The Ruby of Atonement

Chapter Six: Sortie

The end of the year, first week of Wynn's moon, Man's day of the week became a day that was imprinted in the history of Halkeginia.

It was the next day of Void, when the two moons that hung in the sky overlapped. During this day, when the Albion continent was at its closest point to Halkeginia, a large fleet of Tristain and Germania ships carrying a united army of 60,000 soldiers sailed off from La Rochelle for the Albion invasion.

Tristain and Germania together had 500 ships. Only sixty of them were battleships while the rest carried soldiers and supplies.

Queen Henrietta and Cardinal Mazarini were in La Rochelle port, standing on top of the World Tree pier, watching the fleet sail off.

All the ships going up into the sky at the same time surely was an amazing sight to behold.

“It's as if they are seeds carried away by the wind,” Cardinal Mazarini said, sharing his thoughts.

“Seeds that will repaint the continent.”

“There’s no seed that can repaint a white country, blue.”

The flag of Tristain’s royal family was a white lily on a blue background.

“It’s possible that we will be defeated,” Mazarini muttered.

“I do not intend to be defeated.”

“General De Poitiers is a great commander who is both bold and careful. He is likely to succeed.” Henrietta knew that calling him a great commander was a bit of a stretch, but there were no other generals with more talent than him. Generals who surpassed him existed only in history books.

“I wonder why we have to fight though?”

Mazarini muttered, in a barely audible voice.

“Why would you ask such a thing?”

“We could have blockaded Albion to make them starve. With careful planning, it could be a very successful idea.”

“We will march.”

Henrietta muttered without changing her expression.

“Don’t say that. Courage is not necessary to settle it once and for all. Well, maybe I'm just getting old.”

Mazarini patted his whitening beard.

“If we were going to lose, would you use the ‘Void’ in this war, Your Majesty?”

It was a highly secret matter to discuss. Only a few people knew that Louise was a Void user. Henrietta, the Cardinal… and a few royal generals.

“I should be burned... with pleasure I would burn as a retribution for my sins.”

Henrietta muttered silently, staring into the emptiness.

“Calm down. Your Majesty won't go there alone. Hopefully my old bones are good enough for that.”

Henrietta entrusted generals with knowledge of the Void only as the trump card.

After hearing about Louise’s Void, at first, General De Poitiers did not even try to believe in it. But it was not impossible either. Because Void was considered a legend, he could not believe in its existence.

However, after being reminded about the military results in Tarbes, with much effort, the general believed in it.

Obtaining the legendary element of Void, redoubled his courage and he promised Henrietta a swift victory.

Henrietta, to ensure the victory in the first battle, gave him permission to control the Void.

Henrietta sighed over her own sinfulness.

This war… against country, people.

It was nothing more than letting one's personal grievance out on them.

The war was only a means to calm down lover's enmity.

How many humans did I send away to death for this?

It even included her childhood and best friend, too.

In such war, there is no victory or defeat, it cannot make one’s crimes disappear, Henrietta thought.

Despite knowing this, I still declare the patriotism for the sailing off troops, I will burn in hell for this.

A trickle of blood ran down the edge of her lips as Henrietta bit them, screaming out,

“Viva Tristain!”

The sounds of the queen’s cheers sounded in the sky.

Officers lined up on the upper deck, saluted Henrietta, who was seeing them off, and shouted following the queen,

“Viva Tristain! Viva Henrietta!”

These shouts, accompanied with a chorus of the rest of 60,000 men that joined in, roared in the sky.

“Viva Tristain! Viva Henrietta!”

The chest-piercing repetitive cheers only intensified Henrietta’s awareness of her crime…

At the same time, in the Academy of Magic…　

To use Fire by himself peacefully, Colbert finally reached the “power” at last. The power of heat… That is to say, the power to convert heat into movement somehow.

Though steam based mechanisms made up for it in some measure, it wasn’t enough for Colbert, who wanted to upgrade it into the Zero Fighter’s engine “power”.

Colbert concentrated on the analysis of this “Enjin”.

Though he wanted to assemble something close to it by trial and error… It was impossible to learn how to assemble an internal combustion Enjin of equal accuracy.

First of all, metallurgy technologies were primitive in Halkeginia.

The iron that composed the Enjin could not be manufactured. Even with the square-class spell “Alchemy” it would be difficult to create such advanced manufactured iron. A person’s magic technique mixes with impurities anyway.

Secondly, the processing technology.

To assemble a high quality Enjin, you would need to make a lot of identical parts. Considering the technology of Halkeginia, it was nearly impossible.

In Halkeginia, the concept of an entirely identical thing doesn't exist.

For instance, even among guns, which are mostly made from advanced craft goods, there still aren’t two completely identical ones. Bullets and the form of a gun appear identical, but the details are different. Even parts are not really compatible.

Even if Colbert tried to make the Zero Fighter’s machine gun’s bullets, he knew that it was impossible. Though one can create a brass frame, it would still have too many identical details for Alchemy to deal with. Although it was hard to create brass frames, the production of the liquid “gasoline” was an entirely different matter.

Thus Colbert finished “New Liquid Container” putting the technologies to use.

In front of the laboratory in the Academy of Magic, Colbert, who with much effort finished obtaining all the equipment for the Zero Fighter, with a deep sigh, watched his single-handed work.

During half of a year, though the new weapon was finished, he still wanted to accomplish more wonderful technologies, but his research results were settled there.

Seeing Saito, who showed up in front of the laboratory, Colbert spread his hands.　

“Ooh, Saito-kun, are you leaving?”

Saito had just finished preparing for the journey ahead. He carried goggles, which were Siesta's grandfather's keepsake, on his neck. Derflinger was tied on his back and a leather pouch attached to his waist. Various items were placed in there.

“Yes,” Saito nodded.

“Very well. Will you head directly to the ship? Can you land this thing on the ship safely?”

This morning, the fleet had set sail for Albion.

The ship that should have taken the Zero Fighter with it had already sailed with the other ships and was waiting for them ahead. It was a special warship built to carry wind dragons, now it would carry the Zero Fighter as well.

The new and powerful ship, which belonged to the newly created Dragon Carrier-class, was named Varsenda.

Not only that, but Colbert, using Earth magic, placed enough gasoline for five flights within the ship as well.

So Saito only needed take Louise with him on the Zero Fighter and land on that ship.

“Well, with a lot… One cannot be completely safe, right?”

Saito said while turning around. Louise had not appeared yet.

“Because of this haste, I didn’t have the time to explain to you how the new weapon works.”

“Is that so…”

Saito found an iron pipe hanging under the Zero Fighter’s wing. What on earth is that tube for? But, there was no time for the detailed explanations now.

“But before you go, here is the manual I wrote for you.”

Colbert handed Saito a small notebook. Although Saito could not read it, Louise could. I'll read it later, he thought.

“Thank you.”

Then Colbert, looking hesitant whether to say or not, opened his mouth.

“To tell you the truth…”

“Eh?”

“To tell you the truth, I do not want my student to ride a vehicle used for war.”

He said bitterly.

“Student?”

“Aah, how should I put it? Well, though you are not a noble, I still think of you as one of my students. You don’t mind, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t mind that…”

Saito felt shy.

“I do not want to use Fire for murder. I…”

Colbert declared clearly.

“Why? Everyone is saying that the Fire element is the most suited for the war. Oh well, I do not know magic so well.”

“That’s right… Fire is the element of destruction. Fire users are of a great value… However, I think otherwise. I think that using Fire for destruction is lonely.”

Recalling the words, Saito hung his head, embarrassed.

“Oh yes, this flying machine is called ‘Phoenix’ by the royal army, right?”

“Yes, when I was attacking battleships with it at Tarbes, someone said, ‘This is the legendary Phoenix!’…”

“I see! That Phoenix!”

Colbert shouted, delighted.

“Teacher?”

“Phoenix is a legendary being. Phoenix… firebird god, a symbol of destruction…and a symbol of ‘Rebirth’.”

“Rebirth?”

“It's a reincarnation.”

Saito wondered why Colbert looked so pleased. Then, Colbert entered into a world of his own.

“That’s right… Rebirth… indeed… it’s a symbol right? Really?”

Then, Colbert noticed Saito who was watching him in amazement.

“Ah, aah! Sorry!” he bowed his head.

“No, it’s all right. I’m used to it.”

Colbert put on a serious look.

“Hey, Saito-kun… By the way, that…”

“What?”

At that moment, Louise showed up.

“At last,” Saito muttered.

“It can’t be helped! A girl has lots of preparations to take care of!”

“We're going to war. What kind of girl preparations are there?”

“Hmph!” Louise turned her face away, and ignoring Saito, climbed up the wing and entered the cockpit. One month had passed since they ran away from Louise's family.

Since then, things were like this.

Lifting up the rear bulletproof plane glass, Louise sat down in the seat.

“Well, errr, teacher, what were you saying just now?”

“N-no…it’s nothing. Yes.”

Saito boarded the Zero Fighter.

Then Colbert’s magic cranked the propeller, starting up the engine.

As it was a second time, it was possible to operate calmly.

Colbert helping again, created a strong wind.

Saito put on the goggles and rolled the muffler around his neck.

Colbert shouted through the roaring noise of engine.

“Saito-kun! Miss Vallière!”

Saito waved.

“Do not die! Do not die! Even if it is hopeless! Even if you’ll be called a coward, do not die! Never die! Return safe and sound!”

Through the roaring of the engine, the voice was not heard. However, Colbert's words reached somehow. Even though he could not hear them, they reached his heart.

“Ok!” Saito shouted opening the throttle.

The Zero Fighter started sliding and bit by bit it started lifting.

Gradually it grew smaller, until it faded away in the sky.

Even though the Zero Fighter had disappeared in the sky, Colbert quietly kept on watching.

After flying for two hours, there was a small break in the clouds. It grew bigger while approaching, until it became a fleet buried deep in the sky. Saito was reminded of a race of balloons he had seen on the television one time.

Varying from 50 to 100 meters in length, hundreds of ships were queued up, making it a grand and a beautiful spectacle to behold.

“Incredible…”

Saito exclaimed in a voice of admiration.

“Hey, Louise, look. Huge fleet!”

“…”

However, Louise turned away, puffing her cheeks.

Louise's mood did not improve. Lately, after returning home, was she always like this.

Saito tried to figure out the reason behind Louise’s bad mood.

After confessing my love, Louise looked like she accepted it for a moment.

Normally, one would expect a couple to get closer after that.

But I interpreted Louise’s reward, “Touch one place that you like,” as permission to touch everywhere, which made Louise angry.

And after Siesta’s “Unbuttoning” remark, Master, who has a very strong monopoly on desire got even more angry.

From Louise’s perspective, flirting with another girl was similar to serving two masters at once – Saito misunderstood it greatly.

Actually, Louise was just jealous.

Flirting with other girls after confessing his love to her and kissing her was something she could not forgive.

And, even though for a moment, she was ready to surrender her chastity for this familiar, even her own thoughts were inexcusable. Until marriage, it was definitely not good. Even three months after marriage, it was definitely not good. Being swayed by his actions – that’s what she was so angry about.

Because Louise kept being silent like that, Saito gave up.

At the moment, they needed to find that warship to land on. Several dragon knights flew up, surrounding Saito’s Zero Fighter. They started waving; Saito waved back. Seems like they were going to guide him to the ship.

Following the backs of the dragon knights, at the limit speed of the plane, Varsenda came into view.

The ship deck was flat and big in order to carry the large number of dragon knights. The sail mast was about 6 meters tall, everything must look like small bugs from up there. It wasn’t equipped with cannons as this ship’s sole purpose was to carry dragon knights.

It was a perfect place to carry the Zero Fighter, or perhaps one should say that it was impossible for other ships to do that.

But even though Varsenda's deck was long and wide, the length of the deck was still too short for the Zero Fighter to land on.

How could he land there?

Derflinger asked from his back.

“Partner, bring this airplane closer to the ship. Seems like they're going to catch us.”

Many mages could be seen on the deck.

Ropes were put out on the deck. Soldiers grabbed the ends of each rope and placed them perpendicular to the length of the deck.

It seemed like with Wind element spells and ropes across the deck, the Zero Fighter would be able to land. Pretty rough, he thought, but there was no other way.

Saito's right hand moved to throw up a hook to the ship. The hook wired up the Zero Fighter with the carrier, where it was fastened to.

Colbert who noticed the hook, was likely to have told to the crew of the Varsenda to stretch out ropes across the deck to help the Zero Fighter land.

They approached the Varsenda.

Then other hooks from the warship followed, fastening wings and tail. The flap was lowered.

Saito carefully approached from the rear, towards the ship.

Meanwhile, Louise didn't bat an eyelash for that sort of spectacle, and thought quietly.

Of course, at that time on the boat.

When she was pushed down by Saito…

How it would have ended, if neither her family, nor servants had spotted them, Louise thought.

“…”

This made her cheeks flush a deep red. She suddenly felt angry at Saito who, rocked in security, was handling the landing, and started to beat him.

“W-what are you doing?!”

“Why did you choose that place?! That place!”

Louise shouted.

“There’s no other place to land!”

And so, they both completely misunderstood each other.

As soon as Saito and Louise landed on the Varsenda and got off the Zero Fighter, they were greeted by the officer, who was accompanied by the guardians.

“Deck Officer, Kuryuuzurei.”

“Where are we heading now?”

Although he was asked, the officer guided them both without answering. Where could he be taking them? In Henrietta’s instructions only the name of the warship that they were to land on was written, nothing else. And the instructions of higher-up were always like this. Telling to one subordinate, they think that they already told all. A noble’s subordinate must lead a long and tough life, Saito thought. Henrietta did not appear to be an exception.

They are so confident, because that’s the way things are.

Through the narrow main-deck’s passage they were lead to a private two-man cabin. Although very small, it was still a private room. Within this cabin, there was an extremely small bed and table. Once Saito and Louise placed their luggage, they were urged by the officer to follow him again.

After going in zigzags through narrow passages of the warship, they finally stopped in front of a certain door.

When the officer knocked, there was an answer from the inside. The officer opened the door and let Saito and Louise in.

They both were greeted by generals sitting in a line. Golden mail-laces shined across their shoulders. They must be important commanders.

Dumbfounded, Louise and Saito took seats offered by the soldiers. Louise sat on the chair, and Saito after her.

The General in the most top seat, opened his mouth.

“Welcome to Albion Invasion Command Headquarters, Miss Void.”

Louise felt nervous. This general with a beard looked around 40 years old…

“Supreme Commander De Poitiers.”

Quickly, the general described his colleagues.

“This is Chief of Staff Wimpffen.”

A small man with a deep wrinkles sitting to the left of the General nodded.

“This is the commander of the Germania army, Marquis Handenburg.”

The General with a handlebar mustache that wore a steel helmet, nodded solemnly to Louise.

Apparently, this dragon mothership was also a general headquarters.

After that, the General introduced Louise to the staff and generals, gathered in the conference room.

“Now then, gentlemen. This is the trump card that our Majesty kept, I introduce you the ‘Void’ user.”

However, no one in the conference room even raised an eyebrow after those words. They just stared suspiciously at Louise and her familiar.

“In the battle of Tarbes, she was the one who gave the blow to Albion’s fleet.”

Only after De Poiters's words did the generals look with an interest at them.

Saito poked Louise.

“What?”

“…is it all right to be exposed like that?”

“If not, it would not be possible to cooperate with the army.”

It may be right, however… although Henrietta ordered Louise to keep silent, she herself revealed it with ease, he thought.

Though Henrietta kept on saying that Louise was important, somehow her actions contradicted that. Thoughts about the queen made Saito sad.

Then he remembered Henrietta’s tremble at that time. Impossible, he thought.

Anyway, he was completely sure about her.

The generals smiled to Louise. Fake smiles.

“You may think it is a hastily chosen headquarters. Sorry no. This ship ensures absolute security. You see, this warship which is specialized in carrying dragon knights is not packed with cannons. It can be troublesome if enemies aim at us.”

“Ha, haah…then why did you make such a warship into general headquarters?”

The whole room burst in laughter as Louise questioned in a very cute, confused voice.

“In normal ships there is no space for such conference rooms. They are stuffed with cannons.”

Indeed. For a flagship that controls a huge army, the ability to process information quickly is more necessary than offensive power.

“Enough with the chat. Let’s continue with the war council,” said a general of Germania. Smiles disappeared from the generals faces.

It was a tough war council. 　

Making 60,000 soldiers land on Albion was a secondary problem.

The main problem was how to deal with the powerful enemy air fleet. Even though during the battle at Tarbes 10 Albion ships-of-the-line along with the Lexington were destroyed, 40 ships-of-the-line remained. Although Tristain and Germania had 60 ships-of-the-line because it was a united fleet of two countries, executive confusion was to be expected. When you take into account that the Albion fleet was said to be superior to a fleet 1.5 times their strength, the potential difference between them was canceled.

Secondly, the selection of the landing point.

On Albion’s continent there were only two places where the large army of 60,000 soldiers could land all at once.

The capital city Londinium’s southern airbase Rosais, or the northern port - Dartanes.

Because of the port size, Rosais was preferable, however… aiming straight there, their large fleet would be discovered at once and that would give enemy the time to prepare a defense.

“Wasting soldiers in the assault would put the capture of Londinium at risk.”

The Chief of Staff calmly analyzed the forces and informed everyone. It should be kept silent. What kind of assault would that be with enemy resistance.

The allied forces needed a surprise attack.

60,000 soldiers wanted to land in Rosais without facing enemy resistance.

Thus they needed to deceive the large enemy army and draw their attention from the landing point at Rosais.

Simply put, the Tristain and Germania united army of 60,000… required a cunning strategy that would deceive the enemy into thinking that they would land in Dartanes.

That was the second problem.

“Can we hope for Miss Void’s cooperation in either of the two?”

The noble with a staff badge asked while watching Louise.

“Could you blow up the Albion fleet, the way we blew up the Lexington in Tarbes?”

Saito watched Louise. Louise turned around and shook her head.

“It is impossible…I don't have enough willpower stored to cast such strong 'Explosion'. I don’t know how many month’s or years would it take.”

The staff officer shook his head.

“Then such an unreliable ‘weapon’ can’t be called our trump card.”

Those words made Saito respond.

“Hey, Louise is not a weapon.”

“What? It’s not for a familiar to talk.”

Before it turned into a fuss… General De Poitiers interrupted.

“We’ll take over the fleet. Let’s have Miss Void undertake the feint. Can you do it?”

“Feint?”

“We discussed it before. We only have to convince the enemy that we will land not in Rosais but in Dartanes. It should be simple for the legendary 'Void user,' right?”

Louise thought.

…Was there such a spell?

Saito muttered quietly from the back.

“…Didn’t Derf say that it can be read when the right time comes?”

Louise nodded.

“Tomorrow, I’ll look for a spell that can be used.”

General De Poitiers gave a hopeful smile.

He then urged Louise and Saito to leave the room. 　

“Great,” Saito nodded.

“Those people, I think that they see me only as a gift horse.”

Saito tapped Louise's shoulder.

“These are the great generals? This way we won’t win the war this year.”

But, it might be a correct idea during the war.

The fighter is more than just a means of boarding the ship, it is also indispensable.

However, while thinking absent-mindedly, his shoulder was tapped from behind.

When he turned around, five or six nobles were sharply staring at Saito. They all seemed to be teenagers rather than men. They looked similar in age to Saito. They were wearing leather hats and clad in blue tunics. Like soldiers, they were wearing rapier-looking wands at their waists… yet it looked considerably shorter.

“Hey, you.”

Being addressed to, Saito turned.

“What?”

“Stop it,” Louise muttered quietly, pulling his sleeve.

The boy in the middle with a long jaw-line seemed to be their leader.

“Come.”

Huh? With a suddenly agitated imagination, Saito, holding Derflinger, walked towards them.

They entered the upper deck where the Zero Fighter was placed. All Zero Fighter’s parts were tied with ropes that were fastened to the deck. Not able to understand, and still trying the figure out the meaning behind this, the irritated Saito pulled out Derflinger.

“Is this thing alive?”

One noble boy asked embarrassed, pointing at the Zero Fighter.

“If it is not so, then what is that. Explain.”

Another one requested for the explanation with a serious look.

Saito felt dumb-struck.

“No, that is not a living thing, however…” He muttered.

“Hurray! Didn’t I tell you? I win! Everyone give one écu!”

The fattest boy began to roar. Everyone sulkily took out gold coins from their pockets pocket and handed them to the boy.

Seeing Louise and Saito with their mouths agape, the boys gave awkward smiles.

“Were you surprised? Sorry.”

“Yes.”

“No, we were having a bet. Over that thing.”

A noble boy pointed at the Zero Fighter.

“We thought that it was alive. We thought that it was a dragon.”

“There is no place where such dragons could exist!”

“There might be! The world is wide after all!”

They started to quarrel again.

Seeing that, Saito recalled the classroom in his hometown. During the break, they also had similar foolish discussions to pass the time…

“It is a flying machine.”

He said, and the noble boys were interested immediately and listened attentively to Saito's explanation. However, they seemed not to be able to understand; an object that flies over the sky using power other than magic.

“We are dragon knights.”　

When the explanation of the Zero Fighter ended, the boys guided Saito and Louise to dragons inside the deck. The Dragon Knight Corps had suffered a lot of damage and was almost completely annihilated during the battle at Tarbes, that’s why the dragon knight apprentices were incorporated into the army as true knights.

“Under normal circumstances, one more year of training would be needed though.”

Explained the shyly smiling plump boy, who had won the bet before. He said that he was a commander of the 2nd Dragon Knight Squadron. He was the one that had guided Saito's Zero Fighter to the warship.

The dragons inside were all adult dragons. They looked twice as big as Tabitha’s Sylphid. Their big wings seemed to be built for speed.

“It must be very tough to become a dragon knight.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Having a dragon as a familiar is not that simple. Not everyone can do it. Dragon familiars are hard to please, difficult animals, because they will only allow those riders whom they accept to ride them.”

“Does being a dragon rider require not only skill but also magic powers? Intelligence too? To see through that sort of thing and never let his or her guard down?”

Seems like the dragon knight boys were elite, and had considerable owner’s pride too.

“Can I get on?”

Saito asked, they nodded.

Saito tried to straddle it, but was thrown off quickly. The boys burst into laughter, holding their sides. Since Saito’s competitive spirit was strong, he took the challenge again. The result was the same. Even a small girl like Tabitha was able to get on a dragon with a cool face… this was mortifying for Saito, so he took the challenge many times.

Louise watched the spectacle from far away. Saito and the dragon knight boys were getting along well, he made noise and screamed like one of them.　

The boys looked happy, and she envied them for a moment. Why are they getting along so well and so quickly? Louise thought while she sulked.

I mean, what do dragons have that your master doesn’t? He did that with me in the boat the other day. Yet now he plays, screaming with dragon knights?

Don’t we have a battle in the sky tomorrow? Isn't there a chance we will die tomorrow? Is this how you decide to spend your time?

Louise thought, while glaring at Saito.

I am insecure and scared, I’d like you to hold me tight

But I’ll never say it aloud. 　

And… she sighed.

The feint operation.

It was necessary to convince the enemy that the united army of 60,000 was going to land not in Rosais, but in Dartanes… What spell would suit? She had not the slightest idea.

“Hey, you. You.”　

The dragon knight boys noticed the looks Louise was giving off in their direction, as she idly swung her legs leaning against the wall, and asked Saito.

“Is she your master? Is it ok for you to leave her alone?”

“Uuh! Damn!” Saito turned pale. Louise was left alone. She’ll hit, hit and complain later for sure. However, he did not want to look so pathetic in front of his new friends. Boys are inexperienced beings, and a new mate should not show weaknesses. Saito was strong.

“I-it’s all right if it is her. Leave it.”

“Oooh,”

Applauses erupted.

“That’s the spirit. To oppose your master in such manner! You are not an ordinary person.”

Louise, who got angry at Saito's attitude, approached.

“What did you say?”

“No, nothing…” the moment when he shut his mouth, Louise kicked him between the legs. And once she turned to go back to their room, dragging him with her, the commanding officer called for them both.

“What are your plans for tonight?”

For some reason Louise’s cheeks turned red.

“Nothing…” Saito replied, Louise kicked him in the stomach.

“In that case, how about having some drinks tonight for our acquaintanceship?”

He carefully suggested.

“By no means, if we were to slip out of our rooms in the middle of the night, we would be instantly found out by patrolling ship officers.”

Everyone started to worry. They wanted to escape ship officers anger from being drunk. It would be discovered by tomorrow anyways.

Saito, who had an idea, put out his finger and said,

“How about making jackstraws? Make straw bundles and place them in beds.”

“Lets do it!” the dragon knights laughed.

However, Louise alone did not laugh. She bit her nails, as if thinking about something.

“What’s wrong?”

Conversely they asked.

“…You. What did you say just now?”

“Eh? Well… Making jackstraws?”

“That’s right. Jackstraws. We just have to make 60,000 jackstraws.”

“Huh? 60,000? The number of members here is smaller.”

“First of all, making such a large number of straw bundles would really be problematic, right?”

One dragon knight asked with a serious expression on his face.

“Bundle of straws? Use magic!”

With that, Louise ran out.

“What, she?”

Dumbfounded Saito watched Louise leaving. Once again they were not understanding each other.

Louise jumped into the private room given to them, and opened the Founder’s Prayer Book.

For a moment she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. With her mind totally focused on the Founder’s Prayer Book, she carefully held it.

One page began to shine… Louise smiled.

At the Academy of Magic, where classes had just ended, a group of riders appeared. It was the same day when Colbert watched Saito and Louise leave.

Entering through the gates were Agnes' musketeers.

The girls who stayed behind in the school were surprised by the appearance of household troops who rode horses. What’s going on? they wondered. Old Osman, the school headmaster, came out to meet Agnes.

“Welcome, Musketeer Commander Agnes. What brings you here?”

“Just doing my work, thank you for your patronage.”

Old Osman muttered something in his beard. In his heart, he had subtle thoughts. She probably came here to take the remaining female pupils for military training?

Last night he had received a report.

Apparently, Henrietta’s royal government recruited a majority of nobles for war. The way it turned out - schoolgirls also were recruited as preliminary officers, if the officers were consumed in the Albion war. Old Osman doubted the methods of the royal government.

That’s why Old Osman did not take part in the ceremony at La Rochelle, saying farewell to the army.

The schoolgirls attendance was similarly prohibited too. As a result, Royal government decided to stimulate things by itself.

“Even though this war is inhuman?”

“The royal government at this moment is calling this war an ‘All-out war’.”

“All-out war. There is no plausible name to call it. The war that takes women and girls, what kind of righteousness could it ever have?”

Agnes watched Osman with cold eyes.

“Then what righteousness does a war where only noble men and soldiers die have?”

Old Osman was at a loss for words.

“Death is equal. It does not discriminate between women or children. Nothing else.”

Agnes determinedly headed towards the tower.

At that moment, the classes had ended in Kirche's and Montmorency's classrooms. Because the male teachers went to war, the number of classes had decreased a lot…

“However, there is an exception.” Kirche muttered watching a man fully engaged in teaching.

It was Colbert.

He keeps teaching as always. Somehow the school girl’s face was not calm at all.

“Ehm, look. Because of the flame’s high temperature the color brightens.”

He was roasting a metal stick on an open flame.

The heated stick was bent as he continued to explain,

“Well, there are a lot of metals that cannot be manipulated if the flame is not hot enough. Therefore, when using ‘Fire’, controlling the flame’s temperature is fundamental.”

Montmorency suddenly raised her hand.

“Do you have a question, Miss Montmorency?”

Montmorency stood up.

“The country is in the middle of a war. How… can you teach classes with such a carefree attitude?”

“Leave your worries at school… I am your teacher, and you are my student.”

Colbert settled down, and answered without changing the intonation.

“But… all classmates… even teachers, face the war.”

“And your point is? We should learn even more, because it is a time of war. To use it in war, it is necessary to learn to use ‘Fire’ for destruction. Study now, so you will have something to share with the boys who return from the war.”

Colbert said and looked around the classroom.

“You are just afraid of war,”

Kirche declared in a slightly thready voice.

“Indeed.” nodded Colbert.

“I’m afraid of war. I am a coward.”

From the schoolgirls throats escaped gasps of amazement.

“However, I feel no guilt.”

When Colbert clearly asserted it, a group of people rudely barged into the classroom. It was Agnes and her people.

They were wearing chain hemps, and long swords with pistols at their waists. The schoolgirls got slightly noisy, seeing women entering in such exaggerated attire.

“Y-y-you, w-what…”

Agnes, completely ignoring Colbert, ordered the students.

“I am Her Majesty's musketeer. I order you all in the name of Her Majesty to discontinue all classes from this point. Dress up and line up in the courtyard.”

“What? Discontinue the class? Don’t joke around.”

After Colbert’s words, Agnes turned her head,

“I had enough of babysitting… This is an order.”

Schoolgirls began to stand up grumbling.

Colbert blocked Agnes' way in panic.

“Hey! hey!. The class is not over yet!”

“It’s a direct order from Her Majesty. Haven’t you heard?”

Agnes said in an unpleasant voice.

“Following Her Majesty orders, I am teaching right now. 15 more minutes, the time given to me by Her Majesty to make the student learn. It cannot be ordered by you. All of you! Return to the classroom! For another 15 minutes I will teach! You can go playing war after that!”

Agnes pulled out her sword and pointed it at Colbert's throat.

“War game you say. Are you going against us? Mister, this is not for a mage to decide, do not go too far.”

“N-not at all…”

Watching the sword pointing to his throat, Colbert dropped into cold sweat.

“Are you a Fire user? They always reek of a burnt smell, an unpleasant smell that wafts from under the robe. Teacher, I hate mages, specially the ones that use Fire.”

“Huu…”

Colbert's legs began to tremble. He had to support his back against the wall.

“Listen, do not obstruct my duty.”

Agnes looked at the trembling Colbert as if looking at garbage, and walked away, placing her sword back into its sheath. Schoolgirls, with a similar scorn on their faces, passed Colbert by.

Left alone, Colbert buried his face in his palms… and released a deep sigh.