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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter3 - MTL

2025-03-27T01:39:01Z

Nimble Momonga: /* Chapter Three: The Founder's Prayer Book */

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

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

Sir Osmond stared at the book the palace had delivered, absent-mindedly twirling his beard. The book's 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...''

Muttering, Sir Osmond turned a page. Nothing was written on it. There were about three hundred pages in the book; all of them were blank.

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

Six thousand years ago, Founder Brimir had offered a prayer to God: using magic runes as letters, Brimir wrote down God's spells.

“Isn't this a fake?”

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

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

Sir Osmond had seen many ‘Founder's Prayer Books,’ several times before. On numerous occasions. The runes always seemed to leap from the pages. However, he had never seen a book like this one, without any contents. 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 her for her efforts from the other day.

“Oh, Miss Vallière. Have you rested from your tiresome journey? Your great efforts have ensured the alliance's safety, and prevented a crisis in Tristain.” Sir Osmond continued softly; “And, next month in Germania, there will finally be a wedding ceremony for our Princess and Germania’s Emperor. It's all thanks to you. Be proud of yourself.”

Hearing this, Louise's spirit momentarily faltered; her childhood friend Henrietta was going to be used as a political tool. Her marriage to Germania’s emperor was without love. Though there was no other solution for the alliance, Louise's chest tightened every time she recalled the sad smile on Henrietta’s lips.

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

“What's this?”

Louise looked suspiciously at the book.

“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 Tristain’s royal tradition, 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, being unaware of such detailed palace etiquette, replied blankly.

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

“The Princess?”

“That's right. The bridesmaid must also compose a written edict when receiving the ‘Founder’s Prayer Book’”

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

“Indeed. Of course, there still remains certain palace etiquette which you must learn… traditions can be rather bothersome. That said, Miss Vallière, the Princess is looking forward to it. This is a great honor. So follow the palace regulations, and write the edict; 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 respectfully obey.”

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

Sir Osmond, looking at Louise, smiled;

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

That evening, Saito was preparing a bath. Tristain's Magic Academy certainly had a bathhouse; it was a Roman style bathhouse lined with marble. Inside was a huge swimming pool filled with hot water, with perfume mixed in: 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, and looked more like a hovel. It was placed on stones, with a 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 disgust Saito; the sauna was just too unsatisfying. Bothered, Saito asked Marteau, the head chef, for a big old washbasin. Being raised in Japan, Saito chose to create his own bath, and filled the basin to the brim with hot water. He burned firewood below his metal tub to heat the water, then placed the wooden lid at the bottom of the tub to stand on. Voila! A hot water bath was created.

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

The day was coming to an end; 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, 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 wielding me who protects.”

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

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

“Is that so? By the way, what do you remember about this ‘Gandálfr’? How great was he, and what kind of stuff did he do?” Saito, showing his innate curiosity, questioned 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; with a clatter, it dropped the object it was carrying. 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 moonlight, the figure of a housemaid who worked 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 question made Siesta turn around.

“Uhmmm… today I was able to get a really tasty treat 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 a panic.

Indeed, there was a tray lying next to Siesta, along with an overturned teapot, and some cups. Surprised by Saito's sudden cry, it seemed like Siesta had dropped one cup.

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

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

“That’s right. An unusual good came from ‘Rub' al Khali’ in the east today: Tea.”

“Tea?”

Tea was an extremely rare commodity. Siesta poured some from the teapot into one of the unbroken cups 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 by nostalgia. ''Aah, Japan. Dear mother country.'' In his big makeshift bathtub, Saito spontaneously wiped the corners of his eyes.

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

Siesta bent over the edge of the basin.

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

After saying so, Saito brought the cup back to his mouth. Though tea and a bath made for a strange combination, 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. Anyway, 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 said blankly.

Siesta hastily shook her head.

“N-no, I didn’t mean it that way!”

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

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

Siesta screamed, but her shriek was muffled by the hot water inside the iron tub.

“Are you alright?” Saito asked, nonplussed.

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

Siesta pulled her wet head out of the hot water.

The poor girl’s housemaid uniform was sodden. And when she remembered 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 leave the bath. Saito then decided to take a defiant attitude as well. He pretended in a somewhat manly manner that it was no 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, her clothes still soaked, and still inside the big washbasin, laughed. Though it wasn’t a laughable situation, still, she 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 nice. 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, usually hesitant and shy, for some reason became bold. Slightly biting her lip, 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 returned to the room like this. I think I should dry my clothes off by 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, through the corner of his eyes, watched Siesta submerge her legs. He had never seen Siesta’s bare legs, as they were always hidden behind a 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. A shy smile on her lips, Siesta said,

“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 glittered fascinatingly.

From this close, 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 had the charm of a lovely flower, freely blossoming in the field. Her big dark eyes, friendly nature, and tiny nose were delightful and pretty.

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

“My country?”

“Yes, please tell me about it.”

Siesta innocently bent forward to listen. 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 who 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, her face was different from a Japanese girl. Nevertheless, a simple, nostalgic feeling still shot through Saito, making him flurried.

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

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

Though it might have felt like vapid talk, Siesta eagerly caught 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 in 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.

Then, 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 out, and snuggled in the big iron tub.

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

Why? Since it was Louise, he didn’t worry much about it; 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'd seen through the gap of her hands was firmly imprinted in Saito’s mind.

Saito approached the laundry basket, shaking off the worldly thoughts. He decided to start doing laundry right away. He planned to use the remaining hot water from the bath so that his fingers would not be cold.

However, the basket was empty.

“Louise, where’s the laundry?”

Louise shook her head.

“Washed already.”

“You washed…”

And then Saito saw Louise.

"Huh!?"

He was shocked; Louise was wearing his nylon parka! He had taken it off and left it in the room just before leaving to take a bath. Whenever Saito went to bathe, he always took off his parka, and went wearing only his T-shirt; otherwise his body always felt too hot after stepping out of the bath.

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

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

Louise buried her mouth in his nylon parka. Louise (whose cheeks were blushing 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 lots of Louise’s clothes; as she 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, had spoken in a sulky tone.

“Couldn’t you wear some casual clothes?”

Saito held a plain dress in his hands.

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

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

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

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

Indeed. Saito had to concede; it really fit her rather nicely. Reluctantly, he decided to give in. Inside the room it was not cold, even if one was wearing only a single T-shirt.

“Nylon.”

“Nailon?”

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

“Oili?”

“The plankton that collects 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 the laundry 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 and make sure she wasn't ill or had a fever.

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

Trying not to think about how she must hate this, Saito grabbed Louise’s shoulders and brought his forehead close to her. Louise stiffened, but didn’t fight; she 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 Louise's, for some reason she clenched her fist tightly.

“What is it?” he asked, as Louise turned away from him; after some quiet rustling, she 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?'' thought Saito as he slipped into Louise’s bed.

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

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

She had certainly said “The most amazing was you…”.

''Was it a confession? No, was she making fun? That’s not it. 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 began to think of how to return back to Earth.

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

Then, feeling dizzy, he started to think 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. That 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 window floated Sylphid, Tabitha’s familiar. On top of whom, as usual, Kirche's and Tabitha’s figures were perched. Tabitha was reading a book in the moonlight. Kirche was staring into Louise’s room from the window's crevice.

Kirche snorted.

“After all, it is not looking good.”

She remembered the blush on Louise’s face as she had sat, cuddled with Saito, on the back of the dragon during the return from Albion. Louise did not seem to 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 to court her; it was Kirche’s pride. Truly, she felt forgotten, like an inconvenient thing.

Kirche was irritated. A little while ago, he had 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 shamed her name of “Ardent” to tears. 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 her book, and pointed at Kirche.

“Jealousy.”

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

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

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

“Jealousy.”

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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Back to Chapter 2]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter4|Forward to Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter3 - MTL

2025-03-25T01:47:36Z

Nimble Momonga: /* 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; absent-mindedly, he twirled his beard. The book's 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...''

Muttering, Sir Osmond turned a page. Nothing was written on it. There were about three hundred pages in the book; all of them were blank.

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

Six thousand years ago, Founder Brimir had offered a prayer to God: using magic runes as letters, Brimir wrote down his God's spells.

“Isn't this a fake?”

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

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

Sir Osmond had seen many ‘Founder's Prayer Books,’ several times before. On numerous occasions. The runes always seemed to leap from the pages. However, he had never seen a book like this one, without any characters. 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 her for her efforts from the other day.

“Oh, Miss Vallière. Have you rested from your tiresome journey? Your great efforts have ensured the alliance's safety, and prevented a crisis in Tristain.” Sir Osmond said softly. “And, next month in Germania, there will finally be a wedding ceremony for our Princess and Germania’s Emperor. It's all thanks to you. Be proud of yourself.”

Hearing this, Louise's spirit momentarily faltered; her childhood friend Henrietta was going to be used as a political tool. Her marriage to Germania’s emperor was without love. Though there was no other solution for the alliance, Louise's chest tightened every time she recalled the sad smile on Henrietta’s lips.

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

“What's this?”

Louise looked suspiciously at the book.

“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 Tristain’s royal tradition, 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, being unaware of such detailed palace etiquette, replied blankly.

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

“The Princess?”

“That's right. The bridesmaid must also compose a written edict when receiving the ‘Founder’s Prayer Book’”

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

“Indeed. Of course, there still remains certain palace etiquette which you must learn… traditions can be rather bothersome. That said, Miss Vallière, the Princess is looking forward to it. This is a great honor. So follow the palace regulations, and write the edict; 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 respectfully obey.”

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

Sir Osmond, looking at Louise, smiled;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Aah... the water is nice and hot.”

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

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

“Does it feel good?”

“Yeah.”

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

Saito threw Derflinger a tepid glance.

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

“Hey, legendary sword.”

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

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

Derflinger shook lightly.

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

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

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

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

“I forgot.”

“Huh.”

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

A shadow appeared in the moonlight.

“Who is it?”

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

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

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

“Siesta?!”

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

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

“W-what are you doing here?”

Saito’s call made Siesta turn around.

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

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

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

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

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

“Tea?”

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

“Thank you.”

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

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

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

Siesta bent over the edge of the kettle.

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

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

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

Siesta flashed a shy smile.

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

Saito’s words made Siesta blush.

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

“You peeped?”

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

“N-no, I didn’t mean it that way!”

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

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

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

“Are you alright?”

Saito asked in blank surprise.

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

Siesta stuck her wet head out of the hot water.

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

Saito panicked.

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

“N-no, I’m sorry!”

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

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

“Ufufu”

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

“W-what’s wrong?”

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

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

Feeling relieved, Saito answered.

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

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

“Yes?”

Pop-eyed Saito asked Siesta.

“What did you say just now?”

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

“I said, I’ll take them off.”

“But Siesta? I am a man…”

Saito said dumbfounded.

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

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

“No, oh my, don’t do such a thing…”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“N-not really.”

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

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

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

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

Yet, Saito took a deep breath.

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

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

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

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

“My country?”

“Yes, please tell me about it.”

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

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

Because Saito was so incoherent, Siesta puffed her cheeks.

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

“I-I’m not making fun of you!”

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

“Well then, tell me the truth.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Siesta said gladly.

“Can I hear it again sometime?”

Saito nodded.

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

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

“Siesta?”

“Could you…”

“W-what?!” 

But Siesta ran away in tiny steps.

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

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

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

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

However, the basket was empty.

“Louise, where’s the laundry?”

When Saito asked, Louise shook her head.

“Washed already.”

“You washed…”

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

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

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

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

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

“Nonsense! It’s full!”

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

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

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

“Couldn’t you wear these casual clothes?”

Saito took a plain dress in his hands.

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

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

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

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

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

“Nylon.”

“Nailon?”

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

“Oili?”

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

“Pulankuton?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“It seems you have a fever.”

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

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

“Hey,” Saito poked.

“Sleep,” Louise answered and became silent again.

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

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

“What the…?”

Saito asked.

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

Louise’s sulky voice was heard.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kirche snorted.

“After all, it is not looking good.”

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

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

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

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

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

Tabitha shut a book, and pointed at Kirche.

“Jealousy.”

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

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

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

“Jealousy.”

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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Back to Chapter 2]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter4|Forward to Chapter 4]]
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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter2

2025-03-24T03:06:24Z

Nimble Momonga: /* Chapter Two: Louise’s Lovesickness */

===Chapter Two: Louise’s Lovesickness===

The morning after her return from Albion, Louise’s attitude began to change. To put it bluntly, she became nicer. As usual, upon waking, Saito prepared the wash basin for Louise. He would pour water into the basin, and then wash Louise's face. It was a troublesome routine, but if Saito forgot about it, severe consequences would follow.

Once, when Saito forgot to prepare the wash basin, he wasn’t allowed to eat. The next morning, being quite angry, he caught a frog from the pond behind the Academy of Magic and put it in the wash basin. Louise hated frogs, and squealed at the sight of the slimy amphibian, bursting into tears when it suddenly appeared in front of her. Saito apologized profusely, but Louise did not forgive him for making her cry.

That time, unsatisfied with merely starving Saito, Louise tried to whip him; as a result, Saito escaped the room and slept outside.

They would get into fights just like the one over the wash basin, but after Albion something had changed. Warm feelings towards Saito started to sprout within Louise, and vice versa. However, neither had yet to realize the other’s feelings.

So that morning, Saito, feeling slightly awkward, prepared the wash basin. Louise sat on her bed, a drowsy look on her face.

With the wash basin placed on the floor, Saito scooped up water with both hands, but Louise didn’t move. Her pinkish blond hair dangled across her face. Seemingly tired, she rubbed her eyes. With an absent minded expression, she said, “Leave it there, I’ll do it myself.”

Saito was shocked. He didn’t think the words “I’ll do it myself” could come from Louise’s mouth.

“Louise?”

Saito waved his hand in front of her face. Louise pouted and turned away, blushing. As if she was angry, Louise said, “I’ll do it myself. Leave me alone.”

Louise dipped her hand in the wash basin, scooped up water, shook her head, and washed her face. Water splattered everywhere.

“So, you’re the type that likes to move their face while they wash it, huh?”

Louise was slightly taken aback by Saito's comment. Her face blushed, and she became angry. “G-Got a problem with that?”

“No, not at all…”

Saito then took Louise’s clothes from her closet and, while Louise put on her underwear, laid them face down on her bed. Saito, holding Louise's uniform, turned around when he thought she was done. The next step was dressing Louise.

When Saito turned around, Louise, wearing only her underwear, started to panic and quickly covered her body with sheets.

“Leave the clothes there,” said Louise, with half her face covered by the sheets.
‘’What happened?’’ thought Saito. ‘’She would normally say something like ‘Quickly dress me...’ with a sleepy face. What's more, she's hiding behind the sheets. Normally, she wouldn’t care about being seen. Why is she so embarrassed?’’

“Leave it there? Um... are you sure?”

Louise popped her head up above the sheets. “I said leave it there, didn’t I?!”

Louise then buried half of her face in the sheets again, and glared at Saito.

''Well this is strange,'' thought Saito as he placed the clothes beside Louise as he was told.

“Face that way.”

“Eh?”

“I said face that way.”

It seemed as if she was the type of person who didn’t want to be seen while changing. That's a very normal reaction for adolescent girls; however, Louise had been fine being seen in the past.

Saito turned his back to Louise thinking, ''What the hell happened?''

Well, many things happened in Albion. Louise's fiancé had betrayed both her and Henrietta, her childhood friend. She had lost her lover. It was a horrible experience for Louise. Perhaps those events had changed her.

Had Louise really changed?

With an expressionless face, Saito remembered the feeling of Louise’s lips. He had kissed a half-asleep Louise softly on the lips while on the dragon. He knew that kissing someone in their sleep was cowardly and something that he ought not to have done, but he couldn’t control himself. He cared a great deal about her.

''Could it be…'', Saito thought. ''That Louise knows about that kiss? She didn’t change because she felt I was dangerous and thought I was going to make a move on her, right?''

Saito stopped his thoughts abruptly and shook his head. If Louise had been awake at that time, she wouldn’t have kept quiet. She'd wake up. Get angry. Abuse. Any sense of harmony would have exploded into bits. Events like the time when I crept into her bed were horrible, weren’t they? A dog. That’s me, a dog. A dog that is led by a chain and goes ‘woof’.

''Ah. I see now.'' Saito finally realized. ''She feels uneasy because I crept into her bed two nights before we left for Albion while she was sleeping. This isn’t about the kiss at all. Ah, that’s why she doesn’t want my help changing anymore.'' '''''

Saito felt somewhat disheartened. In fact, he was deeply regretful. If only he hadn’t done such a thing. ‘’She doesn’t want me making a move on her. Well that’s only natural, but it means she doesn’t like me. That’s also natural I guess…’’

‘’It is only natural… yet saddening.’’

‘’A ray of hope? Nope. None. Louise doesn’t like me. I’m only a familiar. That being said, I’ve only been a dangerous familiar so far. A bad familiar that transforms into a wolf at night. A barrier has already been erected between us.’’

Dark clouds started forming. The hope inside Saito’s heart whispered desperately, “But on the way back home on the dragon, she cuddled with me, right?” The despair within Saito’s heart replied coldly, "That was just my imagination. She sent me flying when Kirche pointed it out, didn’t she?"

‘’… Ah, that’s right. There’s no mistake about it. Louise doesn’t think anything of me.’’

Realizing his own feelings for Louise, misery overwhelmed Saito. Saito had a personality where once excited, he would become extremely excited, but when depressed, he would become excessively depressed.

“What are you whispering about?”

Saito had not realized he was whispering. When he turned around, Louise, who had already finished changing, looked into his face dubiously.

After a mere twenty seconds of thought, he had reached his conclusion. Feeling dispirited, Saito replied in a sickly voice, “Sorry. I won’t talk to myself again.”

“Yes, it’s somewhat revolting.”

Louise, looking dubiously at Saito, walked out. “Come on, let’s go for breakfast.”

“Yeah,” Saito followed after her, depressed.

Even in the Alviss Dining Hall, something surprising occurred.

Saito sat down on the floor as always, but his plate of soup was not there. Saito grew impatient. ''Did I do anything to make Louise angry enough to not feed me? No, I don’t think so.''

Last night, after the five of them returned to the academy, they reported to Osman. Osman, who had already heard from Henrietta, thanked and praised them for their efforts.

Then they had returned to their rooms … and quickly fallen asleep. Saito hadn't done anything to anger Louise. With a miserable look on his face, Saito looked up at Louise, who was sitting on a chair.

Louise started blushing and while turning away she said, “From now on, eat at the table.”

“Eh?” Saito looked blankly at Louise. That was very unexpected of Louise.

“Come on, sit down quickly.”

Dumbfounded, he sat next to Louise. Malicorne, who always sat there and had caught a cold, started to protest, “Hey Louise, that’s my seat. What do you mean you’ll let your familiar sit on it?”

Louise glared at Malicorne. “If you don’t have a seat, then just go get a chair.”

“Don’t play around with me! Letting a commoner familiar sit down while I have to go get a chair? That’s just wrong! Hey familiar, piss off, that’s my seat. This is a dining table for nobles!”

The chubby Malicorne tried to look intimidating, but he was trembling slightly. This was the legendary familiar who supposedly defeated Guiche and caught Fouquet. What's more, it seemed they had accomplished some incredible feat while they were away from the academy the past couple of days. Malicorne was covered in cold sweat when he told Saito off.

Saito, feeling extremely down due to the growing wall between Louise and him, reacted to the pestering voice. He stood up and grabbed Malicorne’s collar.

He didn’t use much force, but whispered in a threatening voice, “Hey fatty, what'd you say?”

Terrified, Malicorne dropped his act and shook his head repeatedly, “A-Ah, nothing, I didn’t mean it!”

“I didn’t mean it, sir.”

“Y-yes, I didn’t mean it, sir!”

“Then go get a chair. Let’s eat happily together.”

Malicorne rushed off to get a chair. With an unconcerned look, Louise was waiting for the prayer time before the meal. ''I wonder what happened. What change of heart is this? Why is she being so nice? Surely there’s a reason. Nope,'' he thought, ''The trip to Albion changed Louise.''

It must be … after seeing people injured and killed, these warm feelings must have started to blossom within her. This reminded Saito of the story about General Tokugawa Tsunayoshi of the Edo period and his command to be compassionate towards animals. The dog shogun took pity on a stray dog, and punished those who bullied it.

So that’s it.

The command to be compassionate towards animals has been set upon Tristain.

The law setter: Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière.

The object: familiars, as well as dogs- myself in other words.

Saito stopped his imagination and looked at Louise warmly.

''You’ve become nicer haven’t you Louise, more like a girl. You’re dazzling like this. Being so nice to someone like me… You’re growing up like a girl.

I’ll watch over you carefully - I won’t make a move on you ever again. Until I return to Earth, I will protect you. Even if you don’t like me, I’m happy that you’re being so nice to me.''

Her radiance mixing in with his sadness and despair, Saito smiled warmly. Louise noticed Saito watching her intently and blushed, “W-Why are you looking at me like that?”

Noticing the vile way he was looking at her, Saito averted his eyes and tightened his hands into fists on his knees. ''Listen carefully, Saito. Nobles aren’t for dogs like you. Compared to Louise, who’s so beautiful and pure, you are just a homely mole. There’s no way a mole can look at such a cute girl in a decent way.''

The thoughts repeated in his mind. Saito’s poignancy quickly consumed him, like a bottomless swamp. Saito obediently whispered, “Sorry for being so repulsive.”

Louise quickly turned the other way.

''Ugh, she must think I’m weird. The master thinks this mole is weird.''

Saito stared at the food on the plate with a dull face. It was a luxurious meal, but the colors of it seemed to fade before his eyes.

The usual prayer proceeded and breakfast began. Saito quietly ate his food. It was delicious, but he was so miserable he could not taste it.

When Louise entered the classroom, she was quickly surrounded by her classmates. There were rumours that she had been on a dangerous journey and had accomplished great feats during her absence.

The truth was that a number of students were watching the spectacle where the leader of the Magic Defence Squad had departed. It wasn’t a quiet scene. They were all eager to know what happened and they would have asked her during breakfast too if it weren’t for the teachers.

Kirche and Tabitha were already seated. They, too, were surrounded by a group of students.

“Hey, when you and Louise were absent from class, where did you all go?” asked Montmorency, grasping her arm.

Glancing at her, Kirche elegantly started redoing her make-up and Tabitha quietly sat while reading her book. Tabitha didn’t talk much. As for Kirche, although she usually was in the mood to talk, today she didn't feel like telling her classmates about their secret journey.

No matter how hard their classmates pushed and pulled, they couldn’t extract anything out of the two, so they switched their target to Guiche and Louise, who had just appeared.

Guiche, who liked being surrounded and fussed over, got carried away as expected. “You want to ask me, right? You want to know the secrets I know? Ahaha, what a troubled little rabbit!”

Louise broke through the crowd of people and smacked Guiche over the head. “What do you think you’re doing?! You’ll be hated by the Princess if you say anything, Guiche.”

With a single reference to Henrietta, Guiche became silent at once. Their classmates grew even more suspicious upon seeing this. They surrounded Louise and started pestering her.

“Louise! Louise! What actually happened?”

“Nothing at all. Osman just sent me to the palace on an errand, that’s all. Right Guiche, Kirche, Tabitha?”

Kirche smiled mysteriously while blowing on her polished nails. Guiche nodded. Tabitha read her book. Since no one was willing to speak, their classmates returned to their seats. Like a group of sore losers, they started to talk about Louise angrily.

“Heh, it’s probably nothing important anyway.”

“Yeah, it’s Louise the Zero we’re talking about here. I can’t imagine what great feat she could possibly accomplish when she can’t even use magic.”

“Catching Fouquet was only a fluke. Her familiar just accidentally drew out the power of the Staff of Destruction,” Montmorency said irritatingly, waving her curly hair.

Louise bit her lip, wearing an annoyed expression on her face whilst keeping silent. Saito was shocked. ''How dare this curly-haired woman insult my Louise? Well, not ‘my’ Louise I guess. A mole like me could never have Louise.'' Oh well. Even if it’s a girl, Saito would do what he had to do.

Just as Montmorency walked off with a satisfied look on her face, Saito casually stuck his foot out. Montmorency didn’t notice and tripped over Saito’s foot.

“Aaah!”

Montmorency, sporting a red nose from falling face-first to the ground, angrily shouted at Saito.

“What are you doing? I’m a noble! How dare a commoner like you trip me!”

Louise said from the side, “It was you who wasn’t paying attention.”

“What? Siding with the commoner now, Louise the Zero?!”

“Saito may be a commoner, but he’s also my familiar, Montmorency the Flood. Insult him and you insult me; it’s the same thing. Have anything to say to that?”

Montmorency left, muttering angrily to herself. To Saito, Louise, who had just stuck up for him, was suddenly dazzling and he found himself staring at her warmly. Louise felt his gaze and turned her face aside, blushing, “W-What are you looking at?”

Saito, yet again realizing his repulsive stare, apologized to Louise. This homely mole has done it again.

“S-Sorry.”

Louise noticed that Saito had been acting strange since morning. He was more reserved than usual. ''What more do you want, I’m being so nice to you.''

Louise was about to say something to Saito about it, but then, Mr. Colbert entered the classroom, so she sat back down. Class started.

“Well, everyone,” Mr. Colbert patted his bald head slightly. Until yesterday, he had been frightened that Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt had broken out of prison. Immediately, the initial conclusion was that there was a traitor in the castle. He thought that it was a serious affair for Tristain.

This morning however, Osman summoned him, telling him that it was “alright already” and he returned to his normal self. Besides, things like politics did not interest him much.

What he did have interest in was knowledge, history and … research. That’s why he liked lessons. He could freely state the results of his research. And so, on a joyful note, he showed the class something strange that he placed on the desk.

“Mr. Colbert, what’s that?” one student asked.

It really was a strange looking machine. It was composed of a long metallic tube with a metallic pipe stretching out of it. A pair of bellows were connected to the pipe and a crank was attached to the head of the cylinder. The crank was connected to a wheel on the side of the cylinder. Finally, gears were attached to the wheel and the box.

Staring at the equipment, the students were all wondering what sort of lesson would follow. Clearing his throat, he began his lecture, “Firstly, who can tell me the main characteristics of the fire branch of magic?”

The class turned to Kirche. If you were talking about the fire branch of magic in Halkeginia, then you would be referencing Germanian nobles. Among them, the Zerbsts were a famous family. As her nickname, Ardent, indicated, she was adept at fire magic.

Even though class had started, Kirche still continued to polish her nails. Without taking her eyes off the nail file, she replied languidly, “Passion and destruction.”

“That’s right!” said Mr. Colbert, himself a triangular fire mage whose nickname was 'Flame Serpent'.

“However, besides passion, only being able to destroy is a bit lonely, I think. It depends on the usage, everyone. Depending on how you use it, you can actually do some really fun things. Fire is not only for destruction, Miss Zerbst. A battlefield is not the only place where you will see it.”

“There’s no use in trying to explain fire magic to Tristain nobles,” Kirche said, filled with confidence. Mr. Colbert was not agitated by her arrogance, but smiled instead.

“But, what’s that strange thing you have there?” Kirche asked with a blank look, pointing at the equipment on the desk.

“Hehe. So you finally asked. This is something I invented. It works using oil and fire magic.” The students gaped, staring at the mechanism intently. The mechanism seemed somewhat familiar to Saito, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Being a curious person, he too remained silent and watched intently.

Mr. Colbert continued, “First, we vaporize the oil in the bellows.” He stepped repeatedly on the bellows with his foot. “And then, the vaporized oil will go into this cylindrical tube.”

With a cautious look, Colbert stuck his wand inside a small hole he had opened. He recited an incantation. The sound of a blazing fire could suddenly be heard, and as the fire ignited the vaporized oil, the sounds changed into that of explosions.

“Watch carefully everyone! Inside the metallic tube, the power from the explosions are moving the piston up and down!”

The crank attached to the top of the cylinder started to move and the wheel along with it. The spinning wheel opened the door on the box. The gears began moving and a snake puppet came out from inside.

“The power is transferred to the crank which spins the wheel! Look! The snake then comes out to greet us! How interesting!”

The students watched it unenthusiastically. The only one interested seemed to be Saito.

“And then? What’s so special about that?”

Mr. Colbert was sad at the fact that the invention he took so much pride in had been totally chastised. Clearing his throat, he began to explain, “In this example, only a snake showed up, but say for instance this mechanism was placed on a carriage. Then, the carriage could move even without horses! It would also work on the side of a boat by turning a water wheel. Then there wouldn’t be any need for sails!”

“You could just use magic in those cases. There’s no need to use such a weird mechanism.”
After one student said that, the others started to nod in agreement.

“Everybody, listen carefully! If it is improved upon, this could run machines even without magic! I relied on my fire magic to ignite it, but say flint was used and a way to ignite it every so often was found…” Colbert was obviously getting excited, talking on and on, while the students were all wondering what was so special about it. The only one who seemed to understand the greatness of his invention seemed to be Saito.

“Mr Colbert, that’s great! That’s an engine!” Saito called up while standing all of a sudden. The whole class turned to him.

“Engine?” Mr. Colbert looked at Saito with a blank look.

“Yes, an engine. It’s used in my world for functions you just mentioned.”

“I can tell you’re a perceptive person. You’re Miss Vallière’s familiar, yes?”

The fact that he was the legendary familiar Gandálfr who had runes on the back of his hand suddenly came back to Mr. Colbert. He had forgotten since Osman had said to leave it to him … but due to his enthusiasm he started to hold an interest in Saito.

“Where were you born?” he asked eagerly.

Louise tugged at Saito’s parka slightly and glared at him. “Don’t say anything unnecessary, we’ll look suspicious.”

Agreeing, Saito sat back down.

“Hmm? Where were you born?” Colbert approached Saito with a bright expression. Louise answered for him.

“Mr Colbert, he’s uh… from Rub' al Khali in the East.

Mr. Colbert was taken aback. “What?! Past the frightening lands of the elves? Wait, he was summoned wasn’t he… so he didn’t have to go through those lands… I see. I hear that the lands the Elves govern in the East have advanced technology. So you were born there… I see,” he nodded in comprehension.

Saito turned to Louise.

“What?”

“Just play along,” said Louise, stepping on his foot.

“A, Ah yes. I’m from um… Rub'.”

Mr. Colbert nodded again and returned to the mechanism. Standing on the platform once more he looked around the classroom.

“Alright then, who would like to try operating the mechanism? It’s very simple! Just open the hole in the cylinder, put your wand in and recite the ‘ignite’ spell repeatedly. The timing is a bit tricky but once you get used to it, it will be easy like this,” Mr. Colbert stepped on the bellows with his foot and operated the mechanism once more. The explosive sounds echoed throughout the classroom while the crank and gears moved, followed by the snake showing its face.

“And the joyful snake greets us!”

No one raised their hand. Mr. Colbert tried to get the students interested in his mechanism by saying “joyful snake”, but it didn’t quite work. Disappointed, Colbert drooped his shoulders.

Montmorency, suddenly pointed at Louise, “Louise, you try it!”

Mr. Colbert’s face lit up, “Miss Vallière! You have an interest in the mechanism?”

“Catching Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt and journeying to dangerous places, surely you won’t have trouble with something like this right?”

Louise realized Montmorency was trying to embarrass her by making her fail.

It seemed Montmorency didn’t like Louise getting all the attention, such as accomplishing great feats and being the star at balls. Her jealousy was deep and the fact that she was a show off suddenly came back to Louise.

Montmorency continued provoking Louise, “Hey, do it Louise. Louise the Zero.”

Something in Louise cracked. She just couldn’t keep quiet when Montmorency called her Zero. Louise silently stood up and approached the platform.

Seeing Louise in this state, Saito glared at Montmorency, “Hey Monmon.”

“It’s Montmorency for God’s sake!”

“Don’t provoke Louise! It’ll end up as an explosion!” said Saito, without thinking.

Louise shifted her eyes at Saito's comment. The front row students hid behind their chairs.

Hearing the comment, Mr. Colbert remembered Louise’s skill and the origin of her nickname. Trying to desperately change her mind, he began to persuade her in a flustered manner.

“Ah, Miss Vallière. Er, you can do it another time, alright?”

“I have been insulted by Montmorency the Flood,” said Louise in a cold voice. Her reddish brown pupils were filled with rage.

“I shall discipline Miss Montmorency. So, er, could you please withdraw your wand? I do not doubt your skill, but magic doesn’t always succeed. I mean, ‘a dragon can also die from fire’, after all.”

Louise looked sharply at Colbert, “Please let me do it. I do not always fail. Occasionally, I succeed.”

“There are times when I, occasionally, succeed,” said Louise, as though the words were meant for herself, her voice trembling. Saito knew there was no stopping Louise now. When Louise was extremely irked, her voice would start to shake.

Mr. Colbert looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

Louise copied Mr. Colbert actions and stepped on the bellows. The vaporized oil was sent to the cylinder. She took a deep breath and stuck her wand inside the cylinder.

“Miss Vallière, uhh …” whispered Mr. Colbert as if he was praying.

With a voice as clear as a bell, she started to recite the spell incantation.

The whole class froze.

As expected, the mechanism exploded. Louise and Mr. Colbert were sent flying towards the black board while the class screamed. The explosion splattered the burning oil throughout the room. The students ran around chaotically, avoiding the flames.

As the chair and table were burning, Louise stood up slowly. It was a pitiful sight. Her clothes were scorched and her clear complexion was covered in soot. Totally ignoring the chaos within the classroom, she grabbed Mr. Colbert’s arm and whispered, “Mr. Colbert. That machine of yours breaks quite easily.”

Mr Colbert didn’t reply, feeling faint headed. The students replied for him, “It’s you who broke it! You Zero! Louise the Zero!”

“Never mind that, there’s a fire! Someone put it out!”

Montmorency stood up and recited a spell. It was the water spell ‘Water Shield’. The barrier of water extinguished the fire and the students applauded Montmorency. Montmorency, as if she had triumphed, said to Louise, “I wonder if that was unnecessary. After all, you’re such a skilled mage and that was such a weak fire.”

Angry, Louise bit her lip.

It was night by the time the classroom was cleaned up. Tidying up the chairs and desks and wiping the floor was a big task. Exhausted, Louise and Saito returned to their room. Saito collapsed on his haystack. Louise sat down on her bed. It was almost time for bed. Out of habit, Saito went to the closet to get Louise’s clothes. Louise, however, suddenly stood up.

“W-What are you doing?”

Louise blushed and did not reply. Her hands gripped the sheets and she started hanging them from her bedposts. The sheets acted as a curtain and hid her bed. Watching Saito out of the corner of her eyes, she went to the closet, found her clothes, and returned to bed. Saito could hear the ruffling of clothes as she changed behind the curtain. Depressed, Saito returned to his haystack.

''She doesn’t want to be seen by someone like me. Even if I see you, I won’t do anything strange. I won’t even look anymore. I’m not the hungry wolf you think I am … I’m a mole. Well, you were kissed by a mole, but that was when I got carried away, I made a mistake. I won’t ever do it again, Louise. I’ll watch over you properly. This homely mole will watch over you from this haystack.''

Saito endlessly tortured himself with these thoughts. The curtain was taken down. Wearing a negligee, Louise was bathed in moonlight, her hair flowing smoothly. The brilliant moonlight accentuated her divine beauty. After combing her hair with her hands, she lay down and switched off the lamp on her bedside table with a flick of her wand. It was a magic lamp that would switch off at the signal of its master. It wasn’t exactly special, but it seemed like something expensive. With the moonlight bathing the room, the atmosphere felt ethereal.

Just as Saito was about to fall asleep, Louise sat up and called out, “Hey, Saito.”

“Yes?”

“Always sleeping on the floor is a bit extreme …you can, er, sleep on the bed if you want.”

Saito’s body stiffened, “W-What?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea! I’ll hit you if you do anything strange.”

Saito was overwhelmed. ‘’Ah, Louise you really are kind, aren’t you. It’s like you’ve changed completely. That harsh experience really did change you…You’re even becoming kind to a disgusting mole like me.’’ With every inch closer to the bed, his pulse seemed to double. Louise faced the window, wrapped up in the blanket on the edge of the bed.

“Is it… ok? Even for me? A mole?”

“Yes, it’s ok, don’t make me say the same thing. What do you mean a mole?”

Saito slipped into the bed and covered himself with the blanket.

“Sorry.”

He had to apologize for getting carried away and kissing her. He felt he had to. Saito whispered, “Sorry … for kissing you like that.”

Louise didn’t reply.

Saito thought she was sleeping, but it didn’t sound like it. Saito continued, “I've … decided before then that I would protect you as I had promised Prince Wales.”

“Not only from enemies, but also from my own desires as well. I can’t say I’ve done a good job of protecting you so far, so, I’m sorry.” said Saito, who was now clearly voicing his thoughts.

Louise replied in a small voice, ”It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

Saito grasped the blanket and whispered, “I won’t do it again.”

“Of course.” replied Louise.

She started to talk, as if determined to tell Saito something.

“...but, I too have to apologize. Sorry, for just summoning you.”

“That’s ok. It’s not good, but it’s alright.”

“I’ll find a way for you to return home. I don’t know how, but I will. I've never heard of another world before.”

“Thanks,” Saito felt relieved.

Squirming a bit, Louise asked Saito, “Your world … there aren’t any mages there right?”

“Nope.”

“There’s only one moon?”

“Only one.”

“That’s weird.”

“No it’s not, it’s this world that’s weird, mages and stuff.”

“What were you doing in that world?”

“I was a high school student.”

“High school student?”

“Well it’s not much different from being a student here, I guess. Studying is kind of your job.”

“What do people do when they grow up?”

Louise started to bombard Saito with questions. While wondering why, Saito replied, “Hmm, a company employee perhaps, that’s the most common.”

“What’s a company employee?”

He became slightly irritated, but replied, “You work and you earn money.”

“I don’t really understand … but is that what you want to become?”

Saito remained silent. He hadn’t thought of what he wanted to do in the future. He spent his days doing what he liked. His future was neither bright nor dark. Thinking this state of affairs would last forever, he just absentmindedly attended school. Saito was a bit troubled by his reply, “I dunno. I haven’t really thought about it.”

“Wardes said you were a legendary familiar. Those runes on the back of your hand are apparently the mark of Gandálfr.”

“I don’t really understand, but it seems that Gandálfr is meant to use the sword Derflinger.”

“I wonder if that’s true…”

“Well it has to be, I couldn’t use a sword like Derflinger normally.”

“Then, why can’t I use magic? You’re a legendary familiar, yet I’m Louise the Zero. Ugh.”

“I don’t know.”

Louise remained silent for a while. Then she spoke in a serious tone, “You know, I want to become a great mage. I don’t mean a very powerful mage. I just want to be able to cast spells properly. I don’t want to fail every spell I cast and not even know which branch of magic I’m good at.”

Saito remembered the class they had earlier. As usual, Louise had failed.

“Ever since I was small, I was told I was hopeless. My father and mother didn’t expect anything of me. I was always treated like an idiot, always called Zero … I really don’t have any skill. There isn’t a branch of magic that I’m good at. I’m even clumsy at reciting incantations. I get it. My teachers, mother and sisters have said it. When you recite an incantation for a spell in your branch of magic, something within your body responds and it circulates within your body. When that rhythm is at a climax, it means that the spell is completed. I have never felt that before.”

Louise’s voice became smaller, “But, I want to at least be able to do things like everyone else. Otherwise, I get the feeling I won’t be content with myself.”

Louise became silent once more. Saito did not know what to say to comfort her. Some time passed before Saito began to speak.

“Even if you can’t use magic … you’re normal. Not just normal … you’re cute. And you’ve been so kind recently as well. You have your own qualities. Even if you can’t use magic, you’re a great person…”

Ending his incoherent reply, Saito turned towards Louise. She had already fallen asleep. Her innocent face took his breath away. It seemed she had drifted off while Saito was thinking of his reply. Her pinkish blond hair mixed with the moonlight, shining brightly. Steady breathing could be heard from her small pink lips.

Looking at those lips, he wanted to press his lips against hers once more and, without even realizing it, he started to move his face forward. But, he stopped. ''It's cowardly to kiss a girl who isn't even his lover while she is sleeping. I’m not your lover… but I will protect you. So don’t worry Louise.''

Smiling warmly at Louise, Saito closed his eyes. With Louise’s breathing as a lullaby, Saito fell asleep.

Louise opened her eyes once Saito had fallen asleep. She knit her eyebrows and whispered, “I was even pretending to sleep”. Louise hugged her pillow, and bit her lips. It’s so different, she thought. When he was making a move on her, he did it rashly like an idiot and yet when he’s obedient, he’s totally obedient.

''I don’t understand. I don’t understand what he’s thinking at all.'' Louise rested her hands on her chest. When Saito was next to her, her chest really did throb. So these feelings really are true?

[[Image:ZnT03-077.JPG|thumb]]
She wanted to return the favour to Saito, who had been so kind and had saved her so many times… But that wasn’t the only thing. It was the first time she had felt these feelings for someone of the opposite sex and she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t allow Saito to help her change because of this. Once she recognized these feelings, she became embarrassed at the mere thought of him looking at her skin. She didn't want him to see her face after she had just woken up.

''When did I start having these feelings for Saito? Probably since that time,'' Louise thought. Just when she was about to be killed by Fouquet’s golem, she was hugged by Saito. Her heart throbbed. Despite the fact that she was about to die, her heart beat loudly. There was also the time when Wardes was about to kill her. Saito jumped in and saved her. But the time her heart beat the fastest was when they were riding on the dragon and he had kissed her. After that, she couldn’t look at Saito’s face.

''I wonder what Saito thinks of me? An unpleasant girl? A selfish and mean master? Or perhaps he likes me? Well, he kissed me, so he must like me. Or could it be that he’s the same as Guiche and just likes women? I wonder which one. I want to know. Anyhow, why didn’t he do anything when I was just sleeping beside him,'' Louise thought.

‘’Of course, if he did anything now I’d kick him in the crotch.’’

‘’But…but…’’ Louise tapped Saito’s pillow. He didn’t wake up. She looked around restlessly. Other than the moon, nothing was looking at her. She moved towards Saito’s face. Her pulse started to quicken. She pressed her lips upon his softly, only for about two seconds. It was the kind of kiss that the person wasn’t even aware had taken place.

Saito turned over.

Louise panicked slightly and drew away from his face, sinking into the blanket, hugging her pillow.

''What am I doing? To my familiar as well. I’m such an idiot.''

She looked at Saito’s face. He was kind of cool: coming from another world, being obedient at times, yet carried away at other times for absolutely no reason. ''The legendary familiar … I wonder if I really do like him? Is this what they call love?''

While she repeated her thoughts, she traced her lips with her fingers. The heat was like iron against her lips. ''How can I find the answer to this question?''

"I don’t want to be left not knowing the answer…" whispered Louise as she closed her eyes.

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| [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL|Back to Chapter 1 - MTL]]
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| [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter3 - MTL|Forward to Chapter 3 - MTL]]
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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter2

2025-03-24T01:44:24Z

Nimble Momonga: /* Chapter Two: Louise’s Lovesickness */

===Chapter Two: Louise’s Lovesickness===

The morning after her return from Albion, Louise’s attitude began to change. To put it bluntly, she became nicer. As usual, after waking up, Saito prepared the wash basin for Louise. He poured water into the basin and then washed Louise's face. It was troublesome, but if Saito forgot about the wash basin, severe consequences would follow.

Once, when Saito forgot to prepare the wash basin, he wasn’t allowed to eat. The next morning, he was quite angry, so he caught a frog from the pond behind the Academy of Magic and put it in the wash basin. Louise, who hated frogs, squealed at the sight of the slimy amphibian. She burst into tears when it suddenly appeared in front of her. Saito apologized profusely, but Louise did not forgive him for making her cry.

That time, unsatisfied with merely starving Saito, Louise tried whipping him, and as a result, Saito escaped the room and slept outside.

They would get into fights just like the one with the wash basin, but after going to Albion something changed. Warm feelings towards Saito started to sprout within Louise and vice versa. However, they did not realize each other’s feelings.

In the morning, Saito prepared the wash basin, feeling slightly awkward. Louise sat on her bed with a drowsy look.

With the wash basin placed on the floor, Saito scooped up water with both hands, but Louise didn’t move. Her pinkish blond hair dangled on her face. Seemingly tired, she rubbed her eyes. With an absent minded expression, she said, “Leave it there, I’ll do it myself.”

Saito was shocked. He didn’t think the words “I’ll do it myself” could come from Louise’s mouth.

“Louise?”

Saito waved his hand in front of her face. Louise pouted, facing away. She was blushing. As if she was angry, Louise said, “I’ll do it myself. Leave me alone.”

Louise dipped her hand in the wash basin, scooped up water, shook her head, and washed her face. Water splattered everywhere.

“So, you’re the type that likes to move their face while they wash it, huh?”

Louise was slightly taken aback by Saito's comment. Her face blushed and she became angry. “G-Got a problem with that?”

“No, not at all…”

Saito then took Louise’s clothes from her closet and laid them face down on her bed, while Louise put on her underwear. Saito, holding Louise's uniform, turned around when he thought she was done. The next step was dressing Louise.

When Saito turned around, Louise, wearing only her underwear, started to panic and quickly covered her body with sheets.

“Leave the clothes there,” said Louise, with half her face covered by the sheets.
‘’What happened?’’ thought Saito. ‘’She would normally say something like ‘Quickly dress me...’ with a sleepy face. What's more, she's hiding behind the sheets. Normally, she wouldn’t care about being seen. Why is she so embarrassed?’’

“Leave it there? Um... are you sure?”

Louise popped her head up above the sheets. “I said leave it there, didn’t I?!”

Louise then buried half of her face in the sheets again and glared at Saito.

''Well this is strange,'' thought Saito as he placed the clothes beside Louise as he was told.

“Face that way.”

“Eh?”

“I said face that way.”

It seemed as if she was the type of person who didn’t want to be seen while changing. That's a very normal reaction for adolescent girls; however, Louise had been fine being seen in the past.

Saito turned his back to Louise thinking, ''What the hell happened?''

Well, many things happened in Albion. Her fiancé had betrayed her and Henrietta. Her childhood friend. She had lost her lover. It was a horrible experience for Louise. Perhaps those events had changed her.

Had Louise really changed?

With an expressionless face, Saito remembered the feeling of Louise’s lips. He had kissed a half-asleep Louise softly on the lips while on the dragon. He knew that kissing someone in their sleep is cowardly and something that he ought not to have done, but he couldn’t control himself. He cared a great deal about her.

''Could it be…'', Saito thought. ''That Louise knows about that kiss? She didn’t change because she felt I was dangerous and thought I was going to make a move on her, right?''

Saito stopped his thoughts abruptly and shook his head. If Louise had been awake at that time, she wouldn’t have kept quiet. She'd wake up. Get angry. Abuse. Any sense of harmony would have exploded into bits. Events like the time when I crept into her bed were horrible, weren’t they? A dog. That’s me, a dog. A dog that is led by a chain and goes ‘woof’.

''Ah. I see now.'' Saito finally realized. ''She feels uneasy because I crept into her bed two nights before we left for Albion while she was sleeping. This isn’t about the kiss at all. Ah, that’s why she doesn’t want my help changing anymore.'' '''''

Saito felt somewhat disheartened. In fact, he was deeply regretful. If only he hadn’t done such a thing. ‘’She doesn’t want me making a move on her. Well that’s only natural, but it means she doesn’t like me. That’s also natural I guess…’’

‘’It is only natural… yet saddening.’’

‘’A ray of hope? Nope. None. Louise doesn’t like me. I’m only a familiar. That being said, I’ve only been a dangerous familiar so far. A bad familiar that transforms into a wolf at night. A barrier has already been erected between us.’’

Dark clouds started forming. The hope inside Saito’s heart whispered desperately, “But on the way back home on the dragon, she cuddled with me, right?” The despair within Saito’s heart replied coldly, "That was just my imagination. She sent me flying when Kirche pointed it out, didn’t she?"

‘’… Ah, that’s right. There’s no mistake about it. Louise doesn’t think anything of me.’’

Realizing his own feelings for Louise, misery overwhelmed Saito. Saito had a personality where once excited, he would become extremely excited, but when depressed, he would become excessively depressed.

“What are you whispering about?”

Saito had not realized he was whispering. When he turned around, Louise, who had already finished changing, looked into his face dubiously.

After a mere twenty seconds of thought, he had reached his conclusion. Feeling dispirited, Saito replied in a sickly voice, “Sorry. I won’t talk to myself again.”

“Yes, it’s somewhat revolting.”

Louise, looking dubiously at Saito, walked out. “Come on, let’s go for breakfast.”

“Yeah,” Saito followed after her, depressed.

Even in the Alviss Dining Hall, something surprising occurred.

Saito sat down on the floor as always, but his plate of soup was not there. Saito grew impatient. ''Did I do anything to make Louise angry enough to not feed me? No, I don’t think so.''

Last night, after the five of them returned to the academy, they reported to Osman. Osman, who had already heard from Henrietta, thanked and praised them for their efforts.

Then they had returned to their rooms … and quickly fallen asleep. Saito hadn't done anything to anger Louise. With a miserable look on his face, Saito looked up at Louise, who was sitting on a chair.

Louise started blushing and while turning away she said, “From now on, eat at the table.”

“Eh?” Saito looked blankly at Louise. That was very unexpected of Louise.

“Come on, sit down quickly.”

Dumbfounded, he sat next to Louise. Malicorne, who always sat there and had caught a cold, started to protest, “Hey Louise, that’s my seat. What do you mean you’ll let your familiar sit on it?”

Louise glared at Malicorne. “If you don’t have a seat, then just go get a chair.”

“Don’t play around with me! Letting a commoner familiar sit down while I have to go get a chair? That’s just wrong! Hey familiar, piss off, that’s my seat. This is a dining table for nobles!”

The chubby Malicorne tried to look intimidating, but he was trembling slightly. This was the legendary familiar who supposedly defeated Guiche and caught Fouquet. What's more, it seemed they had accomplished some incredible feat while they were away from the academy the past couple of days. Malicorne was covered in cold sweat when he told Saito off.

Saito, feeling extremely down due to the growing wall between Louise and him, reacted to the pestering voice. He stood up and grabbed Malicorne’s collar.

He didn’t use much force, but whispered in a threatening voice, “Hey fatty, what'd you say?”

Terrified, Malicorne dropped his act and shook his head repeatedly, “A-Ah, nothing, I didn’t mean it!”

“I didn’t mean it, sir.”

“Y-yes, I didn’t mean it, sir!”

“Then go get a chair. Let’s eat happily together.”

Malicorne rushed off to get a chair. With an unconcerned look, Louise was waiting for the prayer time before the meal. ''I wonder what happened. What change of heart is this? Why is she being so nice? Surely there’s a reason. Nope,'' he thought, ''The trip to Albion changed Louise.''

It must be … after seeing people injured and killed, these warm feelings must have started to blossom within her. This reminded Saito of the story about General Tokugawa Tsunayoshi of the Edo period and his command to be compassionate towards animals. The dog shogun took pity on a stray dog, and punished those who bullied it.

So that’s it.

The command to be compassionate towards animals has been set upon Tristain.

The law setter: Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière.

The object: familiars, as well as dogs- myself in other words.

Saito stopped his imagination and looked at Louise warmly.

''You’ve become nicer haven’t you Louise, more like a girl. You’re dazzling like this. Being so nice to someone like me… You’re growing up like a girl.

I’ll watch over you carefully - I won’t make a move on you ever again. Until I return to Earth, I will protect you. Even if you don’t like me, I’m happy that you’re being so nice to me.''

Her radiance mixing in with his sadness and despair, Saito smiled warmly. Louise noticed Saito watching her intently and blushed, “W-Why are you looking at me like that?”

Noticing the vile way he was looking at her, Saito averted his eyes and tightened his hands into fists on his knees. ''Listen carefully, Saito. Nobles aren’t for dogs like you. Compared to Louise, who’s so beautiful and pure, you are just a homely mole. There’s no way a mole can look at such a cute girl in a decent way.''

The thoughts repeated in his mind. Saito’s poignancy quickly consumed him, like a bottomless swamp. Saito obediently whispered, “Sorry for being so repulsive.”

Louise quickly turned the other way.

''Ugh, she must think I’m weird. The master thinks this mole is weird.''

Saito stared at the food on the plate with a dull face. It was a luxurious meal, but the colors of it seemed to fade before his eyes.

The usual prayer proceeded and breakfast began. Saito quietly ate his food. It was delicious, but he was so miserable he could not taste it.

When Louise entered the classroom, she was quickly surrounded by her classmates. There were rumours that she had been on a dangerous journey and had accomplished great feats during her absence.

The truth was that a number of students were watching the spectacle where the leader of the Magic Defence Squad had departed. It wasn’t a quiet scene. They were all eager to know what happened and they would have asked her during breakfast too if it weren’t for the teachers.

Kirche and Tabitha were already seated. They, too, were surrounded by a group of students.

“Hey, when you and Louise were absent from class, where did you all go?” asked Montmorency, grasping her arm.

Glancing at her, Kirche elegantly started redoing her make-up and Tabitha quietly sat while reading her book. Tabitha didn’t talk much. As for Kirche, although she usually was in the mood to talk, today she didn't feel like telling her classmates about their secret journey.

No matter how hard their classmates pushed and pulled, they couldn’t extract anything out of the two, so they switched their target to Guiche and Louise, who had just appeared.

Guiche, who liked being surrounded and fussed over, got carried away as expected. “You want to ask me, right? You want to know the secrets I know? Ahaha, what a troubled little rabbit!”

Louise broke through the crowd of people and smacked Guiche over the head. “What do you think you’re doing?! You’ll be hated by the Princess if you say anything, Guiche.”

With a single reference to Henrietta, Guiche became silent at once. Their classmates grew even more suspicious upon seeing this. They surrounded Louise and started pestering her.

“Louise! Louise! What actually happened?”

“Nothing at all. Osman just sent me to the palace on an errand, that’s all. Right Guiche, Kirche, Tabitha?”

Kirche smiled mysteriously while blowing on her polished nails. Guiche nodded. Tabitha read her book. Since no one was willing to speak, their classmates returned to their seats. Like a group of sore losers, they started to talk about Louise angrily.

“Heh, it’s probably nothing important anyway.”

“Yeah, it’s Louise the Zero we’re talking about here. I can’t imagine what great feat she could possibly accomplish when she can’t even use magic.”

“Catching Fouquet was only a fluke. Her familiar just accidentally drew out the power of the Staff of Destruction,” Montmorency said irritatingly, waving her curly hair.

Louise bit her lip, wearing an annoyed expression on her face whilst keeping silent. Saito was shocked. ''How dare this curly-haired woman insult my Louise? Well, not ‘my’ Louise I guess. A mole like me could never have Louise.'' Oh well. Even if it’s a girl, Saito would do what he had to do.

Just as Montmorency walked off with a satisfied look on her face, Saito casually stuck his foot out. Montmorency didn’t notice and tripped over Saito’s foot.

“Aaah!”

Montmorency, sporting a red nose from falling face-first to the ground, angrily shouted at Saito.

“What are you doing? I’m a noble! How dare a commoner like you trip me!”

Louise said from the side, “It was you who wasn’t paying attention.”

“What? Siding with the commoner now, Louise the Zero?!”

“Saito may be a commoner, but he’s also my familiar, Montmorency the Flood. Insult him and you insult me; it’s the same thing. Have anything to say to that?”

Montmorency left, muttering angrily to herself. To Saito, Louise, who had just stuck up for him, was suddenly dazzling and he found himself staring at her warmly. Louise felt his gaze and turned her face aside, blushing, “W-What are you looking at?”

Saito, yet again realizing his repulsive stare, apologized to Louise. This homely mole has done it again.

“S-Sorry.”

Louise noticed that Saito had been acting strange since morning. He was more reserved than usual. ''What more do you want, I’m being so nice to you.''

Louise was about to say something to Saito about it, but then, Mr. Colbert entered the classroom, so she sat back down. Class started.

“Well, everyone,” Mr. Colbert patted his bald head slightly. Until yesterday, he had been frightened that Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt had broken out of prison. Immediately, the initial conclusion was that there was a traitor in the castle. He thought that it was a serious affair for Tristain.

This morning however, Osman summoned him, telling him that it was “alright already” and he returned to his normal self. Besides, things like politics did not interest him much.

What he did have interest in was knowledge, history and … research. That’s why he liked lessons. He could freely state the results of his research. And so, on a joyful note, he showed the class something strange that he placed on the desk.

“Mr. Colbert, what’s that?” one student asked.

It really was a strange looking machine. It was composed of a long metallic tube with a metallic pipe stretching out of it. A pair of bellows were connected to the pipe and a crank was attached to the head of the cylinder. The crank was connected to a wheel on the side of the cylinder. Finally, gears were attached to the wheel and the box.

Staring at the equipment, the students were all wondering what sort of lesson would follow. Clearing his throat, he began his lecture, “Firstly, who can tell me the main characteristics of the fire branch of magic?”

The class turned to Kirche. If you were talking about the fire branch of magic in Halkeginia, then you would be referencing Germanian nobles. Among them, the Zerbsts were a famous family. As her nickname, Ardent, indicated, she was adept at fire magic.

Even though class had started, Kirche still continued to polish her nails. Without taking her eyes off the nail file, she replied languidly, “Passion and destruction.”

“That’s right!” said Mr. Colbert, himself a triangular fire mage whose nickname was 'Flame Serpent'.

“However, besides passion, only being able to destroy is a bit lonely, I think. It depends on the usage, everyone. Depending on how you use it, you can actually do some really fun things. Fire is not only for destruction, Miss Zerbst. A battlefield is not the only place where you will see it.”

“There’s no use in trying to explain fire magic to Tristain nobles,” Kirche said, filled with confidence. Mr. Colbert was not agitated by her arrogance, but smiled instead.

“But, what’s that strange thing you have there?” Kirche asked with a blank look, pointing at the equipment on the desk.

“Hehe. So you finally asked. This is something I invented. It works using oil and fire magic.” The students gaped, staring at the mechanism intently. The mechanism seemed somewhat familiar to Saito, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Being a curious person, he too remained silent and watched intently.

Mr. Colbert continued, “First, we vaporize the oil in the bellows.” He stepped repeatedly on the bellows with his foot. “And then, the vaporized oil will go into this cylindrical tube.”

With a cautious look, Colbert stuck his wand inside a small hole he had opened. He recited an incantation. The sound of a blazing fire could suddenly be heard, and as the fire ignited the vaporized oil, the sounds changed into that of explosions.

“Watch carefully everyone! Inside the metallic tube, the power from the explosions are moving the piston up and down!”

The crank attached to the top of the cylinder started to move and the wheel along with it. The spinning wheel opened the door on the box. The gears began moving and a snake puppet came out from inside.

“The power is transferred to the crank which spins the wheel! Look! The snake then comes out to greet us! How interesting!”

The students watched it unenthusiastically. The only one interested seemed to be Saito.

“And then? What’s so special about that?”

Mr. Colbert was sad at the fact that the invention he took so much pride in had been totally chastised. Clearing his throat, he began to explain, “In this example, only a snake showed up, but say for instance this mechanism was placed on a carriage. Then, the carriage could move even without horses! It would also work on the side of a boat by turning a water wheel. Then there wouldn’t be any need for sails!”

“You could just use magic in those cases. There’s no need to use such a weird mechanism.”
After one student said that, the others started to nod in agreement.

“Everybody, listen carefully! If it is improved upon, this could run machines even without magic! I relied on my fire magic to ignite it, but say flint was used and a way to ignite it every so often was found…” Colbert was obviously getting excited, talking on and on, while the students were all wondering what was so special about it. The only one who seemed to understand the greatness of his invention seemed to be Saito.

“Mr Colbert, that’s great! That’s an engine!” Saito called up while standing all of a sudden. The whole class turned to him.

“Engine?” Mr. Colbert looked at Saito with a blank look.

“Yes, an engine. It’s used in my world for functions you just mentioned.”

“I can tell you’re a perceptive person. You’re Miss Vallière’s familiar, yes?”

The fact that he was the legendary familiar Gandálfr who had runes on the back of his hand suddenly came back to Mr. Colbert. He had forgotten since Osman had said to leave it to him … but due to his enthusiasm he started to hold an interest in Saito.

“Where were you born?” he asked eagerly.

Louise tugged at Saito’s parka slightly and glared at him. “Don’t say anything unnecessary, we’ll look suspicious.”

Agreeing, Saito sat back down.

“Hmm? Where were you born?” Colbert approached Saito with a bright expression. Louise answered for him.

“Mr Colbert, he’s uh… from Rub' al Khali in the East.

Mr. Colbert was taken aback. “What?! Past the frightening lands of the elves? Wait, he was summoned wasn’t he… so he didn’t have to go through those lands… I see. I hear that the lands the Elves govern in the East have advanced technology. So you were born there… I see,” he nodded in comprehension.

Saito turned to Louise.

“What?”

“Just play along,” said Louise, stepping on his foot.

“A, Ah yes. I’m from um… Rub'.”

Mr. Colbert nodded again and returned to the mechanism. Standing on the platform once more he looked around the classroom.

“Alright then, who would like to try operating the mechanism? It’s very simple! Just open the hole in the cylinder, put your wand in and recite the ‘ignite’ spell repeatedly. The timing is a bit tricky but once you get used to it, it will be easy like this,” Mr. Colbert stepped on the bellows with his foot and operated the mechanism once more. The explosive sounds echoed throughout the classroom while the crank and gears moved, followed by the snake showing its face.

“And the joyful snake greets us!”

No one raised their hand. Mr. Colbert tried to get the students interested in his mechanism by saying “joyful snake”, but it didn’t quite work. Disappointed, Colbert drooped his shoulders.

Montmorency, suddenly pointed at Louise, “Louise, you try it!”

Mr. Colbert’s face lit up, “Miss Vallière! You have an interest in the mechanism?”

“Catching Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt and journeying to dangerous places, surely you won’t have trouble with something like this right?”

Louise realized Montmorency was trying to embarrass her by making her fail.

It seemed Montmorency didn’t like Louise getting all the attention, such as accomplishing great feats and being the star at balls. Her jealousy was deep and the fact that she was a show off suddenly came back to Louise.

Montmorency continued provoking Louise, “Hey, do it Louise. Louise the Zero.”

Something in Louise cracked. She just couldn’t keep quiet when Montmorency called her Zero. Louise silently stood up and approached the platform.

Seeing Louise in this state, Saito glared at Montmorency, “Hey Monmon.”

“It’s Montmorency for God’s sake!”

“Don’t provoke Louise! It’ll end up as an explosion!” said Saito, without thinking.

Louise shifted her eyes at Saito's comment. The front row students hid behind their chairs.

Hearing the comment, Mr. Colbert remembered Louise’s skill and the origin of her nickname. Trying to desperately change her mind, he began to persuade her in a flustered manner.

“Ah, Miss Vallière. Er, you can do it another time, alright?”

“I have been insulted by Montmorency the Flood,” said Louise in a cold voice. Her reddish brown pupils were filled with rage.

“I shall discipline Miss Montmorency. So, er, could you please withdraw your wand? I do not doubt your skill, but magic doesn’t always succeed. I mean, ‘a dragon can also die from fire’, after all.”

Louise looked sharply at Colbert, “Please let me do it. I do not always fail. Occasionally, I succeed.”

“There are times when I, occasionally, succeed,” said Louise, as though the words were meant for herself, her voice trembling. Saito knew there was no stopping Louise now. When Louise was extremely irked, her voice would start to shake.

Mr. Colbert looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

Louise copied Mr. Colbert actions and stepped on the bellows. The vaporized oil was sent to the cylinder. She took a deep breath and stuck her wand inside the cylinder.

“Miss Vallière, uhh …” whispered Mr. Colbert as if he was praying.

With a voice as clear as a bell, she started to recite the spell incantation.

The whole class froze.

As expected, the mechanism exploded. Louise and Mr. Colbert were sent flying towards the black board while the class screamed. The explosion splattered the burning oil throughout the room. The students ran around chaotically, avoiding the flames.

As the chair and table were burning, Louise stood up slowly. It was a pitiful sight. Her clothes were scorched and her clear complexion was covered in soot. Totally ignoring the chaos within the classroom, she grabbed Mr. Colbert’s arm and whispered, “Mr. Colbert. That machine of yours breaks quite easily.”

Mr Colbert didn’t reply, feeling faint headed. The students replied for him, “It’s you who broke it! You Zero! Louise the Zero!”

“Never mind that, there’s a fire! Someone put it out!”

Montmorency stood up and recited a spell. It was the water spell ‘Water Shield’. The barrier of water extinguished the fire and the students applauded Montmorency. Montmorency, as if she had triumphed, said to Louise, “I wonder if that was unnecessary. After all, you’re such a skilled mage and that was such a weak fire.”

Angry, Louise bit her lip.

It was night by the time the classroom was cleaned up. Tidying up the chairs and desks and wiping the floor was a big task. Exhausted, Louise and Saito returned to their room. Saito collapsed on his haystack. Louise sat down on her bed. It was almost time for bed. Out of habit, Saito went to the closet to get Louise’s clothes. Louise, however, suddenly stood up.

“W-What are you doing?”

Louise blushed and did not reply. Her hands gripped the sheets and she started hanging them from her bedposts. The sheets acted as a curtain and hid her bed. Watching Saito out of the corner of her eyes, she went to the closet, found her clothes, and returned to bed. Saito could hear the ruffling of clothes as she changed behind the curtain. Depressed, Saito returned to his haystack.

''She doesn’t want to be seen by someone like me. Even if I see you, I won’t do anything strange. I won’t even look anymore. I’m not the hungry wolf you think I am … I’m a mole. Well, you were kissed by a mole, but that was when I got carried away, I made a mistake. I won’t ever do it again, Louise. I’ll watch over you properly. This homely mole will watch over you from this haystack.''

Saito endlessly tortured himself with these thoughts. The curtain was taken down. Wearing a negligee, Louise was bathed in moonlight, her hair flowing smoothly. The brilliant moonlight accentuated her divine beauty. After combing her hair with her hands, she lay down and switched off the lamp on her bedside table with a flick of her wand. It was a magic lamp that would switch off at the signal of its master. It wasn’t exactly special, but it seemed like something expensive. With the moonlight bathing the room, the atmosphere felt ethereal.

Just as Saito was about to fall asleep, Louise sat up and called out, “Hey, Saito.”

“Yes?”

“Always sleeping on the floor is a bit extreme …you can, er, sleep on the bed if you want.”

Saito’s body stiffened, “W-What?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea! I’ll hit you if you do anything strange.”

Saito was overwhelmed. ‘’Ah, Louise you really are kind, aren’t you. It’s like you’ve changed completely. That harsh experience really did change you…You’re even becoming kind to a disgusting mole like me.’’ With every inch closer to the bed, his pulse seemed to double. Louise faced the window, wrapped up in the blanket on the edge of the bed.

“Is it… ok? Even for me? A mole?”

“Yes, it’s ok, don’t make me say the same thing. What do you mean a mole?”

Saito slipped into the bed and covered himself with the blanket.

“Sorry.”

He had to apologize for getting carried away and kissing her. He felt he had to. Saito whispered, “Sorry … for kissing you like that.”

Louise didn’t reply.

Saito thought she was sleeping, but it didn’t sound like it. Saito continued, “I've … decided before then that I would protect you as I had promised Prince Wales.”

“Not only from enemies, but also from my own desires as well. I can’t say I’ve done a good job of protecting you so far, so, I’m sorry.” said Saito, who was now clearly voicing his thoughts.

Louise replied in a small voice, ”It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

Saito grasped the blanket and whispered, “I won’t do it again.”

“Of course.” replied Louise.

She started to talk, as if determined to tell Saito something.

“...but, I too have to apologize. Sorry, for just summoning you.”

“That’s ok. It’s not good, but it’s alright.”

“I’ll find a way for you to return home. I don’t know how, but I will. I've never heard of another world before.”

“Thanks,” Saito felt relieved.

Squirming a bit, Louise asked Saito, “Your world … there aren’t any mages there right?”

“Nope.”

“There’s only one moon?”

“Only one.”

“That’s weird.”

“No it’s not, it’s this world that’s weird, mages and stuff.”

“What were you doing in that world?”

“I was a high school student.”

“High school student?”

“Well it’s not much different from being a student here, I guess. Studying is kind of your job.”

“What do people do when they grow up?”

Louise started to bombard Saito with questions. While wondering why, Saito replied, “Hmm, a company employee perhaps, that’s the most common.”

“What’s a company employee?”

He became slightly irritated, but replied, “You work and you earn money.”

“I don’t really understand … but is that what you want to become?”

Saito remained silent. He hadn’t thought of what he wanted to do in the future. He spent his days doing what he liked. His future was neither bright nor dark. Thinking this state of affairs would last forever, he just absentmindedly attended school. Saito was a bit troubled by his reply, “I dunno. I haven’t really thought about it.”

“Wardes said you were a legendary familiar. Those runes on the back of your hand are apparently the mark of Gandálfr.”

“I don’t really understand, but it seems that Gandálfr is meant to use the sword Derflinger.”

“I wonder if that’s true…”

“Well it has to be, I couldn’t use a sword like Derflinger normally.”

“Then, why can’t I use magic? You’re a legendary familiar, yet I’m Louise the Zero. Ugh.”

“I don’t know.”

Louise remained silent for a while. Then she spoke in a serious tone, “You know, I want to become a great mage. I don’t mean a very powerful mage. I just want to be able to cast spells properly. I don’t want to fail every spell I cast and not even know which branch of magic I’m good at.”

Saito remembered the class they had earlier. As usual, Louise had failed.

“Ever since I was small, I was told I was hopeless. My father and mother didn’t expect anything of me. I was always treated like an idiot, always called Zero … I really don’t have any skill. There isn’t a branch of magic that I’m good at. I’m even clumsy at reciting incantations. I get it. My teachers, mother and sisters have said it. When you recite an incantation for a spell in your branch of magic, something within your body responds and it circulates within your body. When that rhythm is at a climax, it means that the spell is completed. I have never felt that before.”

Louise’s voice became smaller, “But, I want to at least be able to do things like everyone else. Otherwise, I get the feeling I won’t be content with myself.”

Louise became silent once more. Saito did not know what to say to comfort her. Some time passed before Saito began to speak.

“Even if you can’t use magic … you’re normal. Not just normal … you’re cute. And you’ve been so kind recently as well. You have your own qualities. Even if you can’t use magic, you’re a great person…”

Ending his incoherent reply, Saito turned towards Louise. She had already fallen asleep. Her innocent face took his breath away. It seemed she had drifted off while Saito was thinking of his reply. Her pinkish blond hair mixed with the moonlight, shining brightly. Steady breathing could be heard from her small pink lips.

Looking at those lips, he wanted to press his lips against hers once more and, without even realizing it, he started to move his face forward. But, he stopped. ''It's cowardly to kiss a girl who isn't even his lover while she is sleeping. I’m not your lover… but I will protect you. So don’t worry Louise.''

Smiling warmly at Louise, Saito closed his eyes. With Louise’s breathing as a lullaby, Saito fell asleep.

Louise opened her eyes once Saito had fallen asleep. She knit her eyebrows and whispered, “I was even pretending to sleep”. Louise hugged her pillow, and bit her lips. It’s so different, she thought. When he was making a move on her, he did it rashly like an idiot and yet when he’s obedient, he’s totally obedient.

''I don’t understand. I don’t understand what he’s thinking at all.'' Louise rested her hands on her chest. When Saito was next to her, her chest really did throb. So these feelings really are true?

[[Image:ZnT03-077.JPG|thumb]]
She wanted to return the favour to Saito, who had been so kind and had saved her so many times… But that wasn’t the only thing. It was the first time she had felt these feelings for someone of the opposite sex and she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t allow Saito to help her change because of this. Once she recognized these feelings, she became embarrassed at the mere thought of him looking at her skin. She didn't want him to see her face after she had just woken up.

''When did I start having these feelings for Saito? Probably since that time,'' Louise thought. Just when she was about to be killed by Fouquet’s golem, she was hugged by Saito. Her heart throbbed. Despite the fact that she was about to die, her heart beat loudly. There was also the time when Wardes was about to kill her. Saito jumped in and saved her. But the time her heart beat the fastest was when they were riding on the dragon and he had kissed her. After that, she couldn’t look at Saito’s face.

''I wonder what Saito thinks of me? An unpleasant girl? A selfish and mean master? Or perhaps he likes me? Well, he kissed me, so he must like me. Or could it be that he’s the same as Guiche and just likes women? I wonder which one. I want to know. Anyhow, why didn’t he do anything when I was just sleeping beside him,'' Louise thought.

‘’Of course, if he did anything now I’d kick him in the crotch.’’

‘’But…but…’’ Louise tapped Saito’s pillow. He didn’t wake up. She looked around restlessly. Other than the moon, nothing was looking at her. She moved towards Saito’s face. Her pulse started to quicken. She pressed her lips upon his softly, only for about two seconds. It was the kind of kiss that the person wasn’t even aware had taken place.

Saito turned over.

Louise panicked slightly and drew away from his face, sinking into the blanket, hugging her pillow.

''What am I doing? To my familiar as well. I’m such an idiot.''

She looked at Saito’s face. He was kind of cool: coming from another world, being obedient at times, yet carried away at other times for absolutely no reason. ''The legendary familiar … I wonder if I really do like him? Is this what they call love?''

While she repeated her thoughts, she traced her lips with her fingers. The heat was like iron against her lips. ''How can I find the answer to this question?''

"I don’t want to be left not knowing the answer…" whispered Louise as she closed her eyes.

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| [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL|Back to Chapter 1 - MTL]]
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| [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter3 - MTL|Forward to Chapter 3 - MTL]]
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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter2

2025-03-24T01:43:46Z

Nimble Momonga: /* Chapter Two: Louise’s Lovesickness */

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL

2025-03-24T01:27:48Z

Nimble Momonga: /* Chapter One: Lineage of Zero */

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

Tristain's Royal Palace was situated at the end of Bourdonne Street. In front of the Palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled the area from atop their magical steeds. Rumors that war was looming had begun to spread throughout the town a few days ago. It was said that “Reconquista,” the aristocrat faction which had conquered Albion, was poised to invade Tristain.

Accordingly, the soldiers guarding the surrounding area had grown tense. In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike had been banned from flying; people passing through the gates were thoroughly checked. Even tailors, confectioners, and traders were stopped and examined. All to prevent mages disguised with illusion magic, or people controlled by charms from getting through.

Due to these circumstances, the garrison of Mage Guards was alarmed when a wind dragon appeared in the sky above the Royal Palace.

The Mage Guards was composed of three corps. Each guarded the Royal Palace, but only one at a time; while one was on duty, the other two either rested or trained. Today, the Manticore Corps was on duty. Riding their manticores, the nobles flew up towards the wind dragon above the Palace. Astride the dragon's back were five figures; between its teeth was a huge mole.

The Mage Guards warned the figures that this was a prohibited flight zone. Yet the wind dragon ignored the warning, and landed in the palace courtyards.

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

The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the dragon, drew their rapier-shaped wands, and assumed a stance with spells at the ready. Their Commander, a powerfully-built man with a rough mustache, bellowed at the suspicious intruders:

“Drop your wands!”

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

“Royal Palace.”

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

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

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

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

The Commander twirled his mustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Vallière Duchy; after all, they were a very renowned noble family.

The Commander lowered his wand.

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

“Indeed.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overhearing their conversation, the Commander’s eyes widened.

''Wardes? Wardes, as in Viscount Wardes, commander of the Griffin Corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this?''　

Shaking away his concern, the Commander once again raised his magic wand.

“Who the hell are you people?” The Commander spoke in a stern tone. “Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.”

The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise glared at Saito.

“W-what?”

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

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

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

As he watched the strange scene unfold before him, the Commander seized the opportunity to take control of the situation. The Mage Guards surrounding the party quickly raised their wands.

“Arrest them!”

With that order, the guardsmen were about to begin their incantations when suddenly…

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

“Louise!”

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

“Princess!”

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

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

“Princess…”

Louise’s eyes began watering with tears.

“The letter… it is safe.”

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

“You really are my best friend.”

“Your words are too kind, Princess.”

However, upon noticing Wales' absence from the party, Henrietta’s expression grew somber.

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

Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.

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

Louise's face turned grim. Speaking with difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta:

“Wardes was a traitor, Princess.”

“Traitor?”

A shadow crept over Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the stares of the Mage Guards around them, she declared,

“These are my guests, Commander.”

“I see.”

Hearing this, the Commander (somewhat unwillingly) withdrew his wand, and told his troops to do the same.

Henrietta turned back to Louise.

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

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

Louise described the entire journey to Henrietta.

How Kirche and the others joined them en route.

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

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

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

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

How Wardes suddenly showed his true colors in the middle of the wedding… killed Prince Wales… and snatched the letter from Louise’s hands, which was swiftly regained.

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

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

“The Viscount was a traitor… How could that be? To have had a traitor in the midst of the Mage Guard…”

Gazing at the letter she herself had written to Wales, Henrietta's tears built up, then streamed down her cheeks.

“Princess…”

Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands.

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

Saito shook his head.

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

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

Louise nodded.

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

“Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.”

Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head.

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

Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow.

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

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

Henrietta, in a daze, muttered softly,

“Was honor more important than I?”

But Saito had come to a different conclusion. Wales remained, not to protect his honor, but rather so as not to burden Henrietta… and to show the traitors that Halkeginia's royal families were certainly not to be trifled with.

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

Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly.

“To not give me any trouble?”

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

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

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

Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window.

Saito slowly repeated the words which he had remembered;

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

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

Henrietta rested her elbows beside a beautifully engraved marble statue on the table, then sadly questioned,

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

Saito was struck silent. He had nothing to say. He lowered his head, and awkwardly nudged the couch with his shoe.

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

Henrietta stood up and clasped Louise's hand.

“It’s all right, Louise. You were splendid. You retrieved the letter and accomplished your mission. You must not worry about this; after all, I didn’t ask you to tell him to escape.”

Henrietta smiled and laughed,

“With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage now removed, our country will be able to step safely into an alliance with Germania. In this situation, Albion will be unable to easily invade. The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.”

Henrietta spoke as cheerfully as possible.

Louise removed from her pocket the Water Ruby which Henrietta had given her.

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

Henrietta shook her head.

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

“I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.”

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

Louise nodded, and put it on her finger.

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

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

Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment.

“Isn’t this the Wind Ruby? Did you get it from Prince Wales?”

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

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

In truth, Wales had already been dead when Saito had pulled it off his finger… but Saito had said the lie anyways. He had said it like that, hoping that it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, even if only a little.

Henrietta placed the Wind Ruby on her finger. Because it was for Wales, the ring was too large for Henrietta’s fingers… But as Henrietta murmured a ‘decreasing’ spell, it became narrower and narrower, until it soon fit her finger snugly.

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

“Thank you, kind familiar.”

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

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

Saito nodded.

“Yes. It was so.”

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

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

On the flight from the Royal Palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent. No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito about the contents of Wales' letter, their lips were sealed.

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

Kirche glanced at Saito feverishly.

“But darling fought him, right?”

Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded.

“Y-yes. But he escaped…"

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

Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent. Neither spoke.

Kirche scrunched up her brows and turned to Guiche.

“Hey, Guiche!”

“What?”

An artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche (who had been spacing out) turned around.

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

Guiche closed his eyes, saying:

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

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

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

Because of all of Kirche's shaking, the wind dragon lost its balance and suddenly slowed down. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and slipped off.

“Gyaaaaaa!”

He screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way down, he pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation,” floated down slowly, only narrowly avoiding death.

Louise had lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Louise blushed.

''This morning, when fleeing Albion, Saito kissed me. I was pretending to be asleep at the time.''

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

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

Loving a person who was not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people” …Since Louise had grown up with that belief, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings were true or not was not a matter of importance right then.

Feeling Saito's hand move around her waist, Louise ended up shouting in an angry voice:

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You are being too daring. Hmph.”

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

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

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

“Since when did you two become like this?”

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

“Nothing happened! You idiot!”

Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha (still reading a book) swung her hand listlessly, placing a 'Levitation' spell on Saito.

Saito landed gently, and saw that Guiche, having fallen before, was walking along the road through the grassy plain with a bitter face.

Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner.

“You fell too, right?”

Saito answered in a tired voice.

“I was pushed off.”

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

Saito looked up; in the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon.

“…It doesn't look like it.”

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

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

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

Guiche mumbled to Saito and fiddled with his artificial rose.

“Huh?”

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

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

“Let’s go.”

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

“Well, is the rumor true?”

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

“Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I…”

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

Once known as a great stronghold, the Fortress of Newcastle was now a tragic ruin. Having withstood the Rebel onslaught, it had become a disastrous scene.

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

Although the siege had been short, the revolutionaries - no, since Albion had lost its king, 'Reconquista' was the new government in Albion - had suffered unimaginable damage. To vanquish the three hundred Royalist soldiers, two thousand rebels had been killed. Additionally, four thousand had been wounded. With such lopsided figures, it was hard to call the battle a victory.

Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was only possible to attack it from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces could manage to pass the guards, they were repeatedly blasted with magic and cannon fire; the casualties received were enormous.

However, in the end, they won through sheer force of numbers. Once the rebels were behind the castle walls, the King's defense proved fragile; only his Army Mages were left to guard against the invading soldiers. But the mages' numbers were incomparable to the 'Reconquista' forces; they were gradually killed off, one by one, until all had fallen.

Though the enemy losses were great… the cost was the annihilation of the King's army. Literally annihilation, because the royalists had fought to the last soldier.

In other words, that final, decisive battle of Albion's civil war: the siege of Newcastle’s fortress, where the royalists were outnumbered 100 to 1, but inflicted damage worthy of ten such armies… had become a legend.

Two days after the civil war had ended: under the blazing sun, between the corpses and debris; a tall aristocrat inspected the old battlefield in Albion. His hat he wore at a rakish angle, and he was dressed in unusual attire: the uniform of Tristain’s Royal Mage Guard.　

It was Wardes.

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

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

Around them, 'Reconquista' soldiers were diligently scouring for plunder. A loud cheer came from the nearby treasury: it seemed a band had found some gold coins. A mercenary holding a pike over his shoulder was turning over the corpses; every time he found a magic wand, he cried out in joy. He then pushed the bodies into a pile near some rubbish, as a decoration for the garden.

Fouquet watched the scene disapprovingly, and clicked her tongue in disgust.

Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes gave a cold laugh.

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

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

“A thief with a thief’s ethics.”

Wardes laughed.

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

From the corner of her eye, Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guard.

“All right, all right, don’t be mad.”

“I guess all of Albion’s royal nobles are your enemy. Even though your name was of royal lineage, didn't you disgrace your own family?”

Hearing Wardes' exaggerated words, Fouquet regained her composure, then said coldly, with a nod,

“Oh well. Accidents happen.”

Wardes turned, revealing his left arm; the lower part had been severed off. The uniform’s sleeve fluttered loosely in the wind.

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

Wardes replied in a monotone:

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

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

“I just got careless because he is a commoner.”

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

When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly.

“He is Gandálfr after all. The corps that attacked the castle didn’t report fighting against such a person. Perhaps, during our fight, he expended all his energy, and was mistaken for a commoner. If so, the soldier who killed Gandálfr probably didn’t even notice that he was the legendary familiar.”

Fouquet, unconvinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily?

“And where is that letter?”

“Somewhere around here.”

Wardes pointed to the ground with his cane. Two days ago, this ground had been the chapel where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding; this place was where Wales lost his life.

Now, though, it was just a pile of rubble.

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

“Correct.”

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

“Loved, loved not, I’ve already cast aside such sentiments.” dismissed Wardes his voice neutral.

He drew his cane and chanted a spell; a small tornado appeared and scattered the rubble.

Gradually, the floor of the chapel was unveiled.

Between a portrait of Founder Brimir and a chair lay the corpse of Prince Wales. Surprisingly, it looked unharmed.

“Look, isn’t it the dear Prince Wales?” Fouquet said, surprised. As a former member of Albion’s nobility, she remembered Wales' face.

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

However… they were nowhere to be found.

“Are we certain they died here?”

Muttering, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully.

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

Fouquet reached for the painting on the floor.

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

Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, had discovered a wide, gaping hole underneath; she called out,

“Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?”

Wardes, eyebrows raised, squatted down and peered into the hole. He realized that it must have been dug by Guiche’s familiar, that huge mole. Emanating from the hole, Wardes could feel a cold draft on his cheeks.

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

“Should we pursue them?”

“That would be useless,” Wardes replied exasperatedly. “If there’s wind, it must mean it was dug clean through.”

Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned.

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

Hearing this, Wardes stood up.

In the distance, a person had appeared while they were talking. It was a man in his mid-thirties. He wore a a green mantle, and a round hat; his curly blond hair peeked out from its edges. From first sight, one could tell that he was a clergyman; however, with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes, he also slightly resembled a soldier. His voice rang out to them, cheerful and limpid:

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

Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man:

“Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake.” Wardes kneeled down and bowed his head. “I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, mete out whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fouquet watched the stranger; right before her eyes, Wardes had bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn’t like him. A strange atmosphere surrounded him; a sinister aura radiated from the gaps of his robe.

Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man.

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

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

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

“Did Wardes tell you that name?”

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

The man opened his eyes wide, and placed his hand over his chest…

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

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

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

“Emperor, Viscount.”

Cromwell laughed. His eyes, however, did not.

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

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

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

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

Wardes bowed deeply.

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

Fouquet's eyebrow rose.

''Power? What kind of power are they talking about?''

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

Caught up in his own theatrics, Cromwell continued in a slurred tone,

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

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

“In addition to the four great elements, there is another magic; the element that Founder Brimir wielded, the element of Zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.”

“Element of Zero… Void?”

Fouquet paled. The lost element. The magic of nothingness that, as dark legends said, vanished. Did this man know something about the element of Zero?

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

Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse.

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

Wardes shook his head.

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

Cromwell laughed with a smile.

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

Fouquet breathlessly watched Cromwell’s movements.

Cromwell pulled out a cane attached to his waist.

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

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

Then… all of a sudden, the lifeless body opened its eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet’s spine.

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

“Good morning, Crown Prince.”

Cromwell muttered.

The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile.

“It has been a long time, Archbishop.”

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

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

Wales kneeled, taking the posture of a vassal.

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

“With pleasure.”

“Then, let’s be friends.”

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

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

Wardes bowed.

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

“As you wish.”

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

After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left.

　

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

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

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

Her voice shaky, Fouquet asked Wardes,

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

Wardes laughed.

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

After that, Wardes looked up at the sky.

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

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

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

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

“It was surprising, that’s all.”

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

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

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

The alliance was formalized in Germania’s capital Vindobon, where the letter of agreement was signed by Tristain's prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin.

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

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

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

Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception.

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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL

2025-03-24T01:01:02Z

Nimble Momonga: /* Chapter One: Lineage of Zero */

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

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

Tristain's Royal Palace was situated at the end of Bourdonne Street. In front of the Palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled the area from atop their magical steeds. Rumors that war was looming had begun to spread throughout the town a few days ago. It was said that “Reconquista,” the aristocrat faction which had conquered Albion, was poised to invade Tristain.

Accordingly, the soldiers guarding the surrounding area had grown tense. In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike had been banned from flying; people passing through the gates were thoroughly checked. Even tailors, confectioners, and traders were stopped and examined. All to prevent mages disguised with illusion magic, or people controlled by charms from getting through.

Due to these circumstances, the garrison of Mage Guards was alarmed when a wind dragon appeared in the sky above the Royal Palace.

The Mage Guards was composed of three corps. Each guarded the Royal Palace, but only one at a time; while one was on duty, the other two either rested or trained. Today, the Manticore Corps was on duty. Riding their manticores, the nobles flew up towards the wind dragon above the Palace. Astride the dragon's back were five figures; between its teeth was a huge mole.

The Mage Guards warned the figures that this was a prohibited flight zone. Yet the wind dragon ignored the warning, and landed in the palace courtyards.

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

The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the dragon, drew their rapier-shaped wands, and assumed a stance with spells at the ready. Their Commander, a powerfully-built man with a rough mustache, bellowed at the suspicious intruders:

“Drop your wands!”

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

“Royal Palace.”

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

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

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

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

The Commander twirled his mustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Vallière Duchy; after all, they were a very renowned noble family.

The Commander lowered his wand.

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

“Indeed.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overhearing their conversation, the Commander’s eyes widened.

''Wardes? Wardes, as in Viscount Wardes, commander of the Griffin Corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this?''　

Shaking away his concern, the Commander once again raised his magic wand.

“Who the hell are you people?” The Commander spoke in a stern tone. “Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.”

The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise glared at Saito.

“W-what?”

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

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

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

As he watched the strange scene unfold before him, the Commander seized the opportunity to take control of the situation. The Mage Guards surrounding the party quickly raised their wands.

“Arrest them!”

With that order, the guardsmen were about to begin their incantations when suddenly…

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

“Louise!”

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

“Princess!”

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

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

“Princess…”

Louise’s eyes began watering with tears.

“The letter… it is safe.”

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

“You really are my best friend.”

“Your words are too kind, Princess.”

However, upon noticing Wales' absence from the party, Henrietta’s expression grew somber.

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

Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.

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

Louise's face turned grim. Speaking with difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta:

“Wardes was a traitor, Princess.”

“Traitor?”

A shadow crept over Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the stares of the Mage Guards around them, she declared,

“These are my guests, Commander.”

“I see.”

Hearing this, the Commander (somewhat unwillingly) withdrew his wand, and told his troops to do the same.

Henrietta turned back to Louise.

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

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

Louise described the entire journey to Henrietta.

How Kirche and the others joined them en route.

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

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

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

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

How Wardes suddenly showed his true colors in the middle of the wedding… killed Prince Wales… and snatched the letter from Louise’s hands, which was swiftly regained.

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

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

“The Viscount was a traitor… How could that be? To have had a traitor in the midst of the Mage Guard…”

Gazing at the letter she herself had written to Wales, Henrietta's tears built up, then streamed down her cheeks.

“Princess…”

Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands.

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

Saito shook his head.

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

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

Louise nodded.

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

“Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.”

Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head.

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

Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow.

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

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

Henrietta, in a daze, muttered softly,

“Was honor more important than I?”

But Saito had come to a different conclusion. Wales remained, not to protect his honor, but rather so as not to burden Henrietta… and to show the traitors that Halkeginia's royal families were certainly not to be trifled with.

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

Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly.

“To not give me any trouble?”

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

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

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

Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window.

Saito slowly repeated the words which he had remembered;

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

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

Henrietta rested her elbows beside a beautifully engraved marble statue on the table, then sadly questioned,

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

Saito was struck silent. He had nothing to say. He lowered his head, and awkwardly nudged the couch with his shoe.

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

Henrietta stood up and clasped Louise's hand.

“It’s all right, Louise. You were splendid. You retrieved the letter and accomplished your mission. You must not worry about this; after all, I didn’t ask you to tell him to escape.”

Henrietta smiled and laughed,

“With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage now removed, our country will be able to step safely into an alliance with Germania. In this situation, Albion will be unable to easily invade. The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.”

Henrietta spoke as cheerfully as possible.

Louise removed from her pocket the Water Ruby which Henrietta had given her.

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

Henrietta shook her head.

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

“I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.”

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

Louise nodded, and put it on her finger.

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

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

Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment.

“Isn’t this the Wind Ruby? Did you get it from Prince Wales?”

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

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

In truth, Wales had already been dead when Saito had pulled it off his finger… but Saito had said the lie anyways. He had said it like that, hoping that it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, even if only a little.

Henrietta placed the Wind Ruby on her finger. Because it was for Wales, the ring was too large for Henrietta’s fingers… But as Henrietta murmured a ‘decreasing’ spell, it became narrower and narrower, until it soon fit her finger snugly.

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

“Thank you, kind familiar.”

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

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

Saito nodded.

“Yes. It was so.”

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

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

On the flight from the Royal Palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent. No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito about the contents of Wales' letter, their lips were sealed.

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

Kirche glanced at Saito feverishly.

“But darling fought him, right?”

Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded.

“Y-yes. But he escaped…"

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

Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent. Neither spoke.

Kirche scrunched up her brows and turned to Guiche.

“Hey, Guiche!”

“What?”

An artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche (who had been spacing out) turned around.

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

Guiche closed his eyes, saying:

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

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

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

Because of all of Kirche's shaking, the wind dragon lost its balance and suddenly slowed down. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and slipped off.

“Gyaaaaaa!”

He screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way down, he pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation,” floated down slowly, only narrowly avoiding death.

Louise had lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Louise blushed.

''This morning, when fleeing Albion, Saito kissed me. I was pretending to be asleep at the time.''

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

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

Loving a person who was not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people” …Since Louise had grown up with that belief, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings were true or not was not a matter of importance right then.

Feeling Saito's hand move around her waist, Louise ended up shouting in an angry voice:

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You are being too daring. Hmph.”

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

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

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

“Since when did you two become like this?”

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

“Nothing happened! You idiot!”

Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha (still reading a book) swung her hand listlessly, placing a 'Levitation' spell on Saito.

Saito landed gently, and saw that Guiche, having fallen before, was walking along the road through the grassy plain with a bitter face.

Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner.

“You fell too, right?”

Saito answered in a tired voice.

“I was pushed off.”

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

Saito looked up; in the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon.

“…It doesn't look like it.”

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

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

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

Guiche mumbled to Saito and fiddled with his artificial rose.

“Huh?”

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

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

“Let’s go.”

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

“Well, is the rumor true?”

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

“Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I…”

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

Once known as a great stronghold, the Fortress of Newcastle was now a tragic ruin. Having withstood the Rebel onslaught, it had become a disastrous scene.

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

Although the siege had been short, the revolutionaries - no, since Albion had lost its king, 'Reconquista' was the new government in Albion - had suffered unimaginable damage. To vanquish the three hundred Royalist soldiers, two thousand rebels had been killed. Additionally, four thousand had been wounded. With such lopsided figures, it was hard to call the battle a victory.

Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was only possible to attack it from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces could manage to pass the guards, they were repeatedly blasted with magic and cannon fire; the casualties received were enormous.

However, in the end, they won through sheer force of numbers. Once the rebels were behind the castle walls, the King's defense proved fragile; only his Army Mages were left to guard against the invading soldiers. But the mages' numbers were incomparable to the 'Reconquista' forces; they were gradually killed off, one by one, until all had fallen.

Though the enemy losses were great… the cost was the annihilation of the King's army. Literally annihilation, because the royalists had fought to the last soldier.

In other words, that final, decisive battle of Albion's civil war: the siege of Newcastle’s fortress, where the royalists were outnumbered 100 to 1, but inflicted damage worthy of ten such armies… had become a legend.

Two days after the civil war had ended: under the blazing sun, between the corpses and debris; a tall aristocrat inspected the old battlefield in Albion. His hat he wore at a rakish angle, and he was dressed in unusual attire: the uniform of Tristain’s Royal Mage Guard.　

It was Wardes.

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

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

Around them, 'Reconquista' soldiers were diligently scouring for plunder. A loud cheer came from the nearby treasury: it seemed a band had found some gold coins. A mercenary holding a pike over his shoulder was turning over the corpses; every time he found a magic wand, he cried out in joy. He then pushed the bodies into a pile near some rubbish, as a decoration for the garden.

Fouquet watched the scene disapprovingly, and clicked her tongue in disgust.

Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes gave a cold laugh.

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

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

“A thief with a thief’s ethics.”

Wardes laughed.

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

From the corner of her eye, Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guard.

“All right, all right, don’t be mad.”

“I guess all of Albion’s royal nobles are your enemy. Even though your name was of royal lineage, didn't you disgrace your own family?”

Hearing Wardes' exaggerated words, Fouquet regained her composure, then said coldly, with a nod,

“Oh well. Accidents happen.”

Wardes turned, revealing his left arm; the lower part had been severed off. The uniform’s sleeve fluttered loosely in the wind.

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

Wardes replied in a monotone:

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

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

“I just got careless because he is a commoner.”

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

When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly.

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

Fouquet, unconvinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily?

“And where is that letter?”

“Somewhere around here.”

Wardes pointed to the ground with his cane. Two days ago, this ground had been the chapel where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding; this place was where Wales lost his life.

Now, though, it was just a pile of rubble.

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

“Correct.”

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

“Loved, loved not, I’ve already cast aside such sentiments.” dismissed Wardes his voice neutral.

He drew his cane and chanted a spell; a small tornado appeared and scattered the rubble.

Gradually, the floor of the chapel was unveiled.

Between a portrait of Founder Brimir and a chair lay the corpse of Prince Wales. Surprisingly, it looked unharmed.

“Look, isn’t it the dear Prince Wales?” Fouquet said, surprised. As a former member of Albion’s nobility, she remembered Wales' face.

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

However… they were nowhere to be found.

“Are we certain they died here?”

Muttering, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully.

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

Fouquet reached for the painting on the floor.

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

Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, had discovered a wide, gaping hole underneath; she called out,

“Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?”

Wardes, eyebrows raised, squatted down and peered into the hole. He realized that it must have been dug by Guiche’s familiar, that huge mole. Emanating from the hole, Wardes could feel a cold draft on his cheeks.

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

“Should we pursue them?”

“That would be useless,” Wardes replied exasperatedly. “If there’s wind, it must mean it was dug clean through.”

Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned.

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

Hearing this, Wardes stood up.

In the distance, a person had appeared while they were talking. It was a man in his mid-thirties. He wore a a green mantle, and a round hat; his curly blond hair peeked out from its edges. From first sight, one could tell that he was a clergyman; however, with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes, he also slightly resembled a soldier. His voice rang out to them, cheerful and limpid:

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

Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man:

“Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake.” Wardes kneeled down and bowed his head. “I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, mete out whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fouquet watched the stranger; right before her eyes, Wardes had bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn’t like him. A strange atmosphere surrounded him; a sinister aura radiated from the gaps of his robe.

Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man.

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

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

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

“Did Wardes tell you that name?”

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

The man opened his eyes wide, and placed his hand over his chest…

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

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

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

“Emperor, Viscount.”

Cromwell laughed. His eyes, however, did not.

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

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

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

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

Wardes bowed deeply.

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

Fouquet's eyebrow rose.

''Power? What kind of power are they talking about?''

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

Caught up in his own theatrics, Cromwell continued in a slurred tone,

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

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

“In addition to the four great elements, there is another magic; the element that Founder Brimir wielded, the element of Zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.”

“Element of Zero… Void?”

Fouquet paled. The lost element. The magic of nothingness that, as dark legends said, vanished. Did this man know something about the element of Zero?

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

Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse.

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

Wardes shook his head.

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

Cromwell laughed with a smile.

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

Fouquet breathlessly watched Cromwell’s movements.

Cromwell pulled out a cane attached to his waist.

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

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

Then… all of a sudden, the lifeless body opened its eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet’s spine.

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

“Good morning, Crown Prince.”

Cromwell muttered.

The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile.

“It has been a long time, Archbishop.”

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

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

Wales kneeled, taking the posture of a vassal.

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

“With pleasure.”

“Then, let’s be friends.”

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

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

Wardes bowed.

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

“As you wish.”

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

After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left.

　

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

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

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

Her voice shaky, Fouquet asked Wardes,

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

Wardes laughed.

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

After that, Wardes looked up at the sky.

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

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

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

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

“It was surprising, that’s all.”

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

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

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

The alliance was formalized in Germania’s capital Vindobon, where the letter of agreement was signed by Tristain's prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin.

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

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

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

Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception.

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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL

2025-03-23T19:36:25Z

Nimble Momonga:

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

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

Tristain's Royal Palace was situated at the end of Bourdonne Street. In front of the Palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled the area from atop their magical steeds. Rumors that war was looming had begun to spread throughout the town a few days ago. It was said that “Reconquista,” the aristocrat faction which had conquered Albion, was poised to invade Tristain.

Accordingly, the soldiers guarding the surrounding area had grown tense. In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike had been banned from flying; people passing through the gates were thoroughly checked. Even tailors, confectioners, and traders were stopped and examined. All to prevent mages disguised with illusion magic, or people controlled by charms from getting through.

Due to these circumstances, the garrison of Mage Guards was alarmed when a wind dragon appeared in the sky above the Royal Palace.

The Mage Guards was composed of three corps. Each guarded the Royal Palace, but only one at a time; while one was on duty, the other two either rested or trained. Today, the Manticore Corps was on duty. Riding their manticores, the nobles flew up towards the wind dragon above the Palace. Astride the dragon's back were five figures; between its teeth was a huge mole.

The Mage Guards warned the figures that this was a prohibited flight zone. Yet the wind dragon ignored the warning, and landed in the palace courtyards.

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

The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the dragon, drew their rapier-shaped wands, and assumed a stance with spells at the ready. Their Commander, a powerfully-built man with a rough mustache, bellowed at the suspicious intruders:

“Drop your wands!”

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

“Royal Palace.”

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

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

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

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

The Commander twirled his mustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Vallière Duchy; after all, they were a very renowned noble family.

The Commander lowered his wand.

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

“Indeed.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overhearing their conversation, the Commander’s eyes widened.

''Wardes? Wardes, as in Viscount Wardes, commander of the Griffin Corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this?''　

Shaking away his concern, the Commander once again raised his magic wand.

“Who the hell are you people?” The Commander spoke in a stern tone. “Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.”

The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise glared at Saito.

“W-what?”

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

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

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

As he watched the strange scene unfold before him, the Commander seized the opportunity to take control of the situation. The Mage Guards surrounding the party quickly raised their wands.

“Arrest them!”

With that order, the guardsmen were about to begin their incantations when suddenly…

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

“Louise!”

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

“Princess!”

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

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

“Princess…”

Louise’s eyes began watering with tears.

“The letter… it is safe.”

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

“You really are my best friend.”

“Your words are too kind, Princess.”

However, upon noticing Wales' absence from the party, Henrietta’s expression grew somber.

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

Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.

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

Louise's face turned grim. Speaking with difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta:

“Wardes was a traitor, Princess.”

“Traitor?”

A shadow crept over Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the stares of the Mage Guards around them, she declared,

“These are my guests, Commander.”

“I see.”

Hearing this, the Commander (somewhat unwillingly) withdrew his wand, and told his troops to do the same.

Henrietta turned back to Louise.

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

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

Louise described the entire journey to Henrietta.

How Kirche and the others joined them en route.

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

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

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

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

How Wardes suddenly showed his true colors in the middle of the wedding… killed Prince Wales… and snatched the letter from Louise’s hands, which was swiftly regained.

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

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

“The Viscount was a traitor… How could that be? To have had a traitor in the midst of the Mage Guard…”

Gazing at the letter she herself had written to Wales, Henrietta's tears built up, then streamed down her cheeks.

“Princess…”

Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands.

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

Saito shook his head.

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

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

Louise nodded.

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

“Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.”

Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head.

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

Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow.

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

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

Henrietta, in a daze, muttered softly,

“Was honor more important than I?”

But Saito had come to a different conclusion. Wales remained, not to protect his honor, but rather so as not to burden Henrietta… and to show the traitors that Halkeginia's royal families were certainly not to be trifled with.

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

Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly.

“To not give me any trouble?”

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

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

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

Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window.

Saito slowly repeated the words which he had remembered;

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

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

Henrietta rested her elbows beside a beautifully engraved marble statue on the table, then sadly questioned,

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

Saito was struck silent. He had nothing to say. He lowered his head, and awkwardly nudged the couch with his shoe.

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

Henrietta stood up and clasped Louise's hand.

“It’s all right, Louise. You were splendid. You retrieved the letter and accomplished your mission. You must not worry about this; after all, I didn’t ask you to tell him to escape.”

Henrietta smiled and laughed,

“With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage now removed, our country will be able to step safely into an alliance with Germania. In this situation, Albion will be unable to easily invade. The crisis has passed, Louise Françoise.”

Henrietta spoke as cheerfully as possible.

Louise removed from her pocket the Water Ruby which Henrietta had given her.

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

Henrietta shook her head.

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

“I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.”

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

Louise nodded, and put it on her finger.

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

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

Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment.

“Isn’t this the Wind Ruby? Did you get it from Prince Wales?”

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

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

In truth, Wales had already been dead when Saito had pulled it off his finger… but Saito had said the lie anyways. He had said it like that, hoping that it would help heal the ache Henrietta held in her heart, even if only a little.

Henrietta placed the Wind Ruby on her finger. Because it was for Wales, the ring was too large for Henrietta’s fingers… But as Henrietta murmured a ‘decreasing’ spell, it became narrower and narrower, until it soon fit her finger snugly.

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

“Thank you, kind familiar.”

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

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

Saito nodded.

“Yes. It was so.”

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

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

On the flight from the Royal Palace to the Academy of Magic, Louise remained silent. No matter how much Kirche asked Louise and Saito about the contents of Wales' letter, their lips were sealed.

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

Kirche glanced at Saito feverishly.

“But darling fought him, right?”

Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded.

“Y-yes. But he escaped…"

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

Saito lowered his head. Louise was even more silent. Neither spoke.

Kirche scrunched up her brows and turned to Guiche.

“Hey, Guiche!”

“What?”

An artificial rose in his mouth, Guiche (who had been spacing out) turned around.

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

Guiche closed his eyes, saying:

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

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

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

Because of all of Kirche's shaking, the wind dragon lost its balance and suddenly slowed down. Guiche, who was sitting on its back, lost his balance and slipped off.

“Gyaaaaaa!”

He screamed as he fell, but since it was Guiche, no one noticed. Mid-way down, he pulled out his wand, and using “Levitation,” floated down slowly, only narrowly avoiding death.

Louise had lost her balance as well, but Saito softly reached out and held her waist with his hand, supporting her body. Seeing the hand on her waist, Louise blushed.

''This morning, when fleeing Albion, Saito kissed me. I was pretending to be asleep at the time.''

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

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

Loving a person who was not a noble was hard to even imagine. “Nobles and commoners are different kinds of people” …Since Louise had grown up with that belief, her uneasiness turned into puzzlement. Anyway, whether these feelings were true or not was not a matter of importance right then.

Feeling Saito's hand move around her waist, Louise ended up shouting in an angry voice:

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You are being too daring. Hmph.”

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

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

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

“Since when did you two become like this?”

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

“Nothing happened! You idiot!”

Saito's scream trailed behind as he fell, but before he smashed into the ground, Tabitha (still reading a book) swung her hand listlessly, placing a 'Levitation' spell on Saito.

Saito landed gently, and saw that Guiche, having fallen before, was walking along the road through the grassy plain with a bitter face.

Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner.

“You fell too, right?”

Saito answered in a tired voice.

“I was pushed off.”

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

Saito looked up; in the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon.

“…It doesn't look like it.”

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

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

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

Guiche mumbled to Saito and fiddled with his artificial rose.

“Huh?”

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

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

“Let’s go.”

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

“Well, is the rumor true?”

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

“Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I…”

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

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

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

Although the siege had been short, the rebels - no, since Albion had lost its king, 'Reconquista' was the new government in Albion - had suffered unimaginable damage. For vanquishing three hundred royal army soldiers, two thousand rebels had been killed. Additionally, four thousand had been wounded. With such lopsided figures, it was hard to call the battle a victory.

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

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

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

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

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

It was Wardes.

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

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

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

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

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

Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes laughed coldly.

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

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

“A thief with a thief’s ethics.”

Wardes laughed.

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

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

“All right, all right, don’t be mad.”

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

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

“Oh well. Accidents happen.”

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

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

Wardes replied in a unchanging tone:

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

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

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

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

When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly.

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

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

“And where is that letter?”

“Somewhere around here.”

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

However, now it was just a pile of rubble.

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

“Correct.”

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

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

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

Gradually, the floor of the chapel was unveiled.

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

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

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

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

However… their corpses were nowhere to be seen.

“Are you sure they really died here?”

Muttering so, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully.

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

Fouquet picked up the painting from the floor.

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

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

“Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?”

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

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

“Should we pursue them?”

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

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

Hearing this, Wardes stood up.

From the distance, a person appeared while they talked.

He said in a cheerful, limpid voice.

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

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

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

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

Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man.

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

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

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

“Did Wardes tell you this name?”

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

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

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

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

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

“Emperor, Viscount.”

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

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

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

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

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

Wardes bowed deeply.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Element of zero… Void?”

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

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

Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse.

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

Wardes shook his head.

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

Cromwell laughed with a smile.

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

Fouquet breathlessly watched Cromwell’s movements.

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

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

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

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

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

“Good morning, Crown Prince.”

Cromwell muttered.

The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile.

“It has been a long time, Archbishop.”

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

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

Wales kneeled, taking the posture of a vassal.

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

“With pleasure.”

“Then, let’s be friends.”

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

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

Wardes bowed.

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

“As you wish.”

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

After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left.

　

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

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

Wardes muttered.

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

Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice.

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

Wardes laughed.

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

After that, Wardes looked up at the sky.

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

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

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

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

“It was surprising, that’s all.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception either.

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| [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume2 Chapter9 - MTL|Back to Volume 2 - MTL]]
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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume3 Chapter1 - MTL

2025-03-23T03:52:10Z

Nimble Momonga: /* Chapter One: Lineage of Zero */

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

Tristain's Royal Palace was situated at the end of Bourdonne Street. In front of the Palace gates, members of the Mage Guards patrolled the area from atop their magical steeds. Rumors that war was looming had begun to spread throughout the town a few days ago. It was said that “Reconquista,” the aristocrat faction which had conquered Albion, was poised to invade Tristain.

Accordingly, the soldiers guarding the surrounding area had grown tense. In the skies above the Royal Palace, magical beasts and ships alike had been banned from flying; people passing through the gates were thoroughly checked. Even tailors, confectioners, and traders were stopped and examined. All to prevent mages disguised with illusion magic, or people controlled by charms from getting through.

Due to these circumstances, the garrison of Mage Guards was alarmed when a wind dragon appeared in the sky above the Royal Palace.

The Mage Guards was composed of three corps. Each guarded the Royal Palace, but only one at a time; while one was on duty, the other two either rested or trained. Today, the Manticore Corps was on duty. Riding their manticores, the nobles flew up towards the wind dragon above the Palace. Astride the dragon's back were five figures; between its teeth was a huge mole.

The Mage Guards warned the figures that this was a prohibited flight zone. Yet the wind dragon ignored the warning, and landed in the palace courtyards.

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

The manticore guardsmen quickly surrounded the dragon, drew their rapier-shaped wands, and assumed a stance with spells at the ready. Their Commander, a powerfully-built man with a rough mustache, bellowed at the suspicious intruders:

“Drop your wands!”

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

“Royal Palace.”

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

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

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

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

The Commander twirled his mustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Vallière Duchy; after all, they were a very renowned noble family.

The Commander lowered his wand.

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

“Indeed.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overhearing their conversation, the Commander’s eyes widened.

''Wardes? Wardes, as in Viscount Wardes, commander of the Griffin Corps? Defeated? What's the meaning of this?''　

Shaking away his concern, the Commander once again raised his magic wand.

“Who the hell are you people?” The Commander spoke in a stern tone. “Regardless, I cannot allow you to see Her Highness.”

The situation was quickly getting out of hand. Louise glared at Saito.

“W-what?”

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

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

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

As he watched the strange scene unfold before him, the Commander seized the opportunity to take control of the situation. The Mage Guards surrounding the party quickly raised their wands.

“Arrest them!”

With that order, the guardsmen were about to begin their incantations when suddenly…

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

“Louise!”

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

“Princess!”

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

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

“Princess…”

Louise’s eyes began watering with tears.

“The letter… it is safe.”

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

“You really are my best friend.”

“Your words are too kind, Princess.”

However, upon noticing Wales' absence from the party, Henrietta’s expression grew somber.

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

Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.

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

Louise's face turned grim. Speaking with difficulty, Saito explained to Henrietta:

“Wardes was a traitor, Princess.”

“Traitor?”

A shadow crept over Henrietta’s face. Then, noticing the stares of the Mage Guards around them, she declared,

“These are my guests, Commander.”

“I see.”

Hearing this, the Commander (somewhat unwillingly) withdrew his wand, and told his troops to do the same.

Henrietta turned back to Louise.

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

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

Louise explained the entire situation to Henrietta.

How Kirche and the others joined them en route.

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

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

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

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

How Wardes suddenly showed his true colors in the middle of the wedding… killed Prince Wales… and snatched the letter from Louise’s hands, which was swiftly regained.

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

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

“The Viscount was a traitor… How could that be? To have had a traitor in the midst of the Mage Guard…”

Gazing at the letter she herself had written to Wales, Henrietta's tears built up, then streamed down her cheeks.

“Princess…”

Louise silently held Henrietta’s hands.

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

Saito shook his head.

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

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

Louise nodded.

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

“Then, Prince Wales didn‘t love me.”

Henrietta sorrowfully shook her head.

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

Henrietta nodded whilst gazing at the letter in sorrow.

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

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

Henrietta muttered softly in her daze.

“Was honor more important than I?”

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

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

Henrietta looked up at Saito blankly.

“To not give me any trouble?”

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

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

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

Henrietta, sighing deeply, looked outwards from the window.

Saito slowly repeated the words he had remembered.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Henrietta laughed with a smile.

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

Henrietta said it as cheerfully as possible.

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

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

Henrietta shook her head.

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

“I cannot dare to accept such a treasure.”

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

Louise nodded and put it on her finger.

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

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

Accepting the ring, Henrietta gasped in astonishment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Thank you, kind familiar.”

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

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

Saito nodded.

“Yes. It was so.”

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

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

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

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

Kirche looked at Saito with a feverish glance.

“But darling fought him, right?”

Saito, having glimpsed Louise's face, nodded.

“Y-yes. But he escaped…"

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

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

Kirche puckered up her brows and turned to Guiche.

“Hey, Guiche!”

“What?”

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

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

Guiche closed his eyes saying:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You are being too daring. Hmph.”

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

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

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

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

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

“Nothing happened! You idiot!”

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

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

Then Guiche stopped and addressed Saito in his usual snobbish manner.

“You fell too, right?”

Saito answered in a tired voice.

“I was pushed off.”

“T-they're not coming back, are they?”

Saito looked up into the sky. In the blue sky, the wind dragon quickly disappeared over the horizon.

“…It looks like it.”

“Well, let’s walk then. Sigh, it’ll take half a day on foot.”

With a depressed look on his face, Guiche started to walk. Saito was not sure why, but somehow, he felt more impressed by Guiche.

“By the way, you… that… well… There’s something I wanted to ask you. Please tell me.”

Guiche mumbled to Saito as he fiddled with his artificial rose.

“Huh?”

“Did Her Highness... well... have anything to say about me? Is it true that she’ll reward me after the mission, with the letter where the promised secret date is?”

For a moment, Saito felt pity for Guiche. Henrietta hadn’t even mentioned the letter “G” from Guiche’s name in their conversation.

“Let’s go.”

Saito, pretending he hadn’t heard anything, began quickening his pace. Guiche chased after him from behind.

“Well, is the rumor true?”

“Come on, walk. It’s good for your health.”

“Wha-at, y-you, Her Highness, I...”

Under the warmth of the sun, the two kept on walking towards the Academy of Magic.

The Fortress of Newcastle, once known as a great stronghold, was now a tragic ruin. Though it had withstood the onslaught, it had become a disastrous scene.

The castle walls, which were repeatedly attacked by spells and cannon fire, had turned into a pile of rubble, and corpses burnt beyond recognition littered the ground.

Although the siege had been short, the rebels - no, since Albion had lost its king, 'Reconquista' was the new government in Albion - had suffered unimaginable damage. For every three hundred royal army soldiers, two thousand rebels were killed. And with an additional four thousand wounded. It was hard to call the battle a victory, given these statistics.

Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was possible to attack it only from one direction. Before the 'Reconquista' forces managed to get past the guards, they were repeatedly shot with magic and cannon fire and received huge casualties.

However,in the end, they won through their sheer force of numbers. Once behind the castle walls, the king's defense was fragile. The king's army's mages were left to guard against the soldiers. But the mages' numbers were incomparable to the 'Reconquista' soldiers; they were gradually killed off, one by one, until they all fell.

Though the damage dealt to the enemy was great… the price was the annihilation of the king's army. It was literal annihilation, because the royalists had fought up to the last soldier.

In other words, the final decisive battle of the civil war in Albion: the siege of Newcastle’s fortress, where the royalists were outnumbered 100 to 1 and inflicted damage that was worth ten such armies… had become a legend.

Two days after the civil war had ended, under the blazing sun and between the corpses and pebbles, a tall aristocrat was inspecting the old battlefield in Albion. His hat was pushed to the side and he was dressed in unusual attire: the uniform of Tristain’s Royal Mage Guard.　

It was Wardes.

A female mage with a hood over her eyes stood next to him.

It was Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt. She had escaped to Albion onboard the ship from La Rochelle. Last night, she had joined Wardes at a bar in Londinium, the capital of Albion, and now she had followed him to Newcastle’s battlefield.

Around them, 'Reconquista' soldiers were diligently scouring for riches. A loud cheer came from the treasury nearby: it seems a band had found some gold coins.

A mercenary with a pike on his shoulder was turning corpses over, then pushing them into a pile near rubbish as a decoration for the garden. When he found a magic wand, he cried out in joy.

Fouquet, who was watching the scene disapprovingly, clicked her tongue in disgust.

Noticing Fouquet's expression, Wardes laughed coldly.

“What’s wrong, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt? Aren’t these men who are hunting for treasure your colleagues? Robbing nobles of their treasures was part of your job, wasn't it?”

“Do not compare me with them. I have no interest in the riches of the dead.”

“A thief with a thief’s ethics.”

Wardes laughed.

“I’m not interested in that. I only steal valuable treasures because I love to see the frantic expressions of the nobles. But these guys…”

Fouquet looked at the corpse of a royalist mage guardian with the corner of her eye.

“All right, all right, don’t be mad.”

“I guess Albion’s royal nobles are your enemies. Haven’t you, under the name of the royal family, disgraced your own family?”

Hearing Wardes exaggerated words, Fouquet, regaining her composure, coldly said with a nod.

“Oh well. Accidents happen.”

And then Wardes turned. The lower part of his left arm had been severed off. The uniform’s sleeve was loosely fluttering in the wind.

“It looks like it was a harsh battle for you too."

Wardes replied in a unchanging tone:

“An arm in exchange for Wales' life, I think, is a rather cheap trade.”

“He must be something, that ‘Gandálfr’, to be able to so swiftly cut off the arm of a Square-Class Wind mage such as yourself.”

“Because he was a commoner, I just got careless.”

“Don’t put it like that. He even destroyed my golem. However, nothing within this castle could have survived.”

When Fouquet said so, Wardes smiled coldly.

“He is Gandálfr after all. The corps that attacked the castle didn’t report to have fought against such a person. Perhaps, during our fight, he had expended all his energy and was confused as a commoner. Probably, the soldier who killed Gandálfr didn’t even notice that he was the legendary familiar.”

Fouquet, not convinced, snorted. An image of Saito, a strange looking boy, floated in her mind. Could he really die so easily?

“And where is that letter?”

“Somewhere around here.”

Wardes pointed to the ground with the cane. That place, two days ago, had been the chapel, the place where Wardes and Louise tried to hold the wedding, the place where Wales lost his life.

However, now it was just a pile of rubble.

“Hmm, that La Vallière lass… your former fiancé, the letter was in her pocket?

“Correct.”

“You let her die? You didn’t love her?”

“Loved, loved not, I’ve already forgotten such sentiments.” dismissed Wardes in a neutral voice.

He drew his cane and chanted a spell. A small tornado appeared and started scattering around the rubble.

Gradually, the floor of the chapel was unveiled.

Between a portrait of Founder Brimir and a chair lay the corpse of Wales. It looked surprisingly unharmed.

“Look, isn’t it the dear Prince Wales?”

Fouquet said in a surprised voice. Fouquet, who was once one of Albion’s nobles, remembered Wales' face.

Wardes didn’t cast even a single glance at the remains of the man he had personally murdered; instead, he searched intently for Louise and Saito’s corpses.

However… their corpses were nowhere to be seen.

“Are you sure they really died here?”

Muttering so, Wardes began to search the surroundings carefully.

“Hmm… Look, isn’t that George de la Tur’s ‘Founder Brimir's Visit’?”

Fouquet picked up the painting from the floor.

“I think it is a reproduction. Mmm, come to think of it, this castle’s chapel must have been built to worship him… Hmm?”

Fouquet, having picked up the painting from the floor, discovered a widely gaping hole underneath, and called Wardes.

“Hey, Wardes. What is this hole?”

Wardes, with raised brows, squatted down and looked into the hole that Fouquet indicated. He realized that the hole must have been dug by that huge mole, Guiche’s familiar. On his cheeks, Wardes could feel the cold breeze emanating from the hole.

“Could it be that both Vallière’s youngest daughter and Gandálfr escaped through this hole?” Fouquet remarked. It was the truth. Wardes' face contorted in rage.

“Should we pursue them?”

“It is useless. If there’s wind inside, it must mean it was dug clean through.” Wardes replied exasperatedly. Seeing him like that, Fouquet grinned.

“It seems like you are capable of such expressions. And here I thought that you were a man without emotions… like a gargoyle… Why, oh why do such emotions appear on your face?” she mocked.

Hearing this, Wardes stood up.

From the distance, a person appeared while they talked.

He said in a cheerful, limpid voice.

“Viscount! Wardes! Have you found the letter yet? That… what was it... ah, love letter that Henrietta gave to Wales, the saviour that would prevent the union of Germania and Tristain. Have you found it?”

Shaking his head, Wardes answered the man who had just appeared.

The man was in his mid-thirties. He was wearing a round hat and a green mantle. From the first sight, one could tell that he was a clergyman. However, he also slightly resembled a soldier with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes. From the edges of his hat, curly blond hair peeked out.

“Your Excellency, it seems the letter slipped through this hole. It is my mistake. I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, hand me whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head.

The man addressed as ‘Excellency’, with a friendly smile on his face, approached Wardes and tapped his shoulder.

“What are you saying? Viscount! You did a remarkable job! You single-handedly defeated the enemy’s brave general! Ah, isn’t that over there our dear Crown Prince Wales? Be proud! You defeated him! Apparently he loathed me deeply… but seeing him like that, I feel a strange sort of kinship to him. Aah, that’s right. Once dead, everyone becomes a friend."

Wardes’ cheeks flinched slightly, as he noticed the sarcasm at the end of the speech. He quickly regained his composure, and once again repeated his apology to his superior officer.

“However, the mission to obtain the Henrietta’s letter that Your Excellency so desires ended in failure. I’m sorry I was not able to meet Your Excellency’s expectations.”

“Do not fret yourself. Compared to obstructing the alliance, killing Wales was by far more important. A dream is something that has to be obtained steadily, step-by-step.”

Then, the man in the green robe turned to Fouquet.

“Viscount, please introduce this beautiful woman here. Being a priest, it is inconvenient for me to speak with a woman.”

Fouquet watched the man. Before her eyes, Wardes bowed deeply to the man. However, she didn’t like him. He had a strange atmosphere surrouding him. A sinister aura was radiating from the gaps of his robe.

Wardes stood back up and introduced Fouquet to the man.

“Your Excellency, this is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, before whom all Tristain nobles shudder.”

“Oh! I heard the rumors! I am honored to meet you, Miss Saxe-Gotha.”

Hearing him say her noble name that she had abandoned long ago, Fouquet smiled.

“Did Wardes tell you this name?”

“That's right. He knows everything about Albion nobles. Genealogy, coat of arms, property… it is hard for an aging bishop to remember everything. Oh, let's not delay my introduction.”

Opening his eyes widely, and placing his hand over his chest...

“'Reconquista' first general, Oliver Cromwell at your service. You see, originally, I was just a mere bishop. However, due to the votes of the baronial council, I was appointed as the first general, and I need to give my best. Though I am a clergyman who serves Founder Brimir, it is all right for me to ‘guide’ us through the dark times, right? If necessary, using faith and power for the better.”

[[Image:ZnT03-037.JPG|thumb]]

“Your Excellency, you are not a freelance first general anymore, you are now Albion’s…”

“Emperor, Viscount.”

Cromwell laughed. However, his eyes didn’t change.

“Certainly, I really wished to prevent Tristain’s and Germania’s alliance, however, there are more important things. Do you understand me, Viscount?”

“Your Excellency's thoughts are so deep that an ordinary man like me cannot measure them.”

Cromwell opened his eyes wide. Then, he raised both hands and began talking with exaggerated gestures.

“Unity! Unity of steel! Halkeginia is us, a union of chosen nobles that will get back the Holy Land from those menacing elves! It is a mission given to us by Founder Brimir! ‘Unity’ is our number one duty. Therefore, Viscount, I trust you. There is no blame in such a trifling failure.”

Wardes bowed deeply.

“For this great mission, Founder Brimir blessed us with a special power.”

Fouquet's eyebrow rose. Power? What kind of power are they talking about?

“Your Excellency, what power has Founder Brimir granted Your Excellency with? If it is all right, I would like to know.”

Cromwell continued in a slurred tone, caught up in his own theatrics.

“Do you know about the four great elements of magic, Miss Saxe-Gotha?”

Fouquet nodded. Even children know of such things. Fire, Wind, Water, and fourth – Earth.

“In addition to the four great elements, there is another magical element. The element that Founder Brimir used, the element of zero. Really, it was the first element of all things.”

“Element of zero… Void?”

Fouquet turned pale. The lost element. The magic of nothingness that, as dark legends say, disappeared. Did this man know something about the element of zero?

“That is the power that Founder Brimir granted me with. For this reason, the Baronial Council agreed to make me the emperor of Halkeginia.”

Cromwell pointed at Wales' corpse.

“Wardes. I had wanted to make Crown Prince Wales my friend and ally. But alas, in life, he chose to be my greatest adversary; but now in death, he will become a great ally. Do you see anything wrong with that?”

Wardes shook his head.

“He should have never resisted Your Excellency's decisions.”

Cromwell laughed with a smile.

“Well then, Miss Saxe-Gotha. I will show the element of ‘Void’ to you.”

Fouquet breathlessly watched Cromwell’s movements.

Cromwell pulled out the cane that was attached to his waist.

A low, silent aria escaped from Cromwell's mouth. He was chanting words that Fouquet had never heard before.

When the aria was completed, Cromwell gently lowered the cane and aimed it at Wales' corpse.

Then… all of a sudden, Wales, whose body was already lifeless, opened his eyes. A chill ran down Fouquet’s spine.

Wales slowly sat up. A once bloodless face suddenly sprang back to the life it had previously held. Like a withered flower absorbing water, Wales’s body gradually imbued itself with life.

“Good morning, Crown Prince.”

Cromwell muttered.

The revived Wales returned Cromwell’s smile.

“It has been a long time, Archbishop.”

“How rude, I am an emperor now, my dear Crown Prince.”

“Is that so? I apologize for that, Your Excellency.”

Wales kneeled, taking the posture of a vassal.

“I think I’ll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales.”

“With pleasure.”

“Then, let’s be friends.”

Cromwell began to walk. Wales, who didn’t look like he was just dead, walked behind him. Then Cromwell, as if remembering something, halted and turned around saying,

“Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. In any case, Tristain is helpless. There is no change in plans.”

Wardes bowed.

“There are two ways of diplomacy - the cane and the bread. Let’s give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being.”

“As you wish.”

“Tristain is a necessary area to add. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the Holy Land.”

After saying this and nodding approvingly, Cromwell left.

　

It was only after Cromwell and Wales were out of sight, that Fouquet was able to open her mouth.

“That... was the void...? To revive the dead. That’s impossible.”

Wardes muttered.

“The void element manipulates life… That’s what His Excellency said, seems like he was right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this – how could I not?”

Fouquet asked Wardes in a shaky voice.

“A while ago you were acting very similar to this, perhaps you were affected by void magic too?”

Wardes laughed.

“Me? I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I have led since birth.”

After that, Wardes looked up at the sky.

“However…many lives were sacrificed for the Founder’s Holy Land… what if they all will be revived by the element of ‘Void’?”

Frightened, Fouquet clutched her chest. She felt a light heartbeat. She suddenly felt the need to confirm that she was still alive.

“Don’t look that way. It was only my imagination. You could even call it my fantasy.”

Fouquet sighed, feeling relieved. Then she glared at Wardes.

“It was surprising, that’s all.”

Whilst patting the stump where his left arm had once been, he spoke softly.

“However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? The answer lies in the Holy Lands... that’s how I feel.”

Three days after Saito and company had returned to the Academy of Magic, the marriage between Tristainian princess Henrietta and Germanian emperor Albrecht III was officially announced. The ceremony would take place the following month, before the conclusion of the military alliance.

The alliance conclusion would be held in Germania’s capital Vindobon, where the letter of agreement was to be signed by the Tristain prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin.

The day after the alliance, a new Albion government was officially established. In an instant, tensions sparked between the two countries, but the Kingdom of Albion’s First Emperor Cromwell sent a special envoy to Tristain and Germania at once, in order to sign a non-aggression pact.

As a result, both countries had a conference. Even with the two countries' combined airforce, they could not oppose Albion’s fleet. Though the non-aggression pact felt more like a dagger pointed at the neck, the two countries didn’t have much of an alternative, and this offer was the best they could hope for.

However…peace was established in Halkeginia only on the surface. Politicians could not sleep day or night. And it wasn’t just the nobles; the commoners tensely awaited each day, as well.

Tristain’s Academy of Magic was no exception either.

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