“Me?”
“That’s right.”
Is it because I wanted to help Henrietta? A little bit. But not really that.
For Louise, this fight…
Seeing Louise being silent, Siesta looked down.
“I’m sorry. Its not a thing for me to ask about, but…”
At that moment… a loud yell coming from Saito’s table could be heard.
“Really! Don’t be a fool!”
Louise and Siesta, startled by the voice, turned around.
“Ha! Who is a fool?! What is so foolish about it?!”
Guiche roared, while standing up.
Saito also stood up and pointed his finger at Guiche.
“What are you telling me?! You are just doing it to score some points in Montmorency’s eyes. Fool! If you would die, Monmon would be really sad!”
“A-are you insulting my actions?!”
Guiche brandished his artificial rose.
Seems like it was a quarrel. Rene, who was drinking with them, said,
“Yeah, because you are a commoner, pride does not matter for you, but it is different for us.”
Saito stared at Rene and said,
“Honor this, honor that – it's just foolishness. Didn’t your Dragon Knight unit die once already? Fear it a little! It’s weird! Aren’t you afraid of dying for honor? That’s stupid. Only fools think that way. Honor? It’s not worth dying for. Such a thing that you are doing – I think it’s silly.”
“Saito!”
At that moment… Saito’s name was suddenly shouted. It wasn’t Rene or Guiche. It was Louise, who stood there, shaking in anger.
Saito slowly turned towards Louise.
“What?”
“You, apologize. Apologize to Guiche and Rene!”
“Whaat?”
“Insulting ‘honor’ cannot be permitted.”
Louise said while trembling.
And Saito was the reason behind that.
I am being misunderstood…The things she thought to be important, had completely no importance to Saito, which made her annoyed.
Because of Saito’s fight… she completely forgot about her bad mood. Only Saito’s “Failed a mission, so what?” remark came into her mind right now.
Saito answered back in an angry voice,
“The ones that you defend are them and not me?”
“Defend, what are you talking about? To me, honor is more important than life. If I were to lose it, I would not be a noble anymore. And if I am not a noble, then I am not me, either. That’s why I can’t stand remarks denying honor right in front of me.”
Louise said clearly.
On the other hand, Saito noticed it, too.
Saito knew that from the look of Louise’s eyes. When she was almost crushed by Fouquet’s golem, Louise showed the same expression as well.
At that time, Louise shouted “I will not run away from the enemy, because I am a noble!”
At that time, he thought such a Louise to be marvelous, but it was different now.
Aah, Saito understood.
He remembered Louise’s recent words.
“A death is sad, however… They died with a honor … Honor… They died for a great victory. Therefore, don’t feel sorry for them.”
Saito understood the true reason why he was sulky. Julio wasn’t the reason that separated them.
For Louise, was this duty… this word “honor” really that important? Because he felt so, he got depressed so much.
Therefore, he made remarks about Guiche a little while ago.
What is it?
Is this honor so important?
“Then, you…”
Saito stared at Louise.
“You?”
“If you were ordered to die, would you die like these unreasonable guys?”
Saito said, pointing at Rene and others.
Louise bit her lip.
“Isn’t it unreasonable? Such impertinent…” Louise interrupted before he could finish,
“Die. I would.”
Her voice trembled.
“You…”
Saito was shocked. Louise, completely composed, said,
“F-for the Princess and for the mother country. If ordered, I would give it away with pleasure.”
This Louise made Saito clink.
She said she would be ready to die so thoughtlessly.
And what about their teacher's, Colbert, letter. To be accustomed to death because of war! Seeing people die, the words resounded.
It all came back now. Really, is honor more important than us?
Saito pressed Louise on.
“Then what about me?”
“Heh?”
“If you are ordered to die, then should I die as well?”
Louise, looking perplexed, muttered, misunderstanding,
“Wh-what… are you so afraid of death?”
“What are yo—”
“Coward! Everyone is ready to die, when agreeing to coming here!”
“Am I determined? Wasn’t I brought here by force as your attendant?”
“Then why haven’t you said so?!”
“I haven’t been given time to think! It was just – go here, go there, all the time!”
The two people shouted at each other in angry voices. People, eating and drinking within the tent, dumbfounded, watched the exchange of words between them.
“That… could you ease up little now?” Rene, standing next to Guiche, finally brought Louise back to her senses.
She shook her head, and calmly informed Saito.
“Well… it’s embarrassing. Now, Saito, return to your room and get some rest. After that, we can calmly clear things out… This kind of anger won’t solve anything.”
What… the talk isn’t over, and yet, she still feels uneasy in front of others?
The moment he thought so…Saito realized one more thing.
He did not want to think about it for a long time… The distance felt between him and Louise, the true reason behind this sense of incompatibility…
Could it be what Louise thinks of me?
He thought that this question and the sense of distance between them was related.
Generals… used Louise’s “Void” as a tool…
I am only a “tool” for Louise as well.
The legendary familiar, Gandálfr.
The purpose of his existence was only to defend the master while he or she cast a spell…
In other words, I am an important tool on her road of defending honor…
Then, she surely needs to take care of his mood. Giving an occasional touch, as a reward.
“Then you are the same as those generals.”
Saito muttered.
“Ha! That, what are you saying…”
“I am just a ‘tool’, right? A familiar.”
Then he thrust Louise aside and walked out of the tent.
“Hey, wait!” she shouted, but Saito did not stop.
Siesta, who was sitting near by, stood up and ran after Saito. Then Louise angrily grabbed the jar of wine and poured her glass full, instead of honey and fruit juice, and drank it all in one gulp.
Saito meandered through the snowing city. Though it was called an old town, the stones were perfectly shaped, without cracks or misses. Though it was hard to believe, the city stayed the same for thousands of years, because the “Fixation” spell was placed on it a long time ago.
It was a white city, because of the snow. The walls around the city and ramparts were all covered with scattering white snow that danced in the sky.
And so he passed through such a burningly, white street, when, he was called to from behind.
“Saito-san.”
Turning around, he saw a sad Siesta standing there. She wore black clothes and an apron designed different from the one seen at the Academy of Magic. The design of her dress had a slightly revealing neckline as well. This could be the preference of the “Charming Fairies” inn.
“Siesta.”