“I'll go to report to the Boss then.”
The pirate left laughing.
Saito was so surprised that he wasn't able to reply to Louise properly.
“Arm, show it.”
“Don't act this way. Aren't there more things to be concerned of? Like our present situation.”
Louise responded decisively “I won't let such things take me down as long as we have the slightest chance to survive.”
Louise stood up straight. Though the thought of marrying Wardes made her feel funny at the start, it wasn't so strong anymore.
“...In any case, you lied to them.”
“Don't talk nonsense. Are you seriously thinking that lying to such people is a bad thing?”
Saito sighed tiredly. Wardes came near Louise and tapped her shoulder.
“Don't say such things Louise, you are still my bride.”
Saito looked away dejectedly. Louise's face showed mixed feelings as she looked down.
The door opened again, it was the same thin pirate.
“The boss calls.”
The aisle passed up the narrow stairs and took the three to a splendid room built on the upper part of the deck.
The Boss... apparently, the chief of the pirates, was there.
As the door opened, one could see a gorgeous dinner table and a pirate sitting at its end, playing with a cane that had big crystal attached on top of it. Seemingly, he was a mage himself. The Boss' room was very different from what one would expect from a pirate.
He looked intensively at Louise who entered the room. The thin pirate who had brought her there poked her slightly from behind. “Hey, you, you are standing in front of the Boss, so greet him properly.” However, Louise just stood there glaring at the Boss as he smiled at her.
“Ah, I like a strong willed woman, you are not a child at all.”
“I demand the treatment of an ambassador.”
Louise, not paying attention to the Boss' words, repeated her demand.
“And what would be that message you are trying to give?”
Asked the Boss as he ignored Louise's words.
“And did you say royal?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Why are you going there? They will be gone tomorrow.”
“I won't tell you.”
But the Boss spoke to Louise in a joyful voice.
“Are you willing to betray the nobles? Otherwise, even if you are a mage I might not guarantee your safety even for considerable fee.”
“I'd rather die.”
Saito poked Louise, and at that moment he noticed her body trembling. She was scared. But even if she was scared, she kept on looking straight into the eyes of the Boss.
Saito remembered his duel with Guiche.
I was scared at that time. I thought I was going to die. But I didn't bow my head down. I think that Louise today resembles me at that time. She stands against a scary opponent but is able to withstand it because she has something important in her mind, just like me.
This Louise looked really amazing.
“I'll ask you again. Are you willing to betray the nobles?”
Louise looked straight ahead. She crossed her arms, and put out her chest. However, Saito interrupted her before she could open her mouth.
“She told you her answer already.”
“And who are you?”
The Boss looked at Saito with a piercing glare. The eyes that seemed to see the deep secrets. But Saito looked straight at the Boss, just like Louise did.
“A familiar.”
“Familiar?”
“Seems so.”
The Boss started laughing. He laughed loudly.
“I knew that Tristainian nobles were weird but not so helplessly. Oh my, my stomach hurts.” Said the Boss as he stood up laughing. Saito and the others were puzzled by the sudden change of atmosphere and looked at each other.
“Oh, I am sorry. As a noble I should properly introduce myself as well.”
The pirate who was laughing loudly suddenly stood up straight.
He removed his black curly hair from his head. It seemed to be a wig. He also took off the black eye patch, and also removed his fake beard. Before them now was standing a young person with blond hair.
“I am a general of the Albion Royal Air Force and also the commander of our country fleet. Though to tell the truth this warship named ‘Eagle’ is the only ship in our fleet. A powerless fleet. Oh dear, even people from the street could easily beat it.”
The young person bowed while introducing himself.
“I am the prince of the Albion's Kingdom, Wales Tudor.”
Louise's mouth opened wide and Saito couldn't take his eyes from the surprising appearance of the young prince of Albion. Wardes watched the prince with great interest.
Wales smiled with a charming smile and moved a chair for Louise to sit.
“Welcome to Albion, Ambassador. Now, let’s talk about your message.”
However, Louise was still speechless. She just stood there dumbfounded, unable to move.
“Why do I dress up as a pirate? To hide myself?! No, the rich rebels sent a lot of support to the rebellion, and it is a basic war tactic to cut enemy's supply line. It was necessary so had to dress myself like an undignified dirty pirate.”
Wales said laughingly.
“No, it was really impolite to treat an ambassador like that. But you have to admit you don't look much like a royal messenger yourself. And I never thought about support from other country's nobles. Yet I still should apologize.”
Even after Wales' words, Louise's mouth still kept opening and closing without uttering a single sound. She hadn't been mentally prepared to meet the prince so suddenly.
“We brought a secret letter from Her Highness Princess Henrietta.” Wardes said while gracefully bowing.
“Ohh, from Her Highness. And you are?”
“Captain of Tristain's Griffin Knights, Viscount Wardes.”
After that, Wardes introduced Louise to Wales.
“And this is the ambassador sent by Her Highness from the Vallière family and her familiar, Your Highness.”
“Indeed! Such a splendid noble. And I only have my ten bodyguards to greet you, such a miserable greeting. Then, do you still have the secret letter?”
Louise panicking took out Henrietta's letter from her clothes. However, she stopped before giving it to Wales. After a few moments of hesitation she opened her mouth.
“B-but...”
“What?”
“Excuse me, but are you really a prince?” Wales laughed.
“Oh dear, you won't believe me even if I showed you my true face. I am Wales. And I am really a prince. I will show evidence then.”
Wales said after seeing the water ruby ring shining on Louise's finger.
Louise's hand was taken and the ring that shone on a finger was removed. The prince brought it close to his ruby ring. The two rings reacted to each other, shining with a bright light.
“This ring belongs to the Albion royal family, the ruby of the Wind, while that one belongs to Henrietta from Tristain royal family and is the ruby of the Water. Am I right?”
Louise nodded.
“Water and the wind make the rainbow. A rainbow which is formed between royal families.”
“True, I am sorry for my impoliteness.”
Louise handed Wales the letter and bowed.
After looking at the letter lovingly, Wales kissed the signature. Then, the seal was carefully removed, the paper inside was taken out, and Wales began to read.
For some time he kept on reading it with serious expression.
“Is the princess marrying? That beautiful Henrietta. My beloved... cousin.”
Wardes bowed silently, with an affirmative expression. Wales dropped the glance to the letter again and smiled when the last line was read.
“Understood. The princess is informing me with this that she wants you to return that letter. And more importantly, the princess also hopes that I return a letter from her. Seems like it.”