Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter2

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Chapter Two: The Queen and the Duke

In the working room of the Tristania‘s royal palace, the queen was worrying alone. Because she sent a single letter to Louise in Germania before.

She was glad and felt relieved that her friend was safe, but though it did not turn out bad, she was still feeling uneasiness as well.

“Right now, for Galia, this doesn’t mean a thing…”

‘Fuh’ – she let out a long sight, just when the door was knocked.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Your Majesty.”

It was musketeer commander Agnes.

“Aah, you came at a right time, commander.”

Henrietta stood up and opened the door. Hard as steel, prideful Agnes and a few of her troops stood there. The queen showed a thankful expression on her face.

“Please choose a few trusted subordinates and get ready to go.“

“We are prepared to leave anytime. Your Majesty only has to tell us where.”

Interrupted by one of Agnes’s eager soldiers, Henrietta gave a slight smile.

“To La Valieres, then. Since it is an informal visit, please prepare a suited coach too.”

“Does something worry you?”

Agnes, noticing Henrietta’s tired face, asked without leaving the room.

“Yes. The letter that came from Louise.”

“It’s alright – she safely rescued that Galian princess.”

“That’s not it. She wrote that she will respectfully take any punishment I will deem to be necessarily. Does this child do not understand how worried she makes me?”

“Are you not going to punish her?”

Henrietta became silent.

“Was there an official protest from Galia?”

Henrietta shook her head.

“Then the only crimes would be breaking out of the prison and crossing a border without permission. No, because Galia was acting seditious lately, having a former royal family at a hand would not be politically bad at all. So benefits equal the losses. Therefore, how about settling with giving no rewards and no punishments?”

“You are kind, commander.”

“You Majesty, why did you insist on passing the judgment at La Valiere’s house?

“I wanted to publicly show, that regardless that she is my friend, the justice will be given equally.”

Agnes watched Henrietta with gentle eyes.

“You are overdoing it, Your Majesty. The court will be witnessed by the noble family members.”

“For that reason, I need to show the firm attitude.”

Henrietta, in a gesture of thoughtful fastidious girl, bit her lip. Agnes pulled out her sword with ease.

“I am Your Majesty’s sword. Just order me and I will serve you with this sword. Yet, I am sword and the shield. Whenever the danger will happen, I will shield Your Majesty with this body of mine. However, how many of those court nobles are Your Majesty’s swords and shields? Reliable in need, with ethics and reason of a simple servicewoman like me, a person, who would be completely devoted to Your Majesty. No matter what happens, they do not doubt you and have a heart of steel. If you have such friends – value them dearly, Your Majesty.”

Hearing Agnes’s words, Henrietta bit her lip. Her restless fingers started fiddling with the cloth of her skirt.

“But I agree with Your Majesty, only remission without discipline is no good. In this case, I will trust Your Majesty’s judgment. Then how about repaying for that little unpaid work from before?”

Henrietta shifted uneasily.

“We need everyone’s consent.”

“And how many from those ‘everyone’ could equal them in their noble deed?”

Henrietta became silent.

“It is everyone's answer.”

Agnes bowed and went out of the working room to prepare queen’s carriage. Left alone, Henrietta watched the letter from Louise.

Then she made a face that was about to cry.

“Everyone are just so selfish! Person's heart is a mystery! Not just me, the father, the whole family!”

After spewing out all the angry words, Henrietta pressed the letter against her heart. Besides, there was something she needed to talk with Louise’s family about. It was really saddening.

However, the first thing she needed to do was to express her gratitude for her friends safety, Henrietta thought.

“I am glad you are alright. Thank you, Founder Brimir, for brining my friend back, safe and sound.“

After leaving the working room, Agnes went to the stable to prepare the horses. Then she went towards the musketeers building nearside, and, after calling the vice-commander of the troops, gave her the instructions on what to do during her absence. It didn’t take long to finish the preparations. And now, riding the horse, she passed under the castle gates.

There, waiting for Agnes, stood a man, whose face was hidden by the deep hood.

Seeing the man, Agnes stopped her horse next to him.

“We’ll be heading to La Vallieres. You must come as well.”

“You did not bring me here to put me into the prison?”

Man’s hood moved. Colbert’s honest face appeared from there.

“There was no prison escape with your help.”

“What?”

“We can’t it be publicly known that one could escape from the prison with the help of just two people.”

Agnes had a displeased look on her face. Colbert sheepishly bowed.

“But why to take me to the La Valieres?”

“You don’t want to meet your pupils?”

Hearing those words, Colbert’s face lit up.

“Ah! Then they must have succeeded! I am so glad! Ahaha, I am really glad!”

Agnes called the subordinate musketeer to prepare Colbert's horse. After that, with the rest of the musketeers, they waited for queen’s carriage in front of castle gates.

In the La Valiere castle, powerful family members gathered and waited impatiently. The gorgeous lunch was served on the big table in the dining room. However, no one tried to touch the dishes.

The duke de La Valiere duke was sitting at the end of the table, his hard gray eyes were shining.

‘Pon!’ – his fist hit the table. But though the sound was loud no one, including servants, moved a muscle. It was not unusual for the duke to express his anger this openly.

“Louise, that chit, does she have an idea how worried she makes us?!”

“It is as father says. Without family’s consent, takes part in a war, crosses the national borders without permission and sneaks into the Galia! It could turn into another war!”

Eleonore’s sharp eyes were blazing behind the glasses when she agreed with father’s words. She gathered the information that leaked out of Tristania’s academy.

Cattleya was silently listening to her fathers and elder sister's words, before her Louise-like pink hair started to shake as she began pleasantly laughing.

“Isn’t it great? Helping out the classmate from Galia – somehow heroic. I’m proud of her.”

Eleonore gave Cattleya a piercing glare.

“That’s not the time for laughs. Weren’t you the one helping out that child last time? Weren’t you the one who melted the golden chain of the drawbridge not so long time ago.”

“Hmm, can’t remember such thing.”

Cattleya continued to laugh softly.

“Really? But this time this child broke the country laws. Doesn’t Her Majesty come here for this – to give her direct judgment. It could even be the whole family destruction!”

“You are exaggerating.”

Cattleya said while laughing.

“I am not exaggerating. As it is, because in the previous cases we did not send troops to the war, the government is not likely to be merciful.“

It was so. The La Valiere duke house, during the recent Albion campaign, hasn’t sent even a single soldier. As a result, an enormous military service exemption tax was imposed. Though the La Valiere duke house obediently paid it, the nobles who went to the war, criticized the duke as a 'disloyal person'.

“This is not a revolt against Royal family. Besides isn’t Louise her majesty’s friend? I don’t think there will be a severe punishment given.”

“She would not remember such old thing. Besides, Louise returns from Von Zerbst right? Ancestors would grieve hearing such thing.”

Then the sisters felt silent as the mother, duchess La Valliere, opened her mouth.

“Before receiving the judgment from Her Majesty, this family has its own punishment to give.”

With these words, the air in the dining room froze. To the face of duke La Valiere blanched.

“P-punishment to give?”

“As has been said – I will give it myself.”

The servants, who stood silently behind them, started to tremble.

Eleonore had an unusually strained smile on her lips.

“I-it’s nothing mother should be concerned with… Right, Cattleya?”

Cattleya voice was nervous for a moment.

“I-I think so too.”

‘Kohn’ – coughed La Valiere duke.

“Umm, Karin. It’s like daughters say. Nothing to bother with… Right? Jerome.”

The duke requested an agreement from the butler.

“Ah. I have to go. I just remembered I have things to do.”

The old butler hastily retreated. As if by a signal, all servants left the dining room together.

Simultaneously, with the slomping sounds of the closing door, the duchess stood up. Her expression didn’t change. However, something strong rises swaying in slow motion from her body.

“It‘s my responsibility of daughter's carelessness, thus I myself will give her the education. Isn't that so?“ 　 La Valiere duke, with trembling fingers began to fiddle with the mustache. He recalled the old times. Youth, beauty, and the severe past of his wife…”

“It is so! A-asking for the strict lecture! Give a second…”

The words were muted by the strong roaring sound. Dusk fluttered down the table. Looking up, one could see the whole wall vanish completely, under the indescribably powerful spell.

The duchess who was holding the wand, shook her head and said.

“More so – we cannot look weak… Well, I think so anyway.”

“K-Karin! Therefore Louise…”

Duchess glared at her husband's face. “She is my and your daughter! It has to look strict! After a long time, when you will looking back, you’ll see her being raised up wrong because of your selfish whim!”

At the shout of his wife, duke instinctively ducked his head.

“S-sorry!”

“The family is important, the daughter is important as well, I don’t want to pass on either. That’s why the "Angry winds", will give the punishment to the daughter. Her Majesty will see.”