Difference between revisions of "Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL"
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+ | === Chapter One: Lineage of Zero === |
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− | <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">=== Chapter One: Lineage of Zero === Tristain's Royal Palace was situated on the end of Bourdonne's Street.</span> === Chương Một: Gia tộc của Zero === Tristain của Cung điện Hoàng gia đã được nằm cuối của đường Bourdonne.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">In front of the Royal Palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled atop their magical steeds.</span> Ở phía trước của cung điện Hoàng gia cửa, các thành viên của đội tuần tra trên đỉnh steeds Mage huyền diệu của họ.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">The rumor that war was looming had begun spreading through the town two or three days ago.</span> Các tin đồn rằng chiến tranh đã lờ mờ đã bắt đầu lây lan qua thị trấn của hai hoặc ba ngày trước đây.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It was rumoured that the aristocrat faction that had conquered Albion, “Reconquista”, was poised to invade Tristain. Therefore, the mood of the soldiers who guarded the surroundings grew tenser.</span> Có tin đồn rằng các phe quý tộc đó đã chinh phục Albion, "Reconquista", đã sẵn sàng xâm lược Tristain. Do đó, tâm trạng của những người lính bảo vệ môi trường xung quanh tăng tenser.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike were banned from flying, and people who passed the gates were thoroughly checked. Even tailors, confectionery shop employers, and traders were stopped and inspected thoroughly at the gates, so as to prevent mages disguised through illusion, or people under the control of charming magic from getting through. It was because it was under such circumstances, that when a wind dragon appeared in the skies above the Royal Palace, the garrison of Mage Guards grew alarmed. The Mage Guards was composed of three corps, and each guarded the Royal Palace in turn.</span> Trong bầu trời phía trên Cung điện Hoàng gia, con thú phép thuật và tàu tương tự đã bị cấm bay, và những người thông qua các cửa đã được kiểm tra kỹ lưỡng. Thợ may Thậm chí, chủ nhân cửa hàng bánh kẹo, và thương nhân đã được dừng lại và kiểm tra kỹ lưỡng tại các cửa, để ngăn chặn Mages ngụy trang thông qua ảo ảnh, hoặc những người dưới sự kiểm soát của ma thuật quyến rũ từ vượt qua được. Nó bởi vì nó đã được trong những hoàn cảnh như vậy, rằng khi một con rồng gió xuất hiện trên bầu trời phía trên Cung điện Hoàng gia, các đơn vị đồn trú của Mage đội tăng báo động. Các Mage bảo vệ được bao gồm ba quân đoàn, và từng bảo vệ Cung điện Hoàng gia lần lượt.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Whilst one was on duty, the others either rested or trained.</span> Trong khi một lần làm nhiệm vụ, những người khác hoặc nghỉ ngơi hoặc được đào tạo.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Today, it was the Manticore Corps that was on duty.</span> Ngày nay, nó đã được các đoàn Manticore đã được thi hành công vụ.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Riding atop their manticores, the nobles flew up and headed towards the wind dragon that had appeared above the Royal Palace.</span> Cưỡi trên đỉnh manticores của mình, các quý tộc đã bay lên và đi về phía con rồng gió rằng đã xuất hiện trên các cung điện Hoàng gia.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">There were five figures on the wind dragon's back, as well as a huge mole that was held in between the dragon's mouth. The Mage Guards warned them that this was a prohibited flight zone, yet the wind dragon, ignoring the warning, landed in the palace courtyards. Atop was a blondish pink-haired beautiful girl, a tall lady with burning red hair, a blond boy, a small, petite girl with glasses and a boy with black hair.</span> Có năm số liệu về gió rồng lại, cũng như rất lớn một nốt ruồi đã được tổ chức vào giữa rồng miệng của các cảnh báo. Mage Các đội họ rằng đây là một khu vực máy bay bị cấm, nhưng các con rồng gió, bỏ qua các cảnh báo, đã hạ cánh tại sân cung điện. trên đỉnh là một mái tóc màu hồng đẹp blondish cô gái, một phụ nữ cao lớn với mái tóc đỏ cháy, một cậu bé tóc vàng, một cô gái nhỏ nhắn với cô gái nhỏ đeo kính và một chàng trai với mái tóc màu đen.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">The boy carried a long sword over his shoulder. The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the wind dragon and simultaneously drew their rapier-shaped wands, assuming a stance with spells at the ready.</span> Cậu bé mang một thanh kiếm dài qua vai. Các Lính Manticore nhanh chóng bao vây rồng gió và đồng thời thu hút thanh kiếm hình đũa phép, giả định một lập trường bằng những phép thuật tại đã sẵn sàng.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">A strongly-built, rough-mustached commander, bellowed a warning at the suspicious intruders: “Drop your wands!” Instantly, the expressions of the intruders grew hostile, but the short blue-haired girl amongst them shook her head. “Royal Palace.” The party nodded reluctantly, and as ordered, threw their wands to the ground. “The skies above the Royal Palace is currently a prohibited flight zone.</span> A-xây dựng, rất thô mustached chỉ huy, gầm lên một cảnh báo ở những kẻ xâm nhập nghi ngờ: "của bạn! Đũa phép thả" ngay lập tức, các từ ngữ của những kẻ xâm nhập đã tăng thù địch, nhưng mái tóc ngắn màu xanh, cô gái trong số họ lắc đầu Palace. "Royal . "Đảng miễn cưỡng gật đầu, và theo yêu cầu, ném đũa xuống đất." Bầu trời phía trên Cung điện Hoàng gia hiện đang là khu vực cấm bay.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Didn't you know that?” A girl with blondish pink hair lightly jumped off the dragon, and introduced herself in a firm voice: “I am Duke de la Vallière's third daughter, Louise Françoise, not someone suspicious.</span> Anh không biết rằng "?" Một cô gái với mái tóc màu hồng blondish nhẹ nhảy ra khỏi con rồng, và giới thiệu mình trong công ty một tiếng nói: Tôi la Vallière con gái thứ ba de Duke, Louise Françoise, không ai nghi ngờ.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">I request an audience with her Highness, the princess.” The commander twisted his moustache as he watched the girl intently.</span> Tôi yêu cầu một đối tượng với Hoàng thân mình, công chúa chăm chú. "Các chỉ huy của ông xoắn ria mép khi anh nhìn cô gái.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">He knew about the Vallière Duchy.</span> Ông biết về các công quốc Vallière.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">After all, they were very renowned nobles. The commander lowered his wand. “You are Duke de la Vallière's third daughter?” “Indeed.” Louise raised herself and stared straight into the commander's eyes. “I see...</span> Sau khi tất cả, họ đã nổi tiếng quý tộc rất.. Các cây đũa chỉ huy của ông hạ thấp "Bạn đang la Vallière con gái thứ ba của Công tước de?" "Thật vậy." Louise lên chính mình và nhìn thẳng vào mắt của các chỉ huy. "Tôi nhìn thấy ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">I can see that you have your mother's eyes.</span> Tôi có thể thấy rằng bạn có đôi mắt của mẹ.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Well, what is your purpose here?” “I'm afraid I can't tell you.</span> Vâng, ở đây mục đích của bạn là gì "?" Tôi e rằng tôi không thể nói với bạn.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It's a secret.” “Then I'll have to deny your request.</span> Đó là một bí mật "." Sau đó tôi sẽ phải từ chối yêu cầu của bạn.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">To grant an audience without knowing your purpose, it's something you lose your head over!” The Commander replied worriedly. “The secret itself is not something that can be told either!” Yelled Saito as he jumped off the wind dragon. The commander looked over at Saito as he interjected.</span> Để cấp một đối tượng mà không biết mục đích của bạn, đó là một cái gì đó bạn bị mất đầu của bạn hơn "!" Chỉ huy trả lời lo lắng. Những bí mật tự nó không phải cái gì đó có thể kể cả Saito! "La lên khi ông nhảy ra khỏi con rồng gió. Người chỉ huy nhìn qua tại Saito như ông xen vào.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">He had a young face.</span> Ông đã có một khuôn mặt trẻ.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Clothes that he had never seen before.</span> Quần áo mà anh đã không bao giờ được thấy trước.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">A low nose.</span> Một mũi thấp.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Yellow skin.</span> Vàng da.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">A large sword draped over his back. Though it wasn't clear what country he was from, one thing was for certain – he wasn'ta noble. “What a rude commoner.</span> draped thanh kiếm lớn hơn của mình. lại A Mặc dù nó không được rõ ràng những gì mà nước ông đã từ, có một điều là chắc chắn - anh không phải là cao cả thường dân. "Những gì thô lỗ một.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">That's not the way a servant should speak to a noble.</span> Đó không phải là cách một công chức nên nói chuyện với một quý tộc.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Stay silent.” Saito narrowed his eyes, and turned to Louise.</span> Giữ im lặng. "Saito nheo mắt, và quay sang Louise.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It was too much for him.</span> Đó là quá nhiều cho anh ta.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">True, he wasn't even a servant, but rather a familiar, but it was the commander's disdainful tone that infuriated him.</span> Đúng, ông đã không được ngay cả một người đầy tớ, nhưng là một quen thuộc, nhưng nó đã được giọng khinh của chỉ huy mà tức giận anh ta.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Gripping the handle of Derf over his shoulder, Saito turned to Louise and asked. “Hey, Louise.</span> Nắm chặt tay cầm của Derf qua vai của mình, Saito đã chuyển sang Louise và hỏi Hey. ", Louise.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Can I take care of this guy?” “Quit boasting.</span> Tôi có thể chăm sóc anh chàng này không? "" Thoát khỏi tự hào.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Just because you beat Wardes doesn't mean you can be so arrogant.” Overhearing their conversation, the commander's eyes widened.</span> Chỉ vì bạn đánh bại Wardes không có nghĩa là bạn có thể rất kiêu ngạo hội thoại. "Của họ Overhearing, chỉ huy của mắt mở rộng.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Wardes?</span> Wardes?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Wardes, as in that viscount Wardes, the commander of the Griffin corps?</span> Wardes, là ở chỗ Wardes tử tước, chỉ huy của quân đoàn Griffin?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Defeated?</span> Đánh bại?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">What's the meaning of this? Shaking the concern aside, the commander raised his magic wand again. “Who the hell are you people?</span> này của ý nghĩa gì? Bắt mối quan tâm sang một bên, người chỉ huy đưa cây đũa thần của mình một lần nữa người dân. "Ai trong địa ngục phải không?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.” The commander spoke out in a hard tone.</span> Bất kể, tôi không thể cho phép bạn xem Hoàng thân của cô. "Các chỉ huy nói ra trong một giai điệu cứng.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">The situation was quickly getting out of hand.</span> Tình hình này đã nhanh chóng nhận ra khỏi tay.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Louise stared at Saito. “W-what?” “It's because of you and your blabbering that they think we are suspicious!” “It's all because of that bearded man and his damn attitude!” “Shut up.</span> Louise nhìn chằm chằm vào Saito "." W-cái gì? "Đó là bởi vì các bạn và blabbering của bạn mà họ nghĩ rằng chúng ta đang nghi ngờ!" "Đó là tất cả vì người đàn ông râu quai nón và thái độ chỉ trích của mình!" "Shut up.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">You should have just kept your mouth shut!” Watching the strange scene ahead of him, the commander quickly seized the situation.</span> Bạn cần phải có chỉ giữ miệng của bạn đóng ông! "Xem lạ cảnh trước, chỉ huy nhanh chóng nắm tình hình.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">The mage guards which had surrounded the party quickly raised their wands. “Arrest them!” Under the commander's order, the guardsmen/mages were about to begin their incantations when suddenly... A person clad in a purple mantle appeared from the palace gates.</span> Việc bảo vệ pháp sư mà đã bao vây bên nhanh chóng đưa ra đũa phép "." Bắt họ! Theo lệnh của chỉ huy, người Lính / Mages được về để bắt đầu câu thần chú của mình khi đột nhiên ... Một người phủ trong một lớp áo màu tím xuất hiện từ cửa cung điện .</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Seeing Louise surrounded by the Mage Guards, she frantically ran over. “Louise!” Seeing the figure of Henrietta rushing over, Louise's face shined like a rose. “Princess!” Under the gazes of the Mage guards, the two embraced one another in a hug. “Aah, you came back safely.</span> Thấy Louise bao quanh bởi các đội Mage, cô điên cuồng chạy qua "." Louise! Nhìn thấy con số của Henrietta gấp rút hơn, Louise mặt tỏa sáng như một bông hồng. "Công chúa!" Theo cái nhìn của các vệ sĩ Mage, hai ôm chầm lấy nhau trong một cái ôm Aah. ", bạn đã trở lại một cách an toàn.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">I'm glad.</span> Tôi vui mừng.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Louise, Louise Françoise…” “Princess...” Louise's eyes began watering with tears. “The letter...</span> Louise, Louise Françoise ... "" Công chúa ... "Louise nước mắt bắt đầu với những giọt nước mắt lá thư." The ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">it is safe.” Reaching into her breast pocket, Louise gently pulled out the letter.</span> nó là an toàn bỏ túi. "Tiếp cận vú cô vào, Louise nhẹ nhàng kéo ra lá thư.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Henrietta nodded and firmly grasped Louise's hands. “You really are my best friend.” “Your words are too kind, Princess.” However, upon noticing the absence of Wales in the midst of the party, Henrietta's expression grew somber. “As I thought...</span> Henrietta gật đầu và nắm vững tay Louise "." Bạn có thực sự tốt nhất của tôi là những người bạn. "Lời nói của bạn rất tốt bụng, công chúa." Tuy nhiên, khi nhận thấy sự vắng mặt của Wales ở giữa Đảng, Henrietta của biểu thức lớn ảm đạm. "Như tôi nghĩ ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Prince Wales sacrificed himself for his kingdom.” Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly. “...</span> Hoàng tử xứ Wales hy sinh bản thân cho vương quốc của mình "." Louise cô nhắm mắt và gật đầu lặng lẽ. ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">But what about viscount Wardes?</span> Nhưng những gì về Wardes tử tước?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">I don't see him, did he take another route?</span> Tôi không thấy anh ta, anh ta có một con đường?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Or did he...</span> Hay ông ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">perhaps...</span> có lẽ ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">fall by the hands of the enemy?</span> mùa thu bởi bàn tay của kẻ thù?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">But if it was the viscount, shouldn't...” Louise's face grew grim.</span> Nhưng nếu đó là tử tước, nên không ... "Louise đối mặt với tăng trưởng nghiệt ngã.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">With much difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta. “Wardes was a traitor, Princess.” “Traitor?” A shadow crept upon Henrietta's face.</span> Với nhiều khó khăn, Saito giải thích cho Henrietta "." Wardes là một kẻ phản bội, công chúa. "Kẻ phản bội?" Một bóng bò khi đối mặt với Henrietta.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Then, noticing the deep stares of the Mage Guards around them, Henrietta quickly explained. “They are my guests, commander sir.” “I see.” Upon hearing this, the commander withdrew his wand, if somewhat unwillingly, and told his troops to do the same. Henrietta turned to Louise again. “What exactly happened on your trip?</span> Sau đó, nhận thấy cái nhìn sâu sắc về Bộ đội Mage xung quanh họ, Henrietta nhanh chóng giải thích. "Họ là những khách hàng của tôi, chỉ huy thưa ông." "Tôi thấy điều này." Khi nghe, người chỉ huy đã rút đũa phép của mình, nếu có phần miễn cưỡng, và nói với quân đội của mình để làm như vậy Henrietta. quay sang Louise một lần nữa. "Những gì chính xác xảy ra trên chuyến đi của bạn?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">....</span> ....</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Anyway, let's withdraw to my room before we continue.</span> Dù sao, chúng ta hãy rút vào phòng của tôi trước khi chúng tôi tiếp tục.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">The rest of you, please get some rest in the other rooms.” Leaving Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche in the waiting room, Henrietta brought Saito and Louise to her own room.</span> Phần còn lại của bạn, xin vui lòng nhận được một số phần còn lại trong các phòng khác trong phòng. "Để Kirche, Tabitha và Guiche trong chờ đợi, Henrietta mang Saito và Louise vào phòng riêng của mình.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Henrietta sat down on a small and delicate chair, her elbows placed upon the desk. Louise explained the entire situation to Henrietta. How Kirche and the others joined them en route. How they took a ship to Albion, and its subsequent attack by pirates. That the pirate leader was Crown Prince Wales. How even though escape was offered to Prince Wales, he refused. And how… because of the wedding with Wardes, they missed the ship. That in the middle of the wedding Wardes suddenly showed his true colours… killing Prince Wales and snatching the letter from Louise's hands... Which was swiftly regained. The ambitions of 'Reconquista'… to unite all of Halkeginia, to the grand goal of liberating the Holy Lands from the Elves. However...</span> Henrietta ngồi xuống trên một chiếc ghế nhỏ và tinh tế, khuỷu tay của cô đặt trên bàn làm việc giải thích. Louise toàn bộ tình hình Henrietta. Làm thế nào Kirche và những người khác tham gia với họ trên đường. Làm thế nào họ lấy một con tàu để Albion, và tấn công tiếp theo của mình bằng cách cướp biển. Đó là lãnh đạo cướp biển đã được Thái tử xứ Wales. Làm thế nào ngay cả khi trốn thoát đã cung cấp cho các Hoàng tử xứ Wales, ông đã từ chối như thế nào. Và ... vì đám cưới với Wardes, họ đã bỏ lỡ tàu. Đó là ở giữa của Wardes đám cưới bất ngờ cho thấy màu sắc thật của mình ... giết chết hoàng tử xứ Wales và thâu tóm các bức thư từ tay Louise ... đã nhanh chóng lấy lại nào Elves. Các tham vọng của "Reconquista" ... đoàn kết tất cả các Halkeginia, để lớn mục tiêu giải phóng các vùng đất Thánh từ. Tuy nhiên ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">with the alliance between Tristain and Germania now secure, Henrietta still mourned. “That viscount was a traitor… How can that be?</span> với các liên minh giữa Tristain và Germania bây giờ an toàn, Henrietta vẫn chia buồn được. "Đó là một kẻ phản bội tử tước ... có thể như thế nào vậy?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">To have a traitor within the midst of the Mage Guards...” Gazing at the letter she herself wrote to Wales, tears built and streamed down her cheeks. “Princess…” Louise silently held Henrietta's hands. “It was me who took away Prince Wale's life.</span> Để có một kẻ phản bội trong giữa Bộ đội Mage ... "Nhìn vào bức thư cô ấy mình đã viết cho Wales, nước mắt được xây dựng và xem trực tiếp trên má cô." Công chúa ... "Louise âm thầm tổ chức tay Henrietta." Đó là tôi đã lấy đi Hoàng tử Wale của cuộc sống.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">No matter how you put it, it was I who chose the traitor to be the messenger…” Saito shook his head. “The Prince had already planned on staying in his kingdom.</span> Không có vấn đề làm thế nào bạn đặt nó, nó đã được tôi những người đã chọn những kẻ phản bội là sứ giả ... "Saito lắc đầu." Thái tử đã lên kế hoạch vào ở trong vương quốc của mình.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It was not Your Highness's fault.” “Louise, did he, at the very least, read my letter?” Louise nodded. “Yes, princess.</span> Nó không phải là lỗi của Hoàng thân của bạn "." Louise, anh ta, ở rất ít nhất, đọc thư của tôi? "Louise gật đầu Có.", Công chúa.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Prince Wales read Your Highness's letter.” “Then, Prince Wales didn't love me.” Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head. “Then...</span> Hoàng tử xứ Wales của Hoàng thân đọc bức thư của bạn "." Sau đó, Hoàng tử xứ Wales đã không yêu tôi. "Henrietta tiếc lắc đầu." Sau đó ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">even after you urged the Prince to escape?” Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow. Louise recalled Wales' words.</span> ngay cả sau khi bạn đã kêu gọi các Hoàng tử để thoát khỏi? "Henrietta gật đầu trong khi ngắm nhìn các bức thư trong nỗi buồn nhớ lại. Louise 'từ xứ Wales.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">He kept stubbornly telling her that “Henrietta didn't tell me to escape”.</span> Ông giữ cứng đầu nói với cô ấy rằng "Henrietta đã không cho tôi biết để thoát".</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It was just as Louise had thought - a lie. “Ahh, with your death, there is no longer any hope.</span> Nó đã được chỉ là Louise đã nghĩ - nói dối. Một "Ahh, với cái chết của bạn, không còn bất cứ hy vọng.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">What about me, my lost love?” Henrietta muttered softly in her daze. “Was honor more important than me?” But Saito came to a different conclusion.</span> Những gì về tôi, mất tình yêu của tôi? "Henrietta thì thầm nhẹ nhàng trong bàng hoàng của cô." Là danh dự quan trọng hơn tôi Nhưng? "Saito đã đến một kết luận khác nhau.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Wales remained not because he was trying to protect his honor.</span> Wales vẫn không phải vì ông đã cố gắng để bảo vệ danh dự của mình.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Rather, Wales remained so as to not give Henrietta any trouble...</span> Thay vào đó, xứ Wales vẫn để không cho Henrietta bất kỳ rắc rối ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">and to show the traitors that the royal families of Halkeginia were certainly not to be trifled with. “It isn't as you think, Princess.</span> và cho thấy những kẻ phản bội mà các gia đình hoàng gia của Halkeginia được chắc chắn không phải để được trifled với. "Nó không phải như bạn nghĩ, công chúa.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It was because he did not wish to give Tristain any troubles, that he remained in that country.</span> Đó là bởi vì ông không muốn cho Tristain bất kỳ khó khăn, mà ông vẫn ở lại quốc gia đó.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">That, is how I see it.” Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly. “To not give me any trouble?” “His escape, as the Prince said, would only have given a perfect excuse for traitors to invade.” “Even if Prince Wales didn't flee here, they would still invade here given the chance.</span> Điều đó, là cách tôi nhìn thấy nó "." Henrietta nhìn Saito ngây người. Để không cho tôi bất kỳ vấn đề? "" Thoát của Ngài, là thái tử cho biết, sẽ chỉ có được một lý do hoàn hảo cho những tên xâm lược. "" Ngay cả nếu Hoàng tử xứ Wales đã không chạy trốn ở đây, họ vẫn sẽ xâm chiếm ở đây đã cho cơ hội.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">But, without a reason to invade, peace can be kept.</span> Tuy nhiên, không có một lý do để xâm nhập, hòa bình có thể được lưu giữ.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">At the cost of his life, he prevented the rise of war.” “...</span> Tại các chi phí của cuộc sống của mình, ông ngăn chặn sự gia tăng của chiến tranh "." ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Even then, he still didn't want to give trouble.</span> Thậm chí sau đó, ông vẫn không muốn cho rắc rối.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Surely...” Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window. Saito slowly repeated the words he had remembered. “To fight with bravery, to die with courage.</span> Chắc chắn ... "Henrietta, thở dài sâu, nhìn ra ngoài từ cửa sổ. Saito từ từ lặp đi lặp lại những lời ông đã ghi nhớ." Để chiến đấu với lòng dũng cảm, để chết với lòng can đảm.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">That...</span> Điều đó ...</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">was what he asked me to say.” Henrietta replied with a cheerless smile.</span> là những gì anh yêu cầu tôi nói. "Henrietta trả lời với một nụ cười ủ rũ.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">When a princess, as beautiful as the delicate rose, became like this, even the air itself grew heavy.</span> Khi một công chúa, đẹp như là nhị tăng, trở thành như thế này, ngay cả không khí tự tăng nặng.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Saito's heart ached at the sight. Henrietta, resting her elbows on the table beside a beautifully engraved marble statue, questioned sadly. “To fight with bravery, to die with courage.</span> Saito của tim đau nhức từ cái nhìn này,. Henrietta nghỉ ngơi khuỷu tay của cô trên bàn bên cạnh một bức tượng bằng đá cẩm thạch được chạm khắc thật đẹp, thật đáng buồn hỏi sự can đảm. "Để chiến đấu với lòng dũng cảm, để chết với.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">That's your privilege as men.</span> Đó là đặc quyền của mình như nam giới.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">But what of those who are left behind, what are they to do?” Saito was struck silent.</span> Nhưng những gì của những người bỏ lại phía sau, những gì họ làm im lặng? "Saito bị đánh.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">He had nothing to say.</span> Ông không có gì để nói.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Lowering his head downwards, he awkwardly nudged his shoe against the couch. “Princess… If only I had tried harder to convince Prince Wales...” Henrietta stood up and clasped the hand of the muttering Louise. “It's all right, Louise.</span> Hạ thấp xuống đầu, ông lúng túng nudged giày của ông đối với chiếc ghế dài "." Công chúa ... Nếu chỉ có tôi đã cố gắng hơn nữa để thuyết phục Hoàng tử xứ Wales ... Henrietta đứng lên và siết chặt bàn tay của Louise lẩm bẩm. "Đó là tất cả các quyền, Louise.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">You splendidly accomplished your mission, retrieving the letter.</span> Bạn xuất sắc hoàn thành nhiệm vụ của bạn, lấy các chữ cái.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">You should not have to be worried about anything.</span> Bạn không cần phải lo lắng về bất cứ điều gì.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Because I didn't ask you to tell him to escape.” Henrietta laughed with a smile. “With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage removed, our country will be able to step into the alliance with Germania safely.</span> Bởi vì tôi không yêu cầu bạn nói cho anh ta trốn thoát. "Henrietta cười với một nụ cười." Với những trở ngại đó có thể đã bị phá vỡ cuộc hôn nhân bị loại bỏ, nước ta sẽ có thể bước vào liên minh với Germania một cách an toàn.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">In such a situation, Albion will not so easily invade us.</span> Trong tình hình như vậy, Albion sẽ không dễ dàng xâm nhập vào chúng tôi.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.” Henrietta said it as brightly as possible. Louise took out from her pocket the Water Ruby which Henrietta had given her. “Princess, here, I return this to you.” Henrietta shook her head. “Please hold on to it.</span> Cuộc khủng hoảng đã qua, Louise Françoise. "Henrietta nói nó như là sáng nhất có thể. Louise đã diễn ra từ túi các Ruby nước mà Henrietta đã cho cô ấy." Công chúa, ở đây, tôi trở về này cho bạn. "Henrietta lắc đầu." Hãy giữ cho nó.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It's the least I can do to express my gratitude.” “I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.” “For such loyalty, an appropriate reward should be bestowed.</span> Đó là ít nhất tôi có thể làm gì để bày tỏ lòng biết ơn của tôi "." Tôi không thể dám chấp nhận như một kho báu. "" Đối với lòng trung thành đó, một phần thưởng thích hợp nên được ban cho.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It is all right, put it on.” Louise nodded and put it on her finger. Upon seeing this, Saito remembered the ring he had removed from Prince Wales' hands.</span> Đó là tất cả các quyền, đặt nó lên. "Louise gật đầu và đặt nó trên ngón tay của cô. Khi nhìn thấy điều này, Saito nhớ vòng ông đã bỏ từ Wales 'tay Prince.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Taking it from the rear pocket of his pants, he placed it onto Henrietta's hands. “Princess, this, is a keepsake from the Prince Wales.” Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment. “Isn't this the wind ruby?</span> Lấy nó từ túi quần sau của mình, ông đặt nó vào tay Henrietta. "Công chúa, này, là một kỷ niệm của Hoàng tử xứ Wales." Chấp nhận chiếc nhẫn, thở hổn hển Henrietta ruby kinh ngạc. "Đó không phải là gió?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Did you get it from Prince Wales?” “Yes.</span> Bạn có được nó từ Hoàng tử xứ Wales "?" Có.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">In his dying moments, he passed the ring to me; he said to give it to Your Highness.” [[Image:ZnT03-023.JPG|thumb|Such was the nobility of the smile, that Saito was dumbstruck by its beauty, and could only mumble incoherently.]] In truth, Wales was already dead when he pulled it off his finger....</span> của mình những giây phút, chết ông thông qua các vòng với tôi, ông nói để cho nó đến bạn. Hoàng thân trong "[[Hình: ZnT03-023.JPG | thumb | như vậy là quý tộc của nụ cười, mà Saito đã chết lặng bởi vẻ đẹp của nó, và chỉ có thể lí nhí incoherently.]] Trong sự thật, Wales đã chết khi ông kéo nó ra khỏi ngón tay của mình ....</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">but Saito had said that anyway.</span> nhưng Saito đã nói rằng dù sao.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">If he had said it like that, it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, however little it may be. Henrietta put the Wind Ruby on her finger.</span> Nếu anh ta đã nói nó như thế, nó sẽ giúp hàn gắn đau Henrietta giữ trong trái tim cô, tuy nhiên ít có thể. Henrietta đặt Ruby gió trên ngón tay của cô.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Because it was for Wales, it was too large for Henrietta's fingers… But when Henrietta muttered the 'decreasing' spell, the ring became narrower and narrower, and soon fit the finger snugly. Henrietta lovingly stroked the Wind Ruby.</span> Bởi vì nó đã được cho Wales, nó đã được quá lớn cho ngón tay của Henrietta ... Nhưng khi Henrietta thì thầm của giảm "chính tả, vòng trở nên hẹp hơn và hẹp hơn, và sớm phù hợp với những ngón tay khít. Henrietta âu yếm vuốt ve của Ruby Wind.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Turning towards Saito, she gave a shy smile. “Thank you, kind familiar.” A sad smile filled with grief, yet also a smile of gratefulness towards Saito.</span> Chuyển hướng Saito, mẹ cho một nụ cười e thẹn Saito. "Cảm ơn bạn, loại quen thuộc." Buồn Một nụ cười đầy đau khổ, nhưng cũng có một nụ cười của lòng biết ơn đối.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Such was the nobility of the smile, that Saito was dumbstruck by its beauty, and could only mumble incoherently. “That man, he had died bravely.</span> Như vậy là quý tộc của nụ cười, mà Saito đã chết lặng bởi vẻ đẹp của nó, và chỉ có thể lí nhí incoherently dũng cảm. Đó là "người đàn ông, anh ta đã chết.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Is that right?” Saito nodded. “Yes.</span> Điều đó có đúng không? "Saito gật đầu." Có.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">It was so.” Henrietta, whilst staring at the shining Wind Ruby, declared softly. “Then I… I will live bravely as well.” On the flight from the Royal Palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent.</span> Có như vậy. "Henrietta, trong khi nhìn chằm chằm vào các sáng Wind Ruby, tuyên bố nhẹ nhàng." Sau đó, tôi ... tôi sẽ sống dũng cảm và Magic. "Trên chuyến bay từ Cung điện Hoàng gia với Học viện, Louise vẫn im lặng.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito as to the contents of the letter Wales had written, the two kept their lips sealed. “Oi, c'mon, won't you at least tell me what the mission was?</span> Không có vấn đề bao nhiêu Kirche hỏi Louise và Saito là nội dung của lá thư Wales đã viết, hai đôi môi của họ được giữ kín,. "Oi, c'mon sẽ không ít nhất là cho tôi biết nhiệm vụ được?</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">And to say that the Viscount was a traitor, it's all so mysterious.” Kirche looked at Saito with a feverish glance. “However, darling attacked him?” Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded: “Y-yes.</span> để nói rằng Viscount là một kẻ phản bội, tất cả nên bí ẩn. Và "nhìn Saito với sốt. nháy mắt Kirche" Tuy nhiên, anh yêu tấn công anh ta "?" Saito, đã thoáng nhìn thấy khuôn mặt của Louise, gật đầu: Y-có.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">But he escaped…" “Still, that's quite an achievement! Hey, what was that mission exactly?” Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent, and neither spoke. Kirche puckered up her brows and turned to Guiche. “Hey, Guiche!” “What?” With an artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche, who was spacing out, turned around. “Do you know what was in the letter Princess Henrietta sent us to retrieve?” Guiche closed his eyes saying: “I do not know as well. Only Louise knows.” “Louise the Zero! Why don't you tell me?! Hey, Tabitha! What do you think? Well, I think that I am held for an idiot!” Kirche shook Tabitha, who was reading the book. As she was being shaken, her head followed suit and shook as well. Because of all the shaking by Kirche, the wind dragon lost balance and slowed down suddenly. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and fell down. “Gyaaaaaa!” he screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way, he pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation” floated down slowly, avoiding near-death. Louise lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Lousie blushed. ''This morning, when running away from Albion, Saito kissed me. That time I was pretending to be asleep.'' ''But why? Why was I pretending to be asleep?'' ''It might be love… However, I do not want to admit this thought, because Saito is my familiar; moreover, he is not a noble.'' Loving a person who is not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people”… As Louise grew up with such words, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings are true or not, that should be left to find out later. So after all, having felt the hand move around her waist, Louise shouted in an angry voice: “T-to be so bold, I'm going to get angry!” “You looked like you were going to fall over. Like Guiche.” Saito replied, his face blushing as well. “It's all right, even if Guiche falls - it is only Guiche.” Stated Louise, still bewildered from before. “T-that's, even if he falls he will be all right. It would be troublesome if you fell however, since you cannot use magic.” “You are just a familiar, and you dare insult your master?” Louise drew a sharp breath and quickly averted her gaze. However, she didn't seem angry. “You are being too daring. Hum.” Though Louise grumbled and complained, she didn't try to shake off Saito's hand. On the contrary, she leaned her body closer, snuggling against him. Yet, her face still remained averted. Saito stole a quick glance at Louise's face. Her white cheeks were faintly dyed with pink and she was slightly biting her lower lip. Though Henrietta was beautiful... Louise was still incredibly cute, he thought. The hand on the waist pressed closer. And felt how her waist and thighs pressed further into him. It was just as this was happening, that Kirche spun around and muttered softly. “Since when did you become like this, you two?” Louise, suddenly realising how things looked, blushed a furious red and sent the day-dreaming Saito flying off with a push. “Nothing happened! You idiot!” Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha, who was reading a book, dully swung her hand, and put a 'Levitation' spell on Saito. Saito landed gently onto the plains, and saw Guiche, who had fallen before, walking along the road on the grassy plain with a bitter face. Then Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner. “You fell too, right?” Saito answered in a tired voice. “I was pushed.” “T-they are not coming back, are they?” Saito looked up into the sky. In the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon. “…It looks like it.” “Well, let's walk then. Sigh, it'll take half a day on foot.” With a depressed look about him, Guiche started to walk. Saito was not sure why, but felt that the he was more impressed by him. “By the way, you… That, well… There's something I wanted to ask. Please tell me.” Guiche mumbled to Saito as he fiddled with the artificial rose. “Huh?” “Did Her Highness... well... have anything to say about me? Is it true, that she'll reward me after the mission, with the letter where the promised secret date is?” For a moment, Saito felt pity for Guiche. Henrietta hadn't even mentioned the letter “G” from Guiche's name in their conversation. “Let's go.” Saito, pretending he hadn't heard anything, began quickening his pace. Guice chased after him from before “Well, is the rumor true?” “Come on, walk. It's good for the health.” “Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I...” Under the warmth of the sun, the two kept on walking towards the Academy of Magic. Fortress of Newcastle, once known as a great stronghold, was now a tragic ruin. Though it withstood the despair, it became a disastrous scene. The castle walls, having been repeatedly attacked by spells and cannon fire, were turned into a pile of rubble, and corpses burnt beyond recognition were scattered around. Though the siege was short, the rebels - no, because Albion lost its king, the rebels 'Reconquista', became the new government in Albion - suffered damage that was impossible to imagine. Three hundred royal army soldiers for two thousand killed rebels. And four thousand wounded. Seeing these casualties, it was hard to understand whether it was a victory. Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was possible to attack it only from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces managed to push away the guards, they were repeatedly shot with magic and cannon fire, receiving huge casualties. However, they won by the force of numbers in the end. Once behind the castle walls the defense was fragile. The king's army mages were left to guard against soldiers. But the mages' numbers were insignificant to the 'Reconquista' soldiers; they were gradually killed and all fell, one by one. Though the damage dealt to the enemy was great… the price was annihilation of the king's army. Literal annihilation. Because the royalists fought up to the last soldier. In a word, the final decisive battle of the civil war in Albion, siege of Newcastle's fortress, fighting against 100 times or larger opponent, in a battle with damage that was worth ten such armies… became a legend. Two days after the civil war had ended, under the blazing sun, between the corpses and pebbles, a tall aristocrat was inspecting the old battlefield. His hat was pushed to the side and he was dressed in an unusual way for Albion, the uniform of Tristain's Royal Mage Guard. It was Wardes. A female mage with a hood over her eyes stood next to him. It was Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt. She had escaped to Albion with the ship from La Rochelle. The previous night, in the capital of Albion, she had joined Wardes in the bar of Londinium and now came to the Newcastle's battlefield. Around them, soldiers of 'Reconquista' were diligently hunting for riches. A loud cheer came from the treasury nearby, as a band had found golden coins. A mercenary with a pike on his shoulder was turning corpses over, then pushing them into a pile near rubbish as a decoration for the garden. When he found a magic wand he cried out from joy. Fouquet, who was watching the scene disapprovingly, clicked her tongue in disgust. Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes laughed coldly “What's wrong, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, aren't these your colleagues who hunt jewels also? To rob the nobles of their treasure, was that not your job?” “Do not compare me with them. I have no interests in the jewels on the corpses of the dead.” “A thief with a thief's ethics.” Wardes laughed. “I'm not interested in that. I only steal valuable treasure, because I love to see the frantic expressions of those nobles. But these guys…” Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guardian with the corner of her eye. “All right, all right, don't be mad.” “I guess Albion's royal nobles are your enemies. Haven't you, under the name of the royal family, disgraced your own family?” Hearing Wardes exaggerated words, Fouquet, regaining her composure, coldly said with a nod. “Oh well. Accidents happen.” And then Wardes turned. The Lower part of the left arm had been cut off. The uniform's sleeve was loosely fluttering in the wind. “It looks like it was a similarly harsh battle for you. Wardes replied in a unchanging tone: “An arm in exchange for Wales' life, I think, is a rather cheap trade.” “He must be something, that 'Gandálfr', to so swiftly cut off the arm of a Square-Class Wind mage such as yourself.” “Because it was a commoner, I just got careless.” “Don't put it like that. He even destroyed my golem. However, nothing within this castle could have survived.” When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly. “He is Gandálfr after all. The corps that attacked the castle didn't report to have fought against such person. Perhaps, during our fight, he had expended all his energy and was confused with a commoner. Probably, the soldier who killed Gandálfr didn't even notice that it was a legendary familiar.” Fouquet, not convinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily? “And where is that letter?” “Somewhere around here.” Wardes pointed to the ground with the cane. That place there, two days ago, had been the chapel. The place where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding, the place where Wales lost his life. However, now it was just a pile of rubble. “Hmm, that la Vallière lass… your former fiancé, the letter was in her pocket? “Correct.” “You let her die? You didn't love her?” “Loved, didn't love, I've already forgotten such sentiments.” Dismissed Wardes in a neutral voice. He drew the cane and chanted the spell. A small tornado appeared and started scattering around the rubble. Gradually, the floor of the chapel could be seen. Laying between Founder Brimir's image and a chair, was the corpse of Wales. It looked surprisingly unharmed. “Look, isn't it the dear Prince Wales?” Fouquet said in a surprised voice. Fouquet, who was once one of Albion's nobles, remembered Wales' face. Wardes didn't cast even a single glance to the remains of the man he had personally murdered, instead searching intently for Louise and Saito's corpses. However… Their corpses were nowhere to be seen. “Are you sure they really died here?” Muttering so, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully. “Hmm… Look, isn't that George de la Tur's 'Founder Brimir's Visit'?” Fouquet picked up the painting from the floor. “I think it is a reproduction. Mm, come to think of it, this castle's chapel must have been built to worship him… Hmm?” Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, discovered a widely gaping hole under it, and called Wardes. “Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?” Wardes, with raised brows, squatted down and looked into the hole that Fouquet indicated. He realized that the hole must have been dug by that huge mole, Guiche's familiar. On his cheeks Wardes could feel the cold breeze emanating from the hole “Could it be that through this hole that both Vallière's youngest daughter and Gandálfr ran away?” Fouquet remarked, and it was the truth. Wardes' face contorted in rage. “Should we pursue them through?” “It is useless. If there's wind inside, it must mean it was dug clean through.” Wardes replied exasperatedly. Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned. “It seems you are capable of such expressions. And here I thought that you were a man without feelings like a gargoyle… Why, oh why do such feelings appear on your face?” She mocked. Hearing this, Wardes stood up. From the distance a person appeared while they talked. He said in a cheerful, limpid voice. “Viscount! Wardes! Have you found the letter yet? That… what was it... ah, love letter that Henrietta gave to Wales, the saviour that would prevent the union of Germania and Tristain. Have you found it?” Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man who had just appeared. The man was in the middle of his thirties. He was wearing a round hat and a green mantle. From the first sight one could tell that he was a clergyman. However he also slightly resembled a soldier with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes. From the edges of his hat, curly blond hair peeked out. “Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake. I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, hand me whatever punishment you deem necessary.” Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head. The man called 'Excellency', with a friendly smile on his face, approached Wardes and tapped his shoulder. “What are you saying? Viscount! You did a remarkable job! You single-handedly defeated the enemy's brave general! Ah, isn't that over there, our dear Crown Prince Wales? Be proud! You defeated him! Apparently he loathed me deeply… but seeing him like that, I feel a strange sort of kinship to him. Aah, that's right. Once dead, everyone becomes a friend. Wardes' cheeks flinched slightly, as he noticed the sarcasm at the end of the speech. He quickly regained his composure, and once again repeated his apology to his superior officer. “However, the mission to obtain the letter of Henrietta's Your Excellency so desires ended in failure. I'm sorry I was not able to meet Your Excellency's expectations.” “Do not fret yourself. Compared to obstructing the alliance, killing Wales was by far more important. A dream is something that has to be obtained steadily, step-by-step.” Then, the man in the green robe turned to Fouquet. “Viscount, please introduce this beautiful woman here. Being a priest, it is inconvenient for me to speak with a woman.” Fouquet watched the man. Before her eyes, Wardes bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn't like him. He had a strange aura around him. A sinister feeling was radiating from the gaps of his robe. Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man. “Your Excellency, this is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, before whom all Tristain nobles shudder.” “Oh! I heard the rumors! I am honored to meet you, Miss Saxe-Gotha.” Hearing him say her noble name that she had abandoned long ago, Fouquet smiled. “Did Wardes tell you this name?” “That's right. He knows everything about Albion nobles. Genealogy, coat of arms, property… it is hard for an aging bishop to remember everything. Oh, let's not delay my introduction.” Opening his eyes widely, and placing his hand over his chest... “'Reconquista' first general, Oliver Cromwell at your service. You see, originally, I was just a mere bishop. However, due to the votes of the baronial council, I was appointed to be the first general, and I need to give my best. Though I am a clergyman who serves Founder Brimir, it is all right to 'guide' us through the dark times, right? If necessary, using faith and power for the better.” [[Image:ZnT03-037.JPG|thumb]] “Your Excellency, you are not a freelance first general anymore, you are now Albion's…” “Emperor, viscount.” Cromwell laughed. However, his eyes didn't change. “Certainly, I really wished to prevent Tristain's and Germania's alliance, however, there are more important things. Do you understand me, viscount?” “Your Excellency's thoughts are so deep, that an ordinary man like me cannot measure them.” Cromwell opened his eyes wide. Then, he raised both hands and began talking with exaggerated gestures. “Unity! Unity of steel! Halkeginia is us, an union of chosen nobles, that will get back the Holy Land from those ominous elves! It is a mission given to us by Founder Brimir! 'Unity' is our number one duty. Therefore, viscount, I trust you. There is no blame in such a trifle failure.” Wardes bowed deeply. “For this great mission, Founder Brimir blessed us with the power.” Fouquet's eyebrow rose. Power? What kind of power they are talking about? “Your Excellency, what power has Founder Brimir granted Your Excellency with? If it is all right, I would like to know.” Cromwell continued in a slurred tone, caught up in his own theatrics. “Do you know about the four great elements of magic, Miss Saxe-Gotha?” Fouquet nodded. Even children know of such things. Fire, Wind, Water, and fourth – Earth. “In addition to the four great elements, there is another magical element. The element that Founder Brimir used, element of zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.” “Element of zero… Void?” Fouquet turned pale. The lost element. The magic of nothingness, that, as dark legends tell, disappeared. Did this man know something about the element of zero? “That is the power that Founder Brimir granted me with. For this reason, the Baronial Council agreed to make me the emperor of Halkeginia.” Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse. “Wardes. I had wanted to make Crown Prince Wales my friend and ally. Instead, he became my greatest enemy in life, but now in death, would make a great ally. Do you see anything wrong with that?” Wardes shook his head. “He should have never resisted Your Excellency's decisions.” Cromwell laughed with a smile. “Well then, Miss Saxe-Gotha. I will show an element of 'Void' to you.” Fouquet watched Cromwell's movements with her breath caught. Cromwell pulled out the cane that was attached to his waist. A low, silent aria escaped Cromwell's mouth. These were words Fouquet never heard before. When the aria was completed, Cromwell gently lowered the cane and aimed at Wales' corpse. Then… suddenly, Wales, whose body was already cold, opened his eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet's spine. Wales slowly sat up. A once bloodless face suddenly sprang back to the life it previously held. Like a withered flower absorbing water, Wales's body sprang back to life. “Good morning, Crown Prince.” Cromwell muttered. The revived Wales returned Cromwell's smile. “It has been a long time, Archbishop.” “So rude, I am an emperor now, my dear Crown Prince.” “Is that so? I apologize for that, Your Excellency.” Wales kneeled taking the posture of a vassal. “I think I'll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales.” “With pleasure.” “Then, let's be friends.” Cromwell began to walk. Wales, who didn't look like he was just dead, walked behind him. Then Cromwell, as if remembering something, halted and turned around saying: “Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. In any case, Tristain is helpless. There is no change in plans.” Wardes bowed. “There are two ways of diplomacy - the cane and the bread. Let's give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being.” “As you wish.” “Tristain is a necessary area to add. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the Holy Land.” After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left. It was only after Cromwell and Wales were out of sight, that Fouquet was able to open her mouth. “That... was the void...? To revive the dead. That's not possible.” Wardes muttered. “The void element manipulates life… That's what His Excellency said, seems like he was right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this – how could I not.” Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice. “A while ago you were acting very similar to this, perhaps you were affected by void's magic too?” Wardes laughed. “Me? I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I had since birth.” After that, Wardes looked up at the sky. “However…many lives were given for the Founder's Holy Land… what if they all would be revived by the element of 'Void'?” Frightened, Fouquet clutched at her chest. She felt a light heartbeat. She suddenly felt the need to confirm that she was still alive. “Don't look that way. It was only my imagination. You may even call it my fantasy.” Fouquet sighed, feeling relieved. Then she glared at Wardes. “It was surprising, that's all.” Whilst patting the stump where his left arm had been, he spoke softly. “However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? That answer must lie in the Holy Lands... that's how I feel.” Three days after Saito and company had returned to the Academy of Magic, the marriage between Tristainian princess Henrietta and Germanian emperor Albrecht III was officially announced. The ceremony would take place the following month, before the conclusion of the military alliance. The alliance conclusion would be done in Germania's capital Vindobon, where the agreement sentence was to be signed by the prime minister Cardinal Mazarin of Tristain. The day after the alliance, a new Albion's government was officially established. In an instant, tensions sparkled between the two countries, but the Kingdom of Albion's First Emperor Cromwell sent a special envoy to Tristain and Germania at once, in order to sign a nonaggression pact. As a result, both countries had a conference. Even with the two countries' combined power in the air, they could not oppose Albion's fleet. Though the non-aggression pact felt more like a dagger pointed to the neck, the two countries didn't have much to choose from, and this offer was the best they could hope for. However…peace was established in Halkeginia only on the surface. Politicians could not sleep day or night. It wasn't only nobles, the commoners too waited for next day tensely. Tristain's Academy of Magic was no exception either. <noinclude> {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;" |- | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Volume 2]] | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]] | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Forward to Chapter 2]] |- |} </noinclude></span> Tuy nhiên, ông trốn thoát ... "" Tuy nhiên, đó là hoàn toàn một thành tựu,! Hey nhiệm vụ mà những gì đã được chính xác? "Saito cúi đầu xuống. Louise đã được nhiều hơn im lặng, và không nói. Kirche nhăn lên lông mày của mình và quay sang Guiche." Này, ! Guiche ""? gì "Với một nhân tạo tăng lên trong miệng của mình, Guiche, những người đã được khoảng cách ra, quay lại." Bạn có biết những gì là trong lá thư công chúa Henrietta gửi cho chúng tôi để lấy? "Guiche của ông nhắm mắt lại nói" tôi không biết là tốt. Chỉ Louise biết "." Louise Zero! Tại sao bạn không cho tôi biết Tabitha?! Này,! Những gì bạn nghĩ,? Vâng tôi nghĩ rằng tôi đã tổ chức cho một thằng ngốc! "Kirche lắc Tabitha , người đã đọc cuốn sách. Khi cô đã bị chấn động, đầu tiếp theo phù hợp và bắt là tốt. Bởi vì tất cả những rung bởi Kirche, con rồng gió mất thăng bằng và bị chậm lại đột nhiên bị mất. Guiche, những người đang ngồi trên lưng, cân bằng và ngã xuống "Gyaaaaaa!". anh ta gào lên khi anh rơi, nhưng kể từ khi được Guiche, không ai để ý. giữa chiều, ông lấy ra cây đũa phép của mình, và sử dụng "bay lên" trôi xuống từ từ, tránh gần chết. Louise bị mất thăng bằng là tốt, nhưng Saito nhẹ nhàng bước đến, tổ chức vòng eo của mình với bàn tay của mình, hỗ trợ cơ thể của mình. Nhìn thấy bàn tay trên eo cô, Lousie đỏ mặt''Sáng nay, khi chạy ra khỏi Albion, Saito đã hôn tôi.. Đó thời gian tôi đã giả vờ là ngủ của tôi.''''Nhưng quen thuộc tại sao? Tại sao tôi giả vờ; được ngủ?''''Nó có thể là tình yêu ... Tuy nhiên, tôi không muốn thừa nhận suy nghĩ này, Saito vì là hơn thế nữa , ông không phải là một quý tộc tưởng tượng.''Yêu một người không phải là một quý tộc đã khó, ngay cả. "Nobles và dân thường là các loại khác nhau của người dân" ... Khi Louise lớn lên với những lời như vậy, lo lắng của cô trở thành bối rối. Dù sao, những cảm xúc này là đúng sự thật hay không, mà nên để tìm hiểu sau. dù Vì vậy, sau khi tất cả, có cảm nhận được di chuyển bàn tay quanh eo cô, Louise hét lên trong một giọng nói giận dữ: "T-để được như vậy, in đậm, tôi sẽ tức giận! nhận được "" như bạn đã đi đổ. Giống như Bạn Guiche. nhìn "Saito trả lời, mặt đỏ mặt và". "Đó là tất cả các quyền, thậm chí nếu Guiche rơi nó chỉ là Guiche -. Nói Louise, vẫn còn hoang mang từ trước "." T-đó là, ngay cả khi ông rơi ông sẽ được tất cả các quyền. Nó sẽ là rắc rối nếu bạn giảm Tuy nhiên, vì có thể bạn không sử dụng ma thuật. "Bạn chỉ là một quen thuộc, và bạn dám xúc phạm chủ của bạn?" Louise vẽ một hơi thở mạnh và nhanh chóng ngăn chặn nhìn của cô.. Tuy nhiên, cô không có vẻ. giận dữ. "Bạn đang được quá táo bạo. Hum" Mặc dù Louise càu nhàu và phàn nàn, cô đã không cố gắng để lắc của Saito ra tay Ngược lại, cô nghiêng cơ thể của mình gần gũi hơn, snuggling chống lại ông.. Tuy nhiên, mặt cô ấy vẫn còn ngăn chặn Saito lấy trộm xem lướt qua khuôn mặt của Louise. má trắng của bà đã được nhuộm với màu hồng nhạt và cô ấy đã hơi cắn môi dưới của cô. Mặc dù Henrietta là đẹp ... Louise vẫn còn vô cùng dễ thương, ông nghĩ gần gũi hơn. Các tay vào eo ép cảm thấy. Và làm thế nào eo và đùi ép hơn nữa vào anh ta được. Nó cũng giống như điều này xảy ra, mà Kirche quay xung quanh và thì thầm nhẹ nhàng bạn. "Từ khi nào trở nên như thế này, bạn có hai? "Louise, đột nhiên nhận ra thế nào những điều nhìn, đỏ mặt đỏ tức giận và đã gửi-mơ Saito ngày bay ra với đẩy một." Không có gì xảy ra thằng ngốc! Bạn hét lên! "Saito của trailed sau khi ông đã giảm, nhưng trước khi đập vào mặt đất, Tabitha, những người đã được đọc một cuốn sách, dully vung tay mình, và đặt "bay lên" chính tả một ngày Saito. Saito đã hạ cánh nhẹ nhàng lên vùng đồng bằng, và thấy Guiche, người đã rơi trước, đi bộ dọc theo con đường vùng đồng bằng cỏ với một khuôn mặt cay đắng.. Sau đó, Guiche dừng lại và giải quyết bình thường Saito quá để ý đến địa vị của mình theo cách "Bạn đã giảm quá, phải không?" Saito trả lời bằng một giọng mệt mỏi. "Tôi đã được đẩy." "T-họ không phải là quay trở lại , là họ? "Saito nhìn lên bầu trời. Trong bầu trời xanh, những con rồng gió nhanh chóng biến mất trên đường chân trời." ... Có vẻ như nó. "" Vâng, chúng ta hãy đi bộ sau đó. Thở dài, nó sẽ mất nửa ngày đi bộ. "Với một cái nhìn chán nản về anh ta, Guiche bắt đầu đi bộ. Saito đã không chắc chắn lý do tại sao, nhưng cảm thấy rằng ông đã được nhiều ấn tượng với anh ấy." Bằng cách này, bạn ... Điều đó, cũng ... Có điều gì đó tôi muốn hỏi cho biết. Xin vui lòng tôi. "Guiche lầm bầm để Saito như ông fiddled với các nhân tạo tăng lên." Huh? "" Anh Hoàng thân cô cũng ... ... có gì để nói về tôi không? Có phải sự thật, rằng cô sẽ thưởng cho tôi sau khi nhiệm vụ, với các lá thư mà ngày bí mật hứa hẹn sẽ là? "Trong giây lát, Saito cảm thấy thương hại cho Guiche. Henrietta đã thậm chí không đề cập đến chữ" G tên của họ trò chuyện trong. Hãy "là đi" từ Guiche. "Saito, giả vờ anh đã không nghe thấy bất cứ điều gì, bắt đầu quickening tốc độ của mình. Guice đuổi theo anh ta từ trước khi "Vâng, là tin đồn có đúng không?" "Thôi nào, đi bộ. Nó tốt cho sức khỏe". "Cái gì, ở, y-bạn, Hoàng thân của cô, I. .. "Dưới sự ấm áp của mặt trời, hai tiếp tục đi về phía Academy of Magic Newcastle. Fortress của, một khi được biết đến như một thành trì lớn, giờ đây là một bi kịch làm hỏng. Mặc dù chịu đựng sự thất vọng, nó đã trở thành một cảnh tai hại -. lâu đài Các bức tường, đã được liên tục tấn công phép thuật pháo và lửa, đã được biến thành một đống gạch vụn, và xác chết bị cháy không còn nhận ra được phiến quân rải rác xung quanh. Mặc dù cuộc bao vây là ngắn, không có, bởi vì Albion mất vua của nó, những người nổi loạn "Reconquista", trở thành chính quyền mới ở Albion -... bị thiệt hại đó là không thể tưởng tượng Ba trăm binh sĩ quân đội hoàng gia cho hai ngàn phiến quân thiệt mạng và bốn ngàn người bị thương Nhìn thấy những thương vong, đó là khó hiểu hay không nó là một chiến thắng. Bởi vì pháo đài được đặt trên cạnh rất của lục địa nổi, nó đã có thể tấn công nó chỉ từ một hướng. Trước khi "Reconquista lực lượng quản lý để đẩy xa các vệ sĩ, họ đã nhiều lần bắn với phép thuật và pháo lửa, tiếp nhận thương vong rất lớn. Tuy nhiên, họ giành chiến thắng lực lượng của số cuối cùng phía sau. Một khi những bức tường lâu đài phòng thủ đã mong manh. của Mages quân đội Nhà vua được giao cho bảo vệ chống lại các binh sĩ. Tuy nhiên, 'Mages số là không đáng kể đến "Reconquista 'chiến sĩ; đã dần dần giết chết và tất cả đã giảm, từng người một. họ Mặc dù những thiệt hại xử lý để đối phương là rất lớn ... giá đã được hủy diệt của vua quân đội của các.. Literal người lính bị tiêu diệt. Vì bảo hoàng đã chiến đấu lên đến Trong cuối một từ, cuối cùng quyết định trận chiến của các cuộc nội chiến ở Albion, cuộc bao vây của Newcastle pháo đài, chiến đấu chống lại 100 lần hoặc đối thủ lớn hơn, trong một trận chiến với thiệt hại mà được như mười quân đội trị giá ... đã trở thành một huyền thoại. Hai ngày sau khi cuộc nội chiến đã kết thúc, dưới ánh mặt trời rực, giữa những xác chết và đá cuội, một nhà quý tộc cao được kiểm tra lại chiến trường xưa. Ngài. mũ đã được đẩy sang một bên và anh đã mặc khác thường một cách cho Albion, sự thống nhất của Tristain Hoàng gia Mage Guard Đó là Wardes. Một pháp sư nữ với một mui xe trong mắt cô đứng bên cạnh anh ta là. Nó Fouquet các Dirt đổ nát đã. Cô trốn thoát để Albion với tàu từ La Rochelle. Đêm trước đó, tại thủ đô của Albion, cô đã tham gia Wardes tại thanh của Londinium và bây giờ đã đến Newcastle chiến trường của các. xung quanh họ, chiến sĩ của "Reconquista" đã siêng năng đi tìm sự giàu có đến. to A cổ vũ từ kho bạc gần đó, như là một ban nhạc đã tìm thấy đồng tiền vàng. Một lính đánh thuê với một chó trên của mình vai đã được chuyển xác chết trên, sau đó đẩy chúng vào cọc gần rác như một trang trí cho khu vườn.. Khi ông tìm thấy một ảo thuật cây đũa phép anh ta kêu lên từ niềm vui Fouquet, người được xem cảnh vẻ chê bai, nhấp vào lưỡi của mình trong sự ghê tởm. Chú ý Fouquet của biểu hiện, Wardes cười lạnh lùng "Có gì sai, Fouquet các Dirt đang đổ vỡ, không phải là những người đồng nghiệp của bạn cũng đi săn đồ trang sức? Để cướp quý tộc của kho tàng của họ, là không phải công việc của bạn?" "Đừng so sánh tôi với họ. Tôi đã không có lợi ích trong các đồ trang sức trên các xác chết của người chết "." Một tên trộm với đạo đức của một tên trộm. "Wardes cười đó." Tôi không quan tâm. Tôi chỉ ăn cắp kho báu có giá trị, bởi vì tôi thích nhìn thấy các biểu hiện điên cuồng của những người kẻ quý tộc. Nhưng những ... "Fouquet nhìn vào xác chết của một người giám hộ pháp sư bảo hoàng với các góc của mắt mình." Được rồi, được rồi, không được điên. "" Tôi đoán của Albion quý tộc hoàng gia là kẻ thù của bạn. Haven ' t bạn, dưới cái tên của gia đình hoàng gia, bị ghét bỏ gia đình của riêng mình? "Xét xử Wardes lời phóng đại, Fouquet, lấy lại sự điềm tĩnh của mình, lạnh lùng nói với một cái gật đầu." Ồ tốt. Tai nạn xảy ra quay lại. "Và sau đó Wardes. Các phần Hạ cánh tay trái bị đã cắt bỏ. Các đồng phục áo bị lỏng lẻo vẫy trong. gió "Có vẻ như nó đã là một khắc nghiệt cuộc chiến tương tự dành cho bạn:. Wardes trả lời không thay đổi một giai điệu" Một cánh tay để đổi lấy cuộc sống Wales, tôi nghĩ, là một giá rẻ thương mại chứ không phải "." Anh ấy phải là cái gì, đó là Gandálfr, để để nhanh chóng cắt đứt cánh tay của một-Class mage Square gió như bạn. "" Bởi vì nó đã là một thường dân, tôi chỉ có bất cẩn "." Đừng đặt nó như thế. Ông thậm chí còn bị phá hủy golem của tôi. Tuy nhiên, không có gì bên trong lâu đài này có thể tồn tại. "Khi Fouquet nói như vậy, Wardes mỉm cười lạnh lùng.." Ông ấy là Gandálfr sau khi tất cả Các quân đoàn đã tấn công lâu đài không báo cáo để có chiến đấu chống lại người đó. Có lẽ, trong quá trình đấu tranh của chúng tôi, ông đã chi tiêu hết năng lượng và được nhầm lẫn với một thường Có lẽ,. người lính đã giết Gandálfr thậm chí không nhận thấy rằng nó đã là một huyền thoại quen thuộc. " Fouquet, không tin, khịt mũi.. Một hình ảnh của Saito, lạ một cậu bé tìm kiếm, lưu hành của cô trong tâm trí có thể thực sự ông ta chết dễ dàng như vậy? "Và đó là lá thư đó?" "Một nơi nào đó quanh đây." Wardes chỉ vào mặt đất với mía,. Điều đó diễn ra ở đó, hai ngày trước đã được các nhà nguyện.. Những nơi mà Wardes và Louise đã cố gắng để tổ chức đám cưới, nơi Wales của ông bị mất cuộc sống Tuy nhiên, bây giờ nó chỉ là một đống gạch vụn. "Hmm, la Vallière lass ... hôn thê cũ của bạn, những lá thư là trong túi của mình? "" Đúng. "Bạn để cô ấy chết?? Bạn đã không yêu cô ấy" "Yêu, không tình yêu, tôi đã quên tình cảm như vậy." miễn nhiệm Wardes trong một tiếng nói trung lập đã thu hút. Ông là mía và hô vang câu thần chú. Một cơn lốc xoáy nhỏ xuất hiện và bắt đầu phân tán xung quanh đống đổ nát được. Dần dần, các sàn nhà của nhà nguyện có thể được ghế nhìn thấy. giữa sáng lập Brimir Đặt và hình ảnh, các xác chết của Wales nhìn. Nó không hề hấn gì đáng ngạc nhiên. "Hãy nhìn xem, đó chẳng phải là yêu Hoàng tử xứ Wales?" Fouquet nói trong một giọng nói ngạc nhiên khi phải đối mặt. Fouquet của Albion, những người đã được một trong những lần quý tộc, Wales 'nhớ. Wardes đã không bỏ ngay cả một một cái nhìn đến phần còn lại của người đàn ông ông đã đích thân sát hại, thay vì tìm kiếm chăm chú cho và Saito của xác chết Louise .... Tuy nhiên xác chết của họ đã hư không để được nhìn thấy như vậy. "Bạn có chắc chắn rằng họ thực sự đã chết ở đây?" lẩm bẩm, Wardes đã bắt đầu để tìm kiếm môi trường xung quanh một cách cẩn thận. "Hmm ... Hãy nhìn xem, mà không phải là George de la tur của 'Người sáng lập Brimir của Chơi'?" Fouquet chọn bức tranh từ sàn nhà sinh sản. "Tôi nghĩ rằng đó là một. Mm, đến để suy nghĩ về nó, điều này lâu đài của phải có nhà nguyện được xây dựng để thờ phượng Ngài ... Hmm? "Fouquet, có chọn bức tranh từ sàn nhà, phát hiện ra một lỗ hổng rộng rãi dưới nó, và Wardes gọi là." Này, Wardes. lỗ này là gì? "Wardes, với tăng lông mày, cúi xuống và nhìn vào lỗ đó Fouquet chỉ ra. Ông nhận ra rằng các hố phải được đào bởi đó nốt ruồi lớn, Guiche quen thuộc Wardes. mình trên má có thể cảm thấy gió lạnh phát ra từ hố đen "nó có thể được rằng thông qua lỗ đó là con gái út Vallière cả và Gandálfr bỏ chạy? "Fouquet nhận xét, và nó là sự thật." mặt Wardes contorted trong cơn giận dữ. "Nếu chúng ta theo đuổi chúng thông qua?" "Thật là vô ích. Nếu có gió bên trong, nó phải có nghĩa là nó đã được đào sạch thông qua "." Wardes trả lời exasperatedly. Thấy anh như thế, Fouquet cười toe toét. Có vẻ như bạn có khả năng biểu hiện như vậy. Và ở đây tôi nghĩ rằng bạn là một người đàn ông mà không có cảm giác giống như một gargoyle ... Tại sao, oh lý do tại sao làm như vậy cảm xúc xuất hiện trên khuôn mặt của bạn? "Cô ấy chế giễu. Nghe điều này, Wardes đứng lên.. Từ khoảng cách một người xuất hiện trong khi họ Ông nói. nói trong vui vẻ limpid, một giọng nói" Tử tước! Wardes! Các bạn đã tìm thấy bức thư chưa? Đó là ... những gì là nó ... ah, tình yêu lá thư mà Henrietta đưa cho Wales, vị cứu tinh mà có thể ngăn chặn các công đoàn của Germania và Tristain. Các bạn thấy nó đứng đầu? "của ông lắc, Wardes trả lời người đàn ông đã chỉ xuất hiện. Những người đàn ông trong giữa tuổi ba mươi, anh ta được. đội một chiếc mũ tròn và lớp phủ một màu xanh lá cây. Từ một cái nhìn đầu tiên có thể nói rằng ông là một mục sư. Tuy nhiên ông cũng hơi giống như một người lính với chim ưng mũi dài của mình và đôi mắt xanh thông minh. Từ các cạnh của đội nón, tóc vàng tóc xoăn nhòm ra. "Kính thưa, có vẻ như các bức thư trượt thông qua các lỗ này.. Đó là sai lầm của tôi Tôi rất hối hận vì lỗi của tôi,. Xin vui lòng đưa cho tôi bất cứ hình phạt mà bạn cho là cần thiết." Wardes quỳ xuống , cúi đầu. Những người đàn ông gọi là 'Ngài', với một nụ cười thân thiện trên khuôn mặt của mình, tiếp cận Wardes và khai thác vai ông nói. là gì "bạn? Viscount đã làm! Bạn có một công việc đáng chú ý! Bạn có một mình đánh bại đối phương dũng cảm nói chung Ah,! mà không phải là ở đó, em yêu Crown Prince Wales của chúng tôi? Hãy tự hào! Bạn đánh bại ông! Rõ ràng ông ghét tôi sâu sắc ... nhưng nhìn thấy anh như thế, tôi cảm thấy một loại kỳ lạ của quan hệ họ hàng với anh ta. Aah, đó là phải. Sau khi chết, mọi người sẽ trở thành một người bạn.. Wardes 'má hơi nao núng, khi ông nhận thấy những mỉa mai ở cuối của bài diễn văn Anh nhanh chóng lấy lại sự điềm tĩnh của mình, và một lần nữa lặp lại lời xin lỗi của ông sĩ quan cấp trên của mình Tuy nhiên. ", các nhiệm vụ để có được lá thư của Henrietta của Kính thưa nên ham muốn kết thúc trong thất bại.. Tôi xin lỗi tôi đã không thể Kính thưa quý vị đáp ứng mong đợi "" Đừng băn khoăn chính mình. So với cản trở liên minh, giết chết Wales đã đến nay quan trọng hơn là A. giấc mơ cái gì đó đã có được ổn định, từng bước "." Sau đó, người đàn ông trong chiếc áo choàng màu xanh lá cây quay sang Fouquet. Viscount, xin vui lòng giới thiệu người phụ nữ xinh đẹp ở đây. Là một linh mục, nó là bất tiện cho tôi để nói chuyện với một Fouquet người phụ nữ. "dõi mắt nhìn ông. Trước mắt, Wardes cúi sâu sắc với người đàn ông,. Tuy nhiên, cô không thích anh ta. Ông đã có một hào quang kỳ lạ xung quanh. Một cảm giác xấu xa đã tỏa ra từ các lỗ hổng của chiếc áo choàng của mình. Wardes đứng sao lưu và giới thiệu Fouquet cho con người những tin đồn. của bạn "Thưa Ngài, đây là Fouquet đổ nát của Dirt, trước khi mà tất cả quý tộc Tristain rùng mình." "Tôi Oh! nghe! Tôi rất vinh dự được gặp các bạn, Hoa hậu Saxe-Gotha." Xét xử ông nói tên cao quý của mình rằng cô đã từ bỏ lâu trước đây, Fouquet cười đúng. "Không Wardes cho bạn biết tên này?" "Đó là. Anh ấy biết mọi thứ về quý tộc Albion. Genealogy, huy hiệu, tài sản ... đó là khó khăn cho một giám mục lão hóa để ghi nhớ tất cả mọi thứ. Oh, chúng ta không chậm trễ giới thiệu của tôi. "Mở mắt ra rộng rãi, và đặt tay lên ngực mình ..." 'đầu tiên nói chung Reconquista ", Oliver Cromwell tại dịch vụ của bạn xem. Bạn, ban đầu, tôi chỉ là một chỉ giám mục. Tuy nhiên, do sự bình chọn của Hội đồng thuộc về nam tước, tôi được bổ nhiệm làm Tổng đầu tiên, và tôi cần phải cung cấp tốt nhất của tôi. Mặc dù tôi là một mục sư người phục vụ sáng lập Brimir, đó là tất cả quyền "hướng dẫn" chúng tôi bóng tối, thời gian phải không? qua Nếu, đức tin bằng cách sử dụng cần thiết và quyền lực cho tốt hơn. "[[Hình: ZnT03-037.JPG | thumb]]" Thưa Ngài, bạn không phải là lần đầu tiên tự do nói chung nữa, bạn đang Albion của ... "" Hoàng đế, tử tước. "Cromwell cười.. Tuy nhiên của mình, đôi mắt không thay đổi" Chắc chắn, tôi thực sự muốn ngăn chặn Tristain và của liên minh Germania, tuy nhiên, có một điều quan trọng hơn?. Bạn có hiểu tôi, tử tước "" của bạn Ngài là suy nghĩ rất sâu sắc, mà một người bình thường như tôi không thể đo lường chúng. Sau đó, anh cả giơ tay "và bắt đầu nói chuyện với phóng đại cử chỉ. Unity! Unity thép! Halkeginia". Cromwell mở đôi mắt rộng là chúng tôi, một liên hiệp quý tộc được chọn, mà sẽ lấy lại Đất Thánh từ những tinh đáng ngại! Đó là một nhiệm vụ ban cho chúng ta sáng lập Brimir "Unity"! là nhiệm vụ số một của chúng tôi. Do đó, tử tước, tôi tin tưởng bạn. Không có lỗi trong một trifle thất bại. "Wardes cúi sâu sắc." Đối với nhiệm vụ này rất lớn, người sáng lập Brimir ban phước cho chúng ta sức mạnh. "Fouquet của mày tăng. Power? những loại quyền lực mà họ đang nói về?" Thưa Ngài, những gì quyền lực đã sáng lập Brimir cấp Thưa với? Nếu nó là đúng tất cả, tôi muốn biết "." Cromwell tiếp tục slurred một giai điệu, bắt kịp riêng của mình trong theatrics. Bạn có biết về bốn yếu tố lớn của ma thuật, Hoa hậu Saxe-Gotha Fouquet? "gật đầu. Ngay cả trẻ em biết những điều đó trái đất. lửa, gió, nước, và thứ tư trong - ngoài các yếu tố có bốn đại, là một phép thuật yếu tố này.. yếu tố sáng lập Brimir sử dụng, yếu tố của số không. "Thực sự, nó là người đầu tiên những phần tử của tất cả. "" phần tử của không ... Void? "Fouquet biến nhạt.. mất Yếu tố kỳ diệu của hư vô, mà, như huyền thoại bóng tối cho biết, biến mất. Có phải người đàn ông này biết gì về các yếu tố về không?" Đó là sức mạnh mà người sáng lập Brimir cho tôi với. Vì lý do này, Hội đồng thuộc về nam tước đồng ý làm cho tôi các hoàng đế của Halkeginia. "Cromwell chỉ vào 'xác chết Wales." Wardes. Tôi đã muốn làm Thái tử xứ Wales và người bạn đồng minh của tôi. Thay vào đó , ông trở thành lớn nhất của kẻ thù của tôi trong cuộc sống, nhưng bây giờ trong cái chết, sẽ làm cho một đồng minh lớn?. Bạn có thấy bất cứ điều gì sai với điều đó "Wardes lắc đầu." Ông ấy nên chưa bao giờ phản đối của Ngài quyết định của bạn. "Cromwell cười với một nụ cười . "Được rồi, Hoa hậu Saxe-Gotha. tôi sẽ chỉ cho một phần tử của" Void "cho bạn." Fouquet nhìn của phong trào Cromwell với hơi thở của cô bị bắt.. Cromwell lấy ra cây mía đã được đính kèm của mình để thắt lưng A, thấp im lặng aria thoát Cromwell của miệng. Đây là những lời Fouquet chưa bao giờ nghe trước đây. Khi aria này được hoàn thành, Cromwell nhẹ nhàng hạ mía và nhằm "xác chết Wales.. Sau đó ... đột nhiên, xứ Wales, mà cơ thể đã lạnh, ông mở mắt Một cơn ớn lạnh chạy xuống Fouquet của cột sống. Wales từ từ ngồi dậy.. một lần đổ máu Một khuôn mặt đột nhiên mọc trở lại cuộc sống của nó trước đây được tổ chức giống như một bông hoa hấp thụ nước, khô héo, Wales của cơ thể mọc trở lại cuộc sống. "Chào buổi sáng, Thái tử." Cromwell lẩm bẩm. Các Wales hồi sinh trở lại Cromwell của nụ cười. "Nó đã được một thời gian dài, Đức Tổng Giám mục." "Vì vậy, thô lỗ, tôi là một hoàng đế bây giờ, em yêu hoàng tử." "Thế xin lỗi? Tôi cho rằng, thưa bạn." Wales quỳ lấy tư thế của a vassal. “I think I'll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales.” “With pleasure.” “Then, let's be friends.” Cromwell began to walk. Wales, who didn't look like he was just dead, walked behind him. Then Cromwell, as if remembering something, halted and turned around saying: “Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. In any case, Tristain is helpless. There is no change in plans.” Wardes bowed. “There are two ways of diplomacy - the cane and the bread. Let's give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being.” “As you wish.” “Tristain is a necessary area to add. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the Holy Land.” After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left. It was only after Cromwell and Wales were out of sight, that Fouquet was able to open her mouth. “That... was the void...? To revive the dead. That's not possible.” Wardes muttered. “The void element manipulates life… That's what His Excellency said, seems like he was right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this – how could I not.” Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice. “A while ago you were acting very similar to this, perhaps you were affected by void's magic too?” Wardes laughed. “Me? I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I had since birth.” After that, Wardes looked up at the sky. “However…many lives were given for the Founder's Holy Land… what if they all would be revived by the element of 'Void'?” Frightened, Fouquet clutched at her chest. She felt a light heartbeat. She suddenly felt the need to confirm that she was still alive. “Don't look that way. It was only my imagination. You may even call it my fantasy.” Fouquet sighed, feeling relieved. Then she glared at Wardes. “It was surprising, that's all.” Whilst patting the stump where his left arm had been, he spoke softly. “ However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? That answer must lie in the Holy Lands... that's how I feel.” Three days after Saito and company had returned to the Academy of Magic, the marriage between Tristainian princess Henrietta and Germanian emperor Albrecht III was officially announced. The ceremony would take place the following month, before the conclusion of the military alliance. The alliance conclusion would be done in Germania's capital Vindobon, where the agreement sentence was to be signed by the prime minister Cardinal Mazarin of Tristain. The day after the alliance, a new Albion's government was officially established. In an instant, tensions sparkled between the two countries, but the Kingdom of Albion's First Emperor Cromwell sent a special envoy to Tristain and Germania at once, in order to sign a nonaggression pact. As a result, both countries had a conference. Even with the two countries' combined power in the air, they could not oppose Albion's fleet. Though the non-aggression pact felt more like a dagger pointed to the neck, the two countries didn't have much to choose from, and this offer was the best they could hope for. However…peace was established in Halkeginia only on the surface. Politicians could not sleep day or night. It wasn't only nobles, the commoners too waited for next day tensely. Tristain's Academy of Magic was no exception either. <noinclude> {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;" |- | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Volume 2]] | [[ Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]] | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Forward to Chapter 2]] |- |} </noinclude></span> |
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+ | Tristain’s Royal Palace was situated on the end of Bourdonne's Street. In front of the Royal Palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled atop their magical steeds. The rumor that war was looming had begun spreading through the town two or three days ago. It was rumoured that the aristocrat faction that had conquered Albion, “Reconquista”, was poised to invade Tristain. |
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+ | Therefore, the mood of the soldiers who guarded the surroundings grew tenser. In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike were banned from flying, and people who passed the gates were thoroughly checked. |
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+ | Even tailors, confectionery shop employers, and traders were stopped and inspected thoroughly at the gates, so as to prevent mages disguised through illusion, or people under the control of charming magic from getting through. |
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+ | It was because it was under such circumstances, that when a wind dragon appeared in the skies above the Royal Palace, the garrison of Mage Guards grew alarmed. |
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+ | The Mage Guards was composed of three corps, and each guarded the Royal Palace in turn. Whilst one was on duty, the others either rested or trained. Today, it was the Manticore Corps that was on duty. Riding atop their manticores, the nobles flew up and headed towards the wind dragon that had appeared above the Royal Palace. There were five figures on the wind dragon's back, as well as a huge mole that was held in between the dragon’s mouth. |
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+ | The Mage Guards warned them that this was a prohibited flight zone, yet the wind dragon, ignoring the warning, landed in the palace courtyards. |
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+ | Atop was a blondish pink-haired beautiful girl, a tall lady with burning red hair, a blond boy, a small, petite girl with glasses and a boy with black hair. The boy carried a long sword over his shoulder. |
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+ | The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the wind dragon and simultaneously drew their rapier-shaped wands, assuming a stance with spells at the ready. A strongly-built, rough-mustached commander, bellowed a warning at the suspicious intruders: |
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+ | “Drop your wands!” |
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+ | Instantly, the expressions of the intruders grew hostile, but the short blue-haired girl amongst them shook her head. |
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+ | “Royal Palace.” |
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+ | The party nodded reluctantly, and as ordered, threw their wands to the ground. |
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+ | “The skies above the Royal Palace is currently a prohibited flight zone. Didn’t you know that?” |
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+ | A girl with blondish pink hair lightly jumped off the dragon, and introduced herself in a firm voice: |
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+ | “I am Duke de la Vallière’s third daughter, Louise Françoise, not someone suspicious. I request an audience with her Highness, the princess.” |
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+ | The commander twisted his moustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Vallière Duchy. After all, they were very renowned nobles. |
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+ | The commander lowered his wand. |
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+ | “You are Duke de la Vallière’s third daughter?” |
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+ | “Indeed.” |
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+ | Louise raised herself and stared straight into the commander’s eyes. |
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+ | “I see... I can see that you have your mother’s eyes. Well, what is your purpose here?” |
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+ | “I’m afraid I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.” |
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+ | “Then I’ll have to deny your request. To grant an audience without knowing your purpose, it’s something you lose your head over!” The Commander replied worriedly. |
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+ | “The secret itself is not something that can be told either!” Yelled Saito as he jumped off the wind dragon. |
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+ | The commander looked over at Saito as he interjected. He had a young face. Clothes that he had never seen before. A low nose. Yellow skin. A large sword draped over his back. |
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+ | Though it wasn’t clear what country he was from, one thing was for certain – he wasn’t a noble. |
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+ | “What a rude commoner. That’s not the way a servant should speak to a noble. Stay silent.” |
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+ | |||
+ | Saito narrowed his eyes, and turned to Louise. It was too much for him. True, he wasn’t even a servant, but rather a familiar, but it was the commander's disdainful tone that infuriated him. Gripping the handle of Derf over his shoulder, Saito turned to Louise and asked. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Hey, Louise. Can I take care of this guy?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Quit boasting. Just because you beat Wardes doesn’t mean you can be so arrogant.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Overhearing their conversation, the commander’s eyes widened. Wardes? Wardes, as in that viscount Wardes, the commander of the Griffin corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this? |
||
+ | |||
+ | Shaking the concern aside, the commander raised his magic wand again. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Who the hell are you people? Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | The commander spoke out in a hard tone. The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise stared at Saito. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “W-what?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It's because of you and your blabbering that they think we are suspicious!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It’s all because of that bearded man and his damn attitude!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Shut up. You should have just kept your mouth shut!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Watching the strange scene ahead of him, the commander quickly seized the situation. The mage guards which had surrounded the party quickly raised their wands. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Arrest them!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Under the commander’s order, the guardsmen/mages were about to begin their incantations when suddenly... |
||
+ | |||
+ | A person clad in a purple mantle appeared from the palace gates. Seeing Louise surrounded by the Mage Guards, she frantically ran over. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Louise!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Seeing the figure of Henrietta rushing over, Louise’s face shined like a rose. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Princess!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Under the gazes of the Mage guards, the two embraced one another in a hug. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Aah, you came back safely. I’m glad. Louise, Louise Françoise…” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Princess...” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise’s eyes began watering with tears. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “The letter... it is safe.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Reaching into her breast pocket, Louise gently pulled out the letter. Henrietta nodded and firmly grasped Louise’s hands. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “You really are my best friend.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Your words are too kind, Princess.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | However, upon noticing the absence of Wales in the midst of the party, Henrietta’s expression grew somber. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “As I thought... Prince Wales sacrificed himself for his kingdom.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “... But what about viscount Wardes? I don’t see him, did he take another route? Or did he... perhaps... fall by the hands of the enemy? But if it was the viscount, shouldn’t...” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise's face grew grim. With much difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Wardes was a traitor, Princess.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Traitor?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | A shadow crept upon Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the deep stares of the Mage Guards around them, Henrietta quickly explained. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “They are my guests, commander sir.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I see.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Upon hearing this, the commander withdrew his wand, if somewhat unwillingly, and told his troops to do the same. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta turned to Louise again. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “What exactly happened on your trip? .... Anyway, let’s withdraw to my room before we continue. The rest of you, please get some rest in the other rooms.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Leaving Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche in the waiting room, Henrietta brought Saito and Louise to her own room. Henrietta sat down on a small and delicate chair, her elbows placed upon the desk. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise explained the entire situation to Henrietta. |
||
+ | |||
+ | How Kirche and the others joined them en route. |
||
+ | |||
+ | How they took a ship to Albion, and its subsequent attack by pirates. |
||
+ | |||
+ | That the pirate leader was Crown Prince Wales. |
||
+ | |||
+ | How even though escape was offered to Prince Wales, he refused. |
||
+ | |||
+ | And how… because of the wedding with Wardes, they missed the ship. |
||
+ | |||
+ | That in the middle of the wedding Wardes suddenly showed his true colours… killing Prince Wales and snatching the letter from Louise’s hands... |
||
+ | |||
+ | Which was swiftly regained. |
||
+ | |||
+ | The ambitions of ‘Reconquista’… to unite all of Halkeginia, to the grand goal of liberating the Holy Lands from the Elves. |
||
+ | |||
+ | However... with the alliance between Tristain and Germania now secure, Henrietta still mourned. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “That viscount was a traitor… How can that be? To have a traitor within the midst of the Mage Guards...” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Gazing at the letter she herself wrote to Wales, tears built and streamed down her cheeks. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Princess…” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It was me who took away Prince Wale’s life. No matter how you put it, it was I who chose the traitor to be the messenger…” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito shook his head. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “The Prince had already planned on staying in his kingdom. It was not Your Highness’s fault.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Louise, did he, at the very least, read my letter?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise nodded. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes, princess. Prince Wales read Your Highness's letter.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Then... even after you urged the Prince to escape?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise recalled Wales' words. He kept stubbornly telling her that “Henrietta didn’t tell me to escape”. It was just as Louise had thought - a lie. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Ahh, with your death, there is no longer any hope. What about me, my lost love?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta muttered softly in her daze. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Was honor more important than me?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | But Saito came to a different conclusion. Wales remained not because he was trying to protect his honor. Rather, Wales remained so as to not give Henrietta any trouble... and to show the traitors that the royal families of Halkeginia were certainly not to be trifled with. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It isn’t as you think, Princess. It was because he did not wish to give Tristain any troubles, that he remained in that country. That, is how I see it.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “To not give me any trouble?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “His escape, as the Prince said, would only have given a perfect excuse for traitors to invade.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Even if Prince Wales didn’t flee here, they would still invade here given the chance. But, without a reason to invade, peace can be kept. At the cost of his life, he prevented the rise of war.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “... Even then, he still didn’t want to give trouble. Surely...” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito slowly repeated the words he had remembered. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That... was what he asked me to say.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta replied with a cheerless smile. When a princess, as beautiful as the delicate rose, became like this, even the air itself grew heavy. Saito’s heart ached at the sight. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta, resting her elbows on the table beside a beautifully engraved marble statue, questioned sadly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That’s your privilege as men. But what of those who are left behind, what are they to do?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito was struck silent. He had nothing to say. Lowering his head downwards, he awkwardly nudged his shoe against the couch. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Princess… If only I had tried harder to convince Prince Wales...” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta stood up and clasped the hand of the muttering Louise. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It’s all right, Louise. You splendidly accomplished your mission, retrieving the letter. You should not have to be worried about anything. Because I didn’t ask you to tell him to escape.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta laughed with a smile. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage removed, our country will be able to step into the alliance with Germania safely. In such a situation, Albion will not so easily invade us. The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta said it as brightly as possible. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise took out from her pocket the Water Ruby which Henrietta had given her. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Princess, here, I return this to you.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta shook her head. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Please hold on to it. It’s the least I can do to express my gratitude.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “For such loyalty, an appropriate reward should be bestowed. It is all right, put it on.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise nodded and put it on her finger. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Upon seeing this, Saito remembered the ring he had removed from Prince Wales’ hands. Taking it from the rear pocket of his pants, he placed it onto Henrietta’s hands. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Princess, this, is a keepsake from the Prince Wales.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Isn’t this the wind ruby? Did you get it from Prince Wales?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes. In his dying moments, he passed the ring to me; he said to give it to Your Highness.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | [[Image:ZnT03-023.JPG|thumb|Such was the nobility of the smile, that Saito was dumbstruck by its beauty, and could only mumble incoherently.]] |
||
+ | |||
+ | In truth, Wales was already dead when he pulled it off his finger.... but Saito had said that anyway. If he had said it like that, it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, however little it may be. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta put the Wind Ruby on her finger. Because it was for Wales, it was too large for Henrietta’s fingers… But when Henrietta muttered the ‘decreasing’ spell, the ring became narrower and narrower, and soon fit the finger snugly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta lovingly stroked the Wind Ruby. Turning towards Saito, she gave a shy smile. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Thank you, kind familiar.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | A sad smile filled with grief, yet also a smile of gratefulness towards Saito. Such was the nobility of the smile, that Saito was dumbstruck by its beauty, and could only mumble incoherently. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “That man, he had died bravely. Is that right?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito nodded. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Yes. It was so.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Henrietta, whilst staring at the shining Wind Ruby, declared softly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Then I… I will live bravely as well.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | On the flight from the Royal Palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent. No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito as to the contents of the letter Wales had written, the two kept their lips sealed. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Oi, c’mon, won’t you at least tell me what the mission was? And to say that the Viscount was a traitor, it’s all so mysterious.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Kirche looked at Saito with a feverish glance. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “However, darling attacked him?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded: |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Y-yes. But he escaped…" |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Still, that’s quite an achievement! Hey, what was that mission exactly?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent, and neither spoke. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Kirche puckered up her brows and turned to Guiche. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Hey, Guiche!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “What?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | With an artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche, who was spacing out, turned around. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Do you know what was in the letter Princess Henrietta sent us to retrieve?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Guiche closed his eyes saying: |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I do not know as well. Only Louise knows.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Louise the Zero! Why don’t you tell me?! Hey, Tabitha! What do you think? Well, I think that I am held for an idiot!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Kirche shook Tabitha, who was reading the book. As she was being shaken, her head followed suit and shook as well. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Because of all the shaking by Kirche, the wind dragon lost balance and slowed down suddenly. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and fell down. “Gyaaaaaa!” he screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way, he pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation” floated down slowly, avoiding near-death. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Lousie blushed. ''This morning, when running away from Albion, Saito kissed me. That time I was pretending to be asleep.'' |
||
+ | |||
+ | ''But why? Why was I pretending to be asleep?'' |
||
+ | |||
+ | ''It might be love… However, I do not want to admit this thought, because Saito is my familiar; moreover, he is not a noble.'' |
||
+ | |||
+ | Loving a person who is not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people”… As Louise grew up with such words, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings are true or not, that should be left to find out later. |
||
+ | |||
+ | So after all, having felt the hand move around her waist, Louise shouted in an angry voice: |
||
+ | |||
+ | “T-to be so bold, I’m going to get angry!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “You looked like you were going to fall over. Like Guiche.” Saito replied, his face blushing as well. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It’s all right, even if Guiche falls - it is only Guiche.” Stated Louise, still bewildered from before. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “T-that’s, even if he falls he will be all right. It would be troublesome if you fell however, since you cannot use magic.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “You are just a familiar, and you dare insult your master?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise drew a sharp breath and quickly averted her gaze. However, she didn’t seem angry. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “You are being too daring. Hum.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Though Louise grumbled and complained, she didn‘t try to shake off Saito's hand. On the contrary, she leaned her body closer, snuggling against him. Yet, her face still remained averted. Saito stole a quick glance at Louise‘s face. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Her white cheeks were faintly dyed with pink and she was slightly biting her lower lip. Though Henrietta was beautiful... Louise was still incredibly cute, he thought. The hand on the waist pressed closer. And felt how her waist and thighs pressed further into him. |
||
+ | |||
+ | It was just as this was happening, that Kirche spun around and muttered softly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Since when did you become like this, you two?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Louise, suddenly realising how things looked, blushed a furious red and sent the day-dreaming Saito flying off with a push. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Nothing happened! You idiot!” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha, who was reading a book, dully swung her hand, and put a 'Levitation' spell on Saito. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito landed gently onto the plains, and saw Guiche, who had fallen before, walking along the road on the grassy plain with a bitter face. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Then Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “You fell too, right?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito answered in a tired voice. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I was pushed.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “T-they are not coming back, are they?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito looked up into the sky. In the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “…It looks like it.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Well, let’s walk then. Sigh, it’ll take half a day on foot.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | With a depressed look about him, Guiche started to walk. Saito was not sure why, but felt that the he was more impressed by him. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “By the way, you… That, well… There’s something I wanted to ask. Please tell me.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Guiche mumbled to Saito as he fiddled with the artificial rose. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Huh?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Did Her Highness... well... have anything to say about me? Is it true, that she’ll reward me after the mission, with the letter where the promised secret date is?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | For a moment, Saito felt pity for Guiche. Henrietta hadn’t even mentioned the letter “G” from Guiche’s name in their conversation. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Let’s go.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Saito, pretending he hadn’t heard anything, began quickening his pace. Guice chased after him from before |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Well, is the rumor true?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Come on, walk. It’s good for the health.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I...” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Under the warmth of the sun, the two kept on walking towards the Academy of Magic. |
||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Fortress of Newcastle, once known as a great stronghold, was now a tragic ruin. Though it withstood the despair, it became a disastrous scene. |
||
+ | |||
+ | The castle walls, having been repeatedly attacked by spells and cannon fire, were turned into a pile of rubble, and corpses burnt beyond recognition were scattered around. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Though the siege was short, the rebels - no, because Albion lost its king, the rebels 'Reconquista', became the new government in Albion - suffered damage that was impossible to imagine. Three hundred royal army soldiers for two thousand killed rebels. And four thousand wounded. Seeing these casualties, it was hard to understand whether it was a victory. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was possible to attack it only from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces managed to push away the guards, they were repeatedly shot with magic and cannon fire, receiving huge casualties. |
||
+ | |||
+ | However, they won by the force of numbers in the end. Once behind the castle walls the defense was fragile. The king's army mages were left to guard against soldiers. But the mages' numbers were insignificant to the 'Reconquista' soldiers; they were gradually killed and all fell, one by one. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Though the damage dealt to the enemy was great… the price was annihilation of the king's army. Literal annihilation. Because the royalists fought up to the last soldier. |
||
+ | |||
+ | In a word, the final decisive battle of the civil war in Albion, siege of Newcastle’s fortress, fighting against 100 times or larger opponent, in a battle with damage that was worth ten such armies… became a legend. |
||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Two days after the civil war had ended, under the blazing sun, between the corpses and pebbles, a tall aristocrat was inspecting the old battlefield. His hat was pushed to the side and he was dressed in an unusual way for Albion, the uniform of Tristain’s Royal Mage Guard. |
||
+ | |||
+ | It was Wardes. |
||
+ | |||
+ | A female mage with a hood over her eyes stood next to him. |
||
+ | |||
+ | It was Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt. She had escaped to Albion with the ship from La Rochelle. The previous night, in the capital of Albion, she had joined Wardes in the bar of Londinium and now came to the Newcastle’s battlefield. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Around them, soldiers of 'Reconquista' were diligently hunting for riches. A loud cheer came from the treasury nearby, as a band had found golden coins. |
||
+ | |||
+ | A mercenary with a pike on his shoulder was turning corpses over, then pushing them into a pile near rubbish as a decoration for the garden. When he found a magic wand he cried out from joy. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet, who was watching the scene disapprovingly, clicked her tongue in disgust. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes laughed coldly |
||
+ | |||
+ | “What’s wrong, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, aren’t these your colleagues who hunt jewels also? To rob the nobles of their treasure, was that not your job?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Do not compare me with them. I have no interests in the jewels on the corpses of the dead.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “A thief with a thief’s ethics.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes laughed. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I’m not interested in that. I only steal valuable treasure, because I love to see the frantic expressions of those nobles. But these guys…” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guardian with the corner of her eye. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “All right, all right, don’t be mad.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I guess Albion’s royal nobles are your enemies. Haven’t you, under the name of the royal family, disgraced your own family?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Hearing Wardes exaggerated words, Fouquet, regaining her composure, coldly said with a nod. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Oh well. Accidents happen.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | And then Wardes turned. The Lower part of the left arm had been cut off. The uniform’s sleeve was loosely fluttering in the wind. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It looks like it was a similarly harsh battle for you. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes replied in a unchanging tone: |
||
+ | |||
+ | “An arm in exchange for Wales' life, I think, is a rather cheap trade.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “He must be something, that ‘Gandálfr’, to so swiftly cut off the arm of a Square-Class Wind mage such as yourself.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Because it was a commoner, I just got careless.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Don’t put it like that. He even destroyed my golem. However, nothing within this castle could have survived.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “He is Gandálfr after all. The corps that attacked the castle didn’t report to have fought against such person. Perhaps, during our fight, he had expended all his energy and was confused with a commoner. Probably, the soldier who killed Gandálfr didn’t even notice that it was a legendary familiar.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet, not convinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily? |
||
+ | |||
+ | “And where is that letter?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Somewhere around here.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes pointed to the ground with the cane. That place there, two days ago, had been the chapel. The place where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding, the place where Wales lost his life. |
||
+ | |||
+ | However, now it was just a pile of rubble. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Hmm, that la Vallière lass… your former fiancé, the letter was in her pocket? |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Correct.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “You let her die? You didn’t love her?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Loved, didn’t love, I’ve already forgotten such sentiments.” Dismissed Wardes in a neutral voice. |
||
+ | |||
+ | He drew the cane and chanted the spell. A small tornado appeared and started scattering around the rubble. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Gradually, the floor of the chapel could be seen. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Laying between Founder Brimir's image and a chair, was the corpse of Wales. It looked surprisingly unharmed. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Look, isn’t it the dear Prince Wales?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet said in a surprised voice. Fouquet, who was once one of Albion’s nobles, remembered Wales' face. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes didn’t cast even a single glance to the remains of the man he had personally murdered, instead searching intently for Louise and Saito’s corpses. |
||
+ | |||
+ | However… Their corpses were nowhere to be seen. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Are you sure they really died here?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Muttering so, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Hmm… Look, isn’t that George de la Tur’s ‘Founder Brimir's Visit’?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet picked up the painting from the floor. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I think it is a reproduction. Mm, come to think of it, this castle’s chapel must have been built to worship him… Hmm?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, discovered a widely gaping hole under it, and called Wardes. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes, with raised brows, squatted down and looked into the hole that Fouquet indicated. He realized that the hole must have been dug by that huge mole, Guiche’s familiar. On his cheeks Wardes could feel the cold breeze emanating from the hole |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Could it be that through this hole that both Vallière’s youngest daughter and Gandálfr ran away?” Fouquet remarked, and it was the truth. Wardes' face contorted in rage. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Should we pursue them through?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It is useless. If there’s wind inside, it must mean it was dug clean through.” Wardes replied exasperatedly. Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It seems you are capable of such expressions. And here I thought that you were a man without feelings like a gargoyle… Why, oh why do such feelings appear on your face?” She mocked. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Hearing this, Wardes stood up. |
||
+ | |||
+ | From the distance a person appeared while they talked. |
||
+ | |||
+ | He said in a cheerful, limpid voice. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Viscount! Wardes! Have you found the letter yet? That… what was it... ah, love letter that Henrietta gave to Wales, the saviour that would prevent the union of Germania and Tristain. Have you found it?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man who had just appeared. |
||
+ | |||
+ | The man was in the middle of his thirties. He was wearing a round hat and a green mantle. From the first sight one could tell that he was a clergyman. However he also slightly resembled a soldier with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes. From the edges of his hat, curly blond hair peeked out. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake. I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, hand me whatever punishment you deem necessary.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head. |
||
+ | |||
+ | The man called ‘Excellency’, with a friendly smile on his face, approached Wardes and tapped his shoulder. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “What are you saying? Viscount! You did a remarkable job! You single-handedly defeated the enemy’s brave general! Ah, isn’t that over there, our dear Crown Prince Wales? Be proud! You defeated him! Apparently he loathed me deeply… but seeing him like that, I feel a strange sort of kinship to him. Aah, that’s right. Once dead, everyone becomes a friend. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes’ cheeks flinched slightly, as he noticed the sarcasm at the end of the speech. He quickly regained his composure, and once again repeated his apology to his superior officer. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “However, the mission to obtain the letter of Henrietta’s Your Excellency so desires ended in failure. I’m sorry I was not able to meet Your Excellency’s expectations.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Do not fret yourself. Compared to obstructing the alliance, killing Wales was by far more important. A dream is something that has to be obtained steadily, step-by-step.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Then, the man in the green robe turned to Fouquet. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Viscount, please introduce this beautiful woman here. Being a priest, it is inconvenient for me to speak with a woman.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet watched the man. Before her eyes, Wardes bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn’t like him. He had a strange aura around him. A sinister feeling was radiating from the gaps of his robe. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Your Excellency, this is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, before whom all Tristain nobles shudder.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Oh! I heard the rumors! I am honored to meet you, Miss Saxe-Gotha.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Hearing him say her noble name that she had abandoned long ago, Fouquet smiled. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Did Wardes tell you this name?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “That's right. He knows everything about Albion nobles. Genealogy, coat of arms, property… it is hard for an aging bishop to remember everything. Oh, let's not delay my introduction.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Opening his eyes widely, and placing his hand over his chest... |
||
+ | |||
+ | “'Reconquista' first general, Oliver Cromwell at your service. You see, originally, I was just a mere bishop. However, due to the votes of the baronial council, I was appointed to be the first general, and I need to give my best. Though I am a clergyman who serves Founder Brimir, it is all right to ‘guide’ us through the dark times, right? If necessary, using faith and power for the better.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | [[Image:ZnT03-037.JPG|thumb]] |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Your Excellency, you are not a freelance first general anymore, you are now Albion’s…” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Emperor, viscount.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell laughed. However, his eyes didn’t change. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Certainly, I really wished to prevent Tristain’s and Germania’s alliance, however, there are more important things. Do you understand me, viscount?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Your Excellency's thoughts are so deep, that an ordinary man like me cannot measure them.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell opened his eyes wide. Then, he raised both hands and began talking with exaggerated gestures. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Unity! Unity of steel! Halkeginia is us, an union of chosen nobles, that will get back the Holy Land from those ominous elves! It is a mission given to us by Founder Brimir! ‘Unity’ is our number one duty. Therefore, viscount, I trust you. There is no blame in such a trifle failure.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes bowed deeply. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “For this great mission, Founder Brimir blessed us with the power.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet's eyebrow rose. Power? What kind of power they are talking about? |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Your Excellency, what power has Founder Brimir granted Your Excellency with? If it is all right, I would like to know.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell continued in a slurred tone, caught up in his own theatrics. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Do you know about the four great elements of magic, Miss Saxe-Gotha?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet nodded. Even children know of such things. Fire, Wind, Water, and fourth – Earth. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “In addition to the four great elements, there is another magical element. The element that Founder Brimir used, element of zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Element of zero… Void?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet turned pale. The lost element. The magic of nothingness, that, as dark legends tell, disappeared. Did this man know something about the element of zero? |
||
+ | |||
+ | “That is the power that Founder Brimir granted me with. For this reason, the Baronial Council agreed to make me the emperor of Halkeginia.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Wardes. I had wanted to make Crown Prince Wales my friend and ally. Instead, he became my greatest enemy in life, but now in death, would make a great ally. Do you see anything wrong with that?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes shook his head. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “He should have never resisted Your Excellency's decisions.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell laughed with a smile. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Well then, Miss Saxe-Gotha. I will show an element of ‘Void’ to you.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet watched Cromwell’s movements with her breath caught. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell pulled out the cane that was attached to his waist. |
||
+ | |||
+ | A low, silent aria escaped Cromwell's mouth. These were words Fouquet never heard before. |
||
+ | |||
+ | When the aria was completed, Cromwell gently lowered the cane and aimed at Wales' corpse. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Then… suddenly, Wales, whose body was already cold, opened his eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet’s spine. |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wales slowly sat up. A once bloodless face suddenly sprang back to the life it previously held. Like a withered flower absorbing water, Wales’s body sprang back to life. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Good morning, Crown Prince.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell muttered. |
||
+ | |||
+ | The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It has been a long time, Archbishop.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “So rude, I am an emperor now, my dear Crown Prince.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Is that so? I apologize for that, Your Excellency.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wales kneeled taking the posture of a vassal. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “I think I’ll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “With pleasure.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Then, let’s be friends.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Cromwell began to walk. Wales, who didn’t look like he was just dead, walked behind him. Then Cromwell, as if remembering something, halted and turned around saying: |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. In any case, Tristain is helpless. There is no change in plans.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes bowed. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “There are two ways of diplomacy - the cane and the bread. Let’s give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “As you wish.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Tristain is a necessary area to add. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the Holy Land.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left. |
||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | It was only after Cromwell and Wales were out of sight, that Fouquet was able to open her mouth. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “That... was the void...? To revive the dead. That’s not possible.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes muttered. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “The void element manipulates life… That’s what His Excellency said, seems like he was right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this – how could I not.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “A while ago you were acting very similar to this, perhaps you were affected by void’s magic too?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Wardes laughed. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Me? I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I had since birth.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | After that, Wardes looked up at the sky. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “However…many lives were given for the Founder’s Holy Land… what if they all would be revived by the element of ‘Void’?” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Frightened, Fouquet clutched at her chest. She felt a light heartbeat. She suddenly felt the need to confirm that she was still alive. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “Don’t look that way. It was only my imagination. You may even call it my fantasy.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Fouquet sighed, feeling relieved. Then she glared at Wardes. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “It was surprising, that’s all.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | Whilst patting the stump where his left arm had been, he spoke softly. |
||
+ | |||
+ | “However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? That answer must lie in the Holy Lands... that’s how I feel.” |
||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Three days after Saito and company had returned to the Academy of Magic, the marriage between Tristainian princess Henrietta and Germanian emperor Albrecht III was officially announced. The ceremony would take place the following month, before the conclusion of the military alliance. |
||
+ | |||
+ | The alliance conclusion would be done in Germania’s capital Vindobon, where the agreement sentence was to be signed by the prime minister Cardinal Mazarin of Tristain. |
||
+ | |||
+ | The day after the alliance, a new Albion’s government was officially established. In an instant, tensions sparkled between the two countries, but the Kingdom of Albion’s First Emperor Cromwell sent a special envoy to Tristain and Germania at once, in order to sign a nonaggression pact. |
||
+ | |||
+ | As a result, both countries had a conference. Even with the two countries' combined power in the air, they could not oppose Albion’s fleet. Though the non-aggression pact felt more like a dagger pointed to the neck, the two countries didn’t have much to choose from, and this offer was the best they could hope for. |
||
+ | |||
+ | However…peace was established in Halkeginia only on the surface. Politicians could not sleep day or night. It wasn’t only nobles, the commoners too waited for next day tensely. |
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+ | |||
+ | Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception either. |
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+ | |||
+ | <noinclude> |
||
+ | {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;" |
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+ | |- |
||
+ | | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Volume 2]] |
||
+ | | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]] |
||
+ | | [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Forward to Chapter 2]] |
||
+ | |- |
||
+ | |} |
||
+ | </noinclude> |
Revision as of 12:44, 5 October 2010
Warning: This translation is considered a PREVIEW Script.
Be warned that the degree of translation error may be higher than usual due to the translation method employed.
|
Chapter One: Lineage of Zero
Tristain’s Royal Palace was situated on the end of Bourdonne's Street. In front of the Royal Palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled atop their magical steeds. The rumor that war was looming had begun spreading through the town two or three days ago. It was rumoured that the aristocrat faction that had conquered Albion, “Reconquista”, was poised to invade Tristain.
Therefore, the mood of the soldiers who guarded the surroundings grew tenser. In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike were banned from flying, and people who passed the gates were thoroughly checked.
Even tailors, confectionery shop employers, and traders were stopped and inspected thoroughly at the gates, so as to prevent mages disguised through illusion, or people under the control of charming magic from getting through.
It was because it was under such circumstances, that when a wind dragon appeared in the skies above the Royal Palace, the garrison of Mage Guards grew alarmed.
The Mage Guards was composed of three corps, and each guarded the Royal Palace in turn. Whilst one was on duty, the others either rested or trained. Today, it was the Manticore Corps that was on duty. Riding atop their manticores, the nobles flew up and headed towards the wind dragon that had appeared above the Royal Palace. There were five figures on the wind dragon's back, as well as a huge mole that was held in between the dragon’s mouth.
The Mage Guards warned them that this was a prohibited flight zone, yet the wind dragon, ignoring the warning, landed in the palace courtyards.
Atop was a blondish pink-haired beautiful girl, a tall lady with burning red hair, a blond boy, a small, petite girl with glasses and a boy with black hair. The boy carried a long sword over his shoulder.
The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the wind dragon and simultaneously drew their rapier-shaped wands, assuming a stance with spells at the ready. A strongly-built, rough-mustached commander, bellowed a warning at the suspicious intruders:
“Drop your wands!”
Instantly, the expressions of the intruders grew hostile, but the short blue-haired girl amongst them shook her head.
“Royal Palace.”
The party nodded reluctantly, and as ordered, threw their wands to the ground.
“The skies above the Royal Palace is currently a prohibited flight zone. Didn’t you know that?”
A girl with blondish pink hair lightly jumped off the dragon, and introduced herself in a firm voice:
“I am Duke de la Vallière’s third daughter, Louise Françoise, not someone suspicious. I request an audience with her Highness, the princess.”
The commander twisted his moustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Vallière Duchy. After all, they were very renowned nobles.
The commander lowered his wand.
“You are Duke de la Vallière’s third daughter?”
“Indeed.”
Louise raised herself and stared straight into the commander’s eyes.
“I see... I can see that you have your mother’s eyes. Well, what is your purpose here?”
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you. It’s a secret.”
“Then I’ll have to deny your request. To grant an audience without knowing your purpose, it’s something you lose your head over!” The Commander replied worriedly.
“The secret itself is not something that can be told either!” Yelled Saito as he jumped off the wind dragon.
The commander looked over at Saito as he interjected. He had a young face. Clothes that he had never seen before. A low nose. Yellow skin. A large sword draped over his back.
Though it wasn’t clear what country he was from, one thing was for certain – he wasn’t a noble.
“What a rude commoner. That’s not the way a servant should speak to a noble. Stay silent.”
Saito narrowed his eyes, and turned to Louise. It was too much for him. True, he wasn’t even a servant, but rather a familiar, but it was the commander's disdainful tone that infuriated him. Gripping the handle of Derf over his shoulder, Saito turned to Louise and asked.
“Hey, Louise. Can I take care of this guy?”
“Quit boasting. Just because you beat Wardes doesn’t mean you can be so arrogant.”
Overhearing their conversation, the commander’s eyes widened. Wardes? Wardes, as in that viscount Wardes, the commander of the Griffin corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this?
Shaking the concern aside, the commander raised his magic wand again.
“Who the hell are you people? Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.”
The commander spoke out in a hard tone. The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise stared at Saito.
“W-what?”
“It's because of you and your blabbering that they think we are suspicious!”
“It’s all because of that bearded man and his damn attitude!”
“Shut up. You should have just kept your mouth shut!”
Watching the strange scene ahead of him, the commander quickly seized the situation. The mage guards which had surrounded the party quickly raised their wands.
“Arrest them!”
Under the commander’s order, the guardsmen/mages were about to begin their incantations when suddenly...
A person clad in a purple mantle appeared from the palace gates. Seeing Louise surrounded by the Mage Guards, she frantically ran over.
“Louise!”
Seeing the figure of Henrietta rushing over, Louise’s face shined like a rose.
“Princess!”
Under the gazes of the Mage guards, the two embraced one another in a hug.
“Aah, you came back safely. I’m glad. Louise, Louise Françoise…”
“Princess...”
Louise’s eyes began watering with tears.
“The letter... it is safe.”
Reaching into her breast pocket, Louise gently pulled out the letter. Henrietta nodded and firmly grasped Louise’s hands.
“You really are my best friend.”
“Your words are too kind, Princess.”
However, upon noticing the absence of Wales in the midst of the party, Henrietta’s expression grew somber.
“As I thought... Prince Wales sacrificed himself for his kingdom.”
Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.
“... But what about viscount Wardes? I don’t see him, did he take another route? Or did he... perhaps... fall by the hands of the enemy? But if it was the viscount, shouldn’t...”
Louise's face grew grim. With much difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta.
“Wardes was a traitor, Princess.”
“Traitor?”
A shadow crept upon Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the deep stares of the Mage Guards around them, Henrietta quickly explained.
“They are my guests, commander sir.”
“I see.”
Upon hearing this, the commander withdrew his wand, if somewhat unwillingly, and told his troops to do the same.
Henrietta turned to Louise again.
“What exactly happened on your trip? .... Anyway, let’s withdraw to my room before we continue. The rest of you, please get some rest in the other rooms.”
Leaving Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche in the waiting room, Henrietta brought Saito and Louise to her own room. Henrietta sat down on a small and delicate chair, her elbows placed upon the desk.
Louise explained the entire situation to Henrietta.
How Kirche and the others joined them en route.
How they took a ship to Albion, and its subsequent attack by pirates.
That the pirate leader was Crown Prince Wales.
How even though escape was offered to Prince Wales, he refused.
And how… because of the wedding with Wardes, they missed the ship.
That in the middle of the wedding Wardes suddenly showed his true colours… killing Prince Wales and snatching the letter from Louise’s hands...
Which was swiftly regained.
The ambitions of ‘Reconquista’… to unite all of Halkeginia, to the grand goal of liberating the Holy Lands from the Elves.
However... with the alliance between Tristain and Germania now secure, Henrietta still mourned.
“That viscount was a traitor… How can that be? To have a traitor within the midst of the Mage Guards...”
Gazing at the letter she herself wrote to Wales, tears built and streamed down her cheeks.
“Princess…”
Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands.
“It was me who took away Prince Wale’s life. No matter how you put it, it was I who chose the traitor to be the messenger…”
Saito shook his head.
“The Prince had already planned on staying in his kingdom. It was not Your Highness’s fault.”
“Louise, did he, at the very least, read my letter?”
Louise nodded.
“Yes, princess. Prince Wales read Your Highness's letter.”
“Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.”
Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head.
“Then... even after you urged the Prince to escape?”
Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow.
Louise recalled Wales' words. He kept stubbornly telling her that “Henrietta didn’t tell me to escape”. It was just as Louise had thought - a lie.
“Ahh, with your death, there is no longer any hope. What about me, my lost love?”
Henrietta muttered softly in her daze.
“Was honor more important than me?”
But Saito came to a different conclusion. Wales remained not because he was trying to protect his honor. Rather, Wales remained so as to not give Henrietta any trouble... and to show the traitors that the royal families of Halkeginia were certainly not to be trifled with.
“It isn’t as you think, Princess. It was because he did not wish to give Tristain any troubles, that he remained in that country. That, is how I see it.”
Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly.
“To not give me any trouble?”
“His escape, as the Prince said, would only have given a perfect excuse for traitors to invade.”
“Even if Prince Wales didn’t flee here, they would still invade here given the chance. But, without a reason to invade, peace can be kept. At the cost of his life, he prevented the rise of war.”
“... Even then, he still didn’t want to give trouble. Surely...”
Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window.
Saito slowly repeated the words he had remembered.
“To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That... was what he asked me to say.”
Henrietta replied with a cheerless smile. When a princess, as beautiful as the delicate rose, became like this, even the air itself grew heavy. Saito’s heart ached at the sight.
Henrietta, resting her elbows on the table beside a beautifully engraved marble statue, questioned sadly.
“To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That’s your privilege as men. But what of those who are left behind, what are they to do?”
Saito was struck silent. He had nothing to say. Lowering his head downwards, he awkwardly nudged his shoe against the couch.
“Princess… If only I had tried harder to convince Prince Wales...”
Henrietta stood up and clasped the hand of the muttering Louise.
“It’s all right, Louise. You splendidly accomplished your mission, retrieving the letter. You should not have to be worried about anything. Because I didn’t ask you to tell him to escape.”
Henrietta laughed with a smile.
“With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage removed, our country will be able to step into the alliance with Germania safely. In such a situation, Albion will not so easily invade us. The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.”
Henrietta said it as brightly as possible.
Louise took out from her pocket the Water Ruby which Henrietta had given her.
“Princess, here, I return this to you.”
Henrietta shook her head.
“Please hold on to it. It’s the least I can do to express my gratitude.”
“I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.”
“For such loyalty, an appropriate reward should be bestowed. It is all right, put it on.”
Louise nodded and put it on her finger.
Upon seeing this, Saito remembered the ring he had removed from Prince Wales’ hands. Taking it from the rear pocket of his pants, he placed it onto Henrietta’s hands.
“Princess, this, is a keepsake from the Prince Wales.”
Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment.
“Isn’t this the wind ruby? Did you get it from Prince Wales?”
“Yes. In his dying moments, he passed the ring to me; he said to give it to Your Highness.”
In truth, Wales was already dead when he pulled it off his finger.... but Saito had said that anyway. If he had said it like that, it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, however little it may be.
Henrietta put the Wind Ruby on her finger. Because it was for Wales, it was too large for Henrietta’s fingers… But when Henrietta muttered the ‘decreasing’ spell, the ring became narrower and narrower, and soon fit the finger snugly.
Henrietta lovingly stroked the Wind Ruby. Turning towards Saito, she gave a shy smile.
“Thank you, kind familiar.”
A sad smile filled with grief, yet also a smile of gratefulness towards Saito. Such was the nobility of the smile, that Saito was dumbstruck by its beauty, and could only mumble incoherently.
“That man, he had died bravely. Is that right?”
Saito nodded.
“Yes. It was so.”
Henrietta, whilst staring at the shining Wind Ruby, declared softly.
“Then I… I will live bravely as well.”
On the flight from the Royal Palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent. No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito as to the contents of the letter Wales had written, the two kept their lips sealed.
“Oi, c’mon, won’t you at least tell me what the mission was? And to say that the Viscount was a traitor, it’s all so mysterious.”
Kirche looked at Saito with a feverish glance.
“However, darling attacked him?”
Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded:
“Y-yes. But he escaped…"
“Still, that’s quite an achievement! Hey, what was that mission exactly?”
Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent, and neither spoke.
Kirche puckered up her brows and turned to Guiche.
“Hey, Guiche!”
“What?”
With an artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche, who was spacing out, turned around.
“Do you know what was in the letter Princess Henrietta sent us to retrieve?”
Guiche closed his eyes saying:
“I do not know as well. Only Louise knows.”
“Louise the Zero! Why don’t you tell me?! Hey, Tabitha! What do you think? Well, I think that I am held for an idiot!”
Kirche shook Tabitha, who was reading the book. As she was being shaken, her head followed suit and shook as well.
Because of all the shaking by Kirche, the wind dragon lost balance and slowed down suddenly. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and fell down. “Gyaaaaaa!” he screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way, he pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation” floated down slowly, avoiding near-death.
Louise lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Lousie blushed. This morning, when running away from Albion, Saito kissed me. That time I was pretending to be asleep.
But why? Why was I pretending to be asleep?
It might be love… However, I do not want to admit this thought, because Saito is my familiar; moreover, he is not a noble.
Loving a person who is not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people”… As Louise grew up with such words, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings are true or not, that should be left to find out later.
So after all, having felt the hand move around her waist, Louise shouted in an angry voice:
“T-to be so bold, I’m going to get angry!”
“You looked like you were going to fall over. Like Guiche.” Saito replied, his face blushing as well.
“It’s all right, even if Guiche falls - it is only Guiche.” Stated Louise, still bewildered from before.
“T-that’s, even if he falls he will be all right. It would be troublesome if you fell however, since you cannot use magic.”
“You are just a familiar, and you dare insult your master?”
Louise drew a sharp breath and quickly averted her gaze. However, she didn’t seem angry.
“You are being too daring. Hum.”
Though Louise grumbled and complained, she didn‘t try to shake off Saito's hand. On the contrary, she leaned her body closer, snuggling against him. Yet, her face still remained averted. Saito stole a quick glance at Louise‘s face.
Her white cheeks were faintly dyed with pink and she was slightly biting her lower lip. Though Henrietta was beautiful... Louise was still incredibly cute, he thought. The hand on the waist pressed closer. And felt how her waist and thighs pressed further into him.
It was just as this was happening, that Kirche spun around and muttered softly.
“Since when did you become like this, you two?”
Louise, suddenly realising how things looked, blushed a furious red and sent the day-dreaming Saito flying off with a push.
“Nothing happened! You idiot!”
Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha, who was reading a book, dully swung her hand, and put a 'Levitation' spell on Saito.
Saito landed gently onto the plains, and saw Guiche, who had fallen before, walking along the road on the grassy plain with a bitter face.
Then Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner.
“You fell too, right?”
Saito answered in a tired voice.
“I was pushed.”
“T-they are not coming back, are they?”
Saito looked up into the sky. In the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon.
“…It looks like it.”
“Well, let’s walk then. Sigh, it’ll take half a day on foot.”
With a depressed look about him, Guiche started to walk. Saito was not sure why, but felt that the he was more impressed by him.
“By the way, you… That, well… There’s something I wanted to ask. Please tell me.”
Guiche mumbled to Saito as he fiddled with the artificial rose.
“Huh?”
“Did Her Highness... well... have anything to say about me? Is it true, that she’ll reward me after the mission, with the letter where the promised secret date is?”
For a moment, Saito felt pity for Guiche. Henrietta hadn’t even mentioned the letter “G” from Guiche’s name in their conversation.
“Let’s go.”
Saito, pretending he hadn’t heard anything, began quickening his pace. Guice chased after him from before
“Well, is the rumor true?”
“Come on, walk. It’s good for the health.”
“Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I...”
Under the warmth of the sun, the two kept on walking towards the Academy of Magic.
Fortress of Newcastle, once known as a great stronghold, was now a tragic ruin. Though it withstood the despair, it became a disastrous scene.
The castle walls, having been repeatedly attacked by spells and cannon fire, were turned into a pile of rubble, and corpses burnt beyond recognition were scattered around.
Though the siege was short, the rebels - no, because Albion lost its king, the rebels 'Reconquista', became the new government in Albion - suffered damage that was impossible to imagine. Three hundred royal army soldiers for two thousand killed rebels. And four thousand wounded. Seeing these casualties, it was hard to understand whether it was a victory.
Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was possible to attack it only from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces managed to push away the guards, they were repeatedly shot with magic and cannon fire, receiving huge casualties.
However, they won by the force of numbers in the end. Once behind the castle walls the defense was fragile. The king's army mages were left to guard against soldiers. But the mages' numbers were insignificant to the 'Reconquista' soldiers; they were gradually killed and all fell, one by one.
Though the damage dealt to the enemy was great… the price was annihilation of the king's army. Literal annihilation. Because the royalists fought up to the last soldier.
In a word, the final decisive battle of the civil war in Albion, siege of Newcastle’s fortress, fighting against 100 times or larger opponent, in a battle with damage that was worth ten such armies… became a legend.
Two days after the civil war had ended, under the blazing sun, between the corpses and pebbles, a tall aristocrat was inspecting the old battlefield. His hat was pushed to the side and he was dressed in an unusual way for Albion, the uniform of Tristain’s Royal Mage Guard.
It was Wardes.
A female mage with a hood over her eyes stood next to him.
It was Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt. She had escaped to Albion with the ship from La Rochelle. The previous night, in the capital of Albion, she had joined Wardes in the bar of Londinium and now came to the Newcastle’s battlefield.
Around them, soldiers of 'Reconquista' were diligently hunting for riches. A loud cheer came from the treasury nearby, as a band had found golden coins.
A mercenary with a pike on his shoulder was turning corpses over, then pushing them into a pile near rubbish as a decoration for the garden. When he found a magic wand he cried out from joy.
Fouquet, who was watching the scene disapprovingly, clicked her tongue in disgust.
Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes laughed coldly
“What’s wrong, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, aren’t these your colleagues who hunt jewels also? To rob the nobles of their treasure, was that not your job?”
“Do not compare me with them. I have no interests in the jewels on the corpses of the dead.”
“A thief with a thief’s ethics.”
Wardes laughed.
“I’m not interested in that. I only steal valuable treasure, because I love to see the frantic expressions of those nobles. But these guys…”
Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guardian with the corner of her eye.
“All right, all right, don’t be mad.”
“I guess Albion’s royal nobles are your enemies. Haven’t you, under the name of the royal family, disgraced your own family?”
Hearing Wardes exaggerated words, Fouquet, regaining her composure, coldly said with a nod.
“Oh well. Accidents happen.”
And then Wardes turned. The Lower part of the left arm had been cut off. The uniform’s sleeve was loosely fluttering in the wind.
“It looks like it was a similarly harsh battle for you.
Wardes replied in a unchanging tone:
“An arm in exchange for Wales' life, I think, is a rather cheap trade.”
“He must be something, that ‘Gandálfr’, to so swiftly cut off the arm of a Square-Class Wind mage such as yourself.”
“Because it was a commoner, I just got careless.”
“Don’t put it like that. He even destroyed my golem. However, nothing within this castle could have survived.”
When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly.
“He is Gandálfr after all. The corps that attacked the castle didn’t report to have fought against such person. Perhaps, during our fight, he had expended all his energy and was confused with a commoner. Probably, the soldier who killed Gandálfr didn’t even notice that it was a legendary familiar.”
Fouquet, not convinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily?
“And where is that letter?”
“Somewhere around here.”
Wardes pointed to the ground with the cane. That place there, two days ago, had been the chapel. The place where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding, the place where Wales lost his life.
However, now it was just a pile of rubble.
“Hmm, that la Vallière lass… your former fiancé, the letter was in her pocket?
“Correct.”
“You let her die? You didn’t love her?”
“Loved, didn’t love, I’ve already forgotten such sentiments.” Dismissed Wardes in a neutral voice.
He drew the cane and chanted the spell. A small tornado appeared and started scattering around the rubble.
Gradually, the floor of the chapel could be seen.
Laying between Founder Brimir's image and a chair, was the corpse of Wales. It looked surprisingly unharmed.
“Look, isn’t it the dear Prince Wales?”
Fouquet said in a surprised voice. Fouquet, who was once one of Albion’s nobles, remembered Wales' face.
Wardes didn’t cast even a single glance to the remains of the man he had personally murdered, instead searching intently for Louise and Saito’s corpses.
However… Their corpses were nowhere to be seen.
“Are you sure they really died here?”
Muttering so, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully.
“Hmm… Look, isn’t that George de la Tur’s ‘Founder Brimir's Visit’?”
Fouquet picked up the painting from the floor.
“I think it is a reproduction. Mm, come to think of it, this castle’s chapel must have been built to worship him… Hmm?”
Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, discovered a widely gaping hole under it, and called Wardes.
“Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?”
Wardes, with raised brows, squatted down and looked into the hole that Fouquet indicated. He realized that the hole must have been dug by that huge mole, Guiche’s familiar. On his cheeks Wardes could feel the cold breeze emanating from the hole
“Could it be that through this hole that both Vallière’s youngest daughter and Gandálfr ran away?” Fouquet remarked, and it was the truth. Wardes' face contorted in rage.
“Should we pursue them through?”
“It is useless. If there’s wind inside, it must mean it was dug clean through.” Wardes replied exasperatedly. Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned.
“It seems you are capable of such expressions. And here I thought that you were a man without feelings like a gargoyle… Why, oh why do such feelings appear on your face?” She mocked.
Hearing this, Wardes stood up.
From the distance a person appeared while they talked.
He said in a cheerful, limpid voice.
“Viscount! Wardes! Have you found the letter yet? That… what was it... ah, love letter that Henrietta gave to Wales, the saviour that would prevent the union of Germania and Tristain. Have you found it?”
Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man who had just appeared.
The man was in the middle of his thirties. He was wearing a round hat and a green mantle. From the first sight one could tell that he was a clergyman. However he also slightly resembled a soldier with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes. From the edges of his hat, curly blond hair peeked out.
“Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake. I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, hand me whatever punishment you deem necessary.”
Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head.
The man called ‘Excellency’, with a friendly smile on his face, approached Wardes and tapped his shoulder.
“What are you saying? Viscount! You did a remarkable job! You single-handedly defeated the enemy’s brave general! Ah, isn’t that over there, our dear Crown Prince Wales? Be proud! You defeated him! Apparently he loathed me deeply… but seeing him like that, I feel a strange sort of kinship to him. Aah, that’s right. Once dead, everyone becomes a friend.
Wardes’ cheeks flinched slightly, as he noticed the sarcasm at the end of the speech. He quickly regained his composure, and once again repeated his apology to his superior officer.
“However, the mission to obtain the letter of Henrietta’s Your Excellency so desires ended in failure. I’m sorry I was not able to meet Your Excellency’s expectations.”
“Do not fret yourself. Compared to obstructing the alliance, killing Wales was by far more important. A dream is something that has to be obtained steadily, step-by-step.”
Then, the man in the green robe turned to Fouquet.
“Viscount, please introduce this beautiful woman here. Being a priest, it is inconvenient for me to speak with a woman.”
Fouquet watched the man. Before her eyes, Wardes bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn’t like him. He had a strange aura around him. A sinister feeling was radiating from the gaps of his robe.
Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man.
“Your Excellency, this is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, before whom all Tristain nobles shudder.”
“Oh! I heard the rumors! I am honored to meet you, Miss Saxe-Gotha.”
Hearing him say her noble name that she had abandoned long ago, Fouquet smiled.
“Did Wardes tell you this name?”
“That's right. He knows everything about Albion nobles. Genealogy, coat of arms, property… it is hard for an aging bishop to remember everything. Oh, let's not delay my introduction.”
Opening his eyes widely, and placing his hand over his chest...
“'Reconquista' first general, Oliver Cromwell at your service. You see, originally, I was just a mere bishop. However, due to the votes of the baronial council, I was appointed to be the first general, and I need to give my best. Though I am a clergyman who serves Founder Brimir, it is all right to ‘guide’ us through the dark times, right? If necessary, using faith and power for the better.”
“Your Excellency, you are not a freelance first general anymore, you are now Albion’s…”
“Emperor, viscount.”
Cromwell laughed. However, his eyes didn’t change.
“Certainly, I really wished to prevent Tristain’s and Germania’s alliance, however, there are more important things. Do you understand me, viscount?”
“Your Excellency's thoughts are so deep, that an ordinary man like me cannot measure them.”
Cromwell opened his eyes wide. Then, he raised both hands and began talking with exaggerated gestures.
“Unity! Unity of steel! Halkeginia is us, an union of chosen nobles, that will get back the Holy Land from those ominous elves! It is a mission given to us by Founder Brimir! ‘Unity’ is our number one duty. Therefore, viscount, I trust you. There is no blame in such a trifle failure.”
Wardes bowed deeply.
“For this great mission, Founder Brimir blessed us with the power.”
Fouquet's eyebrow rose. Power? What kind of power they are talking about?
“Your Excellency, what power has Founder Brimir granted Your Excellency with? If it is all right, I would like to know.”
Cromwell continued in a slurred tone, caught up in his own theatrics.
“Do you know about the four great elements of magic, Miss Saxe-Gotha?”
Fouquet nodded. Even children know of such things. Fire, Wind, Water, and fourth – Earth.
“In addition to the four great elements, there is another magical element. The element that Founder Brimir used, element of zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.”
“Element of zero… Void?”
Fouquet turned pale. The lost element. The magic of nothingness, that, as dark legends tell, disappeared. Did this man know something about the element of zero?
“That is the power that Founder Brimir granted me with. For this reason, the Baronial Council agreed to make me the emperor of Halkeginia.”
Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse.
“Wardes. I had wanted to make Crown Prince Wales my friend and ally. Instead, he became my greatest enemy in life, but now in death, would make a great ally. Do you see anything wrong with that?”
Wardes shook his head.
“He should have never resisted Your Excellency's decisions.”
Cromwell laughed with a smile.
“Well then, Miss Saxe-Gotha. I will show an element of ‘Void’ to you.”
Fouquet watched Cromwell’s movements with her breath caught.
Cromwell pulled out the cane that was attached to his waist.
A low, silent aria escaped Cromwell's mouth. These were words Fouquet never heard before.
When the aria was completed, Cromwell gently lowered the cane and aimed at Wales' corpse.
Then… suddenly, Wales, whose body was already cold, opened his eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet’s spine.
Wales slowly sat up. A once bloodless face suddenly sprang back to the life it previously held. Like a withered flower absorbing water, Wales’s body sprang back to life.
“Good morning, Crown Prince.”
Cromwell muttered.
The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile.
“It has been a long time, Archbishop.”
“So rude, I am an emperor now, my dear Crown Prince.”
“Is that so? I apologize for that, Your Excellency.”
Wales kneeled taking the posture of a vassal.
“I think I’ll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales.”
“With pleasure.”
“Then, let’s be friends.”
Cromwell began to walk. Wales, who didn’t look like he was just dead, walked behind him. Then Cromwell, as if remembering something, halted and turned around saying:
“Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. In any case, Tristain is helpless. There is no change in plans.”
Wardes bowed.
“There are two ways of diplomacy - the cane and the bread. Let’s give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being.”
“As you wish.”
“Tristain is a necessary area to add. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the Holy Land.”
After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left.
It was only after Cromwell and Wales were out of sight, that Fouquet was able to open her mouth.
“That... was the void...? To revive the dead. That’s not possible.”
Wardes muttered.
“The void element manipulates life… That’s what His Excellency said, seems like he was right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this – how could I not.”
Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice.
“A while ago you were acting very similar to this, perhaps you were affected by void’s magic too?”
Wardes laughed.
“Me? I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I had since birth.”
After that, Wardes looked up at the sky.
“However…many lives were given for the Founder’s Holy Land… what if they all would be revived by the element of ‘Void’?”
Frightened, Fouquet clutched at her chest. She felt a light heartbeat. She suddenly felt the need to confirm that she was still alive.
“Don’t look that way. It was only my imagination. You may even call it my fantasy.”
Fouquet sighed, feeling relieved. Then she glared at Wardes.
“It was surprising, that’s all.”
Whilst patting the stump where his left arm had been, he spoke softly.
“However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? That answer must lie in the Holy Lands... that’s how I feel.”
Three days after Saito and company had returned to the Academy of Magic, the marriage between Tristainian princess Henrietta and Germanian emperor Albrecht III was officially announced. The ceremony would take place the following month, before the conclusion of the military alliance.
The alliance conclusion would be done in Germania’s capital Vindobon, where the agreement sentence was to be signed by the prime minister Cardinal Mazarin of Tristain.
The day after the alliance, a new Albion’s government was officially established. In an instant, tensions sparkled between the two countries, but the Kingdom of Albion’s First Emperor Cromwell sent a special envoy to Tristain and Germania at once, in order to sign a nonaggression pact.
As a result, both countries had a conference. Even with the two countries' combined power in the air, they could not oppose Albion’s fleet. Though the non-aggression pact felt more like a dagger pointed to the neck, the two countries didn’t have much to choose from, and this offer was the best they could hope for.
However…peace was established in Halkeginia only on the surface. Politicians could not sleep day or night. It wasn’t only nobles, the commoners too waited for next day tensely.
Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception either.
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