Repetition to the point it was sickening...? Help Please!

[LastAccelerator]

I want to like Tsukaima. I really do.
The problem with the novels is that they are overly repetitive to to the point it makes me ill just thinking about it.

The overall story archs are good. I'm talking about the characters, more specifically Saito.
In volume 6 or 5, if memory serves, he says he loves Louise. Ok, he does that impulsively, but as the story continues he realizes those are his true feelings. But after that it's always "I love you, Louise." *Louise blushes but her pride doesn't allow her to say the same thing* "She doens't like me. Of course. This is to be expected..." again and again and again.

They kiss. Why should I believe it means something? *kiss* "I love you Louise." *blah blah* *Siesta acts slutty* again and again and again.

I know it's supposed to be harem. I know Siesta is not giving up. And yet Saito, who only thinks she's lovable, and doesn't reciprocate the feeling doesn't even once think "What about Louise?" "I love Louise." "I can't betray Louise."

She (Siesta) tell's him she loves him in volume 7. He doesn't do anything. No decisions, no responsability, nothing at all.

He is a weak character. Weak to the bone. No matter how many intimate moments he has with Louise, he only remembers that she was strangely not beating him up. She only remembers it long enough to blush. And that's it. Completely isolated moments. Again and again and again. They don't pile up. They are meaningless because of their absurd repetition.

Then Henrietta steps in. Louise has enough corage to slap her. Does it go anywhere from there? Do they return to square 1 again?

Please tell me it's worth reading the novel because the characters evolve. They are all stuck in volume 7.
Please tell me Saito grows a backbone and understands that although other females have feelings for them, he can't answer back because he is confident in his own feelings for Louise.
Tell me that Louise grows past some of her insecurities and tell him she likes him, something he knows but is constantly doubting with no reason. Please tell me that Siesta gives up because the obviously does not have the same feeling for her. Please tell me the Tabitha thing doesn't go anywhere. Please tell me that I AM WRONG. I WANT TO BE.

It reached a point that, for every step he takes towars Louise, he ends up taking two steps back. He's stuck in a limbo of constant misundertandings, non funny situations, always back and forth, to the point it annoys me just seeing them together because I know that that moment does not matter. Nothing happens. Feelings don't evolve. Something happens that rips that moment apart.
Then he starts thinking about making Louise fall for him. And then he just stops. 5 chapters latter the thinks the same again. And gain and again the author just finds a way to make everything meaningless. For every time he protects Louise and she smiles, they end up in the same bed. They pretend to be asleep. She can't say anything. He thinks about something. The next morning no one ever talks about what happened or what they think. Every moment kills the one that came before.

To someone who loves this series, tell me I am wrong.

[Talix]

I have to agree with you. I actually haven't rea anything since v13 c8 was the latest translated chapter... and thats a long time ago ^^

The reason I read all the way there was simply because everything was there, ready to be read. It made the time pass, and I enjoyed, and looked forward to, every time Saito and Louise came a bit closer (of course it never lasts long in this kind of story).

Please tell me it's worth reading the novel because the characters evolve. They are all stuck in volume 7.
Please tell me Saito grows a backbone and understands that although other females have feelings for them, he can't answer back because he is confident in his own feelings for Louise.
Tell me that Louise grows past some of her insecurities and tell him she likes him, something he knows but is constantly doubting with no reason. Please tell me that Siesta gives up because the obviously does not have the same feeling for her. Please tell me the Tabitha thing doesn't go anywhere. Please tell me that I AM WRONG. I WANT TO BE.

Eventually, when the author gets tired of the story, this will happen. We will get a happy ending and the couple (be it Saito together with Siesta or Louise) will live happily ever after. The bad thing is, that ZnT is so lucrative that the author most likely will continue to write until people finally finds out things are not changing and ZnT starts to lose readers - Then we will see the ending...

Unfortunately we have a long wait as in Japan volume 19 is out (and have been so for some time). Even if the ending would come in volume 20 or 21 we still have a lot to translate ^^

[Podiatrist]

I am also agreeing. I got REALLY fed up with the back-and-forth motions in the "romance" sub-plot really quickly (around the 7th book). The way it keeps repeating those issues and the fact that neither of the characters are making the efforts to improve their relationship has gotten really old, and makes them both look really bad (Louise is a Mikuru (irony) and Saito is an undedicated/confused ladies' man).
It is possible that this problem might be made worse by the fact that I read all of the currently translated chapters in just about 3 days, rather than how one usually has to wait for months before being able to read the latest volume, but still, it's pretty bad. Similarly, according to TV Tropes, the later books are apparently a "breakdown" of just how bad a relationship with a tsundere would actually be, unlike what most other stories would lead you to believe.

The only real reason I read this series any more (other than the fact that I already started reading it anyway) is because I enjoy the setting and the amount of detail the author seems to have put in the background environments (such as the mythos, the history, the societal structure, the magic system (and how it changed the way a medieval-style civilization worked, such as building and transportation limitations), etc.). I suppose it may not actually be all that special in such regards, but it is the first time I've run into something like it in these ways.

This all said, I still appreciate the efforts made by those translating this series. I've tried several times to learn Japanese, and it's pretty tough, so I have a hard time even imagining how hard it is to translate whole chapters, let alone the whole books themselves.

[Darklor]

I stopped already a long time ago, but because they act so stupid...

[kazesenken]

I'm not really sure what got me into this translating this novel. It's not really my favorite series. Anyways, Saito getting pretty much nowhere doesn't really bother me. I care more about the humor that comes from the chaos.

[LastAccelerator]

Actually the series ends on volume 22.
Good God, is this ever going to get somewhere?
To anyone who knows what happens, can you spoil the story for me and tell me what happens from volume 17 onwards?
I hope that the author doens't go for the mother of cliche's and go like "I am going home Louise. Even after all the time I spent here with comrades I can trust, more friends I can count and the girl I love, I am going to return to my dull world, living the rest of my life thinking back on these heart-pounding adventures. Not to mention I missed the last ecplise and that's the only way of going home (apparently), but I am sure such a thing that only happens, like, once a century, isn't going to... Oh, there's one. Bye. "
Then Louise goes tsundere on his ass. THE END.

[Darklor]

Hm, but that sounds funny...

[Mystes]

Actually the series ends on volume 22.
Good God, is this ever going to get somewhere?
To anyone who knows what happens, can you spoil the story for me and tell me what happens from volume 17 onwards?
I hope that the author doens't go for the mother of cliche's and go like "I am going home Louise. Even after all the time I spent here with comrades I can trust, more friends I can count and the girl I love, I am going to return to my dull world, living the rest of my life thinking back on these heart-pounding adventures. Not to mention I missed the last ecplise and that's the only way of going home (apparently), but I am sure such a thing that only happens, like, once a century, isn't going to... Oh, there's one. Bye. "
Then Louise goes tsundere on his ass. THE END.

If I remember well, since I last read this series...5 months ago, I think that Tabitha got kicked out from throne, Saito got Des Ornières, (territory) got in an affair with the Queen, and got kidnapped by elves, if I'm right.

One day, I'll have to post a thread on from which characters and novels did ZnT come from. In a pretty french concentrate place, I must say that it almost looks like plagiating.

[LastAccelerator]

Affair as in "My goodness those are bigger than Louise's" or "I have no real reason to help you, but I will anyway since this isn´t going anywhere and I have a lot of free time?"
Or affair as in "all the way"?
Actually in which volume does that happen? I can't wait for the scene where she gets shot down. Literally of figuratively, I'm good.

I love how the author made such a scene about her love affair with Wales. Then she just promises to forget about him, and guess what, she does!

"Axe the lewd Queen.", is what I'd like to say but she has the excuse of being young, and igorant, and sel-hating and... I forgot the point I wanted to make.

[Darklor]

Uh, the Queen got kicked? Is it now a republic instead of a monarchy?

[LastAccelerator]

Ahaha, no, no, I meant the scene where (I so hope) Saito rejects her or she realizes he isn't the one for her (or vice versa).

Actually, isn't Tabitha closer with that Jules or Julio or whatever-his-name?

[beato]

Err... No.

Spoiler! :

That's Josette, her twin

[Mystes]

Ahaha, no, no, I meant the scene where (I so hope) Saito rejects her or she realizes he isn't the one for her (or vice versa).

Actually, isn't Tabitha closer with that Jules or Julio or whatever-his-name?

Yep, it's Josette, Tabitha's twin sister. If you ask me what the he'll happened, I'll have to say that I forgot. I THINK that it's after when King of Gallia got killed. (what's that guy's name...)

[LastAccelerator]

I was talking about the guy with a red an blue eyes, if I'm not mistaken, volume 18 fold up 2.

So if Tabitha is out of the way that leaves Siesta and Henrietta. Anyone knows anything? Siesta still slutty? Henrietta still on the rebound?
BTW what author names one of their characters "Nap"?

[Mystes]

I was talking about the guy with a red an blue eyes, if I'm not mistaken, volume 18 fold up 2.

So if Tabitha is out of the way that leaves Siesta and Henrietta. Anyone knows anything? Siesta still slutty? Henrietta still on the rebound?
BTW what author names one of their characters "Nap"?

WTH is "Nap"?

Also, just wanted to add that, again, Louise surprised Saito and Queen H together and the ran away, and then I guess Saito went for her, and after that I got a feeling of déjà vu.