Whether they drink wine and chat, or picking up fights in a bar, they do not care at all. However, no matter the time, or where they are headed to, the guards will stick to them like bees to honey. They may not follow their targets inside their room, but will stand guard outside for the whole time.

  In name, it's to "protect the important people".....

  "How is this different from a hostage" Kirche moaned, then corrected herself

  "No.... I should have said, they are hostages"

  Not long after Malicorne's commotion, Louise and Saito returned to their bedroom, and sat down on the bed and let out a breath of relief.

  Louise stuck out her tongue towards the Romalian soldier outside her door.

  "What do they mean 'please don't make too much trouble, Halkengia's Saint', huh? Saint? Didn't you make up the title on your own?"

  "Heard you were very excited and accepted it"

  Saito gave Louise a cold stare after commenting. Louise blushed

  "Be-because.... I couldn't help it. Back then I thought it was the right decision"

  Louise explained shyly. With only memories about Saito gone, all the rest were perfectly left behind in good condition. It is an undeniable fact that back then Louise saw herself as one of Halkengia's nobles, and it is a must to follow Romalia's justice.

  "You really...... if I chose to go home at that point, those people planned to kill me on the spot! Thank goodness I'm not a coward, so I can live til now."

  Saito said with relief, a contrast to Louise's tremor of anger

  "This incident, I will never forgive them! The Pope dared lie! What is this world made of!"

  "Umm, that wouldn't have broken the contract even so"

  "How so?"

  "Those guys promised you to 'send me back', but did not ensure my survival. It's just that"

  "Is not! This is quibbling!"

  Louise crossed her arms and made a pouty face.

  "Ahh, don't get too angry yourself"

  "How can you be so calm! I have never been so ashamed of myself as a Romalia Pilgrim! It's just like switching factions with the desert devil!"

  Louise quietly complained. If other people heard it, it may become a scandal.

  "Is it not good? Now both of us have what we want from each other. As long as we assist them, those people will not do anything weird again. So, before we defeat Gallia, let us take advantage of those guys as well"

  "Huh. I wonder if it's so convenient"

  "Oh it'll be fine. Did princess also went back to Tristain by doing so"

  That's right.

  After the last appearance of Henrietta, hearing the incident from Saito and the others, she bit on her lip hard, and said with a deep expression to Saito and Louise

  "Leave it to me. I will gamble on my own life to stop this foolish 'Crusade'"

  Her face was filled with incredible determination, exactly the same as the solemn look she had on her when she ran out of the conference room, just hearing the news of Albion's army headed towards them.

  "Although her majesty has decided to carry this heavy load for us..... but if it were deemed 'unnecessary', then so be it. The Romalia bunch are not so generous to share with us any of the details."

  Louise may have said it worryingly, but Saito was still bright as ever

  "No problem"

  "Why!"

  "Because Halkengia's Saint is the hero who destroyed the entire Golomonta army on Tiger's Highway. It may be an embarrassing name, but to those people, you are unquestionably one of their most important chess piece. Which is also why they will not undermine your hard earned reputation. All of these things affect their morale, you see."

  Louise looked at Saito motionless.

  "Are you alright?"

  "Hah! You actually said it sensibly"

  Well, Saito's words did make sense.

  "I said, this Ondine Knight vice-captain isn't just here for looks. There are a lot of things you can't win by waving swords or wands, so I decided to learn a little"

  While saying this, Saito's face had an inspiring expression.

  Wow.... his looks can get this cool. Louise heart pumped so heavily that she could feel it from the outside, making her face red while looking at Saito.

  "What?"

  "No-nothing"

  Louise flustered and turn her head away, putting her fists under her knees and hung her head. Seeing Louise act weirdly like this, even Saito realized how shocking his words just now sounded to Louise.

  Saito held his fists, cheering "Good! Good!" over and over again in his heart, thumping with joy. That really came out of nowhere, ha. Louise is certainly not very capable of handling things like this......How should I say it? Reliable? I have already grown to be able to say these things naturally! Saito praised himself, full of himself.

  Ho ho, it was definitely the right choice not to go back....

  A shy Louise looked as if she were trembling. She is not someone who can easily express her feelings......But, just because that she is more righteous than anyone else, it's also the reason why she will never change her decisions once made. That's the kind of stubborn girl she is.

  It's also why Saito was attracted to her.

  Louise, compared to before, had changed a lot. Towards the Henrietta that she used to blindly trust and Romalia Pilgrims, she would speak out loud as soon as she feels that something is not right.

  On the other hand..... she underlying parts have not changed at all. The gentleness and care when taking care of Saito in a coma for 3 days and night after being beaten by Guiche, her fearlessness against facing threatening Golomontas, these areas of her have not changed at all.

  Moreover, the attractive face of hers capable of making one's heart restart again...... Louise bit her lips lightly, her long long eyelashes occasionally shaking up and down.... This living miracle assembled from these components' perfect reflection, has modeled Louise into an incomparable beauty.

  Saito's mind was in a very peaceful state.

  Liked by the girl you like, Saito couldn't think of any moment more pleasing than this one.

  His throat suddenly drying up, Saito was driven by the urge to push Louise down on the bed.

  Louise will definitely not refuse. Animal's instinct has made Saito aware of this point.

  Saito gently lifted Louise's face. A peach coloured hair beauty obediently closed her eyes. Not knowing if she's planning to let Saito do whatever she want or to cover up her shyness, Louise pouted as if angry. Revealing the answer, her cheeks shaded in the same peach colour as her hair, letting anyone see through her feelings right now. Saito easily stuck his own pair of lips onto hers, Louise hugging him tightly back.

  Louise's cute little shoulders were trembling, making Saito feel from the bottom of his heart Louise's cuteness. This small body guarded by Saito, from now on, ever and ever......

  Saito's memories once again flowed into Louise heart through the overlapping lips. Most likely it'll be Saito's imaginations again, but Louise has already decided not to be shocked no matter at what she sees.

  After all, males are that kind of creatures. They have a reason different from her to act. It can't be helped once in a while.

  This time, the "memory" flooding her is, the image of them at the Academy in her own room on her own bed, sleeping with Saito and Siesta together.

  Annoying...... even when Siesta is sleeping just right aside, he still reaches for me. Speaking of which, he didn't kiss me when I'm asleep, did he?

  Louise's heart cried out. No such thing. This is a disgrace! A disgrace!

  Saito in the memory extend his hand to Louise, gently shaking her.

  Ohh. So he was trying to wake me up.

  I do not have this kind of memory....., so this is only part of Saito's fantasies. At this moment Louise suddenly discovered a thing. Even her memories now.... aren't they all from Saito's perspective?

  Then how I 'so strongly determine' that this did not happen in real life? Thinking of this, an uncountable number of memories..... her own ones, all ones about Saito has awoken.

  "And why is that?"

  this is something that cannot be explained just by using the bond between a master and his familiar.

  Unfortunately....... Louise's sudden query was blow away by the contents of the memory.

  Because in the memory, Saito also gently shook Siesta awake.

  "Then the three of us......"

  Louise dropped out of Saito's embrace and pushed him aside expressionless.

  "Wha......Louise?"

  Saito stared at Louise in disappointment and confusion. Although Saito can take a guess at the reason, he did not know which one. To make a long paragraph short, boys of Saito's age have an unlimited number of wild fantasies.

  "Wha-what?"

  He may have guessed the correct reason, but is uncertain of which one. Despite knowing, Saito still asked Louise

  "Toilet, court and whatever I have already endured it, but I just can't stand being treated like everyone else!"

  Watching Saito still racking his brains for "which one is it?" Louise unforgivably kicked at Saito's face with the back of her shoe using all her might.

  That's right. Stowing away so many fantasies!

  Louise sat down, crossing her arms and facing Saito with her back and blamed

  "Boys, are really stupid"

  Tabitha was lying on the bed in the room assigned to her. Because of the knocking sounds, Tabitha straightened her body.

  "........Who?"

  For some reason, Tabitha was very looking forward to this.

  The one knocking did not reply, but opened the door. Tabitha winced her eyes.

  Standing there with the Ondine Knight's cape on is Saito.

  Tabitha pulled her sheets up. She is only wearing pajamas now.

  ".......What?"

  Responding to Tabitha's question, Saito walked up to the side of the bed, and sat down next to Tabitha.

  "I'm sorry to disturb you this late in the night, but I have something to say"

  "Something to say?"

  Tabitha asked for more while her chest was shaking with expectations.

  "Unn. I mentioned it to you before, is about the Ondine Water Spirit Knights. We finally came to Gallia. Your hated foe is right inside this Gallia kingdom. We want to avenge for you, therefore wouldn't it be more convenient if we wore the same coat of arms?"

  So this was the "thing". Tabitha felt a hint of disappointment.

  "Unn. Join us!"

  Saito looked at Tabitha and grabbed her hand. Tabitha nervously flung away his hand. In Saito's eyes colours of sadness can clearly be seen.

  "My bad..... Said something that would be difficult for you. Sorry"

  "It's fine, don't mind"

  Why she threw away Saito's hand, did not imply that she does not want to join the Knights. Of course, it's not a sign of rejection either. Just.....feeling shy, but afraid to display this kind of feeling. Therefore Tabitha also turned away.

  Awkward silence fell around them. Tabitha usually barely talks, therefore if the other also goes silent, there wouldn't be anything to say between the two of them.

  "Actually there's one other thing" Saito's voice broke the stillness.

  ".....What?"

  "That...., just wanted to see you"

  Tabitha felt her heart contracting to an unbelievable size, but did not show it on her expression since she is trained this way. Only subtle difference is the tiny trembling in her voice.

  ".....Why?"

  "How should I say it. Must be because I like you"

  "But, don't you already......"

  "I like you even more"

  Saying like this, Tabitha couldn't keep a poker face anymore. The long suppressed emotions revealed on her face. Her cheeks grew hot, maybe they're already red. Tabitha would do anything to cover her face with her hands, but was caught and pulled towards Saito. Naturally, her face stuck on Saito's chest.

  Her lower jaw caught by Saito, irresistibly, Tabitha closed both eyes. The nearing lips kissed her eyelids. As Tabitha slowly opened her eyes......, dream ended.

  Her eyes widens, her surroundings just as dark. Tabitha glanced at the mechanical clock placed on top of her closet, 4 a.m. in the morning.

  "...Dream."

  It was only after a considerable length of time before Tabitha made this kind of dream. Ones where Saito appears and makes his love confession....

  Tabitha was very clear when did she start making these dreams.

  Going forth to Albion to welcome Tiffania, and battling with Myozunitonirun's Golomontas...

  Tabitha once even kissed Saito in order to trigger an exhausted Louise's emotional waves.

  Of course, that one was to make Louise feel jealous, did not contain any other meaning. Saito is a knight she should help. Never did she every imagined of having these feelings upon Saito, and never will either.

  But.... since that moment, Tabitha started dreaming about Saito. These dreams, little by little gave Tabitha a change in emotions.

  Every time she meets Saito, her heart felt like it was being bounded tightly.....

  Tabitha calmly denied that feeling in her heart. The knight she was determined to serve would easily simulate love like emotions. Her own situation is none other that this.

  Tabitha only knew these knowledge on the surface.

  But similar to this time, there was another incident happened once that made her almost deny these things as well.

  It was when Saito and the Ondine Knights were peeking at the girl's shower..... Tabitha saved the trapped Saito from the furious girls.

  In the dining hall where they were hiding, holding their breath, Tabitha told Saito "don't look at me". She may have said that because she was naked, but she wasn't ashamed afterwards by the knight she serves seeing her body either. Although the she back then decided to make this sort of decisions, but yet she told him "not to look".

  Tabitha understands the reasoning for that.

  Because if Saito sher her skin......, deep inside her heart something would start to accelerate. Tabitha hugged her knees and bit her lips.

  "Is because I was too excited?" Tabitha asked herself. It because she's too excited about being near Lutèce where Joseph lives, that's why the frequency of these dreams also increases.

  But..., compared to the idea of revenge once all over her brain, the time spent thinking about that dream was much much longer.

  ".....Why is this? Am I in love?"

  Tabitha recalled all the topics she knows to define her current state. So far there has not been a single book she does not understand. That's right. Not even if it's a book about what she thinks.....

  Yet....., Tabitha recalled all the books she have read, and there was not a single one describing a method to confirm what she is actually thinking.

  Tabitha dully looked at the direction of the window. Sylphid's face appeared inside the window frame. With a "flap", she turned to human form and came in from the open window.

  "You should not change to human at this kind of place"

  "Now's not the time to say this! Sister, why are you showing this kind of expression!"

  "...What?"

  "Seriously! I am the Sylphid always protecting sister! Let's leave that for now! Sister, your expression shows that there's obviously something in your mind! Look! Your face is all red! What kind of dream did you make, tell it to me!"

  Sylphid lay naked in the room, a face full of expectations and excitement.

  "Then"

  Sylphid stood up and put her hand on top of Tabitha's head.

  "Then, who would be the person Sister is secretly dating in her dreams"

  Sylphid's question was extremely direct. Embarrassed, Tabitha did not reply but covered her head with her blankets. Sylphid snuck in the bed and laid next to her, once again showing her face to Tabitha.

  "Say it."

  "None of your business"

  "Of course it is, it's very very important, no, this may be Sylphid's long awaited moment! Leave it to me! I Sylphid will definitely help Sister succeed"

  "Don't be mistaken. There's nothing like this"

  "Was not! From ancient times to now, if you're in the state of 'seeing each other in dreams', it will turn into 'only seeing each other in dreams'. To not let this end, there must be some sparks between you, otherwise you will be hurt, otherwise how are you going to lay eggs"

  "We don't lay eggs"

  "It's only a different vocabulary. Anyways, say it. A little?"

  Sylphid jabbed Tabitha's face.

  "Talk"

  In the end, although this conversation continued all the way til morning...., Tabitha insisted not to tell his name to this stubborn familiar.

  Chapter 2: The Knight Contest of the Sandbank

  Across the river of Lelion flowing north of Carcassonne, the Romalian and Gallian Armies had been at a stalemate for the last 3 days. In this period of time, flying across the banks of this narrow river reaching less that 200 metres, are not flying arrows or bullets, nor is it magic spells, but "words".

  "Hey, Gallian suckers, convey a message to your damned old man!?"

  A Romalian soldier yelled.

  "Which stinking disciple is screaming all around!?"

  Someone in the Gallian camps responded.

  "Which wasted country is this? There's nothing to eat at all! Bread is no different from clay, and drinking wine is more like drinking vinegar!"

  "How would any stinking disciple know taste! Just wait here a while, I'll make you full from eating lead cannonballs!"

  "Hey, what is that person afraid of even crossing a river talking about?"

  "Does no one on your side know how to swim? Go back to your home and come back after you learn how to splash in water!"

  Endless cries of both sides swearing at each other, occasionally one or two hot-headed noble would wade into the center of the river and chop at each other on an small rock.

  The winner would always wave his army's flag around, enjoying his faction's cheers, boosting morale. The loser would hang their head in shame, until another unsatisfied challenger came forth..... and the loop goes on again and again.

 

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