Zero no Tsukaima:Volume14 Chapter6

Chapter 6: Tiger Highway

Being called ‘Gallia’s spine’ of the Fire Dragon Mountain, the eastern end of the location is extremely interesting. In the north-south direction from the watershed, Gallia and Romalia's border is divided into two.

At the bottom of the Fire Dragon Mountain, on a piece of the land facing the sea lays Akeleiya Street (艾克蕾亚之街).

It exists as a street, north-south of the Fire Dragon Mountain.

That is known as the 'tiger highway', a narrow street located in the valley that is up to more than 10 leagues long in a straight line.

Thousands of years ago, mages created it by taking advantage of the ground crack (地层断裂), (up to ten leagues long).

Eastern Romalia is the only way to get to Gallia so the streets are often crowded with merchants and travelers.

Left and right of this street are huge cliffs; there is no difference even at night.

When this street was built, there are tigers even in the darkest of days……man-eating tigers coming and going. The crusade team had to be organized again and again. When there were no more tigers to be seen in this street, rumours of bandits running amok was spread.

People who cross this street, see bandits and the former man-eating tiger as the same, giving ‘tiger highway’ its name.

However, there is stability in the border now, even robbers rarely appear. Only occasionally some very hungry bandits with no choice will patronise with no gloomy impression of the past.

Spots on both side of the street lighted up a long line of fire, TBA

‘Tiger Highway’ is one of Hal Genia main roads, a symbol of Romalia’s prosperity. On this street around Gallia’s customs, there seems to be some sort of dispute.

“What? Closed? Mr. (Chaiyi), what’s happening?”

In front of crowds of merchants and travellers, the big door was closed tightly.

“Cannot cross means cannot cross, just wait obediently for the release command”

A merchant squeezed out.

“Hey, wait, if the shipment cannot be shipped to Romalia tomorrow night, then I may suffer a loss, are you going to compensate me?”

“Don’t talk nonsense”

People who made use of the street got the (差役) surrounded.

“The Third Annual Enthronement Ceremony of the pope is coming to an end. Do you know how long I have waited for this day?”

"My fiancée is sick, I want to see her!"

A staff officer said.

“We don’t care so much. We just listen to the orders passed to us from the higher ups. For this reason, please understand”

The crowd looked at each other; at that moment……a knight came so fast that the horse could not stop in time, got surrounded by the customs people.

“Emergency report. Emergency report.”

“What happened?”

“Two(栖)fleet has rebel and are currently entering ‘tiger highway’”

Rebel? Enter?

“Don’t joke about rebellion, that kind of thing”

The knight did not reply. Instead, he looked to the sky. From the northwest corner…there were some black spots, getting bigger.

“T-two(栖)fleet!”

However, unlike the past, the tail of the fleet was not hanging Gallia’s warship flag. In other words, the fleet are not acting on Gallia king government’s orders.

“Now we should call them the anonymous rebellion fleet by right”

The gathered crowd looked to the sky with unease.

“Quick look, there seems to be something dangling from the ship’s bottom”

Someone shouted that at the central of the formation of more than a dozen ships, a dangling rope seems to be hanging onto something. Looking closely, it seems to be a human shape.

“What is that Golem? or is it(卡格伊鲁)?”

“They’re even wearing armour, so arrogant!”

Looking at the golem emitting a metallic sheen, the back of the (差役) broke out in cold sweat.

He appears to have felt fear instinctively and watched the fleet enter Romalia in silence.

“What kind of big thing is going to happen?”

The original two栖 rebellion fleet flagship was ‘夏露尔’.

On奥尔里昂’ s deck.

The fleet commander’s, 克拉威鲁卿 (it’s a name), had a sun-burned face after his long years of services and it expressed confusion and anticipation.

“Don’t understand. I just don’t understand”

He mumbled to himself effortlessly.

Having spent almost his entire life in the sea of air, he cannot understand what the lord’s intentions were.

“Pretend to rebel, turn Romalia into ashes”

There was only one order, one sentence, from the main commander.

From the cadets’ beginning 30 years ago, they have never received an order that is so simple and yet brutal.

He is more of a person who prefers to command a battle than politics. Most former colleagues who turned to the political line, are involved in civil strife, bringing them to their own destruction.

Bending his head, faithfully carrying out his orders… unknowingly promoted to Governor.

After experiencing several large-scale battles, his fame is rising just as his experience is.

Is this position really compatible with me?

In his mind, these issues often appear.

He was not really busy with his duties to the point of thinking about such problems.

Then, time flies.

Just as he was about to retire just like this, after getting more medals he would return to his own territory, if he’s free, he’ll go hunting for who knows how long kind of life……

“I’ll give Romalia to you”

That powerless king did say that.

If I can get a country, at least, I can lead a life like a noble. No…if it’s like Romalia’s that big of a land, I deserved to be called a king.

‘king’

An idea that he have never thought of before.

There is no sense of reality.

But, it has shaken the heart of (克拉威鲁卿).

“I thought I was a person with no aspirations, no, I’m definitely am……”

He mumbled under his breath, like he was talking to himself.

As he was questioning his words, a staff officer , 加利昂子爵(another name I don’t know), beside him spoke.

“After reducing the land to ashes, exactly what kind of regime would his highness build?”

There was irony in his words but not without respect for the king.

“Don’t know”

“Straightforward aren’t you?”

“How long have we known each other?”

“Should be about 10 years and more already”

“From the start to now, I have always been faithfully carrying out orders, regaining my composure I have my position today…got talent, this kind of thing, even if my lips crack I will not say, but…if it’s ambition, I can’t say no”

(琉加利昂子爵) replied with a tired voice.

“I’m the same”

“To turn what into how many ashes depends on my strength. For this level of arrangement, even the king would not want to say more”

“Well, will this operation develop smoothly? At St. Maran that guest... that mysterious woman and those Knight dolls tied to the boatman. If it’s them, they could really turn all of Romalia into ashes. After all, no matter how we think the command of the vessel in the hands of that woman"

(克拉威鲁卿) recalled that King Joseph had a female officer by the name of Sheffield. That woman exudes an ominous atmosphere. If it’s her, she’ll really burn Romalia into ashes without so much as a blink of an eye”

"Not only that, between non-commissioned officers , many people disagree with this operation. However, this is natural... according to rumor, the king have taken place in the flower Knights organization, the real rebellion, though it seems it was immediately suppressed. If we pretend that the rebel army launched a real rebellion, it will provide good material for future generations of opera to have "

“Later, every non-commissioned officers on the ship will be given territory, and the status of the Baron. (琉加利昂), you are the Duke. "

(琉加利昂子爵) nodded.

“It’s going to start. Speaking of which……”

“What’s wrong?”

“This conspiracy, how many people will live?”

This action is not war, inadvertently, (克拉威鲁卿), found this point.

This is simply a gamble only.

Romalia will or will not turn into ashes is also,

Becoming a king also.

The ship fleet will or will not listen to orders is also.

This despicable conspiracy was unheard of, but, it is difficult to get away already. The pain of his conscience holds no footing in the face of his slumbering ambition.

"Perhaps my heart is also longing for this gamble”

Their very own lives are the coins put into this gamble.

Extremely evil, there is no charity at all, this relentless gamble.

“On the left, the Romanian fleet" a Watch member shouted in a trembling voice.

On the( ‘夏露尔．奥尔里昂’)’s cannon deck, Second Lieutenant William was trembling with anger.

"What is happening, this battle, is there no righteous cause at all?"

The ship’s non-commissioned officers shared the same mood as Second Lieutenant William, from yesterday, they could not get the situation of the case and yet they got the command to strike and came all the way here.

According to news, is to fight a war with Romalia.

“I don’t understand…why must we fight with Romalia’s soldiers?”

The soldiers watched their captain with puzzled eyes.

The aide walked down from the upper deck to give a message to the puzzled soldiers.

“Fleet commander ordered that all those soldiers who participated in this campaign will have a special reward after the war. All non-commissioned officers are to be knighted and all soldiers are to be given noble status”

But even so, no cheers could be heard from the cannon’s deck, everyone looked at the aide’s face coldly.

"Compared to the reward, we would prefer to have a reasonable explanation. Why do we have to fight Romalia? Is Romalia not the ally of our country? Although complying orders is our duty, but this is too puzzling"

“Everyone back into places, we’re about to get into contact with the enemy”

Looking at the asking Second Lieutenant William, the aide ordered.

“Enemy, are you referring to the Romalia Army? Why would the Romalia Army be considered an enemy to us? Between us, what reason do we have to start a war?”

The cannon non-commissioned officers around Second Lieutenant William casted a skeptical eye to the aide.

“Why didn’t we hang our warship flag?”

“T-this is because……”

“ ’We just started the rebellion’ When I heard this kind of rumour, (现在岂不是有口难辩吗!) ‘Who’ exactly started this rebellion?”

“R-rebel?”

Unrest in the cannon’s deck peaked. Second Lieutenant William caught hold of the aide’s uniform.

"Even if it is to launch a rebellion, aren’t there existing rebellion procedures for this kind of thing, shouldn’t all the soldiers be summoned, to ask for everyone's opinion? What exactly does the captain and commander think?"

“Insolence!”

The aide pulled out a wand. At the same time, Second Lieutenant William and the other non-commissioned officers also took out their wands. The deck was filled with explosive air.

At this time, another messenger came.

“R-reports, Romania fleet approaching! Full cannons get ready! "

Hearing the report, the aide put away his wand.

“……if you have something to say, say it later. We have to think of how to survive right now”

“Damn!”

Feeling unwilling, Second Lieutenant William punched the wall.

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