Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Chapter3

Chapter 3- Anxiety and Jealousy

Louise's room was as usual, enveloped in strange anxiety.

After classes, Saito was having tea with Louise, but......the waitress, Siesta's attitude was trying her best to incite Louise.

“Saito-san, please.”

Whilst smiling sweetly, Siesta served Saito the freshly baked biscuit. As if saying that that was her seat, Siesta sat down beside him.

“Th-thank you......”

Timidly, Saito checked Louise's expression.

With an utterly sullen face, Louise was glaring at both of them fiercely. Her anger turned into dark waves and struck Saito.

Saito did not want to call out to Louise in this state.

Why are you angry?

You don't really like me, do you?

You had merely said “Reward”, why are you angry?

Yet, it was no use talking about it. Because she would be wounded if he were to say that right at her face, so he didn't get his words out. Whether Saito had become at Chevalier or a noble, to Louise he was but still a familiar. Be it Louise whom he would meet someday in front of the fake grave, or Louise on the bed at Westwood Village who was so cute, in the end it was still but a love towards her familiar.

Don't you get it, Saito?

Saito warned himself.

Louise is occasionally gentle, but......she still doesn't love you.

Saito's master was at any rate, serious. Because of her seriousness, she tried her best to accomplish her duties, and had dedicated her body and her heart towards Henrietta to whom she swore loyalty since young until now.

Because she was serious.......she treated her familiar as really valuable, and occasionally would tell him to do his best and allow him to kiss her; those were probably not rewards, but she did not get angry when he touched her breasts; and had accidentally allowed him to go as far as her body. Recently, she had started saying things like “I would find a way for you to return.” His strength was probably necessary for Louise to accomplish her aspirations, and yet she had turned away from that, and continually considered Saito's happiness.

Yeah.

Anyhow, Louise is a serious person.

Saito loved such a serious Louise.

But still......Louise didn't love me. If she loved me, because she had been confessed to to such an extent, she should have said “I like you.” at least once. No matter how I think about it, that was the case. And yet, she did not say that at all......

A serious, and significantly foolish, honest Louise. She had allowed me to such an extent, yet did not say those words at all......she really did not like me huh.

Her jealousy was after all, her desire to possess her familiar.

It was at most a puppy love, Saito felt devastated.

“What's wrong?”

He looked beside him, and saw Siesta gazing at him with a worried face. If one thinks about it......the one who invariably always showered him with love was only Siesta.

Well then, how about Henrietta?

Saito shook his head.

She is only lonely. She was lonely, and did not have anyone else to rely on, and had merely leaned onto him who was there by chance. Cheer up, Saito. Geez, all noble ladies are so self-conceited......Saito murmured grumpily.

“Noble ladies are......what's with them?”

“Eh? Nah......”

“Putting that aside, look. Please open your mouth. Aaahh, ahhhh...”

Siesta pushed a biscuit into Saito's mouth. The moment he tried to open his mouth reflexively, Piiiinkk!, the sound of a cup breaking could be heard.

Looking at the other side, Saito shivered.

Louise was holding the fragments of the cup in her mouth. Evidently, it was broken by her mouth.

“Y-you, don't break your cup. It's dangerous.”

Completely ignoring Saito's words, she pushed the fragments of the cup towards Siesta. In a contemptuous voice,

“Another cup.”

“Yes yes,” Siesta stood up, and refilled a cup which was left with a little cold tea. Smiling sweetly, she held that out towards Louise.

“Please. ♪”

Louise glared at Siesta fiercely.

“Make a new cup of tea! You're really a useless maid huh. The thing you can do, is only to look at the dog flirtatiously. If you can't even make a cup of tea, y-you better go back to your hometown.”

Without the least drop in her smile, Siesta emptied the contents of the teapot. As she was trying to put new tea leaves into the pot, she noticed that the tea leaves had expired, and made a troubled look.

And then, pan! She clasped her hands as if she had just realized something, and rushed out. After about 5 minutes, she had gathered some weeds in her hands.

Humming a tune, she put them into the pot, spread them about and poured hot water in again. Filling the cup with water from the teapot, she served Louise in an excessively polite manner.

Louise silently poured it from Siesta's head. Siesta displayed a broad smile, and produced a handkerchief, and wiped her face slowly. After that, as if wanting to refill the tea in the pot, she poured the tea onto Louise's head.

The two were gazing at each other with smiling faces, but soon a scuffle broke out between them. Saito became very miserable, and in a soft voice, said, “Stop.” But, grasping each other's hair, baring their teeth, both of them were entangled in each other.

Aah......Geez......

Even though they had attacked each other recently, it was peaceful.

As for Saito, now that he had recognized the true identity of the enemy, he wanted to leave the place to bring justice. What? It doesn't mean that this will become a war. As for the opponent, although he did now know whether it would be the Gallia king, or the Cabinet Minister, or the general, or some great nobles, he wanted to see them, and openly ask What the heck did you want to use Louise for!

But......I was stopped by Princess-sama. Oh well, I can see her point. Lately, the war had finally ended, and she did not want to create another flash point.

But still, she had said that she could do something with their diplomacy......No matter how much evidence she showed, if the other side says “We don't know such a thing,” this matter would probably end there.

And we had finally known the mastermind; I want to do something! It was just like an arrow which was shot with full force, and yet could not hit the target. He was feeling depressed.

If I had not become a knight, I can possibly move more freely.

No......Saito shook his head.

Because I am a knight of Tristain......isn't this some sort of excuse?

Whether I am a knight of Tristain or not, when I am able to locate the enemy precisely......I should have taken action.

Yeah.

The reason I became so gloomy is because of myself.

At that time when he was stopped by Henrietta, to tell the truth, Saito was relieved.

Because of this, he won't poke his head into something dangerous; he was relieved. His opponent was the kingdom of Gallia......Wasn't it the country which defeated Albion with one shot, cornering them?

I am not going to the country of such people. His relief came into his mind accidentally.

How useless. What knight?...... Saito became miserable.

Contrary to Saito's misery, in front of his eyes, Louise and Siesta were in the midst of their scuffle.

Becoming increasingly depressed, without thinking, Saito opened his mouth and accidentallt said something forbidden.

“You two, at least follow Princess-sama and be more graceful......”

Louise and Siesta's movements stopped abruptly.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed.

Saito felt something chilly trickled down his spine.

Because of his instincts, he knew that he was in danger. He trembled.

Uuuuuunnnnn, Louise started doing warm-up exercises. With her arms akimbo, Siesta started bending backwards as well.

“Siesta. You hold him down tightly, okay?”

“Gladly, Miss Valliere.”

Saito stood up fearfully.

“Well then, I will be going for the training of the knight corps now. Louise, I'll leave the rest to you. Siesta, the tea was nice. Thank you.”

After struggling, he still could not leave. He was seized by Siesta at his arms, and Louise, at his feet. Falling onto the bed, Saito looked up to both their faces, close to tears, and asked.

“Two times?”

“Hmm...”

With an extra large smile on their faces, Louise and Siesta said.

“Four times.”

After being thoroughly bashed up by both the mage and the maid, Saito lied on the bed, senseless. Louise was sitting on top of him, with her elbow on his body. Standing beside, Haaah…, Siesta let out a sigh.

“Lately, I have become more and more like Miss Valliere huh.”

“Thank you,” Louise said softly.

“I’m not really praising you.”

In a tired voice, Siesta said. After that, she squatted, and whilst poking Saito’s face gently,

“……Umm, Miss Valliere.”

“What?”

“This is not the time for us to quarrel. Really, what should we do?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Her Majesty The Queen! Those eyes! Miss Valliere saw it as well right? Aah, if the opponent is Miss Valliere, then at least……”

“At least what? At least what? At least what?”

Louise kept poking Siesta around with her wand. Yoyoyo…Siesta fell onto the bed, but obstinately Louise still continue poking her.

“Hey maid. You’re sneering right? You’re sneering nobles?”

“Excuse me! I’m not sneering! Well……Miss Valliere is charming enough, but…if you think about it calmly, the opponent is Her Majesty The Queen. It’s no point dreaming or hoping anymore!”

“Whhhhhyyyy??”

“Can’t she do what she want!? Ah, surely, the free times he served as a knight is not enough. Sooner or later she would order him to go to the castle for duties……And then, night after night……”

“Night after night what!?”

Siesta put her hand under the fainted Saito’s side, and lifted him up slowly. And then, just like the strings of a puppet, she mimicked Saito’s speech.

“Yo! I’m Saito!”

“What’s that?”

“I want to express the violence that Her Majesty The Queen would probably do to Miss Valliere in a drama-like way.”

“…….Please go ahead.”

Siesta moved Saito’s hands skillfully, and operated him.

“Yaa. I’m Saito-san. I love Siesta!”

“Don’t say such strange lies.”

“This is part of the script for the play.”

With a composed face, Siesta continued.

“I’m Saito-san. Louise has flat chest, too flat!”

“What the heckkk?”

“Well, I’ve said that this is the script of the play.”

“You, whether it is the depiction of Princess-sama’s violence, or the expression of your true feelings, choose quickly! I’m going to use magic now!”

“I understand,” Siesta muttered, and began the play.

“I’m Saito-san. Today, I was called by Her Majesty The Queen to her room. What on earth does she want to do? Aah, it’s Princess-sama! Are there any orders?”

After that, Siesta went to Saito’s front, and clung onto him hard. The unconscious Saito reclined onto Siesta.

“Aah! Knight-sama! I have always been yearning for you!”

“Princess-sama! No you can’t! I have already decided, it’s Siesta!”

“It’s all right! After all, isn’t she just a maid!”

Siesta pushed Saito down onto the bed.

“Because I’m the queen! Because my breasts are the queen’s! Because my breasts are the queen’s! Such breasts! Oh my!”

Saying that, Siesta forced the unconscious Saito’s hand to her breasts. Poon! Louise knocked Siesta’s head.   “It hurts!”

“You went too far. And I can’t remember ever seeing such cheap drama.”

Rummaging around her things, Siesta took a book out of the space between her things.   “What is this?”

“A book which is very fashionable in Tristania right now.”

“You can read?”

Louise said in an astonished voice. Commoners who could read and write were scarce.

“When I am serving in the academy, I learned these in the temple.”

Louise stared hard at the title of the book.

“Whhhattt? Countess Butterfly’s graceful day?”

Louise flipped through the pages of the book, and her face turned crimson red suddenly.

“Wh-! What is this!? Why is it so indecent?”

As if it was filthy, she dropped the book onto the bed quickly.

“Not interested?”

“Why would I be!? If I read such book, my RETRIBUTION would be decided! Founder Brimir would not forgive me!”

Mysteriously, Siesta whispered at Louise’s ears.

“The second chapter is great.”

“I didn't hear that! I didn't hear that!”

While she was saying that, Louise stole glances at the book which she threw away some time ago.

““In any way you wish, attend to me.” Saying that, Madam Butterfly let the knight attend to her! That is...! Yikes, yikes! Don't say it! Eek, eek, eek!”

Blushing deeply, pong pong, Siesta hit Louise at her shoulder. After that, she snatched the book away, and started again.

In front of Louise's eyes, Siesta flipped a few pages of the book. Louise's face which was crimson red, colored all the more every time a page was turned over, as if she was boiling.

“I, think so.”

“Ah! Agagagagagaga.”

Whilst trembling, Louise could not enunciate her words properly. The content inside the book was way beyond the height of even the clouds of Louise's poor knowledge. Although she could not even understand a tenth of incidents which occurred in the book, in any case, the dreadful contents plunged into Louise's head.

“The queen surely has done the things written in this book, with Saito. Definitely. For the nobles, speaking of which, they are surely sexually perverse, I think. That......don't the nobles pay close attention to their conducts? As a result, the cravings which they could not speak out accumulated, and bang”

“That's not true!”

“Bang.”

“Princess-sama won't do such things!”

Louise snatched the book away, and threw it onto the bed.

“Wah! She would even do it for 55 sous!”

“Su-such things! Such filthy things! Although it's him, he would not do such thing to Princess-sama! Even if it is a command, but......”

“To a knight, a command is absolute! Can you deny it? Even if Saito doesn't want to do it, if he were commanded by Her Majesty The Queen, he could not disobey at all! Can he say anything at all? The worst thing is the court services......”

“B-but.......This fellow here is deeply in love with me! He says it all the time! I like you! Ha! He won't do it that easily even if it was a command, will he? He won't......”

Siesta gazed icily at Louise who put on airs and combed her hair backwards.

“Saito-san always says “I like you” to Louise, but......”

“What? Make yourself clear.”

“I don't want to make you angry.”

“I won't get angry. Say it.”

“That “like” he said......”

“Yeah?”

“What if......it is only because he is your familiar?”

Overcame with surprise, Louise stared at Siesta. It was just like a topic from somewhere she had not anticipated.

“Although I don't understand the relationship between magi and their familiars very well, but......familiars are things to protect the magi right? Everyone's familiar......Guiche-sama's mole, Miss Zerbst's fire salamander......don't they like their masters very much? But, if they are not familiars, they would not be so attached to their masters, right?”

“But! But but! Even when Saito's runes disappeared and he wasn't a familiar, he chose to be my familiar again! If he doesn't like me, why did he do that?”

“There is a possibility that it is his sense of responsibility.”

Calmly analysing, Siesta told Louise.

“Sense of responsibility?”

“Yeah. As far as I can see, Saito-san is a strong, responsible person. That's why he strove hard to be the rear guard when the ally was being pursued by the seventy thousand; that's why he carried the responsibility of being the Assistant Commanding Officer of the Knight Corps. Isn't that true? Becoming Miss Valliere's familiar, to help you.......Because he felt that he had not accomplished his task yet, he chose the fate of becoming Miss Valliere's familiar once again......”

Feebly, Louise collapsed to her knees. Panicking, Siesta caught hold of her shoulder.

“Do-don't be so depressed, please! In the end it's just a possibility! Just a possibility! Although it may exist......”

Siesta's words could no longer reach Louise. What if that's the case? This premonition of hers started expanding rapidly. Of course, it might have been what Siesta had said.

The favor Saito had towards her......it could just be a deceiving feeling because of his contract as a familiar.

Inside Louise's heart, an unrecognisable dark cloud started expanding.

What should I do? Louise murmured.