Editing Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story1

===Story 1: The "Charming Fairies" Inn===

==== Chapter 1 ====

"Well, Siesta said that she would go on a trip to Tarbes village. Wouldn't it be okay if I just stayed a little bit and then went back to your territory? Sometimes it's not bad with just your family and no one else around, right?"

The front gate, which was filled with students going home, could be seen from the plaza. The students, who had waited days to go home, were riding by carriage. They were going back to their hometown, being encouraged by their parents to return to the capital of Tristania. Tristain Academy of Magic would be on a long summer vacation starting from tomorrow. It would be a two and a half month long holiday.

Siesta seemed to have sensed something in that attitude.

"Familiar? Heh, I wonder if that's the only reason...?"

"Really... Summer is so hot."

Amazing when undressed, the chasm of the two hills flew into her eyes. Louise gave a "Ha-!" and looked at Saito's face. Underneath her foot, the familiar was desperately leering at the gap of Siesta's exposed shirt. Louise was about to snap but endured it.

Louise followed suit. She murmurs "Fuuh, it's hot." and loosened her shirt's buttons. And then she wiped her sweat with a handkerchief. But... what was there was not a chasm, but a refreshing plain that spread out everywhere.

Seeing the result of the battle, Siesta let out a stifled laugh, making Louise snap.

Siesta said, pacifying Louise with a sparkling face. Then she turned her face away and muttered

"...With such a childish body, a noble? ...Heeh."

"...Who knows, ...nothing. Either way, it's so hot. Hot, hot. Aah, it's hot."

Siesta said, "Calm down! Miss Vallière! Please calm down!" and grabbed her back. While the usual mess was about to begin...

"What do you mean halted? Siesta even invited me... I'm really disappointed, you know."

"After the previous incident... you know that Princess-sama was depressed, right?"

Saito nodded. It was a tragic event. Her own dead lover... was revived by her enemy and tried to kidnap her. It was obvious she would be depressed.

"I feel sorry for her... but it seems she can't stay sunk in the abyss of sadness forever."

Albion had given up on a proper invasion until their fleet was rebuilt, so they were trying to fight in an irregular way- Is what the cabinet had predicted, with Mazarin on the top of them. They couldn't have them cowardly attack Tristain from the inside by inciting revolt and rebellion throughout the town. Because Henrietta and her men feared such conspiracies, she was strengthening the maintenance of public order...

"Huunn... Anyways, it's basically spying, right..."

"Well... because isn't this plain?"

"So I have to work even though it's summer vacation..."

Louise and Saito walked on the road under the scorching sun, heading towards Tristania. It took two days to get there.

"Damn... even though I should be at Siesta's house drinking cold water right now..."

"Those horses are useless when we really need them! We also need a harness. And also... we won't be able to stay at a strange inn. With this amount of money, it'll be gone after staying for just two and a half months!"

What kind of Inn could cost up to six-hundred gold coins?

"...That's still not enough. Services cost money."

Saito exchanged chips for thirty new gold coins... twenty écus and headed towards the table with the spinning disk. The disk's circumference was split into thirty-seven parts, each having their own number and colored red or black.

Saito looked at the placing guests. ''First, I'll test my luck''. Copying the winning guests, Saito placed a chip worth about ten écus on red.

Louise immediately placed what Saito had won on black. But... she was off. What Saito had won was lost in a moment.

"Geez... Even though you always act proud, you can't properly earn money at all. Learn from Siesta a bit. Learn to cook something. Then go work as a cook at some restaurant. That's what laboring is."

Thirty minutes later...

It was a scene that occurred every day.

Saito stuck his finger in front of Louise's nose. This was the first time Saito saw a human who was so bad at gambling. Louise had already lost four-hundred écus... most of the money required for the mission. If they turned Louise's remaining chips into money, they wouldn't get more than thirty écus. If they lost this, they would be broke.

"And then I realized it. Even if I get red or black right, I only win double. But..."

Louise's reddish-brown eyes were glittering. It reminded him of the eyes of his uncle, who had failed at stocks and had run away at night. He had these eyes the last time Saito saw him.

"Hoaaaaaa... do you have some grudge against my miserable area?"

"...I see, I didn't watch out for that."

Saito said weakly while cursing his curiosity. ''Aah, if I didn't have interest in this gambling area, something like this wouldn't have...''

them for chips. Saito was slightly relieved. Even if it's someone like Louise who has zero talent for gambling, she wouldn't lose all of those chips before his body recovered from the numbness. After the numbness were gone, he'll cover Louise's mouth and leave the place without letting her say anything. That is what Saito decided.

"That's right... Red and black. Only a small amount on red and black. At least do that..."

All of it... Two-hundred and seventy écus worth of chips, all of it.

Making a dry sound, the ball spun on top of the wheel. The rotation slowly lost speed and, as if to divide fate, aimed for the right pocket. Louise had bet a large sum of money on black, so the other guests had bet on red. The only one betting on black was Louise. It entered red, left it, then it entered black, left it... Louise spoke as if she had caught a fever.

And then the ball entered a pocket... and stopped.

"...Eh?"

Everyone besides Louise had placed on red. The sighs came from them. In other words, the ones that placed on red lost. Which means...

The ball... did not enter black or red, but the single existing green pocket. On the center of the pocket..., as if to give blessing to Louise, the number "0" was glittering there.

The bell at the church of Saint Rémy rang six at evening.

Just from her clothes, she looked like some country girl, but thanks to her high-class face and her pink-blonde hair, she gave off a mismatched feeling similar to that of a destitute girl in the middle of a play.

"Well, what should we do. Money. If we can't find an inn to stay at, we won't be able to eat food. What about the mission? O' mighty, mighty court lady of Her Majesty, please teach this humble familiar. Please?"

Saito said with plenty of spite. Even his money was used. He'll have her pay him back properly someday, but right now was the immediate problem of an inn and food to eat.

"Let's obediently lower our heads to Princess-sama and get some more money."

"That's impossible. Princess-sama gave me this secret mission at her own discretion. The cabinet probably would not let the money pass. She probably can't use more than she freely has. Probably, that was already the best she could do."

While hugging her knees, Louise rested her chin on it.

She really is a young mistress ignorant of the world's ways... She can't even properly shop for something. Even Saito, who came from another world, could haggle better. Nothing will get done letting her do things.

But he couldn't think of a good idea. He gazed at the plaza's fountain dazedly, but...

Saito also got up, pulled on Louise's arm, and shouted

"I'm hungry..."

"Me too..."

"Oh my... I thought you were beggars..."

"Haah? State yourself! You know, I, amazingly enough, am from a Duke's family..."

"Duke's family?"

If they stood out anymore, it wouldn't be a secret mission anymore.

"Well, we don't have a place to sleep or eat..."

"I see. Well then, come to my place. My name is Scarron. I run an inn. I'll prepare a room."

"Très bien."

Scarron grouped his hands together and rest them on his cheek, and narrowing his lips, smiled. He acted like a gay. Actually, he couldn't be anything but a gay. Gross. There are gays in other worlds too... And there's that "très bien"... Saito became strangely depressed.

"Do you think you're in a position to choose?"

==== Chapter 2 ====

"Yes! Mr. Scarron!"

Scarron shouted while exaggeratedly moving his hips around, upon hearing the girls' cheers.

"Not Mister, but call me as Mi Mademoiselle, alright?"

"Très bien."

Scarron trembled pleasantly while moving his hips. Looking at the middle-aged man that took him here, Saito felt sick.

But the girls in the store, who were used to this habit, didn't even show a change in their faces.

"All right, we'll start with a saddening notice from Mi Mademoiselle. Recently, the 'Charming Faeries' Inn's sales have been dropping. A shop called a 'cafe' has been bringing out 'tea' that has been recently imported from the East and are stealing our customers... Sniff..."

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Un~~"

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Deux~~"

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Trois~~"

"Très bien."

Surrounded by applause, Louise appeared, completely red in the face from shyness and anger.

Saito swallowed his breath. The store's hairdresser had put up Louise's pink-blonde hair and made the hair on her left and right into small braided cords. She was also wearing a suggestively short camisole, sticking to her like a corset and making her body's lines more pronounced. It was open at the back, letting off an obvious charm. That appearance was very much like a lovely fairy.

Louise was shaking all over. It seemed she was angry. Intensely. Strongly. A prideful noble like Louise was being told to bow her head to commoners in that clothing. Saito was afraid she'd go berserk and let off continuous "Explosion"s.

But... The sense of responsibility telling her to fulfill the mission suppressed Louise's anger.

Scarron demanded. A great applause echoed through the store. Scarron looked at the clock set on the wall. It was finally time for the store to open.

It was for the sake of Louise's mission. She was lacking, selfish, strong-willed, and an arrogant little girl that never listened to what he said, but it couldn't be helped since he had fallen for her. Despite all of her complaining, it seemed like she was trying hard this time to succeed in information gathering. And also, Henrietta's sad face he saw on Ragdorian Lake's shores... He wanted to do something for that pitiful princess. If he could help the people he liked by doing what he could, he wouldn't mind searching for a way back to his world later. Though a bundle of troublesomeness, his simplicity had himself think that way.

Saito grappled with the dishes. But everything has a "limit". After a while, he could no longer move his tired hands. But even if he became exhausted, the amount of plates he had to wash wouldn't disappear and started to pile up.

"I-I see..."

For such a cute daughter to be born from that gay store manager... Saito wondered what genes thought they were doing.

"...H-here is your order."

Desperately trying to smile... she left a bottle of wine and a ceramic glass on the table. In front of her, a man was looking at Louise while smiling vulgarly.

[[Image:ZnT05-005.jpg|thumb]]

''This is a mission. This is a mission. Information gathering while disguised as commoners. Information gathering...''

"Huun..."

But... Because she was shaking from anger, she missed and spilled the wine on the man's shirt.

"You... don't have any breasts, but you're considerably pretty."

"Bam!"

"Wh-what's with you, you gay bastard... I don't need you..."

Thinking "We're getting some too?", Saito and Louise's faces lit up for a moment, but... the only thing in it was one thin scrap of paper.

And... the sighing didn't stop after that.

The room given to Louise and Saito was reached by following a corridor lined up with the guest room door... and using a ladder to climb up and reach the attic.

No matter how you saw it, it wasn't a room that was made for people to live in. Being dusty and dim, it seemed to have been used as a storage room. Broken cabinets and chairs, wooden cases holding wine bottles, and barrels... All kinds of objects were piled up. A rough, wooden bed had been placed there. When Louise sat, her legs gave in which caused her to flop right down.

It was definitely a horrible place... but there was one thing to be happy about.

''Geez, I don't know, what's so good, about this, familiar! That maid that likes Saito isn't here. That is honestly very wonderful. I-, don't really, like-, this but...'' Louise muttered in a slightly happy mood, moving her cheek near Saito and closing her eyes.

''And also... pick up the rumors in the city and give detailed reports to Princess-sama''. Thinking that it was going to get busy soon, Louise fell asleep.

Yes, the other girls were skilled. They smiled brightly and didn't get mad no matter what someone said or did. They smoothly conversed and complimented the men... And when the men tried to touch them, they would kindly grab that hand and prevent them from touching. Doing so, the men would try to win the girl's favor and splurged out on tip. ''There's no way I could do that.'' Louise frowned.

''The family I was born to in this world is the Vallière family, who are nobles and mages. And what's more is that they are a duke family! If I go back to my territory, I'm a princess!'' Louise thought. ''Even if you told me the world will end tomorrow, I couldn't act that courtly towards them. What's more, in this embarrassing outfit......''

Louise realized at that moment. She was in the same camisole outfit as yesterday. Even she thought that interiorly, she's not cute, but she was quite something on the outside. She scanned and found a mirror in the store. Then she made numerous poses in front of the mirror. She tried holding her thumb in her mouth and fidgeting.

''Maybe Saito is enchanted by my appearance,'' she thought and became happy. ''What, idiot? You're late to realize my charm. Surely he'll be like "aah, Louise is cute, amazing, aah, such a cute girl was beside me... I didn't realize it... Yet I was so engrossed with a maid... Having her wear a sailor outfit and twirling around... I regret it... This stupid dog is regretting it."''

Fantasizing that far, Louise covered her mouth to restrain her chuckling. Then looking sideways... she stole a glance at the kitchen thinking that he was entranced by her by now.

Indeed, Saito was intently observing the area that Louise was at while absent-mindedly washing the dishes. But... He was not looking at Louise. Louise followed his glance. What was there was a girl with long black hair that was rolling with laughter with a customer. It was Jessica.

''Again, you and that. That black hair.''

"That familiar... Just you watch. I'll give you some proper service!"

When Saito woke up... what was there were Jessica's big breasts. Thinking "What's this!", his mouth gaped open.

"I see... What was that glass...?"

"You don't have to play dumb. Papa has entrusted me with the management of the store's girls. My ability to discern girls is quite good. Geez, that Louise didn't even know how to carry dishes. Not only that, but her pride was oddly high. And that demeanor... probably a noble."

Saito embraced his head. ''I even had her wear a plain one-piece... It was completely obvious, wasn't it? What "hide your social status"? There was no hiding at all.''

"Hanh! Her a noble? No way! She's so violent, rude, and has no gracefulness at all..."

Seeing Saito remain silent, Jessica smiled. This person really tended to be a mass of curiousity... She wanted to ask him, so she purposely brought him all the way over here.

Leaning her body even further, she brought her face... breasts nearer. Why is her cleavage so emphasized, is the reason her clothes are bold compared to Siesta's because she's a town girl, and Saito's face started reddening, at which then Jessica put on a meaningful smile.

"Wh-What? That's, you can't underestimate me or..."

It was a bulls-eye. She's pretty sharp about things... Then cold sweat started flowing.

"That's mean. Even if he's like that, he's a kind papa. When my mother died, he said 'Well then, papa will also work in mama's place too...' "

"That très bien?"

"But, in return, tell me properly, okay? About just what you two are planning..."

Thinking that way, the moment when the feeling of warm skin got to his finger...

While he panicked, Louise walked briskly into the room and kicked Saito's nether region from the front. Saito tumbled. Grabbed by the ankle, when he was about to be dragged off...

"Just shut up! After I discipline th-this... stupid brother, I'll be right back!"

"Do you have that much free time? Even though you can't even get a single tip very well..."

"Wha-what... Stupid woman and their big breasts... Calling people a brat, or a child, or a weakling..."

"No, no one said weakling..."

"Because when I try my best, I'm amazing. Those men will all turn around towards me."

Louise said while staring hatefully at Jessica's breasts. ''The stupid dog looked at those.

The stupid dog thrust his hand there!''

"Try your best. If you beat me in the tip race, I won't ever call you a brat again."

==== Chapter 3 ====

"Yes, Mi Mademoiselle!"

"Now then, as everyone knows... The establishment of this 'Charming Faeries' Inn dates back four-hundred years, during the reign of His Majesty, Henry III, also called Tristain Attraction King. His Majesty Henry III, known to be a peerlessly handsome man, was said to be the reincarnation of a fairy."

"But... a king should not fall in love with a girl from a bar... In the end, the king gave up on this love. Then... the king prepared a bustier and sent it to the girl as a memento of their love. My ancestors were greatly impressed by that love and changed the store's name, basing it on the bustier. What a beautiful story..."

Emphatically, Scarron stripped off his outer garments and trousers. This time, Saito, who had been watching distantly, went "Ouue" and vomited. That was because Scarron was wearing a short and sexy, black bustier that fit his body perfectly.

"Nnnn~! Très bien!"

At that time... Surprisingly, the feeling "It's not too bad" rose up inside Saito. Good will towards Scarron... that type of feeling. Even though his appearance was that disgusting, wasn't it okay in its own way? Saito started feeling.

''I see. Because the wearer is Scarron, I only thought to that level. If a normal girl wore it... I might see her as a peerless beauty. Magic really is scary,'' Saito nodded.

"Yes! Mi mademoiselle!"

"To the tip race's success and business, prosperity and..."

There, Scarron cut off his words and stood up straight with a serious look after clearing his throat. And then, not in his usual feminine language, but in a proper middle-aged man's voice, he said, "a prayer to Her Majesty the Queen's health. Cheers."

And raised his wine cup.

Now then, the tip race started like this, but...

Because she thought that at this rate, she wouldn't get any tips, Louise decided to stop talking. Louise realized that she would anger the customer whenever she opened her mouth. That's why she decided to be as silent as she could. Deciding that, she was pouring wine for a certain customer when he talked to her. Success. It's a chance to get a tip.

"According to my divination, you... were born as a flour grinder. Am I right?"

"No? You do, don't you?! Then I'll divine your compatibility with him... Wah! I'm surprised!"

Well, it was this way the whole time, so Louise didn't get any tips that day.

Louise shuddered that as a result of trying to remain silent, the number of times the sole of her foot would fly increased in place of her abusive language. It seemed the feelings she could not express out loud were said by her foot's sole instead.

To keep herself smiling no matter what someone said, she placed wire in her mouth and fixated her face into a smile. The fully prepared waitress Louise never stopped smiling. But... She didn't receive any tips. She held back and kept the bottom of her feet from flying, and she fixated her smile. But even then.

A customer took interest in the waitering Louise. It seems he liked her face.

"Oh, you're... a bit cute, aren't ya? Pour for me."

The man was satisfied with Louise's face, but soon realized a certain fault. Her chest. What's this. Completely flat. Unintentionally, teasing words came spilling out.

"What's with you? Don't tell me you're a boy? Well, your face is so-so though... Listen, let me teach you a trick. At least round up some cloths and stuff it in there. If you do that, you'll become number one here! Gahaha! Now pour some for me."

The competition was half-way done. The number of tips so far was zero. As expected, Louise had gotten desperate. Louise waitered while taking caution of the sole of her foot, the position that she poured wine in, and her words.

"I-I'm sorry..."

"You... This shirt was a gem made from silk that your wages could never pay for. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm really sorry... Auu..."

"I-I'll pay for it..."

''E, e-e, even though you're a noble, what a thing to do!'' The third daughter of a duke family became enraged. ''Don't even place the nobles near that lewdness. As Her Majesty's representative, I have to conclude and punish this disgrace of a noble.''

The fifth day... While Louise was washing dishes with Saito, Jessica came up to them.

"...I am properly washing the dishes, you know."

"...Th-thank you."

As the day headed toward morning...

''Why do I have to do something like this?'' She thought. Even though she herself was a noble, she had to wash dishes... Having to serve all of those commoners...

"No more." Louise muttered. ''Whether it's information gathering or whatever, this isn't my job. I'm a legend. I'm the user of Void, you know. Yet why do I have to be a waitress at a bar? Shouldn't, like, a more showy mission be waiting for me?''

"Princess-sama entrusted you with this job because she trusted you, right? Blend in with commoners and gather information. Because if she used someone from the royal court, she'd be denied... She couldn't depend on anyone so she depended on you, right?"

"Just shut up. But what does that mission have to do with stupid dish washing and serving? I want to do bigger jobs. No more of this. Why does a noble like me..."

"....What is that?"

Louise looked guiltily at Saito's face while he smeared the cream, but... soon muttered in a small voice.

"I'll serve. I'll wash the dishes. Is this fine?"

"...I-if you allowed that kind of touching, I'd slap 'em."

"...You."

"What's with 'I'll forgive hands'?! I'm asking you for the reason for slapping me! Idiot!"

"Fine. Was it that 'Charming Faeries' Bustier'? I'll wear that and charm all of the customers. Yeah, for the sake of tips. I'll forgive. Not just my hand..."

"...Would you really forgive them? Putting the tip race victory aside, are you that determined? Isn't that a bit extreme? Come on."

In an almost crying voice, Saito persistently asked Louise. But, "Shut up! I'm going to sleep!" Louise shouted... and Saito down-heartedly crawled into bed.

==== Chapter 4 ====

Applause once again. The chestnut-haired girl called Jeanne smiled and nodded.

"And then... First place!"

Without answering, Louise opened her tightly gripped fist. What was there... were several glittering copper coins.

Louise's words "If I obtain the Charming Faeries' Bustier, I'd charm the customers and forgive everything" were still bothering him even now.

'I want her to try her best, but not to that level' was the type of convenient emotion that ran through Saito.

Now then... Louise was a bit different this day. She took out the wire that fixed her smile and revealed a natural smile.

"Well, Mr. customer, because you're so wonderful..." She would try hard and mutter.

Pinching the hem of her camisole, she bowed gracefully. As expected of a duke family, she did it perfectly. The bow, which was done as if in front of a king, was filled with the spirit of a noble. None of the girls there could imitate such a manner.

Even then, Louise would not cease showing embarrassment. Then sorrowfully and with melancholy, she looked outside. The man became more and more enchanted at Louise's refined behavior. Bending himself forward, he spoke his expectations.

"Did you serve at some noble's house? They taught you good etiquette there, right?" Louise continued to smile brightly. The delusions inside the customer started to become as overexaggerated as he pleased.

"If a cute and quiet girl like you served them, it probably didn't end there. Not just etiquette, but those type of things and these type of things... were forcibly trained into you, perhaps?"

"Kuh! What a cruel story! A cute girl like you... But how did a servant like you come to work at this store... I see! I got it! You got tired of that forcible master who was trying to get you to do those type of things and these type of things and ran out of the mansion, right? But the debt left behind by your parents still remains. To return the money, you're desperately working. Something like that, right?!"

Afterwards, it was time for her "job". It was the information gathering entrusted to her by Princess-sama. She didn't want to lose at the tip race, but this job was more important.

"Geez, they say it's a war. You'd get tired of this..."

"Is that so..."

said this and,

Anyways... putting it together, the popularity Henrietta received for defeating Albion at the battle of Terbes seemed to have started to darken.

'The war remains unfinished... Looks like the depression will continue. Henrietta is young. Can she guide this country well from now on?' Was the anxiety everyone was feeling.

''It's probably a painful story to Henrietta, but I have to properly report to her...'' Louise thought.

Like that, Louise started collecting tips and information but...

"Wh-what... Cheer up."

"It's nothing... You like that girl, right?"

"Stupid! The one I love the most is you! Come on..."

"Please cheer up... You're the only one for me. Okay?"

"Hau... But I'm tired."

"You know, right now, we're doing this stupid race called a tip race. I don't really care about tips but... I'd get scolded if I only get a small amount."

"Hah... But it is really tiring to give flattery for the sake of tips... Because honestly revealing your feelings to the person you love and flattery are different..."

"Then, today, when the store's closed..."

"Ah, hey..."

After Jessica left, the customer turned to his friends and went, "Iyah, getting jealous like that..."

Probably, even if she didn't gamble, Saito would have become penniless, Louise thought. If that town girl knew he had money, no one would know just what she would do. And that stupid familiar... would be rolled up and sun-dried in no time.

''Like I'll lose''. Louise firmly squeezed her fist... puffed up her flat chest, and triumphantly rose up on her feet.

While the girls were competing for the number of tips like that...

"It's just my words, Chulenne-sama, but as you can see, the store is fully occupied today..."

When Chulenne exaggerated like that, the nobles that followed him pulled out their wands. The customers, afraid of the nobles' shining wands, woke from their drunkenness, stood up, and disappeared out of the entrance at full speed. The store became empty at once.

"Is that how it is..."

"Oh! This store seems to be making quite the profit! Isn't this wine a well-cured sake from Gronyu? The clothes that girl is wearing are tailored by Gallia! I guess I have to look over this year's tax rates."

She had many faults... one of them was "not being able to read the mood". Her head was so full of "working hard as a waitress" that she didn't bother to understand the atmosphere around the customers and the store.

"Th-that idiot..." Saito murmured in shock while looking at her worriedly

"Oh, looking closer, you're not a kid... just a girl with small breasts."

And then... extended his hands out towards Louise's small breasts.

"Now, how about this Chulenne-sama checks and see just how big they are."

At that moment...

In the front... was the silhouette of a boy who's shoulders were shaking with anger.

"Saito..."

Louise looked at the back of Saito, who had stood up to protect her. While looking at that back.... something hot filled her chest that had been shaking with anger.

''But... But...''

"Da-damn you... To a noble's face, you..."

"Whether they're a noble, a prince, or a god... I definitely won't allow them to do it. It's my own special privilege. Who cares about nobles?! The only one that can touch Louise is me!"

Without thinking, Louise blushed. ''Even though you're just a familiar, what kind of conceited things are you saying?! You don't have that right either!'' She tried to say, but... for some reason, those words did not come out. Her brain was growing blank, as if being boiled. Even with the situation around her like it was, Louise ended up spacing out.

"Who's going to catch who? Unfortunately for you, I..."

"Fortunately or unfortunately, I received this thing called a legendary power..."

Muttering that, he turned his hand to his back. And... realized that Derflinger, who was supposed to be there, wasn't there.

"That's right... I left the legend in the attic... After all, it would be only a bother while washing dishes."

But there was no time out. The enraged nobles chanted their spells. A small rope appeared like a tornado, and the moment it tried to wrap around Saito...

After the light slowly disappeared... Louise appeared, having raised herself to full height on top of a table. The attack was Louise's "Void" spell, 'Explosion'.

"...Washboard wasn't necessary, was it?"

The intensity of the legend... "Void's" intensity frightened the nobles.

"...H-H-Her Majesty's permit?"

"...Idiot! You shouldn't use magic, right?!"

"Uu... But..."

"Sheesh... Hah, good grief...... Now we have to start back from zero..."

"Because, well, that is..."

''Uu, so that's it...'' Louise thought, feeling disheartened.

"The girls here all are pretty accepting. That's why you can relax... Continue earning tips from now on, okay?"

Looking at the wallets, Louise realized what he meant. Inside... a large amount of money was stuffed there.

"Eh? This is..."

The evening of the next day... Louise did not come out of her bed.

The winning prize, "Charming Faeries' Bustier", was hung on the wall. Even though it was a prize... she could only wear it today. Well, it was an heirloom after all.

"My... No way, what a waste..."

"If you wear that, you can get as many tips as you want... What a waste, what a waste."

After working hard and finishing his job, Saito returned to the attic. Looking up from the corridor... light was leaking through the room's floorboards. It seemed that Louise was still awake.

''What's with her... Even though she said she was tired and was going to rest, she isn't sleeping at all. She should have just wore the bustier and earned some money in this case.''

“What… happened?”

Food and wine had been lined up on top of the table... and a candle was illuminating it.

And that light... was also shining on Saito's beautifully dressed master.

Louise was sitting on a chair beside the table. Crossing her legs, her hair had been done with a barrette just like some time before. And... Her divine appearance also included the "Charming Faeries' Bustier". The black bustier made Louise's beauty even more prominent.

"How long do you intend to put on that stupid expression? Come on, let us eat." Louise said in an awkward tone. A feast had been lined up on the table.

"I had Jessica teach me."

Saito unintentionally averted his eyes. He felt like he'd go crazy if he stared at her. Whether he felt he'd go crazy because he had already been in love with her, or if it was because of the "Attraction" magic that was cast on the bustier, Saito did not know, but... there was one certain thing.

"...Weren't you going to wear that and service the customers to your heart's content?"

Saito nodded, and began to eat the food Louise made. But... blood had rushed to his head and prevented him from figuring out the taste. This was probably bad. But, either way was fine. Louise made it. That was progress.

"Très bien."

"...At least compliment me with a different word."

Saito had been madly in love with her since a long time ago... so, that "Attraction" magic was already meaningless.

| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Illustrations|Back to Novel Illustrations]]

| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Story2|Forward to Story 2]]