Zero no Tsukaima:Volume6 Chapter3

Chapter 2 will finish getting translated at a later point in time. Until then, feel free to look at my Chapter 2 synopsis

Chapter Three: Duke de la Vallière

At the break of dawn in the castle’s garden there was a giant cage with dragons at its four corners.

The servants that had gathered in the surroundings simultaneously took off the wheels of the cage-like carriage. Footmen caught the dragons and at the given opportunity the servants opened the carriage’s door. A red carpet spread out all the way to the cage’s entrance in order to accept a middle aged noble.

It was Duke la Vallière. He was more than fifty years old. He had blonde hair and beard that were turning white and he was dressed in wonderful clothes, suitable for a king. On his left eye he had a monocle and his eyes had a strong glitter.

The butlers walked briskly to the duke, took off his hat, fixed his hair and made sure that his robe was properly lined.

The Duke inquired in a bitter baritone voice “Has Louise returned?”

Jerom, a butler that has served the la Vallière family for many years bowed respectfully,

“She returned last night”, he answered.

“Call her for breakfast!”

“Certainly!”

The mood in the la Vallière family was as usual, while they were having breakfast on the sunlit balcony. The table was drawn out, in order to have breakfast in the sunlight, everyone was seated. Duke la Vallière was seated on the seat of honor and next to him was his wife. And the unusually concentrated three sisters were sitting on the table, lined up by age. Louise’s body was a bit unstable, because she had cried so much last night. Even though she is supposed to get her father’s permission to participate in the war…

It appeared that the Duke was in a considerably bad mood.

“Damn that bird-boned guy!”

At the beginning of his speech, the Duke insulted the Cardinal.

“What is the matter?”

Changing her facial expression, the Duke’s Wife asked her husband. After her father’s first words, Louise knew this wasn’t the moment to ask.

“After calling me all the way to Tristania, I was wondering what he was going to say to me… “Organize one army corps” he said! Don’t joke around with me!”

“Did you agree?”

“Like hell I would! I already retired from military service! Why doesn’t he command the soldier that took my place and let me stay with my family! Moreover, I’m against this war!”

“That’s true. But, is that fine? Didn’t the Cardinal’s official notice state that, right now the fatherland has to unite in order to defeat our bitter enemy? A rumor, that the la Vallière family is treacherous, will spread, which will affect our social life as well”

As she was saying that, the Duke’s Wife had an extremely cool face.

“You shouldn’t call a bird-boned guy like that a “Cardinal”. Bone, Bone is more than enough. Indeed, taking advantage of such a young queen”

Louise coughed and spewed the bread she was eating. Eleonore glared at Louise.

“Oh, how scary. Sorry for making you hear the truth about the court’s sparrows”

“By all means, feel free to let us hear what you think”

Louise who had been quiet up to that point opened her lips while trembling.

“There is something I’d like to inquire of Father”

The Duke was watching Louise intently.

“Of course it’s fine, but before that, won’t you give your father, who you haven’t seen in a while, a little kiss. Louise”

Louise stood up and approached her father, and after that gave him a kiss on the cheek. After that she stared directly at her father and asked.

“Why is Father opposing my decision to join the war?”

“Because this war is a huge mistake”

“It is a war against Albion that invaded us. What is wrong with ambushing them?”

“Attacking them from the side isn’t something I would call an “ambush”. Look here”

The Duke manipulated the plate and cooking and started explaining to Louise.

“The thing you call an “Ambush” is having a military force, so overwhelming that it can succeed from the first time. The enemy’s army is about fifty thousand. Our army, together with Germania’s, is sixty thousand”

Moving the knives and forks, with the help of the meat’s fragments, the Duke created a simulation of the war.

“Doesn’t our army have ten thousand more men?”

“If the attacking army was three times as big as the defending army, it would be a certain victory. Because their sky forces have been organized and they have good positions, with this number it will become a difficult battle.

“But…”

The Duke peered into Louise’s face.

“Our siege is excellent. We will block that annoying continent from the sky and then just wait until it dries up because of the lack of sunlight. If we do that, eventually they’ll come asking for peace. The conclusion of the war will come just like that, just like blending white and dark. What are you going to do if the ambush fails? The possibility for that isn’t small”

Louise was silent. Every single thing her father had said was a good argument.

“Because of the victory at Tarbes we’ve grown overconfident. Overconfidence produces negligence. To make matters worse, taking the Academy of Magic’s pupils along as officers? I can only say that that is stupid. What can kids do? In war, you know, you can’t say you are strong enough just because you have greater numbers. Ambushing is an act that means you have absolute confidence that you will achieve victory from the first attempt. There is no way I’d let my daughter enter such a war”

“Father…”

After the Duke finished saying that, he stood up.

“Now then, breakfast is finished”

Louise bit her lips and stood still for a while.

“Louise. From here on out you are under house arrest. You won’t be allowed to leave this castle, until the war is over”

“Wait!” Louise shouted out.

“What? I told you that the talk is over”

“Louise… you….”

Eleonore pulled on Louise’s hem. Cattleya was watching Louise worriedly.

“The Princess… no, to Her Majesty, I am a necessity”

“What do you mean when you say that she needs you? Your ability with magic is…”

Louise couldn’t tell her family that she was the bearer of the Void.

“Right now, Right now I can’t say, but… I…”

Louise hesitated, but she brought up a triumphant face.

“I am no longer the me from the past!”

“Louise! What are you saying to Father?!”

Eleonore said with an intense voice.

“Big Sister, you be quiet! Right now, I’m leading a conversation!”

All the family members were surprised by Louise’s attitude. The Louise from the past would never go up against her sister in such a manner.

“I have always been treated like an idiot. I always felt regret when I was being compared to my sisters and was told that I have no talent in Magic. But, but, now it’s different. I was clearly told by Her Majesty that I am necessary to her”

With those words, the color of the Duke’s eyes changed. He turned towards Louise, went down on his knee and peered into his daughter’s eyes.

“…You, you have finally realized which your dominant Element is?”

Louise nodded confidently.

“Which of the four?”

Louise thought for a while. Of course, she wouldn’t talk about the Void. But will it be ok to lie to her own Father? For a moment Louise was troubled. And… opening her lips, she told a lie.

“… Fire”

“Fire?”

For a little while Duke la Vallière gazed at Louise’s face and then he slowly nodded.

“You have the same Element as your Grandfather, hmm. I see, Fire, hmm. … In that case, it’s only natural that you would be attracted to war. It’s a sinful Element. Truly, an Element covered in sin.”

“Father…”

The Duke hanged his head feebly.

“If I remember correctly, you said that Her Majesty needs your power, right?”

“Yes”

“Listen, Louise. It’s an important thing. There is no mistake about it. When nobody else was around, Her Majesty told you that your power is necessary to her, right?”

Louise declared clearly.

“Yes. I was told by Her Majesty that my power is necessary to her.”

The elderly Duke shook his head.

“What a honorable thing. A terribly honorable thing. However… As I thought there is no way for me to recognize this”

“Father!”

“People can certainly make mistakes, because of this thing called loyalty. I will report to Her Majesty myself. Jerom!”

“Yes”

The butler jumped out and stood by the Duke’s side.

“Prepare a paper and a pen”

After that he turned towards Louise,

“You choose a son-in-law for me” he declared.

“Huh? Why?”

“I can’t recognize your participation in the war. I resolutely can’t recognize it. You’re probably despaired, because of that traitor Wardes, right? That’s why, choose a son-in-law for me. Also, calm down your heart, ok? You told me that you want to go to war twice. This is an order. No changes are allowed”

“Father!”

Louise shouted. However, the elderly Duke shook his head.

“Jerom, don’t let Louise go out of this castle. Understand?”

“Certainly!”

The butler nodded.

And then the Duke left his breakfast seat.

His wife and the elder sisters that were left behind surrounded Louise.

Her mother and bossy Sister criticized Louise.

“Father isn’t young anymore. Don’t worry him so much”

“Because you worried Father so much, now you have to choose a son-in-law”

Eleonore declared coldly.

“Why must I! According to the order, Eleonore-nee-sama must…”

As she was saying that Eleonore stretched Louise’s cheeks.

“I-I’m sowwy… But, to me, berrege is fill…(marriage is still)…”

“Why? For what reason? You have a lover, right?”

Having been told that by her Mother Louise shook her head.

“Don’t have. Don’t. No such thing.”

The Duke’s Wife and Eleonore seemed to have noticed something, because of Louise’s expression. The two exchanged glances.

“It seems you’re thinking of someone”

“There’s no such thing!”

“Who? From which noble house?”

“Count? Baron?”

“Honored Baron? You couldn’t, it can’t be a mere Chevalier, right?”

Louise’s body solidified.

“Oh no, this girl… I see, Chevalier or Order of Merit, I don’t know, but… she fell in love with a man with low social status”

Eleonore’s face became bitter. The mother pressed down on her forehead.

“Ooh, it’s because I never really took proper care of this girl…”

“I-I didn’t fall in love with a Chevalier”

Louise said in haste. The truth was he really wasn’t a Chevalier, but a simple Commoner. Even more, a Commoner that came from a completely different world… if they knew that, a simple sorry wouldn’t be even nearly enough of an apology. Even though she always repeats to herself that she doesn’t really like him, right now her head was full of thoughts of Saito.

Cattleya was looking worriedly at Louise.

“No matter how old this girl gets she will always worry us, won’t she. Not only does she want to join the war, but to make matters worse she has fallen in love with a Chevalier…”

“As I said, I haven’t…”, and, she hesitated. Her mother and sister shouted from both left and right.

““Be quiet!””

It was the usual threatening attitude. After Louise used up the courage she used to talk back to her father earlier on, now she became completely dispirited.

Suddenly feeling sorrowful, Louise ran off.

“Hey! Wait right there!”

She heard the shouting voices of her mother and bossy sister.