, Guiche!”

“S-subordinate soldier's were under commander's control!”

“But heven’t you just said that it was all about your magic? Please give my sincere admiration to your company once you meet them. However, were you really a decent lead? Maybe you were leaving most things on your sub-commanders shoulders?”

Bull’s eye, Guiche felt petrified. This way there was a contradiction in Guiche’s story. Well, he needed to keep on talking to buy some time… meanwhile Montmorency stood up and left the classroom.

Guiche ran after her in panic.

“Montmorency!”

Guiche shouted in a corridor paved with stone. Yet, Montmorency didn’t turn around, she just walked away briskly. Feeling anger emanating from her shoulders, Guiche ran up closer.

“Oi oi, please wait! Are you mad because of what I said? Darling! Listen me out, stop ignoring me!”

Guiche puts a hand on Montmorency's shoulder and made her halt.

“Here, look at it. A medal! Be happy! You are the girlfriend of someone worthy of an award! As I said, here, you...“

“That doesn’t make my opinion of you any better.”

After finally turning around, Montmorency declared.

“W-why?”

“Is the reward all that you care about? You left me without telling, that’s the problem!”

Not expecting such an attack, Guiche flinched. Spoiled by the praises, he could not imagine to be blamed this way. “D-don’t you know! As a royal army volunteer, I could not write you letters!”

Montmorency, stared at Guiche with cold eyes. Feeling that this anger was different from usual, Guiche become silent.

“Even if it was so! This doesn’t mean you could not contact me! There are some things that are more important than a reward!”

He thought for a while.

“For instance?”

Because Guiche asked seriously, Montmorency’s cheeks turned red.

“Aya! Why you are hitting me!”

“Me. M-E.”

“Y-yes.”

“Aren’t you my knight? Haven’t you told me, that if there would be a war you would stay near, protecting me? Remember?”

"Ye-yes.”

Guiche stood upright and nodded.

“Since you left with boys, dreadful things happened in the Academy! Meanwhile you were going crazy attacking enemies for medals!”

That’s right… Guiche nodded. Upon returning he heard the story

“Because you were not here, a teacher saved us paying with his life. If only I would have been more skillful in water magic…”

Montmorency closed her eyes, recalling that time. She started curing Colbert who was wounded by the magic arrows, but even though water magic was used...she reached her willpower’s limit and fainted. 　

Guiche quietly lowered his head.

“I, I will study more. As a member of Montmorency house that negotiated with water spirit for generations… I will ask for help to train more. If I were better at water healing…I might have helped the teacher.”

Since Colbert hadn't any relatives, Kirche took his remains. Since Kirche left home for now, she wasn’t around. It was unclear if she was going to bury the similar ‘fire’ element user in the land of Germania. The tiny girl with short blue hair, disappeared as well.

“Furthermore, even that child lost her important person. So be a little more considerate. Is this really a time for joy? Even you, should not be so happy.

Guiche remembered.

There was a rumor that Louise’s familiar Saito fought alone against Albion’s army and made them retreat from Rosais.

Shaken Louise, many times she met with generals, but even though she made lots of noise, the escaping fleet would not turn back for the familiar.

Moreover,warship commanders just laughed from that rumor. They thought it was not possible for a single person to stop an army. You cannot stop 70000 soldiers all alone.

As for the Albion army's delay, there had to be another reason, it was blamed on their poor army management. They also thought that this familiar boy just simply ran away.

All the people around Louise kept on saying that.

And even if you would assume he confronted an army of 70,000 – there were no way he would be still alive. Sadly, she should but give up…

However, Louise was not consented to such opinion, she kept denying that. Once the fleet returned, the news about Albion’s army surrendering to Galia raised the confusion to the maximum. They stopped worrying about the rumors of the boy who stopped Albion’s army, thinking it to madman’s palaver. 　 After all, besides Saito there were many people missing or killed.

As a result, after returning to the magical academy Louise became severely depressed and hasn’t talked to anyone. As if her mind was somewhere else, she shut herself in the dormitory room and does not go out.

Saito’s fate was also part of the rumors in the Academy. Anyhow, right now Saito was famous in the academy for two things , for being a ‘legendary familiar’ and the one that ‘should be credited for everything’.

Montmorency who also heard those rumors, was worrying about Louise who shut herself and never left the room.

“Therefore, I want to comfort her at least. I will pay her a sympathy visit for now.

“Now you're talking. Montmorency, you are very kind.”

“I am not really kind. You know, until now though we were in a war… Even though it was a war, I never really fought in a war until just now…”

“Yes.”

“I am a ‘water‘ in so many different ways. I will fight my way ... I only wish I were stronger.“

Through the window, Montmorency looked up at the sky and muttered.

“I can’t allow this sadness to exist. I cannot cure if I feel sorry for myself.”

* * *

And so the sacred Albion republic's and the Tristain-Germania union's war ended with the ringing bells of advent festival.

Due to Saito's sacrifice all Allied Forces withdrew safely, while Galia’s fleet left the union and entered the war, blowing Rosais command base with Cromwell, off, causing Albion’s army that was stationed there to surrender.

With overwhelming difference in numbers and with the emperor being blown off, Albion’s army has lost their will to fight. Moreover, the Allied Forces army revolts returned to themselves, as if waking up from a long dream and went against Albion’s army again. Because of all this confusion, Albion’s army surrendered without a fight.

Galia’s army settled in Rosais, stopping a war for now to clean up the mess…

Thus a war which lasted for eight months, was ended by an active intervention of Galia’s kingdom.

Two weeks passed since the Albion republic's fall…

On the third week of the New Years Yara’s month - week of Eolo - Allied Forces' were officially disbanded and the temporary officers from the Academy of Magic students returned to the school one after another.

Prideful, returned those who had military achievements, returned and those who didn’t. But they fought in fierce battles too, and accomplished their duty even if there were no fabulous military results.

Because Magic Academy’s students, with a few exceptions, were used as the army’s back-up, there were almost no casualties and no military achievements either.

Due to that, those students that were military successful were heads above others and their popularity skyrocketed.

So Guiche boasted about his military achievements as well…

* * *

Evening…

Driven from Montmorency’s room, Guiche, feeling a little down, strode. Not many people walk here, in Vestri Courtyard.

When you think about it… It was here where I and Saito met and dueled, he thought. At that time, Saito kept on standing up no matter how much damage he received.

Next thing that caught his eye was Saito made bath and a tent next to the artillery tower. When he was driven out by Louise, he set up a tent and kept on living and sleeping here for a while. Guiche also recalled how he and Saito drank all night in there.

That’s the way Saito burned into his memory…

Somehow, his eyes turned moist. Guiche felt sad. Because he was sad he made so much noise back at the classroom.

Saito. Except Louise, no one believed…that he fought against 70,000 Albion’s army and stopped it. But for a man who stood up even while being hit by my Valkyrie… this may be not so impossible after all.

Guiche scrubbed below his eyes.

“Though just a commoner, you were my friend.”

Wiping of his tears, he noticed someone moving inside the tent.

“Saito…?”

However, the one that came out was…

“Belldandy!”

It was a huge mole, Guiche’s familiar.

“Where were you…”

Guiche squatted down and began to pat his beloved familiar.

“After all, you also miss him?”

The huge mole rubbed his nose against Guiche. Somehow, his round eyes looked sad.

“I see, so you were sad….”

Guiche held Belldandy in his embrace for a while… then he slowly stood up.

“Saito, I think you are a hero. Thefore there is a thing I have to do. Belldandy! Make a big pile of soil!”

Belldandy nodded and began to grub up earth with a severe power. In front of the Guiche the mountain of soil rose.

“I am an earth element user. Therefore I’ll send you a salaam with this soil. I’ll make a huge statue, so that you’d be remembered.”

Guiche cast spell upon the pile of soil. Then, the soil turned into the clay. Thrusting out his both hands, Guiche started making a statue.

“Saito was a great guy. So he deserves a great statue, at least five mails tall. Because you could not use magic…I will make this statue with my bare hands as well. That’s respect to Saito. Noble’s way of respect. Be happy!”

* * *

Though Guiche and Montmorency grieved at heart… The one who mourned the most was Louise.

In her room, Louise was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees. Dressed in a usual school’s attire, she wore a strange looking hat on her head.

It was a sweater she gifted to Saito. It looked more similar to a rather avant-garde art piece. Even though no matter how hard she push she couldn’t get head through the collar, she still felt more comfortable when wearing it.

Next to Louise was placed Saito’s notebook computer, his only personal thing. Because there was no power supply, the screen was completely blank.

Louise stared at the computer’s black screen. She remembered how upon the first day when Saito came, he showed the screen to her.

It was beautiful.

When thinking so, the back of her eyelids became hot again.

Saito… showed some scenery to me. Though I did not understood it, it was still beautiful and that mysterious scenery made me feel somewhat excited.

One by one different thoughts, scenes, actions… were revived in her heart.

Louise looked down at the pendant on her neck. Held back tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Saito… he always defended me. Like this pedant hanging on the neck, he always was near, he became my shield.

When I was almost crushed by Fouquet's golem.

When I was almost killed by Wardes.

When I faced a huge battleship.

When Henrietta, who was cheated by the enemy and forgot herself, cast tornado of water.

And… when I was ordered to hold the enemy back till death…

Saito, with his sword unsheathed, stood in front of me.

Legendary Gandalfr, just as his name suggests, became my shield.

But did I treat Saito kindly?

No, I was always stubborn, selfish, hard to please idiot.

“Idiot.”

Tears were burning.

“I was just caring about myself. Such ungrateful selfish, not cute me should have been left and ignored.”

Louise did not try to wipe away the falling tears, and quietly whispered to herself.

“Even though you said that dying for honor was a nonsense… you did not come after me.”

The blaming words against Saito, were now returning back at her. Her own words became a spear, that scooped the wound in Louise’s heart deeper.

“Though you said you love me… you left me all alone.”

Louise muttered staring at the black screen.

“Without you, I cannot even fall asleep.”

Hugging her knees, Louise continued to sob.

* * *

Capital of Tristain, in the work room of the Tristania‘s royal palace, Henrietta sat on the chair with a discouraged look on her face.

Part of army's revolt in Albion, general De Poitiers' and marquis Handenburg’s ,commander of the Germanian army, deaths, complete army’s break… and a withdrawal request.

When the request came from the union Army Chief of Staff, Wimpffen, every one in the royal palace, including Henrietta and Mazarini, were confused. Was that a fake report by an enemy? They doubted.

To withdraw or continue to fight? It was cardinal Mazarini who brought the conference together.

“This is a Royal Palace and not a battlefield” his words silenced the ministers that did not want to withdraw.

However…The withdrawal became insignificant in the end.

The Galia fleet that appeared suddenly and made Albion army to surrender. After that, not long ago, Galia sent the special envoy to Tristain, who informed them to attend a conference held to decide Albion’s future...

Though Tristain’s royal palace were pleased with Galia’s attitude, there were no peace treaty with Galia.

Today was the day when two weeks passed since the invitation for Henrietta to attend the conference which was scheduled in Rosais.

Henrietta, she took in her hands the letter that has been sent by Galia’s ambassador.

“Halkeginia’s order disturbing Respublicanism was stopped, Galia’s Royal government feels that all Halkeginia’s nations should build up closer relationship with each other from now on…”

And the preamble continued.

However, though words caught her eyes they lost their meaning in her head.

Henrietta’s heart felt like a cave. Deep, cold, dark hole, in which one could fall. Even if you look into it, you still could not see the end - a hollow hole.

Cromwell, whom she hated so much died. Albion’s noble faction was annihilated.

Nevertheless, why there is no satisfaction?

“Why?”

She said to no one in particular.

“The noble faction that killed the Wales-sama is no more. Men who had cheated me are killed…And?”

Did anything change?

Nothing changed at all.

Henrietta buried face in her hands. She could not do anything about the overflow of feelings that sank her like a floodwater.

Though someone knocked against the door…Henrietta was not able to answer. The door opened and when cardinal Mazarini entered, Henrietta remained sitting under the desk with her face buried.

“Are you tired?”

Mazzarini muttered.

As seeing him for the first time, Henrietta looked up slowly and nodded.

“Yes. But it’s all right.”

“Shouldn’t you be happy. First of all, the war ended. Even though the whole army broke, even though we won thanks to the help that we did not anticipated - victory is still a victory. No matter how many times we would thank Galia, it would still not be enough.”

“Is that so.” Henrietta said, staring into space.

Mazarini worried about Henrietta, continued speaking.

“However, we cannot be careless, Your Majesty. We still should be ready for war, despite Galia’s sudden intervention, their motives are still unclear.”

“Is that so.” Henrietta answered lifelessly.

Mazarini placed a bunch of papers next to Henrietta’s elbows.

“…documents?”

“Yes. By all means, these are the documents that Her Majesty should have a look at.”

“Could it be done later? Right now…”

“No, now. You can’t afford not to look them through.”

“I leave everything to your discretion. Cardinal, you know better. I won’t have to worry…”

“Look through.”

Henrietta shook her head.

“I am sorry. Honestly, I am tired.”

“Look through!”

Mazarini repeated words in a stronger tone. Not used to such determination from a thin middle-aged man, Henrietta took one in her hands.

From top to bottom names were written down.

What do these names mean?

“…this?”

Mazarini said in a stony voice.

“It is the names list of the ones that died in action during the war.”

Henrietta became speechless.

“Nobles, commoners, officers, soldier…regardless high or low, all names were listed.

“Oooh…” Covering her face Henrietta said.

“You Majesty, do you know why they died?”

Henrietta shook her head.

“…I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? No, you do know. They died in the name of Your Majesty and homeland.”

Henrietta deeply hung her head.

Mazarini declared in an icy tone.

“To some of our ministers, this was just a ‘war diplomacy’, office soldiers were just the number figures of loss and gain. It may not be a mistake all together, but these figures had families, lives and loved ones. But they all believed in something.”

Mazarini jabbed his finger into the paper.

“The king is the one that decides to start a war. You can send officers and their men to death, however do not forget them. This list of names you have to honor. This list of names you have to protect.”

Henrietta began to weep.

Crying like a child, she burred her face into Mazarini’s legs.

“How many times will I burn in flames of hell? Tell me. This sinful repenting queen is at your feet, spokesman of god, cardinal. Ooh, I am honest. During this war my heart was only driven by revenge. I was obsessed with it and did not care even if had to sell my soul to the devil to get revenge. However, even if you sell your soul ...there‘s nothing after. Even no regret. Just a hollow. Deep, endless hollow.”

“…”

“I… I did not notice how foolish I was. I have lost myself in love, and brought magical guards to their deaths, even unleashed a frightening spell at a friend, I did not notice. Even while starting a doubtful war, I did not notice. Though I used important friends as means for my revenge, I did not notice. And only when revenge ended… I noticed. I noticed that nothing changed at all.”

Henrietta muttered, begging for forgiveness.

“Please tell me. What… should I do? If you would cut my throat would me crime disappear?”

Mazarini pushed Henrietta away. She looked up like a frightened child.

“I am not the one to judge, Your Majesty. You are not the one to judge as well, Your Majesty. That’s only god’s, in the name of the founder, majestic prerogative. The burden may be hard, may be heavy but do not try to throw it off. No matter how long the sleepless night continues, do not forget it. Because they died for Your Majesty and for the homeland. It may be just a royal ornament, but the died for this ornament. Death and crime will never disappear. The sadness will not heal. It will quietly sit behind and watch Your Majesty.

Henrietta’s heart turned stone cold, denying any interference as she shocked read through the list of names… and muttered.

“I never was…to be ruler.”

“There are no unexpected kings.”

Then Mazarini deeply bowed and left the room.

Bereaved Henrietta was quiet for a while. She was motionless.

Messengers of the night, two moons started to shine and illuminated the room … with much effort, Henrietta looked up.

Through Henrietta’s window… two moon sisters watched.

Tears dried on her cheeks.

“Well… nothing left. Not even tears come.”

After that, Henrietta called the page and asked to bring a finances minister. Once the finances minister ran over, Henrietta blandly reported.

“This bedroom… No, Royal palace property of Royal family, sell everything from here for money.”

“..Hah?”

“Everything. All right? Leave only small amount of clothes. All furniture, the bed, the desk and the dressing table too…”

Puzzled, the finance minister said.

“Bed? B-but where will Your Majesty sleep?”

“Bring a pile of hay. It will do.”

The finances minister became speechless. A queen sleeping on the floor was something unheard.

“Please give the money that you will receive from selling those things, to the families of war victims. Nobles, commoners – it does not matter. Distribute it equally.”

“B-but…”

“Treasury is in a difficult state? I know.”

Henrietta removed all acquired jewels.

Finances lord eyes were widely opened in sock as he was handed jewels one by one. Upon reaching a wedding finger, Henrietta noticed Ruby of the wind, Wales's keepsake, she closed her eyes for a moment and then removed and handed it to a finances minister.

“Sell this one as well.”

“Really?”

“Yes. This one as well…”

She pointed at the Founder’s portrait, to which she prayed during the war. Hundreds, thousands of years this portrait was watching over the royal families.

“But, however…”

“Now, what the homeland needs are not the prayers to god but gold. You disagree?”

Finances minister violently shook his head.

But before the man left, Henrietta called him to stop.

“I am sorry. Please came back for a moment.”

“Thank goodness! You snapped out of this!”

Henrietta reached for something from the finances minister treasury tray

It was a crown. In this haste, they both did not notice it.

“Without it, no one would ever admit someone as foolish as I as a ruler.”

After the finances minister left, grateful that he was not needed anymore, Henrietta began to look through the list of names.

Of course, she could not remember them all.

But, she wanted to engrave firmly in her mind. That life and ideals hid behind these names. She thought about begging for forgiveness, but stopped.

Once she finished reading through the list, the sky started to dawn.

Henrietta took the last piece in her hand.

And held her breath once she saw a name at the very end.

An unusual sounding name, that she heard before, was written there.