Saito, watching Agnes's feet, turned his attention to the sword.
And… is this is the right moment? He thought, waiting for the moment.
While seeing it many times, he could judge it safely. Keeping the timing… the moment when half of her body was averted, he launched into attack.
“Gu!”
Agnes groaned.
Saito's sword hit her shoulder.
“I, I hit it! I hit it!”
Saito was making an exaggerated noise. Agnes finally laughed.
“Now this was timing. Even though you did it right, there could be also feints, but eventually you would learn it all.
“Yes.”
“Follow the body.”
That time, the sword practice continued, all night long.
Morning started to break… finally released from practice, Saito was washing himself.
He was pouring water from the wooden bucket onto his head. The water felt cool on his burning body. However…
“Ouch!”
The cold water permeated into his wounds.
His body was filled with bruises and abrasions. Agnes didn’t have any mercy on his body.
“That person is a real bi… dog.” muttered Saito, looking down shamefully.
However, the pain felt good.
Little by little, Saito felt he was stronger.
Not by given Gandálfr, but by true, self power… Such feelings of growth every day, were not bad feelings.
Saito forgot his towel; flustered, he tried to wipe his upper nude body. It was a season still near winter. Even though his body burned, it still got cold.
“Use this.”
When he, startled, turned towards the voice – Tiffania stood there with a towel. Seeing Saito’s upper-body nakedness, an embarrassed blush spread on her cheeks.
“Thank you,” Saito said, receiving the towel, and starting to wipe his body.
Tiffania looked hesitant, as if wanting to say something.
“What’s wrong?”
Urged, Tiffania opened her mouth.
“W-working hard.”
“Aye. Because I want to be stronger.”
“Can I ask something?”
“All right.”
“Uhm… recent injuries. They were from confronting Albion's army, right…? You stopped that huge army from advancing?”
Shaking his head, Saito replied,
“Who told you that?”
“That Sword-san – Derf-san.”
“He can’t stop chatting…”
“Did you really confront 70,000 troops, how did it feel?”
“100 more or less. Well, even I could not understand how many there were of them. It felt like jumping into a huge typhoon.”
“Typhoon?”
“No… that's what a severe storm doing huge natural damage is called…”
“You are courageous.”
Saito shook his head.
“It’s different. Because I was powerful then… Hey, remember the power I talked about before?”
“Something about ability to use all weapons?”
“Indeed, Because I had it, I could stand against 70,000. Today, I do not have it.”
Saito said, staring at his left hand.
“No matter how powerful one is… still nothing can be done. To defend the one you love, one you trust. You said it the other day – important person…”
“Aye.”
“Now… are you training yourself to defend the person you love?”
“It’s different. I already said I am not worthy of defending her.”
Tiffania became silent.
“Her enemies are strong. Her goals are big. She will not need someone who can barely swing a sword.”
“Then why you are training so hard?”
“To return.”
“To return?”
“Aye. The other day… when I heard Tiffa’s performance, I remembered my home and became homesick. I thought about returning there. This thing I should do. Louise has things that she should do… And I have mine. For this purpose, I try to improve my sword skills. This world is a dangerous place. I have to find my own way to defend myself…”
Said Saito, in a somewhat settled voice.
“That person is named Louise?”
Saito feeling a little shy, nodded.
“Yeah.”
“…What kind of person is she?”
“Pink hair... short...”
“Beautiful?”
Saito didn’t answer. He began to put the clothes on.
“You are great.”
“It’s not about greatness. Yet, as I said, I only want to return.”
“You work hard for that. It is great. I…”
Tiffania said, choosing her words carefully.
“Even if you are not doing this for a person you love, you still had something to work hard on. However… I absent-mindedly wanted to just live quietly and stay out of trouble. Though I wanted to go to my mother’s hometown, I only thought about it, but never acted.”
“It’s not true. You are serious.”
“No. It is all because of my cowardly nature.”
Tiffania clasped Saito's hand.
“Thank you, Saito. I want to see more unique things. Before, I just lived in an old house… and then in this village for years, but now, for the first time, I want to see the world. The world is not just unpleasant things. There are also joyful things for sure… After seeing you, I realized that.”
Saito blushed.
“Hey, do you want to be my friend? My first… friend.”
“I do.”
“When you first came to the village, though I thought about erasing your memory… I didn’t. For a long time, I wanted a friend.”
“I see.”
Saito said, turning crimson for a while.
With his face close, he got a perfect sight of the valley of her breasts.
Noticing Saito's glance, Tiffania quickly pulled herself away.
“Sorry…”
“I-it’s all right. Since you are a friend, it is all right.”
An embarrassed silence followed.
“F-food is ready. Let’s eat.”
Saito nodded, and began to walk. From the house, a nice smell flowed, making Saito notice for the first time that he was hungry.
Chapter Eight: The Users of Void
After two weeks, the Nations Conference ended without too much trouble.
The result: Tristain and Germania claimed a vast territory in Albion and added it to their territory.
The remaining lands were under the joint rule of three countries: Tristain, Germania and Gallia, as it was decided to restore the monarchy. Therefore, the regions, including the capital city of Londinium, were managed by the three countries as a joint ruling territory.
As a ruler, Tristain’s old noble Duke of Marcillac was recommended. He was aged and didn’t have much ambition. His excellent domestic affair abilities made sure that the troubled Albion would be restored. From Germania and Gallia, representatives would be elected, and placed as the king's advisers.
And, with four countries taking part, the monarchy of Halkeginia was defended, the rise of republics stopped, and the monarchic alliance of four countries was announced.
If a new believer in democratic ideology started to cause a revolution in a kingdom, the other three countries would be allowed to start military intervention. As a result, new attempts at revolution would be noticed by the four governments at the same time.
With the establishment of this alliance, the nations conference was closed.
They were told to return to their countries tomorrow…
In Havilland palace, Henrietta was desperately looking over documents. Cardinal Mazarin could be seen next to her.
“Your Majesty, get some rest already… Lately you hardly sleep.”
Henrietta attended the Nations Conference almost round-the-clock. For Tristain’s interests, she took part in heated discussions. Albrecht the III concluded in a whisper, “Not accepting the marriage was the correct choice.”