“Then attack Londinium for another week! All fleets! All troops! Why do you think we used our trump card – Void?!” Henrietta pressed Mazarin.
The Prime Minister gave some advice to the enraged Queen,
“Your Majesty. Soldiers and generals are also people. Overworking them will not lead you anywhere. Though I understand that you want to reach a conclusion soon… concede on this point.”
Henrietta held herself back and hung her head.
“…I said too much. Please forget about it. You are right about it all.”
After immediately signing the peace treaty, Mazarin stood up, but stopped at the door and turned around.
“Your Majesty, when the war ends, take these black clothes off; they do not suit you.”
Henrietta did not answer.
Mazarin said in a gentle, father-like voice.
“Let it be. It’s enough, mourn only for your mother.”
After the Cardinal left, Henrietta let out a sigh.
“Aah. What I am saying – Louise of Void?”
She muttered in a sad, silent voice.
“…for this goal, I am changing an important person into a tool.”
In Saxe-Gotha, the third day after signing, the truce with the Holy Republic of Albion came into being.
Inside the room of the inn that the allied forces had taken over, Louise sat in front of the fireplace.
In four days the new year would begin. Then, the Founder's Advent festival would start.
Though the war had not ended yet, the town was wrapped in strangely restless atmosphere. No, war may be the reason why they wanted to act so loudly. For the people of Albion it could be the only chance to relax.
The truce period was like a present from the Founder, and Saxe-Gotha's citizens as well as the Tristain and Germanian soldiers, wanted to enjoy themselves to the fullest.
People, dressed up in various colorful clothes, strode cheerfully through the town.
Because Albion, the floating continent, was located 3,000 mails above sea level, winters were sudden and harsh. A skinny person like Louise was exceedingly sensitive to the cold. She experienced Albion’s winter for the first time. All wrapped up in a blanket, she trembled in front of the brightly burning fireplace.
Louise called Saito, who was sitting alone, away from her, doing something.
“It’s cold, isn’t it? Why don’t you come in front of the fireplace?”
There was no answer. Then Louise recalled their recent fight after meeting again.
Louise complained to Saito,
“Hey, Saito. Are you listening to me? It's cold! Are you still worrying about the other day, well I forgave you already! You must stay healthy! It’s a familiar’s responsibility!”
There was no answer again. Saito sat on the side of the bed, his back turned to Louise, doing something furiously.
“What are you doing?”
Still wrapped up in the blanket, she approached him and saw Saito doing something with a wine bottle’s cork.
“Wha—”
She stretched her neck, trying to see, but he hid it.
“Show me!” Louise pushed Saito aside. Saito showed no resistance.
On top of the small cork was a small cut.
“What?”
Saito kept silently plucking the cork. Leaving small cuts with his fingernails.
Apparently he was killing time by cutting a cork.
…Gloomy. Too gloomy. Such way of killing time looked way too depressing.
“Stop it, already… it's too gloomy…”
Saito quietly muttered,
“Not gloomy.”
“Annoying familiar!”
“Mole.”
Mole. Louise did not like him. She wanted a lofty boy.
He became irritated while thinking about this.
“What mole? Get yourself together!”
She pushed him away, dumbfounded, Saito tumbled,
“Hey, answer me. Hey! Hey, hey! Mole. Mo-mole.”
Rubbing his cheek, Saito stared at Louise.
Louise shrugged uncomfortably and thought angrily. Yada, wasn’t it like that, when he pushed me down the other day? Get yourself together! Enough! Will that idiot familiar attack me now? Ya-yada – her body trembled.
That’s why she tried to provoke him. But she could never admit it to the person in question.
However, Saito simply stood up and walked towards the door.
“W-where are you going?!” She asked, disappointed.
“For a walk,” He answered briefly, leaving the room.
Louise came dragging the loose blanket, back to the fireplace, and sat down hugging her knees. Derflinger, who was leaning against the wall, called out to Louise.
“Foolish woman.”
After these words, Louise’s face popped out of the blanket.
“W-what… He’s at fault! He always hesitates…”
“And who do you think is the cause of that?”
“I d-don’t know!”
At a loss, Louise shouted.
“Then I’ll tell you. Partner is completely convinced that you don’t like him.”
Louise bit her lips. “I-it’s natural! He is a familiar, and I am a noble!”
“Really?”
Louise’s face crumbled. Showing her girlish side, Louise sulked.
“H-he is evil. What if I am cold and alone, but he goes with other girls instead…”
“What did you say when he confessed? Instead you talked about something you haven’t witnessed and left, all that housemaid said was ‘unbuttoned’. Thus an affair is doubtful, but you selfishly made your own conclusion.”
“Uuh…”
“Haah, therefore, you flirted with a handsome boy. Don’t you think you overdid it? Anyway, even if it was just an act, you just had to go and make that cruel remark. ‘When riding behind someone, it's better to ride behind a good-looking boy’ was it?”
Louise cast her eyes down.
“When you look at it, that Romalia priest is indeed better looking. One can’t compare the faces. It’s like comparing flying creatures - a fly and a phoenix. Or land walking creatures - a mole and a lion. Or water creatures – a water fly and a swan.”
“…Aren’t you exaggerating?”
“Probably, anyhow, it wasn’t about the face. Partner patiently did not go to the east lands, just to keep you company. To you, he even confessed his ’love’. I guess such ‘loyalties embodiment’ is said to be no good at all. His pathetic self can’t compete in handsomeness with other men. However, partner shows courage in trouble, because he said he loves you…”
Louise listened for five minutes, and blushed furiously. Then, she went to the window and looked outside, looked behind the curtain, opened the closet, sought under the desk, and once she finally confirmed that there was no one in the room to listen, she turned back to the legendary sword.
“Hey, is it true? To whom he said that? How?”
“Partner is very single-minded about that. Though it’s up to you - to believe or not.”
With a blush on her cheeks, Louise became silent.
“Really, it was obvious that partner looked to be in a bad mood.”
Louise bluntly puffed her cheeks.
“I-I got it already. I forgive him! Isn’t it good enough?!”
“Then apologize, tell those little, gentle words.”
“Me? Why?! Apologizing to him…”
“Normally it should be done by both, however now it is your turn to give in, because you were nasty.”
For a while, Louise groaned – Uuuh, auuu, iiiii – regretting.
“I got it already! Only need to apologize! Just apologize!”
She shouted. Was that an apologizing attitude?
However, Derflinger muttered warningly.
“But Partner was seriously sulking this time… he was truly disgusted by you, you know. Such an apology might not be enough.”
Louise started to look troubled.
“Worried?”