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2019-12-13T16:08:05Z

Jackson: Created page with "hi"

Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 1 Prologue

2019-12-13T16:01:03Z

Jackson: Fixing dialogue

==Prologue==

“Aa-……n-no. Ki-Kizuna-kun, that place, nn……-“

The girl twisted her body in order to escape from the hand of the man called Kizuna.

Her long black hair shook smoothly.

“My, my bad! Himekawa, you don’t like it there then.”

Kizuna pulled his hand back in panic.

“……So which area is it that makes you feel good when touched?”

The face of the girl, Himekawa Hayuru, turned red in a flash.

“Th-the-there is no way I can tell you that! So-so-so-something like tha――aAnn-“

“Anyways, it seems that this place makes you feel good.”

While saying that, Hida Kizuna crawled his hand on Himekawa’s thigh.

They were in a wide room of the size of twenty tatami mats.

In the center of the dimly lighted room, there was a bed of a white so pure that it looked dazzling.

On top of that bed, a boy and a girl around the age of typical high-schoolers were embracing each other.

Kizuna was wearing something like a training wear that fitted tightly on his body.

With short sleeves on his upper body and a spat that reached his knee, the attire that he wore had the upper and bottom separated, and faint muscles could be seen from his exposed stomach.

He couldn’t be qualified as muscular, but just from seeing it, one would notice that his body was fairly trained.

As for Himekawa, she too was wearing an attire that fit tightly on her, similarly to Kizuna, but the impression that hers left was quite different. The fabric was so thin, and the cut at her crotch was also extremely risqué in the style of a swimming race swimsuit, that it seemed like a leotard in appearance.

On top of that attire, she was wearing a coat that was like a part of shrine maiden clothes, but it had already been completely worn out of shape.

Those clothes that hid her body half-heartedly made her look excessively erotic.

There was an opening at the front of her chest, making the smooth curves of her breasts visible. They were a little small, but looking at them would make one’s heart throb.

Having a girl with such a figure looking upwards toward him with these eyes made this scene nothing but lascivious.

‘――No matter how many times this happens, it still makes me so nervous.’ Was what he thought.

“Ah-……”

As Kizuna lifted Himekawa’s hair, Himekawa’s body trembled in response.

“Himekawa, you…… are really sensitive, aren’t you?”

“Is, is that so? I-I am…… aau”

He then caressed her, letting his hand slide from the top of her head along the flow of her hair. With the tip of his finger, he slid his hand until he reached her waist.

“Aa-a-an…… u”

She knitted her eyebrows and endured the pleasure.

“I wonder how does your back feel?”

“I, it’s ticklish.”

“Ticklish? How strange…… didn’t you say before that it feels good?”

Kizuna pondered with a troubled face.

“Yo, you are wrong! By no means something like that is-!”

Himekawa shook her head and denied it.

“It doesn’t feel good or anything, in, in the first place, I didn’t do this because it feels good! This is a mission, so it can’t be hel…… hyaun!”

Kizuna’s hand slid through her back in reverse, from the bottom to the top.

“Himekawa, any time now――”

At that moment, *zushin*, the room shook.

Vibrations like those of a local earthquake assaulted the room. Kizuna worriedly looked around.

“This is bad…… we have to finish this quick.”

“……Isn’t it fine? I think there is no need to be concerned though.”

Himekawa answered calmly. As if to wait for something, she looked up at Kizuna fixedly.

Somehow, those eyes of hers looked coquettish.

“I, I wonder if that’s so?”

Kizuna once again reached out his hand to Himekawa.

“Aa-! Again-, just where are you touching-, haa…… uun.”

Kizuna stroked around Himekawa’s white thigh. The smooth texture felt good in his hand. Even the soft elastic sensation also felt good.

From the thigh, his hand next reached out to her calf. The slender calf gave a slim and elegant image to her whole leg.

From there Kizuna’s hand once again traced through her leg, heading to above her knee. His finger continued to advance stroking from the inside of her thigh toward her body.

“Mou, how long you are going to touch, don’t get carried awa…… aaa-!”

Kizuna crossed over from her thigh to her crotch, he grazed her nether region and advanced his finger tip toward the depression of her navel.

“Nooooo”

At that time, along with Himekawa’s gasping voice, a glittering like a star could be seen from Himekawa’s eyes.

――It’s here!?

That instant when Kizuna became excited, a large tremor attacked the two of them again.

A dull sound of metal reverberated from the wall.

“Wasn’t just now really bad?”

Kizuna tried to confirm the situation and he was going to go away from the bed.

“Uwaa-!”

He was pulled back by an amazing strength.

“Geez, aren’t you still in the middle of replenishing me? Where are you planning to go?”

Himekawa’s condition was clearly different compared to before.

A light of obscenity shined from her eyes.

“N, no. I’m just going to look at the situation a li……”

Himekawa’s hands grabbed Kizuna’s face and like that she pushed herself down on the bed pulling him back.

“Uowa-“

Kizuna’s posture was now bending over Himekawa.

“Fufu. It’s fine you know, about the outside…… if we just leave it to Aine-san and Yurishia-san, everything will be fine.”

Glazed eyes and flushed cheeks. Red particles of light began to come out from her body.

――No mistake.

It was the indication of {{furigana|Heart Hybrid|Union Remodeling}}.

Himekawa bent her body while taking off her upper wear.

Himekawa’s slim hands embraced Kizuna’s head with a fierce strength.

“Hey? This place of mine…… it already became like this you know…… Kizuna-kun too, you cannot hold back anymore right?”

Himekawa’s sweet whisper tickled Kizuna’s ear.

――Then, let’s settle this here.

Kizuna’s eyes shined.

Pink light swam inside his eyes and light particles also began to scatter from his body.

Kizuna who was embraced by Himekawa pushed his face into Himekawa’s small breasts.

Even so he could feel enough softness. Himekawa’s body temperature was warm and he could hear the sound of her heartbeat going faster.

Normally, she didn’t want her breasts to be touched, but……

Kizuna circled his hand on Himekawa’s body and turned their bodies over in reverse.

He slid his fingers on the back of Himekawa who was now on top of him.

And then, he grabbed her butt.

“Hyaaaaa-!”

Himekawa leaned back and her long black hair spread open.

His left and right hands were each respectively gently holding the left and right hills.

Regardless of how softly he was holding her, Kizuna’s fingers were sinking without end into those hills.

His hands were rubbing those two hills sticking on his hands while drawing a circle.

“Ya-, yan, iyaaan!”

Himekawa shook her head as if to escape from the pleasure assaulting her body.

As if to give her a finishing blow, Kizuna put more strength to his fingers and grasped Himekawa’s butt even tighter.

“Noooooooooooooo-“

Himekawa raised a coquettish voice and bent her back like a bow.

At the same time, red light surged out from Himekawa’s body.

And then, pink light particles rose up from Kizuna’s body.

The lights appearing from their body gradually turned brighter and filled the inside of the room with red and pink radiance.

The two lights mixed and melted into each other.

Matching with that, a change occurred in Kizuna’s portable terminal that he put aside on the bedside.

Kizuna didn’t overlook that and focused on the terminal.

Himekawa’s parameter that was near zero was restored in one go.

“Yosh! Heart Hybrid success! The replenishment is complete with this.”

Kizuna made a small guts pose happily.

“Himekawa, you are fine already with this right?”

“Sheesh…… it’s over already?”

Himekawa looked down with a befuddled face.

“Ye, yeah…… because, the replenishment is complete already see? If we don’t hurry, Yurishia and Aine are also going to complain.”

Himekawa scowled as if her mood was worsening, then-

“Sheesh, something like that doesn’t matter right-?”

She buried her face on Kizuna’s chest and hugged him tight, as if to not let him go.

“Eh? Hime, kawa…… san?”

Himekawa put her hand on Kizuna’s chest and raised her body.

Kizuna released a deep breath in relief.

“So you understand…… that’s great. Well then, u-!?”

Himekawa put her body weight and straddled Kizuna’s abdomen, then she smiled bewitchingly.

“Buu-t, this place, you still…… haven’t touched them.”
[[File:Masou Gakuen HxH V01 06.jpg|thumb]]
She let out a sweet voice and gestured by lifting up her own breasts.

Himekawa’s body was slender, but when she did that he was made conscious of that existence whether he wanted it or not.

As if inviting him, Himekawa moved her hands.

The two hills wrapped in a pilot suit had their shape changed elastically.

Himekawa leaned forward and her long black hair touched Kizuna’s face.

“Here, Kizuna-kun……”

As if being charmed, Kizuna’s hand reached out towards the protrusion of the breasts that were drawing gentle lines.

{Hey, both of you! Just until when in the world are you two going to stay inside?}

A floating window appeared on the tip of the finger of the reaching out hand.

“Uwaa!”

Kizuna pulled back his hand with amazing speed.

A blonde beautiful girl was reflected inside the window which was floating in the empty air.

{The replenishment is over already right? We are busy here, so I want you two to quickly get out here.}

“My, my bad, Yurishia. We’ll go out immediately.”

When Kizuna raised his body, Himekawa’s body was shaken.

“Are you okay? The replenishment is over. Let’s get out soon.”

Himekawa brushed up the hair clinging to her skin due to sweat and looked at Kizuna languidly.

“Reple…… nishment?”

“Get a hold of yourself, Himekawa. Aah, you need some time before you get your sanity back like usual huh.”

Kizuna grasped Himekawa’s shoulders and shook her body really exaggeratedly. Himekawa’s head was turning round and round.

“Nn…… eh? Replenishment, o, ver……?”

With her eyes still being dazed, her gaze was swimming everywhere.

Her shaky gaze was stopping at the location of Kizuna’s face, and after she stared fixedly at his face, the focus of Himekawa’s eyes was gradually turning sharp.

“……!?”

Himekawa opened her eyes wide in a flash and jumped.

After wriggling for a while, she covered her reddening face with both her hands.

“Yo, you are wrong! Just now is not me! Tha, that, vulgar act is not me!”

“Yeah, it’s okay. That’s because it was Heart Hybrid’s influence. I understand okay?”

Kizuna waved his hand and smiled before getting down from the bed.

“D, do you really understand? It was by no means at all that I――”

Kizuna responded with a wry smile, then he pulled Himekawa’s hands towards the door.

When he rotated the door knob, a thick sound that couldn’t be imagined from the door’s outer appearance resounded.

What appeared after the door was opened, was a surface filled with mountains of rubble.

The place was a business city once. However the multistory business buildings there were destroyed altogether, the remaining buildings also couldn’t escape from partial destruction or blazing fire.

The smoke welled up from flames and sudden gust were blowing, hitting Kizuna’s face with hot wind.

The explosive sound and shooting sound reverberating from afar were reverberating until here like an echo.

Inside that world which was turned into scorched earth, there was a container that was left standing alone.

That was the room where Kizuna and Himekawa were inside until now, the middle-range mobile-type tactical replenishment room, its nickname was [Love Room]. If there was a request, it was possible to immediately transport the room using a transport helicopter, furthermore, it could also endure attacks by magic weapons as a solid private shelter.

And then, the surrounding of the room was currently surrounded by multiple humanoid weapons.

They were mechanized magic weapons [{{furigana|Brigand|Mechanical Infantry}}] with a total height of around three meters.

The girl standing in their way turned back from the sound of the container opening.

“Ah, you two finally got out-.”

Matching with her turning back movement, the girl’s large breasts shook.

A vest was tightened on top of the large breasts with her waist largely sticking out. That body was wrapped in a wear like a swimming race swimsuit made from thin fabric.

The word gorgeous was perfectly suited for that body which possessed a glamorous violent modulation coupled with that golden hair and blue eyes.

Yurishia Farandol.

She was the girl which was talking to Kizuna from inside the floating window just now.

Yurishia’s extravagant body which couldn’t be seen from the small window was equipped with a beautiful protector and brusque armament.

This was exactly mankind’s greatest trump card against the army of AU. <ref>Another universe</ref>

It was the decisive weapons in the battle with the other universe.

――Magic armor “Heart Hybrid Gear”.

This [Cross] of Yurishia was one of those Heart Hybrid Gears.

It was a protector with beautiful material. The sleek surface reflected the surrounding light and gold lines of light was running inside it. It had a small surface area which made one feel uneasy whether it could really accomplish its role as a protector.

And then, weapons were integrated on the back and around the waist. The two large Units stretching out from the back, the {{furigana|Differential Frames|Offensive Mobile Particle Engine}} were dividing the energy they produced for propulsive power and the particle cannon. The Units had a mobile style where Yurishia could move them freely using her will, leaving no blind spot for her.

And then, the two particle cannons hanging at her waist were the main equipment of Yurishia.

When she drew out the two particle cannons with both her hands,

“Shoot through!”

The particle cannons in both her hands and the Differential Frames on her back spouted out fire.

Bullets of light hit the large crowd of Brigands one after another as if they were being sucked right into the enemy. The bullets swept through the line of fire, mowing down the Brigands and built a wall of explosion.

“YES!” <ref>She said this in English</ref>

Yurishia smoothly holstered her particle cannons as if handling two handguns, then crossed her arms cockily, further emphasizing her big breasts. Her breasts bounced following that movement.

“Really, when Hayuru enters the Hybrid, you reaa―lly take too long! I wonder, just how long were you two planning to continue having fun?”

Yurishia peeked into Himekawa’s face with a mean smile.

Himekawa made a flustered expression and,

“Wh, what’s with, that false accusation! There is no way for this me, to wish for such indecent act, at all!”

Himekawa kept talking on and on without pause.

“Okay, okay, I understand. Well then, you have been completely replenished with how long you took then, aren’t you-☆”

The tremors in the ground were intensifying.

“――Even without getting told by you”

A giant shadow made its appearance from the other side of the flame.

That shadow had a total height that could even reach 10 meters, it was a giant. It was called [{{furigana|Blue Head|Blue Knight}}] from its blue color and its shape that looked similar to armor, a magic weapon from the other universe.

“Then we are going, [Nelos]!!”

Red light was emitted from Himekawa’s body. The slender body was enveloped in red light, the glittering radiance materialized in the blink of an eye, equipping Himekawa’s body.

The red light changed her silhouette one after another and performed the materialization. As if pushing into Himekawa’s body, the light clung closely and performed the attachment of the protector similar with Yurishia.

The protector and armaments were formed and red lines of light ran through her whole body.

The Heart Hybrid Gear [Nelos] was completed.

Yurishia had golden line of light running through her, but Himekawa was red. And then the shape of their Heart Hybrid Gears were also largely different.

Nelos was a device that gave the image of a sharp bladed tool. And then, an armament that looked similar to a Japanese katana was fixed at the waist while eight long and slender mechanical parts were floating on her back. The reflected light that seemed to be dripping wet gave the impression of a giant blade.

“Go! {{furigana|Blade|Crossbow Drive Sword}}!”

As if waiting for Himekawa’s order, the parts on her back flew out. The giant swords [Blades] were heading fast to the Blue Head.

The Blue Head took a stance with a weapon that seemed like a combination of gun and sword and met the attack.

However, the Blades drew tricky trajectories and toyed with the Blue Head. The Blue Head couldn’t keep up with those movements.

The eight Blades looked like they were flying around as they pleased, but in reality they were taking coordinated movements. That was because they were controlled by Himekawa.

“Pierce!”

Together with Himekawa’s voice, the Blades assaulted the enemy all at once.

The Blades pierced through the Blue Head’s giant body one after another.

The enemy’s armor could repel all the weapons of mankind. Mankind didn’t have any chance of victory with normal weapons.

However, the Heart Hybrid Gears that the girls were equipping were different.

The armor of the Blue Head was torn apart like paper, crushed like styrofoam, the Blades gouged large holes on that body.

That big body of the Blue Head tilted to the side unsteadily and fell to the ground.

“Alright-!”

Together with Himekawa’s smile of satisfaction, the defeated Blue Head raised a large explosion.

The splinters from that turned into crystal of light and scattered apart in the air.

The magic weapons of the enemy didn’t leave any wreckage when destroyed. The reason for that was still not understood yet.

“The both of you are amazing as usual huh. Okay, then, I too――”

The two who caught of Kizuna’s monologue came flying in panic to Kizuna’s location.

“What are you saying!? Kizuna, you just enter {{furigana|the shelter there|Love Room}}!”

“That’s right! After all the current Kizuna-kun won’t even become a considerable fighting strength. It’s fine if you just give out instructions from a safe place!”

He was overwhelmed by the two’s pressure.

“I, I got it ok. That’s, my ability cannot compare to the two of you but, even I, can be useful in my own way.”

Yurishia flatly spoke towards Kizuna who was grumbling unclearly in reluctance.

“I earnestly ask you to not come out to the front line! Okay?”

“I got it. Shit-…… even though I’m the captain.”

“Because, if you come out to the front line, it’s worrying for us……”

Yurishia murmured in a small voice.

“Hm? What did you say Yurishia?”

“No, nothing at all!”

At that time, a giant silhouette appeared from the shadow of the building.

It was a force of category-B magic weapons, [{{furigana|Viking|Armed Pirate}}].

With their horned helmet and tough muscular form, it reminded one of the image of the ancient Vikings and so they were named like that. Their upper body was abnormally large, their arms were thick and long. They had humanoid form, but their proportions were greatly separated from humans.

“Hayuru!”

“Yes! Himekawa Hayuru, departing!”

Both of them raised the output of their thruster and flew away from their previous floating state slightly above the ground.

The enemies were five or six category-B. He guessed that if it were those two then they wouldn’t fall behind against such force.

“Well, I guess I should follow their words……”

He was going to use the portable terminal inside the Love Room and tried to draw up the information from the battlefield network.

Thinking that, he was going to go back to the Love Room, in that instant a giant mass descended down from the sky.

“Wh, whaatt!”

Along with a tremor, Kizuna’s body floated in the air. The Love Room was fixed with anchor, so the container didn’t get blown away, but it was greatly shook up.

A newly appearing magic weapon, an Albatross was descending down behind Kizuna.

It had the atmosphere like a knight wearing armor, but because it was attached with parts that looked like wings and it actually possessed the flying ability, so it was called as [{{furigana|Albatross|The Winged}}].

‘Shit-‘, it was as if it had been looking for the timing where the other two were gone.

The Albatross raised up a weapon that looked like a combination between a gun and a sword.

――This is bad!?

{Don’t move.}

A transmission that was just a sound resounded in his ear.

“Aine!?”

A girl descended down from the sky.

Her long hair that fluttered in silver color combined with her red eyes. Her skin was extraordinarily white, and even though her body was slender, it was only her breasts that were large.

And then a white Heart Hybrid Gear with blue light running on it.

However, no weapon like in Yurishia or Himekawa could be seen anywhere on her. She was really weaponless.

That girl descended down towards the Albatross without any fear and then she rolled forward in the air with a twirl.

The thruster on her waist spouted fire and put more momentum on the rotation.

“HAAAAAA!”

The girl’s right leg stretched out.

At the heel of that leg, there was an eruption outlet that originally was for obtaining propulsion force.

Blue light spread out from there.

Particles surged out with terrific speed before they thinned out and sharpened, transforming into a sword of light.

Using the momentum of the rotation, that heel was swung down with a speed of sound.

The right leg of the girl struck the head of Albatross.

The head part was pierced from receiving tremendous mass.

The armor of the head was smashed and a mechanism from AU could be seen inside it. Those mechanisms were also crushed and the head part was cruelly pulverized.

It was a mere heel drop.

That attack possessed the destructive force of an explosive grade and pulverized the magic weapons.

When the girl finished swinging her right leg, the blue light spreading from her heel tore apart the body of the Albatross.

The girl rotated and landed on the ground.

The bisected Albatross raised a great explosion.

And then, the splinters of the exploded armor and mechanism became fragments of light that rained down.

The girl didn’t even pay attention that she had defeated the enemy and got closer to Kizuna.

“What are you doing staring blankly like that? I wonder if right now you are having a stupid wild delusion, like if there will be a beautiful girl descending down from the sky or something.”

It was her usual wicked tongue.

“My bad. I let my guard down a little.”

“It’s true you let your guard down, but it has nothing to do with that right? You are weak after all.”

……Haa, she really said that clearly didn’t she, this woman.

“Something like Kizuna’s fighting ability is like…… that’s right, compared from my memory I think you are around the same like Bastet.”

“Bastet? I have never heard of a magic weapon with that kind of code name. Is that a new type?”

“He is the neighborhood cat you know?”

“You are saying, that my fighting strength is just like a cat!?”

He didn’t understand whether she had a wicked tongue, or she was merely looking down on others, or if it was just that her thought circuit which was unusual.

This was the girl who equipped the Heart Hybrid Gear [Zeros], Chidorigafuchi Aine.

“Though even for someone like you, there is a way where you can become useful.”

Aine grasped the collar of Kizuna and entered inside the Love Room.

“Aaa―! Aine-san, what are you doing!”

Himekawa and Yurishia who had defeated the Viking force were literally flying back to them.

“Next is my turn! You are cheating, Aine!”

Aine slammed the door of the Love Room right in front of the noses of the two and immediately locked the door.

It seemed the other two were banging on the door from outside, but the soundproofing of this room was outstanding. Something like an angry yell wouldn’t enter the room.

{Come out -! Kizuna, Aine! Right now!}

Just when he thought that, a floating window appeared in front of his face.

“Really, what noisy outsiders they are.”

{Who, who did you call an outsider! I’m really a related party here-!}

{Exactly! Aine-san, you always disturb the order and bother everyone! Please seriously reflect on yourself! Also, Kizuna-kun! I won’t allow something like a shameless act that is not even a mission. The behavior of Kizuna-kun is being managed by this me――}

“Please have the debauched person shut up.”

{Debau-……!?}

Aine forcefully ended the transmission and set the receiver to reject any more transmissions.

“With this the noisy fellows are now gone.”

“……Aine, someone like you is really…”

Kizuna held his head in his arms.

Aine shook her large breasts and approached close to Kizuna.

“Kizuna. Do Heart Hybrid with me.”

Kizuna confirmed the display of the portable information terminal. However, Aine’s parameter was still in the safe zone.

“Aine, you are still fine right? Rather it was Yurishia that’s more……?”

“This is not about replenishment. What I want is the forbidden armament.”

Kizuna gulped.

“Aine, we should be more careful with that……”

Aine’s red eyes were serious.

“I understand. But, the enemy is strong. Besides the army marching from now on is most likely the enemy’s regular army. We cannot keep acting like until now. If we stay like this, we won’t be able to overcome this battle. Besides……”
[[File:Masou Gakuen HxH V01 07.jpg|thumb]]
However, was it really okay to do this?

“Kizuna. There is no need for you to worry.”

Aine’s tone of voice became gentle. Aine’s face was approaching to Kizuna’s face.

“Aine?”

“I am me. No matter what happened that will not change. That’s why――”

Aine’s lips were going to overlap with Kizuna’s lips.

“Let’s do it, the [{{furigana|Climax Hybrid|Climax Remodelling}}].”

{{furigana|HHG|Heart Hybrid Gear}}

Magic armor which was provided with overwhelming power.

If a <Core> was installed inside the body, then the user could freely equip this armor.

What was called <Hybrid Count> was the life force energy of the user. However, when that number count decreased then the armor would vanish.

After some time passed, that energy would recover. Furthermore it seemed there was also a way to power up the armor, but this armor was still enveloped in many mysteries.

<noinclude>

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

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|-
| Back to [[Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Masou Gakuen HxH|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 1 Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 1 Prologue

2019-12-13T15:57:10Z

Jackson: Edited dialogue to flow better.

==Prologue==

“Aa-……n-no. Ki-Kizuna-kun, that place, nn……-“

The girl twisted her body in order to escape from the hand of the man called Kizuna.

Her long black hair shook smoothly.

“My, my bad! Himekawa, you don’t like it there then.”

Kizuna pulled his hand back in panic.

“……So which area is it that makes you feel good when touched?”

The face of the girl, Himekawa Hayuru, turned red in a flash.

“Th-the-there is no way I can tell you that! So-so-so-something like tha――aAnn-“

“Anyways, it seems that this place makes you feel good.”

While saying that, Hida Kizuna crawled his hand on Himekawa’s thigh.

They were in a wide room of the size of twenty tatami mats.

In the center of the dimly lighted room, there was a bed of a white so pure that it looked dazzling.

On top of that bed, a boy and a girl around the age of typical high-schoolers were embracing each other.

Kizuna was wearing something like a training wear that fitted tightly on his body.

With short sleeves on his upper body and a spat that reached his knee, the attire that he wore had the upper and bottom separated, and faint muscles could be seen from his exposed stomach.

He couldn’t be qualified as muscular, but just from seeing it, one would notice that his body was fairly trained.

As for Himekawa, she too was wearing an attire that fit tightly on her, similarly to Kizuna, but the impression that hers left was quite different. The fabric was so thin, and the cut at her crotch was also extremely risqué in the style of a swimming race swimsuit, that it seemed like a leotard in appearance.

On top of that attire, she was wearing a coat that was like a part of shrine maiden clothes, but it had already been completely worn out of shape.

Those clothes that hid her body half-heartedly made her look excessively erotic.

There was an opening at the front of her chest, making the smooth curves of her breasts visible. They were a little small, but looking at them would make one’s heart throb.

Having a girl with such a figure looking upwards toward him with these eyes made this scene nothing but lascivious.

‘――No matter how many times this happens, it still makes me so nervous.’ Was what he thought.

“Ah-……”

As Kizuna lifted Himekawa’s hair, Himekawa’s body trembled in response.

“Himekawa, you…… are really sensitive, aren’t you?”

“Is, is that so? I, I am…… aau”

He then caressed her, letting his hand slide from the top of her head along the flow of her hair. With the tip of his finger, he slid his hand until he reached her waist.

“Aa-, a, an…… u”

She knitted her eyebrows and endured the pleasure.

“I wonder how does your back feel?”

“I, it’s ticklish.”

“Ticklish? How strange…… didn’t you say before that it feels good?”

Kizuna pondered with a troubled face.

“Yo, you are wrong! By no means something like that is-!”

Himekawa shook her head and denied it.

“It doesn’t feel good or anything, in, in the first place, I didn’t do this because it feels good! This is a mission, so it can’t be hel…… hyaun!”

Kizuna’s hand slid through her back in reverse, from the bottom to the top.

“Himekawa, any time now――”

At that moment, *zushin*, the room shook.

Vibrations like those of a local earthquake assaulted the room. Kizuna worriedly looked around.

“This is bad…… we have to finish this quick.”

“……Isn’t it fine? I think there is no need to be concerned though.”

Himekawa answered calmly. As if to wait for something, she looked up at Kizuna fixedly.

Somehow, those eyes of hers looked coquettish.

“I, I wonder if that’s so?”

Kizuna once again reached out his hand to Himekawa.

“Aa-! Again-, just where are you touching-, haa…… uun.”

Kizuna stroked around Himekawa’s white thigh. The smooth texture felt good in his hand. Even the soft elastic sensation also felt good.

From the thigh, his hand next reached out to her calf. The slender calf gave a slim and elegant image to her whole leg.

From there Kizuna’s hand once again traced through her leg, heading to above her knee. His finger continued to advance stroking from the inside of her thigh toward her body.

“Mou, how long you are going to touch, don’t get carried awa…… aaa-!”

Kizuna crossed over from her thigh to her crotch, he grazed her nether region and advanced his finger tip toward the depression of her navel.

“Nooooo”

At that time, along with Himekawa’s gasping voice, a glittering like a star could be seen from Himekawa’s eyes.

――It’s here!?

That instant when Kizuna became excited, a large tremor attacked the two of them again.

A dull sound of metal reverberated from the wall.

“Wasn’t just now really bad?”

Kizuna tried to confirm the situation and he was going to go away from the bed.

“Uwaa-!”

He was pulled back by an amazing strength.

“Geez, aren’t you still in the middle of replenishing me? Where are you planning to go?”

Himekawa’s condition was clearly different compared to before.

A light of obscenity shined from her eyes.

“N, no. I’m just going to look at the situation a li……”

Himekawa’s hands grabbed Kizuna’s face and like that she pushed herself down on the bed pulling him back.

“Uowa-“

Kizuna’s posture was now bending over Himekawa.

“Fufu. It’s fine you know, about the outside…… if we just leave it to Aine-san and Yurishia-san, everything will be fine.”

Glazed eyes and flushed cheeks. Red particles of light began to come out from her body.

――No mistake.

It was the indication of {{furigana|Heart Hybrid|Union Remodeling}}.

Himekawa bent her body while taking off her upper wear.

Himekawa’s slim hands embraced Kizuna’s head with a fierce strength.

“Hey? This place of mine…… it already became like this you know…… Kizuna-kun too, you cannot hold back anymore right?”

Himekawa’s sweet whisper tickled Kizuna’s ear.

――Then, let’s settle this here.

Kizuna’s eyes shined.

Pink light swam inside his eyes and light particles also began to scatter from his body.

Kizuna who was embraced by Himekawa pushed his face into Himekawa’s small breasts.

Even so he could feel enough softness. Himekawa’s body temperature was warm and he could hear the sound of her heartbeat going faster.

Normally, she didn’t want her breasts to be touched, but……

Kizuna circled his hand on Himekawa’s body and turned their bodies over in reverse.

He slid his fingers on the back of Himekawa who was now on top of him.

And then, he grabbed her butt.

“Hyaaaaa-!”

Himekawa leaned back and her long black hair spread open.

His left and right hands were each respectively gently holding the left and right hills.

Regardless of how softly he was holding her, Kizuna’s fingers were sinking without end into those hills.

His hands were rubbing those two hills sticking on his hands while drawing a circle.

“Ya-, yan, iyaaan!”

Himekawa shook her head as if to escape from the pleasure assaulting her body.

As if to give her a finishing blow, Kizuna put more strength to his fingers and grasped Himekawa’s butt even tighter.

“Noooooooooooooo-“

Himekawa raised a coquettish voice and bent her back like a bow.

At the same time, red light surged out from Himekawa’s body.

And then, pink light particles rose up from Kizuna’s body.

The lights appearing from their body gradually turned brighter and filled the inside of the room with red and pink radiance.

The two lights mixed and melted into each other.

Matching with that, a change occurred in Kizuna’s portable terminal that he put aside on the bedside.

Kizuna didn’t overlook that and focused on the terminal.

Himekawa’s parameter that was near zero was restored in one go.

“Yosh! Heart Hybrid success! The replenishment is complete with this.”

Kizuna made a small guts pose happily.

“Himekawa, you are fine already with this right?”

“Sheesh…… it’s over already?”

Himekawa looked down with a befuddled face.

“Ye, yeah…… because, the replenishment is complete already see? If we don’t hurry, Yurishia and Aine are also going to complain.”

Himekawa scowled as if her mood was worsening, then-

“Sheesh, something like that doesn’t matter right-?”

She buried her face on Kizuna’s chest and hugged him tight, as if to not let him go.

“Eh? Hime, kawa…… san?”

Himekawa put her hand on Kizuna’s chest and raised her body.

Kizuna released a deep breath in relief.

“So you understand…… that’s great. Well then, u-!?”

Himekawa put her body weight and straddled Kizuna’s abdomen, then she smiled bewitchingly.

“Buu-t, this place, you still…… haven’t touched them.”
[[File:Masou Gakuen HxH V01 06.jpg|thumb]]
She let out a sweet voice and gestured by lifting up her own breasts.

Himekawa’s body was slender, but when she did that he was made conscious of that existence whether he wanted it or not.

As if inviting him, Himekawa moved her hands.

The two hills wrapped in a pilot suit had their shape changed elastically.

Himekawa leaned forward and her long black hair touched Kizuna’s face.

“Here, Kizuna-kun……”

As if being charmed, Kizuna’s hand reached out towards the protrusion of the breasts that were drawing gentle lines.

{Hey, both of you! Just until when in the world are you two going to stay inside?}

A floating window appeared on the tip of the finger of the reaching out hand.

“Uwaa!”

Kizuna pulled back his hand with amazing speed.

A blonde beautiful girl was reflected inside the window which was floating in the empty air.

{The replenishment is over already right? We are busy here, so I want you two to quickly get out here.}

“My, my bad, Yurishia. We’ll go out immediately.”

When Kizuna raised his body, Himekawa’s body was shaken.

“Are you okay? The replenishment is over. Let’s get out soon.”

Himekawa brushed up the hair clinging to her skin due to sweat and looked at Kizuna languidly.

“Reple…… nishment?”

“Get a hold of yourself, Himekawa. Aah, you need some time before you get your sanity back like usual huh.”

Kizuna grasped Himekawa’s shoulders and shook her body really exaggeratedly. Himekawa’s head was turning round and round.

“Nn…… eh? Replenishment, o, ver……?”

With her eyes still being dazed, her gaze was swimming everywhere.

Her shaky gaze was stopping at the location of Kizuna’s face, and after she stared fixedly at his face, the focus of Himekawa’s eyes was gradually turning sharp.

“……!?”

Himekawa opened her eyes wide in a flash and jumped.

After wriggling for a while, she covered her reddening face with both her hands.

“Yo, you are wrong! Just now is not me! Tha, that, vulgar act is not me!”

“Yeah, it’s okay. That’s because it was Heart Hybrid’s influence. I understand okay?”

Kizuna waved his hand and smiled before getting down from the bed.

“D, do you really understand? It was by no means at all that I――”

Kizuna responded with a wry smile, then he pulled Himekawa’s hands towards the door.

When he rotated the door knob, a thick sound that couldn’t be imagined from the door’s outer appearance resounded.

What appeared after the door was opened, was a surface filled with mountains of rubble.

The place was a business city once. However the multistory business buildings there were destroyed altogether, the remaining buildings also couldn’t escape from partial destruction or blazing fire.

The smoke welled up from flames and sudden gust were blowing, hitting Kizuna’s face with hot wind.

The explosive sound and shooting sound reverberating from afar were reverberating until here like an echo.

Inside that world which was turned into scorched earth, there was a container that was left standing alone.

That was the room where Kizuna and Himekawa were inside until now, the middle-range mobile-type tactical replenishment room, its nickname was [Love Room]. If there was a request, it was possible to immediately transport the room using a transport helicopter, furthermore, it could also endure attacks by magic weapons as a solid private shelter.

And then, the surrounding of the room was currently surrounded by multiple humanoid weapons.

They were mechanized magic weapons [{{furigana|Brigand|Mechanical Infantry}}] with a total height of around three meters.

The girl standing in their way turned back from the sound of the container opening.

“Ah, you two finally got out-.”

Matching with her turning back movement, the girl’s large breasts shook.

A vest was tightened on top of the large breasts with her waist largely sticking out. That body was wrapped in a wear like a swimming race swimsuit made from thin fabric.

The word gorgeous was perfectly suited for that body which possessed a glamorous violent modulation coupled with that golden hair and blue eyes.

Yurishia Farandol.

She was the girl which was talking to Kizuna from inside the floating window just now.

Yurishia’s extravagant body which couldn’t be seen from the small window was equipped with a beautiful protector and brusque armament.

This was exactly mankind’s greatest trump card against the army of AU. <ref>Another universe</ref>

It was the decisive weapons in the battle with the other universe.

――Magic armor “Heart Hybrid Gear”.

This [Cross] of Yurishia was one of those Heart Hybrid Gears.

It was a protector with beautiful material. The sleek surface reflected the surrounding light and gold lines of light was running inside it. It had a small surface area which made one feel uneasy whether it could really accomplish its role as a protector.

And then, weapons were integrated on the back and around the waist. The two large Units stretching out from the back, the {{furigana|Differential Frames|Offensive Mobile Particle Engine}} were dividing the energy they produced for propulsive power and the particle cannon. The Units had a mobile style where Yurishia could move them freely using her will, leaving no blind spot for her.

And then, the two particle cannons hanging at her waist were the main equipment of Yurishia.

When she drew out the two particle cannons with both her hands,

“Shoot through!”

The particle cannons in both her hands and the Differential Frames on her back spouted out fire.

Bullets of light hit the large crowd of Brigands one after another as if they were being sucked right into the enemy. The bullets swept through the line of fire, mowing down the Brigands and built a wall of explosion.

“YES!” <ref>She said this in English</ref>

Yurishia smoothly holstered her particle cannons as if handling two handguns, then crossed her arms cockily, further emphasizing her big breasts. Her breasts bounced following that movement.

“Really, when Hayuru enters the Hybrid, you reaa―lly take too long! I wonder, just how long were you two planning to continue having fun?”

Yurishia peeked into Himekawa’s face with a mean smile.

Himekawa made a flustered expression and,

“Wh, what’s with, that false accusation! There is no way for this me, to wish for such indecent act, at all!”

Himekawa kept talking on and on without pause.

“Okay, okay, I understand. Well then, you have been completely replenished with how long you took then, aren’t you-☆”

The tremors in the ground were intensifying.

“――Even without getting told by you”

A giant shadow made its appearance from the other side of the flame.

That shadow had a total height that could even reach 10 meters, it was a giant. It was called [{{furigana|Blue Head|Blue Knight}}] from its blue color and its shape that looked similar to armor, a magic weapon from the other universe.

“Then we are going, [Nelos]!!”

Red light was emitted from Himekawa’s body. The slender body was enveloped in red light, the glittering radiance materialized in the blink of an eye, equipping Himekawa’s body.

The red light changed her silhouette one after another and performed the materialization. As if pushing into Himekawa’s body, the light clung closely and performed the attachment of the protector similar with Yurishia.

The protector and armaments were formed and red lines of light ran through her whole body.

The Heart Hybrid Gear [Nelos] was completed.

Yurishia had golden line of light running through her, but Himekawa was red. And then the shape of their Heart Hybrid Gears were also largely different.

Nelos was a device that gave the image of a sharp bladed tool. And then, an armament that looked similar to a Japanese katana was fixed at the waist while eight long and slender mechanical parts were floating on her back. The reflected light that seemed to be dripping wet gave the impression of a giant blade.

“Go! {{furigana|Blade|Crossbow Drive Sword}}!”

As if waiting for Himekawa’s order, the parts on her back flew out. The giant swords [Blades] were heading fast to the Blue Head.

The Blue Head took a stance with a weapon that seemed like a combination of gun and sword and met the attack.

However, the Blades drew tricky trajectories and toyed with the Blue Head. The Blue Head couldn’t keep up with those movements.

The eight Blades looked like they were flying around as they pleased, but in reality they were taking coordinated movements. That was because they were controlled by Himekawa.

“Pierce!”

Together with Himekawa’s voice, the Blades assaulted the enemy all at once.

The Blades pierced through the Blue Head’s giant body one after another.

The enemy’s armor could repel all the weapons of mankind. Mankind didn’t have any chance of victory with normal weapons.

However, the Heart Hybrid Gears that the girls were equipping were different.

The armor of the Blue Head was torn apart like paper, crushed like styrofoam, the Blades gouged large holes on that body.

That big body of the Blue Head tilted to the side unsteadily and fell to the ground.

“Alright-!”

Together with Himekawa’s smile of satisfaction, the defeated Blue Head raised a large explosion.

The splinters from that turned into crystal of light and scattered apart in the air.

The magic weapons of the enemy didn’t leave any wreckage when destroyed. The reason for that was still not understood yet.

“The both of you are amazing as usual huh. Okay, then, I too――”

The two who caught of Kizuna’s monologue came flying in panic to Kizuna’s location.

“What are you saying!? Kizuna, you just enter {{furigana|the shelter there|Love Room}}!”

“That’s right! After all the current Kizuna-kun won’t even become a considerable fighting strength. It’s fine if you just give out instructions from a safe place!”

He was overwhelmed by the two’s pressure.

“I, I got it ok. That’s, my ability cannot compare to the two of you but, even I, can be useful in my own way.”

Yurishia flatly spoke towards Kizuna who was grumbling unclearly in reluctance.

“I earnestly ask you to not come out to the front line! Okay?”

“I got it. Shit-…… even though I’m the captain.”

“Because, if you come out to the front line, it’s worrying for us……”

Yurishia murmured in a small voice.

“Hm? What did you say Yurishia?”

“No, nothing at all!”

At that time, a giant silhouette appeared from the shadow of the building.

It was a force of category-B magic weapons, [{{furigana|Viking|Armed Pirate}}].

With their horned helmet and tough muscular form, it reminded one of the image of the ancient Vikings and so they were named like that. Their upper body was abnormally large, their arms were thick and long. They had humanoid form, but their proportions were greatly separated from humans.

“Hayuru!”

“Yes! Himekawa Hayuru, departing!”

Both of them raised the output of their thruster and flew away from their previous floating state slightly above the ground.

The enemies were five or six category-B. He guessed that if it were those two then they wouldn’t fall behind against such force.

“Well, I guess I should follow their words……”

He was going to use the portable terminal inside the Love Room and tried to draw up the information from the battlefield network.

Thinking that, he was going to go back to the Love Room, in that instant a giant mass descended down from the sky.

“Wh, whaatt!”

Along with a tremor, Kizuna’s body floated in the air. The Love Room was fixed with anchor, so the container didn’t get blown away, but it was greatly shook up.

A newly appearing magic weapon, an Albatross was descending down behind Kizuna.

It had the atmosphere like a knight wearing armor, but because it was attached with parts that looked like wings and it actually possessed the flying ability, so it was called as [{{furigana|Albatross|The Winged}}].

‘Shit-‘, it was as if it had been looking for the timing where the other two were gone.

The Albatross raised up a weapon that looked like a combination between a gun and a sword.

――This is bad!?

{Don’t move.}

A transmission that was just a sound resounded in his ear.

“Aine!?”

A girl descended down from the sky.

Her long hair that fluttered in silver color combined with her red eyes. Her skin was extraordinarily white, and even though her body was slender, it was only her breasts that were large.

And then a white Heart Hybrid Gear with blue light running on it.

However, no weapon like in Yurishia or Himekawa could be seen anywhere on her. She was really weaponless.

That girl descended down towards the Albatross without any fear and then she rolled forward in the air with a twirl.

The thruster on her waist spouted fire and put more momentum on the rotation.

“HAAAAAA!”

The girl’s right leg stretched out.

At the heel of that leg, there was an eruption outlet that originally was for obtaining propulsion force.

Blue light spread out from there.

Particles surged out with terrific speed before they thinned out and sharpened, transforming into a sword of light.

Using the momentum of the rotation, that heel was swung down with a speed of sound.

The right leg of the girl struck the head of Albatross.

The head part was pierced from receiving tremendous mass.

The armor of the head was smashed and a mechanism from AU could be seen inside it. Those mechanisms were also crushed and the head part was cruelly pulverized.

It was a mere heel drop.

That attack possessed the destructive force of an explosive grade and pulverized the magic weapons.

When the girl finished swinging her right leg, the blue light spreading from her heel tore apart the body of the Albatross.

The girl rotated and landed on the ground.

The bisected Albatross raised a great explosion.

And then, the splinters of the exploded armor and mechanism became fragments of light that rained down.

The girl didn’t even pay attention that she had defeated the enemy and got closer to Kizuna.

“What are you doing staring blankly like that? I wonder if right now you are having a stupid wild delusion, like if there will be a beautiful girl descending down from the sky or something.”

It was her usual wicked tongue.

“My bad. I let my guard down a little.”

“It’s true you let your guard down, but it has nothing to do with that right? You are weak after all.”

……Haa, she really said that clearly didn’t she, this woman.

“Something like Kizuna’s fighting ability is like…… that’s right, compared from my memory I think you are around the same like Bastet.”

“Bastet? I have never heard of a magic weapon with that kind of code name. Is that a new type?”

“He is the neighborhood cat you know?”

“You are saying, that my fighting strength is just like a cat!?”

He didn’t understand whether she had a wicked tongue, or she was merely looking down on others, or if it was just that her thought circuit which was unusual.

This was the girl who equipped the Heart Hybrid Gear [Zeros], Chidorigafuchi Aine.

“Though even for someone like you, there is a way where you can become useful.”

Aine grasped the collar of Kizuna and entered inside the Love Room.

“Aaa―! Aine-san, what are you doing!”

Himekawa and Yurishia who had defeated the Viking force were literally flying back to them.

“Next is my turn! You are cheating, Aine!”

Aine slammed the door of the Love Room right in front of the noses of the two and immediately locked the door.

It seemed the other two were banging on the door from outside, but the soundproofing of this room was outstanding. Something like an angry yell wouldn’t enter the room.

{Come out -! Kizuna, Aine! Right now!}

Just when he thought that, a floating window appeared in front of his face.

“Really, what noisy outsiders they are.”

{Who, who did you call an outsider! I’m really a related party here-!}

{Exactly! Aine-san, you always disturb the order and bother everyone! Please seriously reflect on yourself! Also, Kizuna-kun! I won’t allow something like a shameless act that is not even a mission. The behavior of Kizuna-kun is being managed by this me――}

“Please have the debauched person shut up.”

{Debau-……!?}

Aine forcefully ended the transmission and set the receiver to reject any more transmissions.

“With this the noisy fellows are now gone.”

“……Aine, someone like you is really…”

Kizuna held his head in his arms.

Aine shook her large breasts and approached close to Kizuna.

“Kizuna. Do Heart Hybrid with me.”

Kizuna confirmed the display of the portable information terminal. However, Aine’s parameter was still in the safe zone.

“Aine, you are still fine right? Rather it was Yurishia that’s more……?”

“This is not about replenishment. What I want is the forbidden armament.”

Kizuna gulped.

“Aine, we should be more careful with that……”

Aine’s red eyes were serious.

“I understand. But, the enemy is strong. Besides the army marching from now on is most likely the enemy’s regular army. We cannot keep acting like until now. If we stay like this, we won’t be able to overcome this battle. Besides……”
[[File:Masou Gakuen HxH V01 07.jpg|thumb]]
However, was it really okay to do this?

“Kizuna. There is no need for you to worry.”

Aine’s tone of voice became gentle. Aine’s face was approaching to Kizuna’s face.

“Aine?”

“I am me. No matter what happened that will not change. That’s why――”

Aine’s lips were going to overlap with Kizuna’s lips.

“Let’s do it, the [{{furigana|Climax Hybrid|Climax Remodelling}}].”

{{furigana|HHG|Heart Hybrid Gear}}

Magic armor which was provided with overwhelming power.

If a <Core> was installed inside the body, then the user could freely equip this armor.

What was called <Hybrid Count> was the life force energy of the user. However, when that number count decreased then the armor would vanish.

After some time passed, that energy would recover. Furthermore it seemed there was also a way to power up the armor, but this armor was still enveloped in many mysteries.

<noinclude>

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

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|-
| Back to [[Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
| Return to [[Masou Gakuen HxH|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 1 Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume4 Epilogue

2019-03-17T17:00:06Z

Jackson: /* Epilogue */

===Epilogue===

Henrietta lost consciousness for a while, but she woke up to a voice calling her name.

Louise was peering at her worriedly.

The rain had stopped. The grass nearby was wet and enveloped by a cool atmosphere.

''It was as if the violent battle just now was a lie'', Henrietta thought.

However, it wasn't a lie. Wales' cold corpse was laying beside her. The other cold corpses were scattered around her. It was the end of the ones who were given fake life by the Ring of Andvari. Becasue of Louise's "Dispel Magic", the fake life disappeared and they returned to their original forms, though Henrietta did not know the reason. It was just that, she felt that the things that needed to be had returned to where they should be. And, that was enough for now.

She wanted to think it was a dream. But, everything was a nightmare-like reality. And she herself, had tried to throw away everything and surrender herself to that nightmare.

Henrietta covered her face with her hands. Right now, she had no right to cling to Wales' corpse. Much less did she have the face to look at the Louise in front of her, who had loved her since they were young.

"Just what have I done?"

"Have you woken up?"

Louise asked Henrietta in a sad and cold voice. There was no sign of anger. There were some things that needed to be thought about, but it was the usual Louise.

Henrietta nodded.

"What should I say to apologize to you? What should I say in order to ask for forgiveness from the people hurt by me? Please tell me, Louise."

"More importantly, Princess-sama's powers are needed."

Louise pointed to the collapsed Saito.

"What horrible injuries."

"He was swallowed by the tornado. Please heal him with your 'water'."

Henrietta nodded and chanted a rune. By the power of the royal family's wand that stored the power of "water", Saito's wounds started to close up. Saito's eyes widened when he realized that the one healing his wounds was Henrietta.

"I do not have any words of apology. Are there any other people injured?"

There were several surviving nobles of the griffin squad. Henrietta healed their wounds one at a time.

And then... without caring about whether one was an ally or enemy, the corpses were carried into the shade of a tree. Even if the corpses were going to be buried later, they could not just leave them as they were.

Louise and the others... Even Kirche, even Tabitha, did not condemn Henrietta. Henrietta had been seeing a nightmare. A sweet, tempting dream. If they had to hate someone, it would be the person who gave Wales fake life and took advantage of Henrietta's heart like this. It cannot be said that Henrietta was sinless herself, but it was also truth that there was an existence that profited from that sin.

Henrietta was trying to move Wales at the end.

At that time...

Henrietta saw something she couldn't believe at all.

Perhaps, Henrietta's sorrowful love had reached somewhere.

Maybe, someone softly, to heal her sin, softly tipped the scales of life.

When Henrietta touched Wales' cheek, his eyelids weakly opened.

"...Henrietta? Is it you?"

It was a weak and fading voice, but it was Wales' voice without a doubt. Henrietta's shoulders shook.
If miracles existed in Halkeginia, times like this were definitely that.

That is because no one can explain the reason why the light of life that should have disappeared was given a mere glow. It is possible that when Louise's "Dispel Magic" blew away the fake life, Wales' barely remaining breath of life lit the fire.

It was possible that the feelings Henrietta felt for Wales called upon a whim from the gods. No one knows why. Just that, Wales opened his eyes. That was the truth.

"Wales-sama..."

Henrietta called her lover's name. She understood. The Wales this time was the true Wales. Not a puppet that moved with fake life, but the true him.

Tears flowed from Henrietta's eyes.

"What a thing. Just how long have I waited for this moment..."

The group rushed over with surprised faces.

The eyes of the group widened when they saw that Wales had opened his eyes.

[[Image:ZnT04-254.jpg|thumb]]

At that moment, Henrietta saw that a red stain was spreading over Wales' white shirt. The wound caused by Wardes's thrust that was closed by the fake life had opened.

Panicking, Henrietta chanted a spell to close up the wound.

However... Cruelly so, Henrietta's magic did not work on that wound. Without the wound closing up, the stain of blood only grew bigger.

"Wales-sama, don't... No, why..."

"It's no use... Henrietta. This wound will no longer close. Bodies that have died once will no longer revive. I have probably only come back a bit, just a bit. Perhaps, this is the whim of the water spirit."

"Wales-sama, no, no... Do you plan to leave me alone again?"

"Henrietta. I have one last wish."

"Don't say something like 'last'."

"I want to go to that Ragdorian Lake, where I met you for the first time. There is something I want you to promise there."

Tabitha pulled along her wind dragon. Saito and Kirche set Wales on its back. Following that, Henrietta, who was riding on the wind dragon, placed Wales' head on her knees and supported his body to keep it from falling.

Carrying the group, the wind dragon soared up.

Aiming for Ragdorian Lake, the wind dragon flew straight towards it.

At Ragdorian Lake, Wales leaned his body on Henrietta as they walked on the shore. The sky was beginning to whiten. Morning was close.

"How nostalgic."

"Yes."

"When we first met, I thought you looked like a fairy. See, you were bathing around here."

Wales pointed to one spot. He probably could already no longer see. That spot was completely different from the one in Henrietta's memories.

However, Henrietta nodded. Desperately restraining herself from crying,

"Oh, you're as skilled as ever."

"At that time, this was what I thought. If we just threw everything away like this. Anywhere is fine. The location doesn't matter. It's enough to just have a small house with a garden. Aah, a flower bed is necessary. A flower bed for you to grow flowers in."

It was like power drained from Wales' legs every step he took.

"Hey, I always wanted to ask you. At that time, why did you not say those kind words? Why did you not tell me that you love me? I have always waited for those words."

Wales smiled.

"I could not speak those words, knowing it would make you unhappy."

"What are you saying? It was my joy to be loved by you."

Wales fell silent. Henrietta felt the life disappearing from her beloved Wales' body little by little. For him to have lasted so long could be called a miracle.

However, she couldn't cry. In the time remaining, she wanted to exchange words with him as much as possible. Even so, her voice was trembling.

Mustering his energy, Wales stated.

"Swear, Henrietta."

"I will swear about anything. What should I swear about? Please tell me."

"To forget me. Swear that you will forget me and find another man to love. I want to hear those words. At this Ragdorian Lake. In front of the water spirit, I want to hear you pledge that."

"Do not say the impossible. I cannot swear such a thing. There is no way I could swear a lie."

Henrietta froze in her track. Her shoulders were trembling.

"Please, Henrietta. Otherwise, my soul will probably wander for eternity. Do you want me to be unhappy?"

Henrietta shook her head.

"No. I definitely don't want to."

"There is no time. There, there is no time anymore. I am already... That's why, please..."

"Then, then swear. Swear that you love me. By now, you should be able to swear that, right? If you swear to that, then I will swear as well."

"I will."

Henrietta, with a sad expression, spoke the words of oath.

"...I swear. To forget about Wales-sama. And also, to find someone else to love."

Wales said in a satisfied manner, "Thank you."

"Next, is your turn. Please."

"I will. Bring me to the waterside."

Henrietta brought Wales to the waterside. The morning sun poked through the spaces between the tree, and with a beauty unthinkable in this world, the Ragdorian Lake glittered.

Their legs got soaked in water.

Henrietta griped Wales' shoulders.

"Now, say it. To love me. It is fine for just this moment. I will embrace this moment for eternity. No matter what you say, I will embrace it. Got it?"

However, Wales did not reply.

"Wales-sama?"

Henrietta shook his shoulders. But, Wales had already died.

She slowly recalled the days here, where she met Wales for the first time.

As if to take each memory one by one from a treasure box and check it.

The fun and glittering days will no longer come.

The words of pledge exchanged at this lake, no longer can be protected.

"What a mean person."

Looking straight ahead, Henrietta whispered.

"To the end, you never spoke those words of oath."

Slowly, Henrietta closed her eyes.

From her closed eyelids, a line of tears flowed down her cheek.

Saito, who was watching over the two from the shade, was holding Louise's shoulders. Louise was quietly looking at Henrietta, killing her voice while crying.

While holding her shoulders, Saito thought.

''Was I right?''

At that time, would letting Henrietta go, like she said... be happier for her? Even if it was fake life, even if it was fake love... If the actual person believed it was real, isn't that fine itself?''

While holding Louise's shoulders, who was crying like a child, Saito had continued to constantly think about that. What was right, and what was wrong... Even after this, there will probably be other things to make him worry, Saito thought faintly.

Even after this, there will probably be times where he will be pressed to make a decision like this time.

Saito embraced Louise firmly.

At least, when that time comes... for he, himself, not to waver, Saito prayed.

Henrietta laid Wales' corpse in the water.

Then she waved her wand slightly, and chanted a rune.

The lake water moved, slowly carrying Wales' body into the water, where it sank.

The water was ever so deeply transparent, and the sinking corpse of Wales could be seen clearly.

Even after she was unable to see Wales anymore, Henrietta remained still.

Even when the lake surface reflected the light of the sun and started scattering the seven prismatic colors of light around the area... Henrietta continued to look for eternity.

<noinclude>
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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter3 - MTL

2019-03-07T05:08:16Z

Jackson: /* Chapter Three: The Founder's Prayer Book */

<noinclude>{{MTL-old}}</noinclude>

=== Chapter Three: The Founder's Prayer Book ===

Sir Osmond was staring at the book the palace had delivered and absent-mindedly twirled his beard. The cover, sheathed in old leather, was so worn out that it looked like it would tear from a single touch. The book's pages had a tawny color to them.

''Hmm...''

While muttering, Sir Osmond turned a page. Nothing was written on it. There were about three hundred pages in the book and they were all blank.

"‘The Founder's Prayer Book’ has always been handed down through the Tristain royal family…"

Six thousand years ago, Founder Brimir offered a prayer to God and wrote down his spells using magical runes as letters.

“Isn't this a fake?”

Sir Osmond looked suspiciously at the book. Fakes… they're all too common with ‘legendary’ artifacts. Apparently, only one ‘Founder's Prayer Book’ exists in the world. Rich nobles, temple priests, and royal families of all countries... everybody claims to have the real ‘Founder's Prayer Book’. But regardless of each one's authenticity, all of them were collected in the library as genuine articles.

“But if it is a fake, it's an awful one. All of the characters are gone.”

Sir Osmond had seen the‘Founder's Prayer Book’ several times before in numerous occasions. The runes always seemed to leap from the pages. However, he never saw a book with no characters like this one. Could it be genuine?

At that moment he heard someone knocking. ''I should hire a secretary'' Sir Osmond thought as he invited the guest into the room.

“It’s not locked. Please, come in.”

The door opened and a slender girl stepped in. She had pink-blonde hair and big, reddish-brown eyes. It was Louise.

“I heard you called for me, so…” Louise said.

Sir Osmond stood up and spread his hands, welcoming the petite visitor.

He wanted to thank Louise for her efforts from the other day,

“Oh, Miss Vallière. Have you rested after the tiresome journey? Your great efforts ensured the alliance's safety and prevented a crisis in Tristain.”

Sir Osmond said in a soft voice.

“And, next month in Germania, there will finally be a wedding ceremony held for the princess and Germania’s emperor. It's all thanks to you. Be proud of yourself.”

After hearing this, Louise's spirit momentarily faltered. Her childhood friend Henrietta was going to be used as a political tool and marry Germania’s emperor without love. Even though there was no other solution for the alliance, Louise chest tightened whenever she recalled the sad smile on Henrietta’s lips.

Louise silently bowed. Sir Osmond became silent for a while and watched Louise. Then, remembering that he had the ‘Founder's Prayer Book’ in his hands, he held it out for Louise.

“What's this?”

Louise looked at the book with suspicion.

“The Founder's Prayer Book.”

“The Founder's Prayer Book? This?”

''It was given to the royal family. And it's a legendary book. But why does Sir Osmond have it?''

“According to tradition in Tristain’s royal family, when a royal family member is wed, one aristocrat is chosen to take the role of the bridesmaid. Following the imperial edict, the selected bridesmaid is traditionally given the ‘Founder’s Prayer Book'.”

“Uh huh.”

Louise, who wasn’t aware of such detailed palace etiquette, replied blankly.

“And the princess has chosen Miss Vallière to be that bridesmaid.”

“The princess?”

“That's right. The shrine maiden must also come up with a written edict when receiving the‘Founder’s Prayer Book’”

"A...ah! I must think of an edict?"

“Indeed. Of course, there is still certain palace etiquette that you need to learn… traditions can be rather bothersome. However, Miss Vallière, the princess is looking forward to it. This is a great honor. So follow the palace regulations and write the edict, because something like this happens only once in a lifetime.”

''Henrietta, my childhood friend, chose me to be her bridesmaid.'' Louise firmly looked up.

“I understand. I will obey respectfully.”

Louise accepted the ‘Founder’s Prayer Book’ from Sir Osmond’s hands.

Sir Osmond smiled, looking at Louise.

“You are willing to undertake it. Good, good. The Princess will be pleased.”

That evening, Saito was preparing a bath. Certainly, Tristain Magic Academy had a bathhouse. It was a Roman style bathhouse lined with marble. It had a huge swimming pool filled with perfume mixed in hot water, and it was said to feel quite heavenly. Of course, Saito could not enter; only nobles were allowed to use it.

The commoners' bathhouse, compared to the nobles' bathhouse, was rather shabby. The joint bathhouse for commoners looked like a hovel. It was placed on stones with fire burning underneath, the strong smell of sweat and the tightly pressed bodies only made one sweat more.

One day in that bathhouse was enough to make Saito disgusted. Saito, who was raised in Japan, set up a bath using a kettle filled to the brim with hot water. The sauna was just too unsatisfying.

Bothered, Saito asked Marteau, the head chef, for a big old kettle. He burned firewood below the kettle to heat the water, placed the wooden lid at the bottom of the kettle for him to stand on and voila! A hot water bath was created.

Saito made his personal bath in the Vestri Courtyard’s nook. It was convenient since people did not come often to this courtyard.

The day was coming to an end and the two moons appeared, shining faintly. Once the water was hot enough, Saito quickly threw off his clothes and sank into the big kettle.

“Aah... the water is nice and hot.”

He put a towel on his head and started humming a melody.

Derflinger, who was leaning against the wall of the kettle, called out to Saito:

“Does it feel good?”

“Yeah.”

“By the way, partner, why didn’t you take advantage of the young mistress a while ago?"

Saito threw Derflinger a tepid glance.

“Don’t look at me like that. It feels bad, partner.”

“Hey, legendary sword.”

“Indeed I am a legendary sword. What is it?”

“During the past six thousand years, did you find someone important to you to protect?”

Derflinger shook lightly.

“I do not protect. It is the one that holds me that protects.”

“You poor thing…” Saito said from the bottom of his heart in a sympathetic voice.

“Poor, you say? On the contrary, it is quite comfortable.”

“Is that so? By the way, what things do you remember about this ‘Gandálfr’? How great was he, and what kind of things did he do?” Saito, showing his inborn curiosity, asked Derflinger.

“I forgot.”

“Huh.”

“It was a long time ago. Besides, partner, someone is coming.”

A shadow appeared in the moonlight.

“Who is it?”

Saito’s call startled the shadow. It dropped something that it was carrying with a clatter. Under the moonlight, one could hear the sound of a breaking pot.

“Waaah, it broke… I'll be scolded again… sniff”

From that voice, Saito was able to recognize the person hidden in the darkness.

“Siesta?!”

Illuminated by the moonlight, the figure of a housemaid working in the Alviss Dining Hall - Siesta - appeared. She had just finished her work and, although she was still wearing her usual maid clothes, the kachusha covering her head was now gone. Her loose shoulder-length black hair shone glossily in the moonlight. 

Siesta squatted down to pick up the pot that she had dropped earlier.

“W-what are you doing here?”

Saito’s call made Siesta turn around.

“Uhmmm... today I was able to get some really tasty goods and I wanted Saito to try it! I would have given it to you in the kitchen, but you didn’t come today! Waah!” Siesta said in panic.

Indeed, there was a tray lying next to Siesta, an overturned teapot, and some cups. Surprised by the sudden call, it seemed like Siesta had dropped one cup.

“A treat?” Saito asked, still submerged in the bath.

Suddenly Siesta became aware of Saito’s nudity and, for a moment, averted her eyes in shame.

“That’s right. Some unusual goods came from the east town ‘Rub' al Khali’ today: Tea.”

“Tea?”

Tea was an extremely rare commodity. Siesta poured some from a teapot into a cup that was not broken and gave it to Saito.

“Thank you.”

Saito lifted it to his lips. The sweet aroma of tea tickled his nostrils. And when it was in his mouth, it tasted like Japanese green tea.

Saito suddenly felt overwhelmed with nostalgia. ''Aah, Japan. Dear mother country.'' In his big kettle bath, Saito spontaneously wiped the corners of his eyes.

“W-what’s the matter! Are you alright?”

Siesta bent over the edge of the kettle.

“N-no, I just felt nostalgic for a moment. I’m alright. Yeah.”

After saying that, Saito brought the cup back to his mouth. Though a tea and a bath made a strange combination, they both soaked Saito with longing.

“Do you miss it? That’s right, Saito-san comes from the east.”

Siesta flashed a shy smile.

“I... I probably feel that way. However, did you know that I was here?"

Saito’s words made Siesta blush.

“T-that’s, that’s. I’m just here because I saw you going this way with hot water and…”

“You peeped?”

Saito’s voice saying that was blank. Siesta hastily shook her head.

“N-no, I didn’t mean it that way!”

Flustered, Siesta tripped over the edge of the kettle and with a loud splash, fell into the kettle.

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

Siesta screamed, but her shriek was suppressed by the hot water inside the iron kettle.

“Are you alright?”

Saito asked in blank surprise.

“I-I’m alright… Wah, but I am soaked now…”

Siesta stuck her wet head out of the hot water.

The poor girl’s housemaid clothes were sodden. And when she became aware of Saito’s naked state, a furious blush spread on her face.

Saito panicked.

“S-sorry! Even though the bath is on a stove, it is still possible to fall in!”

“N-no, I’m sorry!”

Although she was apologizing, Siesta didn’t try to get out of the bath. Saito then decided to take a defiant attitude as well. He pretended in a somewhat manly manner that it was not big deal she was not getting out.

At such times, he tried to act in a calm and collected manner. ''Was it manly?'' Saito thought so. Which meant that Saito was a fool as well.

“Ufufu”

Siesta laughed still soaking with her maid clothes inside the big kettle. Though it wasn’t a laughable situation, she still laughed.

“W-what’s wrong?”

Perhaps his size was a laughingstock? Though it was dark and no one could see below the surface of hot water, Saito suddenly felt insecure.

“Nothing, but, it feels good. Is this how you bathe in Saito-san’s country?"

Feeling relieved, Saito answered.

“That’s right. Though, it is unusual to get in while wearing clothes."

“Ara? Is that so? Yet, if you think about it, that must be true. Well then, I’ll take them off.”

“Yes?”

Pop-eyed Saito asked Siesta.

“What did you say just now?”

Siesta, who is usually hesitant and shy, for some reason became bold. Slightly biting her lips she looked at Saito in a determined way.

“I said, I’ll take them off.”

“But Siesta? I am a man…”

Saito said dumbfounded.

“That’s alright. I know that Saito-san is not a person who would hurt me.”

Saito nodded, though he hadn’t heard a single word.

“No, oh my, don’t do such a thing…”

“But I also want to use this ‘Bath’ properly. It is nice.”

And, eh? Saito stared as Siesta rose from the hot water and started taking off her soaked clothes. Saito turned his eyes away in panic.

“S-stop it! Siesta! Wait a moment! This is awkward!"

However, Saito’s ‘Stop’ sounded weak, betraying his real thoughts.

“B-but I am dripping wet… The Chief would be mad if I return like this to the room. I think I should dry my clothes off on the fire first.”

Although she was usually obedient, Siesta could be really bold when she decided to.

The buttons of the blouse and the hook of the skirt were unfastened in a flash. It felt good taking off wet clothes.

Siesta took off her housemaid uniform and underwear and left them to dry on the firewood, close to the fire. After that, she stepped into the hot water again. Saito with the corner of his eyes watched the submerging Siesta’s legs. He had never seen Siesta’s bare legs, as they were always hidden behind the skirt. They were white and healthy. Aah, if only he could turn his face that way, he would be able to worship her entire body.

“Uwaa! It feels good! Sharing a bath this way, soaking in the hot water really does feel good! It feels like taking a noble’s bath. I am so jealous, but I can make it myself, right? Saito you are really smart.”

“N-not really.”

Saito answered, his face still turned away. It felt as if the hot water suddenly turned hotter. Next to him was a naked girl. In that sort of situation, Saito felt dazed and almost fainted. Siesta said with a shy smile on her lips.

“Please don’t be so shy. I’m not shy as well. It is all right to turn this way. Look, my breasts are hidden behind my arms… besides it’s so dark that you cannot see through the water anyway, so stay calm.”

Saito, feeling half-confused, half-happy, turned around.　

Siesta was sitting right before Saito, submerged in the hot water. Because it was dark, you couldn’t clearly see the body behind the surface of the water. He was somewhat relieved.

Yet, Saito took a deep breath.

[[Image:ZnT03-093.JPG|thumb]]

In the darkness, Siesta's wet black hair was glittering fascinatingly.

From a close look one could see that Siesta was actually a very lovely girl. He hadn’t noticed until now, but she was different from Louise or Henrietta, she was like the charm of a lovely flower, freely blossoming in the field. Her big dark eyes, friendly nature and tiny nose were charming and pretty.

“Hey, Saito, what kind of place is your country?”

“My country?”

“Yes, please tell me about it.”

Siesta innocently bent forward listening. Ah, when bending forward so much one could see, ah, aah… Saito fell backwards in panic.

“W-well! There’s only one moon, there are no magicians, that’s why they use switches to turn the light off, and they fly in the sky with planes…”

Because Saito was so incoherent, Siesta puffed her cheeks.

“Stop it. One moon, no wizards, are you making fun of me? Don’t look down on me just because I’m a village girl.”

“I-I’m not making fun of you!”

Saito thought that even if he told her the truth it would only confuse her. After all, the only ones that knew at the moment that Saito was from a different world were Louise, Sir Osmond and Henrietta.

“Well then, tell me the truth.”

Siesta looked up into Saito’s eyes. Siesta’s black hair and dark eyes wistfully reminded Saito of a girl from Japan. Of course, the face was different from a Japanese. However, a simple, nostalgic feeling still shot through Saito, making him flurry.

“R-right… We have different eating habits.”

Saito started talking about the distant Japan. Starry eyed Siesta listened attentively to his story.

Though it might have felt like a vapid talk, Siesta was eagerly catching every single word. And before they realized it, Saito and Siesta lost any track of time, as he told her about his hometown.

After some time passed, Siesta stood up covering her breasts. Saito hastily turned his eyes away. However, for one moment, he still saw Siesta’s breasts through a gap of her arms, and felt his nose bleed. Without a word, a thin trickle rolled down. Holding his nose, Saito looked the other way, while Siesta put on her now dry clothes and bowed her head thanking him.

“Thank you. It was very fun. This bath was great, and Saito-san’s story was amazing as well.”

Siesta said gladly.

“Can I hear it again sometime?”

Saito nodded.

After that, Siesta cast her eyes down with a blush, and shyly fiddled with her fingers.

“Well, err? The talk and the bath were great, but you were the most amazing…”

“Siesta?”

“Could you…”

“W-what?!” 

But Siesta ran away in tiny steps.

Such a thing happening with this girl from a foreign world felt like a joke to Saito, so he dazed off and snuggled in the big iron kettle.

After the bath, he returned to Louise’s room and found Louise doing something on the bed. Once she saw Saito, she hid a book in panic. It was an old, big book. 　

Why? Though, he didn’t worry so much about it since she was Louise. He might not have understood even if she told him about it. Besides Saito’s head was filled with the sight of Siesta’s body. What he saw through the gap of her hands was firmly imprinted in Saito’s mind.

Saito approached the laundry basket, while shaking off the worldly thoughts. He decided to start doing laundry right away. He planned on using the remaining bath’s hot water, so his fingers would not be cold.

However, the basket was empty.

“Louise, where’s the laundry?”

When Saito asked, Louise shook her head.

“Washed already.”

“You washed…”

And then Saito saw Louise. "Huh!?" He was shocked. Louise was wearing his nylon parka that he took off and left in the room before going to take a bath. Whenever Saito went to a public bath, he always took off that nylon parka and went there wearing only his T-shirt, because, right after stepping out of the bath, his body always felt too hot.

Louise was probably wearing it right over her underwear. Because the sleeves were too long and waist was too loose, it made it look like some weird dress.

“You, why are you wearing my best suit?!”

Hearing Saito, Louise buried her mouth behind his nylon parka. Louise, whose cheeks blushed for some reason, said.

“Because…after doing the laundry, I had nothing left to wear.”

“Nonsense! It’s full!”

Saito pointed to the closet. There were a lot of Louise’s clothes. Because Louise was a noble, she had many expensive dresses to choose from.

“Still, I wanted to try something else on.”

Louise, sitting straight on the bed, said in a sulky tone.

“Couldn’t you wear these casual clothes?”

Saito took a plain dress in his hands.

“I don’t want to wear something like that!”

“But these are my only clothes. Return them.”

However, Louise didn't try to take it off. On the contrary, she rolled sheets around her fingers.

“Well it is light and fits nicely. What is it made of?”

Indeed. Saito had to agree that it really fitted her rather nicely. Reluctantly, he decided to give up. In the room it was not cold, even if wearing only a single T-shirt.

“Nylon.”

“Nailon?”

“That’s a fabric from my world. It is made from oil.”

“Oili?”

“The plankton that is collected at the bottom of the sea is stored for years, and later becomes oil.”

“Pulankuton?”

Louise stared blankly at him, she looked like a child parroting Saito’s words. Her expression was unreadable as half of her face was hidden behind Saito’s parka. For a moment Saito thought that this Louise looked irresistibly cute.

Furthermore, Louise even washed for him. It was impossible. Saito became scared somehow. Up 'till now, such actions were unimaginable for Louise.

Her cheeks were red. Saito was concerned so he decided to check to make sure she wasn't ill and had a fever.

Louise got startled when Saito approached her. She trembled, and… turned away.

Trying not to think how she must hate this, Saito grabbed Louise’s shoulders and brought his forehead close to her. Louise’s body stiffened but she didn’t fight and quietly closed her eyes.

''Just as I thought, her body condition must be really bad'', Saito thought.

“It seems you have a fever.”

When Saito pulled his forehead away from hers, Louise for some reason clenched her fist in tightly.

“What is it?” he asked, as Louise turned away from him and after some quiet rustling snuggled under the covers.

“Hey,” Saito poked.

“Sleep,” Louise answered and became silent again.

''Wow, the fever must have eased up'', Saito thought as he crawled into his pile of hay.

It was quiet for a moment and then a pillow flew at him.

“What the…?”

Saito asked.

“Bring back the pillow I just threw. Didn’t I tell you to sleep in the bed from now on? Idiot.”

Louise’s sulky voice was heard.

He just couldn’t understand Louise’s mood, whether it was gentle or saucy as usual. ''What does it matter?'', Saito thought as he slipped into Louise’s bed.

Though Louise was stirring restlessly in her futon, she soon quieted down.

Now he could think about how the day passed. Anyway, now his head was filled with Siesta. Siesta’s parting words were repeated in his head again.

Siesta certainly said “The most amazing was you…”.

''Was it a confession? No, was she making fun? That’s not so. Am I popular?'' He wasn’t popular either. ''The only one who showed interest was Kirche, but it was surely because I am convenient.''

Aah, but, Siesta was cute. Although Louise was cute, too, Siesta had a completely different allure.

''Naive, simple, but honest. Unlike Kirche, she looked wonderful when taking her clothes off. Ghaah. T-that’s right. Nice. W-w-w-what. Damn. Beaten. I’m beaten.''

For something that he hadn’t considered much until that moment, the impact was huge. Fascinated by the girl, Saito started to think of the ways to return back to earth.

He would find it surely, even if he hadn’t even the slightest clue how.

Then, feeling dizzy, he started thinking about Louise. He loved Louise. ''But, because Louise is a noble she would never think of me that way. Besides I decided to protect her. This way I wouldn’t be that far from a lover.''

Still, to be lovers one would need to sway a girl… No, even Siesta might be only having fun. ''Aah, I guess that’s how it is.''

Becoming sleepy while thinking about various things, Saito fell into the happy sensations of the dream world.

Outside Louise’s room window, Tabitha’s Sylphid was floating. On top of which, as usual, Kirche's and Tabitha’s figures were sitting. Tabitha was reading a book in the moonlight. Kirche was staring into Louise’s room from the crevice of the window.

Kirche snorted.

“After all, it is not looking good.”

She remembered the blush on Louise’s face as she cuddled with Saito on the back of the dragon, returning from Albion. Louise seemed to not be her usual self.

“Really, he doesn’t treat me seriously? Every time I approach him, I get rejected, it makes me worried against my will.”

Until now, there was no man who would refuse courting her. It was Kirche’s pride. Truly, Kirche felt forgotten like an inconvenient thing.

Kirche was irritated. A little while ago, he even bathed with a commoner's daughter. She was ignored and two-timed. Kirche’s pride was shaken. She was defeated by Louise, she was defeated by a commoner girl, this made her name of “Ardent” cry. She had to plunder Saito from Louise, by any means possible. Snatching away La Valliere’s lovers was an old Zerbst tradition.

“Yes, though plotting isn’t my specialty, I can still think of some strategy. Right, Tabitha?”

Tabitha shut a book, and pointed at Kirche.

“Jealousy.”

Kirche blushed. And then she shook her head at Tabitha’s words.

“D-don’t say that! I’m not jealous! I cannot feel jealousy! A game! This is just a game of love!”

Nevertheless Tabitha was not convinced. She repeated the same word again.

“Jealousy.”

<noinclude>
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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter4|Forward to Chapter 4]]
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