Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume18 Chapter7

2026-04-11T12:10:27Z

24.20.82.2: /* Chapter 7: Our Home */ naming correction [riig -> league]

===Chapter 7: Our Home===

"Hurry up! You guys need to be more careful with that!"

In the deep Mons mines, located in the southern part of Tristain, right at the end of Tunnel No. 16, Eléonore, dressed in working clothes, was making a fuss.

In front of her, the guys from the Ondine were struggling with all they had to handle a strange machine.

The magical device was used to search the mines for 'wind stones' lying in the interior of the Earth.

After digging through the earth in order to locate the wind stone deposits, a light in the device would indicate its relative position. The tip of the machine was then inserted into the ground, and soil was expelled from its back and thus it opened the way for the boys.

This device had been designed in reference to the manner by which earthworms moved across the ground.

Normally the machine had a limiter which did not allow a search to a depth greater than 200 mails. This device for wind stone research had been modified by Eléonore herself, the Chief Executive Engineer of the Department of 'Earth' Magic Research Institute.

By using this machine, they were able to reach a depth close to 1 league (kilomail). However, in exchange those who operated it must constantly recite spells in order to handle the device's 'remote'. This type of operation must be performed with extreme care, otherwise it could break midway and there was even a risk that it might stop functioning completely.

So the guys of the Ondine who handled that device were nervously reciting the spell, as their foreheads remained soaked in sweat.

However, the reason why they were so nervous was the commander of special search team, who was frightening and unbearable.

Until recently they had managed to achieve a great distance, cooperating all together while reciting the spell needed for the remote control of the machine. However, for an order of knights who were not used to reciting specialized spells, it was obvious that they would show great difficulty and commit constant errors.

"Damn! What kind of secret mission is this?! At least they should have assigned me a competent staff from the Magic Research Institute!" Eléonore said, as her anger was increasing.

Since returning from the garden party, Henrietta had given the order for the Magic Research Institute to begin an investigation in the wind stone mines. Also, they are specified to dig as deep as they could. Due the high degree of confidentiality involved in this research, it was decided to deploy the Ondine Knights to carry out this task.

And that was why Eléonore was so angry, throwing tantrums as she had to endure the young inexperienced group who didn't have the slightest idea of how undertake true academic research.

"E-Eléonore-sama... We stopped." reported Malicorne to Eléonore while trembling.

The moment she heard this, Eléonore's eyes were lit with anger.

"Hah? You! A while ago you also said that! So now you're saying it again? So tell me, what is your excuse now?"

Upon hearing this, Malicorne tried to answer in a low scared voice.

"B-but... I, it's that yesterday I didn't sleep... and besides, this work should not be done by a knight..."

A vein appeared to burst on Eléonore's forehead.

With a face that seemed to say, "Does this guy know what he is saying?" Guiche observed Malicorne's behavior. If anyone were to say all these kinds of excuses in front of a woman like Eléonore, it was clear that it would just make her angry. Even for a hard-headed person who had an inexplicable self-confidence like Guiche, this truth was quite easy to understand.

As expected Guiche had something to say, but at the moment he was going to interfere with the conversation, Reynald managed to stop him.

"Wait, let's just for observe for a while."

"What do you say? Yesterday, you told me you received instructions about the mission you had to perform today. And now you had the nerve to tell me you haven't slept yet? You don't even have the shame to hide your carelessness!"

It was then when Guiche observed Malicorne's face closely. "Uh!" he growled; Guiche saw that his face was shaking... but what really showed in the brilliance of his eyes was a great and boundless pleasure.

"He angered her on purpose, and his technique is amazing!" Reynald said while his face tensed with shock.

From that moment, Malicorne started saying things like "Forgive me for being born" or "Sorry for being so irresponsible". Each and every one of those excuses were solely for the purpose of teasing Eléonore.

"AND I... I'm tired, please give me a few minutes, Onee-san!"

As expected, after hearing this Eléonore lost her patience.

Suddenly, she began to chant a spell that turned the tip of her wand into a whip. Then she mercilessly whipped Malicorne.

"Vermin! Incompetent Pig! Good for nothing! And now you're saying you are... Tired!? Tireeed ~!!"

"Hah! Forgive me...! For being born...!"

"A pig like you! Stop living, be buried and fertilize the earth!"

"Eh-pig! Burying a pig will make the earth happy!"

Just when they started this 'game', Saito returned from the entrance of the tunnel. He was pushing a wagon which rattled as he walked. For a non-magic user like Saito, the only work that remained for him was to take outside those stones and soil that were expelled from the machine and as he was the only one in charge of this task. It was extremely heavy work.

Anyway, due to fatigue caused by this task and because of the exhaustion of his legs, Saito stumbled and worse, ended up falling on Eléonore.

"Kyah!" Due to the force of the collision, Eléonore fell with her face pressed to the floor.

"F-forgive me!" Saito apologized.

Eléonore rose slowly from the ground. Her face was still covered in mud, her clothes were covered with dirt.

"Uwaa ~! The face of my Empress has been...! The mud covers the face of my Empress...!" Malicorne began to say unnecessary words.

While Eléonore was wiping her face, an atmosphere of danger never before felt by Saito suddenly arose. A sudden terror assaulted Saito, one that made him remember the Louise of earlier days, but which promised to make him pay 10 times more than anything Louise had done; probably the best word to describe this type of woman whom Saito was facing was 'Merciless'.

"You... the only thing you want do is to make me angry right?"

"Please I beg you, forgive me!"

Before realizing it, Saito was already kneeling in front of her. This gesture was the only thing he had left to try to save his life, or at least that was what was dictated by his body, as that primitive fear assailed him in those moments.

"Now I remember, there are several things I have to discuss with you. You say you are determined to marry a daughter of the La Vallière, innn youuur dreaaams! Haha!..."

Hearing Eléonore's voice begin to tremble, Saito thought hopelessly 'I'm dead'.

"And you dare to do that to me!?... it seems unimaginable, but mostly... no matter whether it is a noble or a commoner, a man like you always exists..."

"Onee-san... you see... that was just..."

"Do you think that by raising your social status you have the right to do that!?"

So that's when Eléonore started to crack her whip against Saito. In that time, Louise was also present in the tunnel. She could only use Void magic, so she had different orders and various other tasks. Louise was carrying with her a basket of lunch for everyone. Upon seeing Eléonore hitting Saito, she was surprised and ran immediately to where they were.

"Neesama! Eléonore-neesama! Calm down please!"

Louise hugged her sister, holding her by the hips. In response Eléonore only stared closely at her little sister.

"Louise! You came at a good time! Just in time!"

"Stop! Please!"

[Eléonore stares]

Louise instinctively stood firm after feeling the heavy eyes of her sister.

"Tell me, is it perhaps you don't even have pride anymore!? How come you are here with this unfaithful stray dog!"

At that moment Louise froze.

"Tell me Louise, perhaps you haven't considered this. What would happen if the daughter of a duke was to be paired... With a dog like this!?

Eléonore, while saying this, pointed contemptuously to Saito.

"How dare you to stain the name La Vallière!"

Upon hearing this, the small body of Louise did nothing but continue shaking more and more.

But after gathering all the courage she had left, she said.

"Eh-that is a matter that does not concern you Eléonore-oneesama. This is our problem and we will see how to fix it. I am no longer a child!"

As Louise said 'I'm not a child.' a faint blush colored her cheeks.

At that moment, as if it were a revelation seeing Louise blushing, Malicorne added.

"What's with that? Being not a child eh?"

The shock made by those words was felt by the all members of Ondine. Eléonore, equally shocked, came hurrying to her little sister.

"Louise! Do not tell me you...! How could you? Before me!?"

Louise in response could only look away while her cheeks blushed more and more. Meanwhile, Saito was so nervous in that situation that it seemed as if he was dying.

After such statements, Eléonore suddenly realized that all the Ondine guys were looking at her. Realizing what she had said, her face flushed completely.

"... Hey! What are you looking at?"

From that moment, the tense atmosphere gradually increased until Eléonore decided to shout.

"You are all useless! Go back to work!"

After that intense exchange of words, the magical device began to move once more. Eleonore, who was busy checking the control panel, noticed at that time a large number of figures appearing on the console.

300... 400... 500... and so, time slowly passed while the device was digging into the ground. When they reached 600, Eléonore's eyes began to blink.

"Onee-sama?"

Louise, with a face that reflected her concern, approached her sister Eléonore. However, Eléonore's face remained serious at all times.

"Stop!"

Hearing the order, those young people who manipulated the remote device stopped for a moment. Immediately Eléonore prepared to start with her work, enchanting a simple spell.

While she diligently fixed her gaze on the delicate movement of the needles of the control panels, her face quickly revealed a sudden shock as it turned completely pale.

Everyone held their breath in anticipation while carefully watching the movements of Eléonore.

"What is this? How is it possible to form such an immense reservoir of wind stones...? Then... that means... just as I imagined..."

Louise, along with the guys from Ondine, began to look at each other in these moments.

"With these mines lying in the depths of the Earth... these would be sufficient to cause the whole continent to be dragged up when they began to rise." Eléonore said while a cold sweat ran down her back.

Having lost control of themselves and almost terrified by the sudden revelation of Eléonore, all of the men hurriedly ran for the exit.

"Hey! Idiots! Do not run! It's not as if it will happen today or tomorrow! Probably in a few decades... However, even were we in the worst case scenario, it would take a few years." Eléonore said. "Now, this is getting a little complicated... rather, what are we supposed to do?"

Eléonore began to murmur at that time.

"Mining rocks at this depth is unlikely... and even if it could be done, transporting that many wind stones would be a daunting task."

"Ahhh~! What will we do~?!" The boys began to shout while they waved their hands overhead.

Louise and Saito, observing the state of their companions, nervously held hands.

***

While reading the report of Saito and the others, Henrietta could not help but drop her shoulders.

"... Are saying that even here in Tristain we are suffering the same situation? Then that means the words of His Holiness the Pope... were all true."

By the time they returned to Tristain two weeks ago, Henrietta had heard from Saito and the Ondine Knights about the terrible incident at the Mountain of the Fire Dragons.

She was shocked upon hearing such stories. Back then she was still too doubtful to fully believe it.

Until three days later, when at a distance in the sky a new floating island was present. The 120 mails long island had eventually come to her sight. Now she had no choice but to believe it.

Currently, a controversy about to whom this floating island belonged was brewing between the nations of Romalia and Gallia.

Escorted by Saito and Louise, one on each of her side, Eléonore had stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"I'm afraid there is no doubt about it."

"Is that so." Having said that, Henrietta fell into a deep silence.

Word of what happened at the Mountain of the Fire Dragons, 'the incident of the floating mountain' suddenly spread throughout Halkeginia.

The truth about the ‘slippage' of wind stones in the subsoil of Halkeginia had been transmitted to all citizens of each nation. However, the fact that this phenomenon could occur in most of the territory of Halkeginia was carefully hidden to avoid the panic that this news could cause.

Henrietta remained thoughtful for a moment, but in the end, with a resolution demonstrated by the firmness of her face, she raised her head again.

"Very well! The kingdom of Tristain from now on will support the Crusade of the nation of Romalia!"

That decision had its obvious consequences. But it was not the time to think about them. Now was not the time to start thinking about the pros and cons of that decision.

''We are losing our place to live.'' This tremendous fact was enough to put aside any morals or ethics.

Afterwards, Henrietta began to prepare what would be the course of action to take from now. She quickly met the Cabinet Ministers and her commanding general to open a discussion regarding how to act in the collaboration with Romalia.

Due to its particular role in supporting the Crusade, it was necessary to once again reorganize the military force to start a campaign abroad.

Romalia, Gallia and Germania. Each of these three great powers were asked to send a secret message to the newly conquered and divided Albion. Furthermore, they sent a word to each of the kings of every nation. It was imperative that there would soon be an assembly chaired by Pope Vittorio...

***

Three days later, after helping with various tasks in the Palace, Louise and Saito were exhausted. So after doing their duties they decided to return to Des Ornières.

On the calendar it could be seen that they were already at the halfway point of the month of Ansuul (August). Therefore, starting next month a new school year would begin. However, the two of them were no longer in a position to enjoy a quiet and carefree school life.

Upon arriving at the mansion, the first to receive them was Siesta, with a smile from ear to ear.

"Welcome back! Saito-san! Miss Valliere!"

Grandmother Helen also came to meet them, and then offered a quick bow.

"Long time no see, welcome back my lords!"

"We prepared many delicious dishes while we were waiting!" Siesta declared.

Just as Siesta said, the dining room had a lot of dishes lined up on the table. And aside from the food, they also saw familiar faces.

A blue-haired girl came from the kitchen, carrying the dishes to be used in the dinner. Behind her, while happily singing "Kyuukyui", came a young woman with long blue hair wearing on her head a pot whose dimensions were almost as big as she.

"Many food~~ many food~~ many food~~ This is fun!~"

While Tabitha without saying a word began to put the plates on the table, Siesta hurried over to her.

"Miss Tabitha! Please stop! This is not the job for a member of the Royal Family of Gallia..."

At that, in response, Tabitha shook her head.

"I do not belong to the royal family. I am but a servant in the service of this house."

That was it. Tabitha had dismissed her right to belong to the Royal Family and transferred her rights of succession to Josette, along with the name Charlotte. Both the mother of Tabitha and Isabella tried to persuade her to change her mind. However, Tabitha chose to come and live in this house. That was her final decision.

Still, she was given a condition for being allowed to live with Saito.

Until the end of the Crusade, she had to serve as an assistant to Saito. After that, she would have to return to Gallia, but... the question of whether she would wear the crown once again had not yet been decided. In contrast, the only mandate for Gallia was to abolish the tradition of ''If twins are born into the royal family, you have to eliminate one of them.''

In order to fulfill the will of Tabitha, Isabella had to initiate an immense task, changing the mindset of the nobles of Gallia to leave behind their archaic superstitions. Therefore, the first thing they had to do was to return one by one to their legitimate houses all those young people who had lived in the convent of Saint Margaret.

Tabitha was fully determined to do everything possible to rebirth Gallia into a nation of justice. But the first thing on her agenda was to support Saito and the others in their plans.

And yet, while having a big smile on her face, the joyous Sylphid said to Siesta.

"There is nothing to worry about! Onee-san does it because she wants to. Hey Onee-san, please do it like we practiced?"

Tabitha nodded and then threw up the dishes in her hands, launching the roast beef into the air. Sylphid cried "Uwaa!" calling the attention of the puzzled spectators.

At that moment, Tabitha pulled out and waved her wand. As a result, the roast beef floating in the air was cut into thin slices and then, together with the plates, landed smoothly to its position on the table.

"Incredible! You did it! Onee-san!"

Sylphid started clapping while Tabitha, as usual, remained with her expressionless face.

Saito, excited by the spectacle, began to clap too.

"That was good! It was awesome!"

Hearing his praise, Tabitha cheeks flushed a little and not knowing that she had been carried away for that moment, the next thing she did was to take a loaf of bread in her hands.

"More! More! More! A bread? So what are you planning to do with that!?"

Tabitha tossed up the elongated loaf of bread and then waved her wand once more. The result, the finished bread was cut vertically, producing several thin strips of bread which ended up landing on each of the plates placed on the table.

"Why strips?" said Louise. In response, Sylphid began pouring cream in one of the cups on the table.

"To be able to eat them well."

Sylphid began to taste one of those strips of bread, which had previously been covered at its tip with cream.

"Oooh ~ I understand."

All those present admired what Tabitha did. At that moment, a loud voice was heard from the doorway.

"What? Did they finally return?"

"Yes! Looks like they are here."

Kirche and Colbert had spoken. By order of the royal government, they were mandated to begin the repair of the Ostland. They had been given an official notice that the Ostland would participate in the upcoming Crusade against the Elves.

"We have installed some improvements. I will give the details of them later. Also, you will have more firepower when you pilot the plane for we have already installed the barrel of the tank." Colbert said as he patted the shoulder of Saito.

Colbert had managed to successfully install the barrel of the Tiger tank into Saito's Zero fighter.

Currently the Ostland was anchored in a nearby lake, so Des Ornières had become, at least temporarily, its home port.

Afterwards, Kirche and Colbert joined them for dinner while Siesta rushed to fill their glasses with wine.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, let us celebrate the safe return of Saito and Miss Vallière!"

"Cheers!" Said in unison, raising their glasses up.

The cheerful conversation lasted for some time until there came a time when Colbert, with a depressed voice, managed to ask.

"The royal government already made their decision, right?"

Saito replied by nodding his head.

"I see, then that means from now on we will be more busy."

"So now what will your next job be? Will you leave the mansion again?" Siesta asked Saito, as he showed a face that reflected his uncertainty.

"Do not tell me... Does this have to do with the rumors about the incident of the floating mountains, which occurred at the Mountain of the Fire Dragon? It really surprised me. How is it possible that an entire mountain would rise up like that? Oh god! I should not say this, but... What the hell is happening to this world? No matter how I imagined it, it was something that should never have occurred."

Saito turned pale after hearing this. He did not want Siesta to be worried so much, that's why he never talked about the Crusade or the incident at Gallia's border with her. In order not to cause unnecessary panic, an order was decreed that the ‘incident' would be kept in the utmost secrecy.

Maybe in that moment, Siesta had noticed the heavy atmosphere that began to build-up, so with a cheerful voice she tried to encourage everyone by saying.

"Well, whatever happens, even I can be calm... because I'm sure that Saito and others will find a solution to any problem that comes their way, because up until today we have experienced a lot of terrible things and problems but still, in the end, all ends well in one way or another. And so I am convinced that this new problem will also be solved as well. Everything will be fine, that I can bet."

Because of the words said by Siesta, it seemed that everyone present had renewed courage and that was reflected in their expressions, which appeared as if thanking someone for having been rescued.

"Although we expect a stormy task, this has not yet begun. So the only thing we have to do now is to have fun... Do not you think so, Jean?"

That said, the next thing Kirche set out to do was smear cream on Colbert's head.

"Miss Zerbst, it seems that your favorite pastime is... putting food on my head!"

Despite all that was happening, Tabitha, quietly as always, simply continued her dinner.

"Do not tell me you're not afraid?" Saito asked Tabitha, to which she replied.

"No... Because you're here."

Saito, hearing those words, felt very happy. But seeing that Louise was at his side, he decided to take a big gulp from his glass of wine, then exhaling loudly 'Howaah'.

From that moment, as if immersed in deep meditation, he stared at a point in space.

''Could it be... is it because of what happened 'that night'?'' When thinking about this, the chest of Louise came into his mind.

At that moment, the faces of a myriad of people who he had known until now began to emerge in Saito's head. Louise and Kirche, Guiche and the others, he could even see himself with his comrades in the Ondine Knights. In his mind arose even the faces of Tabitha and Isabella.

That is, even his friends who were not present, ''they are 'here''' Saito thought, being totally convinced.

At some point there had been conflicts with each of them, but in the end, they all got along.

''If the Elves were to become aware of our situation, surely they would provide us with their help, if it were properly explained...''

"Well, let's eat!"

Lost in thought, Saito began to eat and consequently he emptied his glass of wine each time Siesta filled it. And the obvious result was he ended up totally drunk. Together with the accumulated fatigue from the various tasks of the day, this left Saito completely out of this world.

Kirche began to yawn, which was accompanied with an invitation to Colbert.

"Hey Jean, let's go to sleep."

That said, she took him by the neck and then after climbing up the stairs to the second floor, they were lost in her room.

Grandma Helen, finishing her meal, also said.

"I'll return to my house."

Siesta started to lift up Saito taking his arm.

"Saito-san... hold on." she said.

[Hick!]

"Uwa, you're already drunk! Well, I'll take you to your room!" Saying such words was unfit for a maiden.

Then as she supported Saito on her shoulders, and took him up to his room on the second floor,

"If we count from today, it's been quite a while, so I can borrow Saito tonight, right Miss Vallière?" Siesta happily said to Louise, who had just come into the room.

"What's with that? Just do what you want." said Louise with a carefree attitude as she began to brush her hair. This unexpected reaction left Siesta shocked for a second.

"Then, with your permission..."

Siesta then hugged Saito who was lying on the bed.

"Kyakya! Kyakya!" Siesta shouted gaily as she moved her cheeks closely together with Saito's.

Watching them for a second just to check, but without leaving the place, Louise continued brushing her hair.

This caused Siesta to be suspicious. ''What's happening? How did Miss Vallière remain so calm?''

"You have kissed Saito-san, I'm sure."

Convinced of her own words, she was ready to put her lips together with the sleeping Saito. Still, Louise did not move an inch.

"...H-how is that you can restrain your anger?"

"Huh? Is there something to be angry about?" Louise answered as if to say, "Why should I be worried by you?"

For Siesta with a sharp mind, it was easy to deduce that there was something Louise was hiding.

"Something happened in Gallia, right?"

In response, Louise crossed her legs and slowly released her hair and, with what sounded like a voice from the depths of her emotions, managed to say:

"No, nothing!"

This was enough to make the blood of Siesta to go to her head. She then approached Louise with the speed of a racing car, and asked.

"What have you done?"

Then again, with suspicious eyes, Louise said.

"Seriously, nothing happened!"[[File:ZnT18-165.jpg|thumb]]

Louise looked down at Siesta. Then, with a voice full of pity, she said.

"Well, you see... we have come to better understand each other, how should I say it?"

"With your bodies?"

"Please do not think of something malicious."

"So, how have you come to understand better?..." Siesta asked.

At that time, Louise bit her lip slightly, then she turned her gaze away which until now was focused on Siesta.

"Have you done it? Even a little?"

This had become a conversation between women, so Siesta did not have to measure her words.

"That's nonsense! We have not done it yet! We were just..."

Louise began to mutter embarrassed.

"You were just about to do something."

"Y-y-yes... something like that."

At that very moment, an evil smile appeared in Siesta's face.

"What is it?"

"How beautiful you are, Miss Vallière! Thinking that you won just for that. As expected from a little lady, a beautiful and innocent young lady."

"Shut up! Mind your own business... if I'm an innocent young lady, then you are a maid in lust, waiting for your mating season! Seriously, why is it that I have to pay attention to a pervert cat like you?"

"If you have complaints, tell that to Her Majesty the Queen. And besides, if I'm a cat, considering how you've been behaving so far, then you should be one little mouse."

"How dare you, seeing a noble like me as a mouse..."

"Chu-chu!" [Sound that a mouse makes in Japanese.]

"Nyan-nyan!" [Sound of a cat.]

Both girls imitated the sounds which according to them was suitable to the other. Then, they stared at each other.

"Oh come on, it's not chu-chu it should be, chu-chu-chu!"

"What did you say? I do not understand your meowing, nyan-nyan!"

Already agitated and being directly opposite to one another, they began to push each other with their foreheads.

"What! Anyway you said it's my turn today."

After making a quick bow to Louise, Siesta prepared to enter into the sheets, right next to Saito.

"You stay there very still." said Louise who was determined to leave them alone, only for today, then continue...

"1!" There was an enthusiastic voice resonating on the room.

"Huh?"

"2!"

Watching Louise carefully, Siesta was taking off her clothes and then throwing them to the ground, each of the pieces of underwear she wore.

"Wait!? What are you doing!?"

"You don't know? Well, this is my way of gaining the upper hand!"

"What upper hand!? Remember your place as a maid and dress up at once!"

Agitated, Louise then lunged at Siesta, rubbing her face, and tried to separate Siesta from Saito's side.

But upon seeing them, Louise would not have to undress too as she struggled with Siesta, right? Well... because at that time...

[BAAM] They heard the door opened and Sylphid was immediately seen pushing Tabitha inside. She did this with Tabitha timidly holding a pillow in her arms.

"Siiip ~! Oneesama also wants to participate in the battlefield!"

"..."

Then while Louise and Siesta looked puzzled at the standing Tabitha, Sylphid took her by the arms, lifted her and placed her right next to Saito.

"What are you doing! Stupid Dragon!" Called Louise.

"I'm not a stupid dragon, I'm a Rhyme Dragon!"

"Call yourself whatever you want! But what about the room we prepared for you?"

"It's that... onee-sama said she could not sleep..."

"Did she say that?"

"No she didn't, but from what I saw from her attitude, she was very restless from time to time as she glanced in the direction of this room..."

As she said that, Tabitha, with the use of her wand, stopped her with a strike in the head.

"It hurts! It hurts! I was only doing my duty as a familiar! It hurts!"

"Enough with that, let's go back to our room."

"Please wait!"

Louise and Siesta said while watching Tabitha.

"..."

So Tabitha did not move. She was just standing there right next to Saito.

"But, Tabitha, perhaps you cannot be..." Siesta mentioned.

After hearing this, Tabitha's cheeks flushed slightly.

"You cannot be serious, right?" Siesta said in a surprised voice.

At that moment, perhaps by shame, Tabitha decided to cover her face with the sheets.

Louise's eyes could not look away from that scene.

"With Siesta it's fine, but I cannot let a guest who was left in our care do that whenever she wants."

"What's the problem if I do that?"

Then Louise tried to get inside the covers, but Tabitha held them firmly making it impossible to open.

"Uwa oneesama! You're cute when you're honest with yourself. I am extremely happy about it!" Sylphid began to spin around the room while she screamed Kyu!Kyu!Kyu. "But anyway, you need to be calm, flat pink-haired girl!"

"Tell me, who is the flat pink-haired girl?... Stupid dragon! If you don't leave now, you will have to pay the consequences." Louise exclaimed to Sylphid.

"See? Onee-sama is different from you. She is still an innocent girl, she is still at an age where she is happy to just sleep beside him... very different from you in your mating season."

"I'm starting to like this dragon." added Siesta.

"Hey! You better keep quiet, I don't like that opinion."

"Onee-sama is a poor girl who was always been alone, surrounded only by sadness and now she has finally found a safe place where she can live peacefully, she will be more than satisfied if you only allowed her to sleep by his side. That's truly the kindness of a mature woman."

"Hmm..." Louise groaned.

Certainly she could at least allow Tabitha to sleep beside him, for the bonds that she shared with Saito because of 'that night' were already substantial.

''I would not be mature if I get angry over something like this.'' Louise thought this and ended up allowing the two of them to sleep with Saito.

"Well, what am I going to do?"

When she saw that the right side of the bed had already been taken, Louise decided to go for the left, to which, at the time she was about to crawl into the sheets, Siesta, who was quite determined, shook her head in denial.

"Today this is my side." she said.

[Grrr] Louise roared at that moment. Then thinking carefully as she shook her head trying to convince herself, ''well then I will endure, however... this is just for today.''

In the depth of night, Saito woke up shaking his head. He had drunk a lot, so it was no wonder he had a severe headache.

''Ah... it seems that they took me to bed after I finishing drinking,'' he said to himself.

At that time, from one side of the bed, he heard beside him a sleeping sound that surely came from a girl. On his left side, resting her cheek against his arm, the one who slept beside him looked like Siesta. Seeing her a sudden tenderness rose from within him, causing him to gently caress her head.

''So... the little breath I hear from my right has to be Louise, right?'' Saito decided to reach out and touch the much smaller counterpart who slept beside him.

''Aaa~, as I thought, this is Louise...'' At that very second, a larger tenderness began to flood his heart. Remembering the other day... remembering that body on 'that night,' Saito's heart once again began to pound wildly.

''Just a little... I want to touch them. It will be alright if it's just a little. Since then we have not had a real moment to be alone, because there were always excuses.'' Saito said to self-justify his actions. He then decided to touch Louise.

Saito had stretched out his arm shakily, reaching to feel the sensation of the négligée that Louise was wearing. So... totally decided... he stretched his hand to her chest.

''Flat... but, the last time I saw it it seemed to be a little bigger, but as I get to touch them... who knows.'' Saito reconsidered at that time, then lost completely to his desire to 'touch directly'. In doing so, his hand moved inside the opening of that negligee.

In response, a sudden reaction came from the small body of Louise as she began to shake.

And then he quietly said:

"... Are you awake?" he asked. He then apparently perceived a nodding head.

''Hell, I want to kiss her,'' Saito sincerely told himself.

"... I want to kiss you, can I?"

A few moments passed before there was an answer, then... with a hesitation evident in her body, she nodded.

Upon getting a reply, Saito gently reached out to what looked like a chin.

Determined more than ever, Saito moved closer to that little face so he could kiss her lips lovingly.

Louise's attitude, at the time, reflected the enormous nervousness she felt. The atmosphere had become tense, however he could still convey his feelings with his lips.

Saito, more determined, decided to embrace her by stretching his arms up to her hips. She felt it with her right hand. In response, she removed that hand away, and moved closer to his body.

He was ecstatic and lost in a dream. Then without thinking, he prepared to raise that négligée... starting from her hips.

Louise's small body began to shiver, then she reached out, trying to put up a resistance.

"... Do you feel sorry?"

She nodded in response.

"... Well, I have already seen them once."

After a moment, the opposing force from the arm of Louise finally calmed down. That's when Saito was finally able to slowly lift that negligee, which caused Louise's tiny body to shake uncontrollably.

After contemplating her shyness, a new feeling of tenderness came to Saito and urged him to kiss her again. This time, the stiffness in the body of Louise was much lower. Saito placed his lips onto Louise's small lips, so... timid... those little lips began to kiss Saito.

Already decided that there was nothing that could stop him, at this time, Hiraga Saito will touch directly her chest.

In the instant his right hand touched the chest of Louise, the uncontrollable trembling of her body made a word escape from her lips.

"A..."

"?"

From inside Saito's head, there was a question mark, ''Is that the voice?... Not Louise... Then whose?''

Without thinking, he turned his hand to her head... ''her hair is short.''

"Ta-Tabitha?"

Without thinking, Saito pitched a scream.

"Wh-what the hell is happening?"

"What's that sound?"

These were the voices of Louise and Siesta coming from his left side.

"Wah! No, it's nothing!"

"...Obviously something has happened!" While muttering this, Louise started to take up a magic lamp.

"..."

Upon finding the lamp, she immediately went to Tabitha and saw that her negligee was raised.

While trembling in fear, Saito, who was beside her, despite trying to hide his hands, kept clinging to Tabitha holding her hips.

In an instant, the sleepy eyes of Louise were transformed into demonic eyes.

"...You! W-w-what are you doing?"

"N-n-no that's not what it seems! I thought it was you!" Screaming this without thinking, the face of Tabitha formed an expression as if to say, huh?

For a moment she retained that hard expression, but then her eyes sprouted... tears, which began to fall in great quantity.

"..."

Then Saito, unable to stand to look at the crying Tabitha, shook his head.

"Huh? No! I did not mean that! You also are the best!"

This caused the entire body of Louise to shake.

"I s-s-said I would not run away no matter what happened, I a-a-also said I was resigned to whatever might occurrrrr bu-bu-but doing that~..."

"Y-y-you-you are wrong!" Saito tried to dissuade her.

"With-with-with the little girl that was left in our care, are you out of you mind!?"

"Nooo~ Miss Vallière, if you look carefully, you'll realize that they seem to have fallen for each other!" Siesta shared her impressions as she opened both her arms.

Saito began crawling, trying to get away from that place, but Louise caught him.

"But all I did was to confuse one person with another..."

"It's a pity... that was a very unfortunate accident, I understand, but...as imagined... this is something I cannot forgive."

And so the desperate cry of Saito echoed throughout the mansion.

<noinclude>
{| style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"
|-
| Back to [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume18 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
| Return to [[Zero no Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume18 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume2 Chapter2

2026-04-11T12:04:42Z

24.20.82.2: Compliance with naming convention [Griffin Knights -> Griffon Corps]

===Chapter Two: Her Majesty's Melancholy===

Morning.

Louise's classmates stared wide-eyed at her as she entered, mostly because she towed behind her a chained, locked, and badly-broken being with her into the classroom. Her face emitted an extremely dangerous aura, and her beautiful brow curved in anger.

She quickly fell into her chair.

"Whoa, Louise. What did you just drag in here?" Montmorency the Fragrance asked Louise, her jaw dropping.

"My familiar."

"Oh right… it does look like that if I look closer." Montmorency nodded. Although huge welts and dried blood plagued the face, one could still definitely recognize that this thing used to be called Saito. His head was locked up with his wrists, and he was dragged in like a sack of trash.

"What did he do?"

"He snuck into my bed."

"OH!" Montmorency exaggeratedly showed her shock, fraying her beautiful curvy hair. "Vulgar! Oh, sneaking into that bed is so… Oh! Dirty! Unclean! Very unclean." She bit on her handkerchief, while mumbling about reputation and ancestors and the like.

Ruffling her fiery red hair, Kirche entered the classroom staring at Louise. "It must be your seduction, right, Louise? Dirty, dirty Louise, you seduced Saito like a whore<ref>whore
娼婦 was used here.<br>Kirche was very insulting to Louise. And, because of her character, she used a rather formal/literature-sounding word of "whore". Or because the author intentionally used a formal one because he/she didn't want ZnT to be vulgar/vile/dirty. (Thanks akiha)</ref>, didn't you?"

"Who's dirty here? Isn't that you? No way I'd seduce him!"

"Jeez… all injured like that… poor kid… let me heal you." Kirche hugged Saito's head. Her huge breasts nearly suffocated him, but he offered no resistance, and rather enjoyed the sudden heaven that came to him.

"Whoa whoa whoa…"

"Are you all right? Where does it hurt? I'll heal you with a spell."

"Quit lying. You can't use water-type healing spells, can you? Your runic name is 'Heat', as in heatstroke. Go and cool down a little," Louise said indignantly.

"It's Ardent. AR-DENT. I never thought your memory was Zero too." Kirche glared at Louise's chest. "Looks like the name Zero isn't just about your chest and your magic!"

Louise's face went red in an instant. Despite that, she laughed coldly, biting her lip. "Why do I have to take this from a woman who can only boast of her breasts? Are you saying that all a woman's worth is in her breast size? That's a really messed up way to think. Your brain must be empty or something… all the nutrients went to your b-breasts… your brain must… m-must be e-em-empty…" Although she tried to appear calm, her voice shook. She seemed to have taken a very personal offense.

"Your voice is shaking, Vallière." And Kirche gently held Saito, his body still full of bruises and injuries, and touched his face with her chest. "Oh, my dear, do you think that big-breasted Kirche is stupid?"

"N…no… y-you're very intelligent!" Saito appeared in ecstasy, burying his face into Kirche's chest. Louise's brow raised at that, and she forcefully pulled in the chain in her hand.

"You come over here!" Saito, locked head, wrists, and entire body, heavily fell on the ground. Louise stepped on his back, and coldly spoke to him. "Who gave you permission to speak in human? You're supposed to say 'woof', dog."

"Woof. Yes, ma'am," Saito replied quietly.

"Stupid dog. Do it again. When you say 'yes' what do you do?"

"Woof."

"Exactly. You say 'woof' once. Then what do you do with 'I understand, mistress'?"

"Woof woof!"

"Riiiiight. You say 'woof' twice. What about 'I wanna go to the bathroom'?"

"Woof woof woof!"

"Eeeeexactly. You say 'woof' three times. That's pretty good vocabulary even for a stupid dog, so you don't have to say anything else, got it?"

"…woof."

"A 'woof'ing dear is cute too!" Kirche said as she caressed Saito's chin. "Awww… you can come to my bed tonight. How's that? I can let 'woof woof' lick a lot of places you'd like!"

Saito suddenly sprang up on his knees, wagging his tail, which is a broom that Louise tied on his behind last night. There were even ears made of rags on his head.

"Woof! Woof! Woof woof!"

Louise silently and forcefully pulled the chain tight. "You little…" And she angrily stepped on him.

"Didn't I say 'woof' the way you told me to?!" Saito had enough, stood up with a '''I better give you a lesson''<nowiki/>' face, and dove towards Louise. All she had to do, though, was pull the chains on his foot, and he fell with a heavy thud.

"You are absolutely no different from a dog at its passionate phases. Not only did you wag your tail at a Zerbst woman, you even attacked your own mistress. Despicable. Very, very, very, very unbecoming." Louise retrieved her whip from her bag, and began to vigorously beat Saito with it.

"Ouch! Stop! Stop! S-T-O-P!" His body locked up, Saito could only roll around on the floor.

"Ouch? Isn't it 'woof'? It's 'Woof'! Don't all dogs say 'woof'?"

Sounds of whipping reverberated throughout the lecture hall. Louise's hair flew around as she chased Saito, who was trying to crawl away, and continuously whipped him. Saito made whimpering 'woof's whenever a hit connected. Nobody would have thought that this Saito was the legendary familiar.

[[Image:ZnT02-039.jpg|thumb]]

The students in the classroom watched this embarrassing scene, wondering: ''Did this commoner really beat Guiche the Bronze? Did he really catch Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?''

CRACK! CRACK!

The students silently watched her beat Saito. She only noticed just now, with her full attention at beating Saito, that everybody was looking at her, and her face grew red. She hastily put away her whip and held her wrists. "Di…disciplining ends here!"

''We know it's disciplining, but jeez…'' Horrified by the scene, the students turned away.

"Aren't you the one with the heat, Vallière?" Kirche said in boredom.

Louise viciously glared at her. Saito, under continuous injuries and pain, fainted, and simply laid lifeless on the ground. The teacher's door opened, and Professor Kaita appeared.

The students sat in their seats. Professor Kaita was the one who scolded Professor Chevreuse, who fell asleep on guard duty during the Fouquet incident, and was told by Osman 'You're pretty easy to anger'. Sporting long, jet-black hair, and a pitch-black cape, his every move gave an unfriendly, uncomfortable feel. Although he was quite young, his unfriendly manner and cold look earned him ill repute from the students.

"Let's start the class. As everyone knows, my runic name is 'the Gust'. Kaita the Gust." He was enveloped with shocked stares, and satisfied by that, he continued. "Do you know what the most powerful element is, Zerbst?"

"Isn't that the 'Void' element?"

"I'm not asking for something of legends. I want something realistic."

Kirche then confidently answered, "Then it has to be the fire element, Professor Kaita," along with her irresistible smile.

"Oh? Why do you think that?"

"Heat and passion can burn anything and everything, isn't that so?"

"I'm afraid that is not so." Kaita said as he pulled out his wand from his waist. "Let's give that a try. Attack me with your best fire elemental attack."

Kirche stood still in surprise. ''What is this teacher doing?''

"What is it? I recall that you work best with fire elemental spells, am I right?" Kaita challenged.

"It won't be a simple scald." Kirche winked.

"No problem. Give me your best shot. Don't tell me the flaming red hair of the Zerbst family is there just for looks?"

Kirche's usual brisk smile disappeared. She retrieved her wand from her cleavage, her fiery, crimson long hair stood on their ends and crackled as if flames were erupting from them. She waved her wand, and from her extended right hand appeared a small fireball. As Kirche chanted her spell, the fireball expanded, resulting in a huge flaming sphere of a meter in diameter. The students ducked under their desks in panic. Her wrist turned and spiraled towards her chest, and released the fireball.

Kaita made no attempt to dodge the giant sphere of fire heading towards him. He raised his wand, and made sweeping waves as if swinging a sword. A raging gale suddenly began, and instantly scattered the huge fireball. It even knocked down Kirche, who was standing on the far other side of the room. "Everyone, I now tell you why the wind element is the strongest. It is quite easy. Wind can sweep up everything. Fire, water, and dirt alike cannot find footing when faced against strong enough winds," Kaita briskly announced. "Unfortunately, reality does not let me experiment this, but even Void would probably not stand. That is the wind element."

Kirche stood, displeased, and locked her arms. Kaita paid her no attention, and continued. "The unseen wind shall be the shield that protects everyone, and if needed, the lance that scatters enemies. And one more reason that wind is the most powerful is…" He raised his wand, "YOBIKISUTA DERU WIND…" as he chanted his spell.

However, at this very moment, the door to the classroom opened, and a nervous Colbert entered. He was dressed strangely, a huge, golden wig over his head. In close examination, his suit had the most intricate borders and decorations. ''Why is he dressed like that?'' everyone thought.

"Professor Colbert?" Kaita raised a brow.

"Ahhh! I'm sorry, please excuse the intrusion, Professor Kaita."

"Class is in session," Kaita tersely replied, staring at Colbert.

"Today's classes are henceforth canceled," Colbert sternly announced. Cheers emanated from the classroom. To stop them, Colbert waved with both arms, and continued. "I have something to tell everyone." Colbert exaggeratively tilted his head back, causing his wig to slide off to the ground. The tense mood Kaita built suddenly collapsed, as laughter enveloped the classroom.

Tabitha, who sat in front, pointed at his balded head and suddenly said, "Shiny."

The laughter grew more intense. Kirche laughed while rapping Tabitha's shoulder, "You can really talk when you speak up once in a while!"

Colbert blushed, and loudly yelled. "SILENCE! Only commoners laugh out loud! Nobles only covertly snicker with their heads down even if they find something funny! Otherwise, the royal court will question our school's educational results!" The classroom finally quieted to those words.

"All right. Everyone, today is the most important day for Tristain's Academy of Magic. This is our great Founder Brimir's birthday, a very celebratory day." Colbert's face straightened, and he placed his arms behind his back.

"It is highly probable that His Majesty's daughter, the beautiful flower that we Tristainians can proudly boast to the rest of Halkeginia, Princess Henrietta, will, to our great fortune, pass by the Academy on her way back from visiting Germania."

Whispers and chatter filled the room.

"Therefore, we must not allow any slack. As this is very sudden news, we have begun preparations to receive her to the best of our abilities. Due to this, today's classes are hereby cancelled. All students, please put on your formal wear, and assemble at the main entrance." The students anxiously nodded in unison. Colbert severely nodded in return, and loudly announced, "This is an excellent opportunity to let Her Majesty the Princess know that everyone has matured as model nobles. Everyone must prepare to their best to let Her Majesty witness this fact! Dismissed!"

<center>* * *</center>

Four golden-helmeted stallions led a carriage quietly on the road to the Magic Academy. The carriage was exquisitely adorned with gold, silver, and platinum sculptures. Those sculptures were the Royal Seals. On one of those, a unicorn crossed with a crystal staff signaled that the carriage belonged to Her Majesty the Princess.

One could find, upon closer examination, that the stallions drawing the carriage were not normal horses. They were unicorns like the one on the Royal Seal. Unicorns, which, by legend, would only allow the purest girls ride them, were the best for leading the Princess's carriage.

The carriage's windows had ivy borders and coverings, as if to disallow anyone the outside from looking in. Behind the Princess's carriage was Cardinal Mazarin, who held all Tristain political authority with an iron grip since His Majesty passed away. His carriage's splendor was not less than Her Majesty the Queen's. In fact, his was even more embellished. The difference of these two carriages on the road clearly showed who currently had the most authority in Tristain.

Around the two carriages was the Imperial Guard, a division of mage guards. Composed of the most prominent noble families, the Magic Imperial Guard was the pride of all nobles in the country. Every noble male dreamed of wearing the black cape of the Magic Imperial Guard, and every noble female dreamed of being their brides. This Imperial Guard was Tristain's symbol of prosperity.

The road was paved with flowers as commoners cheered from the roadside. Every time the carriages passed them, one could hear "Long live Tristain! Long live Princess Henrietta!" and sometimes even "Long live Cardinal Mazarin!" though that paled in comparison to the Princess. He was not well-regarded as he was rumored to be of commoner blood. Some said it was jealousy toward his position. As the carriage's curtains opened, and as the crowds saw the young Princess, the cheers got ever more passionate. She also returned a genial smile to the people.

<center>* * *</center>

Henrietta closed the curtains, and deeply sighed, losing the rose-like smile that she just sent to the crowds. All that was left was distress and deep melancholy unbecoming of her age. The Princess was 17 that year. With a slim figure, light blue eyes, high nose, she was an eye-catching beauty. Her slender fingers played with her crystal staff. As of Royal blood, she was, of course, a mage.

Neither the cheers along the road nor the flowers flying in the air could cheer her up. She seemed to be holding deep political and romantic anxieties.

Sitting beside her, Mazarin watched her while playing with his beard. Wearing a hat like that of a priest and a grey formal suit, he was a slim and frail man of forty-some years old. His hair and beard had already grown white, and even his fingers looked like skin on bones, creating an appearance far too old for his age. Ever since His Majesty died, his iron grip on both foreign relations and internal politics had considerably aged him.

He just left his carriage and entered the Princess's.

He wanted to talk about politics, but the Princess only sighed, and paid no attention.

"That is your thirteenth time today, Your Majesty," Mazarin noted, annoyed and concerned.

"Hmm? What?"

"That sighing. Those of royalty shouldn't do that all the time in front of their subordinates."

"Royalty?! What?" Henrietta was shocked. "Aren't you the King of Tristain? Doesn't Your Highness know about his rumors on the streets?"

"I am not aware," Mazarin replied indifferently. He was lying. He knew about everything in Tristain, and even Halkeginia, down to the amount of scales on the fire dragons living in the volcanoes. He knew all about it. He just pretended that he didn't.

"Then let me tell you. Tristain's Royal family has beauty, but not its scepter. Cardinal, you're the one holding the scepter. Bird's bones wearing a gray hat…"

Mazarin blinked. The words "bird's bones" coming out of the Princess stung. "Please don't speak of commoners' rumors so carelessly…"

"Why not? They're just rumors. I'll marry the King of Germania as you told me to."

"We can't help that. An alliance with Germania is extremely important to Tristain," said Mazarin.

"That I know."

"Your Majesty understands the rebellion being carried out in that 'White Country' Albion under those idiots? Those people can't seem to tolerate the existence of royalty in Halkeginia." He frowned.

"Impolite, unrefined imbeciles! They're trying to hang that poor prince! Even if the entire world can forgive their actions, Founder Brimir shall not forgive them. I wouldn't forgive them."

"Indeed. However, Albion's nobility has unsurpassed power. The Albionian Royal Family might not even survive tomorrow. One of Founder Brimir's three bestowed royalties is going to fall, just like that. Meh… countries that cannot solve their own internal strifes have no right to exist."

"The Albionian Royal Family is nothing like Germania's. They're all my relatives. You have no right to say that even as Cardinal."

"I humbly apologize. I will ask for forgiveness from Founder Brimir before I go to bed tonight. However, what I just said is the truth, Your Majesty."

Henrietta only sadly shook her head. Even that gesture radiated her beauty.

"Word is that those stupid Albionian nobles have the gall to declare how they're going to unite all of Halkeginia as one. It certainly seems like those people would set their sights at Tristain after extinguishing their royalty. If it really turns out like that, it would be too late if we don't take steps to prepare right now," Mazarin severely explained to Henrietta. She looked out the window, pretending to pay no attention. "Reading the opponent's actions and countering it at the first available opportunity is true politics, Your Majesty. If we can create an alliance with Germania, then we can create a covenant to counter Albion's new government, and ensure this little country's survival."

Henrietta continued to sigh. Mazarin opened the curtain and looked outside, and saw the shadow of his pride. A young, breathtakingly sharp-looking noble, sporting a feather hat and long beard, marched with the convoy outside. A medal of a griffin fastened his black cape, and one look on his mount showed why. It had an eagle's head, wings, and talons, and it had a lion's body and hind legs. A griffin.

This man was the leader of one of three Mage Guard divisions, the Griffon Corps, Captain Lord Wardes. His division was the most memorable amongst the entire Mage Guard, and especially to Mazarin. Wielding formidable magical prowess, the Mage Guard was organized through extremely selective trials amongst nobles, and each member rode a magical beast to his division's name. They were the Tristainian symbols of fear and pride.

"You summoned me, Your Highness?" Wardes's eyes twinkled, and approached the carriage window on his griffin. The window slowly opened. Mazarin looked out.

"Wardes, Her Majesty is feeling depressed. Can you get something for us that can cheer her up?"

"Understood." Wardes nodded, and observed the road with the gaze of an eagle. He quickly found a small section of the street, and had his griffin head there. Pulling out his long staff from his waist, he chanted a short spell, and briskly waved it. A small gust erupted from the ground, collecting all the petals strewn on the ground into Wardes' hands. He returned to the carriage with the bouquet, and presented it to Mazarin. Mazarin stroked his beard, and suggested, "May Captain please present this to Her Majesty yourself?"

"That would truly be a great honor." Wardes saluted, and turned to the other side of the carriage. The window slowly opened, Henrietta extended a hand to receive it, and showed her left hand to him. Wardes emotionally held her left hand, and lightly kissed it.

[[Image:ZnT02-053.jpg|thumb]]
Still quite upset, Henrietta asked, "What is your name?"

"Your Majesty's Mage Guard, Griffon Corps leader, Lord Wardes." He gratefully lowered his head and replied.

"A model of nobility. How very fine of you."

"I am merely a lowly servant for Your Majesty."

"There have been fewer nobles who would say this lately. When Grandfather was still alive, oh my… under the great Philippe the Third's reign, the whole nobility shared that kind of marvelous chivalry."

"Sad times nowadays, Your Majesty."

"May I expect your sincerity when I get in such upsetting times again?"

"When that happens, no matter where I am, in battle or in the skies, no matter what I must leave behind, I will run over to serve Your Majesty."

Henrietta nodded. Wardes saluted once again, and left the carriage's side.

"Is that noble quite capable?" she asked Mazarin.

"Lord Wardes. His runic name is 'the Lightning.' Even the 'White Country' can only boast of few people who can prove to be a match against him."

"Wardes… I think I've heard of that place before."

"I think that is close to Lord Vallière's territory."

"Vallière?" Henrietta's memory came to being, and she nodded. That name was now in their destination, the Magic Academy.

"Cardinal, do you remember the name of the noble that caught Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Aren't you about to knight them soon?" Henrietta was shocked.

Mazarin was uninterested. "I think it's high time for knighting rules to change. One needs to serve in the military to deserve that. How can the title of a knight be so easily given away for arresting a thief? Either way, it seems we will be fighting Albion with Germania soon, and it would not be a good idea to lose our nobles' loyalty due to jealousy."

"You made a lot of decisions without me knowing."

Mazarin did not reply. Continuing to mumble, Henrietta remembered that the name Vallière was among the nobles who caught Fouquet. ''It will all work out'', Henrietta thought, and calmed down.

Mazarin looked at the Princess. "Your Majesty, it seems that there is some… instability between the Royal Court and part of the nobility."

Henrietta shook.

"Something about intervening in the Princess's marriage, and destroying our alliance with Germania."

Cold sweat dripped from Henrietta's forehead.

"You have not been exposed to them, have you, Your Majesty?"

After a length of silence, Henrietta replied annoyingly, "…No."

"I'll take Your Majesty's word for it then."

"I am the Princess. I do not lie." Henrietta breathed a sigh of relief.

"…your fourteenth time, Your Majesty."

"Just something in my mind. All I can do is sigh now."

"As royalty, your country's stability comes before your feelings."

"I'm like that all the time," Henrietta replied apathetically. She looked at the flowers in her hands, and said dejectedly, "…are flowers on the road not a blessing, Cardinal?"

"All I know is a flower picked to a person's hands is the flower's blessing."

<center>* * *</center>

As the Princess went through the Academy gates, rows of students raised their staffs in unison, silent and serious. After the main gates were the doors to the central tower. Osman stood at attention there to receive the Princess. As the carriages stopped, servants rushed to lay down red carpet to its door. Guards tensely announced her arrival.

"Her Royal Highness of the Kingdom of Tristain, Princess Henrietta has arrived."

The first out the door, however, was Cardinal Mazarin.

The students grunted, but Mazarin paid no attention, standing at the side of the carriage, holding the Princess's hand as she alighted. The students finally applauded. A youthful, flowery smile emerged from the Princess's face as she elegantly waved.

"That's the Princess of Tristain? Heh… I'm better looking than that," Kirche mumbled. "Oh my dear, who do you think is prettier?" She turned to Saito, locked tight and lying flat on the ground.

"Woof."

"I can't understand you if you just woof! Who is it?"

Saito looked towards Louise, who was attentively looking at the Princess. If only she could stay quiet like that, she is a very pure, moving, and quite beautiful. No matter how mad she gets, how cold she treats him, and even if he is treated like a dog, this soft look and such a stunning appearance could put Saito in a trance.

Louise suddenly blushed, which Saito saw. What is this about? He turned towards whatever she was facing. A hat-wearing, rather cool-looking noble, riding on a magical beast with an eagle's head and a lion's body. Louise was watching him enthralled.

Saito found it weird. ''That noble seems like a nice guy, but that's no reason to look at him so deeply and even blush like that. Am I being jealous?'' he thought. ''No, that can't be. I don't have that kind of relationship with Louise,'' he rebutted himself.

''No matter,'' Saito thought. ''I still have Kirche.'' A brunette with a well-endowed cleavage. A passionate beauty. ''If it turns out like that, I might as well go for perfect Kirche,'' he thought rather excitedly. But Kirche was blushing and watching that noble as well. Saito lowered his head, suddenly feeling the heaviness of all the chains on him, weighing him to the ground. Tabitha simply read her book as if the Princess's arrival meant nothing to her.

"And you just stay like that," he said to Tabitha. She raised her head and looked at what Louise and Kirche saw, looked at Saito again, and simply mumbled, "Just three days."

<center>* * *</center>

That night…

Saito laid in his straw bed, watching Louise. It seemed like she couldn't calm down. She would stand up one moment, and sit down the next, worrying about something while hugging her pillow. She had been like that ever since she had seen that noble that day. After that, she had said nothing, returning to her room like a ghost, and since then she had been sitting on her bed just like that.

"You're… acting weird," Saito started, but Louise made no answer.

He stood up, and waved in front of her eyes. She didn't move.

"A bit too weird." He then pulled on her hair. Louise's hair was very delicate, very soft, as if even pulling them slightly would break them off, that kind of soft. He put in some force to the pull, and she still made no reaction. Same for when he pulled on her face.

"Time to change to your pajamas." He grandly saluted to Louise, and reached for her blouse, slowly unbuttoning it. Now she had only her underwear left. Still, she did not move, as if in a spell. Boring… what's wrong with her? Jeez… Saito coughed.

"Lady Louise. From my world there's this art called 'breast-expanding massage'."

He made that up, of course. Saito blushed.

"You rub it like this, and then it'll slowly get bigger. You can say it's a kind of magic." Saito extended his hands, reached around as if to hug her, and started rubbing her back. "What's this? Where are they? Why aren't they there? Oh… this is the back." And then he shook his head on purpose. "Jeez… I got it wrong. They're both flat, that's why."

Louise still didn't move, not even to this rather disgusting act from Saito.

"I… what am I…IDIOT! WHAT DID I JUST DO?!" After realizing that, he forcefully shook his head, and beat it with his own hands on the bed. He was visibly embarrassed that he actually did that. And then he was depressed. He knew that as a person, being scolded and yelled at was sometimes glory. But if it only hurt if someone said something, then he wasn't worth being noticed.

Just as he was thrashing about, somebody knocked on the door.

"Who could it be?" Saito asked Louise.

The knocks were very orderly. It started with two long knocks, and then three short ones…

Louise suddenly woke up from her trance. She put on her clothes, stood up, and opened the door.

Standing there was a girl, covered entirely in a black veil.

She looked around, and then walked in, closing the door behind her.

"…you are?" a shocked Louise barely managed to voice.

The veiled girl made a 'shh' gesture with a finger on her mouth, and took out a staff from her black cape, lightly waving it while chanting a short spell. Glowing powder filled the room.

"A silencing spell?" Louise asked. The veiled girl nodded.

"There might be extra ears and eyes around."

After making sure the room had no magical ears and no peeping holes, she slowly removed her veil.

In front of them was really Princess Henrietta. Saito held his breath. Louise was already very cute, but this Princess could match her in cuteness, and still have this admirable elegance.

Louise frantically went down on her knees. Saito didn't know what to do, and just stood there, with no idea what was going on.

Henrietta coolly, and gently spoke. "It has been a while, Vallière."

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references />

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter1|Back to Chapter 1]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter3|Forward to Chapter 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>