Germania———–.
In the Von Zerbs’t family mansion, along the Germania border with Tristain, a blue-haired girl is watching over a patient by their bed. In her hands is her favourite gnarled staff, a staff which is never far out of reach even when taking a bath.
That blue haired girl is Tabitha, a Northern Flowerbed knight.
Outside the window snow is falling. It is already midway through the month of Wynn… Winter is soon to come. Placing the book she had been reading on the table beside her, Tabitha looks around her best friends luxurious but somewhat restless room.
The sound of footsteps can be heard, approaching from the hallway.
The familiar sound of her best friends boots.
The door opens and Kirche appears, her dazzling red hair and beautiful brown skin. Then, spreading her hands,
“My father told me everything.”
She says to Tabitha.
About half a year ago war broke out between Albion and Tristain. The Holy Republic of Albion had descended upon Tristain, but through countless losses and struggles the army of Tristain had managed to repel the invaders. After that Kirche’s home country Germania and Tristain had formed an alliance and for the past 6 months have been preparing for war.
And just one week ago… They began their invasion of Albion.
Albion however was not one to stand by idly. Elite mercenaries were dispatched to Tristain Magic Academy to take the noble children hostage.
The person who had saved the students from such a crisis was the very man lying on the bed, Colbert. Throwing himself without concern for his own safety at Benubiro, the captain of the mercenary army. While he had succeeded in killing him in the course of the battle he had been badly hurt.
Colbert though has a deep and sad connection with Agnes, the captain of the musketeers who had been guarding the school at the time. In a bid to protect Colbert from her Kirche had lied to her and everyone else, claiming that Colbert had died and that she would take his corpse to a proper place for one who lost their life protecting others. And that is how the severely injured Colbert ended up at the Kirche family mansion.
“There is a saying that you should “avoid more trouble in the middle of a war”. Well here we are at war already, but I guess that shouldn’t matter to us who aren’t soldiers, right?”
Speaking in her usual tone Kirche narrows her eyes, grins, and leans towards Tabitha. However Tabitha could see through her best friends demeanour, and began to gentle cradle her head…
Yes… Just like Kirche did for her some time ago…
Seeing Tabitha acting like this Kirche couldn’t help but be surprised… But only for a moment. Tears began to leak from her eyes… An extremely rare sight of the normally strong-willed Kirche. Like a child Kirche began to bury her face into the lap of a girl two heads shorter than her and cry.
“Thank you, Tabitha. Actually… This entire time I was scared. It’s strange. I didn’t think I would be scared… But I was. I have never seen such a eerie and horrifying fire. While the flames were burning with a pure and evil hatred, the flames themselves… Were coloured with joy and passion.”
That is how Kirche describes Benubiro. Tabitha nods in understanding, patting her best friend on the head over and over again.
“But on the other hand, sensei’s flames are just as amazing as he is. I am embarrassed that I called him a coward… No, he isn’t a coward, I am the one who is a coward…”
Kirche again looks at Colbert, lying on the bed. Something soft falls gently before his eyes.
At that moment… An owl flies through the window.
Tabitha’s eyes cloud over for just a moment.
The owl hands an envelope to Tabitha with its mouth before flying away. Before Tabitha had left for Germania she had informed her homeland about her destination. Should she have done so there is no telling what would be done to her mother as punishment.
Kirche turns to ask Tabitha about the letter.
“A mission?”
Kirche was well aware that her cute little blue-haired friend is carrying out harsh and violent missions for her home country by order of her uncle, the king, due to a long and complicated situation.
“I’ll go with you.”
Tabitha shakes her head in response to Kirche’s request.
“But…”
Tabitha turns to look back at Colbert.
“You have your own mission.”
In response Kirche can only let out a sad sigh. Tabitha was completely aware of Kirche’s own feelings and inner turmoil.
“… Sorry. To tell you the truth, I am worried about you too. I want to be beside you. After all, you saved my life… I am just as worried about you as I am about Colbert. Ahhh, if only I had two bodies!!”
“– I am fine alone. Don’t worry.”
Tabitha stands up and grabs her staff before approaching the window. Suddenly her faithful familiar appears, her giant wings flapping sending the snow flying all around.
Kirche tries to say something to Tabitha who is about to leave from her window but… She swallows her words, then tries her best to smile. She couldn’t let her friends last image of her before going off into danger being her in tears
“Hey, Tabitha. Finally, I… I think I might have found it. A place for my burning passion to go. A reason to wave my wand.”
Tabitha gives a small nod, her expression unchanging. Behind her eyes is a glint of satisfaction… And then Tabitha leaps out of the window and onto Sylphid’s back.
Tabitha and Sylphid’s figures soon melt into the darkness of the night… And before long they are no longer visible. Still Kirche stands by the window, staring off into the darkness where Tabitha had melted into.
A cold and snowy wind blows in through the open window… And wraps itself around Kirche’s body. Kirch, as if praying, begins to whisper.
“Please come back to me safely… My Charlotte.”
Saint-Maron, a military port in Gallia. This massive military port built along the sea has been a major base for the Gallian air force and navy. On the pier facing the sea and along steel towers built into the ground stands Gallia’s proud and large fleet resting their sails but ever vigilant and ready to dominate the skies and seas of Halkeginia should the need ever arise.
Ships meant for sailing on the sea can be quickly modified with wind stones and equipped with air sails and wings, allowing them to be instantly transformed into a airship. This large fleet, commonly referred to as the “Bilateral Fleet”, is a symbol of power for the Kingdom of Gallia, feared as the strongest powerhouse in Halkeginia.
– Moored to the tallest steel tower is a ship that is noticeably larger than any of the other ships around it. It is a huge wooden aerial battleship of the fleet, its total length being about 150 meters.
That gigantic ship is the Gallian dual-purpose fleet flagship “Charles Orléans”. In the second operation room of this giant ship, named after the kings brother who had died in a hunting “accident” three years ago, the fleets captains and admirals are troubled by a certain incident that had recently been disturbing the military port city.
“This is already the second explosion this month alone.”
Viscount Lusignan, the fleet staff officer, has a clouded look to his face. Sitting at the head of the table is the fleet commander-in-chief, Lord Clavir. Even though he is over 50 years old his tanned skin and piercing gaze are still dazzling to admire. A genuine warrior who has devoted half of his life to the sky and sea begins to mutter hatefully.
“Indeed… I cannot believe that there are other enemies besides those blasted rats and weevils that could cause such difficulty for me…”
The veteran admiral, confident enough to not be intimidated by the so-called invincible Albion fleet in the sky or sea, lets out a big sigh.
“His Majesty the King had trusted me enough to command his fleet. To think that I would show such a shameful appearance on land… I do not have the face to look at his Majesty.”
At that moment… A loud explosion erupts from outside the window. Viscount Lusignan stands up, looking out the window, and begins to mutter.
“That was the Black Pearl.”
“Again! And in broad daylight no less! Already six ships have been destroyed! At this rate the pride of Gallia, the Bilateral Fleet, will be gone before she can even be sent off to war!”
Half a year has already passed since war had broken out between the Tristain-Germania combined forces and the new Albion government.
Envoys from both sides have been coming to the Gallian government almost every day, urging them to join their side in the war.
However, the “Incompetent King” Joseph is still undecided on who to side with… Such rumours have been spiralling in the capital and Lord Clavir has been quietly preparing the fleet for the upcoming involvement of Gallia in the war. Regardless of who Gallia were to face, Albion or Germania-Tristain, it was his duty to ensure that this Bilateral Fleet would be prepared to launch and annihilate her foes. The responsibilities of Lord Clavir are, indeed, grave and of the utmost importance.
And in the midst of these preparations, “accidental explosions” have been occurring one after the other.
No… It was foolish to call them an accident. Someone had been targeting the ships gunpowder reserves and detonating them.
“… Have we at least gotten a clue as to who the culprit is?”
Viscount Lusignan despondently shakes his head.
There are many with their reasons for the bombing operations: Those who are dissatisfied with the current royal family, Protestants, factions from the King’s deceased brother, spies from Tristain, Germania, or Albion who are concerned as to the current movements of Gallia… There are many with a motive for the attacks. The upper echelons of the fleet have come to the conclusion however that someone with one of these many motives is carrying out the bombing under the cover of being one of Gallia’s sailors.
“Have you finished your investigation into the sailors?”
The Viscount nods.
“However, Your Excellency, as a result of the recent fleet reinforcement the number of sailors has doubled form before. There are many with dubious origins…”
With a bitter face the Viscount informs his superior. Due to the many newly hired sailors it is simply impossible to uncover the true background of each and every sailor.
“All of this is the result of that damned incompetent king. Bandit groups, criminals, street thugs… This is what happens when we hire people regardless of their birth. Many simply say that wee are the army…. But that is not true. Increasing the number of ships you possess is not the same as increasing the number of infantry you have.”
Lord Clavir glares at the Viscount with sharp eyes.
“Political criticism is not our job.”
“I am sorry.”
“Anyway, I have requested for reinforcements from the royal government. We may be invincible in the air and on sea but on land we are nothing but a herring caught. There is nothing else that we can do.”
“That is correct. So, what are these reinforcements?”
“A Northern Flowerbed Knight.
The Viscount’s face twists into one of discomfort. The Northern Flowerbed Knight’s, those who take on the dirty work of the royal government, are despised by the soldiers of the Royal Armies for their very existence. A Northern Flowerbed Knight is one who watches out for rebellions, informants who report on every detail of the armies doing to the royal government, and an executioner who will carry out their duty over the slightest suspicion. To the royal army that title is nothing but another synonym for the word devil.
“I cannot agree with welcoming someone like that into the fleet.”
“There is no other choice. We cannot get rid of the rats nesting in our fleet. We must fight darkness with darkness.”
The Viscount at this takes a deep breath.
“Then, at most, let us hope that someone well-behaved and skilled comes along…”
Suddenly there is a knock at the door. The voice of a deck officer echoes from the hallway.
“A messenger from the royal government is here.”
“They are here.”
Lord Clavir stands up to welcome the new guest. When the door opens… At the appearance of the long-awaited “Northern Flowerbed Knight” comes a mixture of discomfort, and the expectations on the pairs face turns to surprise and then disappointment.
What had appeared is a young girl with blue hair, young enough to be their daughter.
“… I had thought that I had requested a “knight” from the royal government?”
The blue haired girl announces her official title and name without showing any signs of being offended.
“Northern Flowerbed Knight Tabitha. Arriving by order of the king.”
Lord Clavir and Viscount Lusignan look at one another before hanging their heads in disappointment at the same time.
“I am sorry, Major. You came all the way from the capital and yet…”
The deck officer, Villers, bows to Tabitha as she leaves the second operations rooms. He is a young officer with a polite demeanour.
He began to apologize to her on behalf of his superiors. As soon as Lord Clavir and Viscount Lusignan saw Tabitha they let out a defeated sigh, mumbling “alright, feel free to do whatever you want” and immediately kicked her out without allowing her to participate in the military council. It was clear to all that they have zero expectations for the childlike looking Tabitha.
However, Viller’s is not showing any such disrespect towards Tabitha. Flower bed knights have on occasion commanded companies or battalions of the royal army. Therefore, all knights hold a military rank of major or higher. Because of this someone who is just a second lieutenant does not chance their attitude towards their superiors based on appearance, regardless of how they truly feel.
“What about the scene?”
Tabitha, planning to get to work straight away, asks Viller’s , not caring how she had been treated earlier.
“It is over here.”
Tabitha and Sylphid, who is disguised as a human, are guided to the location of the recently destroyed “Black Pearl”, where she had once been moored. She had been a frigate with a total length of 50 meters and equipped with 32 guns.
However, as of right now her majestic sight is nowhere to be seen. With the black powder exploding within her the entire ship had been blown clear away, not leaving a single trace. The steel tower that she had been connected to had been bent in the blast, looking as if it had been kneaded by the hands of a giant, a pathetic appearance.
Broken pieces of wood lie on the ground, smouldering. Tabitha picks up a piece of wood that had been tarred and turned black to prevent rot. Smelling it all she can smell is the scent of the treatment oil.
“Half of the crew managed to escape the disaster since the ship had been moored on land… But even still, 80 sailors, including the ships captain, shared the same fate as the ship.”
Viller’s explains the situation in a somber voice: The gunpowder on the ship had been restocked to its max in preparation for war. When that much gunpowder went off all at once… Not even the dead’s bones had been left behind.
“… Are there any clues as to how it happened?”
Viller’s shakes his head.
“It is an embarrassment to admit this, but don’t have a clue as to how it happened. We do not even know if it was ignited with an explosion, lighting it on fire, or some kind of magic.”
Tabitha nods, looking down at the fragments of the Black Pearl that she had picked up.
If what he had said is true, and given the situation, finding the cause of the explosion will be very difficult.
“All we can say for sure is that the culprit managed to sneak onto the ship while eluding the eyes of the security guards and detonated the powder storage.”
Looking at Tabitha and Viller’s Sylphid began to enthusiastically speak.
“It is pathetic that one person managed to sneak by so many soldiers.”
Shocked Viller’s turns to look at the blue-haired beauty standing behind Tabitha. Her age looks to be around twenty-years old… And while her good looks were enough to dazzle him what is her relationship with Tabitha?
Suddenly ko! Sylphid began to smile broadly, and begins to speak again.
“Sylphid is your servant, right?”
“Hmm, squire.”
“She is your squire? That makes you the second highest ranking person after your knight.”
“H-, huh…”
Villers, looking like he didn’t want to push too hard, began to walk and guide Tabitha and Sylphid to their next destination.
Tabitha and Sylphid begin to investigate the moored ships one by one. However, the Bilateral Fleet is a massive fleet, made up of around 200 ships in total. It is simply impossible to properly inspect each ship one by one. However while investigating a question comes to Tabitha’s mind.
“Some of the ships have guards and others don’t.”
Looking around Viller’s saw that Tabitha is, indeed, right. In the ship at the front of the line are soldiers with fancy uniforms and armed with spears and muskets guarding the ship. However in the frigate next to is there are no guards. Tabitha is asking why one is guarded and the others aren’t.
“Ahhh, that ship hasn’t been loaded with gunpowder yet. Ship are not always loaded with gunpowder after all as the production hasn’t been able to meet the demand to supply the entire fleet for battle. While supplying is ramping up it will be another two weeks until all ships are loaded.”
Next is a bent steel tower comes into view. A rope barrier has been set up around it, preventing access to enter.
“This is where the Villa had been attacked last month. The surrounding area hasn’t been cleaned up or repaired yet.”
There is nothing left like before other than the debris littered everywhere. A woman is standing there, praying fervently.
Tabitha casually approaches the woman, who upon hearing her foot steps lifts her head. She is a fairly young woman probably in her 20’s, and clutching a sacred religious item in her hands is clad in blue and white holy robes… She must be a priest. Her long blonde hair is tied tightly and gathered on top of her head.
Realizing Tabitha and Viller’s are approaching her she bows in response.
“Who is she?”
“This is Sister Lucie. She was the priest aboard the Villa.”
It is customary for a priest to board a ship that is part of a line or higher formation. He or she will then preside over religious ceremonies such as the daily prayers as well as confessions for the devout followers or Brimir. Naturally if any members of the crew were to die they would bless them with water. A priest is an indispensable part of whatever ship they are on.
The woman, apparently called Lucie, looks slightly surprised upon seeing Tabitha.
“Knight-sama is a Flowerbed Knight from the capital. She came here to investigate the incidents happening.”
“Is that so.”
“What are you doing?”
Tabitha asks her.
“I was praying for the deceased crew members. The war has not even begun yet, and to die while moored… I am sure they must have regrets right now…”
Lucie looks up at the steel tower, her face in pain. The torn anchoring ropes flapping uselessly in wind. It is as if she is mourning the ship that was once tied down but is now free to fly…
Tabitha looks at Lucie, and then asks her another question.
“Are you also in charge of hearing confessions?”
A confession involves confessing ones sins to a priest for forgiveness. For a priest this is one of their most important jobs.
Lucie nods.
“yes.”
“If you hear any confessions that might be a clue, please tell me. I will be on the flag ship.”
At this Lucie looks troubles. Viller’s leans in and whispers to Tabitha.
“She is a priest. There is no way she would divulge to you the secrets of someone who has come to her for confession.”
There is a rather unpleasant tone in his voice, resentment even. At that, Lucie raises her head and glares at Villers.
“Do you not understand our sacred mission. We are the spokesmen who listen to the confessions of man. If we were to reveal the secrets of the believers, they will have no where to confess or confront their sins… Naturally when one comes to us asking for penitence we will listen and respect their courage. How many times must I tell you? We are not judges. Our job is to guide people to the teachings. This also includes criminals. Even criminals are the sons of God.”
As if disagreeing Viller’s began to shake his head.
“I get that, sister. Granted I don’t think there is a criminal who would confess to a priest that they were actively attacking the Bilateral Fleet…”
But Tabitha grabs onto Lucie’s hands without a second thought, not caring for her words.
“Please.”
Sylphid began to complain to Tabitha.
“Hey Onee-sama. You are troubling her right now you know? Kiyu.”
Saying that Sylphid began to grab Tabitha’s head, which is at her chest level.
“Onee-sama?”
Lucie began to star at Tabitha and Sylphid, alternating between the two.
“Ah, no. That isn’t exactly right, um, this little one is my sister-in-law. I also work as her servant.”
Sylphid began to spout of strange excuses.
However despite being faced with such suspicious excuses, Lucie began to smile.
“Is that so? That is wonderful… You truly have a beautiful heart miss.”
Despite Sylphid being clearly much older than Tabitha she doesn’t look at her with a single hint of suspicion. Lucie with her clear eyes holds out her hand and gives Sylphid a blessing.
“May Brimir bless you.”
Sylphid must have been moved by Lucie, and crying out she grabs her hand.
“You are so different from all the other priests that Sylphid knows! You are not bossy, you don’t get angry, and you don’t look at me as if I am strange!”
“All beings are equal before God.”
Lucie began to smile shyly. Then before long she bows her head and takes her leave.
Tabitha watches her back as she leaves, then ducks under the rope and into the wreckage. There she begins to carefully investigate the scene of the explosion, with Viller’s joining her and searching as well.
– The group searches for around and hour but… There is nothing suspicious to be found.
“How did they make it explode?”
Viller’s says out loud, as if talking to himself.
“It is strange no matter how you look at it. When the first ship blew up we tripled the guards on duty. All of the noble officers except those off duty were called up to stand guard as well. And yet… The culprit has managed to even still sneak onto the ship completely undetected multiple times. There is no way someone could do that. Not even a mage could accomplish that.”
“Are there any suspicious people among the nobles?”
Tabitha asks, but Viller’s just shakes his head.
“There are about 700 noble officers… And all of them have been faithfully serving for a long time. There are also the supplementary officers but they all have a solid background. For all the officers who serve in this fleet are, in a sense… Well we are like family. It is hard to imagine any one of us being a traitor.”
“……”
“As expected, odds are there must be someone among the newly recruited sailors who are plotting and carrying out these nefarious plans. There are potentially traitors like that on every ship… Maybe they are the very ones causing this destruction. The Protestants are commoners, so instead of magic they would use flint. A fuse would be spotted right away after all, so it would just be a suicide attack… I am sure there are many Protestants who would be fine carrying out an attack like that.”
Then Viller’s shakes his head.
“I don’t care if you are a Protestant or not, suicide is not forgiven by the founder. Anyway when it comes to those priests their believers are slaughtering each other in vain, and here she is not trying to cooperate at all to stop it. This mission is going to be a real pain for you, major.”
Viller’s looks in the direction where Lucie had left as he spoke.
Tabitha had been given an officers quarters on the flag ship Charles Orléans. Although she had been treated with contempt like she were a mere child it would seem that Clavir is at least willing to make sure that she is being treated appropriately. However, that doesn’t extend to her meals. That night Sylphid began to complain when the soldiers arrived and delivered her meals laid out on a small table.
“Kiyu kiyu! What even is this dish! Salted meat that is overly salty and bitter with some dates! What is more this is bread is way too hard, kiyu!”
Sylphid began to complain loudly. The the foodie Sylphid, such a meal is completely unacceptable. However apparently this is a sailors meal. If she had been an aristocratic officer, there would be something better on the table for her. In other words, Tabitha is being singled out and targeted by fleet headquarters.
Unable to tolerate such treatment Sylphid began to pout her lips and glare at Tabitha. But Tabitha without complaint silently brings the food to her mouth.
“Mou. Even though I know you are such a foodie here you are not complaining.”
“As long as I can eat, I am happy.”
At this Sylphid angrily turns away.
“Well that isn’t true for Sylphid! I can’t eat this! Kiyu!”
At that Tabitha wordlessly reaches out her hand and starts to eat Sylphid’s portion. One by one, piece by piece, the food on her plate disappears. Sylphid began to sulk and turn her head to the side, but couldn’t bear the hunger any longer and so picks up her plate, moves it away from Tabitha, and starts to eat voraciously.
“Hey, Onee-sama? How are you planning on completing this mission? From what I have heard and seen, this is a confusing mystery… Not only do we not know who is doing this or why, we don’t even know how they are. What is more, which ship will blow up next? I don’t know if you will be able to solve this one…”
At that Tabitha’s expression darkens slightly.
“I have a feeling we will find out who the culprit is soon.”
“Eh? Why? Sylphid has no idea what you are saying! Who is the one doing all this?”
Tabitha no longer responds to Sylphid, and continues to eat in silence. Sylphid with no one to talk to turns her attention back to her meal and resumes struggling to eat the less-than-tasty food again.
After finishing her meal, Sylphid quickly falls asleep.
Over the windows are curtains to block out the light, and only the faint light of a lamp in the room illuminates it.
Tabitha sits in a chair, and unusually for her is not reading a book but instead is staring intently at a picture hanging on the wall.
This is an officers room meant for guests. On the wall is a picture of the flagship of the Gallian Bilateral Fleet, along with pictures of battlefields and past fleet commanders.
Hanging next to that picture… Is a portrait of an attractive young man with the same blue colour hair as Tabitha.
The picture portrays the man as somewhat more dignified and exaggerated than the real thing.
Not to mention, in Tabitha’s memory he had a more gentle smile.
Below the portrait is written:
“Duke Charles Orléans.”
Even though that man had taken away the rights of royalty from his own family, including the man in the painting, I wonder what kind of feelings he had in his heart when he chose to use Tabitha’s fathers name for the flagship of the Gallian fleet.
Tabitha began to imagine the death of her hated enemy, her uncle, the current king.
Of course, there is no way for Tabitha to know what is happening in his head. There is no way for her to even begin to understand. Above all, Tabitha herself doesn’t want to know though.
Tabitha stands up, and kneels towards the portrait of her father.
Then… She blows out the lamp and crawls into her bed.
But, she cannot sleep.
Kirche’s words as she left begins to echo in her head.
(“Hey, Tabitha. Finally, I… I think I might have found it. A place for my burning passion to go. A reason to wave my wand.”)
(Why am I still wielding my staff?)
Naturally, it is for her revenge.
The only thing keeping Tabitha going is her goal for exacting revenge on her uncle, the current king, who had killed her father and destroyed her mothers heart. For that very reason alone she has become a Flowerbed Knight to further increase her accomplishments and hone her skill. All in order to get closer to her uncle, the king…
Therefore, this mission must be a success no matter what. A single success more will bring her ever closer to her uncle, the king…
In her pitch black room, Tabitha begins to think.
The sabotage of the fleet… There are countless people and groups who hold a grudge against the government run her uncle, who is feared for his ruthlessness and despised for his incompetence.
However, these groups can be broadly classified to some extent.
First are the Protestants who are persecuted on a daily basis. Due to them having a different interpretation of religious doctrine, that alone has made them the enemy of the church and the royal government throughout Gallia.
There is also Germania and Tristain. These two countries may be sabotaging Gallia out of fear that she will join the war on Albion’s side. However, it is difficult to imagine that this is the work of these two countries. Talks are already in the works to join Gallia as an ally… Tabitha cannot imagine them destroying the fleet that might soon be on their side.
And finally, the third group…
Tabitha begins to mutter as if she were talking about something that doesn’t involve her.
“Maybe, if that is the case… Just maybe… This hair colour of mine will help me.”
The next day Tabitha continues her investigation in silence. Entering the explosions site she carefully searches the area but again, finds nothing remarkable.
Using the staff in her hand she turns over a large piece of wood to look at the other side. Well into late afternoon Tabitha continues her search.
The port city of Saint-Maron is surrounded with the coast on one side and hills on the other three sides, making it the ideal place to defend. Steel towers line up alongside inland, with the port city developing along the hills, making it a beautiful townscape with dazzling white walls and stunning brown roofs.
A cold winter sea breeze caresses Tabitha’s cheek, causing her to shudder slightly. Sylphid calls out to Tabitha.
“Onee-sama, it’s pointless. With the ships blowing up the way they did there is no way any evidence survived.”
Ignoring her, Tabitha seems to have found something. A small and shiny piece of metal. Looking at it carefully… She puts it in her pocket.
“Onee-sama, what did you find?”
But Tabitha remains silent.
“Show me! I want to see it, show me–!”
Sylphid jumps at Tabitha and begins to nibble on her cheek. Since she had just done this in the form of a human woman, the soldiers who began to gather around them began to wonder what the hell is going on now.
“This is not a show!”
Sylphid began to look all around in a panic, shaking her head.
Among the group is Villers.
“What the hell happened?”
Tabitha shows Viller’s what she had just found.
“I found something.”
“This is…! Isn’t it a sacred tool?”
The sacred tool that those of the Brimite faith who are devout carry is an abstraction of the founding figure with outstretched arms.
“But… This design is different than normal. Look, it has an expression.”
It is considered disrespectful to accurately model the appearance of the founder. Therefore, sacred tools used by ordinary priests have no faces. However… This sacred tool looks exactly like the image of the founder.
“… It is a sacred tool for Protestants.”
The soldiers gather around Villers, and begin to talk to one another.
“So it is their doing after all!”
“Damn it. You damned Protestants…”
Apparently hearing the commotion, Lucie comes wearing her priests uniform. Upon noticing Tabitha, she bows.
“If you don’t mind, can you show me that sacred tool?”
Tabitha nods, and hands her the sacred tool.
“This is…”
“This must mean that there are Protestants hiding among the soldiers of this fleet.”
Viller’s nods to himself, as if convinced of this fact.
Lucie stares at Tabitha. Then… Something stern appears on the calm priest’s face. Tabitha looks into her eyes.
Tabitha ends the investigation for that day, then returns to her room aboard the Charles Orléans and immediately crawls into bed.
The next morning… Tabitha gets out of bed after getting a good night’s sleep. Sylphid had spent the night snoring with her mouth open next to her. When Tabitha left her room, her caretaker, Villers, who had been waiting by the door calls out to her.
“Oh? Major. Where are you going?”
“Temple.”
Viller’s looks taken aback for a moment, but then swallows.
The temple of fleet’s priest is not located in the city centre of Saint-Maron, but instead at the end of a street lined with piers of iron towers. Unlike the city temple, it is a crude structure made of unglazed bricks. With the cold sea breeze blowing in from the sea Tabitha searches for her destination.
The confession room is located on the first floor of the temple, at the very back of the chapel. A person who comes to confess their sins would face the priest through a small window that was opened just slightly to ensure that their face cannot be seen.
A sign signifying that the priest is present is hanging on the outside wall of the confessional. Tabitha passes through the curtain and side down on the hard wooden chair.
When the short Tabitha sits down, the small curtained window came to just below her mouth. Care has been taken to ensure that believers and priests cannot see each others faces. As well, the priest will never divulge the secrets of the believers that are spoken about here.
“What sins have you committed? God and our founder, Brimir, will hear everything and cleanse you of your sins.”
It is clearly Lucie’s voice. Tabitha, not trying to hide her tone of voice whispers,
“I blew up a ship”.
There is silence for a while, and then Lucie speaks with a sigh.
“Are you the knight who came here to investigate?”
Tabitha doesn’t respond. Then came the sound of Lucie getting up from her chair, and the footsteps of her approaching Tabitha. The curtain then opens, and Lucie’s face is revealed. With a sad look on her face, Lucie urges Tabitha to follow her to a room in the back used for the night duty priests. It is a simple room, similar to what might be found on a warship with only a desk and a bed. The other priests cannot be seen, perhaps because they are present on their assigned ships.
Lucie looks at Tabitha with a sad and troubled look on her face.
“What do you mean by what you just said?”
“I wanted to see your reaction.”
Tabitha replies without any hesitation.
“All you knights, you always doubt me.”
In her voice is a hint of defeat, as if she is tired of saying this.
“Doubt?”
When Tabitha asks this back, Lucie looks worried on what to say, and then… She opens her mouth.
“When the explosion first happened… I was the first person to be suspected.”
Tabitha remains silent, and stares at Lucie for a moment.
“Why?”
But Lucie doesn’t answer her. Instead she is rubbing her palm as if stressed or troubled.
Just as Tabitha is about to ask her something more, the yelling of sailors and officers is heard from outside.
“Its the Glory!!”
“What?”
Lucie tilts her head with a worried expression.
Tabitha grabs her staff and runs out of the temple with Lucie following. Amidst the bright morning light, sailors are running everywhere out of breath.
– Tabitha asks one of the running sailors a question.
“What happened?”
The sailor looks at Tabitha, for a moment wondering why there is a child inside a military port. However upon realizing her cloak and staff he salutes.
“The bomber has been located!”
The “Glory” had been moored at a pier about 300 meters from the temple. Suspended by a wire from a steel tower it had been in the middle of loading up wind stones.
Many sailors and officers had gathered on the deck and below the pier, looking up and making a rucus.
“Push the bastard off!!”
Such a scream is ringing out. Tabitha quickly spots Viller’s and runs to his side.
“Special Major.”
“What is going on?”
Viller’s points to the mast of the Glory. On there a sailor is standing on the lookout post, holding a gun and shouting.
“He’s a sailor aboard the Glory and was on sentry duty for the gunpowder magazine. Apparently he stabbed his colleague to death and then tried to set the gunpowder on fire.”
Apparently he had tried to blow up the ship early in the morning, when security was lax as during the night guards are on high alert. The noble officers had attempted to seize him upon spotting him, but he managed to escape and climbed up the mast.
A sailor on the deck raises his gun, however shortly after a scolding voice is heard from the officers.
“Don’t shoot! We need to capture him alive!”
”This is getting bad” Viller’s murmurs.
“If he dies we will never know who he is working for.”
Viller’s shouts as loud as he can, enough to reach the man on the mast.
“Oi! Tell us your demands! Why are you doing all this!?”
But the man doesn’t answer him. Instead, he puts the gun in his mouth before putting his finger on the trigger.
“Damn it!”
Villers, a diligent and serious man, holds up his staff before chanting a spell.
The spell is “fly”.
Seeing Viller’s fly up into the air, the officers around him began to shout their reprimands.
“Oi! Villers! What are you trying to do!?”
“Persuade.”
“Stop! Don’t provoke me!”
However, the still serious Viller’s flies up to the mans side and begins to shout.
“Stop this! Suicide is not tolerated by our founder, Brimir! Such an act will send you straight to hell!”
Viller’s persuasion however leads to the worst possible result.
“Long live the True Doctrine!”
The man shouts… Followed by a loud gunshot.
The mans body becomes limp, before falling down onto the deck… By the time Tabitha can make her way up to the deck using fly the man has already long been dead. A bullet wound to the head… No water magic can heal such a wound.
Judging by his voice he was a young man, barely into his life. Sailors and officers surround the corpse, covered in blood, with faces that look like they have just tasted some bitter food.
“This must be the work of those Protestants after all! Those bastards!”
One officer yells. The man who had killed himself had yelled out about the “True Doctrine”. This is an ideology held by the Protestant believers… Most of Halkeginia’s temples are tied intimately to noble families for funding and support, and are thus at their mercy. This True Doctrine aims to reform this corrupt system…
However this ideology of both poverty and purity is not a popular one among the commoner population. On top of that it is a teaching forbidden by law, although it is not enforced in fear that suppression would be a source of rebellion.
With everyone’s faces contorting in anger, there is one person with a pale face. Villers, who just a little bit earlier had been trying to persuade him to not kill himself.
An officer approaches him,
“Hey Viller’s , great job you did out there! Thanks to you there is no way anymore to get him to give us information on his backers and allies!!”
“… S-, sorry.”
Reprimanded by his colleagues, Viller’s hangs his head dejectedly. Watching Viller’s being criticized by the other officers, Tabitha crouches down next to the corpse.
The mans eyes are still wide open.
Protestant.
This man had sought to rebel against nobility by sacrificing his own life…
Tabitha stares intently into his eyes.
“?”
Within the corpses eyes are a strange light.
That light… Is magic.
However the light quickly fades.
“……”
A nearby sailor, who seems to have been his friend, began to cling to him and cry.
“Johan! Johan! Why did you do this? You were so always so serious and loyal! You said that you were going to make and save some money here before going to the country side to buy some land and live on it! But you were a Protestant!? Why!? I cannot believe this!”
One of the officers grabs onto the crying man, pulling him away.
“Hey, sailor. Protestants are just like termites. They sneak in before you can realize they are there and eat up and destroy everything they touch.”
“But, but sir! I refuse to believe that this guy was a Protestant!”
“Clean up the corpse.”
“Wa-, wait! At least let me bury him!”
“No. Hurry up everyone and return to your post. You are still on duty.”
“Please, I beg you!”
“I said no! Don’t make me repeat myself again.”
Frustrated with the sailors attitude he began to pull out his wand.
Tabitha quickly reaches out to stop him.
“Is something the matter?”
“Do as he says.”
The officer looks at Tabitha in confusion. Tabitha, a flower bed knight who has been dispatched by the royal government, is equivalent in the hierarchy to a major.
“Then, I will leave this to you, Sir Knight.”
The officer spoke in a bored tone before leaving. All that are left behind now is the acquaintance of Johan, Tabitha, and Viller’s who is hanging his head still.
The sailor began to bow over and over again to Tabitha.
Tabitha looks into the corpses eyes once again… The magic light she had saw earlier has already faded away. However the image of it is still burned into her eyes, and she began to run through her mental library of magic.
A light that burns quietly and small, like a small campfire… Tabitha pulls that spell from the depths of her memory.
“Geass…”
Tabitha mutters in a small voice.
The next morning… Johann is buried in a wasteland away from the military cemetery. The reason is that a traitor cannot be welcomed into Valhalla, where the souls of warriors are to rest.
A cold sea breeze blows past the dead trees and broken rock.
Meanwhile, amidst all this, a daggers is stuck into a mound of dirt. This is the substitute for a tombstone.
Later in the evening, when Tabitha had finished her research on the remaining ships, she heads there with Sylphid and there she finds Lucie, kneeling in prayer.
Tabitha and Sylphid stand behind her, waiting for her to finish her prayer.
After a short while, Lucie stands up straight ahead.
“Knight-sama… Is that you?”
“Even though the deceased is a Protestant, you still offer prayers for them?”
“… All are equal before God. We must not discriminate against others based on slight differences on interpretation of doctrine.”
For anyone that is a risky thing to say. Those words alone can be considered heresy, and yet Lucie says them casually and easily.
“Besides… We are not so different.”
Sorrowfully, Lucie lowers her face again.
“Different?”
“Yes, I couldn’t finish talking to you this morning… I wasn’t originally a priest. Due to a certain incident, I lost my title as a noble and became a priest.”
“Certain incident?”
“Yes. My father served the Duke of Orléans.”
Tabitha’s eyes move slightly at that name. Sylphid, standing behind her, swallows thickly.
“We might not have ever been invited to enter the Duke’s mansion but still… We were nobles. Surely you must know what happens next? After the Duke of Orléans died in the hunting “accident”… A storm ripped through the royal court… Any who were considered to be allies of the Duke of Orléans were uprooted and had their titles stripped away. My father was one such noble.”
Lucie lowers her eyes sadly. It would seem that she is still oblivious as to Tabitha’s true identity. Well it is no wonder… Her father was not ever invited to the mansion… There would have been few opportunities to see the Duke in person themselves never mind Tabitha. Moreover, Tabitha obviously looks much different now than she did 3 years ago. Even though her hair is blue, a sign of being part of the royal family, there are many nobles with blue hair.
Lucie continues to speak, not realizing that the young girl before her is the daughter of her fathers former master.
“After my father was ultimately executed, my family was robbed of their mansion and property, scattering to protect them self. I took refuge in a temple and decided to become a nun. I no longer sought to involve myself in worldly affairs. However, to drag me into an incident like this… I wonder how much God must test me before I am satisfied… I was the first to be doubted. I was put under many spells many times and checked to see if I was lying. I was interrogated many times to see if I still was loyal to the former Duke of Orléans and part of his faction. While my father did indeed once serve the Duke of Orléans now… I am just a nun, hoping to live a quiet life. I do not want to be involved in politics anymore.”
Tabitha recalls the awkward look on Viller’s face when she first met Lucie. Interrogating a priest must have been a nightmare for the military personnel responsible for such an event. It was probably this awkwardness that made him behave like that towards Lucie.
Lucie then looks down at Johan’s grave again.
“Because of that past… I cannot think of anyone who has been oppressed like this as a stranger.”
For her, her “work” as nun might be nothing more than a means of escape. Perhaps that is why she is willing to offer prayer to even Protestant criminals as well.
“Why must we fight just because we are from different sects? Protestants and those of the old faith should just accept each other…”
Tabitha shakes her head.
“This is not the work of Protestants.”
Lucie looks at her with suspicion and confusion.
“Then who is this…”
“I do not know. However, Geass was cast on Johan.”
“Geass?”
Lucie looks even more perplexed at these words.
“A water based spell to manipulate the mind, the usage of which was forbidden long ago. Those who have the spell cast on them will take the desired action when conditions, such as time or place, are met. For instance, a simple action such as “lighting a gunpowder magazine” can be done with it. Until it is activate it is impossible to tell if you are under the spell. You yourself do not even know if you are under it.”
“Are you saying someone cast it on him?”
Tabitha nods.
“Manipulating the mind… What a terrifying thought… Truly terrifying…”
Lucie shakes her head, sadness evident on her face. Then she looks up, and asks Tabitha a question in a resigned tone.
“Do you still doubt me? That is not unreasonable though… All of the noble officers have a solid background. On the other hand I have a dubious background, a noble stripped of her noble title and now a priest. I can see why you doubt me.”
Tabitha shakes her head.
“It is not you. You are not the kind of person who can lie.”
Lucie makes a startled expression at those words… And tears begin to form in her eyes.
“Thank you…” is all she can say.
On her way back to the Charles Orléans, Sylphid began to rub Tabitha on her head, screaming.
“If you had still doubted Lucie at this stage, I would have to doubt the heart and soul of Sylphid’s master. Kiyu.”
“……”
“That nun is a really honest person. Those are rare to find these days. If she wasn’t Sylphid’s enemy I wouldn’t mind changing my sect from “Great Will” to “Founder Brimir”. I still don’t believe her faith though, kiyu.”
”Kiyu-kiyu kiyu kiyu…” Sylphid began to squeak happily and wiggle her body… It would seem that she is impressed.
Walking back Tabitha stops and turns around to look at Johan’s grave. He had been forced to pretend to be a Protestant from the Geass spell cast on him, and was given the order to blow up his ship.
On top of that a constraint was put on him, in that should he fail he would commit suicide. With her eyes closed, Tabitha clasps her hands together.
Tabitha silently offers a prayer to the young man, who against his will had become a tool for someone else’s purposes ultimately killing herself.
Returning to the Charles Orléans Tabitha heads straigth to the commanders office. At her announcement of her plan to the fleets leaders pandemonium began to break out.
“Unloading the gunpowder? Preposterous! We are essentially at war at this very moment. I was ordered by His Majesty to “ensure that the fleet is available as soon as possible”! Instead of such a pointless action we should be cleansing the Protestants from our ranks as soon as possible! Are they still amongst our men? if what you say is true then continue with your investigation!”
Lord Clavir, commander-in-chief, is the first to object. He is the true image of a brave but honest soldier, one who sticks to his orders to the point of ignoring the current situation. Even though six ships have already been destroyed, it seems that he has no plans of unloading the gunpowder from the remaining fleet.
“It is impossible to ensure the identity of each sailor individually. And we cannot let any more ships sink.”
When Tabitha says this the fleet leaders, including Viscount Lusignan, nods.
“While it is true that an order is an order, the reality is that we have already lost six ships. Furthermore the morale of the fleet is only declining…”
“Are you scared? Not if but when war breaks out there will be losses no matter what! What if the edict to move to war is issued after the gunpowder is unloaded from the fleet? I will have to take responsibility.
For the commander-in-chief the responsibility of his orders is of a higher priority than the lives of his sailors and safety of his ships. Like most generals in Gallia, or rather all of Halkeginia, his priority is self-preservation and advancement. His courage on the battlefield, his clever strategies, everything of his being existed for that purpose.
Tabitha continues to speak matter-of-factly.
“I will take all responsibility.”
Silence among the fleet leaders. Lord Cravir is the first to speak, with a grave tone.
“Are you saying that as a flowerbed knight officially dispatched by the royal government.”
“As a knight that is my oath. I will take responsibility. Please, unload all the gunpowder in the fleet.”
Lord Clavir, still looking unsure, looks down and writes out the order. Tabitha then adds on a few words.
“However, do not include this ship, the Charles Orléans, in that order.”
– Everyone’s face turns pale.
“w-, well does that mean that the Charles Orléans…”
“Will be bait.”
Tabitha says with a calm and collected face.
“Perhaps we should choose another ships. This ship is His Majesty’s chosen ship… It is different from all the others.”
“I picked it because it is this ship. If we create the opportunity, our opponent will target it.”
At this there are no grumbles. Tabitha’s words ring true. But her words have too much disregard for any safety for this potential sacrifice.
Using the flagship of the fleet as a decoy.
Should any student have used that as an answer at a military academy you would be sure to get zero points. However… Her opponent is not an enemy fleet floating in the sea or sky. However in irregular warfare this small Flowerbed Knight has the upper hand. On land the fleet is the outsider after all…
Lord Clavir could sense a deep ruthlessness in her cold eyes, a ruthlessness that would stop at nothing to achieve her goal. He himself is still not convinced with her plant, but… What else could he possibly do.
“Viscount Lusignan.”
Lord Clavir orders his lieutenant.
“There is nothing else we can do about this. Ahh…. We must move the headquarters to land.”
“Am I to accompany you?”
“No. You will remain on the ship and report the ongoing situation to me.”
“But that is. Heartless!”
(What will happen to me? please give me permission to leave the ship as well!). Ignoring the panic in his eyes Tabitha leaves the conference room, leaving behind the fleet leaders whose panic has hit an all time high.
Standing next to the door is Ensign Viller’s with a blank look on his face. Apparently, he is still worried over yesterday’s blunder that had case Johan to pull the trigger.
“Ensign Villers.”
As Tabitha calls out to him, Ensign Viller’s head shoots up as if he had finally realized she is even there.
“Ah, special major. Is the meeting over?”
Tabitha nods, looking at Villers.
“Is something the matter?”
“You are tired. You should get some rest.”
“I am sorry to concern you, but I am on a mission right now.”
Viller’s mutters with a deep sigh.
“At the very least right now I should devote myself to this mission… Damn it, I am the one who cost you such an important clue…”
Tabitha crouches down and reaches for Viller’s boots.
“Special Major?”
“Your laces are undone.”
Tabitha quickly ties his laces. Viller’s began to panic at this situation… Never has he heard of a superior officer fixing someones shoelaces before.
“Th-, thank you very much.”
Viller’s face begins to distort in pain. With a salute, and unable to bear the overflowing guilt within him, he excuses himself and leaves.
The order to unload all gunpowder from all ships excluding the Charles Orléans is carried out that same day. Quickly the gunpowder is returned to the brick storage warehouse.
To prevent any collateral damage from an explosion the warehouse had been built far away from the pier. Even if it were targeted, there would be no damage to the fleet… However, still a considerable security presence has been sent there.
Roughly 50 ships had been carrying gunpowder. Nearly 1,000 kegs of the powder have been unloaded in total. A spectacular sight, barrel after barrel were unloaded one after the other and stored in the dimly lit storage warehouse.
Sylphid, watching sailors pulling carts loaded with gunpowder from the entrance to the storage warehouse,
“What would happen if all this were to explode? Kiyu.”
Tabitha doesn’t response, and instead continues to read through a notebook.
“Onee-sama, what is that?”
When Sylphid asks,
“A list of all the victims from the incidents.”
“You are readying some scary stuff right now, aren’t you?”
Tabitha turns the final page and nods, finishing the notebook.
“but Onee-sama… I wonder what you are thinking right now, leaving gunpowder on the ship that you are staying on. If your plan is no good you will share the same fate as the ship. It is no wonder that the higher-ups have run away.”
Tabitha doesn’t respond, and instead continues to stare at the list of victims. Sylphid begins to mutter sadly,
“Sylphid does understand your plan though. You are planning to use that bait as a hook to catch the culprit.”
Peshipshi, Sylphid begins to hit Tabitha on the head.
“Why do you never look out for yourself? Or rather, do you ever think about looking out for Sylphid? I don’t want to get caught up in an explosion and die in a place like this.”
Tabitha responds to Sylphid.
“Then, you can wait in the sky.”
Tabitha spoke in a tone that seemed to be asking for her to stay out of this, which began to cause Sylphid to panic even more.
“Jo-, you must be joking! Sylphid is your first servant! Your loyal familiar! How can I leave you alone and run away to the sky to save myself…”
Sylphid closes her eyes, and proudly raises one finger. Tabitha immediately,
“Dokun” (TL Note: Next line will give context.)
At the sound of Tabitha imitating an explosion Sylphid “kiyu!!” screamed and crouched down underneath a nearby tree, trembling.
After a second and realizing Tabitha’s prank, Sylphid looks up with tears in her eyes and began to complain.
“Why would you do something like that! You just took a few years off my life!! At least two hundred!! Kiyu!”
“That is okay. If my estimation is right… The cast will be solved tonight.”
Sylphid’s mouth drops open at these words. Still crouching down she looks down at Tabitha feet before raising her face to look Tabitha in the eyes.
”Haaaaaa…” Sighing, Sylphid stands back up.
“Fine, I will believe you. Besides, it isn’t like you can do anything without Sylphid’s help. If you were to die on your own I wouldn’t be able to sleep well anyway. Ahhh, I guess I have no choice but to go along with you after all, kiyu.”
At that Tabitha looks down.
“Huh? Did that move you so much you are crying? What a sight, Tabitha the Snowy Wind crying… This is Onee-sama still, the ruthless little wizard, right? Kiyu.”
“Dokun.”
Sylphid again grabs her head and crouches down, screaming. A split second later, realizing that she had been fooled again, “KIYU KIYU!!” She stands up yelling even louder than before.
Tabitha bows her head towards Sylphid.
“Thank you.”
Sylphid covers her trembling raised right fist with her left hand… And then shyly hugs Tabitha.
“You are actually scared, aren’t you? You are not being honest at all right now! But that’s fine. No matter what happens… Sylphid will protect you.”
“They say that rats are the first to run away from a sinking ship.”
“That can’t be right.”
Inside the Charles Orléans, which its leader have since abandoned, the sailors grumble amongst themselves. However more than ever they are on high alert.
Nearly twenty noble officers are still stationed on the ship for security purposes, and one hundred and fifty ordinary soldiers have been sent to protect the gunpowder from the traitors.
No matter how you look at it, it is an ironclad defence.
Having twenty mages on defence meant that the ship would have a fighting chance against even a regiment-sized enemy.
As dusk envelops the military port, bonefires are lit on the deck and soldiers are placed in every shaded area. The soldiers look frightened… But that is not surprising given the situation.
Suddenly, a bell rings out twice. A double bell means that the time is now 1:00 AM.
One of the officers turns to speak to Villers, who is fiddling with the staff in his hand.
“Using the Charles Orléans as a decoy is one thing, but going this far I doubt they will make a move. Even Protestants aren’t that stupid. This ship from top to bottom is fll of mages and soldiers, I doubt even they would wander into this dragons nest.”
Viller’s doesn’t respond.
“Oi, Villers. What is going on? Are you okay?”
Viller’s face is pale as he nods.
“… Are you feeling unwell?”
Viller’s shakes his head.
“Just standing around is exhausting, huh? Please, feel free to go get some rest in the infirmary. I mean, just look at how many mages are here. It should be fine if just one person is getting some rest.”
Then the officer calls for one of the nearby sailors,
And orders him “Take Viller’s to the infirmary”.
Viller’s lies resting on a bed in the infirmary, which smells of disinfecting alcohol, with his eyes closed. But once the sailor who had brought him leaves, his eyes snap open.
Slowly standing up he begins to go outside, making sure to not make any noise. Naturally the reason being that there are guards in the passage way.
“Huh? Ah, Villers. Are you feeling better now?”
Without warning the top of Viller’s staff is sunk into the sailors stomach who had asked him this question. In agony and without a sound the sailor collapses to the floor.
Then, runes begin to leak from Viller’s mouth.
“Ilu water surap kuraud.”
It is a water sleeping spell. “Sleeping Cloud”.
White thick smoke begins to overflow from the tip of his staff, filling the ship in an instant. In such a tight and unventilated space such as a ships corridor Sleeping Cloud possesses a terrifying strength.
The soldiers, who had assumed that the enemy were Protestants, are not expecting a mages attack at all and one after the other fall into a deep sleep.
Uncontested Viller’s walks through the silent ship, which is lit up in many places with magical light. His destination: The powder magazine on the middle deck. The sailors on watch, who have tripled in number from the usual, are sound asleep due to the spell he had cast earlier.
The door to the gunpowder room has been locked with a magical lock. However this posses no issue to Villers, who merely blows away the entire door with wind magic.
With no emotion on his face, Viller’s enters the gunpowder magazine room.
Within the gunpowder magazine room is about thirty barrels of gunpowder. Should all this explode, it would not only cause damage to the Charles Orléans… But also all the ships moored next to her.
Without showing any hesitation, Viller’s raises his staff and begins to chant the ignition spell.
And swings his wand down at the powder keg.
The outside of the barrel begins to burn bright red.
Within a few seconds the gunpowder within will ignite and everything, including Villers, will be blown to pieces…
But, no explosion occurs.
The outer barrel begins to burn and crumble and smoulder. Something black begins to spill out of the holes of the barrel.
“……..?”
Viller’s approaches the barrel to inspect the gun powder.
“?”
It is not gun powder inside the barrel. Instead… Charcoal. Just charcoal. Although it is a raw material used in the production of gun powder it will not explode even if it is ignited.
“… With alchemy, the best I can do is turn gunpowder into charcoal.”
Suddenly a girls voice comes from behind Villers, and he turns around surprised.
A blue haired girl is standing there, staring at him.
Tabitha.
A subtle stream of wind surrounds her young face, just enough for a wind using mage to notice it. And with that wind, Tabitha is constantly expelling the cloud of sleep magic around her.
Viller’s waves his staff, chanting a spell.
“Uru kano isa isa winde.”
A bright red ball of fire appears at the tip fo his staff. This ball of fire, as tall as Tabitha, flies straight towards her. Even if she were to dodge the ball, it will simply chase after her… While it is not as fast as wind magic though it is not something that can just be simply escaped by mere human movement. Moreover, there is no where to hide within these small ship corridors or rooms.
Tabitha however makes no moves to dodge, and instead merely catches the fireball with her staff.
The flame ball begins to swell upon contact, swallowing up Tabitha whole along with her staff… And in an instant the ball splits apart, like fireworks. Almost like she is in the midst of a tornado Tabitha spins up into the air.
Tabitha’s skill with wind magic is so elite that for her tearing apart a fireball can be done with ease.
But Viller’s face shows no disappointment, and he quickly recites the next spell.
Although Viller’s is a fire user though, there is an icy air hanging around him… He is someone whose emotions might permeate the air around him, but his expression remains unchanging like a Statue. There is no waste in his movements, and as of right now he only has one goal: eliminating Tabitha.
A cold flame burns within him, one that cannot feel hatred, anger, joy, or any passion or other emotion.
With a movement typical of one being controlled by someone else… Viller’s shoots a flame-shaped whip from his staff.
BOOOOOOOOM————-.
Even though the whip is constantly put out by the wind magic covering Tabitha, the sinister flame continues to attack Tabitha over and over again… And at that moment, Tabitha utters her first spell.
“Raguz water isu isau winde.”
Windy icicles begin to appear around Tabitha, and dozens of arrows fly out towards Villers.
“!”
Viller’s quickly moves to dodge.
“?”
However the icy arrows all purposefully miss, passing by his side, over his head, and between his thighs, smashing the powder kegs behind him into pieces.
BUWA!
Water begins to gush out of the barrels… Inside Tabitha had filled them with water instead of gunpowder, the overflowing water extinguishing the fiery whip that Viller’s has been using.
However instantly after coming into contact with the whip the water evaporates due to the heat, white water vapour blocking Viller’s vision.
“Lana del winde.”
Without wasting any time Tabitha dives into Viller’s chest while chanting a spell, driving an air hammer into his solar plexus.
Villers, hit by the air hammer, collapses to the floor.
“……”
With the battle over, the lid of the barrel in the back bursts open, Sylphid suddenly revealing her face.
“Sylphid is so surprised! To think that Viller’s was the culprit! He seemed like such a nice person! People truly are not waht they seem! Kiyu!”
Tabitha talks while looking into Viller’s eyes.
“He is not the culprit.”
“Kiyu?”
“Lieutenant Viller’s was simply being manipulated by Geass.”
Tabitha looks at the passed out Viller’s shoes. His boots are laced up, and looking closely there is a strand of blue hair tangled into the laces.
“That is Onee-sama’s hair, right?”
Tabitha pulls a doll out of her pocket, a small magic doll made out of clay. Tucking the hair into it, and casting some magic, the doll jumps to its feet.
“kiyu?”
“This doll will go to whoever cast magic on it.”
This is a little magic item that Tabitha had procured on her journies. Apparently, this now blue haired doll will go to whoever the owner of the magic is.
Tabitha casts levitate on Viller’s and grabs his leg. If his unconscious body were left here people would accuse him of the crime, and thus intends to take him with her.
To to to to, and begins to walk away.
Sylphid, unsure of what Tabitha plans to do next, begins to run after her.
The destination that the doll is heading towards seems to be the temple within the military port. The statue of a person nearby a magic lamp near the front gate somehow reminds them of a door leading to another world.
The sound of tidal waves can be heard on their right, crashing against the wave barrier.
Sylphid looks at the temple and,
“Is it, not it can’t be… Lucie-san?”
Mumbling, her face turns pale.
“I-, it must be another priest, yes that’s it. Kiyu.”
“Villers, please.”
Tabitha cancels her levitation spell, and Sylphid catches him just before his body is about to drop to the ground.
“Follow me.”
Tabitha pushes open the door and steps inside.
Inside is Lucie, with her golden hair undone and hanging loose, staring intently at Tabitha. The atmosphere within the church is the complete opposite of during the day, with something cold wrapping itself around them and suffocating them.
An aura of pure anger and resentment.
The anger wrapping her body begins to turn into magical power and envelope her body… Recoiling at this, Sylphid has never witnessed such an aura before in her long life.
Sylphid could easily tell Lucie’s true identity just by looking at her aura, an aura strong enough to freeze anyone unlucky enough to catch sight of it.
Lucie is not a priest.
Stepping forward, Lucie’s body cute through the air with a shroud of anger wrapping around her—–.
Magical power is nothing more than an outpouring of emotion. Lucie stares at Tabitha with the angry aura rivalling that of a square class mage, her gaze then shifting to Sylphid before settling on Viller’s who she is carrying. Nodding, Lucie finally speaks.
“Since when were you suspicious?”
Tabitha shakes her head.
“Just like you cast Geass to create a path for you do fulfill your crimes I created a path to lead myself to the criminal.”
“But how? My day time personality was perfect! Why did you suspect Lucie? Why!?”
Sylphid became confused at these words… She is not a human after all, and so she is sensitive to the differences between people and understanding them. Because of that she can understand what kind of person someone is, how they think, and how they act.
And yet during the day Lucie is not at all the kind of person who could do something like this… She isn’t someone who can blow up a ship and that is for certain.
But still.. The facts don’t lie. The Lucie in front of Sylphid is a completely different person Sylphid never would have suspected.
Lucie begins to tremble in anger.
Can someone really change faces this much from day to night?
Lucie continues to urge Tabitha to talk.
“Knight-sama. Will you please listen to my confession?”
Tabitha nods.
Lucie smiles sightly… A sad smile.
“Originally I wouldn’t ask you to listen to my confession since you are not a priest, but… At the bottom of my heart I am not a priest either. In that regards we are the same I suppose.”
Switching location the blue-haired girl and the woman pretending to be a priest sit across from each other in the confession room.
Sitting on the pew, Lucie speaks of her sins in a small and quiet voice.
“I suppose there is no need for me to give you the reason why… I want revenge on the royal family who executed my father and scattered my family just because of his allegiance to the Duke of Orléans… That is it. All this time working as a nun in different monasteries was just me waiting for that opportunity. When I was ordered to serve as a nun for the Bilateral Fleet, I thought my chance for revenge has finally arrived.”
“…….”
“My method is simple. As I am sure you already know, Knight-sama, on those who came here to confess I would force them to explode the gunpowder magazine on their ship. All I had to do was cast geass on them. The believers who came here all lost their faith and would cling to whatever they could… Begging for forgiveness. Because of that casting geass on them could be done with frighting ease and minimal force. Moreover, this is a confession room… Those who came here could have their identity protected and I would never have to divulge that common thread. My casting of geass on everyone in here was easily protected.”
Sylphid, listening to Lucie’s confession next to Tabitha, began to yell at Lucie sitting on the other side of the small window separating them.
“But, but! The Lucie we spoke to during the day was so peaceful and kind! She could never do something like seeking out revenge like this!”
Lucie lets out a dry laugh.
“Hah, that’s right. I was forced to sink my inner desire for revenge to the bottom of my heart. If I didn’t do that the outside world would easily see through me. During the day I had to pretend to be that perfect benevolent priest or else this plan never would have happened.”
“But still, how…”
Without waiting for her to finish, Lucie answers.
“Using a mirror I would cast geass on myself, allowing me to act like the perfect priest during the day. So perfect that even the minuscule traces of geass shining at the back of my eyes were wiped out. Not the slightest bit of vengeance was allowed to remain. I would cast geass over and over on myself until it was perfect…”
Sylphid face began to show the inner horror within herself. Lucie… Had even changed her own heart in order to exact her revenge. Using magic she shaped her body and suppressed her desire for revenge, the sole thing keeping her moving and living.
She suppressed her vengeful spirit for her revenge.
Sylphid couldn’t begin to understand what exactly her state of mind must be.
Sylphid couldn’t begin to see the bottom of the hatred living inside of Lucie. Before she knew it tears began to pour from her eyes… There must be no other person with as sad of an existence as Lucie, who has lived this whole time with that hatred living inside of her.
“May I ask you a knight, Knight-sama?”
Tabitha silently nods, her intention of affirmation.
“What made you doubt me? Earlier you said that you merely made a path to here, but that must have been a lie. Knight-sama, you doubted from the very beginning, didn’t you?”
Agreeing inside, Sylphid nods. (Tabitha must have saw that Villers, a serious and devout believer who had blundered would go confess, and thus put that magic on his leg)
(Is that her path to the truth?)
(No, that’s not true.)
(That was just the path to Lucie.)
(No, Lucie was just pulling the strings… In order to obtain definitive proof, Tabitha had used Viller’s as a decoy to prove this.)
Tabitha replies quietly.
“You were too pure during the day… Too honest and righteous.”
After a moment of silence… Lucie opens her mouth again.
“Ironic. My false faith, used to cover my revenge, has now revealed my true depth and desires. Is this all retribution for betraying God and my faith…”
Then, in a somewhat cheerful voice, Lucie speaks.
“When I first met you in front of the Villa, I had a premonition that I couldn’t ever deceive you. You were the only one who had more revenge in your heart than I did… I could tell that I could never deceive you like everyone else.”
“Eh?”
Sylphid lets out a voice of surprise… (No way, did Lucie…)
Lucie had already ascertained Tabitha’s true identity.
The next moment Sylphid spot a glimpse of a pistol on the other side of the window, and began to panic.
“Onee-sama! Run!”
But Tabitha doesn’t move, and merely stares through the screen… As if staring through Lucie’s eyes on the other side.
“This is goodbye… It is strange to say that this is a confession and yet not ask for forgiveness of my sins, but… For my revenge I must go to hell after all.”
Tabitha nods, not showing any expression on her face at those words.
Lucie speaks in a gentle voice,
“If there is one thing God cannot guide the faithless me to do it is this. Sending you to stop my revenge must be some cruel joke. Goodbye, Charlotte.” (TL Note: this sentence was hard to make sense of, but I got the meaning I believe.)
A loud gunshot rings out on the other side of the screen, the sound shaking the old confessional and causing the dust on the screen to kick up into the air, creating a cloud of dust.
Sylphid, with Tabitha on her back, flaps her wings.
Below them is the military port of Saint-Maron, gunpowder being loaded back into the various ships. As soon as the incident had been resolved, the fleet began efforts to regain its lost power. It is an inorganic scene, like ants hoarding crumbs back to their nests.
Meanwhile, a small figure can be seen waving to them on the mast of the Charles Orléans.
It is Villers… With Lucie’s death he had been freed from the geass cast on him.
His wave is the only farewell to Tabitha and Sylphid who had saved the fleet.
With each flap of her wings the Saint-Maron military port below moves farther and farther away.
Sylphid began to think vaguely on the future of the port before them.
(How much hatred will the resting fleet below us create in the future?)
(How much revenge will be created by this?)
(The hatred and revenge in Lucie’s heart will surely be nothing in comparison.)
She wants to ask Tabitha all these things, but Tabitha is sleeping peacefully on her back on her back. As soon as they had left the temple, Tabitha fainted and collapsed.
(No wonder.)
Even the Sylphid, always by the young girls side, doesn’t know much about the incident that scarred her heart.
”Kiyu“, Sylphid whimpers…. Then the thought of what will happen to Lucie’s soul began to fill her mind.
(I imagine that her sins will never truly be healed.)
Now that Tabitha has seen where her revenge might take her, will she too keep it close to her heart?
Tears begin to fill her eyes… The tears overflow from her eyes and run down her rugged face, get tangled in the wind, and reach Tabitha’s peaceful cheek.
From that Tabitha wakes up, and in a daze… Speaks.
“Father.”
The military port below them moves ever farther.
The ship, too, bearing her fathers name moves away.
Sylphid began to wonder what kind of dream she had been dreaming.
“Father.”
Tabitha repeats her words.
Sylphid began to imagine the day when Tabitha’s soul will finally be healed.
She began to imagine the day when this curse of revenge will finally be broken.
In a distant and uncertain future.
“When you get back to the academy Onee-sama, you will get to eat delicious food. Lots of it. That’s right, Onee-sama.”
Sylphid began to speak in a cheerful voice to Tabitha, who is calling out for her father.
Flapping her powerful wings.
Much like trying to shake something off with her wings, Sylphid began to pray for Tabitha’s father to rest in peace.
Silvered Tongue Reborn 