Zero no Tsukaima:Volume15 Chapter8

Chapter 8: Coronation

The next morning....

Saito woke up from the loud cheers.

"Wha....?"

Sleeping next to him, Louise seemed to have be woken up from the same reason. Rubbing his half closed eyes, Saito stood up and opened the windows.

The muffled cheers burst from the window and flooded into the entire room. Because of the holes on the walls, living together with them Malicorne and Tiffania also seemed to have be awakened by it.

"What the heck is that noise?"

"What, in the world, happened?"

While mumbling, they all gathered around.

Since this hotel was built on top of a cliff that has a perfect view of the entire Lelion river, (just like every other Carcassone house,) if they look outside, they can fully see the situation below.

The Romalian army spanning across the plains gave thunderous cheers.

"What is that?" Malicorne pointed below.

Looks like, at the centre of the Romalian army, was a huge stage. One could say it almost looks like an altar. Feels just like the stage at a concert, Saito thought.

"Are they preparing an opera or what?" Louise openly expressed her thoughts.

"Hey hey, we are already in a war, why would they bother for an opera?"

"How am I supposed to know. Maybe that want to do some boring religious play, to undermine the other side's morale or something...."

"Won't they just become more irritated when they see this kind of stuff?" Just when he was saying, Malicorne used the spell of telescoping.

"Oi! The Pope is on the altar! Are they preparing some sort of offering?"

Feeling omnious, the group looked at each other, then all rushed to head down to Lelion river. In their journey, they also encountered the rest of the Water Spirit Ondine knights and Kirche. The only missing person was Tabitha.

Sprinting, Saito asked "Huff, Kirche, where's Tabitha?"

".....Hm. When I looked for her, she was already gone. That kid, where could she run to so early in the morning."

The omnious feeling exacerbated.

Dashing from the streets of Carcassone to the steppes of the plains, the cheers became more and more thunderous as they approaced. Other than the black and white flag of the crusade, even the flag of Kingdom Romalia was flying in the winds. Next to it, one could see a flag with two spears crossing each other on it.

"What's this? Isn't that the flag of Gallia?" Kirche exclaimed. Pope Vittorio Cervale stood right under the flag, surveying his surroundings with disdainful eyes. Blocked by surrounding guards, Saito and the others were impeded from further progress and could obly observe the development from a distance.

Vittorio raised both hands, silencing the fuelled cheering. All of the people began putting up a praying posture.

"What's that. A make shift cathedral? There's no need to come all the way here to do that...." Kirche sounded a bit shocked.

Vittorio's prayers last around 30 minutes. During the time, Saito and the others little choice but to maintain the same posture.

When the prayers have finally ended, Vittorio spread his hands again.

"Respectable believers of god Brimir, today, I bring everyone a joyful news." His voice has been amplified through the use of magic, enough to reach the ears of the Gallian camp on the other side of the river.

"Across the river, loyal lords to the Gallian mad King, please join us for this news."

Immediately, all sorts of complaints sounded throughout the Gallian camp.

"What the heck! If you want to preach then no thanks! We have much better things to do!"

"Return to the dump you came from to do your praying to God!"

Vittorio smiled, ignoring these voices and continuing his speech.

"Lords of the Gallian Kingdom, you are making a big mistake. The so called King of yours, is not the rightful heir to Gallia"

Saito's face was drained of colour.

"What are you trying to say?"

"The King you loyally serve, is the person who killed the next right King, Great Duch Orléans, and took the throne for himself like a thief. What kind of person is everyone trying to serve loyal for? I hope you understand that this is an enourmous insult to even our God and Founder."

"Even so, there is no place for a horrible monk like you to make your comments!"

"So this is the words of a person invading other countries! Who else could the real thief be!"

Vittorio's corner of his mouth twisted slightly more.

"We are not thieves, nor here to control your country or land. Rather, we are here to restore your kingdom under the rightful rule. As the servants of God and Founder, we, will never concur with that self-proclaimed King allying himself with heretics. As a respectable believer of Brimir yourself, you should fully agree with this."

Saito already wanted to rush forward. With events developing to this stage, without further ado Louise and the others already realised the true message this whole act was trying to deliever. Before they could do anything, paladins had already come forth, stopping the footsteps of Saito and the others with drawn swords and spears.

"No trouble around here! Listen well to the Pope!"

"Let me now introduce the real rightful heir to this kingdom. The daughter of the deceased Grand Duke Orléans, Princess Charlotte her majesty."

Below the altar, priests split both sides to make way for the appearance of Tabitha. She was not wearing the usual clothing of the Academy of Magic, but a grand suit designed for royal kings and queens. On the face of hers without the usual glasses and dabbed lightly with make up. Unlike her common attitude, this unerringly displayed the majestic hidden under her usual expressionless face, even enough to match one of what would be the princess of Halkenia.

"Tabitha!" Kirche screamed with anger. Of course, this voice was hardly heard by anyone overwhelmed by the barrage of more thunderous cheers, much less reaching Tabitha's ears.

"Princess Charlotte!?"

"Impossible! Wasn't she assassinated back then as well?"

"No, I heard she was stripped of her title and sent to study abroad at Tristain." All sorts of shocked cries spread through the Gallian camp.

"How dare you bring us this fraud!" Furious to the degree of losing himself, this cry could be heard even on this side. This person came from no other than the person who have competed with Saito a couple times, Duke Scarron. "How dare you make a fool of us with the deceased daughter of the Grand Duke Orléans! Shameless! How much longer are you going to mess with us!"

"Then, would you like to confirm for yourself, whether or not this is a fraud?" Announced the Pope without a slightest hint of backing down. He named a few nobles, whom should all know Tabitha's identity as heir.

With Scarron as lead, they boarded the small boat and arrived into the Romalian camps, finally walking onto the altar.

Around ten or more aristocrats took turn to check for imperfections in Tabitha. After a considerable amount of time.... one of the them raised the staff in his hands, chanting the spell of removal. Confirming there were no magic on Tabitha's body, they knelt down in unison.

Duke Scarron said with a difficult voice "Long time no see..... Princess Charlotte your highness"

Yells immediately boiled from the Gallian camp. A large crowd of aristocrats came rushing to the sandabank, one of them, Bart Castlemont.

Taking off the metal mask of his face, waving both his hands he cried "I am leader of the Eastern Roses, Bart Castlemont! I hereby declare, to welcome the returning of Princess Charlotte to recieve her rightful throne, the establishment of the Gallian volunteers! We seek only the orders of Princess Charlotte!"

The Gallia camps started to collaspe into chaos. They had too little time to contemplate such a sudden announcement. To further exite their already shaking faith in their Gallian King, Vittorio continued "Loyal Gallian lords, please consider with your intelligent and brave brain, consider your pure flawless self, in this old, ancient country, who is best suited for Emperor? Is it the one at Lutece, the lazy, incompetent king who killed his brother for the crown? Or..." Placing his right hand onto Tabitha's shoulders. "Or is it the one standing here, here to recieve St. Aegis the 32nd's personally executed coronation, the young queen overflowing with talent?"

Many aristocrats and soldiers gathered at the sandabanks at the side of Castlemont. Of course..... having things like the entire army defecting to this side is pretty much out of topic. Everyone had little time to think carefully over this sudden development.

"Think about it. There's plenty of time, but not long. Right now there are two fleets of ships heading this way. It will carry the now Empress, Queen Charlotte, to take Lutece back from the dishonorable thief. As servant of God and Founder, I agree that this real Emperor, should deserve to sit on that throne. So, gentleman, do you wish to bear the filthy name of being a rebel army?"

Although not much, but the soldiers, aristocrats gathered at Castlemont's side increased yet again. At the Gallian camps all sorts of arguements, evens conflicts grew. At various places, one can even see wands drawn.

Saito trembled from this sight.

Tabitha? Why?

Damn. The Romalia must have said something good to fool Tabitha. It must be it. Although the exact method is still uncertain, it was definitely enough to change Tabitha's mind.

The morale in the Gallian camp shook even more. If this goes on, everything will progress exactly the way the Romalian Pope wishes to. No matter how perfect the plan Henrietta decieved is right now, once this movement become large enough, no one will be able to stop the crusade anymore.

"....If this goes on Gallia will be under the control of Romalia. If so, we are helpless to stop the crusade." Louise said regretfully. With things this way already, even breaking through the Paladins, running all the way to change Tabitha's idea would be too late.

There were no other ways to stop the already rolling boulder.

Vittorio pointed to a small dot in the skies of the southwest direction. Where he was pointing to, a large fleet of ships could be see pressing forwards.

"Even this is calculated, perfect" Saito said sarcastically while wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Sitting at the stern of "Harold, Orléans", was Claville. Next to him was Deputy Chief, Julian commented "Never thought that this would turn into a real rebel fleet. The changes possible in politics is just stunning, just like a pair of cat eyes" (Note: The size of the iris of cat eyes changes rapidly under different light stimulation, here it is used as a common slang.)

This was not said with any sarcasm, but one of his real thoughts. Stroking his beard, Claville replied "Now we're not a 'rebellion' anymore. This is the official dual-use fleet of Gallia."

This bunch of people know perfectly that a few weeks ago they were still members of Gallian dual-use fleet. Not long afterwards were they approached by Joseph to disguise as a rebel fleet, but the failure of the plan and their fear towards the crusade has soon turned them into real rebels. Now.... under what the Pope claimed to be "preparation for the rightful king", they return to the glorious title of being Gallia's dual-use fleet.

It was only yesterday when Pope Vittorio Cervale issued his orders to this fleet at St. Marion. Though said they are a rebel fleet, it was only forced on them due to the circumstances.

To the Claville who barely has any motivation for any work, who even went into conflict with his own mates, the only reason that is making up stand up again, is that order "Bring the country all the way to the capital."

With this, he had all the reason to ignore the bunch still loyal to Joseph. There was no more need to treat them as his mates anymore.