Zero no Tsukaima:Volume16 Chapter9
Chapter 9: Secret meeting
"Oh my......"
Never thinking that the room of the palace is linked to Des Ornières, Saito and Henrietta sat on the bed of the underground room. It seemed that the mirror is a magical object that works like a secret door, linking this room and the palace far away.
"It's almost like a world door," according to Saito.
"I'm afraid that it's something...... that uses that kind of power."
Something that uses the power of Void...... The date when it's made remains an unknown, but it seems quite majestic. Even though it's creator also is an enigma, but someone that can condense the power of Void truly existed in this world, passing on to future mages. That was Premier (T/L:Original: 普里米尔) that he once dreamt of, right? However, Saito knew nothing regarding this.
On the other hand, because the wall on Henrietta's bedroom did not have this magic, so the entrance there remained hidden until now. This was a blind spot, if the skill, Detect Magic, can't find it, then there was no magic present, that was the kind of thinking that has taken root in the mind of the nobles.
"Of course, it should be that! This is a secret escape route, right?" Saito exclaimed. There was a norm in most play of the old...... The rooms of kings and his ministers should have some kind of escape route. That was what Saito thought.
However, Henrietta shook her head.
"I......don't think it's so. Looking around the structure of this room......In the past, the land of Des Ornières was the concubine room(T/L:Harem?) of Father's or Grandfather's."
"Concubine room?"
"Yes. Also known as......even though it really isn't something to be proud of, it refers to a lovers."
Lovers......hearing this made Saito blush.
"If it really was just an escape route, there wouldn't really be a need to build this room, right? Unfortunately, I think......it's to let the lover live in the rooms aboveground and meet secretly with her here in this room."
Looking around the place, it was filled with things coveted by lovers. On the wall with meticulate carvings and decorated with beautiful jewels......the canopied bed was large and the cloth used were of high quality.
"Father, Grandfather, Great-grandfather......Even though I don't who, I don't think I would be wrong. I know of the escape routes of the city but not of this secret passage. That should means it's down to this.
"......"
"Sorry about that. However, it's strange. Father and Grandfather were once known as strict kings, but they also have such a side to them."
It seems like Henrietta does not feel that her family were impure, but simply felt that they were not the stone cold statues she knew of. After the mystery of the identity of the room is solved, there was not much to it......but this unexpected result left Saito very nervous.
Naturally......this being a place where lovers met secretly, but now he was sitting here with Henrietta alone.
Henrietta seemed to notice Saito's inner conflict, so she said with a soothing voice.
"I really didn't know about it. The land given to you being connected to the palace this way."
"I understand. Don't worry about it."
"Then it's settled then. It has been given to you in any case. I was just thinking when I should come over to visit you......how was the stay here?"
Saito was at a loss of words. He can't really say that he never really stayed here, right? So he just muttered,
"It's not bad. Strolling around here is quite refreshing."
"Is it so? Then that's excellent."
They remained silent for a while.
Saito looked at Henrietta from the corner of his eyes. Henreitta, illuminated by the candlelight seemed to exuberate irresistable sweet scent. This was a point that Louise could never match up to. Also......there was a hint of a valley in the center of the nightgown-like dress.
Thinking back to the Henrietta just now,only wearing her underwear, Saito held his nose.
Not knowing if she took note of Saito's inner conflict, Henrietta continued to talk nonchalantly.
"I always had this......strange feeling."
"Strange feeling?"
What was the "strange feeling" she was talking about? Maybe it was......butterflies in her stomach kind of feeling?
"Yes. Event though now is peacetime, but instead some other troublesome things pop out."
A quiet voice was filled with emotion.
"Yeah."
Saito thought about the fight with Louise just now while answering.
"I was looking forward to a time of peace, knowing that such times are hard to come by......but there are still many things that troubles me. This is really such an irony."
"Trouble?"
Seeing as Saito asked, Henrietta answered.
"To unite the nobles of the country, Mother and Mazarin are asking me to marry."
Quietly, dejectedly, Henrietta spoke her piece. From her voice, Henrietta did not wish for such a marriage. Not knowing what to say, Saito was very disturbed.
"I already gave up hope of marrying the person I loved. However......facing such a matter again still makes me very depressed."
It seems that someone has already tried to matchmake her, so that she would tie the knot with some powerful noble in the country. To make hay while the sun shines during peacetime, the country's society should be consolidated. Saito finally understood that it was a classic power struggle of the court.
"Do you really want to marry?
"Hmm......I still can't make a decision."
Henritta lifted her head to look at Saito. Her gaze, looking for someone to depend on made Saito stopped breathing.
"Can you decide for me?"
In a sudden, Saito didn't know what she was refering to.
"Decide......what?"
"Decide the path I should take."
Saito bucked up and looked at Henrietta.
"Meaning, the matter of marrying?"
"Yes."
Slowly, Henrietta nodded.
"Why......me?"
"I don't really know but when I'm troubled, your face will pop out in my mind. In the past because of the incident of Wales-sama, from the bottom of my heart, I vowed not to love anyone again, but......how many times have I been saved by you? I now looked to you as my pillar of support, I don't know why, but I keep thinking about you. In my dreams, in the real world, I have only gone through love once, so I don't really know if this feeling is called love. However......the part about my heart beating wildly, this part is true."
Henrietta lowered her head. It can be seen that her previous words,"I can only let you see the Queen side of me" was not true.
"So that's why you chose me?"
"No, not only that."
Saying this, Henrietta grasped Saito's hands tightly. Even though his hands were just held, Saito's heart beat wildly. Louise, Tiffania, Siesta, Tabitha, Saito witnessed various beautiful girls, but Henrietta's beauty was different from its very core. She was not just beautiful, she has an attracive, irresistable, aura about her. Also, this irresistable aura can't be found in the magestic palace, but only in this sunless underground room, or even in that cheap inn.
"Don't you feel the same way from me?"
The Henrietta asking now, was not the face of the Queen, but it was that of a normal girl.
Saito's breath almost stopped. Henrietta's words, one by one were printed onto his heart.
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