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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume21 Chapter 3

2017-04-26T13:06:54Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 3 : The Elven Tower */

===Chapter 3 : The Elven Tower===
Louise and the others, lead by Colbert rushed into the tower and ran past the corridors.

Lamp-like magical devices lined on the walls of both sides, the weak illumination showed doors along the corridor. Missing statues, drawings and other superfluous decorations highlighted the different atmosphere it had compared to the Halkeginia palaces.

A deep alarm echoed within the tower.

"Try not to make any footstep sounds. Don't do anything on your own, and wait for my command." Colbert said softly. Beads of sweat slowly formed on his forehead. He had never felt this choking feeling of anxiety before.

They had sneaked into the enemy base without a map nor any information about them. Even though he had participated in all kinds of battles during his tenure as the leader of "Magical Research Experimental Group", this was is first time he had taken part in such a reckless mission.

Not only that, they were also fighting against elves.

Would they be able to leave this place alive? In the worst case, even if their plan were to fail, he should at least let the student escape with their lives... As he thought about this, his expression turned even more severe.

"Where are all the elves?"

"Well, for most of the places with high ranking people, they would be at the apex of the building." Guiche answered after hearing Louise ask softly. "That is the case with Halkeginia."

After walking for some time, they entered an empty space that looked like a hall in the intersections of the corridors. Colbert stopped moving, and waved his staff to block the students behind him.

"Jean, is there something wrong?"

"Elves."

The word made everyone take in a cold breath.

Elves dressed like guards appeared at the other end of the corridor.

The beings named Elves, were existences that could take on a thousand human warriors alone. There were three of those fearsome warriors before them.

After that, the enemy noticed them, and immediately unsheathed their blades before running towards them.

Colbert instantly cast a "Flame Ball" in response.

With flames stronger than what any Square Mage could output by four times, three spheres of fire, with twice the radius of a "Fire Ball", shot towards the Elves while dragging trails of flames.

Sounds of explosions thundered across the corridor and the air itself shook as the powerful flames ravaged the elves. A merciless attack, made in stark contrast to Colbert's typical good-natured appearance. Louise and the others stood dumbfounded behind him.

"Couldn't we have taken them as hostages?" Malicorne said.

"I don't think guards would have any value as hostages, and also..."

Colbert turned grim, and shot a glare towards the flames in the other end.

"I don't think we can afford to be merciful to the enemies we're facing."

They heard a strong gust howl across the corridor, sucking the flames into a swirling tornado and removing every trace of fire.

There was not even so much as a burnt cinder on the elves.

"So that's the power of 'Firstborn Magic'... What terrifying strength."

Colbert muttered. On the other hand, the warriors seem to be yelling in Elvish. It seemed to be something insulting, since they mentioned something about the "devil".

"Leave this to me."

Guiche stepped to the front pompously as he waved his rose wand. Seven rose petals danced gracefully in the air, before turning into seven Valkyries, holding short spears, who stood in front of the Elves.

"Charge, my Valkyries!"

Upon Guiche's command, the Valkyries immediately rushed forward.

However, the Elves simply jumped to them with their weapons made short work of the Valkyries with a few fluid strokes.

"Hey, what the heck?" Guiche's face turned green, and cold sweat rained down Colbert's brow.

There was an unimaginable strength hidden within the lithe bodies of the elves. Maybe they enhanced their bodies within their weapons and bodies.

"I would recommend that we escape while we can."

"Agreed." Colbert concurred with Malicorne's suggestion.

It was pointless for them to obtain a Pyhrric victory here. While Louise might be able to do something with her "Void" magic, they should not simply waste their ace here.

"There's a path here."

Louise pointed towards a corridor at the side.

"Alright, you guys, leave now. I'll hold them off."

Colbert waved his staff and summoned a monstrous serpent of flame in one swift motion.

A cold and emotionless smile that he would have never shown to the students appeared on his face. Colbert radiated an feeling that he would scorch anyone who touched him. Every one except Kirche felt goosebumps travel down their spine.

The colossal flame serpent, befitting of his title, "Colbert the Flame Serpent", whisked towards the elves like a whip.

The Elven warriors, strong as they are, did not tread forward as confidently as before, against the ferocious flame serpent. They might not have expected such a powerful Mage among the barbarians.

"Mr. Colbert!"

"Leave now! Quickly!"

After hearing Colbert's uncompromising command, Louise and the others could only rush down the corridor hurriedly.

Colbert summoned another flame serpent as he backed off. He was not planning to fight the enemy to the end here, since the enemy in question was the Elves.

Colbert sneaked a peek at the ceiling of the corridor before scheming coolly.

"I would have to lure them deeper into the corridor first."

The two flame serpents intertwined without any intention of letting their prey go free. One of the Elves seemed to have gotten tired of the battle that was going nowhere, and started chanting something. No matter what kind of spell that was, there was no way he could win after the spell chanting was complete. Spells of a smaller scale would have no effect against the powerful "Firstborn Magic"

"I'm not going to let you do that."

Colbert extinguished the flame serpents and immediately began casting the spell for "Flame Ball".

He aimed the three of them at the cracks in the ceiling.

The ceiling exploded before crashing down with a deafening noise and burying the Elves under it.

The cracks were created when the airship rammed into the tower. Colbert stepped back while masterfully controlling the flame serpents to lure the Elves right under the cracks.

After that, Colbert waved his staff, and cast the earth magic, "Alchemy" on the pile of rubble. It hardened, and became a huge block of brick and mortar.

The Elves had already used "Firstborn Magic" to enhance their bodies, so being buried under the rubble would probably not kill them. However, it should stall them for a while.

"I have to move fast."

Just as Colbert was about to chase after Louise and the others, the pile of rubble, which should have been solidified by "Alchemy", began to distort itself, like it was alive.

To prevent the guards from the lower levels from reaching them at the top, Tabitha, who had split from the group, descended on the terrace that had been destroyed by the cannon of the "Ostland".

She used the "Air Hammer" to destroy the glass window and entered the tower. She purposefully made a huge din to attract the attention of the guards.

The place that Tabitha had entered was a round space that was illuminated by magic. It looked like some sort of hall. There was a towering metal door at the deepest end.

The metal door suddenly opened with a bang.

Three armed Elves appeared.

Tabitha immediately cast the "Windy Icicle" spell towards them.

Five sharp pointed arrows of ice sped towards the elves.

However, they did not even reach their target before they were repelled by the strong gusts, not unlike a tornado, around the Elves.

It was the wind "Firstborn Magic", but that was within Tabitha's expectations. She intentionally used less powerful magic to confirm the numbers of enemies.

Tabitha determined that... there was no one among them who could use the terrifying spell, "Reflect". As expected, even among the Elves, only a select few could use such a formidable "Firstborn Magic".

Tabitha cast the "Blade" spell on her staff, and swiftly slashed at the trio.

The elves were stunned for a moment. They generally assumed that... the barbarian Mages only could cast spells with exaggerated hand motions, which made them extremely vulnerable. Therefore, an assassin-like Mage who attacked nimbly and cast spells while not letting the enemy see their lip motions was a never before heard enemy for them.

The vacuum blade extending out of the staff cut open the "Wind Shield" and the uniform of the elf who looked like the team leader.

The elf looked shocked. Tabitha twirled her staff rapidly and cast a "Javelin" at point blank range.

The huge ice spear slammed straight into his chest plate and knocked the elf who looked like the team leader far away.

"First, one down."

Tabitha calmly counted in her mind as she withdrew her staff.

Tabitha's original style of battle was to use a variety of long range spells to suppress the enemy. Using the "Blade" spell in hand-to-hand combat was not her forte.

However, she would not have any chance of winning against the Elves if they were able to use the powerful "Firstborn Magic".

As such, the only effective way was to take the first strike. She would use the condescending attitude that the Elves had towards barbarian Mages, and defeated them while they were still confused.

As she continue to channel magic into her staff, she felt as if her heart was slowly enclosed by ice. As she focused her concentration to the maximum point where she attained perfect tranquility, the world around her slowed down to a snail's pace. She even managed to see each of the surprised expressions on the Elves.

"This should do."

This was what she wanted, that feeling from before. If she was unable to retrieve this cold, absolute-zero heart, she would never be able to win against the Elves.

Just like when Tabitha the Snowstorm still had the title of the "Seventh" knight of the North Parterre.

Suddenly, Tabitha felt a faint presence behind her. This was something akin to the sixth sense, a product of training her intuition during her long years of working in the shadows.

Tabitha quickly ducked down before a blade of light nearly sliced through the air above her head. As she turned around, Tabitha went around the elf behind her and cast a "Javelin" at him. She confirmed that the Elf was knocked away at a corner of her eye, before slashing the other Elf. However, the enemy was no pushover, so not only did he manage to dodge the invisible blade, he also managed to cast "Firstborn Magic".

Tabitha saw that and could not help but panicked a little.

To fight "Firstborn Magic" head-on with Mage magic... There would be no chance of winning.

Tabitha chose to chase after the enemy to attack before he could, but this was just what he wanted her to do.

Warning bells rang in her head as she felt as if she stepped into a swamp.

Tabitha immediately cast "Flying", but she was slower by just a hairbreadth. A hand emerged of the earth caught her leg and slammed her into the ground.

The warrior yelled something loud in Elvish, and slashed downwards.

Tabitha hastily turned over and parried it with center of her staff. As the blade closed in on her eyes, the blue pupils of Tabitha began to shake uncontrollably. Fear slowly crept into the core of her frozen heart.

There was no one else who knew about what terrible things the Elves could do than Tabitha. When she went to her old mansion in Orléans to save her mother... Tabitha could not do anything against the Elves.

The blade before her eyes was just barely above the tip of her nose. "Is this the end..." Tabitha closed her eyes, as if she had accepted her fate.

Just then, a face appeared in Tabitha's mind. It was the face of the young man that Tabitha had admired secretly in her heart.

Suddenly, the young man's appearance merged with the main character of the book that Tabitha had read before.

"The Hero of Ivaldi."

He was the hero of the legendary story that Tabitha had always yearned for since young.

"At the time, I was a princess who was saved and liberated by the hero. However, this is my turn. I will be the one who will save that person, the 'Hero of Ivaldi'."

"I cannot, die here."

Tabitha closed her eyes and started to chant a spell.

''Rakus''. ''Wotale''. ''Isu''. ''Yise''. ''Hagaras''

Tabitha's staff began to shine, and from that beam of light, a powerful wind howled into existence.

The Elf looked a little shaken. The prey, driven into the corner, rebounded with even greater strength.

He increased pressure on the blade as he saw this, trying to cut both Tabitha and her staff.

However, there was no longer any fear in Tabitha's mind, as she continued to chant the spell with a frigid voice.

The surrounding air instantly froze in the freezing hazy gusts. The frozen air turned into threads, swirling in between the both of them.

The Elf's eyes opened wide as his face turned into a shocked expression. It would be impossible for her to escape unscathed if she used this spell at such a close distance.

However, Tabitha froze every feeling of fear she had in her heart, and finished chanting her spell.

-- "Blizzard"

This spell, that was originally just a Triangle spell, reached the power of a Square spell. Countless blades of ice rampaged mercilessly across the hall, slashing through everything it touched.

The immeasurably powerful tornado of icy blades lashed out at Tabitha's petite body, and threw her against the wall.

Tabitha gingerly opened her eyes and looked around, only to find a Elven warrior lie before her, the armor on his body completely shredded apart. It might have been that he stepped back to dodge the spell, causing him to take even more damage than Tabitha who had been in the eye of the storm.

Tabitha struggled to get on her feet.

After defeating the three Elves... How many more of these tough opponents would she has to face?

Tabitha cast the "Night Vision" spell on herself as she arrived at the passageway outside the hall. Even if she was not able to defeat the guards from the levels below, she had to try to stop them in their tracks.

Just then, she heard a set of footsteps in the passageway behind her.

She determined that there was only one person from the footsteps, and that the other person was walking towards her slowly.

Tabitha raised her staff.

The silhouette of an Elf with a long cape emerged from the darkness.

Sweat drops appeared on Tabitha's forehead.

This was because the aura shown by the other person was obviously different from the three Elven warriors just now.

"He's very strong."

Tabitha's intuition, as a warrior who has fought in countless battles, told her that.

The elf stopped moving after noticing Tabitha's presence.

Tabitha immediately cast "Windy Icicle" towards her opponent without another word. However, the icicle spear turned around and lunged towards Tabitha just as it was about to reach the elf's chest.

"Reflection".

Tabitha used her staff to knock away the icicle spear and instantly casted "Blade" as she rushed forward.

The elf with a long cape slowly lifted his hand, seeming to be casting "Firstborn Magic".

Tabitha knew well that she would not be living for long if she allowed her opponent to complete the spell.

Just as the vacuum blade rebounded, Tabitha's body was also thrown far away.

"It's useless. No blade can cut through my 'Reflection'."

Blue pupils stared into Tabitha, who was lying on the ground, from beneath the hood.

"Aren't you...!"

Tabitha was frozen in place. Her expression which was once as chill as ice, could not help but show hints of surprise.

"The color of your hair and eyes... are you the princess of Gallia?"

It was Bidashal.

The terrifying elf who imprisoned Tabitha's mother and her in Alhambra.

"Huff, huff... w-wait for me, hey!"

"Can't you run faster? The Elves are going to catch up to us." Guiche urged Malicorne who was already out of breath after just running for a while.

"I'm just not good at running."

"Would it be faster for you to roll instead?"

Just as Kirche said it, a thunderous roar came from their back.

Everyone stopped in their tracks and looked backwards.

"Mr. Colbert?" Louise's tone showed uncertainty.

The explosions echoing around them only served to deepen their fears. However, not long after that... they heard light footsteps heading their way. Colbert was running towards them from the other end of the pathway.

"Jean..."

"It seems like his attempts in stopping the Elves from chasing after us were successful."

Louise and the others let out a sigh of relief when they saw Colbert run towards them.

Nevertheless, they noticed something strange about him.

Why was Mr. Colbert running with all his might with an exasperated feeling on his face?

"W-what is that?!" Guiche paled as he pointed behind Colbert.

When everyone saw the thing was appeared from that direction, they were dumbstruck.

The thing that was chasing after Colbert as he ran away was actually a giant "arm" made of rock.

"W-what the heck is that?!"

"Are you dumb, of course, it's 'Firstborn Magic'!" Guiche answered, annoyed.

Colbert, who had been running as best as he could, scream out with all his energy, "You guys, everyone, run away as fast as you can! Our magic is useless against it!"

Even if Colbert had not told them that, everyone was already running on the pathway.

"W-when will it stop chasing us?"

"Well, that will of course be when it squashes us." Malicorne answered Louise, who was out of breath.

"What should we do then!"

"Hey, Louise, I thought of a nice strategy." Guiche, who was panting heavily, suddenly spoke.

"What is it?"

"How about everyone just bow down and apologize? Who knows, maybe the Elves are willing to negotiate with us."

"How could there be such a good thing like that. Don't forget, we were the one who rammed a ship into their tower. Also, does anyone among us speak Elvish?"

"I really thought it was a great idea." Guiche groaned loudly as he ran.

"There's a door here!" Malicorne pointed towards the front.

There was a small door at the end of the pathway. There was no other forked paths, so there was no choice for them.

"It seems like we could only hide in there."

"Yeah..."

The deafening din behind them continued to press closer to them.

Louise and the others made a leap of faith and rushed to the door.

Guiche, who reached the door first, tried to push the door with all his strength.

"I can't open it, I think it's locked."

"Move aside."

Kirche whipped out her magic staff, and began chanting the spell for "Fireball".

The door opened in a clean blast from Kirche.

However, behind the door, it was a round room which could only accommodate a few persons.

Kirche showed disappointment upon realizing this.

"Alas, it seems like we're at our wit's end."

Everyone took a look backwards, only to find the giant "arm" born of Firstborn Magic stormed forward, barely impeded by the walls.

At this rate, everyone would turn into mince meat while holding their hands.

"Oh mighty Founder Brimir, I pray for assistance for your Children in this time of need..."

"Get a grip of yourself, Guiche!" Seeing that Guiche has discarded his wand and sat on the ground, Louise told him that as she pulled his ears.

On the other hand, Colbert crouched and scrutinized at the floor of the small room with a serious expression on his face.

"Jean, what's wrong?"

"This is an elevator." Colbert answered upon hearing' Kirche's question.

"What's an elevator?"

"It's a magical device that uses the power of wind stones to carry people. There are similar devices in the Hamlin Academy of Tristania."

"Does that mean we could control it even if we're not elves?"

"Yes, there's a good chance."

After that, Colbert began to study the round panel of a floor.

"Faster, Mr. Colbert!" Guiche yelled anxiously.

The ground shook as loud sounds closed in on them.

The giant rock "arm" appeared before them.

Malicorne attacked it with the "Air Hammer" relentlessly.

Kirche also used her magic wand to shoot "Fireballs" at it.

Meanwhile, Guiche used Earth Magic to erect a huge wall in front of everyone.

However, none of their magic worked. The "arm" demolished the wall Guiche made easily and stretched its fingers wide. It was about to crush Louise and others into oblivion.

"Uwah!"

"Oh, I think I know how! Everyone, get in here now!"

After hearing Colbert shout, everyone immediately entered the elevator.

The elevator instantly became crowded when five people entered it.

Colbert used magic to activate the wind stones.

After the initial feeling of weightlessness, the round panel plunged down with a whoosh.

"W-we're saved..."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they descended downwards.

However, it was not all over just yet.

Rumble rumble rumble...!

A heavy rumble came from above.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Guiche spoke.

"Oh, that's weird, because I feel the same too." Louise trembled as she looked up.

The next instant, a powerful force slammed into the elevator and distorted the ceiling.

"Yiii!" Guiche was so scared that he hugged his head with both hands.

A few continuous hits later, the elevator ceiling was finally ripped apart.

At the same time, the elevator stopped working.

"Get out now!"

Everyone hurriedly crawled out of the elevator upon hearing Colbert yell out. The elevator they had been riding just now was then promptly pulverized by the giant rock "arm".

"Can't they just let us go!" Kirche could not help but exclaim.

"Allow me." Louise walked forward, and raised her wand.

She then closed her eyes, and focused inwards. The face of her favorite familiar then immediately appeared before her.

"Saito... Where are you right now? What are you doing right now?"

Her memories of him flowed into Louise's mind, and faded away.

There were happy memories and sad memories. There were memories of him being kind and gentle to her and memories where they fought... The memory when they met in the Vestri Courtyard where they hugged each other without any clothes on... The memory when he mistook her for Tabitha, and when she saw him k-kiss the princess, in the basement below the villa... Her blood boiled as she thought about it. "Is S-Saito now being all i-intimate with Tiffania...?"

The powerful waves of emotions within her mind was distilled into her mental willpower that permeated her entire being. Louise chanted the runes of the "Void" spell, one that she has used so many times that her body would naturally summon it on its own.

Once the chanting was complete, Louise waved her wand.

"Explosion".

The bright light from the tip of her wand destroyed the giant rock "arm" in a deafening blast.

"Oh, well done, Louise!" Guiche said, out of admiration.

"As expected of Miss Vallière's 'Void' magic, it's effective against the elves' 'Firstborn Magic'."

"Mm, but I can't use it anymore." Louise's legs gave in and she sat limp on the floor as she panted heavily. It seems that the attack just now took a lot from her.

Kirche, worried, asked Louise, "Hey, are you alright?"

"Mm, yeah, I'll be okay..."

"In any case, where are we exactly?"

Kirche lit the tip of her wand, and looked around.

It was a pathway unlike the one they had been in just now.

The ceiling was at least twenty mails high, it seemed like a wide hall of sorts.

"It seems like a place where they have meetings," said Colbert.

"This may be the place where the Council meets... Hmm, that being said, the elevator just now should be build to reach this place then."

Just then, a bright sphere of light appeared above everyone, and shone over the entire hall.

"Eh?"

What Louise and the others saw in the next instant shocked them.

"The work of the devil, I've seen what you've done."

They were surrounded by dozens of Elves.

Peering down at Louise and the others from the seats that were arranged like a staircase, all of them looked like high ranking Elves with their long flowing robes. In the middle podium of the large hall, there was a serious looking Elf with a long beard.

"T-there's so many of them..." Guiche's voice was shaking.

This was expected since the number of Halkeginian nobles that have seen so many elves could just fit into one hand.

As for the number of nobles who had seen them and lived to tell the tale... it should be zero.

"What's there to be afraid of, even though they are Elves, they are just a bunch of old people anyway." Malicorne's tone has a tinge of hope.

"We could at least take one as hostage, right?"

"Y-yeah. They don't seem to have any weapons anyway."

"You moron." Kirche looked indifferent.

"The power of the 'Firstborn Magic' Elves possess grows with their age. In other words..."

"In other words?"

"Every one of these Elves... especially the old Elf who seems to be the highest authority here, are the most terrifying magic users."

Guiche and Malicorne could not help but take in a cold breath as they heard what Kirche has spoken.

"Welcome to Adyl, barbarians." The old Elf who stood on the tall podium said.

He was not talking to them in elvish, but in fluent Gaulish, the lingua franca of Halkeginia.

"However, who could have thought that you would reach this place in such a barbaric manner."

"Who are you?" Colbert asked him.

"I am Turuk, the president of this Council."

"The president...!"

This answer made Colbert blurt out in shock.

The original was indeed to kidnap a big-shot Elf as hostage in exchange for Saito and Tiffania.

However, they actually ended up meeting the president himself... This was too much for them.

The president, leader of all the Elves looked downwards at Louise and the others, and advised them,

"Foolish barbarians, put down your weapons and surrender. We will treat you well."

"What do you think, Louise?" Kirche shrugged and turned her head to look at Louise.

Louise's hazel-colored eyes shot a determined glance at Turuk.

"We'll never surrender, return Saito and Tiffania to us."

Turuk shook his head.

"Did you mean the undertaker of the work of the devil, and its protector? I'm sorry but we will not oblige. As it stands for us, we cannot allow you to assemble all the trump cards."

Even thought Turuk said this, Louise felt relieved. If the elves knew that the Void always would continue to be revived, then it would mean that they would not kill Saito and Tiffania.

"Well then, there's no point negotiating further. The reason why we're here is to bring them back."

Louise answered Turuk, and pointed her magic wand at him.

She then asked the four others behind her.

"Does anyone has any objections?"

"Of course not."

Kirche smiled brightly as she pulled out her magic wand.

"There is no 'surrender' in the Zerbst dictionary."

"Protecting the students is my duty as a teacher."

Colbert also brandished his staff, along with Guiche and Malicorne.

"Thank you, everyone."

Louise rubbed the edge of her eyes.

"I'm not doing this for you, Louise."

"There is no honor in being nobles that just stood aside and did nothing when their allies needed help."

"That's exactly it."

Everyone raised the tip of their wands and staff high and pointed it towards Turuk who stood on the tall podium.

"So this is your answer?"

Turuk shook his head sympathetically.

He then descended down from the tall podium and met Louise and the others in the lower level.

"There's no other choice then, this will be where you breathe your last breath."

Turuk raised his hands and began chanting "Firstborn Magic".

"O great spirits of stone, our sturdy protectors..."

The floor suddenly started to shake violently.

The rocky ground floated off the ground and one by one flew into the air.

The rocks slammed and merged with one another, forming a huge slab of stone.

What appeared in front of Louise and the others was a stone giant that was at least ten mails tall.

"W-what the heck is that!" Guiche could not help but exclaim.

"He really is a fearsome monster". Any trace of a smile was now gone from Kirche's face.

"This was the power that they have boasted about, the power of the 'first born' elves."

Tiruc swung a balled fist, and the stone giant raised his feet to stomp on the ground.

The ground shook as stone splintered off the ceiling and rained from above.

Even the elves who were looking at them from above were surprised.

"Everyone, leave the place, if you wouldn't want to be caught in the aftermath of the great Elvish power!"

The council members ran to take cover in the corners of the great hall when they heard Turuk's advice.

"Miss Vallière, are you able to cast Void spells?"

"If it were just one spell... then maybe yes I think so." Louise answered. However, anyone could see that she was just putting up a brave face.

"We'll try to delay him as best as we can. You think of something." Kirche said.

"It's all in your hands now, Louise, we can only count on your Void." Guiche said, as he licked his lips.

"Mm, I understand."

The stone giant leapt up in a loud crash. The level of dexterity it displayed compared to the Bronze Valkyries were heaven and earths apart, it was just like a living thing.

The huge silhouette plunged from above. Louise and the others split up and ran for cover.

Rumble rumble rumble!

The stone giant landed with a foot planted into the ground, creating a dust cloud that went everywhere.

Colbert shot three "Flame Balls" at the head of the stone giant which had stopped moving.

Three balls of flame with the ability to home in on their target and a long tail of fire behind them, hit the stone giant head on.

However, no explosion was heard. The surface of the giant glimmered and the balls of flame flew back at Colbert instead.

"Jean!"

Kirche casted the same "Flame Ball" spell immediately.

Two sides of fireballs clashed into each other in the air and exploded.

"The body of the giant has been imbued with 'Reflection' magic!"

"My Valkyries! Stop it in its path!"

Guiche waved his rose wand.

The bronze Valkyries instantly appeared around the stone giant, and threw their spears at the giant.

However the short spears thrown by the Valkyries were easily repelled.

"It won't work. That giant is the manifestation of all the elven power within the 'Casper'. None of you will be able to hurt it at all."

Turuk proclaimed with a cold voice. The stone giant looked down, and grabbed all the bronze Valkyries in its hand like they were toys and threw them at Guiche.

"Aaaaaah!" Guiche immediately ducked when he saw that.

What remained of the bronze Valkyries flew over Guiche's head. They smashed into the wall and disintegrated into little pieces.

Shortly after that, the giant gave out a low roar and it lowered its head and rushed towards them.

"Split up!" Colbert yelled.

Guiche and the others immediately casted "Fly" and flew away to the air.

The giant slammed into the wall, demolishing it.

"Are they trying to take down the entire building?!" Guiche, who landed on the second level seats, said.

"They would get it up and running again with that 'Firstborn Magic' of theirs anyway." Malicorne said while wiping off the cold sweat off his brow.

"Hey, where's Louise?" Colbert said.

"Eh?" Kirche began trying to find Louise anxiously.

She found Louise amidst the dust clouds fogging up her vision.

Louise was standing right behind the giant.

"Miss Vallière, run away!"

"By the way, Louise can't use 'Fly', right?" When she said this, Kirche looked at Louise's expression, and noticed something about her.

No... It was not that she was not able to escape, but simply that she did not want to escape.

With her wand pointed forward, Louise, facing against the giant, raised her head and said,

"You won't dare to really kill me, right."

"That's right. If we were to kill you, the undertaker of the work of the devil will revive again anyway. However, even if I don't take you life here, I have plenty of other methods of taking control of your mind and body."

The giant stretched out its hand, ready to take Louise in its grasp.

Just then, Louise activated her spell.

"Explosion!"

A small blast occurs near the chest of the giant, but that was all that happened.

It seems that she has run out of mental will.

"Just.. Just one more time..." Louise tried to chant the "Void" spell again.

However, it was too late. The giant captured Louise's petite body within its grasp.

"Let go of Louise!"

Guiche chanted spells, and dozens of earthen walls fell on the head of the giant.

Malicorne casted his wind spell and attacked the hand of the giant.

Colbert and Kirche also used Triangle Fire spells.

However, the joint attacks by all four of them failed to penetrate the Elven "Reflection" magic. Malicorne was even blown away by the reflected spell.

"Ah, Ugh..." Louise struggled within the giant's grasp, but to no avail.

"It seems like you're no longer capable of using the work of the devil."

Turuk's murmurings showed a slight hint of disappointment.

The giant's hand pressed hard, and Louise was so scared that she began to tremble.

"Saito, save me..." Louise could not help but summon the name of her beloved familiar.

However, she immediately bit down on her lip, and stopped her voice from escaping her mouth.

"It's supposed to me saving Saito... How can I even hope that Saito will come and save me?"

However, she was unable to activate Void anymore.

She has just used up all of her mental will just now.

"S-save me!"

Screams of help came. A look below showed that one of Guiche's hands has been taken hold of by the giant. Colbert and Kirche tried to save him, but they were swatted away like insects.

Despair crept further into the core of Louise's soul. She felt so uncomfortable... She could not breath anymore.

If she lost her consciousness here like this, then she would definitely also lose her free will. All the details of the important memories between the both of them would be erased, and she would never meet her beloved Saito ever again.

"Sorry, Saito..."

Just as... Louise was mumbling while her consciousness faded away, Louise discovered a change within herself.

"Eh...?"

A terrifying amount of power blossomed within the very core of Louise's body.

"What... What is this power...?"

Her mental will should have been depleted after she had cast all of the "Void" spells.

However, why was mental will currently flowing into her body again?

It was as if it flowed from somewhere else.

She felt... a sort of throbbing feeling.

"What's happening? What was, this power?"

Large amount of mental will spilled into Louise's body. They swirled around in her body, trying to find a way to be released from her. If she did not keep her spirits up by 120%, she felt as if her consciousness would be crushed by the sheer amount of power within her.

At the same time, Louise felt that as if she was protected by something strong and powerful.

This was a familiar feeling.

"This feeling, is Saito!"

Louise was very sure of this.

This was Saito's power. Was it the bond between the familiar and her... or something else entirely? She did not fully understand the theory behind this, but in any case, Saito's power had entered her body...

The giant pressed down even hard on Louise, planning to choke her unconscious.

"There's no way I'm letting you do this."

Louise closed her eyes and casted a "Void" spell.

In the next instant, Louise figure disappeared from the giant's hand.

"What! Impossible!" Turuk shouted out in shock.

The Elven Council members looking down at them from the top also began to make a ruckus.

"Where did she disappear to...!"

"I'm here."

Louise's voice came from a place far away from Turuk's head.

She stood straight on the lighting device that hung from the ceiling.

Using the "Teleport" spell, she moved to that place in an instant.

"Is the that work of the devil...!"

Louise then pointed her wand towards the bottom and began to chant a spell loudly.

''Eoru''. ''Sunu''. ''Firu''. ''Yarunsaksa''...

''Onu''. ''Sunu''. ''Uriu''. ''Ru''. ''Raduo''...

The mental will that was flowing continuously within her... was converted into "Void" runes, and was concentrated into the tip of her wand.

The high feeling that she had never felt before made Louise feel troubled.

However, she just felt like Saito was beside her... This feeling made Louise felt like there was nothing to be afraid of.

She felt as if she could use any magic she wanted...

''Beozusu''. ''Yuru''. ''Suwieru''. ''Kano''. ''Oshiera''.

The melody of the runes that she has chanted countless times, interwove as she willed them to in her mind.

Louise overlooked the stone giant from above.

There was nothing to be afraid of. You're nothing but a lump of normal rock.

''Jera''. ''Isa''. ''Wunshu''. ''Hagaru''. ''Beokun''. ''Iru''...

The spell was complete.

Louise flicked her wand once.

"Explosion!"

A small dot of light, only the size of a pea, rapidly expanded near the chest of the giant, and exploded.

The "Explosion" Void spell punctured through the elven "Reflection", and blasted the ten-mail-tall giant into pieces. What was left of the giant fell into the crater that also appeared in the ground.

"Oh, Louise, she has succeeded!" Guiche, who was released from the giant's hands, exclaimed cheerfully.

"Hey, wasn't there still a lot of power left within you? I see, you were saving it for last, right?"

Louise shook her head.

"This was not my own power. It was borrowed from Saito."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kirche asked with a befuddled expression on her face.

"Ah, this is the work of the devil... Truly a terrifying power to behold." Turuk mumbled with a shocked expression.

Louise then pointed her wand towards the panicking elves.

"Don't move. Or I will give you another shot."

The elves stopped in their tracks when they heard that. If the power of the "Void" could pass through even "Reflection", then it was obvious that no matter how strong the "Firstborn Magic" spell was, it will not be able to deflect another Void spell of the same destructive power.

However, they have other doubts of their own.

A spell as powerful as the one before, could it really be used again?

To tell the truth, Louise was indeed just bluffing. The mental will that has filled her body just now has disappeared without a trace after it was completely used in the the explosion just now.

... Louise and the Elves stood in a face off, divided on two sides by the remains of the giant.

"Mu, has she finally caught up..."

Turuk closed his eyes and said with a voice in a volume nobody could hear.

Just then, the windows at the top of the hall were shattered.

A petite silhouette appeared, and before any of the Elves could react, it flew to Turuk's side with the dexterity of an assassin, and pressed the tip of the staff at his neck.

"Tabitha!" Louise cried out.

"You move, you die."

Tabitha coldly warned Turuk as she pressed her staff on his neck.

Turuk simply held both his hands up in surrender.

"Where is Saito?" Tabitha questioned.

"He's not here."

Turuk shook his head.

"That barbarian has already escaped with the undertaker girl."

"What did you say!"

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume21_Chapter1|Forward to Chapter 2]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume21_Chapter3|Forward to Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

User:Eatmepls-Senpai

2017-03-03T08:57:29Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: Created page with "Just some Singaporean editing in his free time"

Just some Singaporean editing in his free time

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume21 Chapter 2

2017-02-09T16:28:49Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 2 - Suicide Attack to Adyl */

===Chapter 2 - Suicide Attack to Adyl===
Streaks of light peeked through the night sky of the desert... The "Ostland", which Louise and the others were on, flew at maximum speed while spewing out thick black smoke.

There were no resistance from any of the Elves in sight anymore. This was because Louise had wiped out the elite Elven air force, consisting of ten war ships and sixteen patrol ships, with her "Explosion" spell.

However, the "Ostland" was also heavily damaged after bearing the brunt of the cannon shells. There were gaping holes in the ship hull and the steam engine which had been stretched to its limits, has almost broken down. For it to continue flying up till now was nothing short of a miracle.

"Jean! I can see it now!" Kirche yelled out while leaning on the bulwark.

"So, that is the Elven capital city, Adyl?"

Adyl. The capital of "Nephthys", the country of the elves.

It was a magnificent artificial city built on the desert which was surrounded by the sea.

Criss-crossed by a network of huge canals, the city was filled with neatly arranged buildings with white walls. Islands, made of reclaimed land, peppered the sea around it, while many ships went back and forth between them.

Overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the city, Colbert could not help but let out a sigh.

A completely different sight from what one would find in Halkeginia, it showed the deep technological disparity between the humans and the elves.

At the same time, Colbert felt as if his heart became as heavy as lead. After this, are they really going to be fighting against an opponent capable of building such a city...? He thought.

In the middle of Adyl, which oversaw the sea, stood a colossal white tower.

At a glance, the giant tower was about two hundred mails tall and bore no resemblance to any Halkeginian building. It had a strictly functional design devoid of any ornamental structure.

The building was of course, the "Kasper", where the highest Elven authority, the "Council" was located.

They were now only a dozen leagues away from the center of Adyl...

A somber atmosphere hung in the air just as Guiche asked, "Mr. Colbert, I have a question."

"What will that be, Mr Gramont?"

"Where will we be landing?"

There seems to be a landing platform for Wind Dragons at the apex of the tower, but it did not seem capable of holding such a large air ship.

"We'll crash-land the ship into the tower itself." Colbert said firmly.

Guiche could not believe his ears. Even Kirche widened her eyes.

"What? Are you serious?" Éléonore, who had been at the helm, shouted out to him.

"Of course, only someone crazy will do that."

"Huh?"

"But that is why, the elves might not be prepared to deal with this." Colbert said this with a serious expression.

Actually this was not some special plan to attack the enemy where they were least expected. They had to bet on this kind of plan to even get a millionth of a chance since they would not even have a millionth of a chance of winning a head-on battle against the elves.

"No matter how you put it, this is too reckless!"

"It was already reckless from the point where we rushed into Elven territory anyway." Colbert retorted.

"W-what if, we fail?"

"Then we'll be blasted into bits." Malicorne said nonchalantly.

"Hey, what is that attitude of yours... one small mistake and it will cost us our lives, you know."

"And that's why you have a big responsibility not to drive us to our death, big sis."

"Are you asking to be kicked off the ship?"

"Well, it won't be too bad if I would be able to go to heaven with big sis hand-in-hand, I think."

"Why would anyone want to go to heaven with you, or even take your hand, huh?" Éléonore booted Malicorne off to the bulwark in one swift motion, before gripping the helm tightly as if she had made up her mind. "There is no way I'm dying here, because I've not given up on getting married."

The "Ostland" steered straight for the "Kasper".

Meanwhile, Kirche leaned on Colbert, who was standing on the deck with a serious expression on his face. "Jean, even if this is a journey that ends in hell, I would always be by your side."

"Thank you, Miss Zerbst."

Just then, Kirche noticed that, her blue-haired friend, was sitting in the corner of the deck.

"Seriously? You're reading a book, even at this time?"

Tabitha's eyes did not leave the book, and she only nodded in response to the question.

"You really just do whatever you please, huh?"

What is it that was so interesting to her... Kirche slipped behind Tabitha as she wanted to uncover the mysterious content within the tattered covers of the book.

However, taking a look at the contents only made her more confused.

What Tabitha was reading was a illustrated book for children.

"Oh, this is rare. Isn't most of the books you read much more difficult than this?"

"This is a very important book to me."

"Oh..." Kirche muttered in disappointment as she turned to look at the bow.

Louise was sleeping soundly on Siesta's lap there.

Louise had been sleeping like that ever since she used up all her mental will to cast a powerful "Explosion" spell at the Elven air fleet.

"Poor girl. But it seems that you will have to wake up soon."

"You're saying that the barbarians are launching an attack here?"

"What the heck is Commander Amran doing?!"

At this time... The "Kasper" council has devolved into chaos.

This was not just something strange, since not only was the entire Elven air fleet destroyed, a barbarian ship also took the chance to sped towards Adyl. This was simply unheard of in the long history of human-Elf wars.

"Mmhmm. It seems that we might have underestimated the abilities of the barbarians."

Upon hearing what the old elf on the council speaker seat, Turuk, had muttered, the council members turned grim.

"This is no joking matter, Mr. President. They must be the 'Undertakers' who are coming to retrieve the 'Devils'." One of the council members spoke up.

"I've never would have thought that they were going to make a beeline for the 'Kasper'."

"There aren't many guards here, are there?"

"What are you afraid of? They are only barbarians, what could they do even if they were to come here?"

After hearing one of the younger council member scoffing, some of the other members began to voice their agreements.

Well, it was true that every one of the elves in the council were powerful users of "Ancient Magic". They did not need to be afraid of barbarian magic, so it was natural for them to look down on the enemy.

Worry sprung up in Turuk's mind as he surveyed the racket around him. "What a bunch of incurable fools."

How can they hold a meeting so calmly during these urgent times?

The peace and harmony all these centuries has corrupted the council. As a result, fanatic zealots like the "Steel-Blooded Party" rose in power.

"Even if our opponent are barbarians, we can not let our guard down. Didn't you see how our air fleet was annihilated by them?"

Everyone quieted down as Turuk threw a wet blanket over their heated discussion.

"In any case, it would be better if we don't make the mistake of underestimating them. They might pull off something unexpected."

The council members did not seem to heed his advice.

Turuk let out a sigh, looked away with a forlorn face and sunk into deep thought.

"Miss... Miss Vallière, please wake up immediately."

"Mm... mm..."

Siesta rocked Louise's shoulders gently, but Louise only flipped to the side.

"... Saito, I-I can't do this, to wear a collar in the courtyard... what the heck were you thinking..."

"What kind of dream is that?" Siesta could not help but roll her eyes as she heard that.

"Stop sleeping, please wake up now. The only thing that can fight against the elves, is Miss Vallière's 'Void' magic."

"... Wu... I shall not forgive you this time. Y-you made a noble like me, dress up so, embarrassingly..."

Siesta sighed and moved her face towards Louise's ears. "Please wake up now. Come on, wake up... Wake up now. Wake up, you, the one without a chest."

Tremble.

"Flat-chest, washboard, Tarbes plains."

Tremble tremble.

"Such a flat, flat, flat chest~"

Every time Siesta sung her strange song, Louise's ears trembled to the rhythm of the melody.

"Miss Vallière's flat chest is the flattest it can be~"

Louise jolted upright.

"You maid! Are y-y-you done with that song!"

"Ah, you're finally awake. Get up, we're about to go in, so please prepare yourself."

"Go in?" Louise asked back with drowsy eyes.

"Yes, I think we're going to ram the ship into the tower."

"Huh?" Louise instantly woke up completely. "What? What are you saying again? I didn't understood what you've said."

Just then, the "Ostland" began to shake violently.

"W-wait, what's happening... Aaaaaah!"

Louise and Siesta hugged each other as they rolled around on the deck.

"We're going in! Mr Gramont, cast 'Fortification' on the bow now!"

After hearing Colbert's commanded, Guiche began casting the spell for "fortification" while grabbing the bulwark like everyone else on the ship. Layers upon layers of magical shield immediately covered the ship hull.

"We're dipping down at thirty degrees! Everyone, hold on tight to something near you!"

The "Ostland" charged headfirst diagonally downwards at an incredible speed.

"Humph, well then, watch me handle this! I'll let you know the abilities of a woman who can't be married!" Éléonore held the helm tightly as she yelled out desperately.

"That's the spirit! Big sis!"

"Shut the hell up!" Éléonore booted Malicorne off to the bulwark again.

Just then, the elves on the tower realized their motive. Elven guards rushed to the tower terraces and began to cast "Ancient Magic".

Countless fireballs, arrows of light, and wind blades ravaged the ship hull. It seems that they thought of changing the path of the ship, even by a little, since they were not able to destroy such a huge object.

"Fatty, blast them away."

"One big blast coming right up!"

Malicorne ran rolling and crawling to the "main cannon" on the front deck, and licked it.

The numbers, "324" were painted on the turret.

The main cannon of the "Ostland" was not just any ordinary large cannot. Colbert had forcibly installed the eighty-eight millimeter cannon from the "Tiger Tank" onto the ship.

Malicorne targeted the elves on the terrace through the sights and pulled the trigger forcefully.

Boom! The cannon roared thunderously as it spat out a huge cannon shell. At the same time, the shell flew forward in a straight line and devastated the terrace.

"Well done, fatty!" Éléonore kept turning the steering wheel while she planted her foot onto Malicorne's face as he was blown away by the shock wave. Malicorne had a face of pure bliss as his face was stepped on.

They came closer and closer to the huge frame of the "Kasper".

Fifty mails, forty mails, thirty mails, twenty mails...

"Impact imminent!" Guiche screamed out.

In an instant, the ship bow collided into the walls with a deafening blast.

"Aaaaaah!"

The collision force was so strong that Louise and Siesta involuntarily let go of the bulwark.

Their bodies were thrown out of the ship. There was a brief moment where Louise felt as if gravity had disappeared. "Ah, I'm going to fall..." Just as she thought this, she felt as if somebody grabbed hold of her collar and pulled her up.

"Huh?"

"Kew, kew. You're really a troublemaker, little red one!"

Still in shock, Louise, raised her head only to find Sylphid, who was carrying Tabitha on her back, hooking them by their collars.

"T-thank you."

Tabitha answered Louise's soft words of gratitude with a curt nod, her face expressionless.

The dust in the air gradually settled down.

They could see how the gigantic body of the "Ostland" was stuck mid-way into the tower.

Even though most of the hull armor is destroyed, the engines and the motors were just barely functioning. If the ship had been made of wood, even if the "fortification" spell was cast on it, it would still break for sure.

"Is everyone alright?" Colbert coughed as he tried to stand up.

"Miss Éléonore, that was some superb steering you did there."

"What the hell was I even doing just now..." Éléonore grumbled as she coughed.

"Alright then, we'll be charging into the heart of Elven territory. Is everyone ready for this?"

After hearing what Colbert has said, everyone nodded silently. They each began to pull out their magic wands.

"Very well." Colbert then took the lead, and jumped down from the deck, followed by Louise, Kirche, Guiche, Malicorne and Tabitha.

Siesta, who was not capable of magic, and Éléonore, who was the ship pilot, stayed on the ship so that they could take off immediately after they brought a hostage.

"Be careful, little one, kew, kew!" Sylphid yelled out, concerned about everyone. Tabitha nodded and said that it would be alright.

Siesta crawled onto the bulwark, and said to Louise, "Miss Vallière, you have to come back with Saito and Louise. Promise me that."

"Yup, I'll promise you that."

"Miss Vallière, you also have to return safely to use, okay?"

"Of course."

"You really, really have to, you know."

"I know, I know."

"If... Miss Vallière doesn't come back, Saito will be mine, okay?"

"In your dreams."

After hearing Louise answer without missing a beat, Siesta gave her a small smile.

"Oh? Your legs are shaking, Guiche."

"This is called the warrior's tremblings. What would you know about that, huh?" Guiche retorted Kirche's teasing in an attempt to boost his courage. "So what if we're going to fight against elves. Even when he was knocked down by my golems countless times, Saito still stood his ground and didn't not surrender. He was the one who proved that commoners could fight back against the magicians. Fighting with the elves is nothing compared to that."

Guiche held on to his wand tightly. "Also, what we've chosen to take part in, is a honourable battle to save our comrades. Don't you think so too?"

"That's right, to save our comrade... and the fairy with a large chest. This is the best battle ever. It's such a simple goal, we're not like those Romanians yelling about some holy crusade." Malicorne said.

"That's right, we could even save the world. Think about it, if we manage to return alive, wouldn't that make us so popular with the girls?"

"Guiche, didn't you already have Mon-Mon?"

"This and that are completely different things. Would you complain about being more popular with the girls?"

"You're right."

The both of them patted each other's backs and laughed at each other.

"You guys..." Louise could not help but roll her eyes at them.

Colbert gave a light cough. "Ahem."

"After we charge into the place, we will take an elf with a ranking as high as possible as our hostage, and have them to exchange the elf for Saito."

"How will we be able to know which elf are the higher ranking ones?" Louise asked.

"Well, at least, I think those elves won't be dressed as a guard."

They will look like those elves back in Alhambra then, Louise thought to herself.

"I'll take care of the guards from the lower levels of the tower." Tabitha said.

"Are you okay alone?" Louise asked worriedly.

"It's alright. I'm used to working alone."

"Be careful, okay?"

Tabitha gave a small nod, before casting the "Flying" spell and flew down from the tall tower.

"Miss Valiere, how many times could you use the 'Void' again?"

"I think I could use it a few more times."

Even though Louise said it with a firm voice, she was actually just trying to put on a brave face. To tell the truth, her mental will had been highly diminished by the extra powerful "Explosion" spell she cast to annihilate the Elven air fleet.

However, the thought that "she must save Saito" called out in her mind, making her heart tremble. This trembling of her heart was the source of her mental will, the ammunition need to cast "Void" spells. That feeling superseded her anger, her joy and even her grief... As long as the trembling of her heart, due to her yearning for Saito, exists, no matter how tough it was, she would be able to fight her way out of it.

Saito, could you please wait for me, just a little longer... I'll save you.

Maybe they've taken away his sanity and his memories of me, but even so, I will never give up.

That's because he's my familiar, and I'm his master, and a-also his lover... That's right, when we meet, I must make him hug me tightly, t-then make him kiss me...

"Oh please, what are you daydreaming about?"

She noticed that Kirche was asking her with a face full of doubt.

"I-I wasn't daydreaming at all!" Louise's face could not help but flush red at Kirche's question.

"Shall we go then, to save Saito and Miss Tiffania." Colbert said, as he raised his wand up high.

And so, after everyone silently overlapped their wands in the air, they charged straight into the heart of the tower.

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume21_Chapter1|Forward to Chapter 1]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume21_Chapter3|Forward to Chapter 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume20 Chapter9

2017-01-25T12:22:34Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 9 : The Work of the Devil */

===Chapter 9 : The Work of the Devil===
It was nearly dawn. The national air fleet was gathered in the skies above Adyl, the capital of Nephthys. There were about ten warships that had been outfitted with cannon towers on both ends of the ship. Along with another six smaller patrol ships, there were a total of sixteen ships.

The commander of the air fleet, was the Fleet Commander-In-Chief, General Allam.

"Seriously! What were they doing!"

"The Second Fleet training in the North Sea will be late." The adjutant reported to Allam.

"We don't need too many people for this. We would be laughed at by the Navy for enlisting the elite First Fleet when we would only be fighting a barbarian ship."

"Well, but even the Navy failed at their task of capturing the target..."

After hearing this, Allam's relaxed his strict demeanor. "Seriously! Talking, that's the only thing they could do. A bunch of useless fools. That guy would probably start another long and windy lecture again."

"However, Commander, please don't get careless. In the report we received, the barbarian ship moves with such an incredible speed that our dragon warships could not catch up to them. Not only that, they were able to use strange magical weapons..."

"Oh, it was just carelessness of the 'Mestia's' part."

Just now, the name of the ship that had sunk was also reported to Allam. After it has been defeated by the barbarian ship, the "Mestia" sunk as it was not able to contain the raging fire caused by the barrels of explosives.

"Also, it was an older model anyway, so it was unavoidable."

"Even so, an incident where a barbarian airship defeats a secondary warship has never been heard of before."

"Well, that's just bad luck. However, luck won't do a thing against this fleet." Allam said as he surveyed the fleet he commanded approvingly. "I will let the barbarians see, what is the difference between us and them."

Just then, one of the dragon knights flew towards them.

This was one of the dragon knights who maintained distance with the "Ostland" while spying on them.

The dragon knight jumped off his dragon once they hit land, and ran towards Allam.

"The enemy has entered Adyl airspace in the north-east-east sector!"

Allam nodded, and raised his right hand. "All ships, full speed ahead! We will meet the enemy outside Adyl!"

On the deck of the "Ostland", everyone was staring to the front. Tabitha and Sylphid, who had been in charge of reconnaissance, landed with a flutter of wings.

"Forty leagues away. An air fleet. Sixteen ships."

"That's a lot." Éléonore gulped. She had not slept since yesterday. There were eye bags under her eyes, her hair was a mess, and her face as of a sickly color.

However, this was not the time to pay attention to this kind of things. Everyone on board had been fighting all night without rest.

"...Will we be okay?"

"Mr. Colbert." Guiche asked Colbert with a tense expression.

"What is it?"

"To be honest, the reason why we could survive until now, is because of damn luck. But it would be impossible for us to rely on luck now. What should we do?"

Colbert coughed lightly. "Now, finally, we let her make her debut."

The ship cabin door opened, and Louise emerged. Beside her was Siesta with an peculiar look on her face.

"For this one strike, I've asked Miss Vallière to rest as much as she could. During this time, she has accumulated a high amount of mental will."

So that was the reason Louise did not join them as they breached the barricade of ships yesterday.

"Louise... are you going to use that 'Explosion' spell?"

Guiche asked carefully. Louise did not answer him and instead simply brushed her hair aside. Every inch of her posture and expression exuded an aura of "confidence".

There was nothing more beautiful in the world than Louise with such radiance. Louise raised her chin, puffed out her chest and stepped forward haughtily. When she walked past Guiche, Louise asked him.

"Who am I?"

Guiche jolted upright reflexively.

"L-Louise!"

"Say my full name."

"You're Miss Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière!"

"That's right. I have the blood of Tristan's longest-serving and noblest family in my veins. The third daughter of the La Vallière family. This is who I am. Am I not right, Éléonore?"

What is this attitude of hers! Éléonore thought, but she was blown away by her charisma.

"A-ah! Yes, you're right. You're the third daughter of the La Vallière family, with all our pride and tradition!"

"It won't be a stretch to say that the La Vallière family exists just so that I could be born, will it?"

Even though Éléonore felt that this statement was too much, she noticed that Colbert and Siesta was desperately giving her looks, so she agreed to the statement.

"Ah, of course not! It's also my pride, to have you as my sister!"

Louise continued to walk forward in a haughty manner, and came to a stop in front of Malicorne.

"Who am I?"

Malicorne stood up straight like he had been electrocuted. "You're the world famous beauty, Miss Louise!"

"I don't think this is enough, do you? Put in more effort."

"You're the one and only, amazing unfathomable unparalleled beauty, known throughout all three thousand realms to be so beautiful that if the Goddess of Beauty were to even see you she would run away bare-foot."

"It's nothing special, eh?"

She did not have the air of making it mean "nothing special" at all. Louise continued on, and this time, she stopped in front of Kirche.

[[Image:ZnT20 209.jpg|thumb|]]

"Between the princess and me, who is cuter?"

Kirche found herself to be in a dilemma as she tried to answer such a question. However, she could not let Louise to lose her confidence here.

"O-of course it's Louise! Miss Henrietta, compared to you, is just a pumpkin, you know! A pumpkin!"

"Undoubtedly so. Of course I'm the cuter one."

After that, she stood in front of Sylphid and Tabitha.

"Who does Saito love?"

Tabitha's eyebrows arched high instantly. She was obstinate to her core. Of course, even if she did not think that way, she could not say it.

"Me..." After she said this, Sylphid hurriedly whispered in her ear.

"...Little one! Can't you read the situation?"

Tabitha clenched her fist, her body tensed up as if she was enduring something. Her face then became expressionless and she said coldly, "Louise."

"Aren't you a good girl? You can have him once I'm bored of him."

Tabitha lowered her head and began chanting a spell. Sylphid desperately tried to stop her. "You just have to endure it! Just this once!"

Finally, Louise stopped before Colbert.

"Mr. Colbert."

"Y-yes, what is it!"

"Cute and prefect me was thinking, that dog is really lucky, eh. I can't help but save him, that idiot, that pitiful bug who can't do anything without me. Incidentally, Tiffania too."

"A-ah, yes! Saito is such a lucky man!"

"Sometime he would sneak a peek at Tiffania's chest, that's just an illusion, right?"

"That might be just be an accident! Yeah! If that wasn't the case, I swear on my identity as a scholar that he's just intellectually curious!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought of too."

When Louise reached the ship bow, she swiftly whipped out her wand.

Her movements were so fluid that everyone placed all her previous words and actions aside and allowed themselves to be mesmerized by her.

Kirche said, dumbfounded. "What exactly happened? Did she..."

Siesta mumbled. "I spent an entire night to explain how much Saito loves Miss Vallière."

"How naive is she..."

"She's a naive, willful, needy, incurable person, and it was because she's weak that she has been lingering between self-confidence and self-ridicule. However, that's also why this kind of person, can become a 'holy maiden'. A real 'holy maiden'." Siesta said brightly.

On the side of the horizon, they could see the silhouettes of the elven air fleet. There were sixteen ships in total. They saw from afar how the powerful cannon towers rotated and aimed the cannons at their direction.

Everyone shuffled restlessly after they witnessed this terrifying spectacle. Louise turned around and took a bow.

"Thank you everyone, it'll be alright. I'll take care of them."

And then, Louise looked in front again with an arrogant look on her face. "Well then, long-ears, shouldn't you be returning my familiar to me by now?"

Clear of fear and doubts, Louise began to chant a spell.

When they saw the ship appear, Allam, who was commanding the elven air fleet, locked his brows in a frown.

"What's up with that ship, it doesn't have any cannons installed on it. How did that thing destroy the 'Mestia'?"

"However, it's moving at a very high speed! It's approaching us rapidly."

"Is speed all they have? Just rushing headlong at us... that makes them no different than the wild boars in the desert."

"Please be more alert. Especially since how they used a sophisticate steering method to evade every cannon shell from the 'Mestia'. It was just like they are telling us that they come with a plan of their own..."

"Plan? What plan? We are the <ruby> people of the desert <rt> Elves </rt> </ruby>, why do we have to be scared of mere barbarian plans?"

"Commander, isn't that train of thought the same as the tasteless views of the 'Steel-blooded Party'?"

"Those guys are just making ado about nothing. It doesn't change the fact that barbarians are still barbarians."

The adjutant looked at Allam worriedly. "The 'devil' is on board the ship, right?"

"The one the navy tried to capture but failed?"

"No, I don't think it's the same one. However, legends did mention that there were multiple 'devils'."

"Why are everyone so afraid of this 'devil'? Barbarian magic-users have to swing their wands to use magic, without it they are useless. The only thing they have in plentiful amounts is pride. Anyway, that devil will just be a little stronger than normal barbarian magic-users."

"However, one of them escaped even after being surrounded by the Navy. Commander, please don't let your guard down."

"Are you trying to put the 'Navy' on the same level as us, the 'Air Force'? How can those brainless turtles who only know about paddling mindlessly in the water, be compared to us, the incarnations of dragons?"

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"Humph, we'll just crush them in one go, no matter if they are the 'devil', or some moth larvae. One volley of our cannons will crush them! Full speed ahead! Turn that barbarian ship into dust!"

The dragon tamers controlling the dragon shouted "Understood!" enthusiastically and the flagship started to glide forward. The elven ships began to move forward in a neat straight line. For the elves, this is their technology.

The adjutant took his telescope and monitored the "Ostland" out of worry. "Ah..."

"What is it?"

"There's a young girl standing on the bow of the ship."

"A young girl? What about it? Is she going to curse us? Or is she a living sacrifice? Or maybe she would be shooting us with a gun?" Allam laughed at his own joke.

"No...she seem to be chanting some kind of spell..."

"Oh, so be it. Let her do anything she wants. The barbarians would need some magic that has a larger range than our cannons anyway!"

''Aiolu''. ''Sunu''. ''Feyr''. ''Arushakusha''.

Louise did not stop chanting. That was the "Explosion" spell that she had chanted for more times that she could count.

The melody of the spell has already become an part of Louise's body.

A melody passed down from ancient times.

The Founder's whispers.

As she chanted, she felt as if all her emotions have been rearranged and reorganized. Joy, anger, sadness, and happiness. These feelings mixed together as one, as if they were trying to find a place to be vent out.

''Onu''. ''Sunu''. ''Uriu''. ''Ru''. ''Raduo''.

It was just like the waves. It was just like music.

"Magical power is proportional to one's emotions." She did not know who was the one who said this. If her fluctuating emotions were what affected "Explosion"... then there is no other magical spell that suited her more.

''Piosuran''. ''Uru''. ''Suoieru''. ''Kanuo''. ''Oshura''.

Louise stared at the large elven air fleet leagues away from her.

They no longer looked that terrifying to her.

To defeat that air fleet and save her beloved familiar, that is her predetermined future. She already knew this when she chanted the spell.

She felt a little tipsy, like she had a low fever.

This tipsy feeling was comfortable, and it made Louise even calmer.

''Zera''. ''Isa''. ''Uji''. ''Bazaru''. ''Beokuen''. ''Iru'' ...

After that, a special feeling emerged within her.

I'm...heading towards the "Holy Land". It was as if a program inserted the phrase into her mind.

"The 'Holy Land'."

The promised place, somewhere in the land of the elves.

That phrase has been carved into her soul.

That phrase, repressed all of Louise's emotions. All of her emotions felt as if they were about to rush out of her body to the beat of the spell incantation. Louise surrendered her body to that feeling.

After she finished the incantation, Louise swung her wand.

The first thing Allam saw was a small ball of light. That light ball appeared in the air in front of the fleet and gradually grew in size.

A tiny sun has appeared, that was his first thought.

Then he realized that it was magic.

Barbarian magic? From the girl on the bow?

Before he could apprehend what was going on, a gust of strong wind slammed into his body. He was thrown onto the deck.

"Ugh...!"

Allam shook his aching head as he got on his feet. He was surrounded by chaos. Fire ravaged the ship, and seamen lay around him.

The usually tame dragon rampaged and flew towards different directions but they were bound to their restraints so they could only wail in despair.

Allam shakily approached the side of the ship to see how the other ships were doing. All of the ships in the fleet has been devastated. They were consumed by fire and fell towards the ground.

"... What happened."

He could not understand the current situation.

Just a few minutes before, his fleet was still pressing the assault majestically. They should have been able to destroy that presumptuous barbarian ship in one hit.

Why?

Why would this happen?

Even if that was magic, I have never seen or heard of it, but why would an elven fleet lose to barbarians...

And to lost to that one ship!

"We were done in by that one girl... Huh."

The adjutant, covered in blood, staggered towards him. "Commander, I'm a afraid that, this ship is no longer able to fight... Please make the order to retreat!"

What he has said failed to enter Allam's ears at all. A single word had took hold of his mind.

"It's the 'devil'. Those guys, released the 'devil's' magic!"

The flagship Allam was on slowly tilted.

The ship dipped to one side. If the wind stones they have on the ship did not disappear all at once, the ship would not fall from the sky.

The 'devil's' magic, has destroyed all the wind stones.

The wind stones were a product of elven magic, and so if they were to disappear that would mean... He was frightened by the <ruby>work of the devil<rt>Void</rt> </ruby>.

"Oh Noble Will, may you save us, from the <ruby>work of the devil<rt>Void</rt> </ruby>..."

He would no longer be able to know if his prayer was heard. The warship succumbed to gravity and slowly fell from the sky.

Everyone on the "Ostland" seemed to have forgotten how to speak for a moment, and simply watched on as the elven fleet plunged to the ground.

The only one among them has seen a full fledged "Explosion" from Louise was Siesta, back in the village of Tarbes, when she annihilated the Albion air fleet, the miracle light...

Louise's legs suddenly went weak, and everyone ran to her anxiously.

"Louise!"

Éléonore nervously held her sister's body in her arms.

"Mm..."

"... She's asleep."

Éléonore sighed contently, after she has been assured of Louise's safety.

"Let her sleep for a while. It's been some time since she did." Colbert said, and everyone nodded in agreement. Even though they have taken down the elven sleet, this was not over yet.

Moving on at maximum speed, soon enough white pavements appeared before the "Ostland".

"That will be Adyl, the capital of the country of the elves."

Colbert pointed at a distance. Everyone began to tense up.

"Well then, the real show starts now. Is everyone ready?"

Guiche and Malicorne gave an absentminded nod while Éléonore nodded with a determined look on her face. Kirche looked straight in front and Siesta looked worriedly at Louise.

Maybe it was because they saw the power of the "Void"? The little flame of hope lit up in everyone's heart. No matter how tough the situation is, didn't they conquer them all? Such is the hope they held in their hearts.

Of course, this was also based on shaky foundations. Well, Louise could not possibly release another "Explosion" like the one before within such a short time, right?

However, she did have some other spells of her own, didn't she? Anyway, those spells can be used on the elves. Not only that, there was the undeniable truth that they have already arrived at this place.

The elves were not invincible foes.

Their hearts filled with profound and great confidence, the "Ostland" cruised on the desert wind as it made a beeline for Kasper, where the highest elven authority, "Council" was located.

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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter8|Back to Chapter 8]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
|[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Epilogue|Forward to Epilogue]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume20 Chapter8

2017-01-25T10:17:18Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 8 : Breaking Through Barricades */

===Chapter 8 : Breaking Through Barricades===
Elven patrol airships were very different from the ones in Halkeginia. Even though they were both propelled by wind stones, elven airships did not have sails. Instead, similar to horse carriages, they were towed by dragons.

Compared to Halkeginian airships which were propelled by wind, those elven airships, were on average one hundred and fifty percent faster.

The spheroidal airship, towed by dozens of dragons, moved through the air like an amphibious insect.

The hull of the airship was reinforced with armour, and cannons were fitted into the gaps between each armour plate. Rotating cannon towers, not unlike the ones found on a dragon whale ship, were installed on the deck where the sails would normally be found.

Although the relationships between the Halkeginian nobles and the elves were terrible, trading was still conducted on a civilian level, and it was common for air pirates to attack Elven merchant ships.

The main responsibility of the patrol fleet was to protect the Elven merchant ships from the threat of the barbarian air pirates. This was because even though each individual elf were mighty warriors, the air pirates ships still could take out merchant ships if they attacked together headfirst in groups of dozens.

The "Mestia" was one of the air ships patrolling the skies above the "Unexplored Land". The "Unexplored Land" was the stretch of forest and empty plains between Germania and the Sahara desert. No elf or human lived there. It was a vast piece of virgin land occupied by mostly demigods... beast-men, ogres, and avian-men.

It was nearly nightfall. However, even if it was night, they could not let down their guard. The barbarian pirates had set up a well-concealed port in the "Unexplored Land", so they could sneak into the Sahara desert under the cover of the night to raid and plunder the villages.

Even though the elves had good night vision, they were still unable to see as well they could in the day, so the guard on duty had to use a special telescope.

It was a telescope that used magic to amplify the moonlight.

Using the gigantic telescope that was directly mounted on the deck, the guard on duty, who had been monitoring the borders, yelled out when he noticed something.

"An unknown ship is approaching, from twelve o'clock!"

The air officer looked through the night-vision telescope on the deck to find the blurry image of a huge ship heading their way.

"It doesn't seem to be a merchant ship."

By the way, the ship had a strange structure. The sails, commonly found on most barbarian ships, were missing, and in their place were two outspread wings, which were a few times larger than normal ones.

"It's fast!"

The guards exclaimed in surprise when they noticed that it was rapidly flying towards to them.

"Show them the signal to stop!"

Under the orders of the officer on deck, the "stop" signal flag was lowered from the mast, and they repeatedly flashed the "Stop now!" signal with oil lamps. However, the other ship showed no signs of slowing down.

"Is it an air pirate ship?"

It was very different from the usual situation. If it was a barbarian air pirate ship, then they would have scrambled away immediately, but it just rushed straight at them...

The deck officer began to panic.

"Prepare the cannons!"

However, by the time the order reached the guards in charge of the cannons, the strange ship had already reached them, and flew past the "Mestia". The broad wings of the airship made it look like one of the enormous desert birds. However, the sizes of the birds were incomparable to the size of ship.

"What the heck was that ship!" The fleet commander, who heard the commotion, yelled out as he saw the ship that went past them.

"There seems to be rotating fans behind the ship, maybe that's what powering it." The deck officer said, dumbfounded.

"Ah! We'll know it when we see it! Chase after them now!"

"Jean! They seem to be chasing us!" Kirche shouted into the sound tubes from the clock tower at the back of the "Ostland" after confirming it. Her voice was transmitted to Colbert in the engine room along with Guiche and the others on the deck, who were monitoring the situation outside.

"What? They're chasing after us?" Colbert yelled as he struggled with the steam engines. To keep the "Ostland" running at full speed, he had to stretch every piece of machinery to their limit, chant magic spells, control the amount of coal that goes into the engine, adjust the internal tank pressure... so on and so forth. He probably had to continue doing this for the whole day.

Taking the return journey into account... thinking about this made Colbert laugh out bitterly. If they were to just leave this ship aside and rush ahead with the plan, this ship would likely be captured or destroyed immediately.

However, even the speediest Elven airship could not catch up to the "Ostland" when it was running on the highest tank pressure. While Colbert was thinking about something else, Kirche's scream rang through his ears.

"The situation got worse! Those guys sent their dragon knights after us!"

Colbert jolted upright in shock, and immediately rushed out of the engine room to the quarterdeck of the ship. He found five dragon knights closing in on them.

"Miss Zerbst, that thing."

Kirche showed a smile once he mentioned about "that thing".

"The 'little flying snakes'?"

Colbert ran to the control panel which was installed on the quarterdeck, and pulled a large lever on the panel. A cylindrical thing opened up its wings, and flew out with a melodic chime.

The magic-seeking missiles called "little flying snakes" were invented by Colbert. They were outfitted with magic sensing equipment in front, and was propelled by the rockets at the back.

After they were launched, Kirche began to chant a magic spell. A gigantic fireball emerged from her magic wand, and sped towards the dragon knights.

The fireball flew in a straight line, and exploded far away from the dragon knights, lighting up the night sky. Yet, the dragon knights increased their speed, as if they were poking fun at the feebleness of the magic spell.

During the instant when the dragon knights were distracted by Kirche's magic spell, the "little flying snakes" unleashed their payloads.

The "little flying snakes" sensed the magical weapons on the elves, accelerated towards them, and exploded right in front of them.

They did not expect that the barbarians would have such a weapon. The elves did not have time to cast any powerful magic. Metal shrapnel and strong gusts assaulted the wind dragons, tearing holes into their wings. The Elven dragon knights fell one after another.

"We did it!"

"Not yet, there are two more."

The two left were the better riders, since they managed to dodge the "little flying snakes" attack and proceeded to close in on them before casting magic.

The riders' Ancient Wind magic whipped up a tornado, slamming into their direction, but Kirche and Colbert nimbly dodged it.

The tornado crashed into the deck and created a huge hole. Its sheer power scared Kirche nearly to death. As expected of Elven ancient magic, even while riding a dragon, they still managed to cast such an accurate magic spell!

"This is really bad."

If the elves came too close, Colbert and the others could only use magic to defend themselves. If they were to aim for the steam engines, then their plans would be ended prematurely. However, elves had the upper hand in magical battles.

The Elven dragon rides rose up into the air to cover each other's backs, before swooping down again to continue their attacks in a brilliant maneuver.

Colbert and Kirche casted their "Fireball" spell at the elves, but the dragon knights were too fast for them to land a hit.

Riding on Sylphid in the skies above the "Ostland", Tabitha surveyed the situation below her.

They took off into the air just as the battle started. Tabitha understood very clearly what it meant to be the only dragon knight in the "rescue team".

It was impossible for them to reach their full potential while on the ship.

To prevent the moonlight from shining on them, Tabitha masterfully manipulated the wind to turn the wind into a veil of fog around them. Even though this camouflage would immediately be exposed during the day, it was not as obvious during the night. The two Elven dragon knights had not noticed her while they were wrecking mayhem below.

"Little one, there's two more left, you know!"

"I know that."

"If we don't help them now, it will become very problematic!"

Tabitha calmly observed the two dragon knights. One of them was attacking the "Ostland", while the other circled above him and covered his back.

The dragon knights launched their assault as if they were dancing a duet, attacking and moving to the rhythm of combat.

She could not afford to attack without thinking ahead. If she was flanked by the other dragon knight while she was focused on attacking one of them...

"I cannot miss my first spell."

However, it was difficult for her to find an opening.

"If I were to disrupt their rhythm..."

Sweat appeared on Tabitha's forehead out of anxiousness.

Kirche desperately tried to return fire while dodging the Elves' attacks. However, it was impossible for her to land a blow on the elves, who were darting in and out through three dimensions. On the other hand, their spells repeatedly hit the hull of the ship.

"Are you okay!?"

Guiche rushed to her side.

"Isn't that obvious? We can't handle them!"

Colbert was trying his best to protect the propellers. Malicorne and Éléonore were at the helm so they were not able to use any of their spells, while Louise... was probably doing something somewhere.

She could only rely on herself and Guiche to take care of the dragon knights. However, since Guiche's magic affinity was "Earth", he would not be able to use his spells on the airship.

So, in the end she has to think of something on her own.

"What is that kid doing!"

Kirche directed her yelling at her petite blue-haired close friend. If they had Tabitha's magic here, this battle wouldn't be as hard...

Just then, she abruptly understood what was going on. Tabitha, with years of experience under her belt, would not have stayed around doing nothing, and she definitely would have thought of a plan.

"Ah, the sky!"

Kirche said, as she looked up into the night sky.

Tabitha must be waiting for a chance to strike up in the night sky. In that case, what she should be doing would be to...

Kirche shouted out.

"Guiche! Get in the air!"

"Eh? What! Wouldn't I be unable to use any other magic while I'm casting the 'Flying' spell?"

"It'll be alright, Tabitha will think of something, so just go!"

Kirche pushed Guiche off the deck.

"What do you think you're doing? Ah, ah, I'm falling!"

Just as he was about fall of the deck, Guiche began to chant the "Flying" spell, so he slowly floated in the air. Kirche also jumped into the air after him.

Guiche tried his best to fly, but the dragons were much more adept at doing so than him. It was like fighting against a shark in the water.

"Whoa! They're coming to me! They're coming to me!"

Guiche struggled in the air, like a dog swimming in the water. He could see the elf on the dragon raise his hand while chanting a magic spell.

"Stop! Don't do it! I can't swim!" He started shouting out nonsense...

Suddenly, the dragon's body shuddered, as a massive ice arrow went through its skull.

"An ice spear? From whom?"

The dragon lowered its head and plummeted to the ground with its Elven rider, and in its place was Tabitha who descended with Sylphid from above.

"Oh! Oh! Isn't that Tabitha?" Guiche exclaimed ecstatically.

"As expected as knight of the North Parterre, seizing the chance and striking immediately!"

Kirche murmured after she witnessed one of the dragon knights fall off the sky. The dragon knight who was chasing after her looked away with a surprised direction on his face. Kirche immediately stopped the "Flying" spell, and her body succumbed to gravity. However, as a veteran in magic battles, she quickly began to chant another spell.

Kirche triumphantly unleashed a "Fireball" towards the dragon knight whose attention was diverted by Tabitha and Sylphid. It did not veer off path and hit the wings of the dragon, causing it to burn up.

The wind dragon could not resist the heat and opened its mouth wide, only for Tabitha's "Ice Spear" to pierce through its head. The dragon knight slowly fell down from the sky.

After a few seconds, Kirche felt that her body became unexpectedly light. Sylphid swiftly flew to her and picked her up. Kirche gently sat on Sylphid's back.

Tabitha looked in front of her with a deadpan look on her face.

"Nice work." Kirche caressed her close friend's forehead with a kind look on her face.

[[Image:ZnT20 191.jpg|thumb|]]

Three hours after they defeated the dragon knights, the night deepened further. Clouds concealed the twin moons, and darkness engulfed the land.

Malicorne and Éléonore rotated the responsibility of taking the helm, Colbert worked on the engines which had been weakened due to the elven dragon knight's magic, Kirche was keeping watch of the rear deck, while Guiche was doing the same on the front deck.

Éléonore, who was currently in charge of the helm, gave a worried sigh.

"After breaking into the elf's base, would I come back alive..."

Malicorne answered absentmindedly,

"Mm, well, we did bite off more than we could chew anyway."

"Don't say things like that. Aren't you a man? Think of something, would you please."

"Ha? What are you talking about? Why do I have to think of something just because I'm a man? There isn't such a thing as chivalry during these times, is there? Big sis, you know, maybe the reason that you've lost your chance to live a blessed life was due to that thinking of yours?"

"Who did you say lose her chance to live a blessed life, huh!?"

"Um, well, you got your engagement canceled and all."

Éléonore's eyebrows twitched.

"If I were not at the helm now, you wouldn't be standing up for long."

"Yeah, yeah." Malicorne said dreamily. "As I was saying..."

"Don't joke around. Be vigilant of what's happening around you."

"Hey, I'm vigilant. How about big sis you stay focused on your job..."

Just then, a scream came from Guiche, who had been keeping watch in front.

"Ah! Ah! There's a huge warship ahead of us! They're aiming their cannons at us! Ah!"

They were probably contacted by the patrol fleet, and stayed here to ambush them after predicting their path. The warship formed an eerie scene as it was gradually revealed by the moonlight under the dark sky.

To say the truth, it was a completely different ship as compared to the patrol ship before. It was enormous, sporting a total of four cannon towers on the deck, two on each end of the ship.

Each cannon towers had two turrets, so all in all there were eight cannons. There was no other word than horrifying to describe the feeling of having all eight large caliber cannons pointed towards them. If they were hit by it, without its armored hull, the "Ostland" might shatter into pieces.

"What is that thing..."

Éléonore said, trembling in fear.

Malicorne's breathing quickened when he saw her like that. So it was something innate after all.

"What happened? Oh big sis, it's so scary, so very scary. Are you afraid of that big warship?"

"Ha? Don't joke around, think of something! Fatty!"

"Then why don't you say 'Ah, the warship is too big for me to handle!'?"

"What are you joking about right now!"

"I'm not joking. It's because I want to hear big sis say 'Ah, the warship is too big for me to handle!', you know. You don't want to say it?"

"Y-you...!"

"Old hag. How about 'Ah, the warship is too b-big for me to handle...!'?" Malicorne said this into Éléonore's ears while breathing excitedly.

"As I was saying!"

"Alright, alright."

"No, it's not alright at all!"

Oh? Malicorne muttered as he saw what was happening in front of him. "Ah, they seemed to have fired their cannons at us."

"Ah, the warship is too b-big for me to handle...!" Éléonore, spooked by Malicorne's heavy breathing, screamed as she turned the helm a couple of times around.

The "Ostland" creaked as it made a sudden U-turn.

Meanwhile, in that instant, the main cannon of the Elven warship fired.

The cannon shell that had been fired by the Elven warship brushed the hull of the "Ostland" which had just changed its direction, and flew past it.

"It missed!" Guiche's shout from the front end of the ship failed to reach Éléonore's ears. The fat boy beside her who was holding on to the helm tightly looked like he was going to faint.

"You! If you dare to even joke again now..."

"Ah, that's not what you said, was it? 'Ah, the warship is too b-big for me to handle...!', right? Okay, now tell me! Which is bigger, this one or the one before!" Malicorne continued to say this into Éléonore's ears. Goose bumps rise up Éléonore's spine, and she spun the helm quickly.

During this time, the Elven warship continued firing at them, but unexpectedly, none of the shells hit the "Ostland", which was swerving wildly left and right. Somehow her haphazard steering managed to allow the ship to miraculously evade all the cannon shells.

However, everyone on the "Ostland" rolled around the deck each time the ship turned around.

"What kind of steering is this!" Kirche yelled from the quarterdeck. Of course, Malicorne and Éléonore could not hear them.

After the "Ostland" dodged each cannon shell from the main cannons, it whizzed past the top of the warship.

The Elven warship was not able to react within such a short time at that speed.

The Elves would never have thought that a barbarian ship would be able to fly above them. A normal sail-ship could not be compared to the nimble and fast "Ostland", so the Elven warship was tricked.

"Now is our chance!"

Colbert pulled another lever in the quarterdeck, opening the belly of the "Ostland", and barrels of explosives rained down onto the Elven ship.

The barrels of explosives exploded when they crashed into the deck of the Elven warship. While this was not enough to sink it, it managed to destroy all of the cannons on the warship, and fire spread rampantly across the deck, so they were in no condition to fight.

The "Ostland" ignored the flaming elven warship and continued on to Adyl.

Louise trembled alone in a room within the ship. The sounds of the cannons, and the constant movement of the ship made her terrified.

Everyone was joining the fight, so she could not just stay in the room and tremble alone. Even though she thought this way, she could not move at all.

"Just as I thought, I can't do anything without Saito."

She could not summon her courage. If she did that, malicious thoughts would engulf her mind, she could not take it anymore. That group of elves, after they had captured Saito, they would not just leave him alone, right? They would have taken away his sanity, and he would be just like a doll now...

She did not want to see Saito like that. If she saw him like that, she would probably also lose her mind. Even if they fought so valiantly now, even if they managed to fight their way through...

"To see Saito, who has lost his sanity."

"It's going to be alright." She kept repeating this to herself, but that image simply would not leave her mind.

Why didn't she just, before seeing Saito like that... Once she thought of this, she lost every once of her courage to even continue thinking about it. If it was like that...

Just then, someone slammed the door open.

"Siesta..." the person who came in was Siesta. She held a plate of bread, meat and wine.

"Okay! Time to eat!" Siesta said that with a cheerful tone that she had never lost no matter what situation she was in. Louise shook her head nervously.

"N-now is not the time to be eating, right? Isn't everyone else still fighting..."

"The fighting has stopped, you know, for the time being at least. Now, everyone is eating. Okay, didn't I tell you before that you can't fight if you're hungry?"

Louise stared at the food before her. It had been prepared in such a way that they did not require forks and knives to eat it so they could eat it in battle. There was boned meat and bread, that had been cut into bite-sized pieces. Even so, she did not have any appetite at all.

"Thank you for your concern, but it's alright."

Siesta shook her head when she heard Louise say that.

"Don't be like that. I don't care if anybody else doesn't want to eat, but Miss Vallière, you have to eat."

"Why?"

After that, Siesta said with a straight face, "That's because Miss Vallière is the core of this rescue mission."

Louise looked at Siesta with a dazed look, uttering: "I am... the core of this mission?"

"That's right, we can't afford to lose our cool now, can we? The only thing that could hold its own against those scary elves is Miss Vallière's magic. Even though we managed to escape successfully just now, we won't be able to save Saito at all if all we do is to escape."

After hearing Saito's name, tears began to flow out of Louise's eyes, and with that, she began to sob.

"Even if we manage to save him... it won't be the Saito of before anymore... they wouldn't just leave him alone like that, right? They will also take Tiffania's sanity away, won't they... maybe they don't even know who I am anymore..."

Siesta gripped both of Louise's hand tightly, and Louise cried even louder.

"I don't want to! I don't want to see Saito like that, I don't want to at all..."

"Even then, it won't be too bad, right?" Siesta said, with a gentle voice. "Even if he has lost his sanity... Mr. Saito is still Mr. Saito, isn't that so?"

Louise fixed her gaze on Siesta.

"The three of us will live on happily in Des Ornières. If the Pope and everyone else says that it is troublesome for him to be like that, and they want to take his life away... I will pick up my frying pan and fight against them. Miss Vallière, wouldn't you fight with me too? It's likely we will lose anyway, but in that case everyone would rise up to the heavens together, hand in hand."

Louise looked at Siesta for some time, before chewing her lip, and wiping the tears in her eyes away.

Louise felt a little ashamed of herself. Even Siesta has made up her mind...

"Sorry, Siesta."

"Why are you apologizing to me?"

"Even though... I'm a noble, even though I am a 'magic user', even though I have control of surprisingly powerful magic..."

"Yeah, because I don't have all those abilities, so I can just say these things easily. If I have some impressive power, I probably will just crumble under the pressure. And that's why I'm grateful just to be a normal person."

Louise quickly rubbed her tears away, and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to fight. I can't just let everyone else fight, I won't!"

Siesta then took Louise's hand.

"No, you can't. Miss Vallière's first job, is to finish this plate of food, then... preserve as much mental will as you can."

"I am, the trump card. The weak and good-for-nothing me, is the trump card."

"That's right. The weak and good-for-nothing Miss Vallière is our trump card, and Miss Vallière is so useless that God granted you this power. Can't you please be more useful to everyone? You're only worth that much because of this power."

Louise could not help but smile at this. "I'm so insignificant, eh."

"You've got that right. No matter your breasts, or your personality, or even the value of your life, they're all so small. What did Saito even see in you?"

"I'll, definitely not be good-for-nothing anymore."

"I think so too."

Louise nodded, and took the tough bread in her hands before biting hard into it. It was flavourless, she had no appetite, but she gulped it all down with a glass of water.

"Fuah!" And with that, Louise began wolfing down the food.

After eating up everything, Louise said slowly.

"Thank you. I've eaten my fill."

"Okay, then let's talk about the future."

"The future?" Louise uttered, looked dumbfounded for a while. "Even if the situation looks so bleak now?"

"Yes, this bleak situation is why we have to talk about the future. We should talk about something happier, be honest with each other and talk about nonsense. Even if we put on such a serious face, it won't change the situation we're in at all."

At this time, cannon fire could be heard again. The "Ostland" suddenly changed its direction. Both Louise and Siesta slammed against the wall.

"Talking nonsense at this sort of time?"

"Of course. Wouldn't that be fun? Just before I die, during the last instant of my life, I still would like to be doing something interesting. Or something like that." Siesta said with an overbearing voice.

Is she serious? However, thinking about it lit something up in Louise's mind.

Louise burned with the desire to antagonize the cheerful and brainless person in front of her.

Didn't Saito take me as a peach-haired fool too? Louise thought.

There was no reason for her to lose to this bubbly idiot. Louise took in a deep breath, and said with a radiant face. "That guy... is deeply in love with me, you know?"

Siesta smiled. "Yes, of course. Even though I don't know what he sees in you."

"After this battle has ended, I'll let him do all sorts of gentle things to me."

"What gentle things do you mean."

Louise whispered into Siesta's ears. Siesta wrinkled her nose and poohed.

"... Miss Vallière, you're so cruel."

After that, Siesta also whispered into Louise's ears, making Louise's ears turn red.

"W-what did you say! Are you crazy!"

"Miss Vallière, that's you. Anyway, as a reward for cheering you up, I want three days out of each week! Lend me three days, okay?"

"Ha? Two days! Three days is too long!"

"... you stingy girl."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Well, because that guy is deeply in love with me, he might not even go to your side during those three days."

"Go to hell."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

In the midst of endless cannon fire, the two girls chatted non-stop gleefully about the man they loved.

<noinclude>
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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter7|Back to Chapter 7]]
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|[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter9|Forward to Chapter 9]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume20 Chapter9

2017-01-25T10:08:58Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 9 : The Work of the Devil */

===Chapter 9 : The Work of the Devil===
It was nearly dawn. The national air fleet was gathered in the skies above Adyl, the capital of Nephthys. There were about ten warships that had been outfitted with cannon towers on both ends of the ship. Along with another six smaller patrol ships, there were a total of sixteen ships.

The commander of the air fleet, was the Fleet Commander-In-Chief, General Allam.

"Seriously! What were they doing!"

"The Second Fleet training in the North Sea will be late." The adjutant reported to Allam.

"We don't need too many people for this. We would be laughed at by the Navy for enlisting the elite First Fleet when we would only be fighting a barbarian ship."

"Well, but even the Navy failed at their task of capturing the target..."

After hearing this, Allam's relaxed his strict demeanor. "Seriously! Talking, that's the only thing they could do. A bunch of useless fools. That guy would probably start another long and windy lecture again."

"However, Commander, please don't get careless. In the report we received, the barbarian ship moves with such an incredible speed that our dragon warships could not catch up to them. Not only that, they were able to use strange magical weapons..."

"Oh, it was just carelessness of the 'Mestia's' part."

Just now, the name of the ship that had sunk was also reported to Allam. After it has been defeated by the barbarian ship, the "Mestia" sunk as it was not able to contain the raging fire caused by the barrels of explosives.

"Also, it was an older model anyway, so it was unavoidable."

"Even so, an incident where a barbarian airship defeats a secondary warship has never been heard of before."

"Well, that's just bad luck. However, luck won't do a thing against this fleet." Allam said as he surveyed the fleet he commanded approvingly. "I will let the barbarians see, what is the difference between us and them."

Just then, one of the dragon knights flew towards them.

This was one of the dragon knights who maintained distance with the "Ostland" while spying on them.

The dragon knight jumped off his dragon once they hit land, and ran towards Allam.

"The enemy has entered Adyl airspace in the north-east-east sector!"

Allam nodded, and raised his right hand. "All ships, full speed ahead! We will meet the enemy outside Adyl!"

On the deck of the "Ostland", everyone was staring to the front. Tabitha and Sylphid, who had been in charge of reconnaissance, landed with a flutter of wings.

"Forty leagues away. An air fleet. Sixteen ships."

"That's a lot." Éléonore gulped. She had not slept since yesterday. There were eye bags under her eyes, her hair was a mess, and her face had a sickly color.

However, this was not the time to pay attention to this kind of things. Everyone on board had been fighting all night without rest.

"...Will we be okay?"

"Mr. Colbert." Guiche asked Colbert with a tense expression.

"What is it?"

"To be honest, the reason why we could survive until now, is because of damn luck. But it would be impossible for us to rely on luck now. What should we do?"

Colbert coughed lightly. "Now, finally, we let her make her debut."

The ship cabin door opened, and Louise emerged. Beside her was Siesta with an peculiar look on her face.

"For this one strike, I've asked Miss Vallière to rest as much as she could. During this time, she has accumulated a high amount of mental will."

So that was the reason Louise did not join them as they breached the barricade of ships yesterday.

"Louise... are you going to use that 'Explosion' spell?"

Guiche asked carefully. Louise did not answer him and instead simply brushed her hair aside. Every inch of her posture and expression exuded an aura of "confidence".

There was nothing more beautiful in the world than Louise with such radiance. Louise raised her chin, puffed out her chest and stepped forward haughtily. When she walked past Guiche, Louise asked him.

"Who am I?"

Guiche jolted upright reflexively.

"L-Louise!"

"Say my full name."

"You're Miss Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière!"

"That's right. I have the blood of Tristan's longest-serving and noblest family in my veins. The third daughter of the La Vallière family. This is who I am. Am I not right, Éléonore?"

What is this attitude of hers! Éléonore thought, but she was blown away by her charisma.

"A-ah! Yes, you're right. You're the third daughter of the La Vallière family, with all our pride and tradition!"

"It won't be a stretch to say that the La Vallière family exists just so that I could be born, will it?"

Even though Éléonore felt that this statement was too much, she noticed that Colbert and Siesta was desperately giving her looks, so she agreed to the statement.

"Ah, of course not! It's also my pride, to have you as my sister!"

Louise continued to walk forward in a haughty manner, and came to a stop in front of Malicorne.

"Who am I?"

Malicorne stood up straight like he had been electrocuted. "You're the world famous beauty, Miss Louise!"

"I don't think this is enough, do you? Put in more effort."

"You're the one and only, amazing unfathomable unparalleled beauty, known throughout all three thousand realms to be so beautiful that if the Goddess of Beauty were to even see you she would run away bare-foot."

"It's nothing special, eh?"

She did not have the air of making it mean "nothing special" at all. Louise continued on, and this time, she stopped in front of Kirche.

[[Image:ZnT20 209.jpg|thumb|]]

"Between the princess and me, who is cuter?"

Kirche found herself to be in a dilemma as she tried to answer such a question. However, she could not let Louise to lose her confidence here.

"O-of course it's Louise! Miss Henrietta, compared to you, is just a pumpkin, you know! A pumpkin!"

"Undoubtedly so. Of course I'm the cuter one."

After that, she stood in front of Sylphid and Tabitha.

"Who does Saito love?"

Tabitha's eyebrows arched high instantly. She was obstinate to her core. Of course, even if she did not think that way, she could not say it.

"Me..." After she said this, Sylphid hurriedly whispered in her ear.

"...Little one! Can't you read the situation?"

Tabitha clenched her fist, her body tensed up as if she was enduring something. Her face then became expressionless and she said coldly, "Louise."

"Aren't you a good girl? You can have him once I'm bored of him."

Tabitha lowered her head and began chanting a spell. Sylphid desperately tried to stop her. "You just have to endure it! Just this once!"

Finally, Louise stopped before Colbert.

"Mr. Colbert."

"Y-yes, what is it!"

"Cute and prefect me was thinking, that dog is really lucky, eh. I can't help but save him, that idiot, that pitiful bug who can't do anything without me. Incidentally, Tiffania too."

"A-ah, yes! Saito is such a lucky man!"

"Sometime he would sneak a peek at Tiffania's chest, that's just an illusion, right?"

"That might be just be an accident! Yeah! If that wasn't the case, I swear on my identity as a scholar that he's just intellectually curious!"

"Yeah, that's what I thought of too."

When Louise reached the ship bow, she swiftly whipped out her wand.

Her movements were so fluid that everyone placed all her previous words and actions aside and allowed themselves to be mesmerized by her.

Kirche said, dumbfounded. "What exactly happened? Did she..."

Siesta mumbled. "I spent an entire night to explain how much Saito loves Miss Vallière."

"How naive is she..."

"She's a naive, willful, needy, incurable person, and it was because she's weak that she has been lingering between self-confidence and self-ridicule. However, that's also why this kind of person, can become a 'holy maiden'. A real 'holy maiden'." Siesta said brightly.

On the side of the horizon, they could see the silhouettes of the elven air fleet. There were sixteen ships in total. They saw from afar how the powerful cannon towers rotated and aimed the cannons at their direction.

Everyone shuffled restlessly after they witnessed this terrifying spectacle. Louise turned around and took a bow.

"Thank you everyone, it'll be alright. I'll take care of them."

And then, Louise looked in front again with an arrogant look on her face. "Well then, long-ears, shouldn't you be returning my familiar to me by now?"

Clear of fear and doubts, Louise began to chant a spell.

When they saw the ship appear, Allam, who was commanding the elven air fleet, locked his brows in a frown.

"What's up with that ship, it doesn't have any cannons installed on it. How did that thing destroy the 'Mestia'?"

"However, it's moving at a very high speed! It's approaching us rapidly."

"Is speed all they have? Just rushing headlong at us... that makes them no different than the wild boars in the desert."

"Please be more alert. Especially since how they used a sophisticate steering method to evade every cannon shell from the 'Mestia'. It was just like they are telling us that they come with a plan of their own..."

"Plan? What plan? We are the <ruby> people of the desert <rt> Elves </rt> </ruby>, why do we have to be scared of mere barbarian plans?"

"Commander, isn't that train of thought the same as the tasteless views of the 'Steel-blooded Party'?"

"Those guys are just making ado about nothing. It doesn't change the fact that barbarians are still barbarians."

The adjutant looked at Allam worriedly. "The 'devil' is on board the ship, right?"

"The one the navy tried to capture but failed?"

"No, I don't think it's the same one. However, legends did mention that there were multiple 'devils'."

"Why are everyone so afraid of this 'devil'? Barbarian magic-users have to swing their wands to use magic, without it they are useless. The only thing they have in plentiful amounts is pride. Anyway, that devil will just be a little stronger than normal barbarian magic-users."

"However, one of them escaped even after being surrounded by the Navy. Commander, please don't let your guard down."

"Are you trying to put the 'Navy' on the same level as us, the 'Air Force'? How can those brainless turtles who only know about paddling mindlessly in the water, be compared to us, the incarnations of dragons?"

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"Humph, we'll just crush them in one go, no matter if they are the 'devil', or some moth larvae. One volley of our cannons will crush them! Full speed ahead! Turn that barbarian ship into dust!"

The dragon tamers controlling the dragon shouted "Understood!" enthusiastically and the flagship started to glide forward. The elven ships began to move forward in a neat straight line. For the elves, this is their technology.

The adjutant took his telescope and monitored the "Ostland" out of worry. "Ah..."

"What is it?"

"There's a young girl standing on the bow of the ship."

"A young girl? What about it? Is she going to curse us? Or is she a living sacrifice? Or maybe she would be shooting us with a gun?" Allam laughed at his own joke.

"No...she seem to be chanting some kind of spell..."

"Oh, so be it. Let her do anything she wants. The barbarians would need some magic that has a larger range than our cannons anyway!"

''Aiolu''. ''Sunu''. ''Feyr''. ''Arushakusha''.

Louise did not stop chanting. That was the "Explosion" spell that she had chanted for more times that she could count.

The melody of the spell has already become an part of Louise's body.

A melody passed down from ancient times.

The Founder's whispers.

As she chanted, she felt as if all her emotions have been rearranged and reorganized. Joy, anger, sadness, and happiness. These feelings mixed together as one, as if they were trying to find a place to be vent out.

''Onu''. ''Sunu''. ''Uriu''. ''Ru''. ''Raduo''.

It was just like the waves. It was just like music.

"Magical power is proportional to one's emotions." She did not know who was the one who said this. If her fluctuating emotions were what affected "Explosion"... then there is no other magical spell that suited her more.

''Piosuran''. ''Uru''. ''Suoieru''. ''Kanuo''. ''Oshura''.

Louise stared at the large elven air fleet leagues away from her.

They no longer looked that terrifying to her.

To defeat that air fleet and save her beloved familiar, that is her predetermined future. She already knew this when she chanted the spell.

She felt a little tipsy, like she had a low fever.

This tipsy feeling was comfortable, and it made Louise even calmer.

''Zera''. ''Isa''. ''Uji''. ''Bazaru''. ''Beokuen''. ''Iru'' ...

After that, a special feeling emerged within her.

I'm...heading towards the "Holy Land". It was as if a program inserted the phrase into her mind.

"The 'Holy Land'."

The promised place, somewhere in the land of the elves.

That phrase has been carved into her soul.

That phrase, repressed all of Louise's emotions. All of her emotions felt as if they were about to rush out of her body to the beat of the spell incantation. Louise surrendered her body to that feeling.

After she finished the incantation, Louise swung her wand.

The first thing Allam saw was a small ball of light. That light ball appeared in the air in front of the fleet and gradually grew in size.

A tiny sun has appeared, that was his first thought.

Then he realized that it was magic.

Barbarian magic? From the girl on the bow?

Before he could apprehend what was going on, a gust of strong wind slammed into his body. He was thrown onto the deck.

"Ugh...!"

Allam shook his aching head as he got on his feet. He was surrounded by chaos. Fire ravaged the ship, and seamen lay around him.

The usually tame dragon rampaged and flew towards different directions but they were bound to their restraints so they could only wail in despair.

Allam shakily approached the side of the ship to see how the other ships were doing. All of the ships in the fleet has been devastated. They were consumed by fire and fell towards the ground.

"... What happened."

He could not understand the current situation.

Just a few minutes before, his fleet was still pressing the assault majestically. They should have been able to destroy that presumptuous barbarian ship in one hit.

Why?

Why would this happen?

Even if that was magic, I have never seen or heard of it, but why would an elven fleet lose to barbarians...

And to lost to that one ship!

"We were done in by that one girl... Huh."

The adjutant, covered in blood, staggered towards him. "Commander, I'm a afraid that, this ship is no longer able to fight... Please make the order to retreat!"

What he has said failed to enter Allam's ears at all. A single word had took hold of his mind.

"It's the 'devil'. Those guys, released the 'devil's' magic!"

The flagship Allam was on slowly tilted.

The ship dipped to one side. If the wind stones they have on the ship did not disappear all at once, the ship would not fall from the sky.

The 'devil's' magic, has destroyed all the wind stones.

The wind stones were a product of elven magic, and so if they were to disappear that would mean... He was frightened by the <ruby>work of the devil<rt>Void</rt> </ruby>.

"Oh Noble Will, may you save us, from the <ruby>work of the devil<rt>Void</rt> </ruby>..."

He would no longer be able to know if his prayer was heard. The warship succumbed to gravity and slowly fell from the sky.

Everyone on the "Ostland" seemed to have forgotten how to speak for a moment, and simply watched on as the elven fleet plunged to the ground.

The only one among them has seen a full fledged "Explosion" from Louise was Siesta, back in the village of Tarbes, when she annihilated the Albion air fleet, the miracle light...

Louise's legs suddenly went weak, and everyone ran to her anxiously.

"Louise!"

Éléonore nervously held her sister's body in her arms.

"Mm..."

"... She's asleep."

Éléonore sighed contently, after she has been assured of Louise's safety.

"Let her sleep for a while. It's been some time since she did." Colbert said, and everyone nodded in agreement. Even though they have taken down the elven sleet, this was not over yet.

Moving on at maximum speed, soon enough white pavements appeared before the "Ostland".

"That will be Adyl, the capital of the country of the elves."

Colbert pointed at a distance. Everyone began to tense up.

"Well then, the real show starts now. Is everyone ready?"

Guiche and Malicorne gave an absentminded nod while Éléonore nodded with a determined look on her face. Kirche looked straight in front and Siesta looked worriedly at Louise.

Maybe it was because they saw the power of the "Void"? The little flame of hope lit up in everyone's heart. No matter how tough the situation is, didn't they conquer them all? Such is the hope they held in their hearts.

Of course, this was also based on shaky foundations. Well, Louise could not possibly release another "Explosion" like the one before within such a short time, right?

However, she did have some other spells of her own, didn't she? Anyway, those spells can be used on the elves. Not only that, there was the undeniable truth that they have already arrived at this place.

The elves were not invincible foes.

Their hearts filled with profound and great confidence, the "Ostland" cruised on the desert wind as it made a beeline for Kasper, where the highest elven authority, "Council" was located.

<noinclude>
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|[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Epilogue|Forward to Epilogue]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume20 Chapter8

2017-01-25T09:51:33Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 8 : Breaking Through Barricades */

===Chapter 8 : Breaking Through Barricades===
Elven patrol airships were very different from the ones in Halkeginia. Even though they were both propelled by wind stones, elven airships did not have sails. Instead, similar to horse carriages, they were towed by dragons.

Compared to Halkeginian airships which were propelled by wind, those elven airships, were on average an one hundred and fifty percent faster.

The spheroidal airship, towed by dozens of dragons, moved through the air like an amphibious insect.

The hull of the airship was reinforced with armour, and cannons were fitted into the armours between each armour plate. Rotating cannon towers, not unlike the ones found on a dragon whale ship, were installed on the deck where the sails would normally be found.

Although the relationships between the Halkeginian nobles and the elves were terrible, trading was still conducted on a civilian level, and it was common for air pirates to attack Elven merchant ships.

The main responsibility of the patrol fleet was to protect the Elven merchant ships from the threat of the barbarian air pirates. This was because even though each individual elf were mighty warriors, the air pirates ships still could take out merchant ships if they attacked together headfirst in groups of dozens.

The "Mestia" was one of the air ships patrolling the skies above the "Unexplored Land". The "Unexplored Land" was the stretch of forest and empty plains between Germania and the Sahara desert. No elf or human lived there. It was a vast piece of virgin land occupied by mostly demigods... beast-men, ogres, and avian-men.

It was nearly nightfall. However, even if it was night, they could not let down their guard. The barbarian pirates had set up a well-concealed port in the "Unexplored Land", so they could sneak into the Sahara desert under the cover of the night to raid and plunder the villages.

Even though the elves had good night vision, they were still unable to see as well they could in the day, so the guard on duty had to use a special telescope.

It was a telescope that used magic to amplify the moonlight.

Using the gigantic telescope that was directly mounted on the deck, the guard on duty, who had been monitoring the borders, yelled out when he noticed something.

"An unknown ship is approaching, from twelve o'clock!"

The air officer looked through the night-vision telescope on the deck to find the blurry image of a huge ship heading their way.

"It doesn't seem to be a merchant ship."

By the way, the ship had a strange structure. The sails, commonly found on most barbarian ships, were missing, and in their place were two outspread wings, which were a few times larger than normal ones.

"It's fast!"

The guards exclaimed in surprise when they noticed that it was rapidly flying towards to them.

"Show them the signal to stop!"

Under the orders of the officer on deck, the "stop" signal flag was lowered from the mast, and they repeatedly flashed the "Stop now!" signal with oil lamps. However, the other ship showed no signs of slowing down.

"Is it an air pirate ship?"

It was very different from the usual situation. If it was a barbarian air pirate ship, then they would have scrambled away immediately, but it just rushed straight at them...

The deck officer began to panic.

"Prepare the cannons!"

However, by the time the order reached the guards in charge of the cannons, the strange ship had already reached them, and flew past the "Mestia". The broad wings of the airship made it look like one of the enormous desert birds. However, the sizes of the birds were incomparable to the size of ship.

"What the heck was that ship!" The fleet commander, who heard the commotion, yelled out as he saw the ship that went past them.

"There seems to be rotating fan leaves behind the ship, maybe that's what powering it." The deck officer said, dumbfounded.

"Ah! We'll know it when we see it! Chase after them now!"

"Jean! They seem to be chasing us!" Kirche shouted into the sound tubes from the clock tower at the back of the "Ostland" after confirming it. Her voice was transmitted to Colbert in the engine room along with Guiche and the others on the deck, who were monitoring the situation outside.

"What? They're chasing after us?" Colbert yelled as he struggled with the steam engines. To keep the "Ostland" running at full speed, he had to stretch every piece of machinery to their limit, chant magic spells, control the amount of coal that goes into the engine, adjust the internal tank pressure... so on and so forth. He probably had to continue doing this for the whole day.

Taking the return journey into account... thinking about this made Colbert laugh out bitterly. If they were to just leave this ship aside and rush ahead with the plan, this ship would likely be captured or destroyed immediately.

However, even the speediest Elven airship could not catch up to the "Ostland" when it was running on the highest tank pressure. While Colbert was thinking about something else, Kirche's scream rang through his ears.

"The situation got worse! Those guys sent their dragon knights after us!"

Colbert jolted upright in shock, and immediately rushed out of the engine room to the quarterdeck of the ship. He found five dragon knights closing in on them.

"Miss Zerbst, that thing."

Kirche showed a smile once he mentioned about "that thing".

"The 'little flying snakes'?"

Colbert ran to the control panel which was installed on the quarterdeck, and pulled a large lever on the panel. A cylindrical thing opened up its wings, and flew out with a melodic chime.

The magic-seeking missiles called "little flying snakes" were invented by Colbert. They were outfitted with magic sensing equipment in front, and was propelled by the rockets at the back.

After they were launched, Kirche began to chant a magic spell. A gigantic fireball emerged from her magic wand, and sped towards the dragon knights.

The fireball flew in a straight line, and exploded far away from the dragon knights, lighting up the night sky. Yet, the dragon knights increased their speed, as if they were poking fun at the feebleness of the magic spell.

During the instant when the dragon knights were distracted by Kirche's magic spell, the "little flying snakes" unleashed their payloads.

The "little flying snakes" sensed the magical weapons on the elves, accelerated towards them, and exploded right in front of them.

They did not expect that the barbarians would have such a weapon. The elves did not have time to cast any powerful magic. Metal shrapnel and strong gusts assaulted the wind dragons, tearing holes into their wings. The Elven dragon knights fell one after another.

"We did it!"

"Not yet, there are two more."

The two left were the better riders, since they managed to dodge the "little flying snakes" attack and proceeded to close in on them before casting magic.

The riders' Ancient Wind magic whipped up a tornado, slamming into their direction, but Kirche and Colbert nimbly dodged it.

The tornado crashed into the deck and created a huge hole. Its sheer power scared Kirche nearly to death. As expected of Elven ancient magic, even while riding a dragon, they still managed to cast such an accurate magic spell!

"This is really bad."

If the elves came too close, Colbert and the others could only use magic to defend themselves. If they were to aim for the steam engines, then their plans would be ended prematurely. However, elves had the upper hand in magical battles.

The Elven dragon rides rose up into the air to cover each other's backs, before swooping down again to continue their attacks in a brilliant maneuver.

Colbert and Kirche casted their "Fireball" spell at the elves, but the dragon knights were too fast for them to land a hit.

Riding on Sylphid in the skies above the "Ostland", Tabitha surveyed the situation below her.

They took off into the air just as the battle started. Tabitha understood very clearly what it meant to be the only dragon knight in the "rescue team".

It was impossible for them to reach their full potential while on the ship.

To prevent the moonlight from shining on them, Tabitha masterfully manipulated the wind to turn the wind into a veil of fog around them. Even though this camouflage would immediately be exposed during the day, it was not as obvious during the night. The two Elven dragon knights had not noticed her while they were wrecking mayhem below.

"Little one, there's two more left, you know!"

"I know that."

"If we don't help them now, it will become very problematic!"

Tabitha calmly observed the two dragon knights. One of them was attacking the "Ostland", while the other circled above him and covered his back.

The dragon knights launched their assault as if they were dancing a duet, attacking and moving to the rhythm of combat.

She could not afford to attack without thinking ahead. If she was flanked by the other dragon knight while she was focused on attacking one of them...

"I cannot miss my first spell."

However, it was difficult for her to find an opening.

"If I were to disrupt their rhythm..."

Sweat appeared on Tabitha's forehead out of anxiousness.

Kirche desperately tried to return fire while dodging the Elves' attacks. However, it was impossible for her to land a blow on the elves, who were darting in and out through three dimensions. On the other hand, their spells repeatedly hit the hull of the ship.

"Are you okay!?"

Guiche rushed to her side.

"Isn't that obvious? We can't handle them!"

Colbert was trying his best to protect the propellers. Malicorne and Éléonore were at the helm so they were not able to use any of their spells, while Louise... was probably doing something somewhere.

She could only rely on herself and Guiche to take care of the dragon knights. However, since Guiche's magic affinity was "Earth", he would not be able to use his spells on the airship.

So, in the end she has to think of something on her own.

"What is that kid doing!"

Kirche directed her yelling at her petite blue-haired close friend. If they had Tabitha's magic here, this battle wouldn't be as hard...

Just then, she abruptly understood what was going on. Tabitha, with years of experience under her belt, would not have stayed around doing nothing, and she definitely would have thought of a plan.

"Ah, the sky!"

Kirche said, as she looked up into the night sky.

Tabitha must be waiting for a chance to strike up in the night sky. In that case, what she should be doing would be to...

Kirche shouted out.

"Guiche! Get in the air!"

"Eh? What! Wouldn't I be unable to use any other magic while I'm casting the 'Flying' spell?"

"It'll be alright, Tabitha will think of something, so just go!"

Kirche pushed Guiche off the deck.

"What do you think you're doing? Ah, ah, I'm falling!"

Just as he was about fall of the deck, Guiche began to chant the "Flying" spell, so he slowly floated in the air. Kirche also jumped into the air after him.

Guiche tried his best to fly, but the dragons were much more adept at doing so than him. It was like fighting against a shark in the water.

"Whoa! They're coming to me! They're coming to me!"

Guiche struggled in the air, like a dog swimming in the water. He could see the elf on the dragon raise his hand while chanting a magic spell.

"Stop! Don't do it! I can't swim!" He started shouting out nonsense...

Suddenly, the dragon's body shuddered, as a massive ice arrow went through its skull.

"An ice spear? From whom?"

The dragon lowered its head and plummeted to the ground with its Elven rider, and in its place was Tabitha who descended with Sylphid from above.

"Oh! Oh! Isn't that Tabitha?" Guiche exclaimed ecstatically.

"As expected as knight of the North Parterre, seizing the chance and striking immediately!"

Kirche murmured after she witnessed one of the dragon knights fall off the sky. The dragon knight who was chasing after her looked away with a surprised direction on his face. Kirche immediately stopped the "Flying" spell, and her body succumbed to gravity. However, as a veteran in magic battles, she quickly began to chant another spell.

Kirche triumphantly unleashed a "Fireball" towards the dragon knight whose attention was diverted by Tabitha and Sylphid. It did not veer off path and hit the wings of the dragon, causing it to burn up.

The wind dragon could not resist the heat and opened its mouth wide, only for Tabitha's "Ice Spear" to pierce through its head. The dragon knight slowly fell down from the sky.

After a few seconds, Kirche felt that her body became unexpectedly light. Sylphid swiftly flew to her and picked her up. Kirche gently sat on Sylphid's back.

Tabitha looked in front of her with a deadpan look on her face.

"Nice work." Kirche caressed her close friend's forehead with a kind look on her face.

[[Image:ZnT20 191.jpg|thumb|]]

Three hours after they defeated the dragon knights, the night deepened further. Clouds concealed the twin moons, and darkness engulfed the land.

Malicorne and Éléonore rotated the responsibility of taking the helm, Colbert worked on the engines which had been weakened due to the elven dragon knight's magic, Kirche was keeping watch of the rear deck, while Guiche was doing the same on the front deck.

Éléonore, who was currently in charge of the helm, gave a worried sigh.

"After breaking into the elf's base, would I come back alive..."

Malicorne answered absentmindedly,

"Mm, well, we did bite off more than we could chew anyway."

"Don't say things like that. Aren't you a man? Think of something, would you please."

"Ha? What are you talking about? Why do I have to think of something just because I'm a man? There isn't such a thing as chivalry during these times, is there? Big sis, you know, maybe the reason that you've lost your chance to live a blessed life was due to that thinking of yours?"

"Who did you say lose her chance to live a blessed life, huh!?"

"Um, well, you got your engagement canceled and all."

Éléonore's eyebrows twitched.

"If I were not at the helm now, you wouldn't be standing up for long."

"Yeah, yeah." Malicorne said dreamily. "As I was saying..."

"Don't joke around. Be vigilant of what's happening around you."

"Hey, I'm vigilant. How about big sis you stay focused on your job..."

Just then, a scream came from Guiche, who had been keeping watch in front.

"Ah! Ah! There's a huge warship ahead of us! They're aiming their cannons at us! Ah!"

They were probably contacted by the patrol fleet, and stayed here to ambush them after predicting their path. The warship formed an eerie scene as it was gradually revealed by the moonlight under the dark sky.

To say the truth, it was a completely different ship as compared to the patrol ship before. It was enormous, sporting a total of four cannon towers on the deck, two on each end of the ship.

Each cannon towers had two turrets, so all in all there were eight cannons. There was no other word than horrifying to describe the feeling of having all eight large caliber cannons pointed towards them. If they were hit by it, without its armored hull, the "Ostland" might shatter into pieces.

"What is that thing..."

Éléonore said, trembling in fear.

Malicorne's breathing quickened when he saw her like that. So it was something innate after all.

"What happened? Oh big sis, it's so scary, so very scary. Are you afraid of that big warship?"

"Ha? Don't joke around, think of something! Fatty!"

"Then why don't you say 'Ah, the warship is too big for me to handle!'?"

"What are you joking about right now!"

"I'm not joking. It's because I want to hear big sis say 'Ah, the warship is too big for me to handle!', you know. You don't want to say it?"

"Y-you...!"

"Old hag. How about 'Ah, the warship is too b-big for me to handle...!'?" Malicorne said this into Éléonore's ears while breathing excitedly.

"As I was saying!"

"Alright, alright."

"No, it's not alright at all!"

Oh? Malicorne muttered as he saw what was happening in front of him. "Ah, they seemed to have fired their cannons at us."

"Ah, the warship is too b-big for me to handle...!" Éléonore, spooked by Malicorne's heavy breathing, screamed as she turned the helm a couple of times around.

The "Ostland" creaked as it made a sudden U-turn.

Meanwhile, in that instant, the main cannon of the Elven warship fired.

The cannon shell that had been fired by the Elven warship brushed the hull of the "Ostland" which had just changed its direction, and flew past it.

"It missed!" Guiche's shout from the front end of the ship failed to reach Éléonore's ears. The fat boy beside her who was holding on to the helm tightly looked like he was going to faint.

"You! If you dare to even joke again now..."

"Ah, that's not what you said, was it? 'Ah, the warship is too b-big for me to handle...!', right? Okay, now tell me! Which is bigger, this one or the one before!" Malicorne continued to say this into Éléonore's ears. Goose bumps rise up Éléonore's spine, and she spun the helm quickly.

During this time, the Elven warship continued firing at them, but unexpectedly, none of the shells hit the "Ostland", which was swerving wildly left and right. Somehow her haphazard steering managed to allow the ship to miraculously evade all the cannon shells.

However, everyone on the "Ostland" rolled around the deck each time the ship turned around.

"What kind of steering is this!" Kirche yelled from the quarterdeck. Of course, Malicorne and Éléonore could not hear them.

After the "Ostland" dodged each cannon shell from the main cannons, it whizzed past the top of the warship.

The Elven warship was not able to react within such a short time at that speed.

The Elves would never have thought that a barbarian ship would be able to fly above them. A normal sail-ship could not be compared to the nimble and fast "Ostland", so the Elven warship was tricked.

"Now is our chance!"

Colbert pulled another lever in the quarterdeck, opening the belly of the "Ostland", and barrels of explosives rained down onto the Elven ship.

The barrels of explosives exploded when they crashed into the deck of the Elven warship. While this was not enough to sink it, it managed to destroy all of the cannons on the warship, and fire spread rampantly across the deck, so they were in no condition to fight.

The "Ostland" ignored the flaming elven warship and continued on to Adyl.

Louise trembled alone in a room within the ship. The sounds of the cannons, and the constant movement of the ship made her terrified.

Everyone was joining the fight, so she could not just stay in the room and tremble alone. Even though she thought this way, she could not move at all.

"Just as I thought, I can't do anything without Saito."

She could not summon her courage. If she did that, malicious thoughts would engulf her mind, she could not take it anymore. That group of elves, after they had captured Saito, they would not just leave him alone, right? They would have taken away his sanity, and he would be just like a doll now...

She did not want to see Saito like that. If she saw him like that, she would probably also lose her mind. Even if they fought so valiantly now, even if they managed to fight their way through...

"To see Saito, who has lost his sanity."

"It's going to be alright." She kept repeating this to herself, but that image simply would not leave her mind.

Why didn't she just, before seeing Saito like that... Once she thought of this, she lost every once of her courage to even continue thinking about it. If it was like that...

Just then, someone slammed the door open.

"Siesta..." the person who came in was Siesta. She held a plate of bread, meat and wine.

"Okay! Time to eat!" Siesta said that with a cheerful tone that she had never lost no matter what situation she was in. Louise shook her head nervously.

"N-now is not the time to be eating, right? Isn't everyone else still fighting..."

"The fighting has stopped, you know, for the time being at least. Now, everyone is eating. Okay, didn't I tell you before that you can't fight if you're hungry?"

Louise stared at the food before her. It had been prepared in such a way that they did not require forks and knives to eat it so they could eat it in battle. There was boned meat and bread, that had been cut into bite-sized pieces. Even so, she did not have any appetite at all.

"Thank you for your concern, but it's alright."

Siesta shook her head when she heard Louise say that.

"Don't be like that. I don't care if anybody else doesn't want to eat, but Miss Vallière, you have to eat."

"Why?"

After that, Siesta said with a straight face, "That's because Miss Vallière is the core of this rescue mission."

Louise looked at Siesta with a dazed look, uttering: "I am... the core of this mission?"

"That's right, we can't afford to lose our cool now, can we? The only thing that could hold its own against those scary elves is Miss Vallière's magic. Even though we managed to escape successfully just now, we won't be able to save Saito at all if all we do is to escape."

After hearing Saito's name, tears began to flow out of Louise's eyes, and with that, she began to sob.

"Even if we manage to save him... it won't be the Saito of before anymore... they wouldn't just leave him alone like that, right? They will also take Tiffania's sanity away, won't they... maybe they don't even know who I am anymore..."

Siesta gripped both of Louise's hand tightly, and Louise cried even louder.

"I don't want to! I don't want to see Saito like that, I don't want to at all..."

"Even then, it won't be too bad, right?" Siesta said, with a gentle voice. "Even if he has lost his sanity... Mr. Saito is still Mr. Saito, isn't that so?"

Louise fixed her gaze on Siesta.

"The three of us will live on happily in Des Ornières. If the Pope and everyone else says that it is troublesome for him to be like that, and they want to take his life away... I will pick up my frying pan and fight against them. Miss Vallière, wouldn't you fight with me too? It's likely we will lose anyway, but in that case everyone would rise up to the heavens together, hand in hand."

Louise looked at Siesta for some time, before chewing her lip, and wiping the tears in her eyes away.

Louise felt a little ashamed of herself. Even Siesta has made up her mind...

"Sorry, Siesta."

"Why are you apologizing to me?"

"Even though... I'm a noble, even though I am a 'magic user', even though I have control of surprisingly powerful magic..."

"Yeah, because I don't have all those abilities, so I can just say these things easily. If I have some impressive power, I probably will just crumble under the pressure. And that's why I'm grateful just to be a normal person."

Louise quickly rubbed her tears away, and stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to fight. I can't just let everyone else fight, I won't!"

Siesta then took Louise's hand.

"No, you can't. Miss Vallière's first job, is to finish this plate of food, then... preserve as much mental will as you can."

"I am, the trump card. The weak and good-for-nothing me, is the trump card."

"That's right. The weak and good-for-nothing Miss Vallière is our trump card, and Miss Vallière is so useless that God granted you this power. Can't you please be more useful to everyone? You're only worth that much because of this power."

Louise could not help but smile at this. "I'm so insignificant, eh."

"You've got that right. No matter your breasts, or your personality, or even the value of your life, they're all so small. What did Saito even see in you?"

"I'll, definitely not be good-for-nothing anymore."

"I think so too."

Louise nodded, and took the tough bread in her hands before biting hard into it. It was flavourless, she had no appetite, but she gulped it all down with a glass of water.

"Fuah!" And with that, Louise began wolfing down the food.

After eating up everything, Louise said slowly.

"Thank you. I've eaten my fill."

"Okay, then let's talk about the future."

"The future?" Louise uttered, looked dumbfounded for a while. "Even if the situation looks so bleak now?"

"Yes, this bleak situation is why we have to talk about the future. We should talk about something happier, be honest with each other and talk about nonsense. Even if we put on such a serious face, it won't change the situation we're in at all."

At this time, cannon fire could be heard again. The "Ostland" suddenly changed its direction. Both Louise and Siesta slammed against the wall.

"Talking nonsense at this sort of time?"

"Of course. Wouldn't that be fun? Just before I die, during the last instant of my life, I still would like to be doing something interesting. Or something like that." Siesta said with an overbearing voice.

Is she serious? However, thinking about it lit something up in Louise's mind.

Louise burned with the desire to antagonize the cheerful and brainless person in front of her.

Didn't Saito take me as a peach-haired fool too? Louise thought.

There was no reason for her to lose to this bubbly idiot. Louise took in a deep breath, and said with a radiant face. "That guy... is deeply in love with me, you know?"

Siesta smiled. "Yes, of course. Even though I don't know what he sees in you."

"After this battle has ended, I'll let him do all sorts of gentle things to me."

"What gentle things do you mean."

Louise whispered into Siesta's ears. Siesta wrinkled her nose and poohed.

"... Miss Vallière, you're so cruel."

After that, Siesta also whispered into Louise's ears, making Louise's ears turn red.

"W-what did you say! Are you crazy!"

"Miss Vallière, that's you. Anyway, as a reward for cheering you up, I want three days out of each week! Lend me three days, okay?"

"Ha? Two days! Three days is too long!"

"... you stingy girl."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Well, because that guy is deeply in love with me, he might not even go to your side during those three days."

"Go to hell."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything."

In the midst of endless cannon fire, the two girls chatted non-stop gleefully about the man they loved.

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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter7|Back to Chapter 7]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
|[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter9|Forward to Chapter 9]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume20 Chapter7

2017-01-16T18:53:12Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 7 : Onward to the Land of Elves */

===Chapter 7 : Onward to the Land of Elves===
Above Halkeginia, the "Ostland" soared above the skies. The Gallian airspace was controlled by Romania, so they could only travel through Germania, the country where "Ostland" was made.

Louise stood on the bow of the ship as she surveyed the land on her east. During the journey, she had always been there when she was not asleep.

She looked just like a saint from the legends. A holy maiden, guiding the ship on the scared path as it navigated through the sea of clouds toward unknown lands...

However, Louise's friends felt worried sick when they saw her do this.

No matter how one thought of it, Louise's emotions should have fluctuated a lot.

Saito has been caught by the elves, and he might have lost his sanity, it was impossible... for Louise to stay calm while knowing this. It was not just uneasiness that was gripping her heart.

They never knew when Louise might jump off the ship out of despair.

"Is she alright? She has been looking like that since then." Malicorne asked out of concern.

It has been ten days since the "Ostland" left Des Ornières. The journey through Germania should only take them three days, so they would have been flying above the desert now if they had taken the route past the forest and plains of the "Unexplored Lands", a place devoid of civilization. However, since they had to replenish wind stones mid-way, and there were problems with the engines, they had spent quite some time at a Germanian port restocking wind stones and repairing the engines.

During this time, Louise was still the same. She was not showing any signs of emotions such as anger or anxiety. She simply looked to the east silently.

"Mm... She might be having suicidal thoughts."

Guiche remembered when Louise jumped off the Tower of Fire when she thought that Saito had died, and shook his head.

"I only managed to save her that time because I made a statue of Saito... but it won't be possible to use that idea again this time."

"Hey, we should try to console her, don't you think so too?"

Malicorne spoke with a kind smile on his face as he patted Guiche's shoulders.

"Er... I think it's better if you didn't do anything."

"What are you talking about? I'm the best in the world in consoling girls. The king of consoling girls, Malicorne de Grandpré. There was a long of line of girls who got consoled by me back in Tristania."

"Enough with your bragging. However, Louise is really worrying me, we should think of a real way of helping her.", Guiche thought. He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"What bad things are you guys talking about now?"

A sharp and intimidating voice was heard. They turned around to find a tall slender bespectacled woman standing there.

"Big sis! It's my big sis!"

Malicorne dashed forward to hug her, but Éléonore sidestepped him before gracefully sweeping out her leg to kick him in the stomach with the tip of her feet.

"Oof...!"

Malicorne sunk into the deck like a squashed toad.

"Didn't I tell you before,"

Éléonore kicked his stomach again.

"Not to call me,"

Éléonore put all her weight onto her feet when she stepped on his arm.

"Your big sis!"

Finally, she planted her leg into his face; causing Malicorne to convulse in pain. Éléonore turned her head towards Guiche without even sparing a look at Malicorne.

"Tell me now."

"It-it's not something bad! We're just discussing about whether we should console Louise. Really."

Guiche explained while sweating profusely.

"Seriously! How would idiots like the both of you console her at all?"

Éléonore squinted at them while saying that.

"You're absolutely right. We're nothing but bugs under big sis' feet..." Malicorne said while rolling on the ground in pain.

"Alright, just leave this to me."

"Is this true! Am I blessed enough to see big sis' special consoling skill!"

Malicorne jolted upright, while blabbering excitedly. Éléonore promptly walked towards Louise. Guiche and Malicorne followed behind her uneasily.

"Louise." Éléonore yelled out, and Louise turned around. Guiche was so nervous that he held his breath.

Louise looked extremely calm, like she had achieved enlightenment. However, the atmosphere surrounding her made it feel like a facade that she had forcibly put on herself.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Éléonore?"

"Listen to me, Louise. He isn't the only man on earth. Half of the population are men anyway, so buck up."

"That is the worst way to do it." Guiche accidentally blurted his thoughts out of his mouth.

"That's so cool... pushing her off the edge in an instant... she really is my big sister..." Malicorne breathed heavily while staring at the sisters.

"Eh? Eh?" Louise looked surprised, but Éléonore did not stop there.

"In the past, I also had someone whom I've entrusted my future to. Count de Burgundy, I'd once thought that he was my soul mate... so I was extremely hurt when he canceled the engagement. However, as time went on, I came to an understanding. Love, is really something like the measles. It comes as fast as it goes."

"Mm."

"Talking about personal experiences will just irritate the person you're consoling, won't it?"

Guiche and Malicorne nodded at each other. However, Louise smiled weakly at Éléonore.

"Thank you, Éléonore. I'm grateful that you tried to console me, but I'm fine, really."

"Louise?"

"This isn't the first time I've met with such a desperate situation. However, that guy has always managed to come back to my side while smiling. He only belongs at my side, and I belong at his. This is not just an excuse, this is our predetermined fate. So, it'll be alright this time too."

Éléonore sighed. Guiche, being a sensitive guy, was so touched that he cried.

Malicorne mumbled, "Louise is right, that guy is surely alive somewhere."

"Malicorne."

"I am moved by the love between you and him. I'm so sorry for saying that you're the 'Zero', and for taking you as a fool before."

"It's alright. I'm also sorry for saying all those horrible things to you, for kicking you, and for hitting you back then. I'm really sorry."

"What? Don't worry about that. Right, even though I think that guy will be okay, I'm still worried about something."

"Worried?"

"Mm. It's just, wasn't Miss Tiffania also captured?"

"Yes."

"Listen up, Louise. You have to stay calm where you hear this. In that kind of extreme situation, it's easier for a man and woman to grow closer to each other."

"This seems worth listening to." Louise moved closer to him.

"This might just be my imagination. Um... Well, something like this could happen. 'Ah, Saito, is the end for us?', 'Don't say stupid things like that Tiffa, don't give up so easily.'"

"Go on."

"'Saito, could you hug me.'"

"Wait a minute. What does 'Don't give up' have to do with 'Saito, could you hug me'?"

"Listen up, Louise." Malicorne nodded seriously. "This is an extreme situation, you know. So of course this will happen. 'Tiffa, your chest is so big. It's so much larger than Louise's', 'Ah, Saito. Saito! 'Ah,' 'It feels so comfortable, a chest larger than Louise's'. Ouch!"

"Can I hit you?"

"How about asking that before you hit me?" Malicorne said, as he rubbed his nose.

"The situation you're speaking of won't happen."

"Fine. It's just something I'm worried about." Malicorne gave a deep sigh.

"Those huge breasts, I've always been thinking about how Saito dealt with them, how do I put this..."

"How do you put this?"

"Anyway, I definitely will ask Saito what he thinks of it. Definitely."

"There's someone I wish dead right here."

"Don't praise me."

"That was not a praise."

"So, what would you do if that happened?"

Louise placed her arms on her chest, and shook her head. "That won't happen. That guy is very much in love with me."

"How much in love?"

Hearing Malicorne's question made Louise realize that it was, in fact, herself who was very much in love with Saito. Her eyes were always on him, and she could not fall asleep without his kiss.

However, if she were to say this, she will be laughed at by Malicorne and the others. This will make her extremely angry so Louise simply brushed her hair conceitedly.

All she needed to do was to find a memory where she 'was loved'. Right, back in Des Ornières, when they made Éléonore angry, and got separated into different rooms...

That guy, dumped the maid and Tabitha, came to my room and hugged me by my shoulders so softly... Kyaa!

He even told me that, I was everything to him... Kyaa!

This is not good... Louise held her chest.

I am, really loved by him.

"Louise?"

"I'm very much loved by him, you know. What to do..."

From another's perspective, she was someone you had to give way to. However, this was a curse Louise cast on herself. This way, the confidence that she was the most beautiful girl on earth would well up in her heart.

"Compared to my love for Saito, Saito's love for me is much stronger. What a fool... What should I do if you're so in love with me? My love for you, is only as large as a pin head, you know. It is as large as the head of an ant."

"However, your love for me, is as large as a dragon's head."

The strength to stand tall no matter what kind of negative situation she was in, filled her heart.

"That guy, is very needy when we're alone together, you know. He'll keep looking at me. And then ask me something like 'could we kiss'? But I'll reject him, if I'm not in the mood for it. Guess what he would do next."

"I don't know."

"He'll kneel down and beg me."

"No matter how I think of this, he'll never do that."

"Oh, it's the truth."

Louise suddenly prostrated herself on the deck.

"Master Louise~ oh Master Louise~ those soft alluring lips of Master Louise~ please allow this stupid dog~ this stupid dog to use my lips to touch them just a little."

After noticing so many eyes on her, Louise's face instantly turned beetroot.

Besides Éléonore, Guiche, Malicorne, Kirche, Colbert, Siesta, Tabitha and Sylphid had also gathered around her.

Louise blushed brightly when she noticed everyone was watching her with dumbfounded faces. If this was the Louise from before, she would have rushed back to her room and hid herself under the blankets out of sheer embarrassment.

However, Louise has changed .

She puffed out her chest and said,

"Humph, that's how much he loves me. So as his reward I will go and save him."

Everyone there broke into laughter.

"That's right. You can't simply let go of such a nice guy, who fell in love with a meddlesome woman like you."

Guiche shooked his head as he said that, displeased.

"Hey, what are you talking about? Saito will be fine. He must be somewhere with Tiffania, alive and well." Siesta said with a lively face. She had always believed in Saito. She had the faith that he will not lose to anyone.

"That's right." Louise nodded.

Everyone understood the emotions in their hearts very well. They were almost going to collapse out of anxiety, and everyone was so scared that they did not even know what they have become.

So they were trying so hard to cheer themselves up.

They want to comfort themselves up, but they did not know how. Malicorne, along with Guiche... Even Éléonore too.

Louise thought, "Yeah, I cannot be depressed any longer. How can I lose! At the very end of this ordeal, I have to trust that guy even more. It will be alright."

Saito and Tiffania.

I will rescue the both of you. Louise told herself that confidently.

Even so... It was not enough to expel the anxiety in her heart. No matter how she tried to cheer herself up... The horrible thought that "something bad might happen" rapidly took over her mind.

She could never get rid of that feeling.

Her mind, once filled with hope, will instantly be corrupted by a sense of despair, colouring her baseless sense of "hope" black.

Once the feeling of uneasiness took hold of her, she will lose all of her haughtiness and confidence.

This process has repeated countlessly throughout the whole week... Louise's heart was at her limit.

Colbert frowned a little after he noticed that Louise sighed as she turned away. He then tried to use a calm voice to tell everyone, "Alright then, everyone, can you all see the river in front of us?"

Under the thick cover of clouds, they could see a river, which ran parallel to the horizon.

"After passing that river, we will finally reach the 'Unexplored Lands'. Well, that place isn't really controlled by the elves, but it falls under their influence."

Everyone tensed up.

"Well, Jean. What should we do from now on?"

Colbert looked around after hearing Kirche's question. Just like a teacher explaining the procedures of an experiment during a lecture, Colbert said with a straight face, "Well then, let me explain the battle plan. It is three hours to sun down. We will wait until night falls before we cross the river. After that, we will chart a straight course to Adyl, the capital of Nephthys."

Everyone took in a chilly breath.

"Is-Is this the battle plan?" Guiche spoke with a dazed voice. They were just charging forward like a wild boar. This cannot even be called a battle plan.

"That's right. We won't be able to use any of our tricks against the elves. The only weapon we have, the the speed of the 'Ostland'. As long as we're flying at maximum speed, no elven ship can catch up to us."

"And what about after we reach Adyl?"

"There is a gigantic tower there, called the 'Kasper'. Something called the 'Council' is located in it. I've never seen it, but it should be a building as noticeable as a castle. This ship, the 'Ostland', will keep storming forward until we reach it."

"And after that?"

"We will rush down the ship, and capture a high-ranking elven official, or anyone at all as our hostage, and then exchange the hostage for Saito and Miss Tiffania."

Everyone went quiet for a while upon hearing this.

"How... How are we supposed to do this... That's the stronghold of the enemy, you know? What were you even thinking? This is way too reckless. Have you ever thought about how tight security will be there?" Éléonore's eyes widened as she asked this.

Guiche also shook his head.

"Neither do the elves." Colbert said coolly.

"The idea that we would just go straight into their stronghold would never have crossed their minds too. The elves are very intelligent, so they will assume that we're actually some sort of trap and hesitate before taking action. In the eyes of the elves, we're nothing but barbarians, right? So, why don't we just go full barbarian instead?"

"What happens if this plan fails?" Éléonore asked.

"If that happens, we'll just die a meaningful death."

"That's too irresponsible!"

"That's why I won't force you to come with me. All of the staff on the ship has left at the last port. Just tell me now if you want to leave the ship. I could pilot this ship for about a day, even if I were alone."

Everyone got nervous, but nobody said anything about leaving the ship.

"Thank you." Colbert bowed as he expressed his gratitude, and left soon after that. Kirche followed behind him.

"What kind of plan is this." Colbert reprimanded himself while walking.

At the very least, they needed the blueprints of that building and an elaborate strategy, or it would be an herculean task for them to carry out the plan.

Not only that, they were going to save some people, whom they did not even know if they were captured or not, on an unknown land.

They did not even know who to capture as the hostage.

It was a desperate choice.

After leaving them, Colbert mumbled, while sighing, "I'm doing it right, aren't I? No matter how I think of it, we won't succeed. Maybe we'll all die. Even though I know it isn't good to have such pessimistic thoughts... but thinking this over calmly, there really isn't any other conclusion I can make. Seriously, these elves aren't a kind race at all. They won't show any kindness to their enemies. If it was just us, the chance of success is less than one out of a million. Betting on a plan that turns a hopeless situation into a situation where we have a millionth of a chance to succeed... I've been thinking this over and over again, what I'm doing is right, am I not?"

Kirche placed her hands on Colbert's shoulders and said, "To be right or not, that is not the question. The real question is, to do or not to do."

"That's very inspiring. However, I did make something clear. If I let go of this chance, I will regret it for the rest of my life."

"Me too." Kirche laughed.

"Everybody is like that, I guess. That's why they've stayed on. Rest assured, everything will go well. Even though there's no basis for this." After saying that, Kirche sighed again. "But, that kid, is she going to be okay?"

"Yeah..." Colbert became distressed.

"After all, in the end we have to rely on the kid's 'Void', right?"

"Mm."

"Even though she looked steadfast just now, but she's actually at her wit's end, right? Because she's the type to get easily depressed."

"I know that." Colbert was also bothered by this. The only real reason why this plan had a chance in the first place... was the fact that Louise could use her 'Void' Magic.

To defeat the elves in a head-on battle, they had to rely on the 'Void'. What if Louise was hindered by her uneasiness, and could not use her full power?

At that time, they would lose even that one millionth of chance.

However, it was useless no matter how he fret over it. The only thing that could give her some comfort was...

Colbert stopped in his tracks, and told Kirche, "Could you ask that maid... Siesta, to come?"

<noinclude>
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|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter6|Back to Chapter 6]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
|[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter8|Forward to Chapter 8]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume20 Chapter6

2017-01-13T06:25:34Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter 6 : Joint Committee on Holy Land Restoration */

===Chapter 6 : Joint Committee on Holy Land Restoration===
The capital of Gallia, Lutèce. A meeting about forming the 'Joint Armies of Holy Land Restoration' was being held in the Versailles Palace located in the suburbs.

Sitting in the main seat of the spacious conference hall was the pope, Vittorio Serevare. Julio, acting as the pope's assistant, stood behind him like his shadow.

The recently crowned queen of Gallia, Josette, ceded the main seat to the pope and sat on the right side even though this land was her dominion.

However, she was currently occupying the throne under the name, "Queen Charlotte". Josette was actually the twin sister of Charlotte, also known as Tabitha, but to avoid strife, this fact has not been made known to the public.

Meanwhile, Henrietta sat on the left side of the pope. On her side was the Germanian emperor, Albert III.

Generals and ministers from each nation took the rest of the seats all the way to the other end of the table.

A heavy atmosphere hung in the conference hall. The first one to break the silence, was Albert III of Germania.

"Your highness, I have a few things that needed some explaining, would that be alright?"

Albert said, maintaining his haughtiness before the pope.

"Please go on."

"Since we are discussing about creating the joint army to reclaim the Holy Land, do we really have a chance of winning if we just attacked the elves head-on?"

"This is not about having a chance of winning or not. We're about to lose our homes."

"Even if you say that, if we were to simply declare war without thinking it through, it won't end well for us. You should know that doing this recklessly will not only cause our destruction, but also accelerate our own extinction."

"We have a trump card of our own."

"Ah."

Albert III deflated immediately.

"And what will that be, exactly? I've heard rumours around. About the revival of the real 'Void Users'."

"That's exactly so."

"The legendary element, 'Void'. If this is true..."

Albert looked around him, only to see that everyone looked serious. Mm...he nodded while stroking his beard.

"So it's true then."

After that, he put on a serious expression himself.

"Why aren't you surprised?"

Henrietta asked, a little shocked.

"Did you wish for me to be surprised?"

Henrietta hung her head in shame after he said that. She had always treated him as a fool in her mind.

"Well, I mean, in this day and age we have continents floating up into the air, so it isn't a stretch that legends turn out to be real. However, it's too early to placate me with just this fact. I'm not the same as the likes of you."

Albert III said that with the cold expression of a realist. He knew very well of the running joke that his country, Germania, was a country of nouveau riche boors. However, it was clear from his face that his aspirations never faltered in spite of the contempt others had for his people.

"In other words, you want to see the real power of the 'Void'."

Albert III's mouth curved up in a smile, as if he had been waiting for this question all along.

"It not only had the power to destroy the Albion air fleet completely, but it also could create large scale mirages in the air...Indeed, that's very impressive. However, we still don't know if this is even effective against the elves."

"Doesn't everyone here know that this is the power of the 'Void'?"

"Even for me, I have only witnessed it from far. However, as far as I know, it isn't possible to use the 'Explosion' spell that had destroyed the Albion air fleet anymore. This is due to the fact that using it will use up one's mental will! I'm not wrong, am I? I can't believe that such previous mental will was wasted in our infighting."

Henrietta looked at the pope uncomfortably. To tell the truth, she had similar doubts. The 'Void' magic that Louise and the pope was able to use is very strong, but will they still be able to use it against the elves in such a liberal manner?

There was also the question of how effective will it be if they used it.

In addition to that, Saito and Tiffania have been captured. Louise has also left to save them. In this case, there was only two 'Void Users' left, the pope and Josette. Is this really enough to form the joint army and reclaim the 'Holy Land'?

Albert III continued to press on and said,

"Your Holiness, what do you think is the determining factor in a war? Diplomacy and strategies... might be what you were thinking about, but these are all useless. It is only power, raw power that determines the victor of a war. I only want to know, if we are the ones holding that sort of power."

"Your Holiness, I agree with what Germania has said."

Henrietta was also thinking of the same thing.

"Not only that, we have a lack of 'Void Users'. Are we really able to win against the elves like this?"

"There's no need to worry about this. We've already set in motion plans of our own."

"Is this true?"

"Yes. I've already sent someone skilled on that."

Henrietta was extremely worried about them. For Henrietta, they weren't mere pawns of war, but her trusted friends.

If it were possible...

Since they were "captured", it means the elves did not plan to kill them. What about Louise, who had entered the land of the elves? She did not get captured too, did she?

I should have stopped her then, even if I had to tie her up by the neck, Henrietta thought as she chewed her lip.

"Could you please inform me as soon as possible if there are any new developments?"

"Certainly. Well then, I shall answer your questions. Even if the four of us could not come together, our own magic is still very powerful. However, since we can not use this magic at a whim, I can only ask you to trust us."

"And how do you expect us to do that!"

"The Gallian Queen, Josette, sitting has the power to cast a much powerful 'Explosion' spell than what Miss Valiere had done back then."

"So, you're saying that that spell can be used again without fail? And it will be of an even bigger scale?"

Josette, who has been silent the whole time, finally spoke up.

"Yes. I've learnt a few new spells, even if I have not cast them before. However, there is no mistaking this powerful feeling I have within me. As for its power..."

There was a short moment of silence in the hall.

"Can we take that as proof that you will not renege on your words?"

Josette smiled when she heard such a question.

"Well, if my performance can't satisfy you, then I shall cede half of my country to Germania. However, that is made under the assumption that we both still have land to rule over after this is over."

Albert III shot a death glare at Josette before taking in a deep breath.

"...Alright, I'll put my faith in your words."

Vittorio smiled as he nodded.

"Well then. We will be going deep into enemy lines to save our 'brothers', before reorganizing ourselves into a larger force and go straight for the capital, Nephthys to reclaim our 'Holy Land'."

"After that, we would be able to activate the dormant magic device, and save Halkeginia from its current crisis. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

However, Henrietta's sharp eyes caught a flash of gloom on Vittorio's face.

"...In other words, I could only wait for Louise and the others to return?"

"That is all you need to do."

The pop said with a tense face,

"We will create an diversion to increase our chances of success. We must attack them with haste!"

Hearing the pope's high-spirited words made Albert III laugh out heartily.

"Did I say anything strange?"

"No, not at all. It just that, hearing such fiery words eased my mind. I see, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Alright then, I'll do it. No matter what, we don't have a choice anymore."

"Alright then, I will leave the details of forming the joint army to you two."

Having said that, Vittorio stood up. However, he noticed that Henrietta still looked distressed.

"Is there anything worrying you?"

Vittorio asked.

"No..." Henrietta shook her head. Vittorio then left with Julio. Josette left shortly after them.

Henrietta watched Vittorio leave. She felt that he was hiding something from her.

"This man, has concealed something from us, and it seems to be something important."

Vittorio pressed his temple after he has returned to the room that had been prepared for him. He seemed to be thinking about something, and shook his head.

Julio smiled and spoke as he noticed his master's antics.

"Are you exhausted?"

"It's still early."

"You know, sometimes I'd like to just say the truth."

"Me too."

"How I would like to tell them that the 'magic device' doesn't exist at all, or that even if the four legendary familiars come together and use the absolute 'Void Magic', we still wouldn't be able to prevent the land from rising to the air."

"Ah, how carefully we guard these truths."

"And yet we're still claiming to retake the 'Holy Land'... No, because of that, that's exactly what we should do."

"Ah."

Vittorio nodded.

"A battle in hell awaits."

"Agreed."

The both of them looked at each other after that before breaking into sardonic laughter.

"Will we, be able to cope with all this?"

"We don't really know, until we've tried it."

Just as they were having such an conversation, Josette pouted as she said, "What're you guys babbling about? Isn't today an important day?"

"That's right."

Vittorio and Julio stopped laughing as they turned serious again.

Julio asked Josette, "Are you ready?"

"I've prepared everything. I don't plan to let anyone except Julio to be my familiar anyway."

Vittorio gently reminded her, "Josette, Julio is already my familiar, you know."

"I knew that. However, didn't your Holiness said before? A strong sense of longing, has the power to pull a familiar to my side."

"Mm."

"A long time before, when founder Brimir was summoning the fourth familiar...he managed to 'Re-summon' the elf girl who had already become a familiar. That's definitely because founder Brimir's loved her dearly."

"Yes, exactly so." Vittorio said so as he was reminded of something he wrote on the "Legacy".

That's right.

During the time when founder Brimir summoned the last familiar, he successfully summoned the elf girl Sasha, who had already become Gandálfr.

"The familiar of 'Zero', will only be summoned through two means. The first is 'fate', and the second is 'love'. Am I right?"

"Yes."

"Well then, it would be perfect if Julio became my familiar. Meeting Julio back in Saint Margarita's was my fate. Not only that, there is no one who loves Julio more than I do. This feeling of mine will never be lesser than what founder Brimir had felt."

"Is it really that powerful?" Julio asked with a mocking tone.

"Hey! Don't you believe me!"

"No...It's just that it's too hard to love someone that strongly. Maybe you've never thought that you actually don't love me that much. Didn't they say the love is just like measles. It goes as fast as it comes."

"In other words, I'm obsessed with the idea of loving you? You're trying to say that this feeling of mine, is not 'love'?"

"No, that's not what I meant. I just want to say that the feeling of yours might not be that strong. Hey, Josette, I'm only saying this because I'm worried about you. Wouldn't you be devastated if the familiar you summoned isn't me?"

After hearing this, Josette's expression turned somber.

"Devastated? If, the familiar I summoned isn't you, I will end my life right here and now."

"Hey, don't make such jokes..."

Julio suddenly noticed how serious Josette looked when she was saying this.

"I'm not joking about this. Isn't this what loving someone means? I've already decided this when I left Saint Margarita's. I will follow you all my life, because I love you. If my love for you isn't real, then that would also mean that my determination then was a lie. For me, there is no point in continuing such a life."

Josette took out pistol hidden in her dress.

"Hey, Josette, that is not a toy, you know."

"If, I can't summon you, if I'm unable to make the 'Gate' appear here, I'll shoot myself."

Julio silently thought about how he was going to remove the pistol from Josette's grasp.

"Don't come any further. Take one more step forward, and I will blast my head open immediately."

Vittorio watched her with amusement and laughed.

"You've lost, Julio."

Julio could only shake his head, troubled. He then swiftly unsheathed his sword.

"I understand. If the one that you summon is not me, then I will slit my throat with this sword."

"This is none of your business. This is only about the sincerity of my 'love'."

"You guileless child. The sincerity of your 'love', is also important to me. If the 'love' you speak of is not real, then there is no meaning for me to continue living."

A tear emerged from Josette's eye as she heard this. She was so touched that she could only mumble,

"I love you, Julio."

"I love you too, Josette."

Josette held the gun in her left hand as she lowered her head and chanted the spell. The runic melody of the 'Summon' spell filled the air around her...

Julio and Vittorio stayed hushed until the spell chanting was complete.

After that, Josette gingerly waved her wand. Even though only a few seconds has passed, Julio and Josette felt as if they have experienced an eternity.

With a crack in the air, as if to shatter the grave atmosphere surrounding them, a gate appeared in front of Julio...Josette collapsed to the ground.

"Josette!"

Julio rushed to Josette's side anxiously, and carried her up. Josette gradually open her eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm just exhausted..."

Julio snatched the gun away from her, and threw it to the corner.

"You foolish girl! Are you really going to die if the gate is not opened?"

"Of course I am."

Julio stood up, and walked through the 'Gate'. He appeared before Josette again. It looked just like he went through a plane of light.

Just as Josette wanted to kiss Julio, he stopped her.

"What happened?"

However, Julio did not answer her and instead looked at Vittorio.

"If no runes appeared on my chest, then that would be the case, right?"

"Yes. However, we could say there is zero chance for that not to happen. Josette substituted King Joseph as the new the 'Void User', and as such, the familiar should heed her summons."

"Just like how Miss Valiere had Gandalfr?"

"Mm."

"...Then I'm relieved. I don't fear dying for the Church, but I do have plenty of things that I've always wanted to do."

Josette looked confused and asked,

"What do you mean?"

Julio remained silent for a while before shaking his head.

"It's nothing. You don't have to worry about it, Josette. Let's proceed."

Josette continued chanting the spells.

"My name is Queen Josette of Gallia. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers, bless this humble being, and make him my familiar..."

And then, Josette kissed Julio.

Julio felt as if his forehead was burning and touched his forehead.

"Are you okay, Julio?"

Julio hugged Josette.

"It's alright...compared to the pain in my chest, this little pain on my forehead is nothing."

The pain on his forehead, bears the heavy truth that he is not "Lífþrasir". The heavy and painful truth burns in his heart...

Julio's heart throbbed in agony as he spoke softly,

"We've really, recreated founder Brimir brilliant achievement, eh?"

"Mm, the first summon was due to 'fate', and the second due to 'love'. We've repeated the miracle where founder Brimir fell in love with his familiar."

Vittorio nodded satisfactorily and said,

"Well then, the last one would be Tiffania's familiar...Ah, the irony of it all. The familiar of such a gentle girl, would be the bearer of such a cruel fate."

"All of these will be for us, the clan of the 'Magi'. No matter how cruel the fate, we will always have to accept it, for the benefit of the clan."

Julio closed his eyes, and spoke as if he was singing,

"How cruel this fate is, being the 'Void' that will be revived no matter how many times we get killed."

Vittorio agreed with him, and said,

"There is only one way to stop this."

"So, we could only rely on 'him'."

"Yes. If it were him, then he wouldn't make the same mistake as Sasha."

"True." Julio nodded his head.

"There's nothing to be worried about. He's a guy who stood in front of seventy thousand men to block them for Miss Valiere."

"In other words, a guy who would definitely die for the person he loves."

Julio looked out the east window.

"If only they could successfully save him."

"Definitely. I hope so too."

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter5|Back to Chapter 5]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
|[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter7|Forward to Chapter 7]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume9 Chapter6

2017-01-12T06:50:40Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter Six: The Feelings of The Queen */

===Chapter Six: The Feelings of The Queen===

As time flowed on, winter passed and spring came along.

Tristain was embracing the warm season.

Was it because of the reaction of the end of the war which had prolonged for 8 months? Be it in the streets or the Royal Palace, a somewhat gentle atmosphere was hanging in the air. The sentinels who were standing guard at the gate of the Royal Palace unintentionally yawned. The officers who should find fault with them were also gazing absent-mindedly at the sky, showing relieved expressions.

People walking down the streets brimmed with liveliness. Although Tarbes had burned down completely, most of the territory of Tristain was not involved in the war. The atmosphere due to the war was improving, various things started to overflow into the streets. As if to enjoy the transient festivity, merchants in the streets shouted at the top of their voice, and all the customers fished for and bought goods from Albion or other imported items.

On Bourdonné Street, which was crowded with people walking about, a pure white carriage sped past.

Flanked by two black coaches, one in front and one behind, and with a grand procession of knights making its way, the crowd knew that it had to be a majestic, high-class gentleman or lady.

Recognizing the lily crest across the coachman seat of the carriage, the citizens of Tristain rejoiced loudly.

“Her Majesty The Queen! Long live Her Majesty The Queen!”

It was the carriage of the queen of Tristain, Henrietta.

She was just returning from a luncheon with the King of Germania in a frontier city.

In the carriage, Henrietta opened a small window, and waved to the people outside. Having won the war, Henrietta was the popular focus of the citizens right now. The selfish citizens who complained about Henrietta's heavy taxation during the war began supporting her once again after their lives started becoming more comfortable due to the tax cut accompanying the end of the war.

“Long live Queen Henrietta of Honorable Poverty<ref>The Japanese word for this is seihin 清貧 which means 'living in poverty for the sake of one's pure conduct, not for one's self-interest.'</ref>!”

One person in the crowd shouted, and that cheer spread all over in a flash.

“Long live Queen Henrietta of Honorable Poverty! Long live Tristain!”

After being called "Queen of Honorable Poverty" repeatedly, Henrietta's face darkened a little. For the sake of easing the poverty of the country, she had abandoned all the personal belongings of the royal family- this move had made Henrietta even more famous. Henrietta hated to announce that to the people... but Mazarin who had heard this from the finance minister had spread the report out without hesitating.

Her face left the window... The curtains were closed, and Henrietta mumbled to Mazarin beside her,

“Isn't this just like... a cheap play sold to flatter the people?”

“Is this not good? No one is going to lose from it, after all.”

Mazarin said with a composed face.

“I do not want to use such things to garner popularity,”

Henrietta muttered with ladylike fastidiousness. But she did not say it out loud, her lips merely mouthed the words.

“I have been saying this all the while.”

“''Using whatever things which can be used is the basis of politics'', right? Do you still remember it?”

“If that's the case, fine.”

Henrietta closed her eyes. ''Even my kind heart had to be used as a tool to rule over the people... This world I plunged into, what a foul place it is.''

Despite the fact that the war had ended, Henrietta didn't have any leisure time because of it. Instead, at the moment, international relations were flourishing compared to the former days; she was pursued by more affairs than even during war time.

Uu... Henrietta lightly clasped her mouth. Apparently worried, Mazarin looked into her face.

“Your Majesty, what's wrong?”

“No... I feel a little...”

“Should I summon the Water healers?”

Mazarin asked with a seemingly anxious face. Henrietta shook her head.

“I'm fine. Sorry for making you worried.”

Her heart gradually could not stand all the affairs and the pressure, and started shrieking. ''I want to take a break somewhere'', even if she thought that, living as a queen, that could not be done.

During the war, she was sustained by the word "revenge." But it had ended... and what left was a large hole in her schedule, but stress was simply stress, and couldn't be used to fill in that large hole of hers.

At any rate, Henrietta was completely exhausted.

The townspeople's cheer towards a certain person continuously flew into the ears of the queen. By merely hearing that name, the gloom inside her heart cleared... Henrietta's cheeks lightly colored.

Ondine • Knight Corps of the Water Spirit which was being led by Guiche and Saito was also given the duty of escorting the return journey of the queen from the luncheon.

Although it was an "escort," it contained a substantially formal factor. In short, it was the debut of the newly established knight corps.

They rendezvoused with Henrietta's troop at the gate of Tristania, according to the plan they developed some time ago, and marched to the palace together.

In accordance with the hierarchy of the Royal Palace, that array of troops was at the end of the queen's troupe, but the group members were full of vigor.

At the head of the line was Guiche, the commanding officer. Saito's horse followed behind, keeping a distance the length of a horse's head.

“Ah... But this is... huh...”

Lining at both sides of the road, Saito looked at the figures of the citizens, whispering. A chevalier's crest... Clad in the dazzling mantle on which a silver embroidery was sewn, with his features, Saito appeared to be an extremely weird existence. The people at the street stared intently at Saito who was carrying a sword at his shoulder instead of a wand and for some reason, spreading rumors sneakily together.

Beside him, Guiche turned towards Saito.

“What's the matter, Assistant Commanding Officer?”

“None of your business,”

Saito muttered, blushing. Changing suddenly from when they practiced, in this kind of place where everyone's attention was focused on them, Guiche became less reserved. An exhibition of his flamboyant character.

“Just like this. Look!”

Saying that, Guiche waved his rose. The dancing, falling petals fluttered in the air, drifting about... Afterwards, they transformed into doves. Rustling, the doves flew about in the air.

Cheers spread forth from the spectators along the street.

Triumphant, Guiche raised his head high, at which one of the onlookers shouted,

“Isn't that gentleman the fourth son of the Gramont household, Guiche-sama?”

At which someone "uhuh-ed" in approval.

“That's right! I heard that he took down a city and got promoted as the commanding officer of the knight corps as a reward!”

Cheers rose from everywhere, subsequently Guiche's name was called out repeatedly.

“Long live the Gramont family, Long live Guiche!”

At those cheers, Guiche waved his hand at them. And for this, he had specially prepared sakura flowers.

But... after all, the scattering golden flowers which had acquired cheers, at the next moment, was replaced by something else. All the eyes focused at Saito beside Guiche, who was carrying a sword at his back.

“Who is that guy? Isn't he carrying a sword at his back? A commoner?”

“A normal commoner like that, why is he mingling with the knight corps?”

Gossips started to fly about everywhere.

Eventually, an audacious feminine voice could be heard.

“What nonsense are you talking about! Everyone! Isn't that boy SAITO-KUN! Because he held back the army of seventy thousand alone, the allies were saved!”

It was Scarron. Swaggering, he looked towards Saito and waved at him. At one look, Jessica and the other girls of the "Charming Fairies" Inn were beside him, in a line. Scarron who was running a bar business had probably heard this rumor from the officers who went to his bar for a drink. Or maybe it was Siesta who had told him.

Anyway, at Scarron's words, the stir in the midst of the onlookers subsided.

Almost all the people knew about the evacuating allied forces and how they got rescued by Gallia's army which had suddenly participated in the war. And the fact that before Gallia's participation, someone stopped the onslaught of the 70,000 strong army which was like a raging billow...

Which unit of soldiers had stopped them? Or was it some mage soldiers who participated in secret? Or was it the reluctant bodyguards of Germania? Or was it really a knight who had stopped them, and who was really an elf? The rumors went on. All kinds of rumors flew about.

But how could this youth accomplish any of that...?

Sniggers escaped from among the onlookers.

“But, for a swordsman to become a knight... he must have achieved quite some feat!”

At that voice, the laughter lessened. Upon which, noisy and boastful arguments rose.

“Impossible! No matter how you think of it, he is just a commoner. He could not have done such a great thing!”

“Recently Agnes-sama who had become the commanding officer of the musketeer squad, wasn't she of a commoner's origin!”

At the townspeople's dispute, the owner of the white carriage decided to settle it.

A soldier who was waiting on the queen went near the window, and looked like he received a message... He rushed over to Saito, whispering something, two words, three words, and Saito who was in the maelstrom nodded.

He approached the white carriage with a tensed look.

As the attention of the onlookers and the escorting guards focused on it, from the window, a white and graceful hand held out. It was Queen Henrietta's hand.

Saito took that hand, and awkwardly kissed it.

A commotion rose from the onlookers.

As expected, that hearsay was really correct. If he did not achieve something like that deed, it was impossible for the queen to allow a guard from amidst the commoners to kiss her hand.

The onlookers' started shouting repeating,

“Long live Chevalier Saito!”

Receiving the cheering voices from the townspeople, Saito displayed a bewildered look. After returning to the rank of troops, Guiche whispered into Saito's ear,

“Hey, hey! Everyone is praising you right? You have to live up to their expectations!”

Nervously, Saito waved his hand.

At which the shouts of joy became louder still.

“I give up... If this is the case, I won't even step out to the streets.”

“Whhhaaat? The people would be weary of this soon. Tomorrow, they may somehow forget about you,”

Guiche whispered, as if he understood.

After closing the window, Henrietta stared at the back of her hand that she had allowed Saito to kiss just now, and heaved a depressed sigh. She then turned to look at Mazarin beside her. Maybe riding in the carriage was too tiring, as he started nodding off to sleep. Henrietta's teacher was not young anymore. Henrietta stretched out her hands to adjust the round hat of the aging prime minister.

''I have to be more firm. Firmer, firmer.''

Her heart was suffering from this heavy pressure again... Gazing at the back of her hand, her faint courage sprung up.

They arrived at the palace, and except for one part which was on duty, the rest of the escorting knight corps dispersed. Unconsciously, she searched for the Ondine with her eyes.

The Imperial Guard corps which had been established by Henrietta not long ago was having a friendly chat at a corner of the palace. Having just completed their debut, they were going to return to the Academy after that. Because they were required to undergo a year's training period before taking up any formal duty in the Royal Palace, they were not going to linger in the palace.

Among the knight corps, she discovered the black hair of Saito, whom she permitted a kiss at her hand. Even though she had the sudden urge to go to his side, Henrietta changed her mind.

Cabinet ministers and servants welcomed Henrietta who had arrived.

Without losing the dignity of a queen, she displayed a smiling face, and thanked their efforts.

Henrietta walked alongside her ministers down the corridor, while telling them her decision for each matter. Even as she was walking, work befell on her continuously. That was because Henrietta must fulfill her duties as the Queen.

As they were walking, one of the court ladies approached her.

“A visitor is waiting.”

“Visitor? Any visitor, no, be it an emperor or the Pope, invite them to the waiting room.”

The court lady whispered something in Henrietta's ears. Hearing that name, Henrietta displayed a smile of relief.

When Henrietta saw the person who was waiting in the living room, Henrietta's face brightened up suddenly. A smile which was rarely seen lately was displayed, and Henrietta tightly embraced the visitor who was waiting for her since some time ago.

“Aah, Louise! Louise! You should come once in a while to show me your face!”

“I want to do that very much as well. But the Princess is busy, I think...”

“If it's you, I grant you the privilege to come to this room at any time you want, Louise. Isn't that natural? You are my friend.”

Louise surveyed the room which had nothing.

“Everything here has really been sold, huh?”

She said in a lonesome voice.

“Yeah, that's right. For the duties of a queen, a place to sleep and a desk are enough.”

She said that, but the bed was left behind because of the Finance Minister's insistence that “he would oppose her sleeping on the floor, as expected.”

Louise realized the absence of the glittering "Ruby of Wind" on Henrietta's finger, and her eyes bulged.

“Princess, what happened to the Ruby of Wind?”

“Ah, I sold it.”

“What!”

“Because when I look at it, I recall things... Because of the feelings in the ring, I was spurred to go into a war. Consequently, now that the war has ended, I released...”

“What do you mean!?”

Louise let out a shocked voice.

“What's the matter? Louise.”

“That ring is... a ring necessary for the 'Bearer of Void.'”

“What do you mean?”

“Once I insert the ring, I become able to read the Founder's Prayer Book.”

“Aren't you the only one who could do that?”

While saying those words, Henrietta paled.

“Recently, didn't you receive a notice? At Albion, we were attacked by a 'familiar of Void,' and we met another 'Bearer of Void.' There is a possibility that other 'Bearers of Void' exist. And that person is unlikely to have a pure heart. If the ring falls into the hands of those who have a reason to use the power of Void...”

Henrietta was distraught.

“Aa, what should I do! If it's me!”

“Do you know who you gave it to?”

The one to which it was given to was Finance Minister De Muri. Henrietta quickly summoned him.

“Did you call me, Your Majesty?”

It seemed that he sensed something unusual about Henrietta's expression. It was an anxious voice.

“Finance Minister, the ring I gave to you...”

The Finance Minister grinned.

“Is it that ring? The memento of the Albion royal family, 'Ruby of Wind?'”

“That's it! The one I commanded you to sell, the 'Ruby of Wind' I handed to you. Do you remember who you sold it to?”

The Finance Minister produced a small box from his breast pocket.

“Is it this?”

The thing which appeared from the small box was the Ruby of Wind, as expected.

“When Your Majesty handed this to me, Your Majesty's face was not normal. Because of that, I held onto it. At any rate, I wanted to return this to your majesty for some time.”

“...Aah, you are a splendid person, Minister De Muri.”

“No... Because it is something filled with memories, I will never sell such a valuable thing. This is just like a part of the body.”

Leaving those words, the Finance Minister withdrew.

Henrietta gazed at the Ruby of Wind which had returned to her hand once again. From those eyes, a tear drop trailed down her cheek. This tear seemed to come suddenly of its own accord, Henrietta still had a dazed expression.

After realizing that she was overflowing with tears, Henrietta hid her face with both her hands.

“What am I... Only after my tears fell did I realize that I was relieved.”

Louise's face became serious, and placed her hand at Henrietta's shoulder.

“Princess-sama, you are getting tired. Why don't you take a day off and rest?”

“Thank you. The one who would call me to 'rest' is only you. But, I cannot do that. If I were to rest for a day, it is just as if some part of the country has stopped.”

Henrietta said, while patting Louise's hair.

“You make me envious, Louise.”

"What is your majesty talking about? Princess-sama, don't you have everything that I don't?"

"I believe that ...... actually not having anything is much more blissful than having everything. That's what I really feel, when I look at this ring."

Henrietta gazed at the 'Wind Ruby' in her hand and said. For a short while, she gazed at it...

“I haven't listened to the reason you came here for.”

Louise looked hesitatingly as if it became difficult for her to speak, before displaying a resolute expression.

“Um... It's about Saito.”

Henrietta, who was taken aback for a moment, returned to normal immediately.

“Even today, I have borrowed him. He is good and hardworking. A magnificent, gallant man. Aah, I should offer him an expression of gratitude...”

“It is about that gratitude. To receive Saito alone, sending the Varsenda vessel; conferring the rank of 'Chevalier'... giving the instructions for a servant for him, and allowing him to kiss your hand in the middle of the city...”

“....”

“Although this might not be appropriate... as a treatment to a mere chevalier, this is too kind. Your majesty treating him like that, do you have any other ulterior motives? This is what I am suspicious of.”

“...For example?”

“Using him for some dangerous duties...”

Dumbfounded, Henrietta stared at Louise.

“I? Using him for dangerous duties!? Never! How could I do such a thing! He is your valuable familiar right? Even if he becomes a noble, that would not change. The valuable person of you who is valuable to me, there's no way I would make him do dangerous things.”

“If that's the case, then it's fine, but...”

Henrietta hugged Louise tightly.

“As I thought, you are a gentle child, right? Same as during those days. He is... a great person, to me and the country... Yeah, he had displayed unparalleled loyalty. As a queen, I should reward this loyalty.”

“...But, Saito is someone from a different world. Someone who has to leave here sooner or later. Is it a good thing granting such an important task to such a person?”

“...That is something he had decided, Louise. To me, he is a necessary... errr, oh yeah, a necessary person. Because of that, I had done what I could. Even if he had accepted them, he has the freedom to repudiate them. When he was conferred the title of a knight, I had already said that.”

Louise nodded. During the ceremony in which Saito was conferred the title of a knight, he didn't swear allegiance to Henrietta and the mother country. So to speak, he was a free knight... if those words were the case... At any rate, Saito was not an ordinary knight.

Anyway, if he won't be going through anything dangerous, she had no objections any more. Louise bowed her head quickly, and withdrew.

“Aren't you returning together with Saito-dono? Now, he might possibly still be in the courtyard.”

Louise shook her head.

“No... because I didn't tell him that I was coming. So, I return alone as well.”

“I see. Take care. When you are free, come visit again.”

With a respectful bow, Louise withdrew.

When Henrietta sat down on her chair, she lifted her hand. Gazing at the Ruby of Wind at the center of her palm, the exhausted, young queen murmured,

“...Go love somebody else, you had said that. I had thought that I would not love anyone ever again. But...”

Mixed with sighs, Henrietta muttered,

“Whether this is love or not, I don't know. Just that, sometimes when I think of this, in my chest, a little fire is lit up.”

Someone knocked on the door.

“Who is it?”

“It is me.”

It was the voice of the secretary who managed Henrietta's schedule. "Please enter," she prompted. A lady in her thirties with her hair tied into a bun and glasses on her face entered the room.

“I would like to have the privilege of confirming your majesty's plans for the next two weeks...”

“Please.”

The secretary read out the plans one by one. The worst ones were back to back plans. ''Not being able to catch my breath, surely I would be like that. One of these days, my sleeping time would be scraped off as well,'' she muttered in her heart.

“Well then, on Freya's Day of the first week, there is a dining meeting with the ambassador of Romalia... On this occasion, please put on the Romalian formal dress. Consequently, within thirty minutes, please change your clothes.”

“Yes.”

Henrietta heaved a sigh, restrained her feelings, and as if she was not feeling even the tiniest speck of fatigue, answered.

“For the next day, the Day of Void... what do you plan to do?”

The secretary lifted up her spectacles, displaying a worried gesture.

“What do you mean, 'What do you plan to do?'”

“Umm... The plan is to attend the Ball of Sleipnir... should we cancel it?”

“Is it okay?”

Henrietta asked, in a tone as if feeling relieved. A resting day was more valuable than gold,

“Yes. Because it is just the welcome party of the new students at the Academy of Magic. Mr Osman, who had invited your majesty to this ball, probably has confused this school activity with that of nation's activity.”

A ball in the Academy of Magic...

Moreover, the Ball of Sleipnir was not an ordinary ball. Participants would masquerade as others. Further still, it was not to disguise by means of a mask and costumes.

Henrietta lifted her face.

“I will attend. Please plan accordingly.”

“If Your Majesty could attend it, certainly everyone would be happy... but if you take the day off as rest-”

The secretary, who knew above anyone else how heavy Henrietta's work was, said in a seemingly worried expression.

“The Academy of Magic is the place where the younger generation of nobles who carry the future of the country is educated... For those freshmen, there is a need to encourage them as well.”

She said this, and the secretary did not have any disagreements after that.

"The arrangements will be made."

With those words, she withdrew.

Henrietta sat on her chair once again, lifting up her hand. She touched her reddened cheek with her hand, and bit her fingernails.

<noinclude>

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

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| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter3 - MTL

2017-01-12T04:51:56Z

Eatmepls-Senpai: /* Chapter Three: The Founder's Prayer Book */

<noinclude>{{MTL-old}}</noinclude>

=== Chapter Three: The Founder's Prayer Book ===

Sir Osmond was staring at the book the palace had delivered and absent-mindedly twirled his beard. The cover, sheathed in old leather, was so worn out that it looked like it would tear from a single touch. The book's pages had a tawny color to them.

''Hmm...''

While muttering, Sir Osmond turned a page. Nothing was written on it. There were about three hundred pages in the book and they were all blank.

"‘The Founder's Prayer Book’ has always been handed down through the Tristain royal family…"

Six thousand years ago, Founder Brimir offered a prayer to God and wrote down his spells using magical runes as letters.

“Isn't this a fake?”

Sir Osmond looked suspiciously at the book. Fakes… they're all too common with ‘legendary’ artifacts. Apparently, only one ‘Founder's Prayer Book’ exists in the world. Rich nobles, temple priests, and royal families of all countries... everybody claims to have the real ‘Founder's Prayer Book’. But regardless of each one's authenticity, all of them were collected in the library as genuine articles.

“But if it is a fake, it's an awful one. All of the characters are gone.”

Sir Osmond had seen the‘Founder's Prayer Book’ several times before in numerous occasions. The runes always seemed to leap from the pages. However, he never saw a book with no characters like this one. Could it be genuine?

At that moment he heard someone knocking. ''I should hire a secretary'' Sir Osmond thought as he invited the guest into the room.

“It’s not locked. Please, come in.”

The door opened and a slender girl stepped in. She had pink-blonde hair and big, reddish-brown eyes. It was Louise.

“I heard you called for me, so…” Louise said.

Sir Osmond stood up and spread his hands, welcoming the petite visitor.

He wanted to thank Louise for her efforts from the other day,

“Oh, Miss Vallière. Have you rested after the tiresome journey? Your great efforts ensured the alliance's safety and prevented a crisis in Tristain.”

Sir Osmond said in a soft voice.

“And, next month in Germania, there will finally be a wedding ceremony held for the princess and Germania’s emperor. It's all thanks to you. Be proud of yourself.”

After hearing this, Louise's spirit momentarily faltered. Her childhood friend Henrietta was going to be used as a political tool and marry Germania’s emperor without love. Even though there was no other solution for the alliance, Louise chest tightened whenever she recalled the sad smile on Henrietta’s lips.

Louise silently bowed. Sir Osmond became silent for a while and watched Louise. Then, remembering that he had the‘Founder's Prayer Book’ in his hands, he held it out for Louise.

“What's this?”

Louise looked at the book with suspicion.

“The Founder's Prayer Book.”

“The Founder's Prayer Book? This?”

''It was given to the royal family. And it's a legendary book. But why does Sir Osmond have it?''

“According to tradition in Tristain’s royal family, when a royal family member is wed, one aristocrat is chosen to take the role of the bridesmaid. Following the imperial edict, the selected bridesmaid is traditionally given the ‘Founder’s Prayer Book'.”

“Uh huh.”

Louise, who wasn’t aware of such detailed palace etiquette, replied blankly.

“And the princess has chosen Miss Vallière to be that bridesmaid.”

“The princess?”

“That's right. The shrine maiden must also come up with a written edict when receiving the‘Founder’s Prayer Book’”

"A...ah! I must think of an edict?"

“Indeed. Of course, there is still certain palace etiquette that you need to learn… traditions can be rather bothersome. However, Miss Vallière, the princess is looking forward to it. This is a great honor. So follow the palace regulations and write the edict, because something like this happens only once in a lifetime.”

''Henrietta, my childhood friend, chose me to be her bridesmaid.'' Louise firmly looked up.

“I understand. I will obey respectfully.”

Louise accepted the ‘Founder’s Prayer Book’ from Sir Osmond’s hands.

Sir Osmond smiled, looking at Louise.

“You are willing to undertake it. Good, good. The Princess will be pleased.”

That evening, Saito was preparing a bath. Certainly, Tristain Magic Academy had a bathhouse. It was a Roman style bathhouse lined with marble. It had a huge swimming pool filled with perfume mixed in hot water, and it was said to feel quite heavenly. Of course, Saito could not enter; only nobles were allowed to use it.

The commoners' bathhouse, compared to the nobles' bathhouse, was rather shabby. The joint bathhouse for commoners looked like a hovel. It was placed on stones with fire burning underneath, the strong smell of sweat and the tightly pressed bodies only made one sweat more.

One day in that bathhouse was enough to make Saito disgusted. Saito, who was raised in Japan, set up a bath using a kettle filled to the brim with hot water. The sauna was just too unsatisfying.

Bothered, Saito asked Marteau, the head chef, for a big old kettle. He burned firewood below the kettle to heat the water, placed the wooden lid at the bottom of the kettle for him to stand on and voila! A hot water bath was created.

Saito made his personal bath in the Vestri Courtyard’s nook. It was convenient since people did not come often to this courtyard.

The day was coming to an end and the two moons appeared, shining faintly. Once the water was hot enough, Saito quickly threw off his clothes and sank into the big kettle.

“Aah... the water is nice and hot.”

He put a towel on his head and started humming a melody.

Derflinger, who was leaning against the wall of the kettle, called out to Saito:

“Does it feel good?”

“Yeah.”

“By the way, partner, why didn’t you take advantage of the young mistress a while ago?"

Saito threw Derflinger a tepid glance.

“Don’t look at me like that. It feels bad, partner.”

“Hey, legendary sword.”

“Indeed I am a legendary sword. What is it?”

“During the past six thousand years, did you find someone important to you to protect?”

Derflinger shook lightly.

“I do not protect. It is the one that holds me that protects.”

“You poor thing…” Saito said from the bottom of his heart in a sympathetic voice.

“Poor, you say? On the contrary, it is quite comfortable.”

“Is that so? By the way, what things do you remember about this ‘Gandálfr’? How great was he, and what kind of things did he do?” Saito, showing his inborn curiosity, asked Derflinger.

“I forgot.”

“Huh.”

“It was a long time ago. Besides, partner, someone is coming.”

A shadow appeared in the moonlight.

“Who is it?”

Saito’s call startled the shadow. It dropped something that it was carrying with a clatter. Under the moonlight, one could hear the sound of a breaking pot.

“Waaah, it broke… I'll be scolded again… sniff”

From that voice, Saito was able to recognize the person hidden in the darkness.

“Siesta?!”

Illuminated by the moonlight, the figure of a housemaid working in the Alviss Dining Hall - Siesta - appeared. She had just finished her work and, although she was still wearing her usual maid clothes, the kachusha covering her head was now gone. Her loose shoulder-length black hair shone glossily in the moonlight. 

Siesta squatted down to pick up the pot that she had dropped earlier.

“W-what are you doing here?”

Saito’s call made Siesta turn around.

“Uhmmm... today I was able to get some really tasty goods and I wanted Saito to try it! I would have given it to you in the kitchen, but you didn’t come today! Waah!” Siesta said in panic.

Indeed, there was a tray lying next to Siesta, an overturned teapot, and some cups. Surprised by the sudden call, it seemed like Siesta had dropped one cup.

“A treat?” Saito asked, still submerged in the bath.

Suddenly Siesta became aware of Saito’s nudity and, for a moment, averted her eyes in shame.

“That’s right. Some unusual goods came from the east town ‘Rub' al Khali’ today: Tea.”

“Tea?”

Tea was an extremely rare commodity. Siesta poured some from a teapot into a cup that was not broken and gave it to Saito.

“Thank you.”

Saito lifted it to his lips. The sweet aroma of tea tickled his nostrils. And when it was in his mouth, it tasted like Japanese green tea.

Saito suddenly felt overwhelmed with nostalgia. ''Aah, Japan. Dear mother country.'' In his big kettle bath, Saito spontaneously wiped the corners of his eyes.

“W-what’s the matter! Are you alright?”

Siesta bent over the edge of the kettle.

“N-no, I just felt nostalgic for a moment. I’m alright. Yeah.”

After saying that, Saito brought the cup back to his mouth. Though a tea and a bath made a strange combination, they both soaked Saito with longing.

“Do you miss it? That’s right, Saito-san comes from the east.”

Siesta flashed a shy smile.

“I... I probably feel that way. However, did you know that I was here?"

Saito’s words made Siesta blush.

“T-that’s, that’s. I’m just here because I saw you going this way with hot water and…”

“You peeped?”

Saito’s voice saying that was blank. Siesta hastily shook her head.

“N-no, I didn’t mean it that way!”

Flustered, Siesta tripped over the edge of the kettle and with a loud splash, fell into the kettle.

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

Siesta screamed, but her shriek was suppressed by the hot water inside the iron kettle.

“Are you alright?”

Saito asked in blank surprise.

“I-I’m alright… Wah, but I am soaked now…”

Siesta stuck her wet head out of the hot water.

The poor girl’s housemaid clothes were sodden. And when she became aware of Saito’s naked state, a furious blush spread on her face.

Saito panicked.

“S-sorry! Even though the bath is on a stove, it is still possible to fall in!”

“N-no, I’m sorry!”

Although she was apologizing, Siesta didn’t try to get out of the bath. Saito then decided to take a defiant attitude as well. He pretended in a somewhat manly manner that it was not big deal she was not getting out.

At such times, he tried to act in a calm and collected manner. ''Was it manly?'' Saito thought so. Which meant that Saito was a fool as well.

“Ufufu”

Siesta laughed still soaking with her maid clothes inside the big kettle. Though it wasn’t a laughable situation, she still laughed.

“W-what’s wrong?”

Perhaps his size was a laughingstock? Though it was dark and no one could see below the surface of hot water, Saito suddenly felt insecure.

“Nothing, but, it feels good. Is this how you bathe in Saito-san’s country?"

Feeling relieved, Saito answered.

“That’s right. Though, it is unusual to get in while wearing clothes."

“Ara? Is that so? Yet, if you think about it, that must be true. Well then, I’ll take them off.”

“Yes?”

Pop-eyed Saito asked Siesta.

“What did you say just now?”

Siesta, who is usually hesitant and shy, for some reason became bold. Slightly biting her lips she looked at Saito in a determined way.

“I said, I’ll take them off.”

“But Siesta? I am a man…”

Saito said dumbfounded.

“That’s alright. I know that Saito-san is not a person who would hurt me.”

Saito nodded, though he hadn’t heard a single word.

“No, oh my, don’t do such a thing…”

“But I also want to use this ‘Bath’ properly. It is nice.”

And, eh? Saito stared as Siesta rose from the hot water and started taking off her soaked clothes. Saito turned his eyes away in panic.

“S-stop it! Siesta! Wait a moment! This is awkward!"

However, Saito’s ‘Stop’ sounded weak, betraying his real thoughts.

“B-but I am dripping wet… The Chief would be mad if I return like this to the room. I think I should dry my clothes off on the fire first.”

Although she was usually obedient, Siesta could be really bold when she decided to.

The buttons of the blouse and the hook of the skirt were unfastened in a flash. It felt good taking off wet clothes.

Siesta took off her housemaid uniform and underwear and left them to dry on the firewood, close to the fire. After that, she stepped into the hot water again. Saito with the corner of his eyes watched the submerging Siesta’s legs. He had never seen Siesta’s bare legs, as they were always hidden behind the skirt. They were white and healthy. Aah, if only he could turn his face that way, he would be able to worship her entire body.

“Uwaa! It feels good! Sharing a bath this way, soaking in the hot water really does feel good! It feels like taking a noble’s bath. I am so jealous, but I can make it myself, right? Saito you are really smart.”

“N-not really.”

Saito answered, his face still turned away. It felt as if the hot water suddenly turned hotter. Next to him was a naked girl. In that sort of situation, Saito felt dazed and almost fainted. Siesta said with a shy smile on her lips.

“Please don’t be so shy. I’m not shy as well. It is all right to turn this way. Look, my breasts are hidden behind my arms… besides it’s so dark that you cannot see through the water anyway, so stay calm.”

Saito, feeling half-confused, half-happy, turned around.　

Siesta was sitting right before Saito, submerged in the hot water. Because it was dark, you couldn’t clearly see the body behind the surface of the water. He was somewhat relieved.

Yet, Saito took a deep breath.

[[Image:ZnT03-093.JPG|thumb]]

In the darkness, Siesta's wet black hair was glittering fascinatingly.

From a close look one could see that Siesta was actually a very lovely girl. He hadn’t noticed until now, but she was different from Louise or Henrietta, she was like the charm of a lovely flower, freely blossoming in the field. Her big dark eyes, friendly nature and tiny nose were charming and pretty.

“Hey, Saito, what kind of place is your country?”

“My country?”

“Yes, please tell me about it.”

Siesta innocently bent forward listening. Ah, when bending forward so much one could see, ah, aah… Saito fell backwards in panic.

“W-well! There’s only one moon, there are no magicians, that’s why they use switches to turn the light off, and they fly in the sky with planes…”

Because Saito was so incoherent, Siesta puffed her cheeks.

“Stop it. One moon, no wizards, are you making fun of me? Don’t look down on me just because I’m a village girl.”

“I-I’m not making fun of you!”

Saito thought that even if he told her the truth it would only confuse her. After all, the only ones that knew at the moment that Saito was from a different world were Louise, Sir Osmond and Henrietta.

“Well then, tell me the truth.”

Siesta looked up into Saito’s eyes. Siesta’s black hair and dark eyes wistfully reminded Saito of a girl from Japan. Of course, the face was different from a Japanese. However, a simple, nostalgic feeling still shot through Saito, making him flurry.

“R-right… We have different eating habits.”

Saito started talking about the distant Japan. Starry eyed Siesta listened attentively to his story.

Though it might have felt like a vapid talk, Siesta was eagerly catching every single word. And before they realized it, Saito and Siesta lost any track of time, as he told her about his hometown.

After some time passed, Siesta stood up covering her breasts. Saito hastily turned his eyes away. However, for one moment, he still saw Siesta’s breasts through a gap of her arms, and felt his nose bleed. Without a word, a thin trickle rolled down. Holding his nose, Saito looked the other way, while Siesta put on her now dry clothes and bowed her head thanking him.

“Thank you. It was very fun. This bath was great, and Saito-san’s story was amazing as well.”

Siesta said gladly.

“Can I hear it again sometime?”

Saito nodded.

After that, Siesta cast her eyes down with a blush, and shyly fiddled with her fingers.

“Well, err? The talk and the bath were great, but you were the most amazing…”

“Siesta?”

“Could you…”

“W-what?!” 

But Siesta ran away in tiny steps.

Such a thing happening with this girl from a foreign world felt like a joke to Saito, so he dazed off and snuggled in the big iron kettle.

After the bath, he returned to Louise’s room and found Louise doing something on the bed. Once she saw Saito, she hid a book in panic. It was an old, big book. 　

Why? Though, he didn’t worry so much about it since she was Louise. He might not have understood even if she told him about it. Besides Saito’s head was filled with the sight of Siesta’s body. What he saw through the gap of her hands was firmly imprinted in Saito’s mind.

Saito approached the laundry basket, while shaking off the worldly thoughts. He decided to start doing laundry right away. He planned on using the remaining bath’s hot water, so his fingers would not be cold.

However, the basket was empty.

“Louise, where’s the laundry?”

When Saito asked, Louise shook her head.

“Washed already.”

“You washed…”

And then Saito saw Louise. "Huh!?" He was shocked. Louise was wearing his nylon parka that he took off and left in the room before going to take a bath. Whenever Saito went to a public bath, he always took off that nylon parka and went there wearing only his T-shirt, because, right after stepping out of the bath, his body always felt too hot.

Louise was probably wearing it right over her underwear. Because the sleeves were too long and waist was too loose, it made it look like some weird dress.

“You, why are you wearing my best suit?!”

Hearing Saito, Louise buried her mouth behind his nylon parka. Louise, whose cheeks blushed for some reason, said.

“Because…after doing the laundry, I had nothing left to wear.”

“Nonsense! It’s full!”

Saito pointed to the closet. There were a lot of Louise’s clothes. Because Louise was a noble, she had many expensive dresses to choose from.

“Still, I wanted to try something else on.”

Louise, sitting straight on the bed, said in a sulky tone.

“Couldn’t you wear these casual clothes?”

Saito took a plain dress in his hands.

“I don’t want to wear something like that!”

“But these are my only clothes. Return them.”

However, Louise didn't try to take it off. On the contrary, she rolled sheets around her fingers.

“Well it is light and fits nicely. What is it made of?”

Indeed. Saito had to agree that it really fitted her rather nicely. Reluctantly, he decided to give up. In the room it was not cold, even if wearing only a single T-shirt.

“Nylon.”

“Nailon?”

“That’s a fabric from my world. It is made from oil.”

“Oili?”

“The plankton that is collected at the bottom of the sea is stored for years, and later becomes oil.”

“Pulankuton?”

Louise stared blankly at him, she looked like a child parroting Saito’s words. Her expression was unreadable as half of her face was hidden behind Saito’s parka. For a moment Saito thought that this Louise looked irresistibly cute.

Furthermore, Louise even washed for him. It was impossible. Saito became scared somehow. Up 'till now, such actions were unimaginable for Louise.

Her cheeks were red. Saito was concerned so he decided to check to make sure she wasn't ill and had a fever.

Louise got startled when Saito approached her. She trembled, and… turned away.

Trying not to think how she must hate this, Saito grabbed Louise’s shoulders and brought his forehead close to her. Louise’s body stiffened but she didn’t fight and quietly closed her eyes.

''Just as I thought, her body condition must be really bad'', Saito thought.

“It seems you have a fever.”

When Saito pulled his forehead away from hers, Louise for some reason clenched her fist in tightly.

“What is it?” he asked, as Louise turned away from him and after some quiet rustling snuggled under the covers.

“Hey,” Saito poked.

“Sleep,” Louise answered and became silent again.

''Wow, the fever must have eased up'', Saito thought as he crawled into his pile of hay.

It was quiet for a moment and then a pillow flew at him.

“What the…?”

Saito asked.

“Bring back the pillow I just threw. Didn’t I tell you to sleep in the bed from now on? Idiot.”

Louise’s sulky voice was heard.

He just couldn’t understand Louise’s mood, whether it was gentle or saucy as usual. ''What does it matter?'', Saito thought as he slipped into Louise’s bed.

Though Louise was stirring restlessly in her futon, she soon quieted down.

Now he could think about how the day passed. Anyway, now his head was filled with Siesta. Siesta’s parting words were repeated in his head again.

Siesta certainly said “The most amazing was you…”.

''Was it a confession? No, was she making fun? That’s not so. Am I popular?'' He wasn’t popular either. ''The only one who showed interest was Kirche, but it was surely because I am convenient.''

Aah, but, Siesta was cute. Although Louise was cute, too, Siesta had a completely different allure.

''Naive, simple, but honest. Unlike Kirche, she looked wonderful when taking her clothes off. Ghaah. T-that’s right. Nice. W-w-w-what. Damn. Beaten. I’m beaten.''

For something that he hadn’t considered much until that moment, the impact was huge. Fascinated by the girl, Saito started to think of the ways to return back to earth.

He would find it surely, even if he hadn’t even the slightest clue how.

Then, feeling dizzy, he started thinking about Louise. He loved Louise. ''But, because Louise is a noble she would never think of me that way. Besides I decided to protect her. This way I wouldn’t be that far from a lover.''

Still, to be lovers one would need to sway a girl… No, even Siesta might be only having fun. ''Aah, I guess that’s how it is.''

Becoming sleepy while thinking about various things, Saito fell into the happy sensations of the dream world.

Outside Louise’s room window, Tabitha’s Sylphid was floating. On top of which, as usual, Kirche's and Tabitha’s figures were sitting. Tabitha was reading a book in the moonlight. Kirche was staring into Louise’s room from the crevice of the window.

Kirche snorted.

“After all, it is not looking good.”

She remembered the blush on Louise’s face as she cuddled with Saito on the back of the dragon, returning from Albion. Louise seemed to not be her usual self.

“Really, he doesn’t treat me seriously? Every time I approach him, I get rejected, it makes me worried against my will.”

Until now, there was no man who would refuse courting her. It was Kirche’s pride. Truly, Kirche felt forgotten like an inconvenient thing.

Kirche was irritated. A little while ago, he even bathed with a commoner's daughter. She was ignored and two-timed. Kirche’s pride was shaken. She was defeated by Louise, she was defeated by a commoner girl, this made her name of “Ardent” cry. She had to plunder Saito from Louise, by any means possible. Snatching away La Valliere’s lovers was an old Zerbst tradition.

“Yes, though plotting isn’t my specialty, I can still think of some strategy. Right, Tabitha?”

Tabitha shut a book, and pointed at Kirche.

“Jealousy.”

Kirche blushed. And then she shook her head at Tabitha’s words.

“D-don’t say that! I’m not jealous! I cannot feel jealousy! A game! This is just a game of love!”

Nevertheless Tabitha was not convinced. She repeated the same word again.

“Jealousy.”

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