As a result, after returning to the Academy of Magic Louise became severely depressed and hadn’t talked to anyone. As if her mind was somewhere else, she shut herself in the dormitory room and did not go out.
Saito’s fate was also part of the rumors in the Academy. Anyhow, right now Saito was famous in the academy for two things: for being a ‘legendary familiar’ and for being the one that ‘should be credited for everything’.
Montmorency, who also heard these rumors, was worrying about Louise who had shut herself in and had not left her room.
“At the very least I want to comfort. I'll pay her a sympathy visit for now.”
“Now you're talking. Montmorency, you are very kind.”
“I am not really kind. You know, until now, though we are in a war… Even though it was a war, I never really fought in a war until just now…”
“Yes.”
“I am like 'water' in so many different ways. I will fight my way ... I only wish I were stronger.”
Through the window, Montmorency looked up at the sky and muttered.
“I can’t allow this sadness to exist. I cannot cure if I feel sorry for myself.”
And so the war between the Holy Republic of Albion and the Tristain-Germania alliance ended with the ringing bells of the Advent Festival.
Due to Saito's sacrifice, all the Allied Forces withdrew safely, while Gallia’s fleet left the alliance and entered the war, blowing up the command base in Rosais with Cromwell, and causing Albion’s army that was stationed there to surrender.
With overwhelming difference in numbers and with the Emperor being blown up, Albion’s army had lost their will to fight. Moreover, the Allied Forces' revolters returned to themselves, as if waking up from a long dream, and went against Albion’s army again. Because of all this confusion, Albion’s army surrendered without a fight.
Gallia’s army settled in Rosais, stopping a war for now to clean up the mess…
Thus a war which lasted for eight months was ended by an active intervention by the kingdom of Gallia.
Two weeks passed since the Holy Republic of Albion's fall…
On the third week of the New Year's, Yara’s month - week of Eolo - the Allied Forces were officially disbanded and the temporary officers from the Academy of Magic students returned to the school one after another.
Those who had military achievements and those who didn’t returned with pride. They fought in fierce battles, and accomplished their duty even if there were no fabulous military results.
Because Academy of Magic’s students, with a few exceptions, were used as the army’s back-up, there were almost no casualties and no military achievements either.
Due to that, those students that were militarily successful were head-and-shoulders above the rest and their popularity skyrocketed.
So Guiche boasted about his military achievements as well…
Evening…
Driven from Montmorency’s room, Guiche, feeling a little down, strode. Not many people walked here, in Vestri Courtyard.
When you think about it… It was here where Saito and I met and dueled, he thought. At that time, Saito kept on standing up no matter how much damage he received.
Next thing that caught his eye was the bath Saito made and a tent next to the artillery tower. When he was driven out by Louise, he set up a tent and kept on living and sleeping there for a while. Guiche also recalled how he and Saito drank all night in there.
That’s the Saito burned into his memory…
Somehow, his eyes turned moist. Guiche felt sad. Because he was sad he made so much noise back at the classroom.
Saito. Except Louise, no one believed… that he fought against Albion’s army of 70,000 and stopped it. But for a man who stood up even while being hit by my Valkyrie… this may be not so impossible after all.
Guiche scrubbed below his eyes.
“Though just a commoner, you were my friend.”
Wiping off his tears, he noticed someone moving inside the tent.
“Saito…?”
However, the one that came out was…
“Verdandi!”
It was a huge mole, Guiche’s familiar.
“Where were you…?”
Guiche squat down and began to pat his beloved familiar.
“After all, you also miss him?”
The huge mole rubbed his nose against Guiche. Somehow, his round eyes looked sad.
“I see, so you were sad….”
Guiche held Verdandi in his embrace for a while… then he slowly stood up.
“Saito, I think you are a hero. Therefore there is something I have to do. Verdandi! Make a big pile of soil!”
Verdandi nodded and began to grub up earth with severe power. In front of Guiche the mountain of soil rose.
“I am an earth element user. Therefore I’ll send you a salaam with this soil. I’ll make a huge statue, so that you’ll be remembered.”
Guiche cast a spell upon the pile of soil. Then, the soil turned into clay. Thrusting out both his hands, Guiche started making a statue.
“Saito was a great guy. So he deserves a great statue, at least five meters tall. Because you could not use magic… I will make this statue with my bare hands as well. That’s respect to Saito. Noble’s way of respect. Be happy!”
Though Guiche and Montmorency grieved at heart… The one who mourned the most was Louise.
In her room, Louise was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees. Dressed in usual school attire, she wore a strange looking hat on her head.
It was the sweater she gave as a gift to Saito. It looked similar to a rather avant-garde art piece. Even though no matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t get her head through the collar, she still felt more comfortable when wearing it.
Next to Louise was Saito’s notebook computer, his only personal thing. Because there was no power supply, the screen was completely blank.
Louise stared at the computer’s black screen. She remembered how, on the first day when Saito came, he showed the screen to her.
It was beautiful.
When thinking so, the back of her eyelids became hot again.
Saito… showed some scenery to me. Though I did not understand it, it was still beautiful and that mysterious scenery made me feel somewhat excited.
One by one, different thoughts, scenes, actions… were revived in her heart.
Louise looked down at the pendant on her neck. Held back tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Saito… he always defended me. Like this pedant hanging on my neck, he was always near, he became my shield.
When I was almost crushed by Fouquet's golem.
When I was almost killed by Wardes.
When I faced a huge battleship.
When Henrietta, who was deceived by the enemy and forgot herself, cast Tornado of Water.
And… when I was ordered to hold back the enemy back till I died…
Saito, with his sword unsheathed, stood in front of me.
Legendary Gandálfr, just as his name suggests, became my shield.
But did I treat Saito kindly?
No, I was always a stubborn, selfish, hard-to-please idiot.
“Idiot.”
Tears were burning.
“I was just caring about myself. Such an ungrateful, selfish, not cute me should have been left and ignored.”
Louise did not try to wipe away the falling tears, and quietly whispered to herself.
“Even though you said that dying for honor was nonsense… you did not come home with me.”