Henrietta could feel a headache coming on. Not 10 minutes ago had a small warship docked next to the palace, after defusing the situation with her guards the group was granted entry to the palace. She couldn't describe the happiness and relief she felt seeing Prince Wales, even if she was curious about the platoon of Albion soldiers she was now housing.
So after ordering her servants to cater to the 1000 or so soldiers she led Prince Wales and Louise's group into the throne room. Where all except one knelt.
"We are being debriefed by Princess Henrietta, not the floor. Stand up."
Mikoto's personality really was refreshing.
What was shocking was when the entire group actually obeyed.
"Louise Vallière, Saito Hiraga, Guiche Grammont, Kirche Zerbst, Tabitha and Mikoto Misaka reporting in. Mission complete, without incident," Mikoto reported snapping her out of her disbelief.
"I-I see, good work. You shall all be rewarded for your troubles," she stuttered glancing at Prince Wales, before flinching as Mikoto's cold brown eyes bore into her.
"Henrietta have you even debriefed anyone before?"
Her cheeks flushed and she lowered her gaze towards the floor. Usually the squad captains conducted the debriefs, not her.
"I see. Usually upon return from a mission, the squad leader is to report either success or failure. They are then to deliver a verbal report of what transpired, the decisions made, who made them and why. Never debrief someone when they are kneeling, they might be trying to hide something."
"Are you suggesting my subordinates are untrustworthy?"
"I know they're untrustworthy, if they were we wouldn't be here."
She grimaced, she couldn't argue against that.
"Now the debrief."
"Y-Yes please report."
"At 0615 hours I arrived at the front gate of Tristain Academy of Magic accompanied by Tabitha, her familiar Sylphid and Kirche. Despite not being assigned the mission I felt it prudent to recruit them due to their skill sets. Tabitha has a substantial amount of combat experience and Kirche is calm under pressure, whilst Sylphid is a wind dragon. However slightly before departure we were approached by one Viscount Wardes."
"Wardes?!"
"Indeed, he said you assigned him to the mission."
"Viscount Wardes offered his assistance but I refused him, due to your power and status as a former high ranking soldier I believed sending him was unnecessary and his presence would only attract unwanted attention," she explained.
"Wardes lied?" breathed Louise.
Mikoto nodded, "Regardless he failed to provide proof of assignment and after a short argument, it was decided Viscount Wardes would not be accompanying us and we departed. The trip to La Rochelle went uninterrupted, though Wardes was following us at a distance."
"Wait, Wardes was following us?!" demanded Louise and Henrietta glanced at her. Looking to the others they clearly weren't aware of this either. Though they managed to hold their tongues. Tabitha's expression didn't change, so it was possible she knew.
"Arriving at La Rochelle we received a few strange looks, though considering our group it was to be expected. Arriving at the hotel I left under the pretense of scouting, when in fact I left to confront Wardes. I observed from the rooftops as engaged people in conversation. When he started heading towards our hotel I realised he was searching for us. Not only that but he was actively drawing attention to us and compromising our mission, whilst debating what to do he turned down an alleyway off route to our hotel and I knew he'd noticed me. Thus I acted, knocking him unconscious and searching him."
"YOU KNOCKED HIM UNCONSCIOUS?!" screeched Louise. Henrietta frowned at Louise but otherwise didn't act.
"This is what I found."
She turned back to Mikoto and took the offered letters. Reading them she sucked in a sharp breath and brought a hand to her mouth in shock. This was irrefutable proof that Viscount Wardes was a traitor. Wardes had been one of her most trusted men, the Captain of the Griffon Knights. For him to be reviled a traitor made her wonder who else. Who else did she trust would inevitably betray her.
"Both Wardes and Fouquet have been eliminated."
Her eyes shot to Mikoto's, "when you say eliminated..."
"I killed them."
She leaned back and sighed. Whilst she would have preferred capturing him alive and interrogating him, she understood why Mikoto took that course of action. She wasn't happy about it but she understood.
"Y-You killed Wardes-sama?"
She turned towards Louise suddenly remembering Wardes was her fiancé.
"Louise-" she tried only to be cut off.
"YOU MONSTER! MURDERER! DEVIL! DEMON! HOW COULD YOU! H-HE WAS MY...AND YOU KILLED HIM! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Henrietta froze, this was a side of Louise she'd never seen before.
"Louise stop it!" cried Kirche holding her back from attacking Mikoto. Even Tabitha was standing in front of her with her staff raised. Mikoto on the other hand hadn't even glanced her way. Her eyes fixed solely on her.
"SHUT UP ZERBST WHAT WOULD A WHORE LIKE YOU KNOW ABOUT TRUE LOVE! PROBABLY WHY YOUR PARENTS SENT YOU AWAY, YOU'RE JUST A DISGUSTING SLUT NO ONE LOVES!"
Henrietta slammed her staff of the ground, "Enough."
She didn't shout, she didn't need to. Louise along with nearly everyone else had frozen at the power in her voice. It was something she'd been taught from a young age, she was the crown princess of Tristain and needed to be in control regardless of the situation.
Kirche had already released Louise and backed away. Hurt and shock clear on her face.
"Louise Francois le Blanc de la Vallière, how dare you speak such a way in my presence." Louise flinched and paled. "Never have I heard such disgusting language from a Tristainian noble. Not only insulting Mikoto who took out a traitor restoring Tristain's honor, but also Miss Zerbst who is studying in our country from Germania. You have my condolences in regards to former Viscound Jean-Jacques Wardes, but that does not excuse your behaviour. I am extremely disappointed, acting in such an unsightly manner in front of noble's from other countries. Embarrassing both myself and Tristain with your vulgar use of language. Even going so far as to insult one of said nobles. I shall be writing a letter to the Duke and Duchess Vallière about your behaviour, together we shall decided on the appropriate punishment. Speak like that again during this meeting and I won't hesitate to throw you out, do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal princess," knelt Louise.
"Stand up! Do I make myself clear!"
"Yes princess."
Henrietta nodded and stood addressing the rest of the group.
"Lady Zerbst, Lady Tabitha and Prince Wales, please accept my most sincerest apologies for being forced to witness such a vulgar display. Especially you Lady Zerbst, for being insulted in such a manner. I assure you Louise Vallière will not be getting off lightly, as the insulted party you shall also be awarded a say in Louise Vallière's punishment. So I implore you not you not to make an international incident out of this."
Never had she been more furious with Louise. They were on the verge of war. She couldn't afford Germania refusing them aide, especially not for something as stupid as a Tristanian noble insulting one of their own.
"B-But princess-"
"Silence!"
"B-But what about Mikoto?" started Kirche, "You can't just-"
"As far as the law in concerned I am a commoner, thus my feelings are irrelevant. If I were to retaliate in any way, the law states I would be in the wrong," interrupted Mikoto. "Had Princess Henrietta apologised to me, she would be insinuating the law was wrong. If word of that got out the 'nobles' would fear she was changing the law, taking away what they believe to be their right. Before that were to happen they would act. In which case there are only 2 possible outcomes for her, either she will be forced to step down as ruler or she will be killed."
Henrietta grit her teeth and bowed her head, Mikoto was right again. Though she hadn't really thought of it like that, the main reason she hadn't apologised to Mikoto was she was more concerned about the current political situation, than the feelings of a girl who really didn't look like she cared. Mikoto had however brought up a very valid point. The law left commoners completely at the mercy of nobles, regardless of the situation the commoner was always in the wrong.
She'd have to do something about that, though she wasn't sure how yet.
"But thats-" started Kirche only for Mikoto to cut her off again.
"Kirche it's fine, really. Besides if I am to to receive an apology it will not be from Henrietta."
Understandably Kirche along with most of the room still looked upset, but Mikoto's words had quelled any animosity towards her. Her eyes widened in realisation, it seems Mikoto was more politically competent than she'd originally assumed.
"I understand. You need not worry your highness, I don't intend to start a war over a few insults," said Kirche, "though I do expect a written apology from Louise for both myself and Mikoto as well."
Louise grit her teeth but mercifully kept her mouth shut.
Henrietta nodded breathing an internal sigh of relief.
"I thank you for your generosity." Crisis averted. "Mikoto please continue with the report."
Thankfully the rest of the report progressed without interruption, and at the end she dismissed everyone except Prince Wales.
She would forever be grateful to Mikoto. Not only rescuing Prince Wales, but the revealed existence of Reconquista gave Germania a reason to aide them in the up coming war, without having to marry someone she didn't love.
Unfortunately it wasn't all good news. She'd had no idea Louise could explode like that, but Mikoto obviously did. In fact it wouldn't surprise her if Mikoto had wanted her to see that. Wanted her to see just how emotionally unstable Louise really was. She couldn't even remember the last time Louise had brought Wardes up in conversation, it must have been a few years at least. Being upset she understood. But Louise hadn't been upset with Wardes for betraying them, she'd been upset with Mikoto for killing him. In fact she'd completely disregarded proof of Wardes's treachery and verbally attacked Mikoto. It would've been magical attacked if Kirche hadn't physically held her back.
Just thinking back to that made her cringe. It seemed Louise wasn't as trustworthy as she'd originally thought. She was loyal sure, but she didn't think she could trust her not to blow up on any mission she was sent on. It was lucky she didn't blow up on this one.
Then there was the issue of their incredibly bias law which she had no idea how to fix.
"That Mikoto really is something isn't she," said Wales walking towards her.
"She certainly is," she agreed standing up and hugging him. "How about a drink as we catch up."
God knows she needed one.
"A drink would be wonderful."