Although from the first look it was obvious that she was older, she looked very cute. Such a beautiful face was beyond description. Her eye color and the way her eyes sparkled was the same as Louise’s as well. Noticing Eléonore, the girl stared at her with wide eyes.
“Ah! I’m so glad I noticed the strange carriage outside and came over here to take a look. I didn’t think I would meet you! Eléonore nee-sama! You’re back?”
“Cattle...ya...” Eléonore muttered.
Noticing the sudden guest, Louise looked up. Seeing Louise, Cattleya’s face radiated a happiness which was mirrored on Louise’s face as well.
“Big sister!”
“Louise! No way! You are not my Little Louise anymore! You came back as well!”
Louise stood up and launched herself into Cattleya's chest.
“It’s been so long, big sister!”
Unable to control their excitement, the two hugged with a squeal.
It seems like Cattleya was Louise’s sister. She had the same hair color, the same eye color – it was like looking at an older Louise. However, Cattleya’s face seemed to have a more calm and placid look than Louise’s. This aura of complete calmness and tenderness coming from Cattleya made Saito’s heart race.
She was like a matured Louise, with added gentleness. Besides, her beautiful figure and breasts matched Saito’s tastes well.
Cattleya's mouth half opened as she finally noticed Saito.
“Ah, ah, ah , ahah!”
While Saito was wondering what this “Ah” might mean, Cattleya approached him and gazed at his face.
“W-w-what’s wrong?” Saito asked nervously.
Cattleya began to gently stroke Saito’s face. Saito almost fainted from the sensation.
“You are... Louise’s lover, right?”
“Huh?!”
Siesta, who was standing right next to Saito, suddenly turned cold. She stomped down on his foot. Hard. Saito jumped up.
Louise blushed furiously.
“He’s just my familiar! Not my lover!”
“Ah... is that so?”
Cattleya giggled and tilted her head with a sweet smile.
“I’m sorry, I got it wrong. Don’t worry about it.”
Everybody got onto Cattleya’s carriage for the remainder of the ride to the La Vallière household. Eléonore was obviously discontented with having to sit with a commoner and a familiar. But when Cattleya jokingly said, “The more the merrier right?” Eléonore, though still not uttering a single word, reluctantly consented.
However... Saito and the rest weren’t the only passengers in the large carriage.
It was just like a zoo inside the carriage.
In front of the seats, a tiger was lying sprawled on the floor, yawning. Louise sat down next to a bear. Various kinds of dogs and cats were scattered here and there. A huge snake, which was hanging down from the ceiling, appeared right before Siesta’s face, making her faint. While looking after the fainted Siesta, Saito muttered,
“What a wonderful carriage…”
“Big sister loves animals,” said Louise.
Although he thought that this kind of love was taking it too far, Saito did not say a thing.
“I recently picked up a thrush.”
Cattleya said in a happy voice.
“Show me! Show me!” Louise was frolicking like a child.
Eléonore and the others took a collective deep sigh.
This was the life of the three beautiful La Vallière sisters. Saito took a deep sympathetic bow towards Louise’s older sister.
Louise and Cattleya continued having a long chat between them.
It seems like the second eldest sister, who was wearing those lovely clothes, was good friends with Louise. When you see two people getting along like this, even a tedious journey like this doesn't feel boring. Siesta was already sleeping peacefully in his lap. On the left of the coach, hills stretched. On the right — cultivated fields extended. As the rye harvest was ending, straw was piled up here and there. When he was looking at such tranquil scenery, it was impossible to believe that a war was going on. Leaning into the window frame, adjusting Derflinger behind his back, Saito took a deep yawn.
In the late night...
Eléonore took a pocket watch out of her pocket and confirmed the time.
A castle came into the view, right behind the hill. Because there was nothing around it, it actually looked bigger than Tristain‘s royal palace.
“Could that be—” Saito whispered. Louise nodded.
It looked like every castle. Surrounded by high walls and deep canals. Pinnacles were towering above walls. It was indeed a splendid, big, and true castle.
Siesta, who was sleeping up till now, woke up, and noticing the castle, stared at it with wide eyes.
“Wow! Amazing!”
At that moment, a large owl leaped in through the window and landed on Saito’s head.
“Welcome home, Eléonore-sama, Cattleya-sama, Louise-sama.” Owl bowed, greeting them.
“T-t-the o-owl talked and bowed! B-bowed!”. Siesta fainted again. Although he came from a different world, Saito did not seem to be surprised by the talking owl and didn't move. Saito wasn't surprised by such things anymore.
Cattleya smiled.
“And where is Mother?”
“Mistress is waiting for everyone in the dining room.”
“What about Father?”
Louise asked anxiously.
“Master hasn’t returned yet.”
Because the most essential member was missing, Louise frowned in displeasure. Coming here to obtain her father's permission to participate in the war was pointless without him.
One could see gates behind the canal.
When the carriage stopped, the sounds of chains holding the drawbridge being loosened could be heard from both of the gigantic statue-shaped gateposts.
Each stone statue was at least twenty feet tall. Though these golems were created only as gate ornaments, they made the whole drawbridge look spectacular.
Once the drawbridge finished lowering, the carriage began to move again, crossing the drawbridge and advancing into the rampart.
Saito’s surprise about the luxuries of Louise’s family was renewed again. It was a large noble’s castle.
Saito and the others arrived at the dining room which was generously decorated by a lot of luxurious furniture. Though Siesta immediately went to the servant's quarters, Saito, as Louise’s familiar, was allowed to accompany them for dinner.
However, he was forced to wait behind Louise's chair. So Saito stood guard behind Louise, watching the table that was about 30 feet long.
Although it was just four people that sat on seats during this supper, 20 servants were queuing up around the table.
And, in spite of the fact that it was midnight, Louise’s mother, the Duchess of La Vallière, was waiting for her daughters to arrive to the dining table.
The Duchess, who occupied the top seat, looked over at her arriving daughters.
Saito flinched from that power. Even though Eléonore possessed a violent, high-handed aura which pressed Saito, Louise's mother was just as impressive.
And it was just a mother’s hospitality towards her daughters.
She seemed to be around fifty years of age. However, this guessing was made by calculating the eldest sister's age. In reality, she didn’t look over forty. She had a very sharp appearance. Louise and Cattleya’s pink hair color seemed to come from their mother. The duchess had tied her charming pink hair together on the head. This person was wearing a commanding aura around her, Saito felt pressed.
Louise, despite meeting her mother after such a long time, was acting tense. It seems like Louise trusted only Cattleya.
“Mother, we have returned just now.” Eléonore said; Duchess of La Vallière nodded.
When the three sisters seated themselves, waiters carried the appetizers and the dinner started.