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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story2

2008-09-06T07:09:29Z

Heeros1: /* Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind */

===Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind===

Well, this was the Tristain Magic Academy. The summer vacation just started and in the dorm, two nobles were killing time.

They were Kirche the “Ardent” and Tabitha the “Snowy Wind”. Kirche was laying lazily on Tabitha’s bed in a very immodest pose. She had undone all her shirt buttons and was fanning her large chest with her hand. Kirche did like heat but could not stand warmth.

She was not able to control the boiling heat in the sun-baked room.

“Hey Tabitha, would you make some wind for me?”

Tabitha waved her staff without looking up from her book.

“Give me a cold one. One that will cool me to the bone, just like your second name. ”

Of course it was to be expected, but there was some ice mixed in the wind. The snowy wind immediately cooled Kirche’s body.

“Ahh- that feels good.”

Drinking in Tabitha’s cool wind, Kirche finally took off her shirt. She crossed her legs in a manner that would never be seen by any of her dozen of male friends that worshiped her as a goddess.

Kirche stared at Tabitha who was reading her book the whole time. Tabitha did not shed a single drop of sweat as she was completely immersed in her book. “Maybe her second name “Snowy Wind” cools her body as well as her mind,” Kirche whispered.

“Hey ‘Snowy Wind’? You really like to read books don’t you? Just like a Protestant. Could that be the popular Protestant book about the, ‘The Practical Doctrine’?”

“The Practical Doctrine” was…something that the Protestant sect of religion recited by following the interpretation of the book “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that recorded the great deeds and the teachings of the Founder Brimir.

Although every version of “The Founder’s Prayer Book” claimed to be the “original”, their contents were slightly different. Furthermore, there were theories that “The Founder’s Prayer Book” was written hundreds of years after the fall of the Founder Brimir. “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that had been passed down through the Tristine royal family didn’t even have words in it. Therefore, many theologians interpreted it in such a sketchy way so that it would improve the political powers of the Halkeginia’s churches and themselves.
The body of practitioners of the “Practical Doctrine” started in the religious center of the country Romania and was made of commoners who wanted to reform the corrupted churches that exploited them. This soon became an international matter. It spread out from commoners and farmers and they stripped power and land from the monks and priests, but no one knew if that practice and interpretation was right. Probably the only one that could answer it was the Founder Brimir himself.

Tabitha closed her book, and showed Kirche the title. It wasn’t a religious book but an ancient magical research book.

“Just reading,” said Tabitha.

“I know. There’s no way you are a Protestant anyway. Man, it’s really hot today. REALLY hot. That’s why I invited you to go to Germania with me. It’s much cooler there than here.”

Tabitha reopened her book and continued reading. Kirche, who knew the situation of Tabitha’s family, decided to invite her to the Zerbst House, but Tabitha would not agree to come. With no other choice, Kirche decided to keep Tabitha company in the Magic Academy.

She couldn’t stand to let Tabitha be alone.

“We are probably the only ones who would remain in this kind of sauna.”

Kirche thought about having a water bath in the courtyard. Since all the students and teachers had left and gone back to their homes, there shouldn’t be any danger of peepers.

But then…

A scream was heard from the floor below.

Kirche and Tabitha exchanged quick glances.

Kirche quickly put on her shirt and jumped out of the room with her wand. Tabitha soon followed behind her.

In a room a floor below, another pair of students were in the middle of a quarrel.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Um, I’m… I thought it was hot, and I was trying to help you!”

The clamor was between Guiche and Montmorency. Why hadn't this pair left the dorm for summer vacation?

“I see, so that was your purpose! ‘Let's make potions together’ my butt! I shouldn’t have listened to your cajolery about being able to make any Forbidden Potions I want. Just what were you trying to do?”

“That was my objective, no lies!”

“You we having weird thoughts because no one is around, right? Sorry, but I’m not gonna forgive you one finger until I’m married!”

Guiche shook his head.

“Don’t come closer!”

“I’ll swear, I’ll swear.”

Guiche put his hands on his chest.

“I swear in the presence of the Founder and God that I, Guiche de Gramont, did not unbutton the sleeping Montmorency because of any bad intentions, but I really thought you looked hot. You were sweating really bad so I was worried you were going to be steamed to death.”

“Really?”

Montmorency stared with a doubtful look.

“Swear to God.”

Guiche answered seriously.

“…not gonna do anything weird?”

“No, not even gonna think about it.”

After Montmorency thought for a while, she raised her skirt and flashed her panties. Because Guiche jumped at her in an instant, she screamed out loud.

“Dear God! A liar! He’s a liar!”

“White! White! It was really white!”

“No! Stop! Please stop!”

After they were fooling around for a while, the door opened with a bang. Kirche and Tabitha came in and their eyes met Montmorency’s eyes, who was just pushed onto a bed by Guiche.

“…oh, you were just about to do it,” sighed Kirche.

Guiche, who suddenly became serious, stood up and said in a very dignified way, “Oh, I was just…straightening the wrinkles in Montmorency’s shirt.”

“By pushing her onto a bed?” Kirche asked with a scoff.

“Straitening the wrinkles,” Guiche repeated himself.

Montmorency said in a cold tone, “Quit it already, that’s all you have in your head.”
Guiche flushed.

Kirche opened her mouth and said tiredly, “You two are a really cheap couple. You don’t have to do it in this suffocating dorm.”

“We are not doing anything! …and I should ask what you're doing. It’s summer break.”

“It’s just not worth the trouble for us. Although it is a vacation but it’s a pain to
cross the border for that. So what are you two doing anyway?”

“We were um…”

Montmorency fidgeted, as she could not say that she was making Forbidden Potions.

“Ma-, magic research.”

“Well you were doing some kind of research.”

“It was Guiche who wanted to do weird research! He probably fried his brain in this heat!”

The criticized Guiche hung his head.

“I guess.”

Muttered Kirche, “What do you mean ‘I guess’?”

“Let’s go out. It wouldn't be a surprise if we get our brains fried in here.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Let’s go to the town. It’s gonna be a long break so let’s have fun.”

“Well I do want to drink something cold…”

Guiche agreed. Montmorency, who didn’t even want to think about what would happen if she was left alone in the dorm with Guiche, also agreed to going out.

“Really cool your head down when you drink, ok?”

“I will, swear to God.”

“So, what about that little fella?”

Montmorency pointed her finger at Tabitha. Kirche answered.

“She’s going.”

“You can tell by just looking at her?”

“I can.”

Kirche said as though it was obvious.

Tabitha then closed her book, walked over to the window cill, and blew a whistle with her mouth. A flapping noise was heard. In a blink, Tabitha jumped out of the window. Kirche followed.

As Montmorency peeked outside the window, she saw Tabitha’s floating Wind Dragon. Kirche was riding on its back and was waving.

“Hurry up or we’ll leave you!”

Both Guiche and Montmorency jumped after her and Guiche, who got ahead, tried to catch Montmorency.

Then Montmorency started screaming things like ‘don’t touch me’ and ‘don’t look at me’ to tease Guiche.

“But…I was only trying to catch you.”

“Where do you think you’re touching?”

“I thought you two were lovers,” muttered Kirche with surprise.

The group finally arrived at Tristine’s castle town and went to a road that forked from Bulton Avenue. It was just about sunset. In the darkening streets, the magic lamps started to color the surroundings. That magical, wondrous sight created a happy atmosphere that wrapped around the street with the summer heat.

If Bulton Avenue was Tristine’s front face, then this Chicton Street was the bowel. Indecent bars and gambling dens were lined up around the street. Montmorency frowned but Kirche walked on unworriedly. While walking, the group discussed which bar to go to. “Do you know any of the bars around here?” Kirche asked Guiche.

Guiche answered with a smile,

“Well, I do know a good one that I've always wanted to go to.”

“It’s not a weird bar is it?” Montmorency asked as she heard an amorous tone to his speech. Guiche shook his head.

“It’s not a weird bar at all!”

“Then what kind is it?”

Guiche fell silent.

“See, it is a weird bar! Just say it!”

Montmorency started to choke Guiche.

“N-, no it’s not! It’s just girls in cute appearance bringing wine for you… Arg!”

“That is weird, how is it not?”

“That sounds kind of fun.”

It seemed to have piqued Kirche’s interest. Kirche suggested to Guiche,

“Let’s go there, just some plain bar would be too boring.”

“WHAT?” Montmorency bellowed.

“Why does no Tristine woman have any confidence in herself? Makes me sick.”

Because Kirche said that in such a taunting way she suddenly stood up and said,

“It’s just that wine will taste bad if we just let some low-class women pour the wine.”

But because Guiche, who had been backed up by Kirche, started to skip away, Montmorency had no choice but to follow.

“Hey! Wait for me! Don’t leave me here!”

“Welcome!”

As they went into the shop, a tall man who wore a leather shirt welcomed them to the shop.

“Oh, are you new? More noble ladies! How beautiful! How très bien! The girls in the shop will be jealous! I’m the storekeeper, Scarron. Please enjoy yourselves today!” he said while he twisted his body and bowed. Although he seemed kind of gross, he complimented them so Montmorency was now in a better temper. She combed her hair with her fingers and said clearly, “Guide us to the cleanest table”.

“Every table in this store is scrubbed to shine as much as the Majesty’s villa.”

Scarron guided the group to one of the tables. The bar seemed to be really prospering.

Just like the rumor, girls wearing suggestive clothing were carrying wine and food.

Guiche, who was already looking around the bar in ecstasy, ended up with his ear being pulled by Montmorency.

After the party settled down around the table, a strawberry blond haired girl came to take the orders, but for some reason hurriedly covered her face with a tray. Her whole body started to tremble slightly.

“Why are you hiding your face?” Guiche asked discontentedly. Without answering, she gestured to ask for the order. By looking at the girl’s hair color and height, Kirche quickly realized something and, for the first time this summer, an extra-large smile appeared on her face.

“So what do you recommend?”
The girl who was hiding her face with a tray pointed at the neighboring table. On it was a dish with a honey grilled baby chick wrapped by piecrust.

“Then what’s the recommended wine?”
The girl pointed at a wine that had been served to another table, a well-aged Gernew wine.

Then Kirche said in a surprised tone, “Ah, familiar-san is flirting with a girl!”

The girl came out from behind the tray and stared around the room with a sharp eye.

Everyone in the group except for Kirche shouted.

“Louise!”

Louise noticed the broad grin on Kirche’s face and realized that she had been tricked and once again hid her face with the tray.

“It’s too late, La Vallière.”

“I’m not Louise.”

Louise spoke in a shaking voice. Kirche pulled on Louise’s arm and laid her on top of the
table. Kirche grabbed on to the right arm, Guiche on the left, Tabitha grabbed the right leg and Montmorency held on to the left leg. The immobile Louise faced to the side and said with a shaky tone,

“I’m not Louise! Let go of me.”

“Really, what are you doing?”

Louise would not answer. Snap! Kirche snapped her fingers and Tabitha cast a spell. With the power of the wind, Tabitha coiled the air around Louise and controlled her. Louise bounced on top of the table to a seiza pose.

“Wha-, What are you doing?!”

Kirche snapped her fingers once again. Silently Tabitha waved her staff. The mass of air, which controlled Louise, became multiple invisible fingers and started to tickle her body.

“Ahahaha! Stop! It tickles! Stop!”

“So under what circumstances are you working here?”

“I’m not saying! Ahahaha!”

The fingers of air continued to tickle Louise but she wouldn’t confess. Eventually her body went limp.

“Such a tight-lipped kid. You have been hiding many things recently.”

“If you understand…then leave me alone…”

“Will do.”

Kirche picked up the menu dully.

“Hurry up and order.”

“This,” said Kirche pointing at the menu.

“I can't tell, which?”

“Well first of all, everything written on this menu.”

“Huh?”

Louise stared at Kirche blankly.

“Just bring everything.”

“You're really rich… I’m so envious.”

Kirche then said to Louise,

“Oh, of course it’s your treat. I’ll happily accept the offer La Vallière-san.”

“What? Don’t sleep-talk! Why do I have to treat you?!”

“Or I’ll tell everyone in school that you are working here.”

Louise dropped her jaw.

“If you say it…I’ll, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh my, I wouldn’t wanna die so could you bring all the food quickly?”

Louise sadly dropped her shoulders and disappeared toward the kitchen while hitting many
things on the way.

Guiche said shaking his head,

“You really are a nasty woman.”

Kirche happily replied.

“Don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t like that girl. We are basically enemies…”

Kirche cut off her speech and fixed Tabitha’s disorderly cloak.

“You should really fix that habit of messing up your hair and cloak when you cast spells. Women are about appearance and smarts are secondary.”

Kirche was fixing up Tabitha’s hair like an older sister taking care of a little sister or a mother worrying for her daughter.

Guiche looked at Tabitha. ''Why does this mean Germanian woman have her trust in Tabitha and only Tabitha?'' Thought Guiche. Although it was summer vacation, the two didn’t go home and stayed together at school. Moreover, they seem to be communicating telepathically. Maybe it’s because Tabitha rarely speaks, but they are able to understand each other by just exchanging looks and are as close as sisters.

But…Guiche puzzled over his memory. They weren’t this close when they first enrolled. It’s not clear because I was fooling around with other girls too much but didn’t they even start a duel?

[[Image:ZnT05-121.jpg|thumb]]

Just when Guiche wanted to inquire about it, a new customer came into the bar.
They were good-looking nobles. They were wearing hats with large brims furnished with stylish feathers and had sword-shaped wands sticking out their cloak. They seemed to be officers from the royal army.

They probably had been training the whole day and they came in without a care and started to look around for tables.

The officer started to talk about the different girls in the bar. Many different girls poured the wine but none seemed to satisfy the officers. One officer noticed Kirche and winked at her.

“Isn’t that a noble girl? Women that could be together with us will have to carry a wand around!”

“That’s right! This is a rare break that her Majesty has given to us, the officers of the royal army. We can’t just have some commoners pour our wine.”

While saying such words, they were loudly deciding whom to go and pick up the girls. It seemed Kirche was used to these kinds of things and continued drinking wine calmly, but Guiche was feeling uneasy. He supposed himself to be in a position where he should be escorting the girls, but couldn’t be firm in front of nobles that were officers in the royal army. He would probably get beaten up.

Eventually the decision was made for whom to go talk to them. One of the nobles stood up. He was a handsome man just over twenty years old.

As he played with his mustache and was full of confidence, he elegantly bowed for Kirche.

“We are the officers that belong to the Navaaru regiment. We were stricken by your august beauty and would like to invite you to our dining table.”

Kirche answered without even looking.

“Sorry, I’m having a good time with my friends.”

The officer’s friends started hooting. If he got rejected now, it would shatter his pride. He started to persuade Kirche with enthusiastic words.

“I will plead you to ignore that. Please bestow a moment of happiness to us who have nothing but the unforgiving battle to await us.”

But still Kirche just waved him off.

The noble just went back to his friends disappointedly.

“You’re not popular with women,” said an officer. But the young man shook his head.

“Did you hear her accent? She has to be a Germanian woman. Quite suspicious as a noble if you ask me!”

“But I heard Germanian women are really lewd. Quite rare to see a woman with firm conduct.”

“Probably a Protestant to boot!”

Maybe it was partly because of the alcohol, but the officers started saying insults against Kirche. Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other and asked Kirche if she wanted to leave the bar.

“But we were here first,” muttered Kirche as she stood up. Her long hair seemed to be burning as though it was a wild fire. Other customers and waitresses and practically everyone who was watching over the whole incident fell quiet.

“Ah, so have you changed you mind and decided to accompany us?”

“Yes, not with goblets…but with this.”

Kirche smoothly pulled out her wand.

The men fell out of their chair laughing.

“Don’t even try young lady. We are nobles and will not point our wands on women.”

“Are you scared of Germanian women?”

“Ridiculous!”

The men continued laughing aloud.

“Then I make you draw your wand.”

Kirche swung her wand. Fireballs equal to the numbers of men came out of the tip of her wand and instantly incinerated the decorative feathers on their hats. The bar stirred. Kirche stood up to bow to the audience.

The men who were being made a laughingstock of stood up all at once.

“Miss, this joke has gone a little too far.”

“Really? But I’m always serious. Furthermore wasn’t it you who invited me?”

“We invited you to drink, not to fight.”

“Then could I duel you gentlemen for insulting me just because I didn’t accept your offer to drink?”

The atmosphere in the bar froze.

One of the officers spoke determinedly,

“Foreign young lady, are you aware of the No Duel Policy? Under the order of her Majesty, we are restricted from dueling. But you are a foreigner. As long as we reach an agreement among ourselves, we could do practically anything to you. Are you speaking under this knowledge?”

“Nobles in Tristine really give long speeches. If this was Germania, the duel would have ended by now.”

They couldn't back down after they had been made fun of like this. The officers looked at each other and one of them gripped his hat’s brim and said, “Chose your opponent, you have the right.”

But Kirche didn’t change her expression. But there was fiery anger swirling inside her. The more Kirche got mad, the more composed and mannered she became.

“As you have said, Germanian women are lewd, so I’ll take care of all of you together.”
Applause was heard inside the bar for Kirche’s brave words. The officers’ faces were flushed bright red due to anger from the insult.

“We are nobles but at the same time also soldiers. When insulted, when challenged, we will not hold back even if the enemy is a woman. Come.”

The noble pointed outside of the bar with his chin. Guiche was shaking under the situation. Montmorency was just drinking wine as though it was none of her business. Louise was talking about how the stupid woman was getting herself into useless trouble again and hiding in the kitchen. Saito unfortunately fell victim of Louise’s anger against Kirche and was passed out because of the pain that Louise had inflicted upon him; so he couldn’t intervene.

So, the one who stood up was Tabitha.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Sit down, it will be over in an instant.”

But Tabitha shook her head.

“Do you mean I won’t be able to beat them?”

“No. But I’ll go.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” said Kirche, but again Tabitha shook her head.

“I owe you.”

“You mean the incident in the Ragdorian Lake? Don’t mind it. I did it out of my own will anyways.”

“Not that.”

“Eh?”

Then Tabitha clearly muttered,

“Owe you one.”

Kirche recalled with those words.

“That’s quite a long time ago.” Kirche smiled.

She thought for a moment but finally decided to leave it to her friend.

“What happened? Got scared? We will forgive you if you apologize now.”

“You’ll still have to pour drinks for us though.”

“You’ll be lucky if it ends with you just pouring drinks.”

The officers laughed. Kirche pointed at Tabitha.

“Beg your pardon, but she has even more skill than me. She even has the title Chevalier.”

The officers put on a doubtful expression.

Tabitha just walked toward the entrance of the bar reticently.

“Do any of you gentlemen have the Chevalier title?”

The officers twisted their necks in unbelief.

“Then she should prove to be more than a match.”

As Kirche finished speaking, she sat down on a chair as though her job was over. The officers, who couldn’t back down, followed Tabitha to the outside of the bar.

“Is she gonna be ok?”

Asked Guiche. Kirche was just drinking her wine elegantly.

“That girl never forgets this kind of boring promise.”

Kirche muttered happily.

Outside, Tabitha was facing the officers at 10 paces. Around them neighboring residents surrounded the duelers excited but keeping a good distance back. In reality, though the No Duel Policy was in effect, it didn’t all together stop the fights between the nobles. This kind of fight was an everyday occurrence.

But…the opponent of the team of three apparent officers of the royal army was a very young little girl. That combination drew the attention of the spectators.

“Gentlemen, our opponent is a kid. After this people will call us bullies. Our honor is going to be ruined no matter if we win or lose. What shall we do?”

As the man that was inviting Kirche said, the youngest of three answered, “Why not let her act first?”

The man who was silent until now said in a happy tone,

“Hah, teaching children is an adult's responsibility!”

Chevalier? Must be joking. There is no way such a little girl can be given such a title.

Although she is a kid, she still is a noble. We cannot forgive such a lie. On top of that insulting an officer from the royal army is just absurd.

Tabitha was just standing ominously there with her staff in her right hand. Nothing could be deterred from her expression. It seemed neither the crowd nor the three officers could change her emotion.

“Little lady, please draw your staff first.”

Said the oldest of the nobles.

The onlookers held their breath and watched over them attentively.

Tabitha simply waved her staff easily, like the time she made wind to cool off Kirche. The battle ended in an instant.

As the customers saw Tabitha coming back to the bar, they gave her a huge welcome mixed with astonishment and wonder. There was a huge commotion outside. Because with just one hit from a huge “Air Hammer”, a hammer made of compressed air, Tabitha blew the officers to the other side of the street and knocked them out cold. One customer peeked outside the window timidly and saw one of the officer regained consciousness and was dragging the other two away.

“You are amazing despite your size!”

Although the bar was filled with applause, Tabitha was flipping a page in her book, not paying attention.

Kirche poured wine in to Tabitha’s cup satisfyingly.

“Let's have a toast.”

Guiche asked Kirche as if he was confused.

“Um, Kirche?”

“What?”

“Why are you two so close? You two are like sisters.”

“We just get along.”

But they were the opposite of each other. What’s more is….Guiche pondered on what he
recalled earlier. The two actually had a duel like the one outside as soon as they enrolled to the school.

“Were you two always this close? What happened between you two? Tell me.”

This also triggered Montmorency’s interest and she leaned forward.

“What happened? Tell us.”

Kirche looked at Tabitha, but Tabitha was silent. However Kirche nodded.

“She said I can talk about it so I will. It’s not that great of a story though.” Kirche took a full wine glass.

She gulped down the wine, and started telling the story with drowsy eyes.

Kirche entered Tristain Magic Academy as Spring was in the air, during the fourth month, Feou's moon's 2nd week, the middle of Heimdallr's week.

The entrance ceremony was held in Alviss Hall. There, every year, the ninety or so new students would be divided into three classes. Children of aristocratic families, gathered from all over, had waited for Principal Osman with nervous looks on their faces.

Osman, leading the teachers, appeared on the 2nd floor and looked over the students a floor below.

“Students, you are Tristain's.... Argh!”

Osman, spreading out his arms and legs, had jumped from the railing of the 2nd floor, preparing to land on a desk downstairs. In mid-air, he waved his staff to use “Levitation” to land safely, but failed. He'd grown old; the time he took to invoke spells had lengthened too much and he fell straight onto the desk. The hall was filled with an uproar as teachers jumped down to help him up. Osman had pulled something badly and someone had to heal him with Water magic. He continued, with no hint of embarrassment,

“Everyone, Become the aristocrats who will support Helkeginia in the future!:

Such brave words. Everyone started clapping, feeling pity for Osman who was trying so hard to maintain his composure.

In the crowd... There was a beautiful girl who stood out even amongst the nobles. This was Kirche, who held the title of “Ardent". Giving a big yawn as she looked at the clumsy principal, she wondered if she'd made a mistake applying here.

For Kirche, however, who'd left Vindobona Magical Academy in Germania's capital... There were no further alternatives, other than going abroad to study. Her parents staying in Zerbst had planned to marry Kirche, who'd been loafing around home after leaving school, off to some old Marquis. Kirche, who had no present plans for marriage, literally flew out of the country to Tristain seeking asylum.

Her impulses moved her to act.

From young, once she took a liking to something she did all she could to get it. If someone protested, she'd shut him up with her specialty, “Fire”. The reason for her dropping out, the “Incident” that had occurred in Germania, was a result of this aspect of her personality..

The personality you grow up with is a hard thing to change. Even in Tristain, her arrogant ways were in full play

Getting back to the present, sitting next to Kirche was a petite, blue-haired girl. Compared to the beautiful goddess Kirche, possessor of a devil's body, this girl's body hadn't even hit puberty. She really was a child, after all. The jade eyes behind the glasses still carried a hint of childishness. Even though she was at an Entrance Ceremony, those eyes were still wide open, engrossed in reading her book.

For no apparent reason, Kirche started to get irritated with her attitude. To Kirche, good kids who liked to study were good targets for bullying. She asked in a low voice, “What are you reading?” and snatched away the book. The other girl looked at her with emotionless eyes.

The words in the book were too hard for Kirche, she couldn't understand a thing.

“The hell is this... 'Wind's Power's Influence on Atmospherics and Consequences'? Dunno what it's saying. Can you even use this kinda high level magic?”

The girl did not reply, only stretching out her hand.

“Hey, when you're asking a favor from someone, you should give your name, didn't your parents ever teach you?”

To be honest, it wasn't really asking a favor, just trying to get back something that had been taken away...... The girl took a moment to consider, and said her name - “Tabitha”.

“Whats that? Does everyone in Tristain use such weird names?”

Kirche was close to rolling on the floor in laughter. The teacher in charge of assigning classes shot her a glare, but Kirche, ignoring him, continued to laugh.

Tabitha looked at Kirche with cold eyes. The chain that held her parents' destinies... to hers had been mocked by someone. At that moment, Kirche totally didn't see the change in Tabitha eyes.

A girl with strawberry-blond hair, unable to take it any longer, stood right up.

“That girl over there! Something important is being announced now! Why don't you shut up!”

She'd probably been enduring Kirche's arrogance from before.

“Who are you? I am Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere. To think there are people like you attending, shocking!”

“La Valliere?”

Kirche looked happily at Louise's face.

“Please look after me. I'm Kirche von Zerbst, your neghbour. To think we'd meet here! What a privilege!”

On hearing this Louise's entire body began to tremble.

“W-W-What did you say?”

“Oh, please look after me.”

Kirche gave a charming laugh. A teacher who saw them shivering in rage roared at the three,

“All of you quiet down!”

“Okay.” Saying this, Kirche returned to her seat. Tabitha snatched her book back from Kirche's hand and glared at her from the corner of her eyes, her lips pressed tight.

Every year was divided into three classes, named for the 3 legendary saints, Suen, Iyer and Seger. Kirche and Tabitha were in Suen, Louise in Iyer, while Guiche and Montmorency had been assigned to Seger.

After leaving a big impression at the entrance ceremony, Kirche was being ignored by the girls of her class. That special wild attractiveness of Germanian girls, as well as that generous bust, the hormones in the air just couldn't be shut out. In a second, she had all the boys in class to herself. This made the Tristain girls, already famous for being jealous, burn in envy.

Her personality was one of the reasons she was disliked. Even in Germania, the land of Fire, Kirche had been ostracized for her arrogance. Her personality just rubbed the Tristainians, who worshiped caution as a virtue, the wrong way. Within a short time of starting school, she'd already seduced three boys. There were two reasons. Firstly, those three boys were the better looking ones in class. Secondly, and more importantly... she was just so bored.

Number one, a seductive glance thrown in the hallway.
Number two, sticking her bust out as she pretended to trip.
Number three, crossing her legs in front of him.

Just like that, the three had already asked Kirche to go out with them. Kirche received their requests as though she were getting court summons. She went out with all three at the same time without hiding anything, and so the three were soon locked in combat.

At the end of the pitched battle, the third boy emerged victorious. Just as he was congratulating himself over finally getting Kirche to himself, she found a fourth one.

Several girls interested in these boys formed an alliance to negotiate with Kirche. Kirche, who'd just found five and six, and was once again three-timing, snorted with contempt at the forsaken girls.

“Don't you know when to stop? How many boys do you want before you're happy?”

“Who knows, I don't.”

Said Kirche as she sat at her desk polishing her nails.

“Quit acting dumb!”

“I didn't do anything. They just found me by themselves, saying 'Kirche, wanna come to my room and drink,' or 'I've written a poem, wanna hear it,' stuff like that.”

Kirche said, imitating the boys.

“It's always like this, I'm pretty irritated too, so I have to accept, in your language 'Oui'.” Did I pronounce it right?”

Her attitude made the girls' envy rocket to new heights instantly.
“Listen here. This is Tristain, where we prize prudence and tradition, unlike your barbarian country. Even in love there are proper ways. An ignorant country-girl who doesn't even know that should just go back home!”

“If you're really so concerned about your lover, why not lock him up in your room?”

“What did you say?”

“I'm just so confused. If you've got the time to be jealous, why not try to persuade him to stay?” If you like him you should compliment him a bit. All y'all only know how to put on an angry face, you don't even know how to say things that make a man happy, do you?

“That's what guys should do!”

“Well I'm not like that, if I want someone, I'll praise him as much as possible, otherwise, I'm gonna be very sad.”

“Don't treat us like idiots!”

“However, all of you can rest assured. Although I follow the philosophy of “Do whatever it takes to get what I want,” I'd never take what's most important to someone.

“Liar! Haven't you tried to grab our boyfriends with your dirty hands?”

Kirche turned her gaze slowly to the girls surrounding her.

“To you, It's really not the most important thing, is it.”

“What did you say?”

“If it was such an important thing, you wouldn't have formed a team to negotiate with me. You'd have taken my head off my shoulders a long time ago, or am I wrong?”

The jealous girls had nothing to say.

“...Er....”

“I don't want to die yet. Therefore I won't take what's most precious to someone.”

The girls had been struck by Kirche's imposing manner and started to look at each other.

“If I plan on taking someone's most precious possession, I'll be ready to fight for it. My element is “Fire”. “Fire” controls destruction and passion. I too, want a passionate affair that turns all life to ash and burns everything to the ground.”

Just like that, Kirche's lovers continued to increase, but she was unable to make a single friend. Tabitha, however, was not much better off.

Tabitha hardly spoke to anyone at all. Whether it was break time or lunch time, starting class or ending, even in the dorms or social spaces. She said nothing to anyone. Silent, with a world-weary look on her face... only reading. No matter who tried to speak to her, Tabitha totally ignored them. Not just ignored, it was as though she was totally ignorant of their even existing.

Due to this, Tabitha turned into an object of ridicule. For some reason, she refused to give her last name, so the rumors were that she was a bastard.

The time when she really raised the ire of the entire class was during their first class.

Tabitha, who'd been taken as just a 'normal' bookworm, was found to be an adept “Wind” mage during the first “Wind” magic lesson.

Mr Quito was in charge of “Wind” class. The first words out of his mouth were,

“This year's students are just too sorry.”

Displeasure was immediately written on the faces of the students, who'd gathered in the central courtyard.

“Looking at your school record, almost all of you are 'dot' mages, only a few are 'line'. Not even one is a 'triangle' mage. What's going on?”

Dot and triangle referred to the number of elements that could be stacked. 'Dot' meant one element, 'line' meant the mage could combine two. Even if it was the same element, as long as it could be stacked, a powerful spell could be created.

“I have absolutely no hopes for any of you, but this is my job, after all.”

After Mr. Quito finished speaking in a low voice, class started. “Wind”'s basic skill's are “Flight” and “levitation”.

However... Tabitha began to show her abilities at this point.

She was the first to soar far up quickly using the “Flight” spell. Even so, to try to avoid attention, she'd deliberately not used all her power. Mr. Quito was rather confused.

“For a 'dot' mage, that pretty good.”

Not knowing Tabitha's true ability, it was unavoidable that he'd say that.

For various reasons, the only person who knew Tabitha's real power was Principal Osman. Moreover, Mr. Quito hadn't looked at the exchange students' records.

“No matter what, all of you lost out to the youngest girl in class. Don't you feel ashamed?”

With Mr. Quito's words, the entire class started to get angry.

During the break after lunch, one of the boys asked Tabitha to spar with him.

Sparring like this was basically the same as dueling. Since it was sparring, there was no little danger of any loss of life, at least not in this time period. In times past, it was said that giving your opponent the coup de grace was the way of the noble, but this age of heroes had disappeared into history. The modern method was to use spells with low lethality, and once someone was injured, the bout would be decided. Although at times there were incidents were a finger was broken, it was far safer than placing one's life on the line. In most cases, stealing your opponent's wand was considered the most elegant way of winning.

The youth who had challenged Tabitha was named de Lorraine. Born into a family famous for “Wind” magic, he was one of their year's elite 'line' magicians.

He carried a grudge from having been beaten at “Flight” by some unknown like Tabitha. He like to boast that there was no one who could compete with him in “Wind” magic, and wanted a chance to get back at Tabitha.

Walking towards Tabitha, reading in the central courtyard, he issued a declaration of war,

“Milady, I would like your instruction in “Wind” magic.”

When Tabitha gave no reply, de Lorraine started to get angry.

“To continue reading while someone is challenging you, isn't this far too rude?”

Tabitha still did not reply. De Lorraine's words went by her ears unheard as though it were sound of the breeze.

“So, when it comes to sparring you don't have what it takes. That isn't hard to understand. After all, these contests put one's life on the line! Totally different from flying and jumping around a bit in class!”

Tabitha continued to flip through her book. De Lorraine's insulting words had no effect on the jade-eyed girl.

“Heh!”

De Lorraine snorted, and smirked.

“So. It seems that the rumors of you being a bastard are true. I fear you don't even know who your mother is. To feel envious of some low-born person like you would dishonor my family's reputation!”

As he gave these words and prepared to leave, Tabitha finally stood up. If Kirche were to see her now she would probably feel it. Withing those emotionless jade eyes, an icy wind was howling.

“Have you finally gotten serious?”

Tabitha set her book down on the bench, and turning, walked towards an open area.

Tabitha and de Lorraine stood facing each other about ten meters apart.

“Although I don't want to give my name to a bastard like you, this is the common practice. I, Verrieres de Lorraine, shall be your opponent.”

Tabitha did not give her name.

“It's so pitiful to not have a name to give, even at a time like this! I shall not show mercy! En guarde!”

De Lorraine shouted, and began to chant, “Wind Break”(translator... snicker... better than break wind, anyways.) He planned to send Tabitha flying at once. Tabitha did not take a stance, and merely silently prepared to take the wind that seemed set to blow her away.

What was going on? She totally made no attempt to take an invocation stance. De Lorraine's “Wind Break” was a powerful spell, a spell to counter it would take some time to cast.

Was it because she had never sparred like this before, or had she been scared witless by de Lorraine's spell...

Whatever the reason, time was up.

Just as de Lorraine felt he had victory in his hand...

Tabitha raised her wand, and as though clearing spiderwebs from her path, waved it randomly. A single word was spoken, and just like that, Tabitha had control of all the air currents in the area.

This minute adjustment in air flow changed de Lorraine's spell's forward momentum, returning it to the caster.

De Lorraine was flung against the wall by his own wind. Giving him no time, Tabitha immediately began to cast again. Water vapour in the air froze to ice, turning into countless frozen arrows, which plunged towards de Lorraine.

“Ah!”

With a clear tinkling sound, the ice arrows pinned de Lorraine to the wall by his cloak and clothes. He was scared stiff by this power he had seen for the first time in his life. “Wind”, could it really be all that powerful? A giant ice arrow flew towards the pinned de Lorraine from the front.

“I'm going to die! Save me!"

He shouted reflexively. The arrow, as thick as his arm, stopped in front of his eye. It started to melt, turning into a puddle.

At the same time, the arrows that pinned his body to the wall too began to melt.

The newly released de Lorraine trembled uncontrollably. At his feet, a pool began to form, not from the defrosting ice arrows, but from some other liquid. From between his legs liquid flowed, forming a body-temperature puddle. He sank to his knees.

Throwing away his wand, and begging, ”Please spare me,” he crawled away.

Tabitha's little feet suddenly filled his vision, scaring him so much that he shrieked. She stood there looking down at him, her expression unchanging.

“Spare me! Let me live! S-Sparring's merely a game! Duels where you gamble your life are old history!”

De Lorraine said, denying everything he had said earlier. Tabitha stuck out a wand.

“Let me go! If you let me live, I'll do anything you say!”

Tabitha pointed at the wand in her hands, saying simply,

“You forgot this.”

It was the wand de Lorraine had thrown away.

Those were the reasons why Kirche and Tabitha were hated by the rest of their class... Kirche especially by the girls whose boyfriends she had stolen, and Tabitha by de Lorraine, who she had beaten so badly.

De Lorraine suggested a plan to the girls.

On hearing his plan, the girls clapped and agreed. This would keep their identities from being known and take care of the two most hated girls in class.

<50%>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story2

2008-09-06T07:07:26Z

Heeros1: /* Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind */

===Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind===

Well, this was the Tristain Magic Academy. The summer vacation just started and in the dorm, two nobles were killing time.

They were Kirche the “Ardent” and Tabitha the “Snowy Wind”. Kirche was laying lazily on Tabitha’s bed in a very immodest pose. She had undone all her shirt buttons and was fanning her large chest with her hand. Kirche did like heat but could not stand warmth.

She was not able to control the boiling heat in the sun-baked room.

“Hey Tabitha, would you make some wind for me?”

Tabitha waved her staff without looking up from her book.

“Give me a cold one. One that will cool me to the bone, just like your second name. ”

Of course it was to be expected, but there was some ice mixed in the wind. The snowy wind immediately cooled Kirche’s body.

“Ahh- that feels good.”

Drinking in Tabitha’s cool wind, Kirche finally took off her shirt. She crossed her legs in a manner that would never be seen by any of her dozen of male friends that worshiped her as a goddess.

Kirche stared at Tabitha who was reading her book the whole time. Tabitha did not shed a single drop of sweat as she was completely immersed in her book. “Maybe her second name “Snowy Wind” cools her body as well as her mind,” Kirche whispered.

“Hey ‘Snowy Wind’? You really like to read books don’t you? Just like a Protestant. Could that be the popular Protestant book about the, ‘The Practical Doctrine’?”

“The Practical Doctrine” was…something that the Protestant sect of religion recited by following the interpretation of the book “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that recorded the great deeds and the teachings of the Founder Brimir.

Although every version of “The Founder’s Prayer Book” claimed to be the “original”, their contents were slightly different. Furthermore, there were theories that “The Founder’s Prayer Book” was written hundreds of years after the fall of the Founder Brimir. “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that had been passed down through the Tristine royal family didn’t even have words in it. Therefore, many theologians interpreted it in such a sketchy way so that it would improve the political powers of the Halkeginia’s churches and themselves.
The body of practitioners of the “Practical Doctrine” started in the religious center of the country Romania and was made of commoners who wanted to reform the corrupted churches that exploited them. This soon became an international matter. It spread out from commoners and farmers and they stripped power and land from the monks and priests, but no one knew if that practice and interpretation was right. Probably the only one that could answer it was the Founder Brimir himself.

Tabitha closed her book, and showed Kirche the title. It wasn’t a religious book but an ancient magical research book.

“Just reading,” said Tabitha.

“I know. There’s no way you are a Protestant anyway. Man, it’s really hot today. REALLY hot. That’s why I invited you to go to Germania with me. It’s much cooler there than here.”

Tabitha reopened her book and continued reading. Kirche, who knew the situation of Tabitha’s family, decided to invite her to the Zerbst House, but Tabitha would not agree to come. With no other choice, Kirche decided to keep Tabitha company in the Magic Academy.

She couldn’t stand to let Tabitha be alone.

“We are probably the only ones who would remain in this kind of sauna.”

Kirche thought about having a water bath in the courtyard. Since all the students and teachers had left and gone back to their homes, there shouldn’t be any danger of peepers.

But then…

A scream was heard from the floor below.

Kirche and Tabitha exchanged quick glances.

Kirche quickly put on her shirt and jumped out of the room with her wand. Tabitha soon followed behind her.

In a room a floor below, another pair of students were in the middle of a quarrel.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Um, I’m… I thought it was hot, and I was trying to help you!”

The clamor was between Guiche and Montmorency. Why hadn't this pair left the dorm for summer vacation?

“I see, so that was your purpose! ‘Let's make potions together’ my butt! I shouldn’t have listened to your cajolery about being able to make any Forbidden Potions I want. Just what were you trying to do?”

“That was my objective, no lies!”

“You we having weird thoughts because no one is around, right? Sorry, but I’m not gonna forgive you one finger until I’m married!”

Guiche shook his head.

“Don’t come closer!”

“I’ll swear, I’ll swear.”

Guiche put his hands on his chest.

“I swear in the presence of the Founder and God that I, Guiche de Gramont, did not unbutton the sleeping Montmorency because of any bad intentions, but I really thought you looked hot. You were sweating really bad so I was worried you were going to be steamed to death.”

“Really?”

Montmorency stared with a doubtful look.

“Swear to God.”

Guiche answered seriously.

“…not gonna do anything weird?”

“No, not even gonna think about it.”

After Montmorency thought for a while, she raised her skirt and flashed her panties. Because Guiche jumped at her in an instant, she screamed out loud.

“Dear God! A liar! He’s a liar!”

“White! White! It was really white!”

“No! Stop! Please stop!”

After they were fooling around for a while, the door opened with a bang. Kirche and Tabitha came in and their eyes met Montmorency’s eyes, who was just pushed onto a bed by Guiche.

“…oh, you were just about to do it,” sighed Kirche.

Guiche, who suddenly became serious, stood up and said in a very dignified way, “Oh, I was just…straightening the wrinkles in Montmorency’s shirt.”

“By pushing her onto a bed?” Kirche asked with a scoff.

“Straitening the wrinkles,” Guiche repeated himself.

Montmorency said in a cold tone, “Quit it already, that’s all you have in your head.”
Guiche flushed.

Kirche opened her mouth and said tiredly, “You two are a really cheap couple. You don’t have to do it in this suffocating dorm.”

“We are not doing anything! …and I should ask what you're doing. It’s summer break.”

“It’s just not worth the trouble for us. Although it is a vacation but it’s a pain to
cross the border for that. So what are you two doing anyway?”

“We were um…”

Montmorency fidgeted, as she could not say that she was making Forbidden Potions.

“Ma-, magic research.”

“Well you were doing some kind of research.”

“It was Guiche who wanted to do weird research! He probably fried his brain in this heat!”

The criticized Guiche hung his head.

“I guess.”

Muttered Kirche, “What do you mean ‘I guess’?”

“Let’s go out. It wouldn't be a surprise if we get our brains fried in here.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Let’s go to the town. It’s gonna be a long break so let’s have fun.”

“Well I do want to drink something cold…”

Guiche agreed. Montmorency, who didn’t even want to think about what would happen if she was left alone in the dorm with Guiche, also agreed to going out.

“Really cool your head down when you drink, ok?”

“I will, swear to God.”

“So, what about that little fella?”

Montmorency pointed her finger at Tabitha. Kirche answered.

“She’s going.”

“You can tell by just looking at her?”

“I can.”

Kirche said as though it was obvious.

Tabitha then closed her book, walked over to the window cill, and blew a whistle with her mouth. A flapping noise was heard. In a blink, Tabitha jumped out of the window. Kirche followed.

As Montmorency peeked outside the window, she saw Tabitha’s floating Wind Dragon. Kirche was riding on its back and was waving.

“Hurry up or we’ll leave you!”

Both Guiche and Montmorency jumped after her and Guiche, who got ahead, tried to catch Montmorency.

Then Montmorency started screaming things like ‘don’t touch me’ and ‘don’t look at me’ to tease Guiche.

“But…I was only trying to catch you.”

“Where do you think you’re touching?”

“I thought you two were lovers,” muttered Kirche with surprise.

The group finally arrived at Tristine’s castle town and went to a road that forked from Bulton Avenue. It was just about sunset. In the darkening streets, the magic lamps started to color the surroundings. That magical, wondrous sight created a happy atmosphere that wrapped around the street with the summer heat.

If Bulton Avenue was Tristine’s front face, then this Chicton Street was the bowel. Indecent bars and gambling dens were lined up around the street. Montmorency frowned but Kirche walked on unworriedly. While walking, the group discussed which bar to go to. “Do you know any of the bars around here?” Kirche asked Guiche.

Guiche answered with a smile,

“Well, I do know a good one that I've always wanted to go to.”

“It’s not a weird bar is it?” Montmorency asked as she heard an amorous tone to his speech. Guiche shook his head.

“It’s not a weird bar at all!”

“Then what kind is it?”

Guiche fell silent.

“See, it is a weird bar! Just say it!”

Montmorency started to choke Guiche.

“N-, no it’s not! It’s just girls in cute appearance bringing wine for you… Arg!”

“That is weird, how is it not?”

“That sounds kind of fun.”

It seemed to have piqued Kirche’s interest. Kirche suggested to Guiche,

“Let’s go there, just some plain bar would be too boring.”

“WHAT?” Montmorency bellowed.

“Why does no Tristine woman have any confidence in herself? Makes me sick.”

Because Kirche said that in such a taunting way she suddenly stood up and said,

“It’s just that wine will taste bad if we just let some low-class women pour the wine.”

But because Guiche, who had been backed up by Kirche, started to skip away, Montmorency had no choice but to follow.

“Hey! Wait for me! Don’t leave me here!”

“Welcome!”

As they went into the shop, a tall man who wore a leather shirt welcomed them to the shop.

“Oh, are you new? More noble ladies! How beautiful! How très bien! The girls in the shop will be jealous! I’m the storekeeper, Scarron. Please enjoy yourselves today!” he said while he twisted his body and bowed. Although he seemed kind of gross, he complimented them so Montmorency was now in a better temper. She combed her hair with her fingers and said clearly, “Guide us to the cleanest table”.

“Every table in this store is scrubbed to shine as much as the Majesty’s villa.”

Scarron guided the group to one of the tables. The bar seemed to be really prospering.

Just like the rumor, girls wearing suggestive clothing were carrying wine and food.

Guiche, who was already looking around the bar in ecstasy, ended up with his ear being pulled by Montmorency.

After the party settled down around the table, a strawberry blond haired girl came to take the orders, but for some reason hurriedly covered her face with a tray. Her whole body started to tremble slightly.

“Why are you hiding your face?” Guiche asked discontentedly. Without answering, she gestured to ask for the order. By looking at the girl’s hair color and height, Kirche quickly realized something and, for the first time this summer, an extra-large smile appeared on her face.

“So what do you recommend?”
The girl who was hiding her face with a tray pointed at the neighboring table. On it was a dish with a honey grilled baby chick wrapped by piecrust.

“Then what’s the recommended wine?”
The girl pointed at a wine that had been served to another table, a well-aged Gernew wine.

Then Kirche said in a surprised tone, “Ah, familiar-san is flirting with a girl!”

The girl came out from behind the tray and stared around the room with a sharp eye.

Everyone in the group except for Kirche shouted.

“Louise!”

Louise noticed the broad grin on Kirche’s face and realized that she had been tricked and once again hid her face with the tray.

“It’s too late, La Vallière.”

“I’m not Louise.”

Louise spoke in a shaking voice. Kirche pulled on Louise’s arm and laid her on top of the
table. Kirche grabbed on to the right arm, Guiche on the left, Tabitha grabbed the right leg and Montmorency held on to the left leg. The immobile Louise faced to the side and said with a shaky tone,

“I’m not Louise! Let go of me.”

“Really, what are you doing?”

Louise would not answer. Snap! Kirche snapped her fingers and Tabitha cast a spell. With the power of the wind, Tabitha coiled the air around Louise and controlled her. Louise bounced on top of the table to a seiza pose.

“Wha-, What are you doing?!”

Kirche snapped her fingers once again. Silently Tabitha waved her staff. The mass of air, which controlled Louise, became multiple invisible fingers and started to tickle her body.

“Ahahaha! Stop! It tickles! Stop!”

“So under what circumstances are you working here?”

“I’m not saying! Ahahaha!”

The fingers of air continued to tickle Louise but she wouldn’t confess. Eventually her body went limp.

“Such a tight-lipped kid. You have been hiding many things recently.”

“If you understand…then leave me alone…”

“Will do.”

Kirche picked up the menu dully.

“Hurry up and order.”

“This,” said Kirche pointing at the menu.

“I can't tell, which?”

“Well first of all, everything written on this menu.”

“Huh?”

Louise stared at Kirche blankly.

“Just bring everything.”

“You're really rich… I’m so envious.”

Kirche then said to Louise,

“Oh, of course it’s your treat. I’ll happily accept the offer La Vallière-san.”

“What? Don’t sleep-talk! Why do I have to treat you?!”

“Or I’ll tell everyone in school that you are working here.”

Louise dropped her jaw.

“If you say it…I’ll, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh my, I wouldn’t wanna die so could you bring all the food quickly?”

Louise sadly dropped her shoulders and disappeared toward the kitchen while hitting many
things on the way.

Guiche said shaking his head,

“You really are a nasty woman.”

Kirche happily replied.

“Don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t like that girl. We are basically enemies…”

Kirche cut off her speech and fixed Tabitha’s disorderly cloak.

“You should really fix that habit of messing up your hair and cloak when you cast spells. Women are about appearance and smarts are secondary.”

Kirche was fixing up Tabitha’s hair like an older sister taking care of a little sister or a mother worrying for her daughter.

Guiche looked at Tabitha. ''Why does this mean Germanian woman have her trust in Tabitha and only Tabitha?'' Thought Guiche. Although it was summer vacation, the two didn’t go home and stayed together at school. Moreover, they seem to be communicating telepathically. Maybe it’s because Tabitha rarely speaks, but they are able to understand each other by just exchanging looks and are as close as sisters.

But…Guiche puzzled over his memory. They weren’t this close when they first enrolled. It’s not clear because I was fooling around with other girls too much but didn’t they even start a duel?

[[Image:ZnT05-121.jpg|thumb]]

Just when Guiche wanted to inquire about it, a new customer came into the bar.
They were good-looking nobles. They were wearing hats with large brims furnished with stylish feathers and had sword-shaped wands sticking out their cloak. They seemed to be officers from the royal army.

They probably had been training the whole day and they came in without a care and started to look around for tables.

The officer started to talk about the different girls in the bar. Many different girls poured the wine but none seemed to satisfy the officers. One officer noticed Kirche and winked at her.

“Isn’t that a noble girl? Women that could be together with us will have to carry a wand around!”

“That’s right! This is a rare break that her Majesty has given to us, the officers of the royal army. We can’t just have some commoners pour our wine.”

While saying such words, they were loudly deciding whom to go and pick up the girls. It seemed Kirche was used to these kinds of things and continued drinking wine calmly, but Guiche was feeling uneasy. He supposed himself to be in a position where he should be escorting the girls, but couldn’t be firm in front of nobles that were officers in the royal army. He would probably get beaten up.

Eventually the decision was made for whom to go talk to them. One of the nobles stood up. He was a handsome man just over twenty years old.

As he played with his mustache and was full of confidence, he elegantly bowed for Kirche.

“We are the officers that belong to the Navaaru regiment. We were stricken by your august beauty and would like to invite you to our dining table.”

Kirche answered without even looking.

“Sorry, I’m having a good time with my friends.”

The officer’s friends started hooting. If he got rejected now, it would shatter his pride. He started to persuade Kirche with enthusiastic words.

“I will plead you to ignore that. Please bestow a moment of happiness to us who have nothing but the unforgiving battle to await us.”

But still Kirche just waved him off.

The noble just went back to his friends disappointedly.

“You’re not popular with women,” said an officer. But the young man shook his head.

“Did you hear her accent? She has to be a Germanian woman. Quite suspicious as a noble if you ask me!”

“But I heard Germanian women are really lewd. Quite rare to see a woman with firm conduct.”

“Probably a Protestant to boot!”

Maybe it was partly because of the alcohol, but the officers started saying insults against Kirche. Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other and asked Kirche if she wanted to leave the bar.

“But we were here first,” muttered Kirche as she stood up. Her long hair seemed to be burning as though it was a wild fire. Other customers and waitresses and practically everyone who was watching over the whole incident fell quiet.

“Ah, so have you changed you mind and decided to accompany us?”

“Yes, not with goblets…but with this.”

Kirche smoothly pulled out her wand.

The men fell out of their chair laughing.

“Don’t even try young lady. We are nobles and will not point our wands on women.”

“Are you scared of Germanian women?”

“Ridiculous!”

The men continued laughing aloud.

“Then I make you draw your wand.”

Kirche swung her wand. Fireballs equal to the numbers of men came out of the tip of her wand and instantly incinerated the decorative feathers on their hats. The bar stirred. Kirche stood up to bow to the audience.

The men who were being made a laughingstock of stood up all at once.

“Miss, this joke has gone a little too far.”

“Really? But I’m always serious. Furthermore wasn’t it you who invited me?”

“We invited you to drink, not to fight.”

“Then could I duel you gentlemen for insulting me just because I didn’t accept your offer to drink?”

The atmosphere in the bar froze.

One of the officers spoke determinedly,

“Foreign young lady, are you aware of the No Duel Policy? Under the order of her Majesty, we are restricted from dueling. But you are a foreigner. As long as we reach an agreement among ourselves, we could do practically anything to you. Are you speaking under this knowledge?”

“Nobles in Tristine really give long speeches. If this was Germania, the duel would have ended by now.”

They couldn't back down after they had been made fun of like this. The officers looked at each other and one of them gripped his hat’s brim and said, “Chose your opponent, you have the right.”

But Kirche didn’t change her expression. But there was fiery anger swirling inside her. The more Kirche got mad, the more composed and mannered she became.

“As you have said, Germanian women are lewd, so I’ll take care of all of you together.”
Applause was heard inside the bar for Kirche’s brave words. The officers’ faces were flushed bright red due to anger from the insult.

“We are nobles but at the same time also soldiers. When insulted, when challenged, we will not hold back even if the enemy is a woman. Come.”

The noble pointed outside of the bar with his chin. Guiche was shaking under the situation. Montmorency was just drinking wine as though it was none of her business. Louise was talking about how the stupid woman was getting herself into useless trouble again and hiding in the kitchen. Saito unfortunately fell victim of Louise’s anger against Kirche and was passed out because of the pain that Louise had inflicted upon him; so he couldn’t intervene.

So, the one who stood up was Tabitha.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Sit down, it will be over in an instant.”

But Tabitha shook her head.

“Do you mean I won’t be able to beat them?”

“No. But I’ll go.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” said Kirche, but again Tabitha shook her head.

“I owe you.”

“You mean the incident in the Ragdorian Lake? Don’t mind it. I did it out of my own will anyways.”

“Not that.”

“Eh?”

Then Tabitha clearly muttered,

“Owe you one.”

Kirche recalled with those words.

“That’s quite a long time ago.” Kirche smiled.

She thought for a moment but finally decided to leave it to her friend.

“What happened? Got scared? We will forgive you if you apologize now.”

“You’ll still have to pour drinks for us though.”

“You’ll be lucky if it ends with you just pouring drinks.”

The officers laughed. Kirche pointed at Tabitha.

“Beg your pardon, but she has even more skill than me. She even has the title Chevalier.”

The officers put on a doubtful expression.

Tabitha just walked toward the entrance of the bar reticently.

“Do any of you gentlemen have the Chevalier title?”

The officers twisted their necks in unbelief.

“Then she should prove to be more than a match.”

As Kirche finished speaking, she sat down on a chair as though her job was over. The officers, who couldn’t back down, followed Tabitha to the outside of the bar.

“Is she gonna be ok?”

Asked Guiche. Kirche was just drinking her wine elegantly.

“That girl never forgets this kind of boring promise.”

Kirche muttered happily.

Outside, Tabitha was facing the officers at 10 paces. Around them neighboring residents surrounded the duelers excited but keeping a good distance back. In reality, though the No Duel Policy was in effect, it didn’t all together stop the fights between the nobles. This kind of fight was an everyday occurrence.

But…the opponent of the team of three apparent officers of the royal army was a very young little girl. That combination drew the attention of the spectators.

“Gentlemen, our opponent is a kid. After this people will call us bullies. Our honor is going to be ruined no matter if we win or lose. What shall we do?”

As the man that was inviting Kirche said, the youngest of three answered, “Why not let her act first?”

The man who was silent until now said in a happy tone,

“Hah, teaching children is an adult's responsibility!”

Chevalier? Must be joking. There is no way such a little girl can be given such a title.

Although she is a kid, she still is a noble. We cannot forgive such a lie. On top of that insulting an officer from the royal army is just absurd.

Tabitha was just standing ominously there with her staff in her right hand. Nothing could be deterred from her expression. It seemed neither the crowd nor the three officers could change her emotion.

“Little lady, please draw your staff first.”

Said the oldest of the nobles.

The onlookers held their breath and watched over them attentively.

Tabitha simply waved her staff easily, like the time she made wind to cool off Kirche. The battle ended in an instant.

As the customers saw Tabitha coming back to the bar, they gave her a huge welcome mixed with astonishment and wonder. There was a huge commotion outside. Because with just one hit from a huge “Air Hammer”, a hammer made of compressed air, Tabitha blew the officers to the other side of the street and knocked them out cold. One customer peeked outside the window timidly and saw one of the officer regained consciousness and was dragging the other two away.

“You are amazing despite your size!”

Although the bar was filled with applause, Tabitha was flipping a page in her book, not paying attention.

Kirche poured wine in to Tabitha’s cup satisfyingly.

“Let's have a toast.”

Guiche asked Kirche as if he was confused.

“Um, Kirche?”

“What?”

“Why are you two so close? You two are like sisters.”

“We just get along.”

But they were the opposite of each other. What’s more is….Guiche pondered on what he
recalled earlier. The two actually had a duel like the one outside as soon as they enrolled to the school.

“Were you two always this close? What happened between you two? Tell me.”

This also triggered Montmorency’s interest and she leaned forward.

“What happened? Tell us.”

Kirche looked at Tabitha, but Tabitha was silent. However Kirche nodded.

“She said I can talk about it so I will. It’s not that great of a story though.” Kirche took a full wine glass.

She gulped down the wine, and started telling the story with drowsy eyes.

Kirche entered Tristain Magic Academy as Spring was in the air, during the fourth month, Feou's moon's 2nd week, the middle of Heimdallr's week.

The entrance ceremony was held in Alviss Hall. There, every year, the ninety or so new students would be divided into three classes. Children of aristocratic families, gathered from all over, had waited for Principal Osman with nervous looks on their faces.

Osman, leading the teachers, appeared on the 2nd floor and looked over the students a floor below.

“Students, you are Tristain's.... Argh!”

Osman, spreading out his arms and legs, had jumped from the railing of the 2nd floor, preparing to land on a desk downstairs. In mid-air, he waved his staff to use “Levitation” to land safely, but failed. He'd grown old; the time he took to invoke spells had lengthened too much and he fell straight onto the desk. The hall was filled with an uproar as teachers jumped down to help him up. Osman had pulled something badly and someone had to heal him with Water magic. He continued, with no hint of embarrassment,

“Everyone, Become the aristocrats who will support Helkeginia in the future!:

Such brave words. Everyone started clapping, feeling pity for Osman who was trying so hard to maintain his composure.

In the crowd... There was a beautiful girl who stood out even amongst the nobles. This was Kirche, who held the title of “Ardent". Giving a big yawn as she looked at the clumsy principal, she wondered if she'd made a mistake applying here.

For Kirche, however, who'd left Vindobona Magical Academy in Germania's capital... There were no further alternatives, other than going abroad to study. Her parents staying in Zerbst had planned to marry Kirche, who'd been loafing around home after leaving school, off to some old Marquis. Kirche, who had no present plans for marriage, literally flew out of the country to Tristain seeking asylum.

Her impulses moved her to act.

From young, once she took a liking to something she did all she could to get it. If someone protested, she'd shut him up with her specialty, “Fire”. The reason for her dropping out, the “Incident” that had occurred in Germania, was a result of this aspect her personality..

The personality you grow up with is a hard thing to change. Even in Tristain, her arrogant ways were in full play

Getting back to the present, sitting next to Kirche was a petite, blue-haired girl. Compared to the beautiful goddess Kirche, possessor of a devil's body, this girl's body hadn't even hit puberty. She really was a child, after all. The jade eyes behind the glasses still carried a hint of childishness. Even though she was at an Entrance Ceremony, those eyes were still wide open, engrossed in reading her book.

For no apparent reason, Kirche started to get irritated with her attitude. To Kirche, good kids who liked to study were good targets for bullying. She asked in a low voice, “What are you reading?” and snatched away the book. The other girl looked at her with emotionless eyes.

The words in the book were too hard for Kirche, she couldn't understand a thing.

“The hell is this... 'Wind's Power's Influence on Atmospherics and Consequences'? Dunno what it's saying. Can you even use this kinda high level magic?”

The girl did not reply, only stretching out her hand.

“Hey, when you're asking a favor from someone, you should give your name, didn't your parents ever teach you?”

To be honest, it wasn't really asking a favor, just trying to get back something that had been taken away...... The girl took a moment to consider, and said her name - “Tabitha”.

“Whats that? Does everyone in Tristain use such weird names?”

Kirche was close to rolling on the floor in laughter. The teacher in charge of assigning classes shot her a glare, but Kirche, ignoring him, continued to laugh.

Tabitha looked at Kirche with cold eyes. The chain that held her parents' destinies... to hers had been mocked by someone. At that moment, Kirche totally didn't see the change in Tabitha eyes.

A girl with strawberry-blond hair, unable to take it any longer, stood right up.

“That girl over there! Something important is being announced now! Why don't you shut up!”

She'd probably been enduring Kirche's arrogance from before.

“Who are you? I am Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere. To think there are people like you attending, shocking!”

“La Valliere?”

Kirche looked happily at Louise's face.

“Please look after me. I'm Kirche von Zerbst, your neghbour. To think we'd meet here! What a privilege!”

On hearing this Louise's entire body began to tremble.

“W-W-What did you say?”

“Oh, please look after me.”

Kirche gave a charming laugh. A teacher who saw them shivering in rage roared at the three,

“All of you quiet down!”

“Okay.” Saying this, Kirche returned to her seat. Tabitha snatched her book back from Kirche's hand and glared at her from the corner of her eyes, her lips pressed tight.

Every year was divided into three classes, named for the 3 legendary saints, Suen, Iyer and Seger. Kirche and Tabitha were in Suen, Louise in Iyer, while Guiche and Montmorency had been assigned to Seger.

After leaving a big impression at the entrance ceremony, Kirche was being ignored by the girls of her class. That special wild attractiveness of Germanian girls, as well as that generous bust, the hormones in the air just couldn't be shut out. In a second, she had all the boys in class to herself. This made the Tristain girls, already famous for being jealous, burn in envy.

Her personality was one of the reasons she was disliked. Even in Germania, the land of Fire, Kirche had been ostracized for her arrogance. Her personality just rubbed the Tristainians, who worshiped caution as a virtue, the wrong way. Within a short time of starting school, she'd already seduced three boys. There were two reasons. Firstly, those three boys were the better looking ones in class. Secondly, and more importantly... she was just so bored.

Number one, a seductive glance thrown in the hallway.
Number two, sticking her bust out as she pretended to trip.
Number three, crossing her legs in front of him.

Just like that, the three had already asked Kirche to go out with them. Kirche received their requests as though she were getting court summons. She went out with all three at the same time without hiding anything, and so the three were soon locked in combat.

At the end of the pitched battle, the third boy emerged victorious. Just as he was congratulating himself over finally getting Kirche to himself, she found a fourth one.

Several girls interested in these boys formed an alliance to negotiate with Kirche. Kirche, who'd just found five and six, and was once again three-timing, snorted with contempt at the forsaken girls.

“Don't you know when to stop? How many boys do you want before you're happy?”

“Who knows, I don't.”

Said Kirche as she sat at her desk polishing her nails.

“Quit acting dumb!”

“I didn't do anything. They just found me by themselves, saying 'Kirche, wanna come to my room and drink,' or 'I've written a poem, wanna hear it,' stuff like that.”

Kirche said, imitating the boys.

“It's always like this, I'm pretty irritated too, so I have to accept, in your language 'Oui'.” Did I pronounce it right?”

Her attitude made the girls' envy rocket to new heights instantly.
“Listen here. This is Tristain, where we prize prudence and tradition, unlike your barbarian country. Even in love there are proper ways. An ignorant country-girl who doesn't even know that should just go back home!”

“If you're really so concerned about your lover, why not lock him up in your room?”

“What did you say?”

“I'm just so confused. If you've got the time to be jealous, why not try to persuade him to stay?” If you like him you should compliment him a bit. All y'all only know how to put on an angry face, you don't even know how to say things that make a man happy, do you?

“That's what guys should do!”

“Well I'm not like that, if I want someone, I'll praise him as much as possible, otherwise, I'm gonna be very sad.”

“Don't treat us like idiots!”

“However, all of you can rest assured. Although I follow the philosophy of “Do whatever it takes to get what I want,” I'd never take what's most important to someone.

“Liar! Haven't you tried to grab our boyfriends with your dirty hands?”

Kirche turned her gaze slowly to the girls surrounding her.

“To you, It's really not the most important thing, is it.”

“What did you say?”

“If it was such an important thing, you wouldn't have formed a team to negotiate with me. You'd have taken my head off my shoulders a long time ago, or am I wrong?”

The jealous girls had nothing to say.

“...Er....”

“I don't want to die yet. Therefore I won't take what's most precious to someone.”

The girls had been struck by Kirche's imposing manner and started to look at each other.

“If I plan on taking someone's most precious possession, I'll be ready to fight for it. My element is “Fire”. “Fire” controls destruction and passion. I too, want a passionate affair that turns all life to ash and burns everything to the ground.”

Just like that, Kirche's lovers continued to increase, but she was unable to make a single friend. Tabitha, however, was not much better off.

Tabitha hardly spoke to anyone at all. Whether it was break time or lunch time, starting class or ending, even in the dorms or social spaces. She said nothing to anyone. Silent, with a world-weary look on her face... only reading. No matter who tried to speak to her, Tabitha totally ignored them. Not just ignored, it was as though she was totally ignorant of their even existing.

Due to this, Tabitha turned into an object of ridicule. For some reason, she refused to give her last name, so the rumors were that she was a bastard.

The time when she really raised the ire of the entire class was during their first class.

Tabitha, who'd been taken as just a 'normal' bookworm, was found to be an adept “Wind” mage during the first “Wind” magic lesson.

Mr Quito was in charge of “Wind” class. The first words out of his mouth were,

“This year's students are just too sorry.”

Displeasure was immediately written on the faces of the students, who'd gathered in the central courtyard.

“Looking at your school record, almost all of you are 'dot' mages, only a few are 'line'. Not even one is a 'triangle' mage. What's going on?”

Dot and triangle referred to the number of elements that could be stacked. 'Dot' meant one element, 'line' meant the mage could combine two. Even if it was the same element, as long as it could be stacked, a powerful spell could be created.

“I have absolutely no hopes for any of you, but this is my job, after all.”

After Mr. Quito finished speaking in a low voice, class started. “Wind”'s basic skill's are “Flight” and “levitation”.

However... Tabitha began to show her abilities at this point.

She was the first to soar far up quickly using the “Flight” spell. Even so, to try to avoid attention, she'd deliberately not used all her power. Mr. Quito was rather confused.

“For a 'dot' mage, that pretty good.”

Not knowing Tabitha's true ability, it was unavoidable that he'd say that.

For various reasons, the only person who knew Tabitha's real power was Principal Osman. Moreover, Mr. Quito hadn't looked at the exchange students' records.

“No matter what, all of you lost out to the youngest girl in class. Don't you feel ashamed?”

With Mr. Quito's words, the entire class started to get angry.

During the break after lunch, one of the boys asked Tabitha to spar with him.

Sparring like this was basically the same as dueling. Since it was sparring, there was no little danger of any loss of life, at least not in this time period. In times past, it was said that giving your opponent the coup de grace was the way of the noble, but this age of heroes had disappeared into history. The modern method was to use spells with low lethality, and once someone was injured, the bout would be decided. Although at times there were incidents were a finger was broken, it was far safer than placing one's life on the line. In most cases, stealing your opponent's wand was considered the most elegant way of winning.

The youth who had challenged Tabitha was named de Lorraine. Born into a family famous for “Wind” magic, he was one of their year's elite 'line' magicians.

He carried a grudge from having been beaten at “Flight” by some unknown like Tabitha. He like to boast that there was no one who could compete with him in “Wind” magic, and wanted a chance to get back at Tabitha.

Walking towards Tabitha, reading in the central courtyard, he issued a declaration of war,

“Milady, I would like your instruction in “Wind” magic.”

When Tabitha gave no reply, de Lorraine started to get angry.

“To continue reading while someone is challenging you, isn't this far too rude?”

Tabitha still did not reply. De Lorraine's words went by her ears unheard as though it were sound of the breeze.

“So, when it comes to sparring you don't have what it takes. That isn't hard to understand. After all, these contests put one's life on the line! Totally different from flying and jumping around a bit in class!”

Tabitha continued to flip through her book. De Lorraine's insulting words had no effect on the jade-eyed girl.

“Heh!”

De Lorraine snorted, and smirked.

“So. It seems that the rumors of you being a bastard are true. I fear you don't even know who your mother is. To feel envious of some low-born person like you would dishonor my family's reputation!”

As he gave these words and prepared to leave, Tabitha finally stood up. If Kirche were to see her now she would probably feel it. Withing those emotionless jade eyes, an icy wind was howling.

“Have you finally gotten serious?”

Tabitha set her book down on the bench, and turning, walked towards an open area.

Tabitha and de Lorraine stood facing each other about ten meters apart.

“Although I don't want to give my name to a bastard like you, this is the common practice. I, Verrieres de Lorraine, shall be your opponent.”

Tabitha did not give her name.

“It's so pitiful to not have a name to give, even at a time like this! I shall not show mercy! En guarde!”

De Lorraine shouted, and began to chant, “Wind Break”(translator... snicker... better than break wind, anyways.) He planned to send Tabitha flying at once. Tabitha did not take a stance, and merely silently prepared to take the wind that seemed set to blow her away.

What was going on? She totally made no attempt to take an invocation stance. De Lorraine's “Wind Break” was a powerful spell, a spell to counter it would take some time to cast.

Was it because she had never sparred like this before, or had she been scared witless by de Lorraine's spell...

Whatever the reason, time was up.

Just as de Lorraine felt he had victory in his hand...

Tabitha raised her wand, and as though clearing spiderwebs from her path, waved it randomly. A single word was spoken, and just like that, Tabitha had control of all the air currents in the area.

This minute adjustment in air flow changed de Lorraine's spell's forward momentum, returning it to the caster.

De Lorraine was flung against the wall by his own wind. Giving him no time, Tabitha immediately began to cast again. Water vapour in the air froze to ice, turning into countless frozen arrows, which plunged towards de Lorraine.

“Ah!”

With a clear tinkling sound, the ice arrows pinned de Lorraine to the wall by his cloak and clothes. He was scared stiff by this power he had seen for the first time in his life. “Wind”, could it really be all that powerful? A giant ice arrow flew towards the pinned de Lorraine from the front.

“I'm going to die! Save me!"

He shouted reflexively. The arrow, as thick as his arm, stopped in front of his eye. It started to melt, turning into a puddle.

At the same time, the arrows that pinned his body to the wall too began to melt.

The newly released de Lorraine trembled uncontrollably. At his feet, a pool began to form, not from the defrosting ice arrows, but from some other liquid. From between his legs liquid flowed, forming a body-temperature puddle. He sank to his knees.

Throwing away his wand, and begging, ”Please spare me,” he crawled away.

Tabitha's little feet suddenly filled his vision, scaring him so much that he shrieked. She stood there looking down at him, her expression unchanging.

“Spare me! Let me live! S-Sparring's merely a game! Duels where you gamble your life are old history!”

De Lorraine said, denying everything he had said earlier. Tabitha stuck out a wand.

“Let me go! If you let me live, I'll do anything you say!”

Tabitha pointed at the wand in her hands, saying simply,

“You forgot this.”

It was the wand de Lorraine had thrown away.

Those were the reasons why Kirche and Tabitha were hated by the rest of their class... Kirche especially by the girls whose boyfriends she had stolen, and Tabitha by de Lorraine, who she had beaten so badly.

De Lorraine suggested a plan to the girls.

On hearing his plan, the girls clapped and agreed. This would keep their identities from being known and take care of the two most hated girls in class.

<50%>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story2

2008-09-06T07:04:54Z

Heeros1: /* Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind */

===Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind===

Well, this was the Tristain Magic Academy. The summer vacation just started and in the dorm, two nobles were killing time.

They were Kirche the “Ardent” and Tabitha the “Snowy Wind”. Kirche was laying lazily on Tabitha’s bed in a very immodest pose. She had undone all her shirt buttons and was fanning her large chest with her hand. Kirche did like heat but could not stand warmth.

She was not able to control the boiling heat in the sun-baked room.

“Hey Tabitha, would you make some wind for me?”

Tabitha waved her staff without looking up from her book.

“Give me a cold one. One that will cool me to the bone, just like your second name. ”

Of course it was to be expected, but there was some ice mixed in the wind. The snowy wind immediately cooled Kirche’s body.

“Ahh- that feels good.”

Drinking in Tabitha’s cool wind, Kirche finally took off her shirt. She crossed her legs in a manner that would never be seen by any of her dozen of male friends that worshiped her as a goddess.

Kirche stared at Tabitha who was reading her book the whole time. Tabitha did not shed a single drop of sweat as she was completely immersed in her book. “Maybe her second name “Snowy Wind” cools her body as well as her mind,” Kirche whispered.

“Hey ‘Snowy Wind’? You really like to read books don’t you? Just like a Protestant. Could that be the popular Protestant book about the, ‘The Practical Doctrine’?”

“The Practical Doctrine” was…something that the Protestant sect of religion recited by following the interpretation of the book “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that recorded the great deeds and the teachings of the Founder Brimir.

Although every version of “The Founder’s Prayer Book” claimed to be the “original”, their contents were slightly different. Furthermore, there were theories that “The Founder’s Prayer Book” was written hundreds of years after the fall of the Founder Brimir. “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that had been passed down through the Tristine royal family didn’t even have words in it. Therefore, many theologians interpreted it in such a sketchy way so that it would improve the political powers of the Halkeginia’s churches and themselves.
The body of practitioners of the “Practical Doctrine” started in the religious center of the country Romania and was made of commoners who wanted to reform the corrupted churches that exploited them. This soon became an international matter. It spread out from commoners and farmers and they stripped power and land from the monks and priests, but no one knew if that practice and interpretation was right. Probably the only one that could answer it was the Founder Brimir himself.

Tabitha closed her book, and showed Kirche the title. It wasn’t a religious book but an ancient magical research book.

“Just reading,” said Tabitha.

“I know. There’s no way you are a Protestant anyway. Man, it’s really hot today. REALLY hot. That’s why I invited you to go to Germania with me. It’s much cooler there than here.”

Tabitha reopened her book and continued reading. Kirche, who knew the situation of Tabitha’s family, decided to invite her to the Zerbst House, but Tabitha would not agree to come. With no other choice, Kirche decided to keep Tabitha company in the Magic Academy.

She couldn’t stand to let Tabitha be alone.

“We are probably the only ones who would remain in this kind of sauna.”

Kirche thought about having a water bath in the courtyard. Since all the students and teachers had left and gone back to their homes, there shouldn’t be any danger of peepers.

But then…

A scream was heard from the floor below.

Kirche and Tabitha exchanged quick glances.

Kirche quickly put on her shirt and jumped out of the room with her wand. Tabitha soon followed behind her.

In a room a floor below, another pair of students were in the middle of a quarrel.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Um, I’m… I thought it was hot, and I was trying to help you!”

The clamor was between Guiche and Montmorency. Why hadn't this pair left the dorm for summer vacation?

“I see, so that was your purpose! ‘Let's make potions together’ my butt! I shouldn’t have listened to your cajolery about being able to make any Forbidden Potions I want. Just what were you trying to do?”

“That was my objective, no lies!”

“You we having weird thoughts because no one is around, right? Sorry, but I’m not gonna forgive you one finger until I’m married!”

Guiche shook his head.

“Don’t come closer!”

“I’ll swear, I’ll swear.”

Guiche put his hands on his chest.

“I swear in the presence of the Founder and God that I, Guiche de Gramont, did not unbutton the sleeping Montmorency because of any bad intentions, but I really thought you looked hot. You were sweating really bad so I was worried you were going to be steamed to death.”

“Really?”

Montmorency stared with a doubtful look.

“Swear to God.”

Guiche answered seriously.

“…not gonna do anything weird?”

“No, not even gonna think about it.”

After Montmorency thought for a while, she raised her skirt and flashed her panties. Because Guiche jumped at her in an instant, she screamed out loud.

“Dear God! A liar! He’s a liar!”

“White! White! It was really white!”

“No! Stop! Please stop!”

After they were fooling around for a while, the door opened with a bang. Kirche and Tabitha came in and their eyes met Montmorency’s eyes, who was just pushed onto a bed by Guiche.

“…oh, you were just about to do it,” sighed Kirche.

Guiche, who suddenly became serious, stood up and said in a very dignified way, “Oh, I was just…straightening the wrinkles in Montmorency’s shirt.”

“By pushing her onto a bed?” Kirche asked with a scoff.

“Straitening the wrinkles,” Guiche repeated himself.

Montmorency said in a cold tone, “Quit it already, that’s all you have in your head.”
Guiche flushed.

Kirche opened her mouth and said tiredly, “You two are a really cheap couple. You don’t have to do it in this suffocating dorm.”

“We are not doing anything! …and I should ask what you're doing. It’s summer break.”

“It’s just not worth the trouble for us. Although it is a vacation but it’s a pain to
cross the border for that. So what are you two doing anyway?”

“We were um…”

Montmorency fidgeted, as she could not say that she was making Forbidden Potions.

“Ma-, magic research.”

“Well you were doing some kind of research.”

“It was Guiche who wanted to do weird research! He probably fried his brain in this heat!”

The criticized Guiche hung his head.

“I guess.”

Muttered Kirche, “What do you mean ‘I guess’?”

“Let’s go out. It wouldn't be a surprise if we get our brains fried in here.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Let’s go to the town. It’s gonna be a long break so let’s have fun.”

“Well I do want to drink something cold…”

Guiche agreed. Montmorency, who didn’t even want to think about what would happen if she was left alone in the dorm with Guiche, also agreed to going out.

“Really cool your head down when you drink, ok?”

“I will, swear to God.”

“So, what about that little fella?”

Montmorency pointed her finger at Tabitha. Kirche answered.

“She’s going.”

“You can tell by just looking at her?”

“I can.”

Kirche said as though it was obvious.

Tabitha then closed her book, walked over to the window cill, and blew a whistle with her mouth. A flapping noise was heard. In a blink, Tabitha jumped out of the window. Kirche followed.

As Montmorency peeked outside the window, she saw Tabitha’s floating Wind Dragon. Kirche was riding on its back and was waving.

“Hurry up or we’ll leave you!”

Both Guiche and Montmorency jumped after her and Guiche, who got ahead, tried to catch Montmorency.

Then Montmorency started screaming things like ‘don’t touch me’ and ‘don’t look at me’ to tease Guiche.

“But…I was only trying to catch you.”

“Where do you think you’re touching?”

“I thought you two were lovers,” muttered Kirche with surprise.

The group finally arrived at Tristine’s castle town and went to a road that forked from Bulton Avenue. It was just about sunset. In the darkening streets, the magic lamps started to color the surroundings. That magical, wondrous sight created a happy atmosphere that wrapped around the street with the summer heat.

If Bulton Avenue was Tristine’s front face, then this Chicton Street was the bowel. Indecent bars and gambling dens were lined up around the street. Montmorency frowned but Kirche walked on unworriedly. While walking, the group discussed which bar to go to. “Do you know any of the bars around here?” Kirche asked Guiche.

Guiche answered with a smile,

“Well, I do know a good one that I've always wanted to go to.”

“It’s not a weird bar is it?” Montmorency asked as she heard an amorous tone to his speech. Guiche shook his head.

“It’s not a weird bar at all!”

“Then what kind is it?”

Guiche fell silent.

“See, it is a weird bar! Just say it!”

Montmorency started to choke Guiche.

“N-, no it’s not! It’s just girls in cute appearance bringing wine for you… Arg!”

“That is weird, how is it not?”

“That sounds kind of fun.”

It seemed to have piqued Kirche’s interest. Kirche suggested to Guiche,

“Let’s go there, just some plain bar would be too boring.”

“WHAT?” Montmorency bellowed.

“Why does no Tristine woman have any confidence in herself? Makes me sick.”

Because Kirche said that in such a taunting way she suddenly stood up and said,

“It’s just that wine will taste bad if we just let some low-class women pour the wine.”

But because Guiche, who had been backed up by Kirche, started to skip away, Montmorency had no choice but to follow.

“Hey! Wait for me! Don’t leave me here!”

“Welcome!”

As they went into the shop, a tall man who wore a leather shirt welcomed them to the shop.

“Oh, are you new? More noble ladies! How beautiful! How très bien! The girls in the shop will be jealous! I’m the storekeeper, Scarron. Please enjoy yourselves today!” he said while he twisted his body and bowed. Although he seemed kind of gross, he complimented them so Montmorency was now in a better temper. She combed her hair with her fingers and said clearly, “Guide us to the cleanest table”.

“Every table in this store is scrubbed to shine as much as the Majesty’s villa.”

Scarron guided the group to one of the tables. The bar seemed to be really prospering.

Just like the rumor, girls wearing suggestive clothing were carrying wine and food.

Guiche, who was already looking around the bar in ecstasy, ended up with his ear being pulled by Montmorency.

After the party settled down around the table, a strawberry blond haired girl came to take the orders, but for some reason hurriedly covered her face with a tray. Her whole body started to tremble slightly.

“Why are you hiding your face?” Guiche asked discontentedly. Without answering, she gestured to ask for the order. By looking at the girl’s hair color and height, Kirche quickly realized something and, for the first time this summer, an extra-large smile appeared on her face.

“So what do you recommend?”
The girl who was hiding her face with a tray pointed at the neighboring table. On it was a dish with a honey grilled baby chick wrapped by piecrust.

“Then what’s the recommended wine?”
The girl pointed at a wine that had been served to another table, a well-aged Gernew wine.

Then Kirche said in a surprised tone, “Ah, familiar-san is flirting with a girl!”

The girl came out from behind the tray and stared around the room with a sharp eye.

Everyone in the group except for Kirche shouted.

“Louise!”

Louise noticed the broad grin on Kirche’s face and realized that she had been tricked and once again hid her face with the tray.

“It’s too late, La Vallière.”

“I’m not Louise.”

Louise spoke in a shaking voice. Kirche pulled on Louise’s arm and laid her on top of the
table. Kirche grabbed on to the right arm, Guiche on the left, Tabitha grabbed the right leg and Montmorency held on to the left leg. The immobile Louise faced to the side and said with a shaky tone,

“I’m not Louise! Let go of me.”

“Really, what are you doing?”

Louise would not answer. Snap! Kirche snapped her fingers and Tabitha cast a spell. With the power of the wind, Tabitha coiled the air around Louise and controlled her. Louise bounced on top of the table to a seiza pose.

“Wha-, What are you doing?!”

Kirche snapped her fingers once again. Silently Tabitha waved her staff. The mass of air, which controlled Louise, became multiple invisible fingers and started to tickle her body.

“Ahahaha! Stop! It tickles! Stop!”

“So under what circumstances are you working here?”

“I’m not saying! Ahahaha!”

The fingers of air continued to tickle Louise but she wouldn’t confess. Eventually her body went limp.

“Such a tight-lipped kid. You have been hiding many things recently.”

“If you understand…then leave me alone…”

“Will do.”

Kirche picked up the menu dully.

“Hurry up and order.”

“This,” said Kirche pointing at the menu.

“I can't tell, which?”

“Well first of all, everything written on this menu.”

“Huh?”

Louise stared at Kirche blankly.

“Just bring everything.”

“You're really rich… I’m so envious.”

Kirche then said to Louise,

“Oh, of course it’s your treat. I’ll happily accept the offer La Vallière-san.”

“What? Don’t sleep-talk! Why do I have to treat you?!”

“Or I’ll tell everyone in school that you are working here.”

Louise dropped her jaw.

“If you say it…I’ll, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh my, I wouldn’t wanna die so could you bring all the food quickly?”

Louise sadly dropped her shoulders and disappeared toward the kitchen while hitting many
things on the way.

Guiche said shaking his head,

“You really are a nasty woman.”

Kirche happily replied.

“Don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t like that girl. We are basically enemies…”

Kirche cut off her speech and fixed Tabitha’s disorderly cloak.

“You should really fix that habit of messing up your hair and cloak when you cast spells. Women are about appearance and smarts are secondary.”

Kirche was fixing up Tabitha’s hair like an older sister taking care of a little sister or a mother worrying for her daughter.

Guiche looked at Tabitha. ''Why does this mean Germanian woman have her trust in Tabitha and only Tabitha?'' Thought Guiche. Although it was summer vacation, the two didn’t go home and stayed together at school. Moreover, they seem to be communicating telepathically. Maybe it’s because Tabitha rarely speaks, but they are able to understand each other by just exchanging looks and are as close as sisters.

But…Guiche puzzled over his memory. They weren’t this close when they first enrolled. It’s not clear because I was fooling around with other girls too much but didn’t they even start a duel?

[[Image:ZnT05-121.jpg|thumb]]

Just when Guiche wanted to inquire about it, a new customer came into the bar.
They were good-looking nobles. They were wearing hats with large brims furnished with stylish feathers and had sword-shaped wands sticking out their cloak. They seemed to be officers from the royal army.

They probably had been training the whole day and they came in without a care and started to look around for tables.

The officer started to talk about the different girls in the bar. Many different girls poured the wine but none seemed to satisfy the officers. One officer noticed Kirche and winked at her.

“Isn’t that a noble girl? Women that could be together with us will have to carry a wand around!”

“That’s right! This is a rare break that her Majesty has given to us, the officers of the royal army. We can’t just have some commoners pour our wine.”

While saying such words, they were loudly deciding whom to go and pick up the girls. It seemed Kirche was used to these kinds of things and continued drinking wine calmly, but Guiche was feeling uneasy. He supposed himself to be in a position where he should be escorting the girls, but couldn’t be firm in front of nobles that were officers in the royal army. He would probably get beaten up.

Eventually the decision was made for whom to go talk to them. One of the nobles stood up. He was a handsome man just over twenty years old.

As he played with his mustache and was full of confidence, he elegantly bowed for Kirche.

“We are the officers that belong to the Navaaru regiment. We were stricken by your august beauty and would like to invite you to our dining table.”

Kirche answered without even looking.

“Sorry, I’m having a good time with my friends.”

The officer’s friends started hooting. If he got rejected now, it would shatter his pride. He started to persuade Kirche with enthusiastic words.

“I will plead you to ignore that. Please bestow a moment of happiness to us who have nothing but the unforgiving battle to await us.”

But still Kirche just waved him off.

The noble just went back to his friends disappointedly.

“You’re not popular with women,” said an officer. But the young man shook his head.

“Did you hear her accent? She has to be a Germanian woman. Quite suspicious as a noble if you ask me!”

“But I heard Germanian women are really lewd. Quite rare to see a woman with firm conduct.”

“Probably a Protestant to boot!”

Maybe it was partly because of the alcohol, but the officers started saying insults against Kirche. Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other and asked Kirche if she wanted to leave the bar.

“But we were here first,” muttered Kirche as she stood up. Her long hair seemed to be burning as though it was a wild fire. Other customers and waitresses and practically everyone who was watching over the whole incident fell quiet.

“Ah, so have you changed you mind and decided to accompany us?”

“Yes, not with goblets…but with this.”

Kirche smoothly pulled out her wand.

The men fell out of their chair laughing.

“Don’t even try young lady. We are nobles and will not point our wands on women.”

“Are you scared of Germanian women?”

“Ridiculous!”

The men continued laughing aloud.

“Then I make you draw your wand.”

Kirche swung her wand. Fireballs equal to the numbers of men came out of the tip of her wand and instantly incinerated the decorative feathers on their hats. The bar stirred. Kirche stood up to bow to the audience.

The men who were being made a laughingstock of stood up all at once.

“Miss, this joke has gone a little too far.”

“Really? But I’m always serious. Furthermore wasn’t it you who invited me?”

“We invited you to drink, not to fight.”

“Then could I duel you gentlemen for insulting me just because I didn’t accept your offer to drink?”

The atmosphere in the bar froze.

One of the officers spoke determinedly,

“Foreign young lady, are you aware of the No Duel Policy? Under the order of her Majesty, we are restricted from dueling. But you are a foreigner. As long as we reach an agreement among ourselves, we could do practically anything to you. Are you speaking under this knowledge?”

“Nobles in Tristine really give long speeches. If this was Germania, the duel would have ended by now.”

They couldn't back down after they had been made fun of like this. The officers looked at each other and one of them gripped his hat’s brim and said, “Chose your opponent, you have the right.”

But Kirche didn’t change her expression. But there was fiery anger swirling inside her. The more Kirche got mad, the more composed and mannered she became.

“As you have said, Germanian women are lewd, so I’ll take care of all of you together.”
Applause was heard inside the bar for Kirche’s brave words. The officers’ faces were flushed bright red due to anger from the insult.

“We are nobles but at the same time also soldiers. When insulted, when challenged, we will not hold back even if the enemy is a woman. Come.”

The noble pointed outside of the bar with his chin. Guiche was shaking under the situation. Montmorency was just drinking wine as though it was none of her business. Louise was talking about how the stupid woman was getting herself into useless trouble again and hiding in the kitchen. Saito unfortunately fell victim of Louise’s anger against Kirche and was passed out because of the pain that Louise had inflicted upon him; so he couldn’t intervene.

So, the one who stood up was Tabitha.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Sit down, it will be over in an instant.”

But Tabitha shook her head.

“Do you mean I won’t be able to beat them?”

“No. But I’ll go.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” said Kirche, but again Tabitha shook her head.

“I owe you.”

“You mean the incident in the Ragdorian Lake? Don’t mind it. I did it out of my own will anyways.”

“Not that.”

“Eh?”

Then Tabitha clearly muttered,

“Owe you one.”

Kirche recalled with those words.

“That’s quite a long time ago.” Kirche smiled.

She thought for a moment but finally decided to leave it to her friend.

“What happened? Got scared? We will forgive you if you apologize now.”

“You’ll still have to pour drinks for us though.”

“You’ll be lucky if it ends with you just pouring drinks.”

The officers laughed. Kirche pointed at Tabitha.

“Beg your pardon, but she has even more skill than me. She even has the title Chevalier.”

The officers put on a doubtful expression.

Tabitha just walked toward the entrance of the bar reticently.

“Do any of you gentlemen have the Chevalier title?”

The officers twisted their necks in unbelief.

“Then she should prove to be more than a match.”

As Kirche finished speaking, she sat down on a chair as though her job was over. The officers, who couldn’t back down, followed Tabitha to the outside of the bar.

“Is she gonna be ok?”

Asked Guiche. Kirche was just drinking her wine elegantly.

“That girl never forgets this kind of boring promise.”

Kirche muttered happily.

Outside, Tabitha was facing the officers at 10 paces. Around them neighboring residents surrounded the duelers excited but keeping a good distance back. In reality, though the No Duel Policy was in effect, it didn’t all together stop the fights between the nobles. This kind of fight was an everyday occurrence.

But…the opponent of the team of three apparent officers of the royal army was a very young little girl. That combination drew the attention of the spectators.

“Gentlemen, our opponent is a kid. After this people will call us bullies. Our honor is going to be ruined no matter if we win or lose. What shall we do?”

As the man that was inviting Kirche said, the youngest of three answered, “Why not let her act first?”

The man who was silent until now said in a happy tone,

“Hah, teaching children is an adult's responsibility!”

Chevalier? Must be joking. There is no way such a little girl can be given such a title.

Although she is a kid, she still is a noble. We cannot forgive such a lie. On top of that insulting an officer from the royal army is just absurd.

Tabitha was just standing ominously there with her staff in her right hand. Nothing could be deterred from her expression. It seemed neither the crowd nor the three officers could change her emotion.

“Little lady, please draw your staff first.”

Said the oldest of the nobles.

The onlookers held their breath and watched over them attentively.

Tabitha simply waved her staff easily, like the time she made wind to cool off Kirche. The battle ended in an instant.

As the customers saw Tabitha coming back to the bar, they gave her a huge welcome mixed with astonishment and wonder. There was a huge commotion outside. Because with just one hit from a huge “Air Hammer”, a hammer made of compressed air, Tabitha blew the officers to the other side of the street and knocked them out cold. One customer peeked outside the window timidly and saw one of the officer regained consciousness and was dragging the other two away.

“You are amazing despite your size!”

Although the bar was filled with applause, Tabitha was flipping a page in her book, not paying attention.

Kirche poured wine in to Tabitha’s cup satisfyingly.

“Let's have a toast.”

Guiche asked Kirche as if he was confused.

“Um, Kirche?”

“What?”

“Why are you two so close? You two are like sisters.”

“We just get along.”

But they were the opposite of each other. What’s more is….Guiche pondered on what he
recalled earlier. The two actually had a duel like the one outside as soon as they enrolled to the school.

“Were you two always this close? What happened between you two? Tell me.”

This also triggered Montmorency’s interest and she leaned forward.

“What happened? Tell us.”

Kirche looked at Tabitha, but Tabitha was silent. However Kirche nodded.

“She said I can talk about it so I will. It’s not that great of a story though.” Kirche took a full wine glass.

She gulped down the wine, and started telling the story with drowsy eyes.

Kirche entered Tristain Magic Academy as Spring was in the air, during the fourth month, Feou's moon's 2nd week, the middle of Heimdallr's week.

The entrance ceremony was held in Alviss Hall. There, every year, the ninety or so new students would be divided into three classes. Children of aristocratic families, gathered from all over, had waited for Principal Osman with nervous looks on their faces.

Osman, leading the teachers, appeared on the 2nd floor and looked over the students a floor below.

“Students, you are Tristain's.... Argh!”

Osman, spreading out his arms and legs, had jumped from the railing of the 2nd floor, preparing to land on a desk downstairs. In mid-air, he waved his staff to use “Levitation” to land safely, but failed. He'd grown old; the time he took to invoke spells had lengthened too much and he fell straight onto the desk. The hall was filled with an uproar as teachers jumped down to help him up. Osman had pulled something badly and someone had to heal him with Water magic. He continued, with no hint of embarrassment,

“Everyone, Become the aristocrats who will support Helkeginia in the future!:

Such brave words. Everyone started clapping, feeling pity for Osman who was trying so hard to maintain his composure.

In the crowd... There was a beautiful girl who stood out even amongst the nobles. This was Kirche, who held the title of “Feverish". Giving a big yawn as she looked at the clumsy principal, she wondered if she'd made a mistake applying here.

For Kirche, however, who'd left Vindobona Magical Academy in Germania's capital... There were no further alternatives, other than going abroad to study. Her parents staying in Zerbst had planned to marry Kirche, who'd been loafing around home after leaving school, off to some old Marquis. Kirche, who had no present plans for marriage, literally flew out of the country to Tristain seeking asylum.

Her impulses moved her to act.

From young, once she took a liking to something she did all she could to get it. If someone protested, she'd shut him up with her specialty, “Fire”. The reason for her dropping out, the “Incident” that had occurred in Germania, was a result of this aspect her personality..

The personality you grow up with is a hard thing to change. Even in Tristain, her arrogant ways were in full play

Getting back to the present, sitting next to Kirche was a petite, blue-haired girl. Compared to the beautiful goddess Kirche, possessor of a devil's body, this girl's body hadn't even hit puberty. She really was a child, after all. The jade eyes behind the glasses still carried a hint of childishness. Even though she was at an Entrance Ceremony, those eyes were still wide open, engrossed in reading her book.

For no apparent reason, Kirche started to get irritated with her attitude. To Kirche, good kids who liked to study were good targets for bullying. She asked in a low voice, “What are you reading?” and snatched away the book. The other girl looked at her with emotionless eyes.

The words in the book were too hard for Kirche, she couldn't understand a thing.

“The hell is this... 'Wind's Power's Influence on Atmospherics and Consequences'? Dunno what it's saying. Can you even use this kinda high level magic?”

The girl did not reply, only stretching out her hand.

“Hey, when you're asking a favor from someone, you should give your name, didn't your parents ever teach you?”

To be honest, it wasn't really asking a favor, just trying to get back something that had been taken away...... The girl took a moment to consider, and said her name - “Tabitha”.

“Whats that? Does everyone in Tristain use such weird names?”

Kirche was close to rolling on the floor in laughter. The teacher in charge of assigning classes shot her a glare, but Kirche, ignoring him, continued to laugh.

Tabitha looked at Kirche with cold eyes. The chain that held her parents' destinies... to hers had been mocked by someone. At that moment, Kirche totally didn't see the change in Tabitha eyes.

A girl with strawberry-blond hair, unable to take it any longer, stood right up.

“That girl over there! Something important is being announced now! Why don't you shut up!”

She'd probably been enduring Kirche's arrogance from before.

“Who are you? I am Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere. To think there are people like you attending, shocking!”

“La Valliere?”

Kirche looked happily at Louise's face.

“Please look after me. I'm Kirche von Zerbst, your neghbour. To think we'd meet here! What a privilege!”

On hearing this Louise's entire body began to tremble.

“W-W-What did you say?”

“Oh, please look after me.”

Kirche gave a charming laugh. A teacher who saw them shivering in rage roared at the three,

“All of you quiet down!”

“Okay.” Saying this, Kirche returned to her seat. Tabitha snatched her book back from Kirche's hand and glared at her from the corner of her eyes, her lips pressed tight.

Every year was divided into three classes, named for the 3 legendary saints, Suen, Iyer and Seger. Kirche and Tabitha were in Suen, Louise in Iyer, while Guiche and Montmorency had been assigned to Seger.

After leaving a big impression at the entrance ceremony, Kirche was being ignored by the girls of her class. That special wild attractiveness of Germanian girls, as well as that generous bust, the hormones in the air just couldn't be shut out. In a second, she had all the boys in class to herself. This made the Tristain girls, already famous for being jealous, burn in envy.

Her personality was one of the reasons she was disliked. Even in Germania, the land of Fire, Kirche had been ostracized for her arrogance. Her personality just rubbed the Tristainians, who worshiped caution as a virtue, the wrong way. Within a short time of starting school, she'd already seduced three boys. There were two reasons. Firstly, those three boys were the better looking ones in class. Secondly, and more importantly... she was just so bored.

Number one, a seductive glance thrown in the hallway.
Number two, sticking her bust out as she pretended to trip.
Number three, crossing her legs in front of him.

Just like that, the three had already asked Kirche to go out with them. Kirche received their requests as though she were getting court summons. She went out with all three at the same time without hiding anything, and so the three were soon locked in combat.

At the end of the pitched battle, the third boy emerged victorious. Just as he was congratulating himself over finally getting Kirche to himself, she found a fourth one.

Several girls interested in these boys formed an alliance to negotiate with Kirche. Kirche, who'd just found five and six, and was once again three-timing, snorted with contempt at the forsaken girls.

“Don't you know when to stop? How many boys do you want before you're happy?”

“Who knows, I don't.”

Said Kirche as she sat at her desk polishing her nails.

“Quit acting dumb!”

“I didn't do anything. They just found me by themselves, saying 'Kirche, wanna come to my room and drink,' or 'I've written a poem, wanna hear it,' stuff like that.”

Kirche said, imitating the boys.

“It's always like this, I'm pretty irritated too, so I have to accept, in your language 'Oui'.” Did I pronounce it right?”

Her attitude made the girls' envy rocket to new heights instantly.
“Listen here. This is Tristain, where we prize prudence and tradition, unlike your barbarian country. Even in love there are proper ways. An ignorant country-girl who doesn't even know that should just go back home!”

“If you're really so concerned about your lover, why not lock him up in your room?”

“What did you say?”

“I'm just so confused. If you've got the time to be jealous, why not try to persuade him to stay?” If you like him you should compliment him a bit. All y'all only know how to put on an angry face, you don't even know how to say things that make a man happy, do you?

“That's what guys should do!”

“Well I'm not like that, if I want someone, I'll praise him as much as possible, otherwise, I'm gonna be very sad.”

“Don't treat us like idiots!”

“However, all of you can rest assured. Although I follow the philosophy of “Do whatever it takes to get what I want,” I'd never take what's most important to someone.

“Liar! Haven't you tried to grab our boyfriends with your dirty hands?”

Kirche turned her gaze slowly to the girls surrounding her.

“To you, It's really not the most important thing, is it.”

“What did you say?”

“If it was such an important thing, you wouldn't have formed a team to negotiate with me. You'd have taken my head off my shoulders a long time ago, or am I wrong?”

The jealous girls had nothing to say.

“...Er....”

“I don't want to die yet. Therefore I won't take what's most precious to someone.”

The girls had been struck by Kirche's imposing manner and started to look at each other.

“If I plan on taking someone's most precious possession, I'll be ready to fight for it. My element is “Fire”. “Fire” controls destruction and passion. I too, want a passionate affair that turns all life to ash and burns everything to the ground.”

Just like that, Kirche's lovers continued to increase, but she was unable to make a single friend. Tabitha, however, was not much better off.

Tabitha hardly spoke to anyone at all. Whether it was break time or lunch time, starting class or ending, even in the dorms or social spaces. She said nothing to anyone. Silent, with a world-weary look on her face... only reading. No matter who tried to speak to her, Tabitha totally ignored them. Not just ignored, it was as though she was totally ignorant of their even existing.

Due to this, Tabitha turned into an object of ridicule. For some reason, she refused to give her last name, so the rumors were that she was a bastard.

The time when she really raised the ire of the entire class was during their first class.

Tabitha, who'd been taken as just a 'normal' bookworm, was found to be an adept “Wind” mage during the first “Wind” magic lesson.

Mr Quito was in charge of “Wind” class. The first words out of his mouth were,

“This year's students are just too sorry.”

Displeasure was immediately written on the faces of the students, who'd gathered in the central courtyard.

“Looking at your school record, almost all of you are 'dot' mages, only a few are 'line'. Not even one is a 'triangle' mage. What's going on?”

Dot and triangle referred to the number of elements that could be stacked. 'Dot' meant one element, 'line' meant the mage could combine two. Even if it was the same element, as long as it could be stacked, a powerful spell could be created.

“I have absolutely no hopes for any of you, but this is my job, after all.”

After Mr. Quito finished speaking in a low voice, class started. “Wind”'s basic skill's are “Flight” and “levitation”.

However... Tabitha began to show her abilities at this point.

She was the first to soar far up quickly using the “Flight” spell. Even so, to try to avoid attention, she'd deliberately not used all her power. Mr. Quito was rather confused.

“For a 'dot' mage, that pretty good.”

Not knowing Tabitha's true ability, it was unavoidable that he'd say that.

For various reasons, the only person who knew Tabitha's real power was Principal Osman. Moreover, Mr. Quito hadn't looked at the exchange students' records.

“No matter what, all of you lost out to the youngest girl in class. Don't you feel ashamed?”

With Mr. Quito's words, the entire class started to get angry.

During the break after lunch, one of the boys asked Tabitha to spar with him.

Sparring like this was basically the same as dueling. Since it was sparring, there was no little danger of any loss of life, at least not in this time period. In times past, it was said that giving your opponent the coup de grace was the way of the noble, but this age of heroes had disappeared into history. The modern method was to use spells with low lethality, and once someone was injured, the bout would be decided. Although at times there were incidents were a finger was broken, it was far safer than placing one's life on the line. In most cases, stealing your opponent's wand was considered the most elegant way of winning.

The youth who had challenged Tabitha was named de Lorraine. Born into a family famous for “Wind” magic, he was one of their year's elite 'line' magicians.

He carried a grudge from having been beaten at “Flight” by some unknown like Tabitha. He like to boast that there was no one who could compete with him in “Wind” magic, and wanted a chance to get back at Tabitha.

Walking towards Tabitha, reading in the central courtyard, he issued a declaration of war,

“Milady, I would like your instruction in “Wind” magic.”

When Tabitha gave no reply, de Lorraine started to get angry.

“To continue reading while someone is challenging you, isn't this far too rude?”

Tabitha still did not reply. De Lorraine's words went by her ears unheard as though it were sound of the breeze.

“So, when it comes to sparring you don't have what it takes. That isn't hard to understand. After all, these contests put one's life on the line! Totally different from flying and jumping around a bit in class!”

Tabitha continued to flip through her book. De Lorraine's insulting words had no effect on the jade-eyed girl.

“Heh!”

De Lorraine snorted, and smirked.

“So. It seems that the rumors of you being a bastard are true. I fear you don't even know who your mother is. To feel envious of some low-born person like you would dishonor my family's reputation!”

As he gave these words and prepared to leave, Tabitha finally stood up. If Kirche were to see her now she would probably feel it. Withing those emotionless jade eyes, an icy wind was howling.

“Have you finally gotten serious?”

Tabitha set her book down on the bench, and turning, walked towards an open area.

Tabitha and de Lorraine stood facing each other about ten meters apart.

“Although I don't want to give my name to a bastard like you, this is the common practice. I, Verrieres de Lorraine, shall be your opponent.”

Tabitha did not give her name.

“It's so pitiful to not have a name to give, even at a time like this! I shall not show mercy! En guarde!”

De Lorraine shouted, and began to chant, “Wind Break”(translator... snicker... better than break wind, anyways.) He planned to send Tabitha flying at once. Tabitha did not take a stance, and merely silently prepared to take the wind that seemed set to blow her away.

What was going on? She totally made no attempt to take an invocation stance. De Lorraine's “Wind Break” was a powerful spell, a spell to counter it would take some time to cast.

Was it because she had never sparred like this before, or had she been scared witless by de Lorraine's spell...

Whatever the reason, time was up.

Just as de Lorraine felt he had victory in his hand...

Tabitha raised her wand, and as though clearing spiderwebs from her path, waved it randomly. A single word was spoken, and just like that, Tabitha had control of all the air currents in the area.

This minute adjustment in air flow changed de Lorraine's spell's forward momentum, returning it to the caster.

De Lorraine was flung against the wall by his own wind. Giving him no time, Tabitha immediately began to cast again. Water vapour in the air froze to ice, turning into countless frozen arrows, which plunged towards de Lorraine.

“Ah!”

With a clear tinkling sound, the ice arrows pinned de Lorraine to the wall by his cloak and clothes. He was scared stiff by this power he had seen for the first time in his life. “Wind”, could it really be all that powerful? A giant ice arrow flew towards the pinned de Lorraine from the front.

“I'm going to die! Save me!"

He shouted reflexively. The arrow, as thick as his arm, stopped in front of his eye. It started to melt, turning into a puddle.

At the same time, the arrows that pinned his body to the wall too began to melt.

The newly released de Lorraine trembled uncontrollably. At his feet, a pool began to form, not from the defrosting ice arrows, but from some other liquid. From between his legs liquid flowed, forming a body-temperature puddle. He sank to his knees.

Throwing away his wand, and begging, ”Please spare me,” he crawled away.

Tabitha's little feet suddenly filled his vision, scaring him so much that he shrieked. She stood there looking down at him, her expression unchanging.

“Spare me! Let me live! S-Sparring's merely a game! Duels where you gamble your life are old history!”

De Lorraine said, denying everything he had said earlier. Tabitha stuck out a wand.

“Let me go! If you let me live, I'll do anything you say!”

Tabitha pointed at the wand in her hands, saying simply,

“You forgot this.”

It was the wand de Lorraine had thrown away.

Those were the reasons why Kirche and Tabitha were hated by the rest of their class... Kirche especially by the girls whose boyfriends she had stolen, and Tabitha by de Lorraine, who she had beaten so badly.

De Lorraine suggested a plan to the girls.

On hearing his plan, the girls clapped and agreed. This would keep their identities from being known and take care of the two most hated girls in class.

<50%>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story2

2008-09-06T06:57:29Z

Heeros1: /* Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind */

===Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind===

Well, this was the Tristain Magic Academy. The summer vacation just started and in the dorm, two nobles were killing time.

They were Kirche the “Ardent” and Tabitha the “Snowy Wind”. Kirche was laying lazily on Tabitha’s bed in a very immodest pose. She had undone all her shirt buttons and was fanning her large chest with her hand. Kirche did like heat but could not stand warmth.

She was not able to control the boiling heat in the sun-baked room.

“Hey Tabitha, would you make some wind for me?”

Tabitha waved her staff without looking up from her book.

“Give me a cold one. One that will cool me to the bone, just like your second name. ”

Of course it was to be expected, but there was some ice mixed in the wind. The snowy wind immediately cooled Kirche’s body.

“Ahh- that feels good.”

Drinking in Tabitha’s cool wind, Kirche finally took off her shirt. She crossed her legs in a manner that would never be seen by any of her dozen of male friends that worshiped her as a goddess.

Kirche stared at Tabitha who was reading her book the whole time. Tabitha did not shed a single drop of sweat as she was completely immersed in her book. “Maybe her second name “Snowy Wind” cools her body as well as her mind,” Kirche whispered.

“Hey ‘Snowy Wind’? You really like to read books don’t you? Just like a Protestant. Could that be the popular Protestant book about the, ‘The Practical Doctrine’?”

“The Practical Doctrine” was…something that the Protestant sect of religion recited by following the interpretation of the book “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that recorded the great deeds and the teachings of the Founder Brimir.

Although every version of “The Founder’s Prayer Book” claimed to be the “original”, their contents were slightly different. Furthermore, there were theories that “The Founder’s Prayer Book” was written hundreds of years after the fall of the Founder Brimir. “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that had been passed down through the Tristine royal family didn’t even have words in it. Therefore, many theologians interpreted it in such a sketchy way so that it would improve the political powers of the Halkeginia’s churches and themselves.
The body of practitioners of the “Practical Doctrine” started in the religious center of the country Romania and was made of commoners who wanted to reform the corrupted churches that exploited them. This soon became an international matter. It spread out from commoners and farmers and they stripped power and land from the monks and priests, but no one knew if that practice and interpretation was right. Probably the only one that could answer it was the Founder Brimir himself.

Tabitha closed her book, and showed Kirche the title. It wasn’t a religious book but an ancient magical research book.

“Just reading,” said Tabitha.

“I know. There’s no way you are a Protestant anyway. Man, it’s really hot today. REALLY hot. That’s why I invited you to go to Germania with me. It’s much cooler there than here.”

Tabitha reopened her book and continued reading. Kirche, who knew the situation of Tabitha’s family, decided to invite her to the Zerbst House, but Tabitha would not agree to come. With no other choice, Kirche decided to keep Tabitha company in the Magic Academy.

She couldn’t stand to let Tabitha be alone.

“We are probably the only ones who would remain in this kind of sauna.”

Kirche thought about having a water bath in the courtyard. Since all the students and teachers had left and gone back to their homes, there shouldn’t be any danger of peepers.

But then…

A scream was heard from the floor below.

Kirche and Tabitha exchanged quick glances.

Kirche quickly put on her shirt and jumped out of the room with her wand. Tabitha soon followed behind her.

In a room a floor below, another pair of students were in the middle of a quarrel.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Um, I’m… I thought it was hot, and I was trying to help you!”

The clamor was between Guiche and Montmorency. Why hadn't this pair left the dorm for summer vacation?

“I see, so that was your purpose! ‘Let's make potions together’ my butt! I shouldn’t have listened to your cajolery about being able to make any Forbidden Potions I want. Just what were you trying to do?”

“That was my objective, no lies!”

“You we having weird thoughts because no one is around, right? Sorry, but I’m not gonna forgive you one finger until I’m married!”

Guiche shook his head.

“Don’t come closer!”

“I’ll swear, I’ll swear.”

Guiche put his hands on his chest.

“I swear in the presence of the Founder and God that I, Guiche de Gramont, did not unbutton the sleeping Montmorency because of any bad intentions, but I really thought you looked hot. You were sweating really bad so I was worried you were going to be steamed to death.”

“Really?”

Montmorency stared with a doubtful look.

“Swear to God.”

Guiche answered seriously.

“…not gonna do anything weird?”

“No, not even gonna think about it.”

After Montmorency thought for a while, she raised her skirt and flashed her panties. Because Guiche jumped at her in an instant, she screamed out loud.

“Dear God! A liar! He’s a liar!”

“White! White! It was really white!”

“No! Stop! Please stop!”

After they were fooling around for a while, the door opened with a bang. Kirche and Tabitha came in and their eyes met Montmorency’s eyes, who was just pushed onto a bed by Guiche.

“…oh, you were just about to do it,” sighed Kirche.

Guiche, who suddenly became serious, stood up and said in a very dignified way, “Oh, I was just…straightening the wrinkles in Montmorency’s shirt.”

“By pushing her onto a bed?” Kirche asked with a scoff.

“Straitening the wrinkles,” Guiche repeated himself.

Montmorency said in a cold tone, “Quit it already, that’s all you have in your head.”
Guiche flushed.

Kirche opened her mouth and said tiredly, “You two are a really cheap couple. You don’t have to do it in this suffocating dorm.”

“We are not doing anything! …and I should ask what you're doing. It’s summer break.”

“It’s just not worth the trouble for us. Although it is a vacation but it’s a pain to
cross the border for that. So what are you two doing anyway?”

“We were um…”

Montmorency fidgeted, as she could not say that she was making Forbidden Potions.

“Ma-, magic research.”

“Well you were doing some kind of research.”

“It was Guiche who wanted to do weird research! He probably fried his brain in this heat!”

The criticized Guiche hung his head.

“I guess.”

Muttered Kirche, “What do you mean ‘I guess’?”

“Let’s go out. It wouldn't be a surprise if we get our brains fried in here.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Let’s go to the town. It’s gonna be a long break so let’s have fun.”

“Well I do want to drink something cold…”

Guiche agreed. Montmorency, who didn’t even want to think about what would happen if she was left alone in the dorm with Guiche, also agreed to going out.

“Really cool your head down when you drink, ok?”

“I will, swear to God.”

“So, what about that little fella?”

Montmorency pointed her finger at Tabitha. Kirche answered.

“She’s going.”

“You can tell by just looking at her?”

“I can.”

Kirche said as though it was obvious.

Tabitha then closed her book, walked over to the window cill, and blew a whistle with her mouth. A flapping noise was heard. In a blink, Tabitha jumped out of the window. Kirche followed.

As Montmorency peeked outside the window, she saw Tabitha’s floating Wind Dragon. Kirche was riding on its back and was waving.

“Hurry up or we’ll leave you!”

Both Guiche and Montmorency jumped after her and Guiche, who got ahead, tried to catch Montmorency.

Then Montmorency started screaming things like ‘don’t touch me’ and ‘don’t look at me’ to tease Guiche.

“But…I was only trying to catch you.”

“Where do you think you’re touching?”

“I thought you two were lovers,” muttered Kirche with surprise.

The group finally arrived at Tristine’s castle town and went to a road that forked from Bulton Avenue. It was just about sunset. In the darkening streets, the magic lamps started to color the surroundings. That magical, wondrous sight created a happy atmosphere that wrapped around the street with the summer heat.

If Bulton Avenue was Tristine’s front face, then this Chicton Street was the bowel. Indecent bars and gambling dens were lined up around the street. Montmorency frowned but Kirche walked on unworriedly. While walking, the group discussed which bar to go to. “Do you know any of the bars around here?” Kirche asked Guiche.

Guiche answered with a smile,

“Well, I do know a good one that I've always wanted to go to.”

“It’s not a weird bar is it?” Montmorency asked as she heard an amorous tone to his speech. Guiche shook his head.

“It’s not a weird bar at all!”

“Then what kind is it?”

Guiche fell silent.

“See, it is a weird bar! Just say it!”

Montmorency started to choke Guiche.

“N-, no it’s not! It’s just girls in cute appearance bringing wine for you… Arg!”

“That is weird, how is it not?”

“That sounds kind of fun.”

It seemed to have piqued Kirche’s interest. Kirche suggested to Guiche,

“Let’s go there, just some plain bar would be too boring.”

“WHAT?” Montmorency bellowed.

“Why does no Tristine woman have any confidence in herself? Makes me sick.”

Because Kirche said that in such a taunting way she suddenly stood up and said,

“It’s just that wine will taste bad if we just let some low-class women pour the wine.”

But because Guiche, who had been backed up by Kirche, started to skip away, Montmorency had no choice but to follow.

“Hey! Wait for me! Don’t leave me here!”

“Welcome!”

As they went into the shop, a tall man who wore a leather shirt welcomed them to the shop.

“Oh, are you new? More noble ladies! How beautiful! How très bien! The girls in the shop will be jealous! I’m the storekeeper, Scarron. Please enjoy yourselves today!” he said while he twisted his body and bowed. Although he seemed kind of gross, he complimented them so Montmorency was now in a better temper. She combed her hair with her fingers and said clearly, “Guide us to the cleanest table”.

“Every table in this store is scrubbed to shine as much as the Majesty’s villa.”

Scarron guided the group to one of the tables. The bar seemed to be really prospering.

Just like the rumor, girls wearing suggestive clothing were carrying wine and food.

Guiche, who was already looking around the bar in ecstasy, ended up with his ear being pulled by Montmorency.

After the party settled down around the table, a strawberry blond haired girl came to take the orders, but for some reason hurriedly covered her face with a tray. Her whole body started to tremble slightly.

“Why are you hiding your face?” Guiche asked discontentedly. Without answering, she gestured to ask for the order. By looking at the girl’s hair color and height, Kirche quickly realized something and, for the first time this summer, an extra-large smile appeared on her face.

“So what do you recommend?”
The girl who was hiding her face with a tray pointed at the neighboring table. On it was a dish with a honey grilled baby chick wrapped by piecrust.

“Then what’s the recommended wine?”
The girl pointed at a wine that had been served to another table, a well-aged Gernew wine.

Then Kirche said in a surprised tone, “Ah, familiar-san is flirting with a girl!”

The girl came out from behind the tray and stared around the room with a sharp eye.

Everyone in the group except for Kirche shouted.

“Louise!”

Louise noticed the broad grin on Kirche’s face and realized that she had been tricked and once again hid her face with the tray.

“It’s too late, La Vallière.”

“I’m not Louise.”

Louise spoke in a shaking voice. Kirche pulled on Louise’s arm and laid her on top of the
table. Kirche grabbed on to the right arm, Guiche on the left, Tabitha grabbed the right leg and Montmorency held on to the left leg. The immobile Louise faced to the side and said with a shaky tone,

“I’m not Louise! Let go of me.”

“Really, what are you doing?”

Louise would not answer. Snap! Kirche snapped her fingers and Tabitha cast a spell. With the power of the wind, Tabitha coiled the air around Louise and controlled her. Louise bounced on top of the table to a seiza pose.

“Wha-, What are you doing?!”

Kirche snapped her fingers once again. Silently Tabitha waved her staff. The mass of air, which controlled Louise, became multiple invisible fingers and started to tickle her body.

“Ahahaha! Stop! It tickles! Stop!”

“So under what circumstances are you working here?”

“I’m not saying! Ahahaha!”

The fingers of air continued to tickle Louise but she wouldn’t confess. Eventually her body went limp.

“Such a tight-lipped kid. You have been hiding many things recently.”

“If you understand…then leave me alone…”

“Will do.”

Kirche picked up the menu dully.

“Hurry up and order.”

“This,” said Kirche pointing at the menu.

“I can't tell, which?”

“Well first of all, everything written on this menu.”

“Huh?”

Louise stared at Kirche blankly.

“Just bring everything.”

“You're really rich… I’m so envious.”

Kirche then said to Louise,

“Oh, of course it’s your treat. I’ll happily accept the offer La Vallière-san.”

“What? Don’t sleep-talk! Why do I have to treat you?!”

“Or I’ll tell everyone in school that you are working here.”

Louise dropped her jaw.

“If you say it…I’ll, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh my, I wouldn’t wanna die so could you bring all the food quickly?”

Louise sadly dropped her shoulders and disappeared toward the kitchen while hitting many
things on the way.

Guiche said shaking his head,

“You really are a nasty woman.”

Kirche happily replied.

“Don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t like that girl. We are basically enemies…”

Kirche cut off her speech and fixed Tabitha’s disorderly cloak.

“You should really fix that habit of messing up your hair and cloak when you cast spells. Women are about appearance and smarts are secondary.”

Kirche was fixing up Tabitha’s hair like an older sister taking care of a little sister or a mother worrying for her daughter.

Guiche looked at Tabitha. ''Why does this mean Germanian woman have her trust in Tabitha and only Tabitha?'' Thought Guiche. Although it was summer vacation, the two didn’t go home and stayed together at school. Moreover, they seem to be communicating telepathically. Maybe it’s because Tabitha rarely speaks, but they are able to understand each other by just exchanging looks and are as close as sisters.

But…Guiche puzzled over his memory. They weren’t this close when they first enrolled. It’s not clear because I was fooling around with other girls too much but didn’t they even start a duel?

[[Image:ZnT05-121.jpg|thumb]]

Just when Guiche wanted to inquire about it, a new customer came into the bar.
They were good-looking nobles. They were wearing hats with large brims furnished with stylish feathers and had sword-shaped wands sticking out their cloak. They seemed to be officers from the royal army.

They probably had been training the whole day and they came in without a care and started to look around for tables.

The officer started to talk about the different girls in the bar. Many different girls poured the wine but none seemed to satisfy the officers. One officer noticed Kirche and winked at her.

“Isn’t that a noble girl? Women that could be together with us will have to carry a wand around!”

“That’s right! This is a rare break that her Majesty has given to us, the officers of the royal army. We can’t just have some commoners pour our wine.”

While saying such words, they were loudly deciding whom to go and pick up the girls. It seemed Kirche was used to these kinds of things and continued drinking wine calmly, but Guiche was feeling uneasy. He supposed himself to be in a position where he should be escorting the girls, but couldn’t be firm in front of nobles that were officers in the royal army. He would probably get beaten up.

Eventually the decision was made for whom to go talk to them. One of the nobles stood up. He was a handsome man just over twenty years old.

As he played with his mustache and was full of confidence, he elegantly bowed for Kirche.

“We are the officers that belong to the Navaaru regiment. We were stricken by your august beauty and would like to invite you to our dining table.”

Kirche answered without even looking.

“Sorry, I’m having a good time with my friends.”

The officer’s friends started hooting. If he got rejected now, it would shatter his pride. He started to persuade Kirche with enthusiastic words.

“I will plead you to ignore that. Please bestow a moment of happiness to us who have nothing but the unforgiving battle to await us.”

But still Kirche just waved him off.

The noble just went back to his friends disappointedly.

“You’re not popular with women,” said an officer. But the young man shook his head.

“Did you hear her accent? She has to be a Germanian woman. Quite suspicious as a noble if you ask me!”

“But I heard Germanian women are really lewd. Quite rare to see a woman with firm conduct.”

“Probably a Protestant to boot!”

Maybe it was partly because of the alcohol, but the officers started saying insults against Kirche. Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other and asked Kirche if she wanted to leave the bar.

“But we were here first,” muttered Kirche as she stood up. Her long hair seemed to be burning as though it was a wild fire. Other customers and waitresses and practically everyone who was watching over the whole incident fell quiet.

“Ah, so have you changed you mind and decided to accompany us?”

“Yes, not with goblets…but with this.”

Kirche smoothly pulled out her wand.

The men fell out of their chair laughing.

“Don’t even try young lady. We are nobles and will not point our wands on women.”

“Are you scared of Germanian women?”

“Ridiculous!”

The men continued laughing aloud.

“Then I make you draw your wand.”

Kirche swung her wand. Fireballs equal to the numbers of men came out of the tip of her wand and instantly incinerated the decorative feathers on their hats. The bar stirred. Kirche stood up to bow to the audience.

The men who were being made a laughingstock of stood up all at once.

“Miss, this joke has gone a little too far.”

“Really? But I’m always serious. Furthermore wasn’t it you who invited me?”

“We invited you to drink, not to fight.”

“Then could I duel you gentlemen for insulting me just because I didn’t accept your offer to drink?”

The atmosphere in the bar froze.

One of the officers spoke determinedly,

“Foreign young lady, are you aware of the No Duel Policy? Under the order of her Majesty, we are restricted from dueling. But you are a foreigner. As long as we reach an agreement among ourselves, we could do practically anything to you. Are you speaking under this knowledge?”

“Nobles in Tristine really give long speeches. If this was Germania, the duel would have ended by now.”

They couldn't back down after they had been made fun of like this. The officers looked at each other and one of them gripped his hat’s brim and said, “Chose your opponent, you have the right.”

But Kirche didn’t change her expression. But there was fiery anger swirling inside her. The more Kirche got mad, the more composed and mannered she became.

“As you have said, Germanian women are lewd, so I’ll take care of all of you together.”
Applause was heard inside the bar for Kirche’s brave words. The officers’ faces were flushed bright red due to anger from the insult.

“We are nobles but at the same time also soldiers. When insulted, when challenged, we will not hold back even if the enemy is a woman. Come.”

The noble pointed outside of the bar with his chin. Guiche was shaking under the situation. Montmorency was just drinking wine as though it was none of her business. Louise was talking about how the stupid woman was getting herself into useless trouble again and hiding in the kitchen. Saito unfortunately fell victim of Louise’s anger against Kirche and was passed out because of the pain that Louise had inflicted upon him; so he couldn’t intervene.

So, the one who stood up was Tabitha.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Sit down, it will be over in an instant.”

But Tabitha shook her head.

“Do you mean I won’t be able to beat them?”

“No. But I’ll go.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” said Kirche, but again Tabitha shook her head.

“I owe you.”

“You mean the incident in the Ragdorian Lake? Don’t mind it. I did it out of my own will anyways.”

“Not that.”

“Eh?”

Then Tabitha clearly muttered,

“Owe you one.”

Kirche recalled with those words.

“That’s quite a long time ago.” Kirche smiled.

She thought for a moment but finally decided to leave it to her friend.

“What happened? Got scared? We will forgive you if you apologize now.”

“You’ll still have to pour drinks for us though.”

“You’ll be lucky if it ends with you just pouring drinks.”

The officers laughed. Kirche pointed at Tabitha.

“Beg your pardon, but she has even more skill than me. She even has the title Chevalier.”

The officers put on a doubtful expression.

Tabitha just walked toward the entrance of the bar reticently.

“Do any of you gentlemen have the Chevalier title?”

The officers twisted their necks in unbelief.

“Then she should prove to be more than a match.”

As Kirche finished speaking, she sat down on a chair as though her job was over. The officers, who couldn’t back down, followed Tabitha to the outside of the bar.

“Is she gonna be ok?”

Asked Guiche. Kirche was just drinking her wine elegantly.

“That girl never forgets this kind of boring promise.”

Kirche muttered happily.

Outside, Tabitha was facing the officers at 10 paces. Around them neighboring residents surrounded the duelers excited but keeping a good distance back. In reality, though the No Duel Policy was in effect, it didn’t all together stop the fights between the nobles. This kind of fight was an everyday occurrence.

But…the opponent of the team of three apparent officers of the royal army was a very young little girl. That combination drew the attention of the spectators.

“Gentlemen, our opponent is a kid. After this people will call us bullies. Our honor is going to be ruined no matter if we win or lose. What shall we do?”

As the man that was inviting Kirche said, the youngest of three answered, “Why not let her act first?”

The man who was silent until now said in a happy tone,

“Hah, teaching children is an adult's responsibility!”

Chevalier? Must be joking. There is no way such a little girl can be given such a title.

Although she is a kid, she still is a noble. We cannot forgive such a lie. On top of that insulting an officer from the royal army is just absurd.

Tabitha was just standing ominously there with her staff in her right hand. Nothing could be deterred from her expression. It seemed neither the crowd nor the three officers could change her emotion.

“Little lady, please draw your staff first.”

Said the oldest of the nobles.

The onlookers held their breath and watched over them attentively.

Tabitha simply waved her staff easily, like the time she made wind to cool off Kirche. The battle ended in an instant.

As the customers saw Tabitha coming back to the bar, they gave her a huge welcome mixed with astonishment and wonder. There was a huge commotion outside. Because with just one hit from a huge “Air Hammer”, a hammer made of compressed air, Tabitha blew the officers to the other side of the street and knocked them out cold. One customer peeked outside the window timidly and saw one of the officer regained consciousness and was dragging the other two away.

“You are amazing despite your size!”

Although the bar was filled with applause, Tabitha was flipping a page in her book, not paying attention.

Kirche poured wine in to Tabitha’s cup satisfyingly.

“Let's have a toast.”

Guiche asked Kirche as if he was confused.

“Um, Kirche?”

“What?”

“Why are you two so close? You two are like sisters.”

“We just get along.”

But they were the opposite of each other. What’s more is….Guiche pondered on what he
recalled earlier. The two actually had a duel like the one outside as soon as they enrolled to the school.

“Were you two always this close? What happened between you two? Tell me.”

This also triggered Montmorency’s interest and she leaned forward.

“What happened? Tell us.”

Kirche looked at Tabitha, but Tabitha was silent. However Kirche nodded.

“She said I can talk about it so I will. It’s not that great of a story though.” Kirche took a wine glass full of wine.

She gulped down the wine, and started telling the story with drowsy eyes.

Kirche entered Tristain Magic Academy as Spring was in the air, during the fourth month, Feou's moon's 2nd week, the middle of Heimdallr's week.

The entrance ceremony was held in Alviss Hall. There, every year, the ninety or so new students would be divided into three classes. Children of aristocratic families, gathered from all over had, waited for Principal Osman with nervous looks on their faces.

Osman, leading the teachers, appeared on the 2nd floor and looked over the students a floor below.

“Students, you are Tristain's.... Argh!”

Osman, spreading out his arms and legs, had jumped from the railing of the 2nd floor, preparing to land on a desk downstairs. In mid-air, he waved his staff to use “Levitation” to land safely, but failed. He'd grown old; the time he took to invoke spells had lengthened too much and he fell straight onto the desk. The hall was filled with an uproar as teachers jumped down to help him up. Osman had pulled something badly and someone had to heal him with Water magic. He continued, with no hint of embarrassment,

“Everyone, Become the aristocrats who will support Helkeginia in the future!:

Such brave words. Everyone started clapping, feeling pity for Osman who was trying so hard to maintain his composure.

In the crowd... There was a beautiful girl who stood out even amongst the nobles. This was Kirche, who held the title of “Feverish". Giving a big yawn as she looked at the clumsy principal, she wondered if she'd made a mistake applying here.

For Kirche, however, who'd left Vindobona Magical Academy in Germania's capital... There were no further alternatives, other than going abroad to study. Her parents staying in Zerbst had planned to marry Kirche, who'd been loafing around home after leaving school, off to some old Marquis. Kirche, who had no present plans for marriage, literally flew out of the country to Tristain seeking asylum.

Her impulses moved her to act.

From young, once she took a liking to something she did all she could to get it. If someone protested, she'd shut him up with her specialty, “Fire”. The reason for her dropping out, the “Incident” that had occurred in Germania, was a result of this aspect her personality..

The personality you grow up with is a hard thing to change. Even in Tristain, her arrogant ways were in full play

Getting back to the present, sitting next to Kirche was a petite, blue-haired girl. Compared to the beautiful goddess Kirche, possessor of a devil's body, this girl's body hadn't even hit puberty. She really was a child, after all. The jade eyes behind the glasses still carried a hint of childishness. Even though she was at an Entrance Ceremony, those eyes were still wide open, engrossed in reading her book.

For no apparent reason, Kirche started to get irritated with her attitude. To Kirche, good kids who liked to study were good targets for bullying. She asked in a low voice, “What are you reading?” and snatched away the book. The other girl looked at her with emotionless eyes.

The words in the book were too hard for Kirche, she couldn't understand a thing.

“The hell is this... 'Wind's Power's Influence on Atmospherics and Consequences'? Dunno what it's saying. Can you even use this kinda high level magic?”

The girl did not reply, only stretching out her hand.

“Hey, when you're asking a favor from someone, you should give your name, didn't your parents ever teach you?”

To be honest, it wasn't really asking a favor, just trying to get back something that had been taken away...... The girl took a moment to consider, and said her name - “Tabitha”.

“Whats that? Does everyone in Tristain use such weird names?”

Kirche was close to rolling on the floor in laughter. The teacher in charge of assigning classes shot her a glare, but Kirche, ignoring him, continued to laugh.

Tabitha looked at Kirche with cold eyes. The chain that held her parents' destinies... to hers had been mocked by someone. At that moment, Kirche totally didn't see the change in Tabitha eyes.

A girl with strawberry-blond hair, unable to take it any longer, stood right up.

“That girl over there! Something important is being announced now! Why don't you shut up!”

She'd probably been enduring Kirche's arrogance from before.

“Who are you? I am Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere. To think there are people like you attending, shocking!”

“La Valliere?”

Kirche looked happily at Louise's face.

“Please look after me. I'm Kirche von Zerbst, your neghbour. To think we'd meet here! What a privilege!”

On hearing this Louise's entire body began to tremble.

“W-W-What did you say?”

“Oh, please look after me.”

Kirche gave a charming laugh. A teacher who saw them shivering in rage roared at the three,

“All of you quiet down!”

“Okay.” Saying this, Kirche returned to her seat. Tabitha snatched her book back from Kirche's hand and glared at her from the corner of her eyes, her lips pressed tight.

Every year was divided into three classes, named for the 3 legendary saints, Suen, Iyer and Seger. Kirche and Tabitha were in Suen, Louise in Iyer, while Guiche and Montmorency had been assigned to Seger.

After leaving a big impression at the entrance ceremony, Kirche was being ignored by the girls of her class. That special wild attractiveness of Germanian girls, as well as that generous bust, the hormones in the air just couldn't be shut out. In a second, she had all the boys in class to herself. This made the Tristain girls, already famous for being jealous, burn in envy.

Her personality was one of the reasons she was disliked. Even in Germania, the land of Fire, Kirche had been ostracized for her arrogance. Her personality just rubbed the Tristainians, who worshiped caution as a virtue, the wrong way. Within a short time of starting school, she'd already seduced three boys. There were two reasons. Firstly, those three boys were the better looking ones in class. Secondly, and more importantly... she was just so bored.

Number one, a seductive glance thrown in the hallway.
Number two, sticking her bust out as she pretended to trip.
Number three, crossing her legs in front of him.

Just like that, the three had already asked Kirche to go out with them. Kirche received their requests as though she were getting court summons. She went out with all three at the same time without hiding anything, and so the three were soon locked in combat.

At the end of the pitched battle, the third boy emerged victorious. Just as he was congratulating himself over finally getting Kirche to himself, she found a fourth one.

Several girls interested in these boys formed an alliance to negotiate with Kirche. Kirche, who'd just found five and six, and was once again three-timing, snorted with contempt at the forsaken girls.

“Don't you know when to stop? How many boys do you want before you're happy?”

“Who knows, I don't.”

Said Kirche as she sat at her desk polishing her nails.

“Quit acting dumb!”

“I didn't do anything. They just found me by themselves, saying 'Kirche, wanna come to my room and drink,' or 'I've written a poem, wanna hear it,' stuff like that.”

Kirche said, imitating the boys.

“It's always like this, I'm pretty irritated too, so I have to accept, in your language 'Oui'.” Did I pronounce it right?”

Her attitude made the girls' envy rocket to new heights instantly.
“Listen here. This is Tristain, where we prize prudence and tradition, unlike your barbarian country. Even in love there are proper ways. An ignorant country-girl who doesn't even know that should just go back home!”

“If you're really so concerned about your lover, why not lock him up in your room?”

“What did you say?”

“I'm just so confused. If you've got the time to be jealous, why not try to persuade him to stay?” If you like him you should compliment him a bit. All y'all only know how to put on an angry face, you don't even know how to say things that make a man happy, do you?

“That's what guys should do!”

“Well I'm not like that, if I want someone, I'll praise him as much as possible, otherwise, I'm gonna be very sad.”

“Don't treat us like idiots!”

“However, all of you can rest assured. Although I follow the philosophy of “Do whatever it takes to get what I want,” I'd never take what's most important to someone.

“Liar! Haven't you tried to grab our boyfriends with your dirty hands?”

Kirche turned her gaze slowly to the girls surrounding her.

“To you, It's really not the most important thing, is it.”

“What did you say?”

“If it was such an important thing, you wouldn't have formed a team to negotiate with me. You'd have taken my head off my shoulders a long time ago, or am I wrong?”

The jealous girls had nothing to say.

“...Er....”

“I don't want to die yet. Therefore I won't take what's most precious to someone.”

The girls had been struck by Kirche's imposing manner and started to look at each other.

“If I plan on taking someone's most precious possession, I'll be ready to fight for it. My element is “Fire”. “Fire” controls destruction and passion. I too, want a passionate affair that turns all life to ash and burns everything to the ground.”

Just like that, Kirche's lovers continued to increase, but she was unable to make a single friend. Tabitha, however, was not much better off.

Tabitha hardly spoke to anyone at all. Whether it was break time or lunch time, starting class or ending, even in the dorms or social spaces. She said nothing to anyone. Silent, with a world-weary look on her face... only reading. No matter who tried to speak to her, Tabitha totally ignored them. Not just ignored, it was as though she was totally ignorant of their even existing.

Due to this, Tabitha turned into an object of ridicule. For some reason, she refused to give her last name, so the rumors were that she was a bastard.

The time when she really raised the ire of the entire class was during their first class.

Tabitha, who'd been taken as just a 'normal' bookworm, was found to be an adept “Wind” mage during the first “Wind” magic lesson.

Mr Quito was in charge of “Wind” class. The first words out of his mouth were,

“This year's students are just too sorry.”

Displeasure was immediately written on the faces of the students, who'd gathered in the central courtyard.

“Looking at your school record, almost all of you are 'dot' mages, only a few are 'line'. Not even one is a 'triangle' mage. What's going on?”

Dot and triangle referred to the number of elements that could be stacked. 'Dot' meant one element, 'line' meant the mage could combine two. Even if it was the same element, as long as it could be stacked, a powerful spell could be created.

“I have absolutely no hopes for any of you, but this is my job, after all.”

After Mr. Quito finished speaking in a low voice, class started. “Wind”'s basic skill's are “Flight” and “levitation”.

However... Tabitha began to show her abilities at this point.

She was the first to soar far up quickly using the “Flight” spell. Even so, to try to avoid attention, she'd deliberately not used all her power. Mr. Quito was rather confused.

“For a 'dot' mage, that pretty good.”

Not knowing Tabitha's true ability, it was unavoidable that he'd say that.

For various reasons, the only person who knew Tabitha's real power was Principal Osman. Moreover, Mr. Quito hadn't looked at the exchange students' records.

“No matter what, all of you lost out to the youngest girl in class. Don't you feel ashamed?”

With Mr. Quito's words, the entire class started to get angry.

During the break after lunch, one of the boys asked Tabitha to spar with him.

Sparring like this was basically the same as dueling. Since it was sparring, there was no little danger of any loss of life, at least not in this time period. In times past, it was said that giving your opponent the coup de grace was the way of the noble, but this age of heroes had disappeared into history. The modern method was to use spells with low lethality, and once someone was injured, the bout would be decided. Although at times there were incidents were a finger was broken, it was far safer than placing one's life on the line. In most cases, stealing your opponent's wand was considered the most elegant way of winning.

The youth who had challenged Tabitha was named de Lorraine. Born into a family famous for “Wind” magic, he was one of their year's elite 'line' magicians.

He carried a grudge from having been beaten at “Flight” by some unknown like Tabitha. He like to boast that there was no one who could compete with him in “Wind” magic, and wanted a chance to get back at Tabitha.

Walking towards Tabitha, reading in the central courtyard, he issued a declaration of war,

“Milady, I would like your instruction in “Wind” magic.”

When Tabitha gave no reply, de Lorraine started to get angry.

“To continue reading while someone is challenging you, isn't this far too rude?”

Tabitha still did not reply. De Lorraine's words went by her ears unheard as though it were sound of the breeze.

“So, when it comes to sparring you don't have what it takes. That isn't hard to understand. After all, these contests put one's life on the line! Totally different from flying and jumping around a bit in class!”

Tabitha continued to flip through her book. De Lorraine's insulting words had no effect on the jade-eyed girl.

“Heh!”

De Lorraine snorted, and smirked.

“So. It seems that the rumors of you being a bastard are true. I fear you don't even know who your mother is. To feel envious of some low-born person like you would dishonor my family's reputation!”

As he gave these words and prepared to leave, Tabitha finally stood up. If Kirche were to see her now she would probably feel it. Withing those emotionless jade eyes, an icy wind was howling.

“Have you finally gotten serious?”

Tabitha set her book down on the bench, and turning, walked towards an open area.

Tabitha and de Lorraine stood facing each other about ten meters apart.

“Although I don't want to give my name to a bastard like you, this is the common practice. I, Verrieres de Lorraine, shall be your opponent.”

Tabitha did not give her name.

“It's so pitiful to not have a name to give, even at a time like this! I shall not show mercy! En guarde!”

De Lorraine shouted, and began to chant, “Wind Break”(translator... snicker... better than break wind, anyways.) He planned to send Tabitha flying at once. Tabitha did not take a stance, and merely silently prepared to take the wind that seemed set to blow her away.

What was going on? She totally made no attempt to take an invocation stance. De Lorraine's “Wind Break” was a powerful spell, a spell to counter it would take some time to cast.

Was it because she had never sparred like this before, or had she been scared witless by de Lorraine's spell...

Whatever the reason, time was up.

Just as de Lorraine felt he had victory in his hand...

Tabitha raised her wand, and as though clearing spiderwebs from her path, waved it randomly. A single word was spoken, and just like that, Tabitha had control of all the air currents in the area.

This minute adjustment in air flow changed de Lorraine's spell's forward momentum, returning it to the caster.

De Lorraine was flung against the wall by his own wind. Giving him no time, Tabitha immediately began to cast again. Water vapour in the air froze to ice, turning into countless frozen arrows, which plunged towards de Lorraine.

“Ah!”

With a clear tinkling sound, the ice arrows pinned de Lorraine to the wall by his cloak and clothes. He was scared stiff by this power he had seen for the first time in his life. “Wind”, could it really be all that powerful? A giant ice arrow flew towards the pinned de Lorraine from the front.

“I'm going to die! Save me!"

He shouted reflexively. The arrow, as thick as his arm, stopped in front of his eye. It started to melt, turning into a puddle.

At the same time, the arrows that pinned his body to the wall too began to melt.

The newly released de Lorraine trembled uncontrollably. At his feet, a pool began to form, not from the defrosting ice arrows, but from some other liquid. From between his legs liquid flowed, forming a body-temperature puddle. He sank to his knees.

Throwing away his wand, and begging, ”Please spare me,” he crawled away.

Tabitha's little feet suddenly filled his vision, scaring him so much that he shrieked. She stood there looking down at him, her expression unchanging.

“Spare me! Let me live! S-Sparring's merely a game! Duels where you gamble your life are old history!”

De Lorraine said, denying everything he had said earlier. Tabitha stuck out a wand.

“Let me go! If you let me live, I'll do anything you say!”

Tabitha pointed at the wand in her hands, saying simply,

“You forgot this.”

It was the wand de Lorraine had thrown away.

Those were the reasons why Kirche and Tabitha were hated by the rest of their class... Kirche especially by the girls whose boyfriends she had stolen, and Tabitha by de Lorraine, who she had beaten so badly.

De Lorraine suggested a plan to the girls.

On hearing his plan, the girls clapped and agreed. This would keep their identities from being known and take care of the two most hated girls in class.

<50%>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story2

2008-09-06T06:42:31Z

Heeros1: /* Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind */

===Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind===

Well, this was the Tristain Magic Academy. The summer vacation just started and in the dorm, two nobles were killing time.

They were Kirche the “Ardent” and Tabitha the “Snowy Wind”. Kirche was laying lazily on Tabitha’s bed in a very immodest pose. She had undone all her shirt buttons and was fanning her large chest with her hand. Kirche did like heat but could not stand warmth.

She was not able to control the boiling heat in the sun-baked room.

“Hey Tabitha, would you make some wind for me?”

Tabitha waved her staff without looking up from her book.

“Give me a cold one. One that will cool me to the bone, just like your second name. ”

Of course it was to be expected, but there was some ice mixed in the wind. The snowy wind immediately cooled Kirche’s body.

“Ahh- that feels good.”

Drinking in Tabitha’s cool wind, Kirche finally took off her shirt. She crossed her legs in a manner that would never be seen by any of her dozen of male friends that worshiped her as a goddess.

Kirche stared at Tabitha who was reading her book the whole time. Tabitha did not shed a single drop of sweat as she was completely immersed in her book. “Maybe her second name “Snowy Wind” cools her body as well as her mind,” Kirche whispered.

“Hey ‘Snowy Wind’? You really like to read books don’t you? Just like a Protestant. Could that be the popular Protestant book about the, ‘The Practical Doctrine’?”

“The Practical Doctrine” was…something that the Protestant sect of religion recited by following the interpretation of the book “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that recorded the great deeds and the teachings of the Founder Brimir.

Although every version of “The Founder’s Prayer Book” claimed to be the “original”, their contents were slightly different. Furthermore, there were theories that “The Founder’s Prayer Book” was written hundreds of years after the fall of the Founder Brimir. “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that had been passed down through the Tristine royal family didn’t even have words in it. Therefore, many theologians interpreted it in such a sketchy way so that it would improve the political powers of the Halkeginia’s churches and themselves.
The body of practitioners of the “Practical Doctrine” started in the religious center of the country Romania and was made of commoners who wanted to reform the corrupted churches that exploited them. This soon became an international matter. It spread out from commoners and farmers and they stripped power and land from the monks and priests, but no one knew if that practice and interpretation was right. Probably the only one that could answer it was the Founder Brimir himself.

Tabitha closed her book, and showed Kirche the title. It wasn’t a religious book but an ancient magical research book.

“Just reading,” said Tabitha.

“I know. There’s no way you are a Protestant anyway. Man, it’s really hot today. REALLY hot. That’s why I invited you to go to Germania with me. It’s much cooler there than here.”

Tabitha reopened her book and continued reading. Kirche, who knew the situation of Tabitha’s family, decided to invite her to the Zerbst House, but Tabitha would not agree to come. With no other choice, Kirche decided to keep Tabitha company in the Magic Academy.

She couldn’t stand to let Tabitha be alone.

“We are probably the only ones who would remain in this kind of sauna.”

Kirche thought about having a water bath in the courtyard. Since all the students and teachers had left and gone back to their homes, there shouldn’t be any danger of peepers.

But then…

A scream was heard from the floor below.

Kirche and Tabitha exchanged quick glances.

Kirche quickly put on her shirt and jumped out of the room with her wand. Tabitha soon followed behind her.

In a room a floor below, another pair of students were in the middle of a quarrel.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Um, I’m… I thought it was hot, and I was trying to help you!”

The clamor was between Guiche and Montmorency. Why hadn't this pair left the dorm for summer vacation?

“I see, so that was your purpose! ‘Let's make potions together’ my butt! I shouldn’t have listened to your cajolery about being able to make any Forbidden Potions I want. Just what were you trying to do?”

“That was my objective, no lies!”

“You we having weird thoughts because no one is around, right? Sorry, but I’m not gonna forgive you one finger until I’m married!”

Guiche shook his head.

“Don’t come closer!”

“I’ll swear, I’ll swear.”

Guiche put his hands on his chest.

“I swear in the presence of the Founder and God that I, Guiche de Gramont, did not unbutton the sleeping Montmorency because of any bad intentions, but I really thought you looked hot. You were sweating really bad so I was worried you were going to be steamed to death.”

“Really?”

Montmorency stared with a doubtful look.

“Swear to God.”

Guiche answered seriously.

“…not gonna do anything weird?”

“No, not even gonna think about it.”

After Montmorency thought for a while, she raised her skirt and flashed her panties. Because Guiche jumped at her in an instant, she screamed out loud.

“Dear God! A liar! He’s a liar!”

“White! White! It was really white!”

“No! Stop! Please stop!”

After they were fooling around for a while, the door opened with a bang. Kirche and Tabitha came in and their eyes met Montmorency’s eyes, who was just pushed onto a bed by Guiche.

“…oh, you were just about to do it,” sighed Kirche.

Guiche, who suddenly became serious, stood up and said in a very dignified way, “Oh, I was just…straightening the wrinkles in Montmorency’s shirt.”

“By pushing her onto a bed?” Kirche asked with a scoff.

“Straitening the wrinkles,” Guiche repeated himself.

Montmorency said in a cold tone, “Quit it already, that’s all you have in your head.”
Guiche flushed.

Kirche opened her mouth and said tiredly, “You two are a really cheap couple. You don’t have to do it in this suffocating dorm.”

“We are not doing anything! …and I should ask what you're doing. It’s summer break.”

“It’s just not worth the trouble for us. Although it is a vacation but it’s a pain to
cross the border for that. So what are you two doing anyway?”

“We were um…”

Montmorency fidgeted, as she could not say that she was making Forbidden Potions.

“Ma-, magic research.”

“Well you were doing some kind of research.”

“It was Guiche who wanted to do weird research! He probably fried his brain in this heat!”

The criticized Guiche hung his head.

“I guess.”

Muttered Kirche, “What do you mean ‘I guess’?”

“Let’s go out. It wouldn't be a surprise if we get our brains fried in here.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Let’s go to the town. It’s gonna be a long break so let’s have fun.”

“Well I do want to drink something cold…”

Guiche agreed. Montmorency, who didn’t even want to think about what would happen if she was left alone in the dorm with Guiche, also agreed to going out.

“Really cool your head down when you drink, ok?”

“I will, swear to God.”

“So, what about that little fella?”

Montmorency pointed her finger at Tabitha. Kirche answered.

“She’s going.”

“You can tell by just looking at her?”

“I can.”

Kirche said as though it was obvious.

Tabitha then closed her book, walked over to the window cill, and blew a whistle with her mouth. A flapping noise was heard. In a blink, Tabitha jumped out of the window. Kirche followed.

As Montmorency peeked outside the window, she saw Tabitha’s floating Wind Dragon. Kirche was riding on its back and was waving.

“Hurry up or we’ll leave you!”

Both Guiche and Montmorency jumped after her and Guiche, who got ahead, tried to catch Montmorency.

Then Montmorency started screaming things like ‘don’t touch me’ and ‘don’t look at me’ to tease Guiche.

“But…I was only trying to catch you.”

“Where do you think you’re touching?”

“I thought you two were lovers,” muttered Kirche with surprise.

The group finally arrived at Tristine’s castle town and went to a road that forked from Bulton Avenue. It was just about sunset. In the darkening streets, the magic lamps started to color the surroundings. That magical, wondrous sight created a happy atmosphere that wrapped around the street with the summer heat.

If Bulton Avenue was Tristine’s front face, then this Chicton Street was the bowel. Indecent bars and gambling dens were lined up around the street. Montmorency frowned but Kirche walked on unworriedly. While walking, the group discussed which bar to go to. “Do you know any of the bars around here?” Kirche asked Guiche.

Guiche answered with a smile,

“Well, I do know a good one that I've always wanted to go to.”

“It’s not a weird bar is it?” Montmorency asked as she heard an amorous tone to his speech. Guiche shook his head.

“It’s not a weird bar at all!”

“Then what kind is it?”

Guiche fell silent.

“See, it is a weird bar! Just say it!”

Montmorency started to choke Guiche.

“N-, no it’s not! It’s just girls in cute appearance bringing wine for you… Arg!”

“That is weird, how is it not?”

“That sounds kind of fun.”

It seemed to have piqued Kirche’s interest. Kirche suggested to Guiche,

“Let’s go there, just some plain bar would be too boring.”

“WHAT?” Montmorency bellowed.

“Why does no Tristine woman have any confidence in herself? Makes me sick.”

Because Kirche said that in such a taunting way she suddenly stood up and said,

“It’s just that wine will taste bad if we just let some low-class women pour the wine.”

But because Guiche, who had been backed up by Kirche, started to skip away, Montmorency had no choice but to follow.

“Hey! Wait for me! Don’t leave me here!”

“Welcome!”

As they went into the shop, a tall man who wore a leather shirt welcomed them to the shop.

“Oh, are you new? More noble ladies! How beautiful! How très bien! The girls in the shop will be jealous! I’m the storekeeper, Scarron. Please enjoy yourselves today!” he said while he twisted his body and bowed. Although he seemed kind of gross, he complimented them so Montmorency was now in a better temper. She combed her hair with her fingers and said clearly, “Guide us to the cleanest table”.

“Every table in this store is scrubbed to shine as much as the Majesty’s villa.”

Scarron guided the group to one of the tables. The bar seemed to be really prospering.

Just like the rumor, girls wearing suggestive clothing were carrying wine and food.

Guiche, who was already looking around the bar in ecstasy, ended up with his ear being pulled by Montmorency.

After the party settled down around the table, a strawberry blond haired girl came to take the orders, but for some reason hurriedly covered her face with a tray. Her whole body started to tremble slightly.

“Why are you hiding your face?” Guiche asked discontentedly. Without answering, she gestured to ask for the order. By looking at the girl’s hair color and height, Kirche quickly realized something and, for the first time this summer, an extra-large smile appeared on her face.

“So what do you recommend?”
The girl who was hiding her face with a tray pointed at the neighboring table. On it was a dish with a honey grilled baby chick wrapped by piecrust.

“Then what’s the recommended wine?”
The girl pointed at a wine that had been served to another table, a well-aged Gernew wine.

Then Kirche said in a surprised tone, “Ah, familiar-san is flirting with a girl!”

The girl came out from behind the tray and stared around the room with a sharp eye.

Everyone in the group except for Kirche shouted.

“Louise!”

Louise noticed the broad grin on Kirche’s face and realized that she had been tricked and once again hid her face with the tray.

“It’s too late, La Vallière.”

“I’m not Louise.”

Louise spoke in a shaking voice. Kirche pulled on Louise’s arm and laid her on top of the
table. Kirche grabbed on to the right arm, Guiche on the left, Tabitha grabbed the right leg and Montmorency held on to the left leg. The immobile Louise faced to the side and said with a shaky tone,

“I’m not Louise! Let go of me.”

“Really, what are you doing?”

Louise would not answer. Snap! Kirche snapped her fingers and Tabitha cast a spell. With the power of the wind, Tabitha coiled the air around Louise and controlled her. Louise bounced on top of the table to a seiza pose.

“Wha-, What are you doing?!”

Kirche snapped her fingers once again. Silently Tabitha waved her staff. The mass of air, which controlled Louise, became multiple invisible fingers and started to tickle her body.

“Ahahaha! Stop! It tickles! Stop!”

“So under what circumstances are you working here?”

“I’m not saying! Ahahaha!”

The fingers of air continued to tickle Louise but she wouldn’t confess. Eventually her body went limp.

“Such a tight-lipped kid. You have been hiding many things recently.”

“If you understand…then leave me alone…”

“Will do.”

Kirche picked up the menu dully.

“Hurry up and order.”

“This,” said Kirche pointing at the menu.

“I can't tell, which?”

“Well first of all, everything written on this menu.”

“Huh?”

Louise stared at Kirche blankly.

“Just bring everything.”

“You're really rich… I’m so envious.”

Kirche then said to Louise,

“Oh, of course it’s your treat. I’ll happily accept the offer La Vallière-san.”

“What? Don’t sleep-talk! Why do I have to treat you?!”

“Or I’ll tell everyone in school that you are working here.”

Louise dropped her jaw.

“If you say it…I’ll, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh my, I wouldn’t wanna die so could you bring all the food quickly?”

Louise sadly dropped her shoulders and disappeared toward the kitchen while hitting many
things on the way.

Guiche said shaking his head,

“You really are a nasty woman.”

Kirche happily replied.

“Don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t like that girl. We are basically enemies…”

Kirche cut off her speech and fixed Tabitha’s disorderly cloak.

“You should really fix that habit of messing up your hair and cloak when you cast spells. Women are about appearance and smarts are secondary.”

Kirche was fixing up Tabitha’s hair like an older sister taking care of a little sister or a mother worrying for her daughter.

Guiche looked at Tabitha. ''Why does this mean Germanian woman have her trust in Tabitha and only Tabitha?'' Thought Guiche. Although it was summer vacation, the two didn’t go home and stayed together at school. Moreover, they seem to be communicating telepathically. Maybe it’s because Tabitha rarely speaks, but they are able to understand each other by just exchanging looks and are as close as sisters.

But…Guiche puzzled over his memory. They weren’t this close when they first enrolled. It’s not clear because I was fooling around with other girls too much but didn’t they even start a duel?

[[Image:ZnT05-121.jpg|thumb]]

Just when Guiche wanted to inquire about it, a new customer came into the bar.
They were good-looking nobles. They were wearing hats with large brims furnished with stylish feathers and had sword-shaped wands sticking out their cloak. They seemed to be officers from the royal army.

They probably had been training the whole day and they came in without a care and started to look around for tables.

The officer started to talk about the different girls in the bar. Many different girls poured the wine but none seemed to satisfy the officers. One officer noticed Kirche and winked at her.

“Isn’t that a noble girl? Women that could be together with us will have to carry a wand around!”

“That’s right! This is a rare break that her Majesty has given to us, the officers of the royal army. We can’t just have some commoners pour our wine.”

While saying such words, they were loudly deciding whom to go and pick up the girls. It seemed Kirche was used to these kinds of things and continued drinking wine calmly, but Guiche was feeling uneasy. He supposed himself to be in a position where he should be escorting the girls, but couldn’t be firm in front of nobles that were officers in the royal army. He would probably get beaten up.

Eventually the decision was made for whom to go talk to them. One of the nobles stood up. He was a handsome man just over twenty years old.

As he played with his mustache and was full of confidence, he elegantly bowed for Kirche.

“We are the officers that belong to the Navaaru regiment. We were stricken by your august beauty and would like to invite you to our dining table.”

Kirche answered without even looking.

“Sorry, I’m having a good time with my friends.”

The officer’s friends started hooting. If he got rejected now, it would shatter his pride. He started to persuade Kirche with enthusiastic words.

“I will plead you to ignore that. Please bestow a moment of happiness to us who have nothing but the unforgiving battle to await us.”

But still Kirche just waved him off.

The noble just went back to his friends disappointedly.

“You’re not popular with women,” said an officer. But the young man shook his head.

“Did you hear her accent? She has to be a Germanian woman. Quite suspicious as a noble if you ask me!”

“But I heard Germanian women are really lewd. Quite rare to see a woman with firm conduct.”

“Probably a Protestant to boot!”

Maybe it was partly because of the alcohol, but the officers started saying insults against Kirche. Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other and asked Kirche if she wanted to leave the bar.

“But we were here first,” muttered Kirche as she stood up. Her long hair seemed to be burning as though it was a wild fire. Other customers and waitresses and practically everyone who was watching over the whole incident fell quiet.

“Ah, so have you changed you mind and decided to accompany us?”

“Yes, not with goblets…but with this.”

Kirche smoothly pulled out her wand.

The men fell out of their chair laughing.

“Don’t even try young lady. We are nobles and will not point our wands on women.”

“Are you scared of Germanian women?”

“Ridiculous!”

The men continued laughing aloud.

“Then I make you draw your wand.”

Kirche swung her wand. Fireballs equal to the numbers of men came out of the tip of her wand and instantly incinerated the decorative feathers on their hat. The bar stirred. Kirche stood up to bow to the audience.

The men who were being made a laughingstock stood up all at once.

“Miss, this joke has gone a little too far.”

“Really? But I’m always serious. Furthermore wasn’t it you who invited me?”

“We invited you to drink, not a fight.”

“Then could I duel you gentlemen for insulting me just because I didn’t accept your offer to drink?”

The atmosphere in the bar froze.

One of the officers spoke determinedly,

“Foreign young lady, are you aware of the No Duel Policy? Under the order of her Majesty, we are restricted from dueling. But you are a foreigner. As long as we reach an agreement among ourselves, we could do practically anything to you. Are you speaking under this knowledge?”

“Nobles in Tristine really give long speeches. If this was Germania, the duel would have ended by now.”

They couldn't back down after they had been made fun of like this. The officers looked at each other and one of them gripped his hat’s brim and said, “Chose your opponent, you have the right.”

But Kirche didn’t change her expression. But there was fiery anger swirling inside her. The more Kirche got mad, the more composed and mannered she became.

“As you have said, Germanian women are lewd, so I’ll take care of all of you together.”
Applause was heard inside the bar for Kirche’s brave words. The officers’ faces were flushed bright red due to anger from the insult.

“We are nobles but at the same time also soldiers. When insulted, when challenged, we will not hold back even if the enemy is a woman. Come.”

The noble pointed outside of the bar with his chin. Guiche was shaking under the situation. Montmorency was just drinking wine as though it was none of her business. Louise was talking about how the stupid woman was getting herself into useless trouble again and hiding in the kitchen. Saito unfortunately fell victim of Louise’s anger against Kirche and was passed out because of the pain the Louise has inflicted upon him; so he couldn’t intervene.

So, the one who stood up was Tabitha.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Sit down, it will be over in an instant.”

But Tabitha shook her head.

“Do you mean I won’t be able to beat them?”

“No. But I’ll go.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” said Kirche, but again Tabitha shook her head.

“I owe you.”

“You mean the incident in the Ragdorian Lake? Don’t mind it. I did it out of my own will anyways.”

“Not that.”

“Eh?”

Then Tabitha clearly muttered,

“Owe you one.”

Kirche recalled with those words.

“That’s quite a long time ago.” Kirche smiled.

She thought for a moment but finally decided to leave it to her friend.

“What happened? Got scared? We will forgive you if you apologize now.”

“You’ll still have to pour drinks for us though.”

“You’ll be lucky if it ends with you just pouring drinks.”

The officers laughed. Kirche pointed at Tabitha.

“Beg your pardon, but she has even more skill than me. She even has the title Chevalier.”

The officers put on a doubtful expression.

Tabitha just walked toward the entrance of the bar reticently.

“Do any of you gentlemen have the Chevalier title?”

The officers twisted their necks in unbelief.

“Then she should prove to be more than a match.”

As Kirche finished speaking, she sat down on a chair as though her job was over. The officers, who couldn’t back down, followed Tabitha to the outside of the bar.

“Is she gonna be ok?”

Asked Guiche. Kirche was just drinking her wine elegantly.

“That girl never forgets this kind of boring promise.”

Kirche muttered happily.

Outside, Tabitha was facing the officers at 10 paces. Around them neighboring residents surrounded the duelers excited but keeping a good distance back. In reality, though the No Duel Policy was in effect, it didn’t all together stop the fights between the nobles. This kind of fight was an everyday occurrence.

But…the opponent of the team of three apparent officers of the royal army was a very young little girl. That combination drew the attention of the spectators.

“Gentlemen, our opponent is a kid. After this people will call us bullies. Our honor is going to be ruined no matter if we win or lose. What shall we do?”

As the man that was inviting Kirche said, the youngest of three answered, “Why not let her act first?”

The man who was silent until now said in a happy tone,

“Hah, teaching children is an adult's responsibility!”

Chevalier? Must be joking. There is no way such a little girl can be given such a title.

Although she is a kid, she still is a noble. We cannot forgive such a lie. On top of that insulting an officer from the royal army is just absurd.

Tabitha was just standing ominously there with her staff in her right hand. Nothing could be deterred from her expression. It seemed neither the crowd nor the three officers could change her emotion.

“Little lady, please draw your staff first.”

Said the oldest of the nobles.

The onlookers held their breath and watched over them attentively.

Tabitha simply waved her staff easily, like the time she made wind to cool off Kirche. The battle ended in an instant.

As the customers saw Tabitha coming back to the bar, they gave her a huge welcome mixed with astonishment and wonder. There was a huge commotion outside. Because with just one hit from a huge “Air Hammer”, a hammer made of compressed air, Tabitha blew the officers to the other side of the street and knocked them out cold. One customer peeked outside the window timidly and saw one of the officer regained consciousness and was dragging the other two away.

“You are amazing despite your size!”

Although the bar was filled with applause, Tabitha was flipping a page in her book, not paying attention.

Kirche poured wine in to Tabitha’s cup satisfyingly.

“Let's have a toast.”

Guiche asked Kirche as if he was confused.

“Um, Kirche?”

“What?”

“Why are you two so close? You two are like sisters.”

“We just get along.”

But they were the opposite of each other. What’s more is….Guiche pondered on what he
recalled earlier. The two actually had a duel like the one outside as soon as they enrolled to the school.

“Were you two always this close? What happened between you two? Tell me.”

This also triggered Montmorency’s interest and she leaned forward.

“What happened? Tell us.”

Kirche looked at Tabitha, but Tabitha was silent. However Kirche nodded.

“She said I can talk about it so I will. It’s not that great of a story though.” Kirche took a wine glass full of wine.

She gulped down the wine, and started telling the story with drowsy eyes.

Kirche entered Tristain Magic Academy as Spring was in the air, during the fourth month, Feou's moon's 2nd week, the middle of Heimdallr's week.

The entrance ceremony was held in Alviss Hall. There, every year, the ninety or so new students would be divided into three classes. Children of aristocratic families, gathered from all over had, waited for Principal Osman with nervous looks on their faces.

Osman, leading the teachers, appeared on the 2nd floor and looked over the students a floor below.

“Students, you are Tristain's.... Argh!”

Osman, spreading out his arms and legs, had jumped from the railing of the 2nd floor, preparing to land on a desk downstairs. In mid-air, he waved his staff to use “Levitation” to land safely, but failed. He'd grown old; the time he took to invoke spells had lengthened too much and he fell straight onto the desk. The hall was filled with an uproar as teachers jumped down to help him up. Osman had pulled something badly and someone had to heal him with Water magic. He continued, with no hint of embarrassment,

“Everyone, Become the aristocrats who will support Helkeginia in the future!:

Such brave words. Everyone started clapping, feeling pity for Osman who was trying so hard to maintain his composure.

In the crowd... There was a beautiful girl who stood out even amongst the nobles. This was Kirche, who held the title of “Feverish". Giving a big yawn as she looked at the clumsy principal, she wondered if she'd made a mistake applying here.

For Kirche, however, who'd left Vindobona Magical Academy in Germania's capital... There were no further alternatives, other than going abroad to study. Her parents staying in Zerbst had planned to marry Kirche, who'd been loafing around home after leaving school, off to some old Marquis. Kirche, who had no present plans for marriage, literally flew out of the country to Tristain seeking asylum.

Her impulses moved her to act.

From young, once she took a liking to something she did all she could to get it. If someone protested, she'd shut him up with her specialty, “Fire”. The reason for her dropping out, the “Incident” that had occurred in Germania, was a result of this aspect her personality..

The personality you grow up with is a hard thing to change. Even in Tristain, her arrogant ways were in full play

Getting back to the present, sitting next to Kirche was a petite, blue-haired girl. Compared to the beautiful goddess Kirche, possessor of a devil's body, this girl's body hadn't even hit puberty. She really was a child, after all. The jade eyes behind the glasses still carried a hint of childishness. Even though she was at an Entrance Ceremony, those eyes were still wide open, engrossed in reading her book.

For no apparent reason, Kirche started to get irritated with her attitude. To Kirche, good kids who liked to study were good targets for bullying. She asked in a low voice, “What are you reading?” and snatched away the book. The other girl looked at her with emotionless eyes.

The words in the book were too hard for Kirche, she couldn't understand a thing.

“The hell is this... 'Wind's Power's Influence on Atmospherics and Consequences'? Dunno what it's saying. Can you even use this kinda high level magic?”

The girl did not reply, only stretching out her hand.

“Hey, when you're asking a favor from someone, you should give your name, didn't your parents ever teach you?”

To be honest, it wasn't really asking a favor, just trying to get back something that had been taken away...... The girl took a moment to consider, and said her name - “Tabitha”.

“Whats that? Does everyone in Tristain use such weird names?”

Kirche was close to rolling on the floor in laughter. The teacher in charge of assigning classes shot her a glare, but Kirche, ignoring him, continued to laugh.

Tabitha looked at Kirche with cold eyes. The chain that held her parents' destinies... to hers had been mocked by someone. At that moment, Kirche totally didn't see the change in Tabitha eyes.

A girl with strawberry-blond hair, unable to take it any longer, stood right up.

“That girl over there! Something important is being announced now! Why don't you shut up!”

She'd probably been enduring Kirche's arrogance from before.

“Who are you? I am Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere. To think there are people like you attending, shocking!”

“La Valliere?”

Kirche looked happily at Louise's face.

“Please look after me. I'm Kirche von Zerbst, your neghbour. To think we'd meet here! What a privilege!”

On hearing this Louise's entire body began to tremble.

“W-W-What did you say?”

“Oh, please look after me.”

Kirche gave a charming laugh. A teacher who saw them shivering in rage roared at the three,

“All of you quiet down!”

“Okay.” Saying this, Kirche returned to her seat. Tabitha snatched her book back from Kirche's hand and glared at her from the corner of her eyes, her lips pressed tight.

Every year was divided into three classes, named for the 3 legendary saints, Suen, Iyer and Seger. Kirche and Tabitha were in Suen, Louise in Iyer, while Guiche and Montmorency had been assigned to Seger.

After leaving a big impression at the entrance ceremony, Kirche was being ignored by the girls of her class. That special wild attractiveness of Germanian girls, as well as that generous bust, the hormones in the air just couldn't be shut out. In a second, she had all the boys in class to herself. This made the Tristain girls, already famous for being jealous, burn in envy.

Her personality was one of the reasons she was disliked. Even in Germania, the land of Fire, Kirche had been ostracized for her arrogance. Her personality just rubbed the Tristainians, who worshiped caution as a virtue, the wrong way. Within a short time of starting school, she'd already seduced three boys. There were two reasons. Firstly, those three boys were the better looking ones in class. Secondly, and more importantly... she was just so bored.

Number one, a seductive glance thrown in the hallway.
Number two, sticking her bust out as she pretended to trip.
Number three, crossing her legs in front of him.

Just like that, the three had already asked Kirche to go out with them. Kirche received their requests as though she were getting court summons. She went out with all three at the same time without hiding anything, and so the three were soon locked in combat.

At the end of the pitched battle, the third boy emerged victorious. Just as he was congratulating himself over finally getting Kirche to himself, she found a fourth one.

Several girls interested in these boys formed an alliance to negotiate with Kirche. Kirche, who'd just found five and six, and was once again three-timing, snorted with contempt at the forsaken girls.

“Don't you know when to stop? How many boys do you want before you're happy?”

“Who knows, I don't.”

Said Kirche as she sat at her desk polishing her nails.

“Quit acting dumb!”

“I didn't do anything. They just found me by themselves, saying 'Kirche, wanna come to my room and drink,' or 'I've written a poem, wanna hear it,' stuff like that.”

Kirche said, imitating the boys.

“It's always like this, I'm pretty irritated too, so I have to accept, in your language 'Oui'.” Did I pronounce it right?”

Her attitude made the girls' envy rocket to new heights instantly.
“Listen here. This is Tristain, where we prize prudence and tradition, unlike your barbarian country. Even in love there are proper ways. An ignorant country-girl who doesn't even know that should just go back home!”

“If you're really so concerned about your lover, why not lock him up in your room?”

“What did you say?”

“I'm just so confused. If you've got the time to be jealous, why not try to persuade him to stay?” If you like him you should compliment him a bit. All y'all only know how to put on an angry face, you don't even know how to say things that make a man happy, do you?

“That's what guys should do!”

“Well I'm not like that, if I want someone, I'll praise him as much as possible, otherwise, I'm gonna be very sad.”

“Don't treat us like idiots!”

“However, all of you can rest assured. Although I follow the philosophy of “Do whatever it takes to get what I want,” I'd never take what's most important to someone.

“Liar! Haven't you tried to grab our boyfriends with your dirty hands?”

Kirche turned her gaze slowly to the girls surrounding her.

“To you, It's really not the most important thing, is it.”

“What did you say?”

“If it was such an important thing, you wouldn't have formed a team to negotiate with me. You'd have taken my head off my shoulders a long time ago, or am I wrong?”

The jealous girls had nothing to say.

“...Er....”

“I don't want to die yet. Therefore I won't take what's most precious to someone.”

The girls had been struck by Kirche's imposing manner and started to look at each other.

“If I plan on taking someone's most precious possession, I'll be ready to fight for it. My element is “Fire”. “Fire” controls destruction and passion. I too, want a passionate affair that turns all life to ash and burns everything to the ground.”

Just like that, Kirche's lovers continued to increase, but she was unable to make a single friend. Tabitha, however, was not much better off.

Tabitha hardly spoke to anyone at all. Whether it was break time or lunch time, starting class or ending, even in the dorms or social spaces. She said nothing to anyone. Silent, with a world-weary look on her face... only reading. No matter who tried to speak to her, Tabitha totally ignored them. Not just ignored, it was as though she was totally ignorant of their even existing.

Due to this, Tabitha turned into an object of ridicule. For some reason, she refused to give her last name, so the rumors were that she was a bastard.

The time when she really raised the ire of the entire class was during their first class.

Tabitha, who'd been taken as just a 'normal' bookworm, was found to be an adept “Wind” mage during the first “Wind” magic lesson.

Mr Quito was in charge of “Wind” class. The first words out of his mouth were,

“This year's students are just too sorry.”

Displeasure was immediately written on the faces of the students, who'd gathered in the central courtyard.

“Looking at your school record, almost all of you are 'dot' mages, only a few are 'line'. Not even one is a 'triangle' mage. What's going on?”

Dot and triangle referred to the number of elements that could be stacked. 'Dot' meant one element, 'line' meant the mage could combine two. Even if it was the same element, as long as it could be stacked, a powerful spell could be created.

“I have absolutely no hopes for any of you, but this is my job, after all.”

After Mr. Quito finished speaking in a low voice, class started. “Wind”'s basic skill's are “Flight” and “levitation”.

However... Tabitha began to show her abilities at this point.

She was the first to soar far up quickly using the “Flight” spell. Even so, to try to avoid attention, she'd deliberately not used all her power. Mr. Quito was rather confused.

“For a 'dot' mage, that pretty good.”

Not knowing Tabitha's true ability, it was unavoidable that he'd say that.

For various reasons, the only person who knew Tabitha's real power was Principal Osman. Moreover, Mr. Quito hadn't looked at the exchange students' records.

“No matter what, all of you lost out to the youngest girl in class. Don't you feel ashamed?”

With Mr. Quito's words, the entire class started to get angry.

During the break after lunch, one of the boys asked Tabitha to spar with him.

Sparring like this was basically the same as dueling. Since it was sparring, there was no little danger of any loss of life, at least not in this time period. In times past, it was said that giving your opponent the coup de grace was the way of the noble, but this age of heroes had disappeared into history. The modern method was to use spells with low lethality, and once someone was injured, the bout would be decided. Although at times there were incidents were a finger was broken, it was far safer than placing one's life on the line. In most cases, stealing your opponent's wand was considered the most elegant way of winning.

The youth who had challenged Tabitha was named de Lorraine. Born into a family famous for “Wind” magic, he was one of their year's elite 'line' magicians.

He carried a grudge from having been beaten at “Flight” by some unknown like Tabitha. He like to boast that there was no one who could compete with him in “Wind” magic, and wanted a chance to get back at Tabitha.

Walking towards Tabitha, reading in the central courtyard, he issued a declaration of war,

“Milady, I would like your instruction in “Wind” magic.”

When Tabitha gave no reply, de Lorraine started to get angry.

“To continue reading while someone is challenging you, isn't this far too rude?”

Tabitha still did not reply. De Lorraine's words went by her ears unheard as though it were sound of the breeze.

“So, when it comes to sparring you don't have what it takes. That isn't hard to understand. After all, these contests put one's life on the line! Totally different from flying and jumping around a bit in class!”

Tabitha continued to flip through her book. De Lorraine's insulting words had no effect on the jade-eyed girl.

“Heh!”

De Lorraine snorted, and smirked.

“So. It seems that the rumors of you being a bastard are true. I fear you don't even know who your mother is. To feel envious of some low-born person like you would dishonor my family's reputation!”

As he gave these words and prepared to leave, Tabitha finally stood up. If Kirche were to see her now she would probably feel it. Withing those emotionless jade eyes, an icy wind was howling.

“Have you finally gotten serious?”

Tabitha set her book down on the bench, and turning, walked towards an open area.

Tabitha and de Lorraine stood facing each other about ten meters apart.

“Although I don't want to give my name to a bastard like you, this is the common practice. I, Verrieres de Lorraine, shall be your opponent.”

Tabitha did not give her name.

“It's so pitiful to not have a name to give, even at a time like this! I shall not show mercy! En guarde!”

De Lorraine shouted, and began to chant, “Wind Break”(translator... snicker... better than break wind, anyways.) He planned to send Tabitha flying at once. Tabitha did not take a stance, and merely silently prepared to take the wind that seemed set to blow her away.

What was going on? She totally made no attempt to take an invocation stance. De Lorraine's “Wind Break” was a powerful spell, a spell to counter it would take some time to cast.

Was it because she had never sparred like this before, or had she been scared witless by de Lorraine's spell...

Whatever the reason, time was up.

Just as de Lorraine felt he had victory in his hand...

Tabitha raised her wand, and as though clearing spiderwebs from her path, waved it randomly. A single word was spoken, and just like that, Tabitha had control of all the air currents in the area.

This minute adjustment in air flow changed de Lorraine's spell's forward momentum, returning it to the caster.

De Lorraine was flung against the wall by his own wind. Giving him no time, Tabitha immediately began to cast again. Water vapour in the air froze to ice, turning into countless frozen arrows, which plunged towards de Lorraine.

“Ah!”

With a clear tinkling sound, the ice arrows pinned de Lorraine to the wall by his cloak and clothes. He was scared stiff by this power he had seen for the first time in his life. “Wind”, could it really be all that powerful? A giant ice arrow flew towards the pinned de Lorraine from the front.

“I'm going to die! Save me!"

He shouted reflexively. The arrow, as thick as his arm, stopped in front of his eye. It started to melt, turning into a puddle.

At the same time, the arrows that pinned his body to the wall too began to melt.

The newly released de Lorraine trembled uncontrollably. At his feet, a pool began to form, not from the defrosting ice arrows, but from some other liquid. From between his legs liquid flowed, forming a body-temperature puddle. He sank to his knees.

Throwing away his wand, and begging, ”Please spare me,” he crawled away.

Tabitha's little feet suddenly filled his vision, scaring him so much that he shrieked. She stood there looking down at him, her expression unchanging.

“Spare me! Let me live! S-Sparring's merely a game! Duels where you gamble your life are old history!”

De Lorraine said, denying everything he had said earlier. Tabitha stuck out a wand.

“Let me go! If you let me live, I'll do anything you say!”

Tabitha pointed at the wand in her hands, saying simply,

“You forgot this.”

It was the wand de Lorraine had thrown away.

Those were the reasons why Kirche and Tabitha were hated by the rest of their class... Kirche especially by the girls whose boyfriends she had stolen, and Tabitha by de Lorraine, who she had beaten so badly.

De Lorraine suggested a plan to the girls.

On hearing his plan, the girls clapped and agreed. This would keep their identities from being known and take care of the two most hated girls in class.

<50%>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story2

2008-09-06T06:40:06Z

Heeros1: /* Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind */

===Chapter Two: The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind===

Well, this was the Tristain Magic Academy. The summer vacation just started and in the dorm, two nobles were killing time.

They were Kirche the “Ardent” and Tabitha the “Snowy Wind”. Kirche was laying lazily on Tabitha’s bed in a very immodest pose. She had undone all her shirt buttons and was fanning her large chest with her hand. Kirche did like heat but could not stand warmth.

She was not able to control the boiling heat in the sun-baked room.

“Hey Tabitha, would you make some wind for me?”

Tabitha waved her staff without looking up from her book.

“Give me a cold one. One that will cool me to the bone, just like your second name. ”

Of course it was to be expected, but there was some ice mixed in the wind. The snowy wind immediately cooled Kirche’s body.

“Ahh- that feels good.”

Drinking in Tabitha’s cool wind, Kirche finally took off her shirt. She crossed her legs in a manner that would never be seen by any of her dozen of male friends that worshiped her as a goddess.

Kirche stared at Tabitha who was reading her book the whole time. Tabitha did not shed a single drop of sweat as she was completely immersed in her book. “Maybe her second name “Snowy Wind” cools her body as well as her mind,” Kirche whispered.

“Hey ‘Snowy Wind’? You really like to read books don’t you? Just like a Protestant. Could that be the popular Protestant book about the, ‘The Practical Doctrine’?”

“The Practical Doctrine” was…something that the Protestant sect of religion recited by following the interpretation of the book “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that recorded the great deeds and the teachings of the Founder Brimir.

Although every version of “The Founder’s Prayer Book” claimed to be the “original”, their contents were slightly different. Furthermore, there were theories that “The Founder’s Prayer Book” was written hundreds of years after the fall of the Founder Brimir. “The Founder’s Prayer Book” that had been passed down through the Tristine royal family didn’t even have words in it. Therefore, many theologians interpreted it in such a sketchy way so that it would improve the political powers of the Halkeginia’s churches and themselves.
The body of practitioners of the “Practical Doctrine” started in the religious center of the country Romania and was made of commoners who wanted to reform the corrupted churches that exploited them. This soon became an international matter. It spread out from commoners and farmers and they stripped power and land from the monks and priests, but no one knew if that practice and interpretation was right. Probably the only one that could answer it was the Founder Brimir himself.

Tabitha closed her book, and showed Kirche the title. It wasn’t a religious book but an ancient magical research book.

“Just reading,” said Tabitha.

“I know. There’s no way you are a Protestant anyway. Man, it’s really hot today. REALLY hot. That’s why I invited you to go to Germania with me. It’s much cooler there than here.”

Tabitha reopened her book and continued reading. Kirche, who knew the situation of Tabitha’s family, decided to invite her to the Zerbst House, but Tabitha would not agree to come. With no other choice, Kirche decided to keep Tabitha company in the Magic Academy.

She couldn’t stand to let Tabitha be alone.

“We are probably the only ones who would remain in this kind of sauna.”

Kirche thought about having a water bath in the courtyard. Since all the students and teachers had left and gone back to their homes, there shouldn’t be any danger of peepers.

But then…

A scream was heard from the floor below.

Kirche and Tabitha exchanged quick glances.

Kirche quickly put on her shirt and jumped out of the room with her wand. Tabitha soon followed behind her.

In a room a floor below, another pair of students were in the middle of a quarrel.

“What were you thinking?!”

“Um, I’m… I thought it was hot, and I was trying to help you!”

The clamor was between Guiche and Montmorency. Why hadn't this pair left the dorm for summer vacation?

“I see, so that was your purpose! ‘Let's make potions together’ my butt! I shouldn’t have listened to your cajolery about being able to make any Forbidden Potions I want. Just what were you trying to do?”

“That was my objective, no lies!”

“You we having weird thoughts because no one is around, right? Sorry, but I’m not gonna forgive you one finger until I’m married!”

Guiche shook his head.

“Don’t come closer!”

“I’ll swear, I’ll swear.”

Guiche put his hands on his chest.

“I swear in the presence of the Founder and God that I, Guiche de Gramont, did not unbutton the sleeping Montmorency because of any bad intentions, but I really thought you looked hot. You were sweating really bad so I was worried you were going to be steamed to death.”

“Really?”

Montmorency stared with a doubtful look.

“Swear to God.”

Guiche answered seriously.

“…not gonna do anything weird?”

“No, not even gonna think about it.”

After Montmorency thought for a while, she raised her skirt and flashed her panties. Because Guiche jumped at her in an instant, she screamed out loud.

“Dear God! A liar! He’s a liar!”

“White! White! It was really white!”

“No! Stop! Please stop!”

After they were fooling around for a while, the door opened with a bang. Kirche and Tabitha came in and their eyes met Montmorency’s eyes, who was just pushed onto a bed by Guiche.

“…oh, you were just about to do it,” sighed Kirche.

Guiche, who suddenly became serious, stood up and said in a very dignified way, “Oh, I was just…straightening the wrinkles in Montmorency’s shirt.”

“By pushing her onto a bed?” Kirche asked with a scoff.

“Straitening the wrinkles,” Guiche repeated himself.

Montmorency said in a cold tone, “Quit it already, that’s all you have in your head.”
Guiche flushed.

Kirche opened her mouth and said tiredly, “You two are a really cheap couple. You don’t have to do it in this suffocating dorm.”

“We are not doing anything! …and I should ask what you're doing. It’s summer break.”

“It’s just not worth the trouble for us. Although it is a vacation but it’s a pain to
cross the border for that. So what are you two doing anyway?”

“We were um…”

Montmorency fidgeted, as she could not say that she was making Forbidden Potions.

“Ma-, magic research.”

“Well you were doing some kind of research.”

“It was Guiche who wanted to do weird research! He probably fried his brain in this heat!”

The criticized Guiche hung his head.

“I guess.”

Muttered Kirche, “What do you mean ‘I guess’?”

“Let’s go out. It wouldn't be a surprise if we get our brains fried in here.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Let’s go to the town. It’s gonna be a long break so let’s have fun.”

“Well I do want to drink something cold…”

Guiche agreed. Montmorency, who didn’t even want to think about what would happen if she was left alone in the dorm with Guiche, also agreed to going out.

“Really cool your head down when you drink, ok?”

“I will, swear to God.”

“So, what about that little fella?”

Montmorency pointed her finger at Tabitha. Kirche answered.

“She’s going.”

“You can tell by just looking at her?”

“I can.”

Kirche said as though it was obvious.

Tabitha then closed her book, walked over to the window cill, and blew a whistle with her mouth. A flapping noise was heard. In a blink, Tabitha jumped out of the window. Kirche followed.

As Montmorency peeked outside the window, she saw Tabitha’s floating Wind Dragon. Kirche was riding on its back and was waving.

“Hurry up or we’ll leave you!”

Both Guiche and Montmorency jumped after her and Guiche, who got ahead, tried to catch Montmorency.

Then Montmorency started screaming things like ‘don’t touch me’ and ‘don’t look at me’ to tease Guiche.

“But…I was only trying to catch you.”

“Where do you think you’re touching?”

“I thought you two were lovers,” muttered Kirche with surprise.

The group finally arrived at Tristine’s castle town and went to a road that forked from Bulton Avenue. It was just about sunset. In the darkening streets, the magic lamps started to color the surroundings. That magical, wondrous sight created a happy atmosphere that wrapped around the street with the summer heat.

If Bulton Avenue was Tristine’s front face, then this Chicton Street was the bowel. Indecent bars and gambling dens were lined up around the street. Montmorency frowned but Kirche walked on unworriedly. While walking, the group discussed which bar to go to. “Do you know any of the bars around here?” Kirche asked Guiche.

Guiche answered with a smile,

“Well, I do know a good one that I've always wanted to go to.”

“It’s not a weird bar is it?” Montmorency asked as she heard an amorous tone to his speech. Guiche shook his head.

“It’s not a weird bar at all!”

“Then what kind is it?”

Guiche fell silent.

“See, it is a weird bar! Just say it!”

Montmorency started to choke Guiche.

“N-, no it’s not! It’s just girls in cute appearance brings wines for you… Arg!”

“That is weird, how is it not?”

“That sounds kind of fun.”

It seemed to have piqued Kirche’s interest. Kirche suggested to Guiche,

“Let’s go there, just some plain bar would be too boring.”

“WHAT?” Montmorency bellowed.

“Why does no Tristine woman have any confidence in herself? Makes me sick.”

Because Kirche said that in such a taunting way she suddenly stood up and said,

“It’s just that wine will taste bad if we just let some low-class women pour the wine.”

But because Guiche, who had been backed up by Kirche, started to skip away, Montmorency had no choice but to follow.

“Hey! Wait for me! Don’t leave me here!”

“Welcome!”

As they went into the shop, a tall man who wore a leather shirt welcomed them to the shop.

“Oh, are you new? More noble ladies! How beautiful! How très bien! The girls in the shop will be jealous! I’m the storekeeper, Scarron. Please enjoy yourselves today!” he said while he twisted his body and bowed. Although he seemed kind of gross, he complimented them so Montmorency was now in a better temper. She combed her hair with her fingers and said clearly, “Guide us to the cleanest table”.

“Every table in this store is scrubbed to shine as much as the Majesty’s villa.”

Scarron guided the group to one of the tables. The bar seemed to be really prospering.

Just like the rumor, girls wearing suggestive clothing were carrying wine and food.

Guiche, who was already looking around the bar in ecstasy, ended up with his ear being pulled by Montmorency.

After the party settled down around the table, a strawberry blond haired girl came to take the orders, but for some reason hurriedly covered her face with a tray. Her whole body started to tremble slightly.

“Why are you hiding your face?” Guiche asked discontentedly. Without answering, she gestured to ask for the order. By looking at the girl’s hair color and height, Kirche quickly realized something and, for the first time this summer, an extra-large smile appeared on her face.

“So what do you recommend?”
The girl who was hiding her face with a tray pointed at the neighboring table. On it was a dish with a honey grilled baby chick wrapped by piecrust.

“Then what’s the recommended wine?”
The girl pointed at a wine that had been served to another table, a well-aged Gernew wine.

Then Kirche said in a surprised tone, “Ah, familiar-san is flirting with a girl!”

The girl came out from behind the tray and stared around the room with a sharp eye.

Everyone in the group except for Kirche shouted.

“Louise!”

Louise noticed the broad grin on Kirche’s face and realized that she had been tricked and once again hid her face with the tray.

“It’s too late, La Vallière.”

“I’m not Louise.”

Louise spoke in a shaking voice. Kirche pulled on Louise’s arm and laid her on top of the
table. Kirche grabbed on to the right arm, Guiche on the left, Tabitha grabbed the right leg and Montmorency held on to the left leg. The immobile Louise faced to the side and said with a shaky tone,

“I’m not Louise! Let go of me.”

“Really, what are you doing?”

Louise would not answer. Snap! Kirche snapped her fingers and Tabitha cast a spell. With the power of the wind, Tabitha coiled the air around Louise and controlled her. Louise bounced on top of the table to a seiza pose.

“Wha-, What are you doing?!”

Kirche snapped her fingers once again. Silently Tabitha waved her staff. The mass of air, which controlled Louise, became multiple invisible fingers and started to tickle her body.

“Ahahaha! Stop! It tickles! Stop!”

“So under what circumstances are you working here?”

“I’m not saying! Ahahaha!”

The fingers of air continued to tickle Louise but she wouldn’t confess. Eventually her body went limp.

“Such a tight-lipped kid. You have been hiding many things recently.”

“If you understand…then leave me alone…”

“Will do.”

Kirche picked up the menu dully.

“Hurry up and order.”

“This,” said Kirche pointing at the menu.

“I can't tell, which?”

“Well first of all, everything written on this menu.”

“Huh?”

Louise stared at Kirche blankly.

“Just bring everything.”

“You're really rich… I’m so envious.”

Kirche then said to Louise,

“Oh, of course it’s your treat. I’ll happily accept the offer La Vallière-san.”

“What? Don’t sleep-talk! Why do I have to treat you?!”

“Or I’ll tell everyone in school that you are working here.”

Louise dropped her jaw.

“If you say it…I’ll, I’ll kill you.”

“Oh my, I wouldn’t wanna die so could you bring all the food quickly?”

Louise sadly dropped her shoulders and disappeared toward the kitchen while hitting many
things on the way.

Guiche said shaking his head,

“You really are a nasty woman.”

Kirche happily replied.

“Don’t misunderstand me, but I don’t like that girl. We are basically enemies…”

Kirche cut off her speech and fixed Tabitha’s disorderly cloak.

“You should really fix that habit of messing up your hair and cloak when you cast spells. Women are about appearance and smarts are secondary.”

Kirche was fixing up Tabitha’s hair like an older sister taking care of a little sister or a mother worrying for her daughter.

Guiche looked at Tabitha. ''Why does this mean Germanian woman have her trust in Tabitha and only Tabitha?'' Thought Guiche. Although it was summer vacation, the two didn’t go home and stayed together at school. Moreover, they seem to be communicating telepathically. Maybe it’s because Tabitha rarely speaks, but they are able to understand each other by just exchanging looks and are as close as sisters.

But…Guiche puzzled over his memory. They weren’t this close when they first enrolled. It’s not clear because I was fooling around with other girls too much but didn’t they even start a duel?

[[Image:ZnT05-121.jpg|thumb]]

Just when Guiche wanted to inquire about it, a new customer came into the bar.
They were good-looking nobles. They were wearing hats with large brims furnished with stylish feathers and had sword-shaped wands sticking out their cloak. They seemed to be officers from the royal army.

They probably had been training the whole day and they came in without a care and started to look around for tables.

The officer started to talk about the different girls in the bar. Many different girls poured the wine but none seemed to satisfy the officers. One officer noticed Kirche and winked at her.

“Isn’t that a noble girl? Women that could be together with us will have to carry a wand around!”

“That’s right! This is a rare break that her Majesty has given to us, the officers of the royal army. We can’t just have some commoners pour our wine.”

While saying such words, they were loudly deciding whom to go and pick up the girls. It seemed Kirche was used to these kinds of things and continued drinking wine calmly, but Guiche was feeling uneasy. He supposed himself to be in a position where he should be escorting the girls, but couldn’t be firm in front of nobles that were officers in the royal army. He would probably get beaten up.

Eventually the decision was made for whom to go talk to them. One of the nobles stood up. He was a handsome man just over twenty years old.

As he played with his mustache and was full of confidence, he elegantly bowed for Kirche.

“We are the officers that belong to the Navaaru regiment. We were stricken by your august beauty and would like to invite you to our dining table.”

Kirche answered without even looking.

“Sorry, I’m having a good time with my friends.”

The officer’s friends started hooting. If he got rejected now, it would shatter his pride. He started to persuade Kirche with enthusiastic words.

“I will plead you to ignore that. Please bestow a moment of happiness to us who have nothing but the unforgiving battle to await us.”

But still Kirche just waved him off.

The noble just went back to his friends disappointedly.

“You’re not popular with women,” said an officer. But the young man shook his head.

“Did you hear her accent? She has to be a Germanian woman. Quite suspicious as a noble if you ask me!”

“But I heard Germanian women are really lewd. Quite rare to see a woman with firm conduct.”

“Probably a Protestant to boot!”

Maybe it was partly because of the alcohol, but the officers started saying insults against Kirche. Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other and asked Kirche if she wanted to leave the bar.

“But we were here first,” muttered Kirche as she stood up. Her long hair seemed to be burning as though it was a wild fire. Other customers and waitresses and practically everyone who was watching over the whole incident fell quiet.

“Ah, so have you changed you mind and decided to accompany us?”

“Yes, not with goblets…but with this.”

Kirche smoothly pulled out her wand.

The men fell out of their chair laughing.

“Don’t even try young lady. We are nobles and will not point our wands on women.”

“Are you scared of Germanian women?”

“Ridiculous!”

The men continued laughing aloud.

“Then I make you draw your wand.”

Kirche swung her wand. Fireballs equal to the numbers of men came out of the tip of her wand and instantly incinerated the decorative feathers on their hat. The bar stirred. Kirche stood up to bow to the audience.

The men who were being made a laughingstock stood up all at once.

“Miss, this joke has gone a little too far.”

“Really? But I’m always serious. Furthermore wasn’t it you who invited me?”

“We invited you to drink, not a fight.”

“Then could I duel you gentlemen for insulting me just because I didn’t accept your offer to drink?”

The atmosphere in the bar froze.

One of the officers spoke determinedly,

“Foreign young lady, are you aware of the No Duel Policy? Under the order of her Majesty, we are restricted from dueling. But you are a foreigner. As long as we reach an agreement among ourselves, we could do practically anything to you. Are you speaking under this knowledge?”

“Nobles in Tristine really give long speeches. If this was Germania, the duel would have ended by now.”

They couldn't back down after they had been made fun of like this. The officers looked at each other and one of them gripped his hat’s brim and said, “Chose your opponent, you have the right.”

But Kirche didn’t change her expression. But there was fiery anger swirling inside her. The more Kirche got mad, the more composed and mannered she became.

“As you have said, Germanian women are lewd, so I’ll take care of all of you together.”
Applause was heard inside the bar for Kirche’s brave words. The officers’ faces were flushed bright red due to anger from the insult.

“We are nobles but at the same time also soldiers. When insulted, when challenged, we will not hold back even if the enemy is a woman. Come.”

The noble pointed outside of the bar with his chin. Guiche was shaking under the situation. Montmorency was just drinking wine as though it was none of her business. Louise was talking about how the stupid woman was getting herself into useless trouble again and hiding in the kitchen. Saito unfortunately fell victim of Louise’s anger against Kirche and was passed out because of the pain the Louise has inflicted upon him; so he couldn’t intervene.

So, the one who stood up was Tabitha.

“You don’t have to worry about it. Sit down, it will be over in an instant.”

But Tabitha shook her head.

“Do you mean I won’t be able to beat them?”

“No. But I’ll go.”

“This doesn’t involve you,” said Kirche, but again Tabitha shook her head.

“I owe you.”

“You mean the incident in the Ragdorian Lake? Don’t mind it. I did it out of my own will anyways.”

“Not that.”

“Eh?”

Then Tabitha clearly muttered,

“Owe you one.”

Kirche recalled with those words.

“That’s quite a long time ago.” Kirche smiled.

She thought for a moment but finally decided to leave it to her friend.

“What happened? Got scared? We will forgive you if you apologize now.”

“You’ll still have to pour drinks for us though.”

“You’ll be lucky if it ends with you just pouring drinks.”

The officers laughed. Kirche pointed at Tabitha.

“Beg your pardon, but she has even more skill than me. She even has the title Chevalier.”

The officers put on a doubtful expression.

Tabitha just walked toward the entrance of the bar reticently.

“Do any of you gentlemen have the Chevalier title?”

The officers twisted their necks in unbelief.

“Then she should prove to be more than a match.”

As Kirche finished speaking, she sat down on a chair as though her job was over. The officers, who couldn’t back down, followed Tabitha to the outside of the bar.

“Is she gonna be ok?”

Asked Guiche. Kirche was just drinking her wine elegantly.

“That girl never forgets this kind of boring promise.”

Kirche muttered happily.

Outside, Tabitha was facing the officers at 10 paces. Around them neighboring residents surrounded the duelers excited but keeping a good distance back. In reality, though the No Duel Policy was in effect, it didn’t all together stop the fights between the nobles. This kind of fight was an everyday occurrence.

But…the opponent of the team of three apparent officers of the royal army was a very young little girl. That combination drew the attention of the spectators.

“Gentlemen, our opponent is a kid. After this people will call us bullies. Our honor is going to be ruined no matter if we win or lose. What shall we do?”

As the man that was inviting Kirche said, the youngest of three answered, “Why not let her act first?”

The man who was silent until now said in a happy tone,

“Hah, teaching children is an adult's responsibility!”

Chevalier? Must be joking. There is no way such a little girl can be given such a title.

Although she is a kid, she still is a noble. We cannot forgive such a lie. On top of that insulting an officer from the royal army is just absurd.

Tabitha was just standing ominously there with her staff in her right hand. Nothing could be deterred from her expression. It seemed neither the crowd nor the three officers could change her emotion.

“Little lady, please draw your staff first.”

Said the oldest of the nobles.

The onlookers held their breath and watched over them attentively.

Tabitha simply waved her staff easily, like the time she made wind to cool off Kirche. The battle ended in an instant.

As the customers saw Tabitha coming back to the bar, they gave her a huge welcome mixed with astonishment and wonder. There was a huge commotion outside. Because with just one hit from a huge “Air Hammer”, a hammer made of compressed air, Tabitha blew the officers to the other side of the street and knocked them out cold. One customer peeked outside the window timidly and saw one of the officer regained consciousness and was dragging the other two away.

“You are amazing despite your size!”

Although the bar was filled with applause, Tabitha was flipping a page in her book, not paying attention.

Kirche poured wine in to Tabitha’s cup satisfyingly.

“Let's have a toast.”

Guiche asked Kirche as if he was confused.

“Um, Kirche?”

“What?”

“Why are you two so close? You two are like sisters.”

“We just get along.”

But they were the opposite of each other. What’s more is….Guiche pondered on what he
recalled earlier. The two actually had a duel like the one outside as soon as they enrolled to the school.

“Were you two always this close? What happened between you two? Tell me.”

This also triggered Montmorency’s interest and she leaned forward.

“What happened? Tell us.”

Kirche looked at Tabitha, but Tabitha was silent. However Kirche nodded.

“She said I can talk about it so I will. It’s not that great of a story though.” Kirche took a wine glass full of wine.

She gulped down the wine, and started telling the story with drowsy eyes.

Kirche entered Tristain Magic Academy as Spring was in the air, during the fourth month, Feou's moon's 2nd week, the middle of Heimdallr's week.

The entrance ceremony was held in Alviss Hall. There, every year, the ninety or so new students would be divided into three classes. Children of aristocratic families, gathered from all over had, waited for Principal Osman with nervous looks on their faces.

Osman, leading the teachers, appeared on the 2nd floor and looked over the students a floor below.

“Students, you are Tristain's.... Argh!”

Osman, spreading out his arms and legs, had jumped from the railing of the 2nd floor, preparing to land on a desk downstairs. In mid-air, he waved his staff to use “Levitation” to land safely, but failed. He'd grown old; the time he took to invoke spells had lengthened too much and he fell straight onto the desk. The hall was filled with an uproar as teachers jumped down to help him up. Osman had pulled something badly and someone had to heal him with Water magic. He continued, with no hint of embarrassment,

“Everyone, Become the aristocrats who will support Helkeginia in the future!:

Such brave words. Everyone started clapping, feeling pity for Osman who was trying so hard to maintain his composure.

In the crowd... There was a beautiful girl who stood out even amongst the nobles. This was Kirche, who held the title of “Feverish". Giving a big yawn as she looked at the clumsy principal, she wondered if she'd made a mistake applying here.

For Kirche, however, who'd left Vindobona Magical Academy in Germania's capital... There were no further alternatives, other than going abroad to study. Her parents staying in Zerbst had planned to marry Kirche, who'd been loafing around home after leaving school, off to some old Marquis. Kirche, who had no present plans for marriage, literally flew out of the country to Tristain seeking asylum.

Her impulses moved her to act.

From young, once she took a liking to something she did all she could to get it. If someone protested, she'd shut him up with her specialty, “Fire”. The reason for her dropping out, the “Incident” that had occurred in Germania, was a result of this aspect her personality..

The personality you grow up with is a hard thing to change. Even in Tristain, her arrogant ways were in full play

Getting back to the present, sitting next to Kirche was a petite, blue-haired girl. Compared to the beautiful goddess Kirche, possessor of a devil's body, this girl's body hadn't even hit puberty. She really was a child, after all. The jade eyes behind the glasses still carried a hint of childishness. Even though she was at an Entrance Ceremony, those eyes were still wide open, engrossed in reading her book.

For no apparent reason, Kirche started to get irritated with her attitude. To Kirche, good kids who liked to study were good targets for bullying. She asked in a low voice, “What are you reading?” and snatched away the book. The other girl looked at her with emotionless eyes.

The words in the book were too hard for Kirche, she couldn't understand a thing.

“The hell is this... 'Wind's Power's Influence on Atmospherics and Consequences'? Dunno what it's saying. Can you even use this kinda high level magic?”

The girl did not reply, only stretching out her hand.

“Hey, when you're asking a favor from someone, you should give your name, didn't your parents ever teach you?”

To be honest, it wasn't really asking a favor, just trying to get back something that had been taken away...... The girl took a moment to consider, and said her name - “Tabitha”.

“Whats that? Does everyone in Tristain use such weird names?”

Kirche was close to rolling on the floor in laughter. The teacher in charge of assigning classes shot her a glare, but Kirche, ignoring him, continued to laugh.

Tabitha looked at Kirche with cold eyes. The chain that held her parents' destinies... to hers had been mocked by someone. At that moment, Kirche totally didn't see the change in Tabitha eyes.

A girl with strawberry-blond hair, unable to take it any longer, stood right up.

“That girl over there! Something important is being announced now! Why don't you shut up!”

She'd probably been enduring Kirche's arrogance from before.

“Who are you? I am Louise Francoise le Blanc de la Valliere. To think there are people like you attending, shocking!”

“La Valliere?”

Kirche looked happily at Louise's face.

“Please look after me. I'm Kirche von Zerbst, your neghbour. To think we'd meet here! What a privilege!”

On hearing this Louise's entire body began to tremble.

“W-W-What did you say?”

“Oh, please look after me.”

Kirche gave a charming laugh. A teacher who saw them shivering in rage roared at the three,

“All of you quiet down!”

“Okay.” Saying this, Kirche returned to her seat. Tabitha snatched her book back from Kirche's hand and glared at her from the corner of her eyes, her lips pressed tight.

Every year was divided into three classes, named for the 3 legendary saints, Suen, Iyer and Seger. Kirche and Tabitha were in Suen, Louise in Iyer, while Guiche and Montmorency had been assigned to Seger.

After leaving a big impression at the entrance ceremony, Kirche was being ignored by the girls of her class. That special wild attractiveness of Germanian girls, as well as that generous bust, the hormones in the air just couldn't be shut out. In a second, she had all the boys in class to herself. This made the Tristain girls, already famous for being jealous, burn in envy.

Her personality was one of the reasons she was disliked. Even in Germania, the land of Fire, Kirche had been ostracized for her arrogance. Her personality just rubbed the Tristainians, who worshiped caution as a virtue, the wrong way. Within a short time of starting school, she'd already seduced three boys. There were two reasons. Firstly, those three boys were the better looking ones in class. Secondly, and more importantly... she was just so bored.

Number one, a seductive glance thrown in the hallway.
Number two, sticking her bust out as she pretended to trip.
Number three, crossing her legs in front of him.

Just like that, the three had already asked Kirche to go out with them. Kirche received their requests as though she were getting court summons. She went out with all three at the same time without hiding anything, and so the three were soon locked in combat.

At the end of the pitched battle, the third boy emerged victorious. Just as he was congratulating himself over finally getting Kirche to himself, she found a fourth one.

Several girls interested in these boys formed an alliance to negotiate with Kirche. Kirche, who'd just found five and six, and was once again three-timing, snorted with contempt at the forsaken girls.

“Don't you know when to stop? How many boys do you want before you're happy?”

“Who knows, I don't.”

Said Kirche as she sat at her desk polishing her nails.

“Quit acting dumb!”

“I didn't do anything. They just found me by themselves, saying 'Kirche, wanna come to my room and drink,' or 'I've written a poem, wanna hear it,' stuff like that.”

Kirche said, imitating the boys.

“It's always like this, I'm pretty irritated too, so I have to accept, in your language 'Oui'.” Did I pronounce it right?”

Her attitude made the girls' envy rocket to new heights instantly.
“Listen here. This is Tristain, where we prize prudence and tradition, unlike your barbarian country. Even in love there are proper ways. An ignorant country-girl who doesn't even know that should just go back home!”

“If you're really so concerned about your lover, why not lock him up in your room?”

“What did you say?”

“I'm just so confused. If you've got the time to be jealous, why not try to persuade him to stay?” If you like him you should compliment him a bit. All y'all only know how to put on an angry face, you don't even know how to say things that make a man happy, do you?

“That's what guys should do!”

“Well I'm not like that, if I want someone, I'll praise him as much as possible, otherwise, I'm gonna be very sad.”

“Don't treat us like idiots!”

“However, all of you can rest assured. Although I follow the philosophy of “Do whatever it takes to get what I want,” I'd never take what's most important to someone.

“Liar! Haven't you tried to grab our boyfriends with your dirty hands?”

Kirche turned her gaze slowly to the girls surrounding her.

“To you, It's really not the most important thing, is it.”

“What did you say?”

“If it was such an important thing, you wouldn't have formed a team to negotiate with me. You'd have taken my head off my shoulders a long time ago, or am I wrong?”

The jealous girls had nothing to say.

“...Er....”

“I don't want to die yet. Therefore I won't take what's most precious to someone.”

The girls had been struck by Kirche's imposing manner and started to look at each other.

“If I plan on taking someone's most precious possession, I'll be ready to fight for it. My element is “Fire”. “Fire” controls destruction and passion. I too, want a passionate affair that turns all life to ash and burns everything to the ground.”

Just like that, Kirche's lovers continued to increase, but she was unable to make a single friend. Tabitha, however, was not much better off.

Tabitha hardly spoke to anyone at all. Whether it was break time or lunch time, starting class or ending, even in the dorms or social spaces. She said nothing to anyone. Silent, with a world-weary look on her face... only reading. No matter who tried to speak to her, Tabitha totally ignored them. Not just ignored, it was as though she was totally ignorant of their even existing.

Due to this, Tabitha turned into an object of ridicule. For some reason, she refused to give her last name, so the rumors were that she was a bastard.

The time when she really raised the ire of the entire class was during their first class.

Tabitha, who'd been taken as just a 'normal' bookworm, was found to be an adept “Wind” mage during the first “Wind” magic lesson.

Mr Quito was in charge of “Wind” class. The first words out of his mouth were,

“This year's students are just too sorry.”

Displeasure was immediately written on the faces of the students, who'd gathered in the central courtyard.

“Looking at your school record, almost all of you are 'dot' mages, only a few are 'line'. Not even one is a 'triangle' mage. What's going on?”

Dot and triangle referred to the number of elements that could be stacked. 'Dot' meant one element, 'line' meant the mage could combine two. Even if it was the same element, as long as it could be stacked, a powerful spell could be created.

“I have absolutely no hopes for any of you, but this is my job, after all.”

After Mr. Quito finished speaking in a low voice, class started. “Wind”'s basic skill's are “Flight” and “levitation”.

However... Tabitha began to show her abilities at this point.

She was the first to soar far up quickly using the “Flight” spell. Even so, to try to avoid attention, she'd deliberately not used all her power. Mr. Quito was rather confused.

“For a 'dot' mage, that pretty good.”

Not knowing Tabitha's true ability, it was unavoidable that he'd say that.

For various reasons, the only person who knew Tabitha's real power was Principal Osman. Moreover, Mr. Quito hadn't looked at the exchange students' records.

“No matter what, all of you lost out to the youngest girl in class. Don't you feel ashamed?”

With Mr. Quito's words, the entire class started to get angry.

During the break after lunch, one of the boys asked Tabitha to spar with him.

Sparring like this was basically the same as dueling. Since it was sparring, there was no little danger of any loss of life, at least not in this time period. In times past, it was said that giving your opponent the coup de grace was the way of the noble, but this age of heroes had disappeared into history. The modern method was to use spells with low lethality, and once someone was injured, the bout would be decided. Although at times there were incidents were a finger was broken, it was far safer than placing one's life on the line. In most cases, stealing your opponent's wand was considered the most elegant way of winning.

The youth who had challenged Tabitha was named de Lorraine. Born into a family famous for “Wind” magic, he was one of their year's elite 'line' magicians.

He carried a grudge from having been beaten at “Flight” by some unknown like Tabitha. He like to boast that there was no one who could compete with him in “Wind” magic, and wanted a chance to get back at Tabitha.

Walking towards Tabitha, reading in the central courtyard, he issued a declaration of war,

“Milady, I would like your instruction in “Wind” magic.”

When Tabitha gave no reply, de Lorraine started to get angry.

“To continue reading while someone is challenging you, isn't this far too rude?”

Tabitha still did not reply. De Lorraine's words went by her ears unheard as though it were sound of the breeze.

“So, when it comes to sparring you don't have what it takes. That isn't hard to understand. After all, these contests put one's life on the line! Totally different from flying and jumping around a bit in class!”

Tabitha continued to flip through her book. De Lorraine's insulting words had no effect on the jade-eyed girl.

“Heh!”

De Lorraine snorted, and smirked.

“So. It seems that the rumors of you being a bastard are true. I fear you don't even know who your mother is. To feel envious of some low-born person like you would dishonor my family's reputation!”

As he gave these words and prepared to leave, Tabitha finally stood up. If Kirche were to see her now she would probably feel it. Withing those emotionless jade eyes, an icy wind was howling.

“Have you finally gotten serious?”

Tabitha set her book down on the bench, and turning, walked towards an open area.

Tabitha and de Lorraine stood facing each other about ten meters apart.

“Although I don't want to give my name to a bastard like you, this is the common practice. I, Verrieres de Lorraine, shall be your opponent.”

Tabitha did not give her name.

“It's so pitiful to not have a name to give, even at a time like this! I shall not show mercy! En guarde!”

De Lorraine shouted, and began to chant, “Wind Break”(translator... snicker... better than break wind, anyways.) He planned to send Tabitha flying at once. Tabitha did not take a stance, and merely silently prepared to take the wind that seemed set to blow her away.

What was going on? She totally made no attempt to take an invocation stance. De Lorraine's “Wind Break” was a powerful spell, a spell to counter it would take some time to cast.

Was it because she had never sparred like this before, or had she been scared witless by de Lorraine's spell...

Whatever the reason, time was up.

Just as de Lorraine felt he had victory in his hand...

Tabitha raised her wand, and as though clearing spiderwebs from her path, waved it randomly. A single word was spoken, and just like that, Tabitha had control of all the air currents in the area.

This minute adjustment in air flow changed de Lorraine's spell's forward momentum, returning it to the caster.

De Lorraine was flung against the wall by his own wind. Giving him no time, Tabitha immediately began to cast again. Water vapour in the air froze to ice, turning into countless frozen arrows, which plunged towards de Lorraine.

“Ah!”

With a clear tinkling sound, the ice arrows pinned de Lorraine to the wall by his cloak and clothes. He was scared stiff by this power he had seen for the first time in his life. “Wind”, could it really be all that powerful? A giant ice arrow flew towards the pinned de Lorraine from the front.

“I'm going to die! Save me!"

He shouted reflexively. The arrow, as thick as his arm, stopped in front of his eye. It started to melt, turning into a puddle.

At the same time, the arrows that pinned his body to the wall too began to melt.

The newly released de Lorraine trembled uncontrollably. At his feet, a pool began to form, not from the defrosting ice arrows, but from some other liquid. From between his legs liquid flowed, forming a body-temperature puddle. He sank to his knees.

Throwing away his wand, and begging, ”Please spare me,” he crawled away.

Tabitha's little feet suddenly filled his vision, scaring him so much that he shrieked. She stood there looking down at him, her expression unchanging.

“Spare me! Let me live! S-Sparring's merely a game! Duels where you gamble your life are old history!”

De Lorraine said, denying everything he had said earlier. Tabitha stuck out a wand.

“Let me go! If you let me live, I'll do anything you say!”

Tabitha pointed at the wand in her hands, saying simply,

“You forgot this.”

It was the wand de Lorraine had thrown away.

Those were the reasons why Kirche and Tabitha were hated by the rest of their class... Kirche especially by the girls whose boyfriends she had stolen, and Tabitha by de Lorraine, who she had beaten so badly.

De Lorraine suggested a plan to the girls.

On hearing his plan, the girls clapped and agreed. This would keep their identities from being known and take care of the two most hated girls in class.

<50%>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume4 Prologue

2008-09-04T19:45:49Z

Heeros1: /* Prologue */

===Prologue===

The Ragdorian Lake in between the Kingdom of Tristain and Gallia was one of Halkeginia’s most beautiful places. It spanned across six hundred square kilometres and its width could be compared to that of the distance of Tristania, the capital of Tristain, from the Academy of Magic. The lake was located on relatively high ground, and was as beautiful as if it were a painting. The lush green of the forests woven with the clear water of the lake was a masterpiece, which couldn’t have possibly been made by a god carelessly waving his axe around.

However, that lake was not something humans owned. It was a place inhabited by the water spirits, who were the original inhabitants of Halkeginia. It was the paradise of the water spirits who had a much longer history than the humans. The water spirits had made a castle and town at the bottom of the lake and developed their own culture and kingdom. It was said that those who saw it, no matter how evil they were, would turn over a new leaf.

These water spirits were called the spirits of oath and it was said that oaths made by them would never be broken. That being said… the water spirits, who were said to surpass the beauty of the woven colours of the forest, the sky and the lake, rarely appeared in front of humans. Tens of years ago, they had appeared once to renew their oath with the royal family of Tristain, but since then, they had not come up from the depths of the lake. Which is why, even though it was said that “oaths made by them would never be broken”, it was an extremely difficult task to prove it.

<center>* * *</center>

The first time Henrietta and Wales met was at that Ragdorian Lake. It was three years ago… Celebrating the Queen Marianne’s birthday, the Kingdom of Tristain invited guests from each nation and held a large garden party at the Ragdorian Lake. The nobles and royals invited from all over Halkeginia - the Kingdom of Albion, the Kingdom of Gallia, and the empire of Germania, gathered at the lake all dressed up and socialised to their hearts content. Fireworks of magic were set off and under a large tent, a ball was held throughout the night with the world’s finest food and wine prepared.

On the night at the end of the first week, as the celebrations were half over, the fourteen year old Henrietta left her tent and made her way to the shore of the lake without any attendants or guards. She was tired of the celebrations, which seemed to stretch on. The days had been packed with events, such as feasts, dance balls, poetry recitals… She was already fed up with all the greetings and flattery. She wanted to be alone and take in some fresh air.

She had passed through the area where the tents and buildings stood with her face hidden under a large hood and had made her way to the quiet bank side. The moon shone brightly, creating an illusionary atmosphere. Captivated by the sight, Henrietta simply stared at the river, which reflected the bright (dazzling?) moon. It seemed that just being captivated by the sight did not satisfy her. Henrietta looked around her. After checking that no one was around, she boldly slipped off her dress. With a mischievous smile arising on her beautiful face, she slowly made her way into the water.

The cool water enveloped her body. It was just the beginning of summer, so the coolness felt pleasant in the warm night. She would be scolded if she were to be found in such a place by the chamberlain La Porte, but she had endured the constrained garden party for so long. I’ll be forgiven for something like this, Henrietta whispered as she began to swim out. After swimming for a while, she suddenly sensed someone on the bank side. Henrietta’s face became red and she hide her body with her hands.

“Who is it?”

The figure did not reply. Who could it be? The annoying chamberlain La Porte? Her friend who was one year younger than her, Louise Françoise? However she had snuck out of the tent without any of them noticing. Becoming uneasy, she demanded for the person’s identity.

“Insolence. Name yourself.” Her panicking voice reached the bank side.

“I’m no one suspicious. I was only out for a stroll. Why are you out here swimming at a time like this?”

Henrietta was offended by his composed manner, even though he had been watching her swim all this time.

“I asked for your name didn’t I? Even though it may not look like it, I am the princess of a certain country. Before things turn ugly, state your name and leave.”

Hearing this, the figure was taken aback.

“A princess? Could it be, Henrietta?”

Henrietta was surprised at the absence of the address of ‘princess’. There were only five people gathered at the lake who could address her in such a manner. It would be unbelievable insolence if he weren’t one of those five people.

“Who are you?”

Henrietta had taken off the mask of a princess and questioned the figure in the voice of a frightened girl.

The figure laughed. Being laughed at, Henrietta blushed.

“It’s me Henrietta, Wales. Wales from Albion. Your cousin!”

“Wales..? You mean, Prince Wales?”

Prince Wales. The crown prince of Albion. They had never met before, but she of course knew of his name. The eldest son of the brother of her late father. She blushed even more deeply.

“I arrived here tonight with my father. I thought I’d just have a glimpse at the Ragdorian Lake because it’s so famous. Sorry for scaring you.”

“Geez, I can't believe you.” 

With her clothes on, Henrietta turned towards Wales.

“You can turn around now”

Wales had turned away while Henrietta was changing. At the instant he turned around, something ran across Henrietta’s spine for the first time in her life. Her body, cold from the lake became hot as though a fire had scorched her. She shyly smiled at his gallant looks. It seemed as though Wales had felt the same sensation as Henrietta.

“I’m surprised. You’ve grown beautiful, Henrietta…”

The astonished prince drew out moving words from his mouth.

“I-I haven’t at all…” Looking downwards, Henrietta couldn’t lift her face.

[[Image:ZnT04-016.jpg|thumb]]

“I didn’t mean to surprise you. I was just taking a stroll and I heard some splashing… When I came here, I realised someone was swimming. Sorry. I couldn’t help but gaze.”

“Why were you gazing?”

“Aren’t the water spirits that live in this lake drawn to the moonlight? I wished to see them just once. The beauty of the water spirits are said to put the two moons into shame.”

Henrietta smiled.

“Sorry that it was me then”

Scratching his cheek in an embarrassed fashion, he earnestly said: “Not at all. I haven’t seen a water spirit before but…”

“But?”

“You are more beautiful. More beautiful than a water spirit.”

Embarrassed, Henrietta hid her face.

“People from Albion are so good at jokes.”

“I-It’s not a joke! I’m a prince you know. I haven’t told a lie, not even once! I really think you are more beautiful” Replied Wales, panicking.

Henrietta’s pulse hastened as though a spell had been cast on her. The cousin in front of her… A prince from another country, whom she only knew the name of. The boring garden party, had suddenly become beautifully colourful whilst they stood before the sparkling Ragdorian Lake.

<center>* * *</center>

Their relationship grew quite intimate although it didn’t take that much time. They understood each other’s feelings just by looking at each other’s eyes and they also understood well that their time together was limited. At every night of the garden party, Wales and Henrietta would meet by the lake. Henrietta would hide her face with a large hood, and Wales would use a phantom mask which was used in the masked ball. The signal of their rendezvous was the sound of a small stone thrown into the lake. The person who had arrived first would reveal themselves from the thicket from which they were hiding, and after checking no one was around, they would use a password.

After Wales said “On the night the wind blows”, Henrietta would reply with “an oath of the water I pledge.”

On a particular day, the two were walking by the lake holding hands.

“You were pretty late Henrietta, I almost became tired of waiting”

“Sorry. The feast just stretched on. I’m so sick of drunk ramblings already.”

“But… Is it really alright for you to sneak away like that every night?”

Henrietta giggled at Wales worried look.

“It’s alright. I’m using a decoy”

“A decoy! That’s something pretty serious.”

“It’s not that big of a deal. That friend of mine you saw with me at lunch the other day…”

“You mean that skinny girl with long hair?”

Wales tilted his head. The girl that would follow Henrietta around and play with her. He was so captivated by Henrietta that he couldn’t really recall her look. However, he did vaguely remember her hair colour.

“Yes. She dresses up like me, and then goes into my bed for me. The blanket covers her right to the tip of her head so even if anyone stands beside the bed, they can’t see her face.”

“But, isn’t her hair colour different to yours? If I remember correctly, hers is pink while yours is…”

Wales brushed Henrietta’s hair with his hand.

“A beautiful chestnut colour. That would be a fairly bad decoy.”

“I’ve concocted a special magic hair dye. But, I feel a bit guilty. I didn’t actually say that I was meeting you. She thinks that I am just out for a stroll.”

“You’re so cunning!” Wales said while laughing.

“Shh! Don’t laugh so loud. We don’t know if anyone is listening.”

“No one is going to be here listening at this hour of the night except for the water spirits. Ah, I want to see them at least once. I wonder what kind of beauty makes the moon jealous.”

Pouting her lips, she replied to her lover with a troubling tone

“Oh, I see now. So you didn’t actually want to meet with me. You just wanted to see the water spirit, and have me tag along.”

Wales suddenly stopped and grasped Henrietta’s cheeks gently in both his hands and approached her lips. Henrietta was surprised, but soon closed her eyes. Their lips pressed together. After a while, Wales remove

“I love you, Henrietta.”

“I also love you.” Henrietta whispered, blushing furiously.

A tinge of loneliness was reflected in Wales’ eyes. While he was entranced by the idea of their love, a composed part of his mind also imagined the conclusion it. Their status did not allow them to be with each other. If anyone knew about their relationship… they probably wouldn’t even be allowed to see each other in formal events. It was a part of being a princess and a prince.

Wales began to speak, trying to brighten the atmosphere.

“Hahaha… We’ve both been born with troubling destinies haven’t we. Most of the time we’ve spent together has been at night, with a disguise! It would be good, at least just once, if I could walk by this lake with just you and the sun.”

Henrietta closed her eyes and slowly nestled against his chest.

“Then make an oath.”

“An oath?”

“Yes. The water spirits living here are also known as the ‘spirits of oath’. Oaths made before them are said to be unbreakable.” whispered the fourteen year old Henrietta while she hid her face.

“It’s a superstition. Just an old folk’s tale”

“Even if it’s a superstition, I believe it. If by believing, it will grant me my oath, then I will believe forever. Forever…”

A tear dropped from her eyelashes and rolled down on her cheek. Wales gently stroked Henrietta’s cheek.

“I love you, Henrietta, because you love me so much. So don’t cry like that. The river will overflow with your tears. The people gathered here will drown you know.”

“You probably don’t know how much I love you. The more serious I get the more you tease me.”

“Don’t be like that Henrietta”

Lifting the hem of her skirt, Henrietta made her way into the water.

“The princess of Tristain Henrietta vows before the spirits of water that she will love Prince Wales for eternity.”

“You're next Wales. Make an oath like I just did.”

Wales entered the water and embraced Henrietta. Henrietta clung to his shoulder.

“Wales?”

“Your feet will get cold.”

“I don’t mind. Rather than that, I made an oath that I will love you forever. Make an oath as well.”

“Unbreakable oaths are just a superstition.”

“Are you saying that you will have a change of heart?”

Wales went silent for a while, deep in thought.

With a gentle expression, he cast his oath into the lake.

“The prince of Albion, Wales, vows before the water spirits that he will one day walk on this Ragdorian Lake with princess Henrietta and the sun, hand in hand.”

“I made the oath.”

Henrietta buried her face into Wales’ chest and whispered quietly to herself.

“…So you won’t vow to love me?”

The surface of the lake twinkled with light. Then after a while the lake was once again engulfed in silence.

The two looked at each other.

Was it the moon light, or was it the spirits of the water accepting their oaths, they didn’t know… but nestling against each other they continued to gaze at the beautiful lake of Ragdorian.

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