Zero no Tsukaima

Volume 7 9

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Chapter Nine: Rout

It was the tenth day of the Advent Festival, and everything looked like usual.

Thanks to the continuous snow, the town turned into a world of silver.

A group of two Tristain soldiers was patrolling in town, and currently one soldier called to the other,

“Hey, aren’t they from Rossa’s patrolling unit?"

“Indeed. But what are they doing here?”

One of the patrolling colleagues group was standing in front of the inn and doing something in an surreptitious manner.

“Hey!” one called out. However, there was no answer. They just kept on working silently.

“Isn’t that a bag of gunpowder?”

One muttered in a hasty voice. And indeed a few sacks of gunpowder were placed there.

Rossa’s patrolling unit soldiers were carrying bags to the inn.

“Hey! It’s a hotel not a warehouse. Navarre’s unit soldiers are staying in there. It’s too dangerous to bring such easily explosive things inside.”

He approached and tapped soldier’s shoulder. But the face that turned around shocked him. It was an expressionless and soulless face. Sensing something evil in that face, the guard raised his spear.

“Hey! Put the bag down! Put...”

At that moment, another soldier pulled out a pistol from his belt and shot the guard down.

Another guard tried to run away, screaming. But a dagger, thrown by the first soldier, sank into his back. The guard fell down with a thump.

Then they silently returned back to placing bags into the hotel.

Then a match cord was inserted and ignited with a flint.

After a few seconds, with a huge, exploding sound, the inn and all resident soldiers were blown away.

Located in the city’s prime block, on the second floor of the inn coalition, the Allied Force’s leaders were discussing the future strategy of the invasion.

“The truce will end tomorrow. Carrying the replenishment goods must be finished by tonight.”

Chief of the General Staff Wimpffen reported while looking at the parchment on the table.

“It will be on time. But I thought that during the truce Albion would try a surprise attack...”

“You think the other side does not have the same problems? They needed to buy time because enemy preparations were not complete. That’s why they settled for the truce so easily...”

Marquis Handenburg said gloomily. Wimpffen gave him a piercing glare. De Poitiers stepped between the two. As the main commander he understood the necessity to buffer subordinate generals’ conflicts.

But then... someone knocked against the door.

“Who? We are in a military council,” said Wimpffen.

“A delivery from the royal family. It came this morning.”

The delivered goods were a gorgeous punnet where the royal arms had been carved. A letter with the Finance Minister’s stamp was attached to it. The moment he saw it, the complexion of De Poitiers changed. He started to read the letter voraciously. After reading, De Poitiers muttered cheerfully.

“How generous of the treasurer!”

De Poitiers with his digit opened the box top. Wimpffen and Handenburg looked into it as well. Upon seeing what was lying in the box, both of their eyes popped wide.

“Ooooooooooh! A field marshal’s cane!”

Indeed, it was a splendid field marshal cane that was carved from ebony with a golden royal family’s crest on it. Staring at his own reflection on it, De Poiters gave a joyful cry.

“Normally, there should be official regulations to pass. ‘This cane is reminder of the successful victories under your command.’ With a congratulation note from the Finance Minister. Though the war has not ended yet, the Allied Forces had a successive string of victories now. The enemy army shut itself up in the capital and will not come out. Encircling and winning a final victory was only a matter of time. The last decisive battle and it is said, and confirmed by finance minister’s signature, that I will command with the field marshal cane.”

“Congratulations, Your Excellency.” Handenburg and Wimpffen shook hands with him.

“Well... with all what has been said it is all in my grip. We cannot get too careless now, no carelessness!”

De Poitiers said, but could not hide a wide grin on his face.

Booom! Boom!

At that moment sounds of loud explosions resounded behind the window.

“What’s happening?”

With a suspicious expression on his face, De Poitiers approached the window, still gripping the field marshal cane.

The window was facing the plaza. There soldiers ran around pointing fingers at something. He noticed emblems on their capes.

“Aren’t they from the La Shien unit?”

This was the eastern block, while these patrolling units were responsible for the western side of the town. Why were they here? Moreover, why were they fully armed...

Marquis Handenburg stepped next to De Poitiers as well.

“They mustn’t be soldiers from my army either. I did not gave an order to march...”

Then they both looked at each other...

Soldiers turned their guns aiming towards the two people standing at the window.

And then a sudden volley came.

The last thing that De Poitiers saw was a sight of the field marshal cane riddled by bullets, shattering it into small pieces.

Frozen from shock, Wimpffen saw De Poitiers and marquis Handenburg, who stood by the window, fall. He could not understand what was happening.

The next moment officers jumped into the room.

“Revolt! Revolt started!”

“Revolt?”

“Rossa’s unit, La Shien’s unit and part of Germania’s army stationed in town’s Sai district caused the revolt! Their clashes with our army are happening in various places! It’s too dangerous to stay here!”

Then the officers saw shattered pieces of window and the bodies of De Poitiers and Marquis Handenburg lying on the floor, and stood upright in front of Wimpffen.

“Y-your orders, Supreme Commander!“

The breakdown of the Allied Forces stationed in Saxe-Gotha happened fast.

Commanders were surprised by the sudden revolt. Or maybe one should say that the cause of the revolt was what made them confused. More so, because there were no reports about discontent rumblings from soldiers, nor disorders.

It’s as if revolt really started from nothing.

Soldiers were at a loss as well. Comrades-in-arms, with whom they fought and celebrated victories together until the other day now attacked them with lifeless expressions and weapons in hands.

“Shoot!”

Even if the commanders shouted so, musketeers could not pull a trigger, bowmen could not shoot the arrows, spearmen could not throw spears.

“...We c-cannot shoot, sir!”

“No! You idiots! Revolts are part of the enemy king’s army!”

Though the commander tried to cast a spell at the slowly approaching expressionless soldiers... he saw a commander in their front lines and shook his head.

“Marco! It’s me! Maurice! What are you doing?! Why are you turning your wand at us?!”

The only answer was a bullet. It hit the ground at his feet, and the commander ordered to retreat.

“Damn! Retreat! Retreat now!”

“W-where to retreat...?”

“As if I know! Retreat anyway!”

In the morning, the defensive lines were broken by the King’s army.

And... finally, a report from the Redoutable was brought by the dragon knight scout.

It said that Albion’s main army of Londinium began to move, aiming straight for the city of Saxe-Gotha.

On the outskirts of the city’s temporary headquarters, Wimpffen made a decision. Obviously, as he was now the main commander of all operations.

“We‘ll retreat to Rosais. It‘s no use staying here.”

And the order to retreat was given to the whole army under his command.

The army that marched forward excited over the victory now returned as a defeated army, reduced to 30,000 people due to revolt. All faces looked exhausted and the mood of despair floated around.

General De Poitiers was a betrayer and organized the revolt, no, the general was killed, they all were manipulated by an unknown magic and were made to kill - within the defeated army, the truth mixed with various rumors.

However for commanding officers and soldiers such rumors helped to survive. Only animal-like survival instinct whirled in the heads of men who ran away.

The confusion became even bigger once it became clear that Albion’s main army joined the revolts in pursuit.

Troops of Allied Forces positioned in thin and long groups retreated down the highway that lead to Rosais.

Among them, there were Louise and Saito too.

With a sword over his shoulder, Saito called out to Louise who was trudging next to him. He hadn’t talked to Louise since the second morning of the Advent Festival when he returned to their room. But even though they hadn’t talked to each other for almost ten days... only poignant words came out.

“So where is this honor in war?”

Louise looked down.

“Look around.”

A group of officers rode pass them on horses at a full speed shouting, “Out of the way! Out of the way!” Infantry units, surprised, stood by the side of the road. Musketeer and spearman showed no reaction though. Everyone discarded their heavy weapons as they were escaping.

“Now they don’t think they can survive. Yesterday they all were shouting ’Long live the king’s military victory! We have to win for the absolute justice to honor the fallen soldiers!’, and now they’re enraged at their own colleagues?”

“I hope Guiche and Rene are alright...”

Saito said looking distant.

Saito woke up with the shouts “Revolt! Revolt!”. He went to a temporary command headquarters... it was already gone. All the members had run away. After the messenger with an order to retreat came, they immediately left their weapons.

Saito turned around. Scarron, Jessica, Siesta and all the girls from the ’Charming Fairies’ inn followed after them.

Why was there such an uproar and why was the order given to retreat? He ran after Siesta and the other people from the inn followed him.

“Sure I am an honorable Royal Army man. I do have to encourage the people to escape abandoning me, it is the highest honor.”

Louise kept on trudging.

“Do you understand now where the true honor lies? Do you now understand the meaning behind teacher’s words? They all did... they just wanted to live, that’s why they tried so hard to escape.”

Saito rattled on with an aura of superiority. Mostly because he felt too depressed to talk about anything else.

“Disgrace.”

Louise finally opened her mouth.

“Disgrace? I like it that way. The honor of victory! Justice! Made a lot of noise, but in the end nature showed the truth and made them honest.”

The Allied Forces, including Wimpffen who arrived first at Rosais, asked for permission to return to their home country. The answer from the monarchic government prefecture that could not swallow the circumstances was short: “Withdrawal permission not given. Explain the circumstances in greater detail.”

Half the number of Allied Forces were killed or turned to the other side, De Poitiers was killed? The facts did not sound sane. They seemed to doubt if it was a real report. Was it not a fake report? Wimpffen could not blame the home government for that. Perhaps, even I, after hearing such a report would not believe it spontaneously and be able to grant permission to withdraw.

The defeated army was concentrating in Rosais.

Wimpffen began negotiation with his own country.

He insisted repeatedly that considering the way things were going, they were heading towards annihilation.

With great effort he gained the permission to retreat... after a half day; a very valuable half day. A half day that could be fatal for the Allied Forces.

As the defeated army began arriving... they received further bad news from a dragon knight scout. Albion’s main army from Londinium was moving faster than expected.

The way things were going...

“At dawn tomorrow, the enemy’s main army will burst into Rosais.”

He looked at the map and asked his subordinate,

“How long it would take for an army to fully embark?”

The logistics staff answered.

“Until the morning of the day after tomorrow. Though Rosais has giant port facilities for ships, on land, there can be only a limited number of soldiers at the same time.“

Wimpffen was worried. When you think about it – he needed to start withdrawal preparations before they were permitted. However, Wimpffen was scared for his own neck and did not want to be hung by a war tribunal.

“It is necessary to stop the enemy army’s pace first.”

“40,000... No, with the revolts the number is far greater. Where can we find an army to withstand it?”

In addition, the bombardment from the air would pull the withdrawal line to the fleet. Besides, ship guns would not help to adjourn the army marching.

Moreover, in order to gain more time, soldiers, who ran away at full speed, lost all their heavy amour.

Wimpffen thought.

And... suddenly he had an idea..

“...That’s right. Let’s use ‘it’.”

“It?”

“The trump card! The trump card of my army! Now it’s the time to use it! Messenger!”

The messenger came to Louise when she waited for the withdrawal embarkation in the tent.

It was in the evening.

“Me?”

The older soldier seemed to have been in a very great hurry. He was like a living embodiment of the whole Allied Forces – always in a hurry.

“Miss Vallière! Commander Wimpffen calls!”

Only now Louise understood that General De Poitiers and Marquis Handenburg were killed. The confusion within the Allied Forces was considerable.

Louise went to face the commander, while Saito was sticking around. He had a bad premonition.

After taking the instructions, Louise came out of the commander’s tent, ghostly white.

"What’s wrong? What were the orders?”

Even though he asked, she did not answer.

She looked straight ahead... and began walking towards the other end of Rosais. But not towards the embarkation tent.

She came to the temple on the side of the town... and received a horse from a horse keeper. Then the horse keeper bowed to Louise who tried to ride away.

Saito grabbed Louise’s hand.

“Hey! Where are you going?! It’s not safe to leave the city!”

“Let go.”

Louise muttered in a lifeless voice. Feeling that something was not right, Saito shouted at Louise.

“Talk! What were the orders given to you?! Hey!”

Louise did not answer. She just kept on biting her lips.

With the other hand Saito took the order parchment from Louise. Since he could not read the letters the only thing he understood was a map.

“I can’t read. What is written here?”

Louise bit her lip again.

“Talk! What is written here?!”

Derflinger, on his shoulder, read it instead of Louise.

“Aaah, a backup. Not very honorable.”

“Backup?”

“Fufu, buying time for the main force to escape. Alone against enemy army of 70,000. Wonderful, isn’t it?”

Saito turned pale. He muttered blankly.

“What?”

“Quite detailed instructions actually. Hoho, wait on the hill 50 leagues on the left from here. Wait with ’Void’ spells ready. Face towards the land route to see the enemy first and keep casting spells until you run out of magic. Neither withdrawal nor surrender are permitted. Haah, in other words, its an order ’defend till the end’. To put it briefly – fight against enemy until you die. That‘s what is this order about.”

“...Hey, what is that - a joke?”

Saito said grabbing Louise’s shoulders.

“No one is joking. It’s the truth.”

“Really, are you an idiot? You would die just because our generals told you to? They are treating you like a tool. No, a backup tool. Don’t do that! Don’t do that!”

“Stop being hasty.”

Saito was amazed.

Ahh, this look in her eyes... I remember it.

Louise hasn’t changed since the day they met.

Louise still wanted to be recognized.

She entered into this war against her parents’ will because... she wanted to be recognized.

She was nicknamed "Louise the Zero", idiot Louise.

Since those days... Louise dreamed to be recognized by her parents and her classmates. That’s why she applied for the Fouquet search.

However... once the legendary Void elements power awoke in her it changed.

She wanted to be recognized for more than just this.

Saito could not really understand it well. Neither could Louise. Therefore he tried to persuade her.

“Be reasonable. For your pride’s sake? Look, it is not a safe inn, you are going to die here...Understand? Stop it, all right? You are great. I know that. But let’s run away. Ok? Disregard such orders and flee. Ok?”

“Where would you run? It’s an enemy’s territory.”

“Stop being so prideful!”

Louise looked straight at Saito and said clearly,

“It’s not because of pride. What would happen if I were to run away? Our allies will be annihilated. Your maid, everyone from the ‘Charming Faeries’ inn... Guiche, Rene – everyone. They might be killed. They might be shamed.”

Saito frowned, realizing that too.

The reason why Louise is so determined... was not just because of her pride.

“I do not want to die. But I do not want my friends to die either. That is... the true meaning of the word ’honor’. Hey Saito, you kept on saying that honor is stupid but what ‘honor’ were you talking about? It’s not because of a great honor that one dies for others. It is different.”

She explained. But Saito desperately kept on trying to persuade her.

“Then, do I also die? Just like you? Would you sacrifice me to save everyone?”

A familiar’s oath surely must be different from this!

Louise sadly watched Saito for a while... and shook her head.

“You run away. Don’t stay with me.”

“What?”

“Return back to the Varsenda and take your flying machine. Then you and your maid can fly to the east.”

Louise’s eyes began to moisten. Louise’s voice sounded like she was about to cry.

“You... recently asked if you are just a tool for me. Don’t be stupid. If you thought that I felt you were a tool you misunderstood me. You are you. A free boy from a different world where he should return to. You are not a tool for me.”

“Louise...”

Saito looked away and said in a determined voice.

“I understand. I will not try to stop you anymore. However, I have one request before you leave.”

“Eh?”

“In my world there is a tradition, to drink a toast before a separation. You still have some time left, right?”

“Yeah, a little...”

Saito looked around and next to the temple he noticed a box of supplies. It must be one of the supplies that was meant to be sent to the city of Saxe-Gotha, but ended up being left behind. It was a box of wine. He instantly recalled Scarron’s complaints about Albion beer.

Saito took one bottle out.

“It will be stolen by the enemy anyway.”

Meanwhile Louise stared at the temple nearby. Then, she turned to Saito. Her cheeks suddenly turned crimson.

“Hey, Saito...”

“What?”

“Since we are making toasts anyway, I have one request as well.”

“Tell me. Ask anything you wish.”

But Louise’s request... surpassed all Saito’s expectations.

“Marry me.”

“...Huh?”

Louise, now red from head to toes, shouted.

“D-don’t misunderstand! It is not like I l-love you or anything! However... dying before being able to marry is unpleasant. I just want to marry!"

It was an empty temple - there was no one inside. When the Allied Forces occupied it, all the priests who were in there ran away.

Leaving the horse tied to the gate, two people entered inside.

It was clean and well swept.

The setting sun reflected through the stained glass, creating a solemn atmosphere.

Surrounded by this serene silence, Louise stood in front of the altar.

“You don’t wish to marry in Albion?”

Louise puckered up her brows.

“It just brings unpleasant memories.”

“You did this before, right?”

Louise nodded.

“Yes. However, at that time, I did not give my oath.”

“I see...”

Louise looked up at the Founder’s image. Surrounded by the somewhat solemn atmosphere, she knelt before it and offered a silent prayer.

Louise thought while praying.

Why did I think about a wedding at a time like this?

Do I want it?

Just between me and Saito, without anyone else...

After all, I did not give a proper answer to Saito’s confession, there was no time to answer it either.

As this is the end, I am not afraid to show my feelings anymore.

But what are my feelings and why did I think about a wedding all of a sudden...

Her mind felt disordered and she could not find an answer.

When she finished a prayer and opened her eyes... Saito stood there with a glass of wine.

“Where is this glass from?”

“It was decoration on the altar. And I thought God would not mind me borrowing it for such an occasion.”

Louise smiled, taking the glass.

“That’s the second time.”

Saito said.

“What?”

“You smiled to me. Now and the time we went shopping, it makes it two times, right? Even though you don’t really want to marry me.”

Louise felt happy. Saito was counting her smiles.

“That’s right.”

However, she could not say it directly. Straightforward words didn’t come easy to her. It was frustrating.

But the Louise of today was different.

Louise matched Saito’s cup.

“I’m sorry that we won’t be able to search for the way to return to your world together.”

“Don’t worry.”

Two people drank their wine.

From the alcohol and embarrassment, Louise’s cheeks turned crimson.

“So how do we get married?”

“I don’t really know myself.”

“Is it all right? It won’t be done properly.”

“It’s all right. It’s you anyway.”

Not really knowing what to do, Louise clasped Saito’s hands.

“Now, give an oath.”

“But, there is no priest.”

“Stop complaining. Or do I have to do it for you?"

Saito looked straight at Louise and said,

“I love you, Louise.”

“Wha-...W-What...S-Stupid. It’s no good if you do not swear.”

Being told "I love you" so suddenly, Louise blushed furiously. Her body trembled with happiness.

“I am not lying. I am glad I was able to meet you. Really.”

Louise cast her eyes slightly down. I have to say it, now or never, she thought.

“I-I too...”

However, when she was about say that... a sudden drowsiness hit her.

“T-that? I...”

Suddenly the drowsiness became stronger. She could not see anything.

“You, the wine...”

She was not able to finish it. Strength and thoughts left Louise’s body.

Saito caught the falling Louise. He took a small jar out of his pocket. It was the magical sleeping medicine, which Siesta gave him the other day.

“As expected. Magic is strong,”

He muttered, stepping outside with Louise in his arms. The evening sun almost finished setting and the surroundings became dim.

“Cold...” muttered a voice nearby.

“Aah, Familiar-kun.”

Next to the gates of the temple a beautiful boy with blond, nearly white, hair stood supporting himself against the wall with his arms crossed. His blue eye shone reflecting the setting sun.

It was Romalia’s priest and dragon knight Julio.

“You were spying on us again. What a bad hobby you have.”

“No, I just came here to pray. I am a priest after all.”

Julio answered, not dropping his smile.

“Anyway, take care of Louise.”

He was carefully hugging Louise close to his chest with both his hands, as if she was a fragile object, and said to Julio.

“Please go. And return safely to the ship.”

Saito placed her on Julio’s dragon.

“Thank you. Well, then.”

Julio called Saito to stop.

“Where are you going?”

Saito answered in a nonchalant voice

“I’m running away.”

“You are going in the wrong direction. Albion’s army is that way.”

“I know.”

Saito carelessly jumped on the horse, but Jullio called him to stop again.

“There’s only one thing I want to know.”

Saito answered.

“What?”

“Why are you going there? Surely you aren’t that foolish to die for honor, right?"

Saito thought for a moment... then puckered up his brows feeling relieved and shook his head.

“Because...”

“Well?”

“Because of love.”

Julio began laughing loudly.

“Aahaha, you sound like a true Romalian!”

With a scowl, Saito crossed his arms.

“No, it’s not because of love for a woman, but because my inner feeling tells me so.”

“Please teach me that meaning if you can.”

Saito looked straight up ahead and said.

“I cannot, putting it to words is already a lie. Words can always lie. Only my feelings cannot let me lie about it.”

Julio made a funny gesture with his finger.

“Am I saying such strange things?”

“You are not a noble, just like me, right?”

“Yes.”

“Yet you think just like a noble.”

“Are you trying to get under my skin?”

Saito took the reins in his hands, gripped them tightly, and kicked the horse’s sides.

And rode towards the darkening road.

Watching his back, Julio smiled and muttered softly,

“You are very clumsy, Gandálfr.”