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“Pu. Pupu. When did you turn into cat?”

It wasn’t just Siesta. There was Scarron and Jessica too. Saito stuck his head out from behind his friends.

“Wait. Brought sake. Mmm? Why didn't anyone enter the room?”

Then Saito noticed Louise dressed up in black cat’s clothes.

“Wh-what’s the meaning of this? You…”

Louise screamed.

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“Louise is so cute,” Scarron muttered, sitting on a chair.

“Pu. Pupu. Pupupu,” Jessica held her mouth, desperately trying to suppress her laughter.

Frowning Siesta watched the chipped ball of fur that Louise used.

Louise hid herself behind the covers, and did not get out from the bed.

Although everything calmed down, there was no reply.

Confused Saito asked Derflinger.

“Wha-what happened?”

“Well, that masterpiece…”

After his words, the blanket flew up, Louise, who completely forgot about her black cat’s clothes she was wearing, flew out of the bed, kicked the sword and silently returned back to the bed.

Siesta stared at Louise.

Saito looked doubtful.

Jessica looked out of the window.

“Snow started to fall, getting cold.” She muttered.

“An Advent Festival of snow… waah, how romantic,” Scarron wiggled his body.

Chapter Seven: The Reason To Fight

Full-bloomed fireworks went up, illuminating the night sky.

From under the many tents placed in Saxe-Gotha's main plaza, people shouted with joy.

Because the Allied Forces were stationed here, the city was filled up with almost twice as many tents. There were only a limited number of lodging houses that soldiers could rent. Merchants came from various places to sell soldiers a variety of things. The city of Saxe-Gotha was wrapped in an unprecedented vigor.

And, heralding the beginning of the month of Yara, today was twice as vigorous than the first day of the first week.

The biggest festival in Halkeginia, the Advent Festival, started. For ten days starting today, one could drink, sing, and cause a fuss every day.

Louise and Saito drank alcohol in the grand tent of the “Charming Fairies” inn, which was opened in the plaza.

Surrounding Rene, there was everyone from the 2nd Dragon Knight Squadron. Every main officer, including Guiche, could have been seen in here as well. Both senior military officers and soldiers were prohibited from eating and drinking in the inns of Saxe-Gotha. They would get drunk, causing the local residents trouble – thus it was easier to monitor them if they were all held together. Because of that, the inn, which made a business trip from Tristain, was full.

After the black cat clothes were seen, Louise did not talk at all except when necessary. She was very embarrassed. She silently sipped her drink alone.

Because Louise was weak to alcohol, only a little bit of wine was poured in her glass. The rest of her drink consisted of fruit juices, honey, and water. She kept on drinking it little by little. Still, her face was already red.

She was casting glances at Saito through the corner of her eyes.

Saito was drinking with the Rene party as well as Guiche, whom he met again a little while ago. Differently from that time with Louise, he was relatively happy. Seeing that, Louise poured in more wine.

A bleary-eyed Louise rose her glass.

“Seconds!”

Louise saw a waitress running up to her, turned her face away, and tried to call another one.

“Someone serve me. Someone.”

“Place your order,” Siesta called out to Louise with a calm expression.

“I didn’t call you.”

Louise glared at Siesta. And then, muttered,

“Running around… like an idiot.”

Siesta, keeping on a cheerful face, said,

“I'll do extra, if you dress in a black cat’s suit.”

Louise blushed. Siesta quietly drew her face to Louise’s, and murmured, while smiling,

“You are my master for today.”

Louise jumped up, shaking.

But then she had a second thought. There’s no time to banter with that maid. Besides, I know the outcome of this war anyway. I’ll tell her that. She chuckled in her mind. Louise put on a shy face and muttered,

“I-I was confessed to.”

Siesta’s eyebrows shot up. Louise did not miss her love rival’s reaction. That’s because Louise is a girl. She doesn’t have what I do. I won, after all! Louise became happy, and in order to sweeten her victory, she pressed Siesta on.

“That’s right. He said he favors me. 'What to do I wonder, I cannot stop thinking of you,' he said. Really, such an impertinent familiar.”

Siesta listened to it with a smile.

“Heee. I am glad to hear that,” she said, though her eyes were not smiling at all.

“Besides, he pushed me down. Of course, I did not permit it! I mean, I do not like things like that. It's not natural!”

“Flirting but not selling is repulsive.”

Siesta said. Louise caught a glance at her forehead and answered back.

“Not you.”

Two people continued to stare at each other.

At that moment… a muted sound of something hitting the tent was heard.

“Mmm?”

“Look snow! Snow!” voices rang outside.

Indeed, through the entrance of the tent, one could see it snowing..

“Advent Festival of Snow…” Louise muttered.

“I dreamed of the Advent Festival of Snow…” Siesta murmured with an enchanted expression.

“Really?”

“Yes. In Tarbes, it is warm even during the winter. Without too much snow…”

With her eyes sparkling like child’s, Siesta watched the snow outside the tent.

Then Siesta noticed Louise looking at her. The pair looked at each other, blushing. Then returned back to watching the snow.

Louise said, hiding her awkwardness,

“…It is calm somehow. Maybe we should also make a truce for the Advent Festival.”

“Right.”

“Sit here.”

Louise urged Siesta to sit. Yes, Siesta sat demurely next to Louise with a nod.

Accepting Louise’s pre-offered drink, Siesta bowed.

“Cheers!”

Feeling strange, the pair let their cups clink.

“Nice,” Siesta said, with a blush from the alcohol on her cheeks.

“Feels like really being a noble.”

They watched the snow falling through the opening of the tent by the snow.

“Beautiful… Snow covering the buildings… like sugar,” Siesta muttered.

“Well...”

“Though it’s such a beautiful land, why is there a war…?”

Siesta said, while looking at Louise.

“S-sorry… I am not blaming Miss Vallière… I know you work hard for the country.”

Louise cast her eyes down.

Siesta muttered, staring at the wine in the bottom of her glass,

“… To tell you the truth, I hate this war. Many people die. For what reason?”

“For what reason?”

“Why do you fight? Father… said that the reason is money. Capturing an enemy country can also be beneficial for a ruler to establish one's self. Is that it? Do you kill others for such reason?”

Louise thought. It might be true considering surrounding ministers. However, Henrietta was different. Because of the time they both spent together during their childhood, Louise understood her well. For Henrietta, this war was about revenge. To defeat a hateful enemy who killed a beloved person. This was the only intent in Henrietta’s mind.

Siesta asked Louise, who was lost in thought,

“Why is Miss Vallière fighting?”