Zero no Tsukaima:Volume17 Epilogue

Epilogue

Reynald brought Henrietta and all the members of the Ondine Knights, accompanied by a large number of officers of Gallia, and approached the place. The sudden show of arms caused an uproar in the middle of the night.

Jack, still unconscious, was recognized by the officers of Gallia as a former member of the Chevalier Du Nord Parterre and was immediately taken into custody.

These officers also asked Saito the reason he was there. Saito said was that he was about halfway to meeting Louise and became lost on the way, ending up at that place.

He also added additional information about the incident. He honestly admitted an unknown nobleman in his country had hired a group of murderers to kill him.

Still agitated, Henrietta came running to Saito's location. The first thing she did was look at him and after confirming he was safe, an expression of relief washed over her face.

Finally the issue was resolved, including that of Louise’s and all decided to return to the guest house.

In Henrietta’s room, Louise and Saito were called inside so the three could be alone. First, they agreed to put in order and reveal all the information they had obtained over the course of time.

Saito and Louise began explaining everything that had happened over the last few weeks. At that time Saito had decided to pursue a group of bandits who called themselves the 'Elemental Siblings' going behind his head as he had decided to attack. Derflinger was lost in the first battle against them.

Upon hearing of the death of Derflinger, tears welled up in the eyes of Louise and for a moment they all kept a respectful silence.

However, Louise knew that now was not the time to mourn, so she continued to listen carefully to what Saito had to tell.

The exchange came to the point where they explained to Louise that the current Tabitha had been replaced by an impostor who had taken her throne in Gallia and how the impostor proclaimed support for the continuation of Romalia's Crusade.

Louise was not aware of what she had missed in her absence. Saito then informed Henrietta about the details of the conversation he had with Isabella before Jack attacked.

After listening to what Saito said, Henrietta gave a deep sigh.

"What a burden... problems just accumulate one after another...! And worst of all, you were attacked right during our diplomatic visit in Gallia!"

"Looks like it was just coincidence. And having once belonged to the secret squad of knights of Gallia, us being here just gave the Siblings the opportunity to make their job easier."

After his saying this, Henrietta nodded to Saito's comment.

Now done with speaking, Saito and Henrietta gave a stern look towards Louise.

"If you may, could you explain what you've been doing all this time?"

Louise began to tell Saito and Henrietta what had happened.

After she ran away and spent her days drinking to forget her pain, she encountered a strange girl in the village of Cherphis and the people that this girl called ‘brothers’, who informed her about a hidden monastery...

"The huge man named Jack, I was very surprised when I recognized him and saw him fighting Saito."

"So that means you were hiding in the village of Cherphis with them...?"

"Yes, I asked those guys to help me hide."

The unexpected connection between all the events so far greatly surprised the three.

Afterwards, Louise started to tell them about the encounters she had in the convent of Saint Margarita.

"Josette is a girl I had befriended there. One day I witnessed Julio taking her somewhere, and I thought that he might want Josette. Thus I conclude that she's likely the new 'User of the Void'.

As Louise relayed her suspicions, the other two were greatly surprised.

It was inevitable that their anger and despair got them mixed-up. However Henrietta could endure and overcome it somehow.

As pictured... Romalia had already found a replacement for the missing Void user. The Romalians wanted to continue the Crusade despite the death of Joseph.

"So that means this girl is identical to... Tabitha?"

"Yes, I am almost certain that the impostor is Josette. At the convent, I had to wear a special cross that could magically change my facial features. Surely this girl... is Tabitha's twin sister."

Finally, Louise informed them about her return and escape from the convent for the sole purpose of passing this information to them.

After their conversation... Louise stood upright, and her posture changed to match her cold attitude.

"If I may, I believe our conversation is over. Can you tell me which room I should stay in?"

"My private tent is out there, but I hope you do not mind it's a bit cramped,"

Saito said. Louise stared at him heavily.

"Could you explain why I have to stay in your tent?"

"Well, really, is that what we're..."

What happened was Saito only increased the anger of Louise. So that's it... even though Louise returned here, it does not mean she has forgiven me for that incident. Man, I think that it should be pretty obvious...

After Louise made her sudden declaration, Henrietta coughed to clear her throat and said with an annoyed expression.

"If you ask for a room I regret to inform you there is none available, for you must take into account that we are in a foreign country."

"Well, if that's the case, I have no choice but to stay at an inn in Lutetia."

Henrietta had anticipated that Louise would still feel bitter, so she glanced towards Saito.

"Saito-dono, therefore, I wish you will give your tent to Louise."

"Eh? And if I do that..."

"Under such circumstances, I have no qualms if you stay in my room for one night," Henrietta said with a mixed expression.

Louise's shoulders began to shake.

"Eeeeh? But, that's not right!"

"At the moment there is an immense danger that constantly threatens us, so it is essential that the Queen of Tristain is protected by her elite escort at all times. So, please let Saito stay here overnight to protect me."

"B, but..."

"Is it alright with you, Louise?"

Then Louise nodded with a pained face, like she was suffering from a seizure.

"It doesn't matter how I feel. If that's what your Majesty wants, go ahead. I humbly ask you to accept it as a gift."

Listening to Louise, Henrietta also started to experience a tick in her eyebrow. "What you just said... What does 'it' mean? Eh, Louise?"

"It means that I kindly ask you to please accept this dog that I am offering as a gift. He can be a bit annoying, so try not to hit him too much."

Henrietta began to move her fingers nervously through her hair as if she had lost her patience. But trying not to break her dignity as Queen, she went to Saito and showed a smile.

"You've heard it Saito-dono, we have permission from your master. There is no longer any obstacle. However, because of all the commotion that occurred recently, I think I will have trouble falling asleep. If you are not bothered, please be so kind as to accompany me for a glass of wine."

Caught between the hostilities of these two women, Saito did not know how to appropriately answer each proposition. He was helplessly, entirely lost within himself. Truly, I'm walking among rows of gunpowder-filled barrels and holding a torch. I make the slightest slip, Baaam! Think of a giant explosion.

Then in a voice trembling with anger, Louise said:

"No matter how many years pass Princess never changes, you're just like when we were kids. When I was playing with one of my dolls "Ah Louise! That was a nice doll you have there, give it to me please!" and then I had to put on a face as if nothing was wrong and I had to give it to you."

"That was when we were kids, let us leave things of the past in the past."

"As if I could! It happens time and again, again and again. Saito, let me warn you, you must be very careful as this princess tends to get bored of the things she asked for very quickly."

With a completely different voice, and almost shouting, Henrietta replied:

"How dare you compare men to dolls! But that is what you always do, Louise."

These two were about to explode into brilliant fireworks.

"I, I’ll sleep outside, yes, so the princess can stay in her room and Louise can use my tent."

"I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do that. If I remember correctly, I gave you an order to be my escort, and you need to be responsible for my safety at all times. Yes, yes, even if you have to sleep in the same bed with me."

Inevitably Louise exploded. Unable to hold her shaking shoulders still, Louise came to brokenly murmur something.

"...Oh God, tell me in truth... since when did you become an adult?"

Henrietta slowly turned her gaze to Louise's face, her expression now totally expressionless. Saito remembered seeing a face like this when they were in the royal palace. This expression on her face always emerged in critical situations, and Saito could practically smell the fuses burning.

"Did you say something!!?"

"I said I only succeeded in revealing this useless adult sensuality of yours, your Majesty!" Henrietta started shaking out of anger.

"You perhaps fail to understand the consequences of what you're saying!"

"If only your ability to handle political affairs was as great as your sensuality, we wouldn't have to worry about the security of Tristainia as we do now...!!"

Louise turned around with an arrogant attitude, as if she had launched an unbeatable final attack.

In response Henrietta furiously approached Louise and attempted slap her; however Louise skillfully evaded fire.

"Yes, I would advise you to stop the work of being a Queen. I assure you that you would be much better off if you worked as an actress at the Theatre Royal Tanaijiiru, and at the same time peace will be achieved in the kingdom! Indeed everything comes together PERFECTLY!"

Following Louise's insult Henrietta connected a tripping blow to Louise's legs, with the skill which she remembered from time of her childhood.

Lying on the floor for a moment, Louise recovered from the impact and calmly got off the floor.

For a moment she just glared at Henrietta.

"As you wish Princess, but for the record let me make it clear, so far my record is 27 wins, 25 losses and 2 draws!"

"Not how I remember it. I have 29 wins, 24 losses and 1 draw!"

Then the fight between the two started. Little bitch! Idiot woman! Incompetent Queen! Priestess no breasts! As the insults began to accumulate, it was increasingly evident that the verbal abuse would lead to physical confrontation.

"Stop it! Stop it please!"

Seeing this horrible scene and unable to bear it any longer, Saito tried to come between them and stop their fight. But instead he got a fist in the stomach from Henrietta and a kick in the head from Louise.

Saito ended up launched onto the floor of the rough battlefield.

After his losing consciousness, the fierce war between these two women continued indefinitely. Until at some point, the two dropped on the bed next to each other and lay gasping, exhausted and rendered feeble. Still breathing hard... but without really having the strength to move yet, they argued:

"27 wins, 25 losses, 3 draws!"

"29 Wins, 24 losses, 2 draws!"

Then Henrietta murmured:

"You say cruel things and really, really know where a strike will hurt most!"

"Princess--You too, you were ruthless to take advantage of my weak points!"

Then sighing Henrietta said:

"Take care of Saito-dono. Bring him to your tent, it's an order."

"I do not want to." Louise said stubbornly.

"I ask you, do it as a favor. Right now I want to be alone." Henrietta said with a sad solemn voice.

Regaining consciousness, Saito realized that he was in his own tent. At the side of his bed sitting on a folding chair he spotted Louise, distracted, looking at the landscape from the window of the tent.

Saito suddenly felt warmth flowing through the inner edge of her eye.

Her figure was simply an appearance of divine beauty.=, even while dressed simply like a nun, even this could not hide the incredible charm radiating from Louise.

As her resolution was unshaken, Louise's eyes just turned gently to see the outside from that window. Her mouth in a straight line only accentuated the serenity that now dwelt in her face. The charm possessed by Henrietta was so vast that you could be drowned in it, indeed was disturbingly fascinating, however...

If the beauty of Henrietta represented the evils of desire, then in contrast, the charm of Louise represented the 'divine' blessing. This blessing was truly a sight quite unusual, but Saito really admired it... like when she was determined to do something, like when she gathered the courage to face her fears, it was on those occasions when Saito was lucky enough to see Louise radiate this divine charm.

Charming women are very common in this world.

But only one woman could show this divine expression: Louise.

Then in a voice that was stuck in his throat Saito said:

"Louise..."

Upon hearing this, Louise turned her head towards him.

"Hey, are you crying?"

"No... Is that... I'm so glad you're back..."

Saito had realized that simple truth.

The reason I had decided to stay in this world.

Because Louise is here. There was no other reason. And now I've discovered the reason why I'm attracted to Louise.

Before, my life had always been gray and boring. When I lived in Tokyo, I had accepted this truth so naturally I had no time to question whether this was meant to be or not.

But the moment he met Louise, he learned a lot of things that until now he didn’t know existed.

Fun times, happy times, sad moments, painful memories...

The first time he went to a dance... When he thought "how cute she is" his heart also trembled for the first time. Louise had made his heart dance. And likewise, for the time he was in this world, Saito kept thinking of the possibilities of a 'future' for him.

"I get the impression that Louise has transported me somewhere."

To a place not here, a very exciting place, I was transported to a fantasy world...

Maybe this is all my imagination, or maybe it's all just a misunderstanding, but at some point I actually felt it. I sensed that this moment actually existed. And it became the most precious thing he had ever had in his life.

Saito stood up and tried to hug Louise, but Louise quickly stopped him...

"Don’t be naive. You know, the reason I returned has nothing to do with the fact that I wanted to see you again, it was only because I felt compelled to tell everyone about the appearance of the missing Void user."

Although she had said this in a cold voice, the joy she felt at being able to see Saito again exceeded everything else. Then Saito embraced Louise with all his might, and of course Louise tried to resist... for a moment. She threw kicks and punches but Saito only hugged her stronger.

Seriously, what's the matter with this guy?

He could have done this with the Princess, how dare he, being a little kind to me and have me dancing in the palm of his hand. In truth it was very painful, I will never forgive him.

But then... I feel so relieved to embrace Saito again, I feel like a puzzle piece, a piece made exclusively to fit into his arms.

And as if it was an instinct, a thought arose in the mind of Louise, I want to kiss him.

No! He was just making fun of me.

He was unfaithful.

And I will never forgive you, you'll see.

Louise felt a frustration so great that it almost made her cry, that was the truth.

Then Saito began to bring his lips close.

"No, let me go, never!"

I love you, I could not take it anymore, I love you so much.

"You did the same with the Princess right? No, never!"

Upon hearing this, the face of Saito changed as if he was about to cry.

But what is she thinking?

"Please."

"No! I’ll never forgive you!"

"I understand."

"You do not understand! I’ll never forget it, what you and Princess did, never, even if I die, I will not forgive you!"

Saito nodded and then pressed his lips to Louise.

This guy, as if he'll understand.

This was her thought, but still she was unable to reject the kiss.

Without the two realizing, the night was coming to an end.

The light of a new dawn was beginning to flood the tent through the window. The glare completely colored Louise’s dress from deep black to bright blue.

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