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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL

2015-04-14T22:24:54Z

99.24.182.76: changed expression - didn't make sense in English

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=== Chapter One: Lineage of Zero ===

Tristain's Royal Palace was situated at the end of Bourdonne Street. Members of the Mage Guards patrolled the area in front of the Royal Palace gates atop their magical steeds. The rumor that war was looming had begun spreading through the town two or three days ago. It was said that “Reconquista”, the aristocrat faction that had conquered Albion, was poised to invade Tristain.

As a result, the mood of the soldiers who guarded the surroundings grew tense. In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike were banned from flying, and people who passed the gates were thoroughly checked.

Even tailors, confectionery shop employers, and traders were stopped and inspected thoroughly at the gates in order to prevent mages disguised through illusion or people under the control of charming magic from getting through.

Due to such circumstances, when a wind dragon appeared in the skies above the Royal Palace, the garrison of Mage Guards grew alarmed.

The Mage Guards was composed of three corps, and each guarded the Royal Palace, one at a time. While one was on duty, the other two either rested or trained. Today, the Manticore Corps was on duty. Riding atop their manticores, the nobles flew up and headed towards the wind dragon that had appeared above the Royal Palace. There were five figures on the wind dragon's back, as well as a huge mole that was held in between the dragon’s mouth.

The Mage Guards warned them that this was a prohibited flight zone, yet the wind dragon, ignoring the warning, landed in the palace courtyards.

Atop the dragon was a beautiful blondish pink-haired girl, a tall lady with burning red hair, a blond boy, a small, petite girl with glasses and a boy with black hair. The boy carried a long sword over his shoulder.

The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the wind dragon and drew their rapier-shaped wands, assuming a stance with spells at the ready. A strongly-built, rough-mustached commander bellowed a warning at the suspicious intruders.

“Drop your wands!”

Instantly, the expressions of the intruders grew hostile, but the short blue-haired girl amongst them shook her head.

“Royal Palace.”

The party nodded reluctantly and, as ordered, threw their wands on the ground.

“Flying above the Royal Palace is currently prohibited. Didn’t you know that?”

A girl with blondish pink hair lightly jumped off the dragon, and introduced herself in a firm voice:

“I am Duke of La Vallière’s third daughter, Louise Françoise, not someone suspicious. I request an audience with her Highness, the princess.”

The commander twisted his moustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Vallière Duchy. After all, they were a very renowned noble family.

The commander lowered his wand.

“You are Duke of La Vallière’s third daughter?”

“Indeed.”

Louise raised herself and stared straight into the commander’s eyes.

“I see... you have your mother’s eyes. Well, what is your purpose here?”

“I’m afraid I cannot tell you. It’s a secret.”

“Then I’ll have to deny your request. I cannot grant you an audience with her Highness without knowing your purpose. I could lose my head over something like that!” the commander replied worriedly.

“It's not like we can reveal our secret either!” yelled Saito as he jumped off the wind dragon.

As Saito interjected, the commander glanced over at him. He had a young face. Clothes that he had never seen before. A low nose. Yellow skin. A large sword draped over his shoulders.

Though it wasn’t clear what country he was from, one thing was certain – he wasn’t a noble.

“What a rude commoner. That’s not how a servant should speak to a noble. Stay silent.”

Saito narrowed his eyes, and turned to Louise. It was too much for him. True, he wasn’t even a servant. In fact, he was just a familiar, but it was the commander's disdainful tone that infuriated him. Gripping the handle of Derf over his shoulder, Saito turned to Louise and asked,

“Hey, Louise. Can I take care of this guy?”

“Quit boasting. Just because you beat Wardes doesn’t mean you can act so arrogantly.”

Overhearing their conversation, the commander’s eyes widened. Wardes? Wardes, as in Viscount Wardes, the commander of the Griffin Corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this?　

Shaking away his concern, the commander raised his magic wand again.

“Who the hell are you people? Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.”

The commander spoke in a stern tone. The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise stared at Saito.

“W-what?”

“It's because of you and your blabbering that they think we're suspicious!”

“It’s all because of that bearded man and his damn attitude!”

“Shut up. You should have just kept your mouth shut!”

Watching the strange scene ahead of him, the commander quickly seized opportunity of the situation. The Mage Guards that had surrounded the party quickly raised their wands.

“Arrest them!”

Under the commander’s order, the mage guardsmen were about to begin their incantations when suddenly...

A person clad in a purple mantle appeared from the palace gates. Seeing Louise surrounded by the Mage Guards, she frantically ran over.

“Louise!”

Seeing the figure of Henrietta rushing over, Louise’s face shined like a rose.

“Princess!”

Under the gazes of the Mage guards, the two embraced one another in a hug.

“Aah, you came back safely. I’m glad. Louise, Louise Françoise…”

“Princess...”

Louise’s eyes began watering with tears.

“The letter... it is safe.”

Reaching into her breast pocket, Louise gently pulled out the letter. Henrietta nodded and firmly grasped Louise’s hands.

“You really are my best friend.”

“Your words are too kind, Princess.”

However, upon noticing the absence of Wales in the midst of the party, Henrietta’s expression grew somber.

“As I thought... Prince Wales sacrificed himself for his kingdom.”

Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.

“... But what about Viscount Wardes? I don’t see him, did he take another route? Or did he... perhaps... fall by the hands of the enemy? But if it was the Viscount, shouldn’t...”

Louise's face turned grim. With much difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta.

“Wardes was a traitor, Princess.”

“Traitor?”

A shadow crept upon Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the intent stares of the Mage Guards around them, Henrietta quickly explained.

“They are my guests, commander.”

“I see.”

Upon hearing this, the commander withdrew his wand, somewhat unwillingly, and told his troops to do the same.

Henrietta turned to Louise again.

“What exactly happened on your trip? .... Anyway, let’s withdraw to my room before we continue. The rest of you, please get some rest in the other rooms.”

Leaving Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche in the waiting room, Henrietta brought Saito and Louise to her own room. Henrietta sat down on a small and delicate chair, her elbows placed upon the desk.

Louise explained the entire situation to Henrietta.

How Kirche and the others joined them en route.

How they took a ship to Albion and were subsequently attacked by pirates.

How they found out that the pirate leader was Crown Prince Wales.

How Prince Wales refused to escape, even when he had the chance.

How they missed the ship because of the wedding with Wardes.

How Wardes suddenly showed his true colors in the middle of the wedding...killing Prince Wales and snatching the letter from Louise’s hands...

which was swiftly regained.

... And how the ‘Reconquista’ had vast ambitions...from uniting all of Halkeginia, to the grand goal of liberating the Holy Lands from the Elves.

However... even with the alliance between Tristain and Germania now secure, Henrietta still mourned.

“That Viscount was a traitor… How can that be? To have a traitor within the midst of the Mage Guards...”

Gazing at the letter she herself wrote to Wales, tears built up and streamed down her cheeks.

“Princess…”

Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands.

“It was I who took away Prince Wales' life. No matter how you look at it, it was I who chose the traitor to be the messenger…”

Saito shook his head.

“The Prince had already planned on staying in his kingdom. It was not Your Highness’s fault.”

“Louise, did he, at the very least, read my letter?”

Louise nodded.

“Yes, princess. Prince Wales read Your Highness's letter.”

“Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.”

Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head.

“Then... even after you urged the Prince to escape?”

Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow.

Louise recalled Wales' words. He kept stubbornly telling her that “Henrietta didn’t tell me to escape”. It was just as Louise had thought - a lie.

“Ahh, with your death, there is no longer any hope. What about me, my lost love?”

Henrietta muttered softly in her daze.

“Was honor more important than I?”

But Saito came to a different conclusion. Wales remained not because he was trying to protect his honor. Rather, Wales remained so as to not give Henrietta any trouble... and to show the traitors that the royal families of Halkeginia were certainly not to be trifled with.

“It isn’t as you think, Princess. It was because he did not wish to give Tristain any troubles, that he remained in that country. That is how I see it.”

Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly.

“To not give me any trouble?”

“His escape, as the Prince said, would only have given a perfect excuse for traitors to invade.”

“Even if Prince Wales didn’t flee here, they would still invade here given the chance. But, without a reason to invade, peace can be kept. At the cost of his life, he prevented the rise of war.”

“... Even then, he still didn’t want to give trouble. Surely...”

Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window.

Saito slowly repeated the words he had remembered.

“To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That... was what he asked me to say.”

Henrietta replied with a cheerless smile. When a princess, as beautiful as a delicate rose, became like this, even the air itself grew heavy. Saito’s heart ached at the sight.

Henrietta, resting her elbows on the table beside a beautifully engraved marble statue, questioned sadly.

“To fight with bravery, to die with courage. That’s your privilege as men. But what of those who are left behind, what are they supposed to do?”

Saito was struck silent. He had nothing to say. Lowering his head downwards, he awkwardly nudged his shoe against the couch.

“Princess… If only I had tried harder to convince Prince Wales...”

Henrietta stood up and clasped the hand of the muttering Louise.

“It’s all right, Louise. You splendidly accomplished your mission by retrieving the letter. You should not have to be worried about anything because I didn’t ask you to tell him to escape.”

Henrietta laughed with a smile.

“With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage now removed, our country will be able to step into the alliance with Germania safely. In such a situation, Albion will not be able to invade us easily. The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.”

Henrietta said it as cheerfully as possible.

Louise took out from her pocket the Water Ruby that Henrietta had given her.

“Princess, here, I return this to you.”

Henrietta shook her head.

“Please hold on to it. It’s the least I can do to express my gratitude.”

“I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.”

“For such loyalty, an appropriate reward should be bestowed. It is all right, put it on.”

Louise nodded and put it on her finger.

Upon seeing this, Saito remembered the ring he had removed from Prince Wales’ hands. Taking it from the rear pocket of his pants, he placed it onto Henrietta’s hands.

“Princess, this, is a keepsake from the Prince Wales.”

Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment.

“Isn’t this the wind ruby? Did you get it from Prince Wales?”

“Yes. In his dying moments, he passed the ring to me; he said to give it to Your Highness.”

[[Image:ZnT03-023.JPG|thumb]]

In truth, Wales was already dead when he pulled it off his finger.... but Saito had said it anyways. He had said it like that, believing that it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, even if just a little.

Henrietta put the Wind Ruby on her finger. Because it was for Wales, it was too large for Henrietta’s fingers… But when Henrietta muttered the ‘decreasing’ spell, the ring became narrower and narrower, and soon it fit the finger snugly.

Henrietta lovingly stroked the Wind Ruby. Turning towards Saito, she gave a shy smile.

“Thank you, kind familiar.”

A sad smile filled with grief, yet also a smile of gratefulness towards Saito. Such was the nobility of the smile that Saito was dumbstruck by its beauty, and could only mumble incoherently.

“That man, he died bravely. Is that right?”

Saito nodded.

“Yes. It was so.”

Henrietta, whilst staring at the shining Wind Ruby, declared softly.

“Then I… I will live bravely as well.”

On the flight from the Royal Palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent. No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito what was contained in the contents of the letter Wales had written, the two kept their lips sealed.

“Oi, c’mon, won’t you at least tell me what the mission was? And the fact that the Viscount was a traitor, it’s all so shocking.”

Kirche looked at Saito with a feverish glance.

“But darling fought him, right?”

Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded.

“Y-yes. But he escaped…"

“Still, that’s quite an achievement! Hey, what was that mission exactly?”

Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent, and neither spoke.

Kirche puckered up her brows and turned to Guiche.

“Hey, Guiche!”

“What?”

With an artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche, who was spacing out, turned around.

“Do you know what was in the letter Princess Henrietta sent us to retrieve?”

Guiche closed his eyes saying:

“I do not know well. Only Louise knows.”

“Louise the Zero! Why don’t you tell me?! Hey, Tabitha! What do you think? Well, I think that I am being treated like an idiot!”

Kirche shook Tabitha, who was reading a book. As she was being shaken, her head followed suit and shook as well.

Because of all the shaking by Kirche, the wind dragon lost balance and suddenly slowed down. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and fell down. “Gyaaaaaa!” he screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way, he pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation”, floated down slowly, avoiding near-death.

Louise lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Lousie blushed. ''This morning, when running away from Albion, Saito kissed me. That time I was pretending to be asleep.''

''But why? Why was I pretending to be asleep?''

''It might be love… However, I do not want to admit this thought, because Saito is my familiar; moreover, he is not a noble.''

Loving a person who is not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people”… As Louise grew up with such beliefs, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings were true or not is not a matter of importance right now.

In the end, having felt Saito's hand move around her waist, Louise shouted in an angry voice:

“T-to be so bold, I’m going to get angry!”

“You looked like you were going to fall over. Like Guiche.” Saito replied, his face blushing as well.

“It’s all right, even if Guiche falls - it's just Guiche.” stated Louise, still bewildered from before.

“T-that’s, even if he falls he will be all right. It would be troublesome if you fell though, since you can't use magic.”

“You're just a familiar and you dare insult your master?”

Louise drew a sharp breath and quickly averted her gaze. However, she didn’t seem angry.

“You are being too daring. Hmph.”

Though Louise grumbled and complained, she didn‘t try to shake off Saito's hand. On the contrary, she leaned closer, snuggling against him. Yet, her face still remained averted. Saito stole a quick glance at Louise‘s face.

Her white cheeks were faintly dyed with pink and she was slightly biting her lower lip. Although Henrietta was beautiful... Louise was also incredibly cute, he thought. The hand on her waist pressed closer. And he felt how her waist and thighs pressed further into his body.

It was just when this was happening that Kirche spun around and muttered softly.

“Since when did you become like this, you two?”

Louise, suddenly realizing how things looked, blushed a furious red and sent the daydreaming Saito flying with a shove.

“Nothing happened! You idiot!”

Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha, who was reading a book, dully swung her hand and put a 'Levitation' spell on Saito.

Saito landed gently onto the plains and saw Guiche, who had fallen before, walking on the grassy plain along the road with a bitter face.

Then Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner.

“You fell too, right?”

Saito answered in a tired voice.

“I was pushed off.”

“T-they're not coming back, are they?”

Saito looked up into the sky. In the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon.

“…It looks like it.”

“Well, let’s walk then. Sigh, it’ll take half a day on foot.”

With a depressed look on his face, Guiche started to walk. Saito was not sure why, but somehow, he felt more impressed by Guiche.

“By the way, you… that… well… There’s something I wanted to ask you. Please tell me.”

Guiche mumbled to Saito as he fiddled with his artificial rose.

“Huh?”

“Did Her Highness... well... have anything to say about me? Is it true that she’ll reward me after the mission, with the letter where the promised secret date is?”

For a moment, Saito felt pity for Guiche. Henrietta hadn’t even mentioned the letter “G” from Guiche’s name in their conversation.

“Let’s go.”

Saito, pretending he hadn’t heard anything, began quickening his pace. Guiche chased after him from behind.

“Well, is the rumor true?”

“Come on, walk. It’s good for your health.”

“Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I...”

Under the warmth of the sun, the two kept on walking towards the Academy of Magic.

The Fortress of Newcastle, once known as a great stronghold, was now a tragic ruin. Though it withstood the onslaught, it became a disastrous scene.

The castle walls, which were repeatedly attacked by spells and cannon fire, turned into a pile of rubble, and corpses burnt beyond recognition littered the ground.

Although the siege was short, the rebels - no, since Albion had lost its king, 'Reconquista' was the new government in Albion - suffered unimaginable damage. For every three hundred royal army soldiers, two thousand rebels were killed. And an additional four thousand wounded. It was hard to call the battle a victory, given these statistics.

Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was possible to attack it only from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces managed to get past the guards, they were repeatedly shot with magic and cannon fire and received huge casualties.

However,in the end, they won through their sheer force of numbers. Once behind the castle walls, the king's defense was fragile. The king's army mages were left to guard against soldiers. But the mages' numbers were incomparable to the 'Reconquista' soldiers; they were gradually killed off, one by one, until all fell.

Though the damage dealt to the enemy was great… the price was annihilation of the king's army. Literal annihilation because the royalists had fought up to the last soldier.

In other words, the final decisive battle of the civil war in Albion: the siege of Newcastle’s fortress, where the royalists were outnumbered 100 to 1 and inflicted damage that was worth ten such armies… became a legend.

Two days after the civil war had ended, under the blazing sun and between the corpses and pebbles, a tall aristocrat was inspecting the old battlefield in Albion. His hat was pushed to the side and he was dressed in unusual attire: the uniform of Tristain’s Royal Mage Guard.　

It was Wardes.

A female mage with a hood over her eyes stood next to him.

It was Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt. She had escaped to Albion onboard the ship from La Rochelle. Last night, she had joined Wardes at a bar in Londinium, the capital of Albion, and now she had followed him to Newcastle’s battlefield.

Around them, 'Reconquista' soldiers were diligently scouring for riches. A loud cheer came from the treasury nearby: it seems a band had found some gold coins.

A mercenary with a pike on his shoulder was turning corpses over, then pushing them into a pile near rubbish as a decoration for the garden. When he found a magic wand, he cried out in joy.

Fouquet, who was watching the scene disapprovingly, clicked her tongue in disgust.

Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes laughed coldly.

“What’s wrong, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt? Aren’t these men who are hunting for treasure your colleagues? Robbing nobles of their treasures was part of your job, wasn't it?”

“Do not compare me with them. I have no interest in the riches of the dead.”

“A thief with a thief’s ethics.”

Wardes laughed.

“I’m not interested in that. I only steal valuable treasures because I love to see the frantic expressions of the nobles. But these guys…”

Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guardian with the corner of her eye.

“All right, all right, don’t be mad.”

“I guess Albion’s royal nobles are your enemies. Haven’t you, under the name of the royal family, disgraced your own family?”

Hearing Wardes exaggerated words, Fouquet, regaining her composure, coldly said with a nod.

“Oh well. Accidents happen.”

And then Wardes turned. The lower part of his left arm had been severed off. The uniform’s sleeve was loosely fluttering in the wind.

“It looks like it was a harsh battle for you too."

Wardes replied in a unchanging tone:

“An arm in exchange for Wales' life, I think, is a rather cheap trade.”

“He must be something, that ‘Gandálfr’, to be able to so swiftly cut off the arm of a Square-Class Wind mage such as yourself.”

“Because he was a commoner, I just got careless.”

“Don’t put it like that. He even destroyed my golem. However, nothing within this castle could have survived.”

When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly.

“He is Gandálfr after all. The corps that attacked the castle didn’t report to have fought against such a person. Perhaps, during our fight, he had expended all his energy and was confused as a commoner. Probably, the soldier who killed Gandálfr didn’t even notice that he was the legendary familiar.”

Fouquet, not convinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily?

“And where is that letter?”

“Somewhere around here.”

Wardes pointed to the ground with the cane. That place, two days ago, had been the chapel. The place where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding, the place where Wales lost his life.

However, now it was just a pile of rubble.

“Hmm, that La Vallière lass… your former fiancé, the letter was in her pocket?

“Correct.”

“You let her die? You didn’t love her?”

“Loved, loved not, I’ve already forgotten such sentiments.” dismissed Wardes in a neutral voice.

He drew his cane and chanted a spell. A small tornado appeared and started scattering around the rubble.

Gradually, the floor of the chapel was unveiled.

Between a portrait of Founder Brimir and a chair lay the corpse of Wales. It looked surprisingly unharmed.

“Look, isn’t it the dear Prince Wales?”

Fouquet said in a surprised voice. Fouquet, who was once one of Albion’s nobles, remembered Wales' face.

Wardes didn’t cast even a single glance at the remains of the man he had personally murdered; instead, he searched intently for Louise and Saito’s corpses.

However… their corpses were nowhere to be seen.

“Are you sure they really died here?”

Muttering so, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully.

“Hmm… Look, isn’t that George de la Tur’s ‘Founder Brimir's Visit’?”

Fouquet picked up the painting from the floor.

“I think it is a reproduction. Mmm, come to think of it, this castle’s chapel must have been built to worship him… Hmm?”

Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, discovered a widely gaping hole underneath, and called Wardes.

“Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?”

Wardes, with raised brows, squatted down and looked into the hole that Fouquet indicated. He realized that the hole must have been dug by that huge mole, Guiche’s familiar. On his cheeks, Wardes could feel the cold breeze emanating from the hole.

“Could it be that both Vallière’s youngest daughter and Gandálfr escaped through this hole?” Fouquet remarked. It was the truth. Wardes' face contorted in rage.

“Should we pursue them?”

“It is useless. If there’s wind inside, it must mean it was dug clean through.” Wardes replied exasperatedly. Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned.

“It seems like you are capable of such expressions. And here I thought that you were a man without emotions… like a gargoyle… Why, oh why do such emotions appear on your face?” she mocked.

Hearing this, Wardes stood up.

From the distance, a person appeared while they talked.

He said in a cheerful, limpid voice.

“Viscount! Wardes! Have you found the letter yet? That… what was it... ah, love letter that Henrietta gave to Wales, the saviour that would prevent the union of Germania and Tristain. Have you found it?”

Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man who had just appeared.

The man was in his mid-thirties. He was wearing a round hat and a green mantle. From the first sight, one could tell that he was a clergyman. However, he also slightly resembled a soldier with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes. From the edges of his hat, curly blond hair peeked out.

“Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake. I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, hand me whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head.

The man addressed as ‘Excellency’, with a friendly smile on his face, approached Wardes and tapped his shoulder.

“What are you saying? Viscount! You did a remarkable job! You single-handedly defeated the enemy’s brave general! Ah, isn’t that over there our dear Crown Prince Wales? Be proud! You defeated him! Apparently he loathed me deeply… but seeing him like that, I feel a strange sort of kinship to him. Aah, that’s right. Once dead, everyone becomes a friend."

Wardes’ cheeks flinched slightly, as he noticed the sarcasm at the end of the speech. He quickly regained his composure, and once again repeated his apology to his superior officer.

“However, the mission to obtain the Henrietta’s letter that Your Excellency so desires ended in failure. I’m sorry I was not able to meet Your Excellency’s expectations.”

“Do not fret yourself. Compared to obstructing the alliance, killing Wales was by far more important. A dream is something that has to be obtained steadily, step-by-step.”

Then, the man in the green robe turned to Fouquet.

“Viscount, please introduce this beautiful woman here. Being a priest, it is inconvenient for me to speak with a woman.”

Fouquet watched the man. Before her eyes, Wardes bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn’t like him. He had a strange atmosphere surrouding him. A sinister aura was radiating from the gaps of his robe.

Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man.

“Your Excellency, this is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, before whom all Tristain nobles shudder.”

“Oh! I heard the rumors! I am honored to meet you, Miss Saxe-Gotha.”

Hearing him say her noble name that she had abandoned long ago, Fouquet smiled.

“Did Wardes tell you this name?”

“That's right. He knows everything about Albion nobles. Genealogy, coat of arms, property… it is hard for an aging bishop to remember everything. Oh, let's not delay my introduction.”

Opening his eyes widely, and placing his hand over his chest...

“'Reconquista' first general, Oliver Cromwell at your service. You see, originally, I was just a mere bishop. However, due to the votes of the baronial council, I was appointed as the first general, and I need to give my best. Though I am a clergyman who serves Founder Brimir, it is all right for me to ‘guide’ us through the dark times, right? If necessary, using faith and power for the better.”

[[Image:ZnT03-037.JPG|thumb]]

“Your Excellency, you are not a freelance first general anymore, you are now Albion’s…”

“Emperor, Viscount.”

Cromwell laughed. However, his eyes didn’t change.

“Certainly, I really wished to prevent Tristain’s and Germania’s alliance, however, there are more important things. Do you understand me, Viscount?”

“Your Excellency's thoughts are so deep that an ordinary man like me cannot measure them.”

Cromwell opened his eyes wide. Then, he raised both hands and began talking with exaggerated gestures.

“Unity! Unity of steel! Halkeginia is us, an union of chosen nobles that will get back the Holy Land from those menacing elves! It is a mission given to us by Founder Brimir! ‘Unity’ is our number one duty. Therefore, Viscount, I trust you. There is no blame in such a trifle failure.”

Wardes bowed deeply.

“For this great mission, Founder Brimir blessed us with a special power.”

Fouquet's eyebrow rose. Power? What kind of power are they talking about?

“Your Excellency, what power has Founder Brimir granted Your Excellency with? If it is all right, I would like to know.”

Cromwell continued in a slurred tone, caught up in his own theatrics.

“Do you know about the four great elements of magic, Miss Saxe-Gotha?”

Fouquet nodded. Even children know of such things. Fire, Wind, Water, and fourth – Earth.

“In addition to the four great elements, there is another magical element. The element that Founder Brimir used, element of zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.”

“Element of zero… Void?”

Fouquet turned pale. The lost element. The magic of nothingness that, as dark legends say, disappeared. Did this man know something about the element of zero?

“That is the power that Founder Brimir granted me with. For this reason, the Baronial Council agreed to make me the emperor of Halkeginia.”

Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse.

“Wardes. I had wanted to make Crown Prince Wales my friend and ally. But alas, in life, he chose to be my greatest adversary; but now in death, he will become a great ally. Do you see anything wrong with that?”

Wardes shook his head.

“He should have never resisted Your Excellency's decisions.”

Cromwell laughed with a smile.

“Well then, Miss Saxe-Gotha. I will show the element of ‘Void’ to you.”

Fouquet breathlessly watched Cromwell’s movements.

Cromwell pulled out the cane that was attached to his waist.

A low, silent aria escaped from Cromwell's mouth. He was chanting words that Fouquet never heard before.

When the aria was completed, Cromwell gently lowered the cane and aimed it at Wales' corpse.

Then… all of a sudden, Wales, whose body was already lifeless, opened his eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet’s spine.

Wales slowly sat up. A once bloodless face suddenly sprang back to the life it previously held. Like a withered flower absorbing water, Wales’s body gradually imbued itself with life.

“Good morning, Crown Prince.”

Cromwell muttered.

The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile.

“It has been a long time, Archbishop.”

“How rude, I am an emperor now, my dear Crown Prince.”

“Is that so? I apologize for that, Your Excellency.”

Wales kneeled, taking the posture of a vassal.

“I think I’ll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales.”

“With pleasure.”

“Then, let’s be friends.”

Cromwell began to walk. Wales, who didn’t look like he was just dead, walked behind him. Then Cromwell, as if remembering something, halted and turned around saying,

“Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. In any case, Tristain is helpless. There is no change in plans.”

Wardes bowed.

“There are two ways of diplomacy - the cane and the bread. Let’s give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being.”

“As you wish.”

“Tristain is a necessary area to add. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the Holy Land.”

After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left.

　

It was only after Cromwell and Wales were out of sight, that Fouquet was able to open her mouth.

“That... was the void...? To revive the dead. That’s impossible.”

Wardes muttered.

“The void element manipulates life… That’s what His Excellency said, seems like he was right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this – how could I not?”

Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice.

“A while ago you were acting very similar to this, perhaps you were affected by void magic too?”

Wardes laughed.

“Me? I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I have led since birth.”

After that, Wardes looked up at the sky.

“However…many lives were sacrificed for the Founder’s Holy Land… what if they all will be revived by the element of ‘Void’?”

Frightened, Fouquet clutched her chest. She felt a light heartbeat. She suddenly felt the need to confirm that she was still alive.

“Don’t look that way. It was only my imagination. You could even call it my fantasy.”

Fouquet sighed, feeling relieved. Then she glared at Wardes.

“It was surprising, that’s all.”

Whilst patting the stump where his left arm had once been, he spoke softly.

“However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? The answer lies in the Holy Lands... that’s how I feel.”

Three days after Saito and company had returned to the Academy of Magic, the marriage between Tristainian princess Henrietta and Germanian emperor Albrecht III was officially announced. The ceremony would take place the following month, before the conclusion of the military alliance.

The alliance conclusion would be held in Germania’s capital Vindobon, where the letter of agreement was to be signed by the Tristain prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin.

The day after the alliance, a new Albion government was officially established. In an instant, tensions sparked between the two countries, but the Kingdom of Albion’s First Emperor Cromwell sent a special envoy to Tristain and Germania at once, in order to sign a non-aggression pact.

As a result, both countries had a conference. Even with the two countries' combined airforce, they could not oppose Albion’s fleet. Though the non-aggression pact felt more like a dagger pointed at the neck, the two countries didn’t have much of an alternative, and this offer was the best they could hope for.

However…peace was established in Halkeginia only surface deep. Politicians could not sleep day or night. And it wasn’t just the nobles; the commoners too tensely awaited each day.

Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception either.

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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Volume 2]]
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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Forward to Chapter 2]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story2 Chapter2

2015-03-31T22:50:08Z

99.24.182.76: fix verb tenses

=== Chapter Two: Kirche the Ardent ===

The night after Saito thoroughly shamed Louise in class with his sleep-talking, Louise unceremoniously threw his pile of hay into the hallway.

“What are you doing?”

“It'd be a bother if I snuck into your bed again, right?”

It seemed she was still upset over what happened earlier in class. “But it's kind of cold outside the room with the wind blowing around.”

“Well, no doubt I'll come and warm you in your dreams,” said Louise, arching her shapely eyebrows. What a bitter girl. She looked determined to make Saito sleep out in the hallway no matter what.

He took his blanket and went out to the hallway. The moment he left the room, the door locked with a loud click. Wind rushed in from the open window, making Saito shiver.


Muttering about the cold, Saito wrapped the blanket around himself and lay down on the hay. The chill of the stone floor seeped into his body. ''No heaters either. I'm freezing.''

''Making me suffer like this just because of a dream!'' Saito kicked Louise's door. Of course, there was no response.

Saito began plotting his revenge. ''Cutting the elastic in her panties is no longer enough.'' As he lay shivering in his blanket wondering how he would get one back on that little girl...

The door to Kirche’s room opened.

Her salamander Flame crawled out, with its burning tail emitting a warm glow. The two stared at each other. The salamander shuffled closer to Saito, who unconsciously began to back away.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

"Kyurukyuru," it growled comfortingly. It looked harmless before it clamped its jaws on Saito’s sleeve, shaking its head as if asking him to follow it.

“Hey, let go! You’ll light my blanket on fire!” said Saito to an insistent Flame, which only pulled harder.


Kirche’s room remained open. ''Is it trying to drag me in there?'' Indeed it was. ''I don't think Flame is dragging me for the fun of it. What could Kirche possibly want from me?'' Saito brainstormed the reasons. ''Maybe she just wants to lecture me about quarreling with Louise.'' As if in a trance, Saito stepped into Kirche’s room.



<center>* * *</center>

The room was pitch dark, save for Flame’s mild glow. Kirche’s voice commanded from the darkness, “Close the door.” Saito obliged.

“Welcome to my room.”

“It’s pretty dark in here.”

He heard Kirche snap her fingers. Starting from the one nearest him, lamps lit up one by one towards Kirche like lights floating above a street.


Doused in the mild glow, Kirche sat on her bed, with a look of worry on her face. She was wearing attractive underwear, or rather, just plain underwear. One thing was for sure: supported only by her sexy bra, her full breasts were the size of cantaloupes.

“Don’t just stand there. Come to me.” Kirche cooed with her most captivating voice.

Saito shakily wandered to a smiling Kirche, as if in a dream.

“Sit down.”

Saito sat by her side as he was told. His mind was filled with Kirche’s nearly nude body.

“Wh-what is it?” Saito asked nervously. Kirche merely stared at him while slowly waving her fiery red hair. Under the faint lamp light, Kirche’s brown skin looked wildly erotic, as if trying to capture Saito to do her bidding.

Kirche made a long sigh, and worriedly shook her head.


“You must think me a lowly, despicable woman.”

“Kirche?”

“To be thought so is inevitable. Do you understand? My runic name is ‘Ardent’.”

“I know that.”

''That cleavage in her bra’s gaps is so sexy...''

“My lust is as flammable as hay... that’s why I suddenly called you here. Don’t you get it? Isn’t this really bad of me?”

“That is indeed very bad.” Saito seemed unsure and just played along. He never had a foreign girl speak her heart out to him like this, so he was rather nervous.

“But... I’m sure you’ll forgive me.”

Kirche looked at Saito with moist, watery eyes. Any man would show his most primitive instincts after looking at these eyes.

“For-forgive what?”

Kirche suddenly clasped Saito’s hand, enveloping them with her warm palms before slowly caressing through every finger, sending sparks through his spine.

“Loving you, my dear. To you, my love is that sudden.”


“Yeah, that’s sudden all right!” Saito’s mind was a mess. ''She must be joking.'' Despite that thought, Kirche’s face looked serious.

“Your grandeur in defeating Guiche is... just... so cool... like a hero of the legends. Me... when I saw you right that moment I was in love. Can you believe it? I was attracted to you just like that! Passion! Oh, this is a passionate love!”

“Pa-passion, huh? Uh...”

“My runic name, ‘Ardent’, is quite passionate too. I’ve been writing love songs since that day! Love songs! Just for you... Saito. You appear in my dreams every night, so I told Flame to see how you’re doing... oh, I’m so embarrassed. You must think that too, am I right? But it’s all because of you!”

Saito just sat there, at a complete loss of words.

Kirche took his silence as acceptance, and slowly, with closed eyes, approached Saito with her lips. ''So sexy. I mean... Louise is attractive too. But when it comes to sexiness, she is no match for Kirche. Though Louise is really cute, that part of her is just skin deep.''
[[Image:ZNT-page-149.jpg|thumb]]

However, Saito pushed Kirche’s shoulders away. He felt like something bad would happen otherwise.


Kirche looked at Saito with surprise, as if asking “Why?”. Saito looked away from her body.

“W-well... from what you said...”

“Hmm?”

“You... fall in love too easily.” Saito stuttered, hitting Kirche’s weak point. Her face turned red in an instant.

“Yeah... I guess I have more... passion than others. That can’t be helped. Love is sudden, and it burns my body so quickly...”

At that moment, a voice from outside the window interrupted her.

A beautiful playboy looked inside indignantly.

“Kirche... I came to check because you weren’t there on time...”

“Berisson! We’ll meet two hours later then!” 

“That wasn’t what we agreed on!” They were on the third floor. ''It looks like this Berisson  guy is floating on air with some magic spell.''

Kirche nonchalantly took out her wand from between her breasts, and waved it without even looking at him. Flame shot out from a nearby lamp and flew into the gentleman at the window like a snake.


“What an annoying owl.”

Saito watched in shock.

“Eh... you didn’t hear all that, did you?”

“Uh... who was that?”

“Just a friend. Whatever... right now, my deepest, most passionate love is you, Saito...”

Kirche approached him with her lips again. Saito did not move a muscle, as an irresistible desire invaded him.

At that moment, they were interrupted again.

A sharp-looking man peered into the room with a sad face.

“Kirche! Who is that guy? Aren’t you going to heat up the night with me?”

“Styx! How does four hours later sound?”

“Who is that guy, Kirche?”

This Styx guy was getting mad, and as he was about to enter the room, Kirche waved her wand again. The fire flew from the lamp again, hit the man, and sent him to the ground.


“......I take that he’s your friend too?”

“Instead of ‘friend’, lets just say that I’ve only heard of him. Oh well, I don’t want to waste our time. Whoever said ‘the night is long’ didn’t know how quickly the sun rises.”

Kirche drew near Saito again. And again, a groan came from the window. Saito impatiently turned around.

Three men looked inside, and said the same thing at the same time.

“Kirche! Who the hell is this?! You said you don’t have any lovers!”

“Manican! Ajax! Gimli!”

''Oh wow... five completely different people showed up.'' Saito was impressed.

“Well... six hours later then,” Kirche waved irritably.

“That’s the morning!!!” the three said in unison.

“Flame.” Kirche casually ordered her salamander, who was sleeping in the corner. Flame sent a blaze towards the three men at the window, and they fell to the ground together.


“And those are...?”

“Them? I don’t even know them. But, most of all, I love you!”

Kirche held Saito’s face with her hands and went straight for his lips.

“N...nhhhh...”

Saito panicked. Kirche’s kiss felt not disgusting, but full of passion. Saito did not resist her from pinning him to the bed.

At that moment...

This time it was the door. Somebody kicked it open.

Saito thought it was just another guy. He was dead wrong. Wearing her thin pajamas, Louise stood and stared at the two from the doorway.

Kirche mildly eyed Louise, and kept her lips locked with Saito’s.

Louise murderously moved towards Saito and Kirche, knocking down a few lamps in the process. Louise’s hands moved faster than her mouth. More impressively, her legs moved faster than her hands.

“KIRCHE!” Louise howled towards Kirche’s general direction. Kirche acted like she just noticed her presence, and slowly removed herself from Saito, while waving her hand indignantly.


“Don’t you see that we’re kind of busy here, Vallière?”

“Zerbst! Whose familiar do you think you’re touching?”

Saito was at a loss. Louise’s brown eyes glimmered with fiery anger.

Kirche raised her hands above her head. Stuck between the two, Saito only panicked. It seemed that letting the whole situation develop into Kirche kissing him had made Louise extraordinarily angry.

“Love and fire are the Zerbst family’s destiny. It’s a fate that burns in our bodies. It is our lifelong goal to embrace this passionate flame. You should know that.” Kirche shrugged, while Louise shook in anger.


“Come here, Saito.” Louise stared at her familiar.

“Oh? Louise... he is indeed your familiar, but he has his own will too, don’t you think? Please respect his choice.” Kirche said at the side.

“Sh-she’s right! Who I hang out with is my business!” Saito added.

Louise raised her voice. “You... by tomorrow you’ll be run through by magic from at least ten nobles! Is that all right with you?!”


“Oh, no problem with that. Didn’t you see how good he was in the Vestri Court ?”

Louise flapped her right hand. “Hmph... so his swordfighting skills are good, but that doesn’t matter when he’s attacked by fireballs from the back and whirlwinds from the front.”

“No problem! I’ll protect him!” Kirche gave Saito a passionate look.

However, because of Louise’s words, Saito thought it over.

''If those guys that just visited us at the window find out about me, maybe they would attack me. Kirche won’t be able to cover me all the time, even if she said she would. That and Kirche changes her mind pretty often. She’ll be bored of protecting me in no time.''

After some calm reasoning, Saito reluctantly stood up.


“Aww...are you leaving so soon?” Kirche sadly peered at Saito, with her hair spread to her back, and her twinkling eyes seemed to painfully tear. ''Kirche is one addicting beauty... if a girl like her sticks to me, who cares if I get hit with magic left and right?'' Saito thought wildly.

“That’s her usual tactic! Don’t be fooled by her.” Louise tugged Saito’s hand, and walked out.

<center>* * *</center>

Back in her room, she closed the door with a deadly silence, and faced Saito. Forcefully biting her lip, she sent him a murderous glare.

“Like some stray dog in heat...” her voice was quivering. Louise’s hands moved faster than her mouth, and her feet moved faster than her hands. Her voice was getting shaky, and anger filled her face.

“W-what now?”

“I almost saw you as a person. Looks like I was wrong.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” ''Yeah. See me as a person? Sounds like a lie no matter how I think about it.''

“And you went to wag your tail at that Zerbst witch...” Louise reached into a drawer in her desk for something. A whip.


“Uhh...M-miss...” Saito started to stutter.

“Dogs must be treated like dogs. I’ve been too soft on you.”

“But why the whip?” Saito eyed the whip in Louise’s hand. It was quite well made.

“I’m going far out of my way to use a horse’s whip on you. You’re just a dog.”

“A dog, huh?”

Louise started whipping. Pishi-Pishi-! 

“Ow! It hurts! Stop, you idiot!”

“What? How is that girl better? What is so good about her?” Louise yelled and whipped.

Saito noticed an opening, and grabbed Louise’s hands. She struggled, but the strength of the girl was not enough. Saito kept his grip on her wrists, and then she stopped.

“Ahh! Let go, you moron!”


“Are you...” Saito bore into Louise. Brown eyes stared back. Up close, one can see an irresistible face.

''Cute. Kirche is a beauty, quite sexy. But Louise is like an empty canvas. Not a single speck of dirt...a clean canvas. It’s just that her character is a bit...'' No matter how Saito said it, he liked Louise better. His heart started beating in sixteenth notes. ''Is she jealous? Does she have a crush on me?'' In Saito’s eyes, thinking like this made Louise look even cuter. All things considered, Saito was as weak as Kirche in romance.

“Are you jealous? Do you like me?” said Saito. “Were you angry because I didn’t sleep with you and went off with Kirche doing all that? Oh, I didn’t notice. I am sorry.” He lowered his head, and raised Louise’s chin.

“I think you’re not bad either. Look, when you helped bandage me you were really...”

Louise’s shoulders shivered.


“...I should be going for you because I’m a guy. Tonight, I will sleep on your bed, so you won’t have to go to mine.”

Louise’s right foot suddenly moved like a gust, and shot Saito one between his legs.

“......ahhh....ohhh.......” Saito went on his knees, his body covered in cold sweat. ''Oh...that hurt. I think I’m going to die. That REALLY hurt.''

“Like? I...do what...to you?” Louise angrily stepped on his head.

“Did...did I get that wrong?”

“Obviously so!” she continued stepping.

“Al-all right...I was wrong...”

Louise sat on a chair, crossing her legs, her breathing still uneven. After fiercely torturing Saito for a while, her mood seemed to slightly improve.

“Sure...you can go out with anybody you choose. But, no matter what, you must not go out with that woman.”

“W-why?” Saito hopped around as if to minimize the pain.

“First, Kirche isn’t a Tristainian; she’s a noble from neighboring Germania. Just that makes going out with her completely unacceptable. I hate Germanians.”


“How do you expect me to know these things?”

“My house, Vallière, has estates on Germania’s borders, so we’re the first on the field against Germanians the moment any war starts. Even worse, right opposite to us on that border is Kirche’s birthplace.” Louise bit down hard on her teeth. “So basically, the Zerbst family is our sworn enemy.”

“And they call themselves a passionate family.”

“Just a low, unworthy family. Kirche’s great-great-grandfather stole away my great-great-grandfather’s lover! That was around 200 years ago.”

“That’s quite a while ago.”

“Plus, that Zerbst constantly slanders Vallière. My great-great-grandfather’s fiancé was stolen away because of that.”

“Huh?”

“My great-great-grandfather’s! His wife was taken away just like that.”


“Okay, whatever...so basically, this is all because your family lost a lover to Kirche’s family?”

“Not just that. We've lost count of how many family members we've lost from the wars.”

“I’m just a lowly little familiar...it’s not like I’m worth being stolen.”

“No. I will not let Kirche steal a single bird. I’ll shame my ancestors if that happens.” With that, Louise poured a glass of water, and downed it in one gulp. “That is why Kirche’s forbidden.”

“Your ancestors have nothing to do with me.”

“Yes they do! You’re my familiar, right? As long as you eat from the Vallière family, you are to follow my orders.”

“Familiar this, familiar that...” Saito stared discontently at Louise.

“You have a problem with that?”


“No, because I can’t live if I don’t do what you say, so I’ll just have to live with it...” Saito stuck up his lip, and sat on the ground with a thump.

“And I think you should thank me.”

“Thank you for what?”

“If the word that a commoner became Kirche’s lover gets out, do you think you’ll survive?”

Saito remembered the men Kirche shooed away, and blasted like flies to the ground...''if that was me...what would that feel like?'' Saito also remembered his fight with Guiche, and a shiver went down his spine.

“...Louise.”

“What?”

“Give me a sword. A sword.” Saito wanted to protect himself.

“Don’t you have one?”

“How would I? The one from last time was Guiche’s.”

Louise crossed her arms. “Are you a swordsman?”


“No...I’ve never held one before.”

“But you looked like a natural in that fight.”

“But still...”

“Hmm...” Louise went into deep thought.

“What?”

“I heard familiars get special powers when the contract is made.”

“Special powers?”

“Yeah...like when a black cat became a familiar...” Louise raised a finger in the air and explained.

“Uh-huh...”

“It gets the ability to talk to people.”

“But I’m not a cat.”

“I know. Thing is...a human as a familiar is something totally unheard of, so it’s not impossible that you can just pick up a sword and use it like a natural.”


“Huh...” ''I didn’t just use it like a natural. My body felt light and fast like a feather. Besides, Guiche’s statues were made of bronze. There’s no way you can cut into metal that easily, no matter how skilled a swordsman you are.''

“If it’s that incredible, we should go ask Tristain's Academia.”

“Academia?”

“Yeah. It’s the Royal Court’s magic research agency.”

“What would they do to me for research?”

“Ah... many kinds of experiments. Like... autopsies.”

“You’re kidding me.” Saito stood up. ''Human experimentation? No, thanks!''

“If you think that’s disgusting, then don’t spread that ‘using a sword like a master in an instant’ around for no good reason.”

“I got it. We can keep that quiet.” Saito nodded in fear.

“Ah... I get it now...” Louise nodded in understanding.


“Get what?”

“I’ll buy you a sword.”

“Oh?” ''Well that was sudden. Louise is always so stingy.''

“You never have enough lives if Kirche has her eyes on you. We brought that on ourselves, so we’ll have to take care of it.” Louise weakly said.

“How rare...”

“What?” Louise stared at Saito.

“I thought you’re such a miser. You even freak out about my food.”

“I can’t let a familiar get used to luxury. It makes for bad habits. If it’s absolutely necessary, I’ll buy it. I’m not a stingy person.” Louise said proudly.

“Huh?!”

“Now that you get it, go to sleep. Tomorrow is the Day of Void, so I’ll take you shopping.”

''Oh... so this world has Sundays too.'' Saito thought as he moved towards the hallway.


“Where are you going?”

“Where? To the hallway.”

“It’s all right. You can sleep in my room. If Kirche grabs you again it will be troublesome.”

Saito looked at Louise. “You really are...”

Louise was about to take her whip again when Saito stopped, dove on his straw bed, and wrapped himself in the blanket. He looked at the inscriptions in his left hand.

''For lighting up, this thing helped me defeat Guiche, got Kirche head over heels for me, and got Louise to buy a sword for me. What else is this thing going to bring me?'' As he thought, drowsiness attacked him. ''What a long day...'' as he thought it, Saito fell fast asleep.

<noinclude>{{Nav|{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{ZnT List v1}}|Zero no Tsukaima}}</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story2 Chapter2

2015-03-31T22:41:45Z

99.24.182.76: fix grammar

=== Chapter Two: Kirche the Ardent ===

The night after Saito thoroughly shamed Louise in class with his sleep-talking, Louise unceremoniously threw his pile of hay into the hallway.

“What are you doing?”

“It'd be a bother if I snuck into your bed again, right?”

It seemed she was still upset over what happened earlier in class. “But it's kind of cold outside the room with the wind blowing around.”

“Well, no doubt I'll come and warm you in your dreams,” said Louise, arching her shapely eyebrows. What a bitter girl. She looked determined to make Saito sleep out in the hallway no matter what.

He took his blanket and went out to the hallway. The moment he left the room, the door locked with a loud click. Wind rushed in from the open window, making Saito shiver.


Muttering about the cold, Saito wrapped the blanket around himself and lay down on the hay. The chill of the stone floor seeped into his body. ''No heaters either. I'm freezing.''

''Making me suffer like this just because of a dream!'' Saito kicked Louise's door. Of course, there was no response.

Saito began plotting his revenge. ''Cutting the elastic in her panties is no longer enough.'' As he lay shivering in his blanket wondering how he would get one back on that little girl...

The door to Kirche’s room opened.

Her salamander Flame crawled out, with its burning tail emitting a warm glow. The two stared at each other. The salamander shuffled closer to Saito, who unconsciously began to back away.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

"Kyurukyuru," it growled comfortingly. It looked harmless before it clamped its jaws on Saito’s sleeve, shaking its head as if asking him to follow it.

“Hey, let go! You’ll light my blanket on fire!” said Saito to an insistent Flame, which only pulled harder.


Kirche’s room remained open. ''Is it trying to drag me in there?'' Indeed it was. ''I don't think Flame is dragging me for the fun of it. What could Kirche possibly want from me?'' Saito brainstormed the reasons. ''Maybe she just wants to lecture me about quarreling with Louise.'' As if in a trance, Saito stepped into Kirche’s room.



<center>* * *</center>

The room was pitch dark, save for Flame’s mild glow. Kirche’s voice commanded from the darkness, “Close the door.” Saito obliged.

“Welcome to my room.”

“It’s pretty dark in here.”

He heard Kirche snap her fingers. Starting from the one nearest him, lamps lit up one by one towards Kirche like lights floating above a street.


Doused in the mild glow, Kirche sat on her bed, with a look of worry on her face. She was wearing attractive underwear, or rather, just plain underwear. One thing was for sure: supported only by her sexy bra, her full breasts were the size of cantaloupes.

“Don’t just stand there. Come to me.” Kirche cooed with her most captivating voice.

Saito shakily wandered to a smiling Kirche, as if in a dream.

“Sit down.”

Saito sat by her side as he was told. His mind was filled with Kirche’s nearly nude body.

“Wh-what is it?” Saito asked nervously. Kirche merely stared at him while slowly waving her fiery red hair. Under the faint lamp light, Kirche’s brown skin looked wildly erotic, as if trying to capture Saito to do her bidding.

Kirche made a long sigh, and worriedly shook her head.


“You must think me a lowly, despicable woman.”

“Kirche?”

“To be thought so is inevitable. Do you understand? My runic name is ‘Ardent’.”

“I know that.”

''That cleavage in her bra’s gaps is so sexy...''

“My lust is as flammable as hay... that’s why I suddenly called you here. Don’t you get it? Isn’t this really bad of me?”

“That is indeed very bad.” Saito seemed unsure and just played along. He never had a foreign girl speak her heart out to him like this, so he was rather nervous.

“But... I’m sure you’ll forgive me.”

Kirche looked at Saito with moist, watery eyes. Any man would show his most primitive instincts after looking at these eyes.

“For-forgive what?”

Kirche suddenly clasped Saito’s hand, enveloping them with her warm palms before slowly caressing through every finger, sending sparks through his spine.

“Loving you, my dear. To you, my love is that sudden.”


“Yeah, that’s sudden all right!” Saito’s mind was a mess. ''She must be joking.'' Despite that thought, Kirche’s face looked serious.

“Your grandeur in defeating Guiche is... just... so cool... like a hero of the legends. Me... when I saw you right that moment I was in love. Can you believe it? I was attracted to you just like that! Passion! Oh, this is a passionate love!”

“Pa-passion, huh? Uh...”

“My runic name, ‘Ardent’, is quite passionate too. I’ve been writing love songs since that day! Love songs! Just for you... Saito. You appear in my dreams every night, so I told Flame to see how you’re doing... oh, I’m so embarrassed. You must think that too, am I right? But it’s all because of you!”

Saito just sat there, at a complete loss of words.

Kirche took his silence as acceptance, and slowly, with closed eyes, approached Saito with her lips. ''So sexy. I mean... Louise is attractive too. But when it comes to sexiness, she is no match for Kirche. Though Louise is really cute, that part of her is just skin deep.''
[[Image:ZNT-page-149.jpg|thumb]]

However, Saito pushed Kirche’s shoulders away. He felt like something bad would happen otherwise.


Kirche looked at Saito with surprise, as if asking “Why?”. Saito looked away from her body.

“W-well... from what you said...”

“Hmm?”

“You... fall in love too easily.” Saito stuttered, hitting Kirche’s weak point. Her face turned red in an instant.

“Yeah... I guess I have more... passion than others. That can’t be helped. Love is sudden, and it burns my body so quickly...”

At that moment, a voice from outside the window interrupted her.

A beautiful playboy looked inside indignantly.

“Kirche... I came to check because you weren’t there on time...”

“Berisson! We’ll meet two hours later then!” 

“That wasn’t what we agreed on!” They were on the third floor. ''It looks like this Berisson  guy is floating on air with some magic spell.''

Kirche nonchalantly took out her wand from between her breasts, and waved it without even looking at him. Flame shot out from a nearby lamp and flew into the gentleman at the window like a snake.


“What an annoying owl.”

Saito watched in shock.

“Eh... you didn’t hear all that, did you?”

“Uh... who was that?”

“Just a friend. Whatever... right now, my deepest, most passionate love is you, Saito...”

Kirche approached him with her lips again. Saito did not move a muscle, as an irresistible desire invaded him.

At that moment, they were interrupted again.

A sharp-looking man peered into the room with a sad face.

“Kirche! Who is that guy? Aren’t you going to heat up the night with me?”

“Styx! How does four hours later sound?”

“Who is that guy, Kirche?”

This Styx guy was getting mad, and as he was about to enter the room, Kirche waved her wand again. The fire flew from the lamp again, hit the man, and sent him to the ground.


“......I take that he’s your friend too?”

“Instead of ‘friend’, lets just say that I’ve only heard of him. Oh well, I don’t want to waste our time. Whoever said ‘the night is long’ didn’t know how quickly the sun rises.”

Kirche drew near Saito again. And again, a groan came from the window. Saito impatiently turned around.

Three men looked inside, and said the same thing at the same time.

“Kirche! Who the hell is this?! You said you don’t have any lovers!”

“Manican! Ajax! Gimli!”

''Oh wow... five completely different people showed up.'' Saito was impressed.

“Well... six hours later then,” Kirche waved irritably.

“That’s the morning!!!” the three said in unison.

“Flame.” Kirche casually ordered her salamander, who was sleeping in the corner. Flame sent a blaze towards the three men at the window, and they fell to the ground together.


“And those are...?”

“Them? I don’t even know them. But, most of all, I love you!”

Kirche held Saito’s face with her hands and went straight for his lips.

“N...nhhhh...”

Saito panicked. Kirche’s kiss felt not disgusting, but full of passion. Saito did not resist her from pinning him to the bed.

At that moment...

This time it was the door. Somebody kicked it open.

Saito thought it was just another guy. He was dead wrong. Wearing her thin pajamas, Louise stood and stared at the two from the doorway.

Kirche mildly eyed Louise, and kept her lips locked with Saito’s.

Louise murderously moved towards Saito and Kirche, knocking down a few lamps in the process. Louise’s hands moved faster than her mouth. More impressively, her legs moved faster than her hands.

“KIRCHE!” Louise howled towards Kirche’s general direction. Kirche acted like she just noticed her presence, and slowly removed herself from Saito, while waving her hand indignantly.


“Don’t you see that we’re kind of busy here, Vallière?”

“Zerbst! Whose familiar do you think you’re touching?”

Saito was at a loss. Louise’s brown eyes glimmered with fiery anger.

Kirche raised her hands above her head. Stuck between the two, Saito only panicked. It seemed that letting the whole situation develop into Kirche kissing him had made Louise extraordinarily angry.

“Love and fire are the Zerbst family’s destiny. It’s a fate that burns in our bodies. It is our lifelong goal to embrace this passionate flame. You should know that.” Kirche shrugged, while Louise shook in anger.


“Come here, Saito.” Louise stared at her familiar.

“Oh? Louise... he is indeed your familiar, but he has his own will too, don’t you think? Please respect his choice.” Kirche said at the side.

“Sh-she’s right! Who I hang out with is my business!” Saito added.

Louise raised her voice. “You... by tomorrow you’ll be run through by magic from at least ten nobles! Is that all right with you?!”


“Oh, no problem with that. Didn’t you see how good he was in the Vestri Court ?”

Louise flapped her right hand. “Hmph... so his swordfighting skills are good, but that doesn’t matter when he’s attacked by fireballs from the back and whirlwinds from the front.”

“No problem! I’ll protect him!” Kirche gave Saito a passionate look.

However, because of Louise’s words, Saito thought it over.

''If those guys that just visited us at the window find out about me, maybe they would attack me. Kirche won’t be able to cover me all the time, even if she said she would. That and Kirche changes her mind pretty often. She’ll be bored of protecting me in no time.''

After some calm reasoning, Saito reluctantly stood up.


“Aww...are you leaving so soon?” Kirche sadly peered at Saito, with her hair spread to her back, and her twinkling eyes seemed to painfully tear. ''Kirche is one addicting beauty... if a girl like her sticks to me, who cares if I get hit with magic left and right?'' Saito thought wildly.

“That’s her usual tactic! Don’t be fooled by her.” Louise tugged Saito’s hand, and walked out.

<center>* * *</center>

Back in her room, she closed the door with a deadly silence, and faced Saito. Forcefully biting her lip, she sent him a murderous glare.

“Like some stray dog in heat...” her voice was quivering. Louise’s hands move faster than her mouth, and her feet move faster than her hands. It looked like her voice would get shakier soon. Anger filled her face.

“W-what now?”

“I almost saw you as a person. Looks like I was wrong.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” ''Yeah. See me as a person? Sounds like a lie no matter how I think about it.''

“And you went to wag your tail at that Zerbst witch...” Louise reached into a drawer in her desk for something. A whip.


“Uhh...M-miss...” Saito started to stutter.

“Dogs must be treated like dogs. I’ve been too soft on you.”

“But why the whip?” Saito eyed the whip in Louise’s hand. It was quite well made.

“I’m going far out of my way to use a horse’s whip on you. You’re just a dog.”

“A dog, huh?”

Louise started whipping. Pishi-Pishi-! 

“Ow! It hurts! Stop, you idiot!”

“What? How is that girl better? What is so good about her?” Louise yelled and whipped.

Saito noticed an opening, and grabbed Louise’s hands. She struggled, but the strength of the girl was not enough. Saito kept his grip on her wrists, and then she stopped.

“Ahh! Let go, you moron!”


“Are you...” Saito bore into Louise. Brown eyes stared back. Up close, one can see an irresistible face.

''Cute. Kirche is a beauty, quite sexy. But Louise is like an empty canvas. Not a single speck of dirt...a clean canvas. It’s just that her character is a bit...'' No matter how Saito said it, he liked Louise better. His heart started beating in sixteenth notes. ''Is she jealous? Does she have a crush on me?'' In Saito’s eyes, thinking like this made Louise look even cuter. All things considered, Saito was as weak as Kirche in romance.

“Are you jealous? Do you like me?” said Saito. “Were you angry because I didn’t sleep with you and went off with Kirche doing all that? Oh, I didn’t notice. I am sorry.” He lowered his head, and raised Louise’s chin.

“I think you’re not bad either. Look, when you helped bandage me you were really...”

Louise’s shoulders shivered.


“...I should be going for you because I’m a guy. Tonight, I will sleep on your bed, so you won’t have to go to mine.”

Louise’s right foot suddenly moved like a gust, and shot Saito one between his legs.

“......ahhh....ohhh.......” Saito went on his knees, his body covered in cold sweat. ''Oh...that hurt. I think I’m going to die. That REALLY hurt.''

“Like? I...do what...to you?” Louise angrily stepped on his head.

“Did...did I get that wrong?”

“Obviously so!” she continued stepping.

“Al-all right...I was wrong...”

Louise sat on a chair, crossing her legs, her breathing still uneven. After fiercely torturing Saito for a while, her mood seemed to slightly improve.

“Sure...you can go out with anybody you choose. But, no matter what, you must not go out with that woman.”

“W-why?” Saito hopped around as if to minimize the pain.

“First, Kirche isn’t a Tristainian; she’s a noble from neighboring Germania. Just that makes going out with her completely unacceptable. I hate Germanians.”


“How do you expect me to know these things?”

“My house, Vallière, has estates on Germania’s borders, so we’re the first on the field against Germanians the moment any war starts. Even worse, right opposite to us on that border is Kirche’s birthplace.” Louise bit down hard on her teeth. “So basically, the Zerbst family is our sworn enemy.”

“And they call themselves a passionate family.”

“Just a low, unworthy family. Kirche’s great-great-grandfather stole away my great-great-grandfather’s lover! That was around 200 years ago.”

“That’s quite a while ago.”

“Plus, that Zerbst constantly slanders Vallière. My great-great-grandfather’s fiancé was stolen away because of that.”

“Huh?”

“My great-great-grandfather’s! His wife was taken away just like that.”


“Okay, whatever...so basically, this is all because your family lost a lover to Kirche’s family?”

“Not just that. We've lost count of how many family members we've lost from the wars.”

“I’m just a lowly little familiar...it’s not like I’m worth being stolen.”

“No. I will not let Kirche steal a single bird. I’ll shame my ancestors if that happens.” With that, Louise poured a glass of water, and downed it in one gulp. “That is why Kirche’s forbidden.”

“Your ancestors have nothing to do with me.”

“Yes they do! You’re my familiar, right? As long as you eat from the Vallière family, you are to follow my orders.”

“Familiar this, familiar that...” Saito stared discontently at Louise.

“You have a problem with that?”


“No, because I can’t live if I don’t do what you say, so I’ll just have to live with it...” Saito stuck up his lip, and sat on the ground with a thump.

“And I think you should thank me.”

“Thank you for what?”

“If the word that a commoner became Kirche’s lover gets out, do you think you’ll survive?”

Saito remembered the men Kirche shooed away, and blasted like flies to the ground...''if that was me...what would that feel like?'' Saito also remembered his fight with Guiche, and a shiver went down his spine.

“...Louise.”

“What?”

“Give me a sword. A sword.” Saito wanted to protect himself.

“Don’t you have one?”

“How would I? The one from last time was Guiche’s.”

Louise crossed her arms. “Are you a swordsman?”


“No...I’ve never held one before.”

“But you looked like a natural in that fight.”

“But still...”

“Hmm...” Louise went into deep thought.

“What?”

“I heard familiars get special powers when the contract is made.”

“Special powers?”

“Yeah...like when a black cat became a familiar...” Louise raised a finger in the air and explained.

“Uh-huh...”

“It gets the ability to talk to people.”

“But I’m not a cat.”

“I know. Thing is...a human as a familiar is something totally unheard of, so it’s not impossible that you can just pick up a sword and use it like a natural.”


“Huh...” ''I didn’t just use it like a natural. My body felt light and fast like a feather. Besides, Guiche’s statues were made of bronze. There’s no way you can cut into metal that easily, no matter how skilled a swordsman you are.''

“If it’s that incredible, we should go ask Tristain's Academia.”

“Academia?”

“Yeah. It’s the Royal Court’s magic research agency.”

“What would they do to me for research?”

“Ah... many kinds of experiments. Like... autopsies.”

“You’re kidding me.” Saito stood up. ''Human experimentation? No, thanks!''

“If you think that’s disgusting, then don’t spread that ‘using a sword like a master in an instant’ around for no good reason.”

“I got it. We can keep that quiet.” Saito nodded in fear.

“Ah... I get it now...” Louise nodded in understanding.


“Get what?”

“I’ll buy you a sword.”

“Oh?” ''Well that was sudden. Louise is always so stingy.''

“You never have enough lives if Kirche has her eyes on you. We brought that on ourselves, so we’ll have to take care of it.” Louise weakly said.

“How rare...”

“What?” Louise stared at Saito.

“I thought you’re such a miser. You even freak out about my food.”

“I can’t let a familiar get used to luxury. It makes for bad habits. If it’s absolutely necessary, I’ll buy it. I’m not a stingy person.” Louise said proudly.

“Huh?!”

“Now that you get it, go to sleep. Tomorrow is the Day of Void, so I’ll take you shopping.”

''Oh... so this world has Sundays too.'' Saito thought as he moved towards the hallway.


“Where are you going?”

“Where? To the hallway.”

“It’s all right. You can sleep in my room. If Kirche grabs you again it will be troublesome.”

Saito looked at Louise. “You really are...”

Louise was about to take her whip again when Saito stopped, dove on his straw bed, and wrapped himself in the blanket. He looked at the inscriptions in his left hand.

''For lighting up, this thing helped me defeat Guiche, got Kirche head over heels for me, and got Louise to buy a sword for me. What else is this thing going to bring me?'' As he thought, drowsiness attacked him. ''What a long day...'' as he thought it, Saito fell fast asleep.

<noinclude>{{Nav|{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{ZnT List v1}}|Zero no Tsukaima}}</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter2

2015-03-23T22:51:22Z

99.24.182.76: word "blonde" is used in text, not pink or "hot pink." - changed to strawberry blonde

=== Chapter Two: Louise the Zero ===

When Saito woke up, the first sight to greet his eyes was the underwear that Louise had stripped off.



It had somehow ended up in his line of sight, having been carelessly tossed away.

Louise was still asleep in bed, snoring gently. Her sleeping face was simply cherubic. Now she seemed a lot more childish. She was a loud and annoying girl when she spoke — "noble" this, "magician" that — but, while she slept, she was cute. Saito almost wished that she would stay that way forever.



Then reality sank in. ''So, last night really '''wasn't''' a dream.'' He had thought he would find himself back in his own room, but, obviously, it hadn't happened. He felt dispirited.


Still, it was a refreshing morning. Dazzling light shone down into the room.

Saito's characteristic curiosity was reawakened. ''Now that I think about it, this is kinda like a sightseeing tour. I wonder what kind of world this is? While I don't like the idea of being the familiar of a rude magician girl who snores her head off, I should try to make the most of it, in any case.''






First things first, he flung the blanket off Louise.

"Wh-What? What's going on!"

"It's morning, Milady." 

"Huh? O-Oh... Wait, who are you!?"
Louise yelled in a slurred voice. Her expression was vacant as she trailed off into a pitiful mumble.




''Is this girl okay?''


"Hiraga Saito."

"Oh, the familiar. That's right, I summoned you yesterday, didn't I?"

Louise got up and yawned. Then, she ordered Saito:

"Clothes."

He tossed her the uniform that had been draped over a chair. Louise began to sluggishly undress.

Saito quickly turned the other way to hide his blushing face.

"Underwear."

"G-Get that yourself."

"They're in the lowest drawer... Of that closet... Over there."

It seemed she thoroughly planned to make the most out of Saito. 

Holding his tongue, he went and opened the indicated drawer. Lo and behold, it was packed full of underwear. It was the first time he had seen women's underwear, except for his mother's. Grabbing a pair at random, he threw it over his shoulder without looking back.



Once Louise had put them on, she mumbled again. 


"Clothes."

"I just gave them to you."

"Dress me."

''Don't push it.'' Saito turned to object angrily, only to find Louise sitting sleepily on the bed wearing nothing but the underwear he had thrown at her. He suddenly didn't know where to look.

Louise pouted in displeasure.

"You must not know because you're a commoner, but nobles will not dress themselves if a servant is available."


That irked him.

"You can at least dress yourself."

"Right then. As punishment for being a disrespectful familiar: No breakfast,"
Louise declared, raising a finger triumphantly.

Reluctantly, Saito picked up her blouse.



<center>* * *</center>

When he left the room with Louise, he saw three identical wooden doors along the wall. One of them opened, and from inside appeared a girl with flaming red hair. She was taller than Louise,
roughly the same height as Saito. She gave off a strongly flirtatious aura. Her face was attractive, and she sported a captivating bustline. Her breasts were like melons.




The top two buttons of her blouse were undone, highlighting an impressive cleavage which impulsively drew the eyes in. Her skin was tanned, giving her the look of healthy and natural beauty.




Her height, skin color, bearing, and breast size... It all made for a strong contrast with Louise, who lacked in those charm points.



When she saw Louise, she grinned broadly.

"Good morning, Louise."


Louise returned the greeting with a frown.



"Good morning... Kirche."



"That... is your familiar?"
Kirche asked somewhat mockingly, pointing at Saito.



"That's right."

"Ahaha! So it really is a human! That's amazing!"

Saito resented that. ''Sorry for being a human. What are you then?'' He stared at Kirche's breasts. ''You're just a big-breasted alien. Yeah, a big b-b-breasted alien.'' His stare intensified.





"It's just like you to summon a commoner with 'Summon Servant.' What else to expect from Louise the Zero?"

Louise's white cheeks flushed scarlet.

"Shut up."

"I summoned a familiar yesterday, too. Unlike a certain somebody, I was successful on my first try."

"Really."


"And, if you're going to have a familiar, it should be a good one, like this. Flame!"

Kirche called her familiar triumphantly. From her room, a large, dark-red lizard slithered out. A wave of heat hit Saito.

"Uwah! What the heck is this red thing?"

Kirche smiled.

"Ohoho! Don't tell me this is your first time seeing a fire lizard?"


"Put a chain on it or something! It's dangerous! And just what is a fire lizard?"

"Don't worry. As long as I order it not to, it won't attack. Aren't you the scaredy-cat."


Kirche put a hand to her chin and tilted her head teasingly.

The creature was at least as big as a tiger. Its tail was tipped with flame, and its mouth emitted sparks and embers.


[[Image:ZNT-page-051.jpg|thumb]]


"Don't you feel hot being near it?"
Saito asked. He calmed himself down and looked at it again. "Wow, it's a monster... Fantastic!"


"It's actually fairly cool to me."


"Is that a salamander?"
Louise asked jealously.

"That's right! A fire lizard! See, look at the tail. A flame this vivid and large means it's without a doubt a salamander from the Fire Dragon Mountains! It's like a brand! Collectors can't even put a price on these!"


"That's nice," Louise said, her voice bitter.

"Isn't it? It matches my affinity perfectly!"


"Your affinity is Fire, isn't it?"


"Of course. After all, I'm Kirche the Ardent. The ardent of gently smoldering passion. Everywhere I go, I have boys falling for me. Unlike you, right?" 

Kirche puffed her chest out proudly. Not wanting to lose, Louise did the same, but the difference in volume was just too striking.


Despite this, Louise glared at Kirche. It looked as if she really hated losing.


"I don't have the time to go around flirting with everything I see, unlike you."

Kirche only smiled calmly. Then, she turned to Saito.

"And what's your name?"

"Hiraga Saito."

"Hiragasaito? What a strange name."


"Hey!"

"Well then, I'll be off now."

She stroked her flaming red hair back and dashed off. The salamander followed her with a cute shuffling movement that looked odd with such a large creature.

As she disappeared, Louise shook a fist in her direction.

"Ooh, that girl gets on my nerves! Just because she summoned a salamander from the Fire Dragon Mountains! Argh!"

"Calm down, it's just a summoning."

"No, it's not! You can determine a mage's true power just by looking at his/her familiar! Why did that idiot get a salamander, while I got you?"


"Jeez, sorry for being a human. But you're one too, y'know."

"Comparing mages and commoners is like comparing wolves and dogs!"



Louise exclaimed haughtily.

"...Okay, okay. By the way, she just called you 'Louise the Zero', but, what's the 'Zero' stand for? Is it your surname?"



"No way! My name is Louise de La Vallière! 'Zero' is just a nickname."

"A nickname, huh? I can understand why she's called 'Ardent,' but why are you 'Zero?'"

"You don't need to know,"
Louise answered uncomfortably.

"Is it your breasts?"
Saito asked, glancing at Louise. ''Yup. Flat as a board.''


Louise's hand flew out. He dodged it.

"Come back here!"

"Don't hit me!"

''A slap?''


''That reminds me... This girl...''
''Yesterday, even when everyone else flew away, she walked.''
''And, last night, when I grabbed her, she kicked me in the groin.''



''If she really wanted to chastise me, wouldn't it be better to use magic instead of hitting or kicking me?''
''That would be more effective, and more mage-like.''

''Why is that?'' Saito wondered.



<center>* * *</center>

The Academy of Magic's dining hall was the tallest and centermost building on the premises. Inside, three extremely long tables were arranged parallel to each other. Each one looked like it could easily seat a hundred people. The table at which Louise and all the second years sat was the middle table.

It appeared that students could be identified by the color of their cloaks. Viewed from the entrance, everyone sitting on the left-hand table looked a little older and wore purple cloaks — third years.

The students sitting on the right-hand table wore brown cloaks — first years. ''So they're like year-level jerseys,'' Saito thought.

Every single mage on the school grounds, students and teachers alike, gathered here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

On an upper level, he could see teachers enjoying pleasant chatter.



All the tables were magnificently decorated.


Numerous candles, bunches of flowers, baskets full of fruit...

Saito's mouth was agape with amazement at the sheer grandeur of the dining hall. Louise raised her head imperiously and began to explain. Her hazel eyes twinkled with mischief.



"Tristain's Academy of Magic doesn't teach just magic, you know."

"Right..."

"Almost all mages are nobles. The saying 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is a foundation for the education we receive as nobles. Thus, our dining halls must also be fitting of a noble's status."


"Okay..."

"Understand? Normally, a commoner like you would never set foot inside the Alvíss<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alv%C3%ADss Alvíss] was a dwarf in Norse mythology who was turned to stone through Thor's trickery.</ref> Dining Hall. Be grateful."

"Right... Hey, what's an 'Alvíss'?"

"It's the name for the little people. See all those statues over there?"

Where she pointed, lined along the walls were elaborate sculptures of small people.

"They're well-made. Err, those things don't... like... come alive during the night or anything, do they?"

"Oh, you knew that?"

"So they do?!"



"Well, they dance. Enough of this, pull out my chair, will you? You're not a very competent familiar,"
Louise remarked, crossing her arms and tilting her head, which made her strawberry-blonde hair ripple. ''Oh well, ladies first.'' Saito pulled Louise's chair out for her.

Louise didn't even thank him as she sat down. Saito also brought over a chair to sit on.

"This is amazing!"
Saito cried. It was far too grand for a breakfast. A huge roasted chicken taunted Saito. Other than that, there was also wine and a pie baked in the shape of a trout.

"I can't eat all this! I'll die if I do! Hey, Miss!" 
He prodded Louise's shoulder, only to find her glaring at him.
"What?"
Saito asked dubiously. Louise kept her gaze fixed.
"Right, I'm getting ahead of myself. I should act more like nobility! Even though I'm not a noble."

Louise pointed to the floor, where a bowl had been placed.

"It's a bowl."

"Yes. It is."

"There's something suspicious in it."


Louise propped her chin on her hands and spoke.

"You know, familiars are supposed to stay outside. You're only in here on the floor because I especially requested it."

Thus, Saito found himself sitting dumbly on the floor, staring at the bowl sitting in front of him. In it were some sorry-looking scraps of meat floating around in a thin soup. On the edge was half a loaf of hard-looking bread.


Extending his neck, he peered over the edge of the tabletop.

He could only gaze longingly at the spectacular feast that was laid out on it. It was far beyond comparison with his meager bowl of scraps.

"Oh, Great Founder Brimir, and our lady, the Queen, we thank you for this humble meal that you have graciously provided us this morning,"
the harmonious sound of a prayer sounded. Louise joined in as well, closing her eyes.


''Just how is that a 'humble meal?''' Saito griped, still staring at the food. ''That's more than a banquet. If anyone's got a 'humble meal,' it'd be me. I mean, just what the heck is in this bowl? This is worse than what you'd feed a pet.'' He wanted to protest. ''Even pets in Japan eat better than this!''

Irritated at this mistreatment, he laid a hand on the tabletop, only to have it slapped away by Louise.


Saito looked up resentfully at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Give me some chicken. Just a little bit will do."


"Jeez..."
Grumbling, Louise stripped a bit of skin and dropped it into Saito's bowl.

"What about the meat?"

"No, I'm not going to help start a habit."


Louise herself began digging enthusiastically into the grand feast.

"Ah, it's delicious. Delicious! I think I'm going to cry,"
Saito muttered, while he gnawed on his hard bread.



<center>* * *</center>

The classrooms in the Academy of Magic were similar to university lecture halls. And like everything else, they were constructed from stone. The lecturing teacher stood at the lowest level, and the seats were arranged upward like stairs. When Saito and Louise entered, every student in the room simultaneously turned their heads towards them.

And then the laughter began. Kirche was there as well, surrounded by a group of boys.

''I see, so she really does have them wrapped around her little finger. She's being treated like a queen''


''by all of those guys. Well, it's not surprising with her impressive bust. I guess big breasts are big breasts, no matter where you go.''

The familiars that everyone had brought along were a varied bunch.

Kirche's salamander was curled asleep under her chair. There were students with owls resting on their shoulders. From a window, a gigantic snake peered into the class. One boy whistled, and the snake withdrew its head. Other than those, there were also ravens and cats.


But what drew Saito's attention the most were the creatures that would've been considered fantastic monsters back in his world. He was suddenly excited. All sorts of amazing beasts were milling around him.

He spotted a lizard with six legs. ''That's gotta be...'' Saito tried to recall what little fantasy lore he knew. ''A basilisk! I've seen one in a game.'' There was also a huge eyeball floating gently in midair. What could that be? He decided to ask Louise.

"What's that freaky eye monster?"

"A bugbear."

"Then what about that octopus thing?"

"A Skua," 
Louise answered him in a sullen voice and sat down. Saito sat down beside her. She glared at him.


"What?"


"That's a mage's seat. Familiars aren't permitted to use it."

Begrudgingly, he lowered himself to the floor. ''I wasn't allowed to eat breakfast at the table either. And this desk is really getting in the way. I'm not sitting here,'' he resolved, and sat back on the chair.

Louise glanced at him, but didn't say anything this time.

The door opened, and the teacher entered.

She was a middle-aged woman dressed in a voluminous purple robe and wearing a hat. She had a plump, round face with a friendly expression on it.

"Is that lady a magician too?" Saito whispered to Louise.

"Isn't it obvious?" Louise hissed back.

The woman gazed around the classroom and spoke with a satisfied smile.

"Well, everyone, it seems that the Springtime Familiar Summoning was a great success. I, Chevreuse, always enjoy seeing the new familiars that are summoned each spring."

Louise cast her eyes downward.

"My, my. You've summoned quite a... peculiar familiar, Miss Vallière,"
she remarked as she looked at Saito. The comment was fairly innocent, but the classroom exploded with laughter.

"Louise the Zero! Don't go around grabbing random commoners off the street just because you can't summon anything!"

Louise's long strawberry blonde hair billowed as she stood up. She raised her cute voice in anger.



"No! I did everything properly! He was all that appeared!"

"Don't lie! I bet you couldn't even cast 'Summon Servant' properly, right?"

The other students chuckled.

"Mrs. Chevreuse! I've been insulted! Malicorne the 'Common Cold' just insulted me!"

Louise banged her fist against the tabletop in protest.

"Common cold? I'm Malicorne the Windward! I haven't caught any cold!"

"Well, your hoarse voice sounds exactly like you've caught one!"

The boy called Malicorne stood up and glared at Louise. Chevreuse pointed at them with the wand in her hand. The two suddenly jerked about like puppets on a string and rigidly sat back down.


"Miss Vallière, Mister Malicorne. Please stop this unnecessary argument."

Louise looked visibly dejected. All the vivacity that she'd shown just earlier seemed to have evaporated.

"Calling friends 'Zero' or 'Common Cold' is not acceptable. Do you understand?"

"Mrs. Chevreuse, I'm only called that as a joke, but for Louise, it's the truth."

A few giggles broke out from somewhere.


Chevreuse looked around the classroom with a severe expression. She pointed her wand again, and, as if from nowhere, the mouths of the students who'd giggled were suddenly filled with lumps of red clay.


"You people shall continue the lesson in that state."

This put a firm stopper on any further outbursts.

"Now then, let's begin the lesson."

Chevreuse coughed heavily and waved her wand. A few pebbles materialized on her desktop.

"My Runic name is 'Red Clay.' Chevreuse the Red Clay. This year, I will be teaching you all the magic of the Earth element. Do you know the four great elements of magic, Mister Malicorne?"

"Y-Yes, Mrs. Chevreuse. They are Fire, Water, Earth and Wind."

Chevreuse nodded.

"And combined with the now-lost element of 'Void,' there are five elements in total - as everyone should already know. Of the five elements, I believe Earth holds an extremely important position. This isn't just because my affinity is Earth, nor is it simply a personal preference."

Once again, Chevreuse coughed heavily.

"The magic of Earth is very important magic that governs the creation of all matter. If it wasn't for Earth magic,


we wouldn't be able to produce or process necessary metals. Raising buildings from large boulders and harvesting crops would also involve much more work. In this manner, the magic of the Earth element is intimately related to everyone's life."

''Aha,'' thought Saito. ''So in this world, magic is the equivalent of science and technology in my world. I think I understand now the reason Louise is so proud to call herself a magician.''

"Now, everyone, please recall that the basic magic of the Earth element is 'transmutation'. While there will be people here who have already learned this in their first year, basics build foundations, so let's review it once more."


Chevreuse turned her attention to the pebbles and twirled her wand over them.

She then whispered a spell, and they began to glow brightly.

When the light dimmed away, the pebbles had been changed into sparkling lumps of metal.

"Is that g-g-gold, Mrs. Chevreuse!?"

Kirche leaned forward over her desk.

"No, it isn't. It's plain brass. Only Square-class mages are able to transmute to gold. I'm just..."
Chevreuse gave a self-important cough.

"A Triangle mage..."

"Louise."
Saito poked her.

"What? We're in the middle of a lesson here!"

"What's all this about squares and triangles supposed to mean?"

"It's the number of elements that they can add to a spell, which also determines the level of a mage."

"Huh?"

"See, for example, you can use an Earth spell on its own. But if you add Fire magic to it, the overall power of the spell increases greatly,"
Louise explained to Saito quietly.

"Oh, I see."

"Those who can stack two elements like Fire and Earth together are called Line mages. Mrs. Chevreuse, being able to combine three elements, Earth-Earth-Fire, is a Triangle mage."

"What happens when you add an element to itself?"

"It reinforces that element and makes it stronger."

"I see. So in other words, you could say that the teacher over there is a fairly powerful mage, because she's a Triangle?"


"Exactly."

"How many can you add, Louise?"

She didn't answer.

The teacher noticed them talking.

"Miss Vallière!"

"Y-Yes?"

"Please refrain from private chatter during lessons."

"I'm sorry..."

"Since you have the time to chatter, perhaps I should have you demonstrate for me?"

"Eh? Me?"

"Yes. Try changing these pebbles here into a metal of your choice."

Louise didn't stand up. She simply sat there looking troubled and fidgety.

"Hey, come on! She's pointing at you!" Saito nudged her.

"Miss Vallière! Is something the matter?"

Mrs. Chevreuse called for her again, but Kirche raised her voice in concern.

"Umm..."

"Yes?"


"I think it would be better if you didn't let her..."

"And why is that?"

"It's dangerous,"
Kirche answered plainly. The majority of the class nodded in agreement.

"Dangerous? How so?"

"This is your first time teaching Louise, right?"

"It is, but I hear she's a hard worker. Now, Miss Vallière. Don't you worry, just try it. You won't be able to do anything if you dread making mistakes."

"Don't, Louise!"
Kirche cried, her face pale.

But Louise stood up.

"I'll do it."

With a nervous expression, she walked briskly up to the front of the room.

Chevreuse stood next to Louise and smiled.

"Miss Vallière, you have to visualize vividly the metal that you wish to transmute them into."

Giving a cute little nod, Louise waved her wand. She had never looked as adorable as in that instant when she pursed her lips to begin chanting the incantation - it was almost otherworldly.


Even knowing her true personality, Saito was momentarily enamoured.

In the morning sunshine streaming in from the window, Louise's strawberry-blonde  hair sparkled enchantingly. Her hazel eyes shown like jewels, and her skin was a flawless white. Her sculpted nose was befitting of nobility.

''If only her breasts were more filled out, she'd be perfect - almost too good. But no matter how cute she is, that personality of hers is a real pitfall,'' Saito lamented.

But as he sat there pondering, the students sitting in front of him had for some reason hidden under their chairs. ''Don't they see how cute Louise is? Still, she doesn't seem to be very popular. Rather, she gets called 'the Zero' and made fun of. Just looking around here, there aren't any girls nearly as cute. Only Kirche rivals her in looks.''

Closing her eyes, Louise uttered a short rune and flourished her wand.

The pebbles on the desk promptly exploded.

Louise and Chevreuse caught the blast full-on and were thrown against the blackboard, as people screamed.
Frightened familiars added to the chaos. Kirche's salamander suddenly woke from its sleep and stood up on its hind legs, breathing a jet of flame. A manticore burst into flight and smashed through a window to escape. Through the hole, the giant snake that had been peeking in earlier slithered in and swallowed someone's raven.


The classroom was in pandemonium.

Kirche stood up and pointed a finger at Louise.

"That's why I told you not to let her do it!"

"Jeez, Vallière! Save us some grief and just quit school already!"

"My Lucky got eaten by a snake! Lucky!" 

Saito stared in shock.



Mrs. Chevreuse lay on the floor; judging by her occasional twitching, she wasn't dead.

A soot-blackened Louise rose slowly. She was a miserable sight to behold. Her torn blouse revealed a slender shoulder, and her panties could be seen beneath her ripped skirt.

Still, what an amazing girl.

She didn't seem at all fazed by the discord in the room.
She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the soot off her face.

"Looks like I messed up a little..." she said, in a weak voice.

Of course, that elicited a vehement response from the other students.

"That wasn't 'a little!', Louise the Zero!"

"Your success rate is always ZERO!"

Saito finally understood why Louise was called "the Zero."

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==Translator's Notes and References==
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