Baratijas Blog

The messenger arrived when Louise was inside her tent, waiting to board the ship for retreat. The time is nearing sunset.

Saito followed Louise to the headquarter tent, and waitied outside. When Louise came out after receiving her mission, her face was pale.

Saito asked Louise what her orders are, but she did not answer. Silently, she walked towards the city outskirts, away from the retreating army's staging area. Arriving at the horse stalls, Louise was about to get onto a horse when Saito finally grabbed her arm.

Angrily, Saito questioned Louise what her orders are again, but Louise remained silent and dull. Saito grabbed the sheepskin with Louise's orders on it from Louise's hands. Saito was unable to read it, but Derflinger on his back translated.

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Derflinger: "Hmm hmm, basically, they want ya to buy time so the main forces can escape, huh. Stopping an enemy force of 70,000 by yerself. Nice"
Colors faded from Saito's face. He mumbled in a stunned voice.
Saito: "What is that?"
Derflinger: "They gave some pretty detailed instructions there. Hoho, lie in wait on top of the hill 50 leagues (kilometer) from here, and let loose yer "void" there, it says. And to head there by land so ya won't be detected by the enemy. And then keep firing until yer magic runs out, huh. Retreat or surrender will be allowed. Haha, basically a "defend-to-the-death order" huh. Simply put, hold back the enemy until yer' dead. That's the order."
Saito: "……Oi, what's with that. Stop joking around"
Saito said, and held onto Louise's shoulder.
Louise: "Nobody is joking about anything. This is reality"
Saito: "Reality, are you crazy? Those generals are telling you to die, you know!? They're totally treating you like a tool. No, you're not even a tool. You're a sacrifice! Sacrifice!"
Louise: "There's nothing I can do about it"
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(uuu… I want to translate their whole arguement, but it's too long, so… *cut*. Sorry )

After arguing about their beliefs and what Louise's honor is all about, Saito appeared to have finally given in. But before he lets Louise go, he wanted to have a drink with her first. To part ways after having a drink, that's the tradition of Saito's world.

Hearing this, Louise proposed something even more shocking
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Louise: "Hey, Saito"
Saito: "What?"
Louise: "If we're going to drink anyway, I have a favor to ask"
Saito: "Go ahead, I'll do anything you ask"
He says, but Louise's reply was……, far beyond anything Saito imagined.
Louise: "I want to have a marriage ceremony"
Saito: "……Haa?"
Louise's face turned all read, and cried out.
Louise: "Don't get me wrong. It! It's not as if I like you or anything! I just……, I just don't want to die before even getting married. I just wanted to try out a marriage ceremony, that's all!"
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(but since Louise almost got married once in vol.2, she should already know what a marriage ceremony is like….)

The two of them entered the abandoned temple beside the horse stalls, the temple was abandoned ever since the war began, but managed to remain tidy inside.
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Louise looked up at the Founder's statue. And being affected by it's majestic atmosphere, she kneeled down and began praying silently.
While praying, Louise thought.
Why did I think about wanting to have a marriage ceremony?
Maybe it's because I wanted to have something real.
Since there's nothing between me and Saito……
In the end, I wasn't able to repond to Saito's confession properly, nor did I have the time to.
It's the end anyway, let's be a little more honest to my own feelings.
Maybe that's why I thought about wanting to have a marriage ceremony……
The mind is in disorder, the answer is not coming out.
After a short prayer…… Louise opened her eyes, and Saito was holding wine glasses.
Louise: "Where did you get those glasses from?"
Saito: "They were on the altar over there. It's meant for god, but I guess it's ok. It's a special occasion anyway"
Louise smiled, and took the glass.
Saito: "That's the second time"
Saito said.
Louise: "What is?"
Saito: "You smiling at me. We've been together all these time, and you only did it twice, you know? You must be crazy to want to marry an opponent like that."
Louise became happy. Saito has been counting the number of her smiles.
Louise: "I told you, I just wanted to try it out"
But her words were blunt. She can't get herself to be honest. She feels irritated at herself.
She's going to be parting with herself too today.——————.
Louise and Saito tapped their glasses together.
Louise: "Sorry for not being able to search with you for a way to get you home"
Saito: "Don't worry about it"
The two of them drank up the wine in their cups.
From both shyness and drunkenness, Louise's cheeks became blushed.
Saito: "So how do you do a marriage ceremony anyway?"
Louise: "I don't know the details either"
Saito: "Is that okay? To be so unspecific"
Louise: "Whatever. It's with you anyway"
Not really knowing what to do, Louise held Saito's hands.

Louise: "You have to say the oath"
Saito: "But don't you need a priest to finish that?"
Lousei: "Stop complaining. What do you want to do then?"
Saito looked straight at Louise, and said.
Saito: "I love you. Louise"
Louise: "Wha……, what's that……, baka……, you're supposed to say the oath, remember?"
Suddenly being told "I love you", Louise's face turned all read. Her body trembles from joy.
Saito: "I'm not lying. I'm happy that I got to know you. Really"
Louise looked down slightly. Now's the time to say it, she thought.
Louise: "I, I also……"
The moment she was about to continue on…… she was suddenly ambushed by a wave of sleepiness.
Louise: "E, eh? I……"
The sudden sleepiness was a powerful one. Her view is quickly turning dark.
Louise: "The wine, what did you……"
No more words came out beyond that. Strength and consciousness escaped Louise's body.
Saito held onto Louise's body before she could fall. He took out a small bottle from his pocket. It's the magic sleeping drug that he got from Siesta the other day.
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Carrying Louise outside into the setting sun, Saito met Julio. Saito entrusted Louise to Julio, who promised he would get her on the ship safely. After that, Saito went to get on his horse.
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Julio: "Where are you going?"
In a bored voiced, Saito answered.
Saito: "Running away"
Julio: "That's the wrong direction though. That's the way to the Albion army"
Saito: "Oh really"
Without caring, Saito straddled onto the horse. Julio called out to him.
Julio: "One thing I want to ask"
Saito answered from above the horse.
Saito: "What?"
Julio: "Why are you going? To be straight with you, you'll die for sure. Didn't you say it was foolish to die for honor?"
Saito thought for a bit….., but frowned and shook his head.
Saito: "'Cause I said it"
Julio: "Said what?"
Saito: "I said 'I love you'"
Julio laughed out loud.
Julio: "A-ha-ha! You're a man like us Romanians!"
With a frowning face, Saito crossed his arms.
Saito: "No, it feels like this is more about me than the woman I love"
Julio: "Can you tell me what you mean by that?"
Saito looked straight ahead, and said.
Saito: "If I don't go now, it feels like those words of 'I love you' that I said would become a lie. I can't allow my own words to become a lie. I can't stand having my own feelings become a lie"
Julio placed a finger on his forehead, and made a troubled gesture.
Saito: "Did I say something weird?"
Julio: "You're not a noble, and I'm not one either"
Saito: "Yeah"
Julio: "But I think your way of thinking just now was very noble-like"
Saito: "Is that supposed to be a praise?"
Holding tightly onto the reins, Saito kicked the horse's belly.
He raced straight into the darkening path.
While watching him off, Julio whispered quietly with a smile on his face.
Julio: "What a clumsy one you are. Gandalfr"
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The next day, on top of the small hill marked on the mission map, the rising sun began shining light onto the land.

From the horizon, with a dull tremble, a great army slowly appeared.
Saito stood up, and kicked his horse. The surprised horse quicky ran away.
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Derflinger: "Yer not gonna use the horse?"
Derflinger on his back murmured.
Saito: "It's a living thing too, not a tool"
Derflinger: "How kind of ya, partner"
Saito asked Derflinger.
Saito: "Didn't the last Gandalfr destroy an army of one thousand? Maybe I can make it through seventy thousand somehow too"
Derflinger: "Yeah about that, ya know how they always like to add extra stuffs onto legends. Well, just don't expect too much. I'm pretty sure, it was less than a thousand"
Saito: "…..What the hell, telling me a big ass lie like that. And hell, don't tell me the truth! If this is it anyway, at least keep me fooled until the end!"
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From the other side of the plain, the Albion army appeared. A great army of 70,000. But since they're not marching in a line formation, it doesn't look like that many people.
But there really is 70,000 of them.

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Derflinger: "Partner, anyway just dive straight in. Now that it's like this, it's the same no matter where ya go. But try to aim for the commanders. Take out the head, and the body will fall into chaos. And their feets will stop too. You might be able to buy a day's time"
Saito nodded, and held onto Derflinger.
The rune on his left hand glowed out.
Saito: "Hey Derf"
Derflinger: "What"
Saito: "Can I tell you a story about when I was little?"
Derflinger: "Go 'head"
Saito: "At the train station, an obasan got in trouble with some delinquents, her basket bumped into one of them or something. But since I was just a brat, I can't help her, so I could only watch. Back then, I thought "if only I was strong". But at the same time, I felt relieved too. 'Cause if I was strong, then I would have to help her. And even if I was strong, it still doesn't mean I'll win for sure, you know"
Derflinger: "Yeah"
Saito: "Yeah. I have become strong. I have obtained power. I can't make excuses for myself anymore. Back then, I didn't have any power, so I could make up an excuse right away. Like "it can't be helped because I'm weak". But now, I can't make excuses for myself anymore. Because I'm "strong" now. After all, you know, I'm a Gandalfr"
Derflinger returned with a short reply.
Derflinger: "Yeah"
Saito: "But you know…… All these strengths are all on the outside. Inside, I ain't strong at all. Nothing's different at all. It can't be helped I guess, Gandalfr this and lengendary familiar that, it's all too sudden. There ain't no way I can be prepared. That's why I ain't suited for stuff like this. To become everyone's shield or whatever, to be honest, I rea–lly don't wanna do this. I'm shaking from being so scared. I don't wanna die damn it"
Derflinger: "Partner sure has a strong sense of duty"
Saito: "What an unfair quality. Really"
Saito thought.
Is this what it means to be courageous?
Saito: "Hey Derf"
Derflinger: "What is it?"
Saito: "Am I going to die?"
Derflinger: "Probably"
Saito fell silent. And as if to make it up, Derflinger said.
Derflinger: "Well, if this is it anyway, at least look cool"
Saito: "Why?"
Derflinger: "It's a waste otherwise, no?"
About 400 meters ahead, the Albion army's front line can be seen.
Saito's body moved naturally. Perhaps it's because of Gandalfr's power, perhaps it's because of Saito's own courage, or perhaps it's something else, but…….
Saito began running, aiming for the seventy thousand.

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ダメじゃん、こりゃ。:ph43r:

Ok, I need to stop here. ^^;

The volume didn't end here, it went on to describe Saito's battle among the enemy forces, how he refused to kill anyone, how he took hits after hits, despite his dazzling speed and Derflinger's power to absorb magic, how, little by little, his body became torn and tattered, and even then, he continued to dash from one commander to another, exhausting himself, until the amount of injury he sustained became so large, he finally…

But I can't really summarize that, nor do I have the guts to translate all that (this post is already over 4000 words ^^; ).

Needless to say, due to Saito's efforts, the coalition army successfully retreated from Albion. Louise woke up safely on one of the ships, surrounded by her comrades. But when she found out what has happened, and realizing Saito is nowhere in sight….