Zero no Tsukaima:Volume13 Chapter5
Status: Incomplete
45% completed (estimated)
Chapter 5: The Persuasion of the Pope
After arriving at the Cathedral, the first thing Louise did was to greet Henrietta.
But for some reason, this Queen seems to be quite distracted. She only acknowledge it saying "Oh, just in time." Even why Louise and the others were summonned to this country in the first place was not explained. Hanreitta told Louise and Tiffania that the Pope his holiness will explain later.
"Anyhow, the long journey must have tired you out. They have already prepared dinner. Please, enjoy yourselves first"
The dinner will be held in two different places.
Except for Saito, the Ondine Water Spirit Knights, Colbert, Kirche and Tabitha will share one room, while Louise, Tiffania and Saito will sit in the dining hall where the Pope will attend himself.
In the smaller room, they don't have a single waiter, letting them to do as they please. Luckily, the members of the Ondine Knights did not seem to mind this kind of treatment. They were all celebrating today's battle, laughing and chatting loudly all the way.
Kirche looked at Colbert by her side. Since arriving at this Cathedral, he seemed to have a lack of enthusiasm. Leaving the untouched dish in front of him, he rested his chin on his knuckles, immersed in deep thoughts.
"What's wrong? Here, does it taste bad?"
Kirche indicated her soup by stirring it with a spoon.
"This soup really is disgusting. Other than spinach, there's nothing else. Having this kind of priest like meal, it's my first experience."
Still, Colbert stayed in the same position without moving an inch after commenting.
"What's wrong with you? Are you alright?"
Kirche bended her head worriedly. Colbert finally lifted his head up in response.
"Eh? Oh, sorry. Nothing much"
He took a few sips from his soup, whipping out a ruby ring from his pocket once in a while, staring at it like a dead man with his eyes open. It was what he gave into Kirche's poccession when he was about to die in his battle with Menrulweis (門奴威爾) <probably the fire captain assigned to secretly burn down academy> . After Colbert was completely healed, Kirche gave this back to him promptly.
"What's with the ruby? Are you, thinking about your ex?"
Originally meant to be a joke, Colbert nodded his head out of Kirche's surprise.
"Umm, just like that"
Kirche winced her eyes, and put a small cooked lobster on his head, although his was just as motionless. Not wanting other people to see her any more jealous, Kirche found someone else to talk to. At her side, Tabitha was eating expressionless.
"Hey, Tabitha. What do you think they are talking about at the dining hall?"
Tabitha slowly finished her cup of wine and answered
"Don't know"
On the other end of the corridor inside the dining hall, no one said of anything and kept putting food in their mouths in awkward silence. Louise was sitting next to Saito, whereas Tiffania was sitting on the other side of him.
Today's incident wasn't something Saito could easily let go. Every now and then, Saito would stare angrily at Julio, grinding his teeth and food, thinking "Huh, that bastard"
Tiffania nervously shrunk into her seat. Holding the fork and knife in her hand tightly, the plate served just now, she had not taken a single bite, already cut into an unknown number of pieces now.
In front of her is the one who called Louise and the others here, Henrietta.
Likewise to Colbert, Henrietta was also deep in thoughts, focusing dully on the wineglass in front of her. On the side of Henrietta sat Captain of the guns squadron, Agnes, but she also seemed to be considering something silently.
Sitting at the end of the table, was Pope Sinclair (聖埃吉斯) the 32nd, Vittorio Surname_here (塞雷瓦雷), listening to Julio's daily report.
Not long ago, Louise, Saito and Tiffania 3 of the were allowed to see Pope Vittorio alone. He used the caring, smiling face of his to welcome them all.
First, Louise was stunned by his handsome face. He was just like an elf, mysterious and mighty.
Next thing Louise felt, was the overwhelming warm feeling radiating from him. It's only something one can feel from those who have sacrificed all their desires for others. Just taking one sight of him, Louise felt as if she understood why he was able to become Pope at such a young age.
Saito also seemed to be experiencing what Louise is right now. His jaw dropped at the sight of the glamorous Vittorio, then quickily changed to a smile of defeat.
"Julio that kid may be handsome but he has his irritating side, but this person is completely different. So these people do exist in the world" Saito relayed his thoughts to Louise back then.
After than the dinner began. The only words spoken so far were from Vittorio, all of them comforting words, but irrevelant to the case. Not being able to raise a question on her side, Louise uncomfortably calmed down her mind.
What, is this thing that Henrietta and Pope his holiness wants us to see?
Louise jabbed the Saito beside her and said
"Hey"
"Huh?"
"What are her majesty and his holiness planning to let us look at?"
"Dunno. I guess we will after this dinner. It may be extremely shocking, therefore a filled up stomach will surely calm you down."
Just like what Saito said, it's pointless to be thinking all day long. And so, Louise extended her hand to reach the food.
Hearing the report, Vittorio deeply bowed to everyone.
"My familiar must have caused you trouble"
Hearing him say this, Louise and Saito both, "Pufffff!", spitting out everything in their mouths.
"Your holiness, just now, what did you say?"
"I was apologizing for the trouble caused. Julio, why did you do these things without informing me? I only said 'Hope you may welcome them'."
Julio's heretochromic eyes shined, and chuckled.
"No, not that!"
Louise unconsiciously stood up.
"Just now, your holiness said 'familiar'?"
"Yes, that is correct."
Julio looked at Saito and Louse, then said while nodding
"We are brothers, gifted with the power to guide people to the correct paths, brothers weilding legendary power"
Saito and the others were all astonished by this sudden confession from Julio. Julio then casually took off his gloves on his right hand.
On his hand, a chain of letters similar to Gandalfr's inscription was marked down there.
"I am the right hand of God. Windalfr. Saito, you and me are like brothers."
"Windalfr", Tiffania murmured to herself.
""Because Miss Tiffania still does not pocess a familiar, that will be 3 bearers, 2 familiars, and"
Vittorio eyed the Founder's Prayer book lying beside Louise
"A secret treasure, two rings, all inside this room"
Jullio whispered softly in Vittorio's ear
"Ring, there is one more the can be counted"
"In that case, then there are 3 rings. So this is it."
The dining hall was filled with tension. In the middle of this stifiling air, Vittorio turned to Henrietta.
Henrietta's concerned face nodded deeply.
"Then, today, the reason for everyone's presence here is none other than what you are expecting. I hope you may all help me."
"Help in?"
At this point, Henrietta opened her mouth and offered to continue for him.
After Saito and Louise had finished listening to what Henrietta had to say, they widened their eyes at this ridiculous task. Eventually returning to reality, Louise opened her mouth and said
"Anyhow, what you majesty is trying to say is, to use our power, and to reclaim the holy land back from the elves' hands? How is this different from the Holohonguista (可雷空基斯特) people?"
"No, it's not like that, Louise. It's to discuss. War is foolish. Both of you have made me realise this point."
"Then, why must we reclaim the holy land?"
This time Vittorio cut in
"It's because that place is where we belong. Why do wars exists? Why do the governors of this world, us sheepishly declare war with different clans? Simpily said, this state exists because of the loss of our destinied land."
Vittorio's calm voice stands out from the rest and he continues
"In this few thousand years of losing our holy hand, we were at a state of losing confidence. Our promised lands conquered by unfamiliar people, is unhealthy for our overall population. Losing confidence, we have been seeking cheap replacements. Pointless fights over countless lands, we have bled a lot unnecessarily."
Louise had nothing to counter. This is Halkengia's history.
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