Then Louise recalled the page who left.
“You won’t follow him?”
“It does not matter anymore. That boy doesn't know anything at all. His role was only carrying the letter.”
Agnes, not making a sound with her footsteps, silently approached the front of the door in the guest room that the page entered. Louise asked whispering.
“…You aren’t a mage, right? You can’t blow this door off.”
“…you still can break it with enough strength.”
“…it is surely locked. There is nothing you can do. With all that rattle he might run away.”
Louise pulled out the wand that was attached to her thigh, took a deep breath, and muttered the spell of 'Void', aiming the wand at the door. 'Explosion'… the door exploded and was blown off into the room. In no time, Agnes pulled out a sword and jumped inside.
A merchant was there, standing near the bed with a surprised expression on his face. He was holding a wand in one hand. A mage.
The man seemed to be a considerably good magic user, as he quickly pointed his wand at Agnes, who had jumped in, and muttered a spell. A mass of air blew Agnes away. When he uttered another spell and threw Agnes into the wall… Louise entered.
Louise's explosion hit him. The explosion hit straight in front of him, the man fell on the ground holding his face.
Agnes stood up and hit the wand out of the man’s hands with her sword. Louise picked up the wand that lay on the floor.
Agnes pointed at the man's throat with the tip of her sword. It was a middle aged man. Though he looked like a merchant, the light in his eyes was different. He probably was an aristocrat.
“Do not move!”
Still pointing her sword, Agnes pulled out handcuffs from her waist and locked the iron circles on the man’s wrists. Then put a gag of torn sheet in his mouth.
What is happening at this time of night? – Visitors of the hotel started gathering and looking into the room.
“Do not make any noise! Just arresting a sneaky thief!”
The scared hotel people withdrew their faces.
A letter that page gave to the man must be somewhere inside, Agnes thought. With a smile on her lips she rummaged through the man’s desk drawers. She found lots of letters and documents and began to slowly read them one by one.
“Who is this man?”
“Albion’s rat. He pretended to be a merchant and lurked in Tristania, gathering information for Albion.”
“Then, this fellow… is an enemy spy. Isn’t it great?! We caught him!”
“It is not finished yet.”
“Why?”
“The parent rats still remain.”
Then Agnes found one sheet of paper, she gazed at it quietly. That was the rough sketch in the building. Notes written in some places.
“So that’s how it is… you damned ones must have planned to contact in the theater, right? This letter arrived some time ago, saying to meet at the same place as usual tomorrow. As it looks from this rough sketch, the place must be a theater, huh? I am sure of it.”
The man did not answer. He became silent and quietly looked the other way.
“Answer me… Noble’s pride.”
With a cold smile on her lips, Agnes pinned the man's foot to the floor with her sword. With the mouth gag still on, the man writhed in agony.
Agnes pulled out a pistol from her belt and pointed it at his face.
“I’ll count to two. Choose. Pride or life.”
The man’s brow started to sweat. Gachink… The sound of Agnes lifting the percussion hammer echoed in the room.
Chapter 4
Dawn was breaking, morning. Central plaza, Saint Rémy's temple of Confucius rang the bell. 11 o'clock.
A single carriage stopped in front of Royal Tanaijiiru Theater. Richmon stepped out from it. He looked up at the theatre proudly. The page who sat on the driver's box, tried to come down and follow him.
“It’s all right. Wait with the carriage.”
Richmon shook his head and entered into the theater. The ticket salesman bowed once he noticed the noble. Not buying a ticket, Richmon went forward. Because play inspection was one of his duties as a censorship director, this place was like his personal villa.
The theater visitors, who were only young women, had started to arrive six minutes ago. At first it was a popular show, but because of the horrible acting it received harsh reviews by the critics. It was likely they had lost business as a result.
Richmon sat down in his private seat and quietly waited for the curtain to rise.
Agnes and Louise had arrived at the front of the theater just a while ago. Louise could not understand why they had to stalk in the alley near the theater all this time. Only when a certain carriage showed up did Agnes let them leave their hideout.
Louise was tired and spent. She hadn’t slept last night. Besides, Agnes did not explain a thing. She said it was a rat hunt, all right, but whenever she asked who the rat was… Agnes became silent and stopped talking.
Before Louise’s eyes, who was patiently waiting in front of a theater, dearly known figures passed.
It was Henrietta escorted by Saito, who had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. Though Henrietta put on a robe and commoner clothes, those Louise had bought earlier, and wore her hair in a town-woman’s way... Louise was certain she was not mistaken.
Agnes spotted the two people earlier as she had sent a report with the mail owl and kept her eyes open for them coming.
“…Princess. Saito!”
What started as a small mutter turned into a loud yell as she ran up to the pair.
“Louise…”
Henrietta embraced her tiny body closely.
“I was so worried! Where had you disappeared to?”
“I borrowed gentle Familiar–san…and hid myself in town. Forgive me for not telling you. I did not want to drag you into this. So, when I was informed this morning by Agnes that you were acting together, I was surprised. Yet, you are my best friend, so I guess we were destined to run into each other sooner or later.”
Then, Agnes who stood silently nearby, knelt down.
“Everything is ready, waiting for your orders.”
“Thank you. You really did well.”
And the last spectators that arrived in front of the theater…
Were the Manticore Corps, Mage Guards.
Everyone watched surprised as their commander, who had a fantasy beast with a lion's head and snake's body on his coat of arms, approached in an angry manner.
“Hey! What’s the big idea, Agnes-dono?! I came here flying after receiving your letter, but Her Majesty is not here!”
Then, the commander of Manticore noticed Henrietta and ran up to her in panic.
“Your Majesty! We were worried! Where were you? We were searching for you all night!”
On the verge of tears, commander raised his voice.
What was with these magic guard units? Spectators started to gather, wondering. Because of such an uproar, Henrietta pulled down the hood of her robe again.
“I am sorry for causing anxiety. I will explain later. For now, Commander, just follow my orders.”
“What are they?”
“With the corps under your command, please encircle Royal Tanaijiiru Theater. Do not let even a single ant out.”
The commander, though he had a suspicious expression on his face, bowed at once.
“As you wish.”
“Then, I’ll go in.”
“I’ll follow.”
Louise shouted. However, Henrietta shook her head.
“No, you must wait here. This is something I should finish myself.”
“But—”
“It’s an order.”
Hearing such decisive words, Louise bowed with poor grace.