“Princess-sama...”
Louise and Henrietta tightly embraced each other. Saito, who as always was left out, swung his head absentmindedly. Louise is too eager to promise without thinking…he thought, though he didn’t say that.
Though it was nice to help Henrietta… but what about the travel to the east to find a way to return me home…
By helping Henrietta, it seemed like they would not go there.
“After this, I will help Louise too.”
“Naturally, princess-sama.”
“Then I give the 'Founder's Prayer Book' to you. However Louise, promise me. Don’t tell anyone that you are a ‘Void’ user. And do not use it recklessly, either.”
“Certainly.”
“After this, you will become my court lady and will obey only me.”
Henrietta then took out a quill pen and smooth parchment. After that, she signed the document and put down the quill pen.
“Take this. This is my formal permission. With this, whether in the royal palace, or inside or outside the country, you will have supreme authority over everything, even over the police. If there is no freedom, one cannot work well.”
Louise reverently received the permission with an expression of gratitude. Henrietta's authorization. This meant that Louise was granted with the right to act in the queen’s name.
“If I will face a problem that only you can solve, I will surely consult you. Officially, please act as a student of Academy of Magic like you have up to now. Since it is you, you will, without a doubt, do well.”
After that, Henrietta turned towards Saito. Having an idea, she fumbled within the pocket of her dress. When she took out some golden coins, Saito gasped audibly.
“I ask you to look after Louise…my important friend, kind Familiar-san.”
“T-that’s… I cannot take it.”
Saito looked amazed at the golden and silver coins in her hand.
“By all means, please accept it. Giving you this as a sign of ‘Chevalier’ is the least what this powerless queen can do. You showed your loyalty to me and to the mother country. This should not be unrewarded.”
Henrietta said with sincere eyes.
When seeing such eyes… it becomes impossible to refuse. After accepting this, he could not refuse to help Louise, as it seems…
Because Saito was not from this world, he wasn’t Henrietta’s vassal either, but even if he didn’t have to feel responsible,
Saito felt a strong sense of obligation either way.
Aah, it might be fate, he thought.
No, it was his personality rather than fate. When such a beautiful woman like Henrietta said 'please', he could not find it in his heart to refuse. What a light-hearted fellow I am. Haa…
He wasn’t so welcomed in the Japan of his time.
Anyway, I should search for the way to return home, Saito thought, putting the golden coins into his pocket.
Saito and Louise went out of the royal palace in line.
“Really… you are too eager to give promises…”
“What do you mean?”
Louise stared up at Saito.
“Because you said that you will help princess-sama, but then it will be impossible to go east.”
Saito said in a disappointed voice.
“Don’t leave without permission. Everyone remains here, so stop asking.”
Louise averted her face and started walking leaving Saito behind. Saito ran after her panicking.
“How can you say that? Release me from this!”
Saito pointed at the restraining device used to tame wild creatures that was attached to his body.
“Do not argue!”
“If the familiar is acting on its own, it's the master's duty to put a chain on him.”
Louise answered nonchalantly.
Saito, trying to get attention, suddenly gripped Louise’s shoulder.
They were in Bourdonne's Street already, right in front of the Royal Palace. The Main Street. And what about passers-by? They were all staring.
“Hey! People are looking! Let go!”
Saito said in a lowered voice.
“You…are you thinking that I should not return?”
Louise went ‘Huu!’ at these words and changed her expression.
“So that’s it, isn’t it? You are worried about me leaving, right? It would be hard to help princess-sama otherwise.”
It's not like that, Louise wanted to say, but shut her mouth. That’s not the reason why I don't want Saito to return to his former world. However, by saying this, she would reveal her hazy feelings for Saito. Louise's pride couldn't permit such a thing.
In that sort of division, Louise nodded reluctantly.
“T-that’s right! No one would worry for a familiar like you otherwise!”
“Lovely. So that’s how it is.”
Saito muttered, and began walking again.
What he really thought was, she didn’t have to say ‘because I love you’, but she could have said ‘I would be lonely’ or at least ‘I want you to be near’, if she would have said that, he would not have minded helping her and would have searched for the way to return later.
When Henrietta asked for his help a while ago, though he thought it was bothersome, he was also glad for a moment. No one really needed him in Japan. The earth kept on spinning, even with Saito gone. However, it was different in this world. Siesta and Henrietta… there were some people that needed him.
Yet he wanted to feel needed by Louise more. However, judging from her words earlier, all that she cared about were his ‘Gandálfr’ powers.
Saito pouted. He was sulky.
Determined, he started to push his way through crowd. The town was still crowded from the victory celebration. A drunken group was yelling out toasts while hanging out their cups filled with wine.
Louise, still in shock from Saito’s ‘Lovely’, was petrified for a while. With face down, she bit her lower lip. When she looked up after a while, Saito was already gone in the crowd and could not be seen. Louise ran out panicking.
“Mooove!”
Louise bumped hard into a man. A man, who looked like a mercenary, collapsed. In his hand he had a bottle of sake, which he was gulping down vigorously. He seemed to be completely drunk.
Though Louise tried to pass that man sideways, he grasped her hand.
“Wait, Miss. You ought to apologize for bumping into a person in the middle of the street.”
Then another man, who seemed to be a mercenary, noticed Louise’s mantle and muttered “A noble, huh?”
However, the man who was clasping Louise's arm didn't move.
“Today is the festival celebrating the victory at Tarbes. Put aside the rank. Today nobles, mercenaries and salesmen are equal. Hey, Miss Noble, how about sharing one drink with me as an apology for bumping into me?”
Saying so, the man thrust out his jar of wine.
“Let me go! You brute!”
Louise shouted. The man's face became brutally distorted at once.
“What did you call me. Hey! Who do you think attacked Albion's army in Tarbes! ‘Holy Woman’ or nobles like you, no, us – soldiers!”
The man reached out to grasp Louise's hair. However, his hand was stopped.
Saito, who showed up right before their eyes, firmly gripped the man’s hand.
“What? Go away kid!”
“Let go.”
Saito said in a quiet voice. If it were the old days… his legs would be shaking while threatening such a scary looking man. However, now it was Saito who went through many battles. Thus he gained courage. Now he only had to grip Derflinger who hung on his back when the time came. Not pulling it out, just grasping it would be enough to knock all those soldiers out.
The man looked at the sword on Saito’s shoulder, with a similar look. The experience that he gained through battlefields in many years, told him that Saito’s attitude wasn’t just a bluff. Then a man spitted nonchalantly and, urging his companions, left.