The messenger asked them where Osman’s room was, and dashed away quickly after receiving the answer. The unusual scene caused Louise and Saito to look at each other. Sensing something had happened in the palace, the two of them rushed after the messenger.
Osman was occupied with the preparations for the wedding ceremony. He would be leaving the academy for a week and so he was organizing various documents and packing his luggage.
A loud knock came at the door.
“Who is it?”
The messenger from the palace burst into the room before Osman had finished talking.
“Reporting from the palace! Albion has declared war on Tristain! The princess’ wedding has been postponed until further notice! Soldiers are currently heading towards La Rochelle! For safety reasons an order was issued stating that all students and staff are to be confined to the castle!”
Osman’s face grew pale.
“A declaration of war? There’s going to be a battle?”
“Yes! Enemy forces have set up camp in the fields of Tarbes and are glaring at our forces nearby La Rochelle.”
“The Albion forces must be very strong.”
The messenger replied sorrowfully.
“The enemy forces are a dozen in number led by a huge warship called the Lexington. The total number of troops is estimated to be around three thousand. Our main fleet has already been destroyed and counting all our troops, we only have around two thousand. We weren’t prepared for a war, so that was all we could field. However, the worst is that they have complete aerial dominance. Our troops will surely be decimated by their cannons.”
“What’s the current situation?”
“The enemy dragoons are setting fire to the village of Tarbes… We requested aid from Germania, but they say the soonest they can arrive is in three weeks…”
Osman sighed and said, “… They’re planning to abandon us. During that period, Tristain’s towns will fall readily into the hands of the enemy.”
With their ears pressed against the door of the principal’s room, Louise and Saito looked at each other. Louise’s face had become pale at the mention of war, and Saito’s at the mention of Tarbes. Isn’t that Siesta’s village? Saito dashed off. Louise panicked and followed him.
Saito reached the courtyard and started climbing into the Zero fighter. Louise hugged his waist from behind.
“Where are you going?!”
“To Tarbes!”
“Why?!”
“Isn’t it obvious?! I’m going to go save Siesta!”
Louise grabbed his arm and tried to shake him off, but he firmly clung on.
“You can’t! It’s a war! Even if you went, it wouldn't make a difference!”
“I have this Zero fighter. The enemy is attacking with those airships right? This can fly too. I’ll figure something out.”
“What can you do with a toy like this?!”
“This isn’t a toy.”
Saito grabbed the Zero fighter’s wing with his left hand. His runes shone.
“This is a weapon from my world. It’s a tool for killing people. It’s not a toy.”
Louise shook her head.
“Regardless, whether this is a weapon from your world or not, there’s no way you can win against those large warships! Don’t you understand? You can’t make a difference! Just leave it to the soldiers!” said Louise, looking straight into Saito’s face.
This guy… this reckless familiar doesn’t know anything about war, Louise thought. This was different from the journey they took to Albion. The battlefield was a place filled with death and destruction. If a novice went, it would result only in his death.
“He said that Tristain’s fleet had been wiped out didn’t he?”
Saito slowly patted Louise on the head and spoke in a low voice.
“It might not amount to anything. I can’t imagine beating those warships. But…”
“But what?”
“I don’t fully understand, but I’ve received these legendary familiar powers. If I were just a normal, regular person, I wouldn’t have thought of going to save them. But it’s different. I have Gandálfr’s power. I might be able to save them. I can perhaps save Siesta… and those villagers.”
“The probability is almost zero.”
“I know. But, it’s not zero. So, I’ll do it.”
Surprised, Louise replied.
“Are you an idiot!? You want to return to your own world right? How is dying here going to help?!”
“Siesta treated me kindly. You too, Louise.”
Louise’s face turned red.
“I’m not from this world. I don’t necessarily have to care what happens to this world, but I want to at least protect the people who have treated me well.”
Louise noticed that Saito’s hands were shaking. Raising her head, she said, “Aren’t you scared? You idiot. Stop trying to act cool if you’re scared!”
“I am scared. I’m even reluctant to do this. But that prince said, the importance of protecting something, will make you forget the fear of death. I think he’s right. That time, when fifty thousand Albion soldiers came charging towards us… I wasn’t scared. I was busy thinking of protecting you, so I wasn’t scared. I’m not lying.”
“What are you saying? You’re just a commoner. You aren’t a courageous prince or anything.”
“I know. It’s got nothing to do with whether I’m a prince or a commoner. Which country you were born in, the time period… even which world, is irrelevant. If you are a man, then you would surely think the same way.”
Louise’s face started to distort as she tried to hold back her tears.
“If you die, what will I do…? No… I, if you die…”
“I won’t die. I will come back. If I die, I won’t be able to protect you right?”
“I’m going as well.”
“No. You’re staying here.”
“No, I’m going as well.”
“You can’t.”
As his hard-found courage was about to escape him, Saito separated himself from Louise and climbed into the cockpit from the wing.
Suddenly he realized. He hadn’t refueled the plane.
Saito left Louise there and rushed off to Colbert’s laboratory. With her fists tightly clenched, she groaned. Why was he so stubborn! Even though I said it would be dangerous… Louise bit her lip and held back her tears. Nothing would come from crying. Louise looked at the Zero fighter.
“What chance does this thing have of winning against Albion’s forces!?”
Saito woke up the sleeping Colbert.
“Huh? What?”
“Mr. Colbert! Have you made the gasoline?”
“Huh? Yes, I’ve made the amount you needed. It’s over there.”
“Then help me carry it! Quickly!”
Colbert carried the gasoline for Saito. Colbert, who was still partially asleep, didn’t know about the war. Saito didn’t bother explaining.
“You’re going to fly it so early in the morning? At least let me freshen up.”
“We don’t have time for that.”
Louise was nowhere to be seen. He was relieved. If Louise had pleaded him to not go once more, his determination would fade. There was no reason why he wouldn’t be scared. The prince did say that the importance of protecting something would make the fear of death go away, but… nope. It was still scary.
Even then, Saito sat in the cockpit and performed the necessary operations to start the engine. Colbert then used his magic like before and the engine started to run. The engine started with a loud noise and the propellers started to spin.
He checked the gauges. The runes on his left hand told him that everything was normal. He checked the machine gun in front of him. Bullets were loaded. The machine guns on the wings were also loaded.