Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

User talk:Black Saber

2012-08-20T04:03:02Z

Rednal:

I guess you need to have Talk page, oh well, let's create them. [[User:Black_Saber|Black_Saber]] - - 19:28 29 July 2012 (GMT+7)

Thanks for the clarification, I have no problems except for the last part whereby Godou was controlling his fear of death. Would it be better to use "suppressing"? Thanks for the translation :D. [[User:Zakashi|Zakashi]] 08:17, 29 July 2012 (CDT)

Hi again, I forgot to mention this the last time but would it be ok to ask if you could change the tense from present tense to past tense for narrative, since that is mainly used in other chapters, for future translations? It isn't really a big problem though I think some people would want consistency when reading. I'm alright with either tense though. Thanks. [[User:Zakashi|Zakashi]] 06:46, 31 July 2012 (CDT)

Haha there's no need to apologise. There are always editors to help you out. Thanks for the effort.[[User:Zakashi|Zakashi]] 08:26, 31 July 2012 (CDT)

hey ummmm first i want to thank you for picking this project " thank you very much".i am a big fan of campione!. i just want to ask you that are you planning to work further on v11. sorry if you found my question rude because i don't have the authority to ask any question but still cant wait for v11. thanks

Going by the translator list, is it just you doing this? That's a really impressive pace, and I'm having a lot of fun with this series. Thanks a lot for all your hard work! You're doing great! [[User:Rednal|Rednal]] ([[User talk:Rednal|talk]]) 23:03, 19 August 2012 (CDT)

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

2012-07-18T23:19:28Z

Rednal: V3 C4 % Completion update

[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|250px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance (精霊使いの剣舞) is a light novel series written by Shimizu Yuu. The illustrations are done by Sakura Hanpen. Currently, the series has 7 volumes.

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Tiếng Việt|Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)]]
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Indonesia|Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]

==Story Synopsis==

Only a pure maiden can have the privilege to contract with a spirit. In here, Areishia Spirit Academy, trained maidens of noble families are gathered and given an elite's education to become spirit contractors. A boy, Kamito, peeped by accident at a girl, Clair, while she was taking a bath and he ended up making a contract with the spirit she wanted. Yes, Kamito is an irregular boy spirit contractor whose existence was thought impossible until now. "You stole...my spirit...you have to take responsibility for it!" "Huh?" "You have to become my contracted spirit!" What will Kamito's destiny lead to? (From FairGame)

==Updates==

:* June 13, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 8 completed
:* June 08, 2012: Volume 3 Prologue completed
:* May 26, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 6 completed
:* May 17, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 5 completed
:* May 7, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 4 completed
:* April 28, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 3 completed
:* April 22, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 2 completed
:* April 16, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 1 completed
:* April 12, 2012: Volume 2 Prologue completed
:* April 7, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 7 completed
:* April 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 8 completed
:* March 27, 2012: Volume 1 Afterword completed
:* March 23, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 6 completed
:* March 18, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 3 completed
:* March 13, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 5 completed
:* March 11, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 4 and Epilogue completed
:* February 14, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 2 completed
:* February 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 1 completed
:* October 8, 2011: Page created

== Translation ==

===[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Seirei_Tsukai_no_Blade_Dance:Names_and_Terminology_Guidelines|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

=== Feedback ===
'''Discuss this series in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4633 forum]'''

'''You can find the PDF, EPUB and MOBI version of the Volumes in the forums [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4964 here]'''

==The 'Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance' series by Shimizu Yuu==

===Volume 1 - The Sword, The Academy and The Hell Cat Girl ([[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume 1|Full Text]])===
[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - You Are My Contracted Spirit!]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Areishia Spirit Academy]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - My Classmate is a Princess]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Wolf, the Cat and the Knight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Claire's Feelings]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Blade Dance at Midnight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Contracted Spirit Est]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Strongest Blade Dancer]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 2 - The Lost Queen ([[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume 2|Full Text]])===
[[Image:STnBD V02 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Team Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Young Ladies' Afternoon]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - The Lost Queen]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - Cat Fight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - The One Who Will Succeed the Demon King]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Morning of the Departure]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - The Abandoned-Mine Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Fiana's Confession]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter9|Chapter 9 - Team Scarlet]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 3 - Pledge of the Wind ===
[[Image:STnBD V03 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - The Ojou-sama Who Woke Up Early]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Team Scarlet's Dash]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - Claire's Birthday]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - A Knight's Sincerity]] (6%)
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Sylphid Knights]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - Academy Town's Security]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Valentia Holy Festival]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Ellis's Determination]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter9|Chapter 9 - The Strongest Spirit Contractor]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 4 - The Blade Dance ===
[[Image:STnBD V04 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*Chapter 1 - Travel Preparation
::*Chapter 2 - Sky Voyage
::*Chapter 3 - Draknia's Dragon Princess
::*Chapter 4 - Floating Island
::*Chapter 5 - Water Sport
::*Chapter 6 - Crack
::*Chapter 7 - Girl of the Dark Spirit
::*Chapter 8 - Dance Ball
::*Chapter 9 - Mark of Darkness
::*Chapter 10 - Showdown with the Past
::*Epilogue

===Volume 5 - The Demon King Killing Holy Sword ===
[[Image:STnBD V05 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Chapter 8
::*Chapter 9
::*Epilogue

===Volume 6 - The Darkness Spirit's Recollection ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume6 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

===Volume 7 - The Strongest Blade Dancer ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume7 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Black Dust|Black Dust]]
:*[[User:KuroiHikari|KuroiHikari]]

'''INACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Nikuniku|Nikuniku]]
:*[[User:RikiNutcase|RikiNutcase]]

===Editors===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Chancs|Chancs]]
:*[[User:Morgi|Morgi]]
:*[[User:Richocet|Richocet]]
:*[[User:lchigo93|lchigo93]]
:*[[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]]
:*[[User:Haru Kuri|Haru Kuri]]

==Series Overview==

*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 1- 剣と学院と火猫少女 (December 24, 2010) ISBN 978-4-8401-3675-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 2- ロスト・クイーン (February 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3824-6
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 3- 風の誓約 (May 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3930-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 4- 精霊剣舞祭 (August 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4202-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 5- 魔王殺しの聖剣 (November 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4299-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 6- 追憶の闇精霊 (February 24, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4386-8
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 7- 最強の剣舞姫 (May 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4580-0

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter1

2012-07-05T00:07:42Z

Rednal: Minor fixes.

==Chapter 1==

===Part 1===
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Chirp chirp...*

There was the chirping of singing birds. The fresh sunshine was shining in diagonally from the window.

"...U...n"

It was 6 o'clock early in the morning. Kamito rubbed his sleepy eyes even though he had woken up.

He combed out his unkempt hair by hand, and then first he checked under the sheets as usual.

"Alright, today's safe."

Kamito took a breath of relief.

Recently, there were times when a fully naked sword spirit was sleeping with him, so he couldn't let his guard down.

Feeling relieved, he nimbly folded the sheets and got up.

"...I have to make breakfast."

The breakfast of Claire and the others, who were roommates, was expected to be made by Kamito every morning.

Well to begin with, he didn't hate cooking, and he was a freeloader, so he had no complaints.

"Toast with salad with bacon and eggs... Shall I specially throw in some boiled eggs today?"

After all, there was a team battle that they absolutely could not lose this morning. He wanted his two teammates and his partner sword spirit to eat something good whenever possible to restore their energy.


It was one week since the quest at that Mine Town.

A new member was added into Team Scarlet.

She was the former second princess of the Ordesia Empire, as well as the «Divine Ritual Institute's» second ranking princess maiden.

Fianna Ray Ordesia.

Having been once called the Lost Queen, she was trying to ensnare Kamito and participate in the Blade Dance to regain the power of her spirit contract.

Eventually, she was able to regain the power of her spirit contract by her own strength, however, she continued to remain in the academy for some reason despite attaining her goal, and ended up joining Team Scarlet.

Claire had seemed displeased, but there were already several weeks left till the Blade Dance, so she reluctantly ushered her into the team.

It was different from the individual matches three years ago, this time's Blade Dance was a team battle. Unless they gathered five teammates, they could not even get the qualifications to participate. Besides, the true strength of Fianna, who regained the power of her spirit contract, was something that even Claire could not help but recognize.

She, who was from the spirit princess training organization—«Divine Ritual Institute», had definitely not received any battle training, but she could provide various combat support by dancing ritual Kagura.

Also, her contracted spirit «Georgios» was a knight spirit of «defense» specialty, something Kamito and the others were weak at. Because she joined, the resulting balance in the team greatly increased its sense of stability.

There was also the achievement of the S rank quest at Mine Town. And then, there were the successive victories of the inter-school battles.


Team Scarlet's inter-school ranking was now increasing with great momentum.

If they kept up this pace, it would no longer be just be a dream to overtake Ellis' Team, which was currently in third place.

"All that's left is for those two to be on a little better terms with each other."

He shrugged his shoulders in disappointment as he faced the kitchen—

"Hn?"

The clattering sound of tableware came from the kitchen.

And then, there was a rich sweet smell that came wafting over. It had a slightly burnt bitter scent.

''Is this smell... by any chance, chocolate?''

Kamito frowned, and softly approached with stealthy steps.

Through the gap of the door, he carefully peered into the kitchen—

"Hey, what are you putting in!?"

"Fufuu, something that is made of mashed-up baked newt♪"

He heard Claire and Fianna's voices.

"Wh-What are you thinking?! Don't put in such a disgusting thing!"

"Ahh, I was usually using it at the Divine Ritual Institute. It seemed to have the same effect as an aphrodisiac."

"Ap-Aphrodisiac!?"

"Yes, if Kamito-kun ate this, even his true nature of the demon king of the night would appear, and he may come attacking in the middle of the night."


"At-Attack... wh-what on earth would he do?"

"Well... that is already something indecent to the extent that he could be said to have been bewitched."

"Be-Bewitched... y-you're lying, even for him, such a thing—"

"Furthermore, the two of us together."

"The two of us together!?"

"It isn't surprising for Kamito-kun to do at least that."

"Wh-Wh-What a guy... Un-Unforgivable, that pervert, cinders, cinders!"

As her voice trembled, there was the *pashin* *pashin* sound of something being hit by a whip.

''Those two...''

Kamito's temple twitched.

...Somehow, he felt that they were defaming his honor with staggering vigor.

''...Speaking of that, when did I become the demon king of the night?''

Even while Kamito was bearing this outrageous treatment, the two ojou-sama had continued their conversation.

"Fufuu, however, isn't it nice to also have Kamito-kun in an overbearing demon king mode once in a while?"

"Th-That's... Err, a-at any rate, that's a no, putting in such a dubious thing. What are you going to do if his stomach is destroyed before the battle?"

"Oh, Claire you're no different. Do you plan on making him eat that burnt black cinders?"

"Sh-Shut up..."


''...Cinders?''

Kamito peered into the kitchen, and a lump of something black had turned into a pile on top of the plate.

Coals for stove-use...they didn't seem like them.

"Really, the nickname of hellcat girl is hardly for show. After all, you turned everything into cinders."

"...I don't want to be told that by the fake breast princess."

"Oh, even without my pads mine are much bigger than yours, Claire, you know?"

"I-I want to try burning every surplus fat of those, princess."

Sparks scattered between the two of them. ...How energetic early in the morning.

It somehow had become a critical situation, so—

"Hey, what are the two of you doing?"

Kamito, finally, made an appearance in the kitchen.

"Fua, Kamito!?" "Kamito-kun!?"

The two of them turned around in a shocked manner, and hid something behind them in a fluster.

"Y-You've already awoken!?"

"Yeah, because we've a battle today. I planned on making breakfast earlier than usual—"

Then, Kamito unintentionally stopped his words.

His eyes were being rooted at Claire's appearance, whom he was facing.

"Y-You, that appearance..."


"Wh-What...? If it doesn't match me, then, how about saying that honestly?

Claire's cheeks reddened, as she quickly turned away.

Her red twin-tail hair slightly swayed.

Her clear ruby pupils. Her lovely flower-bud-like cherry blossom lips on her smooth white skin.

Her breasts' bulge was definitely gently-sloping, but that proportion was more than charming.

If it was just her physical appearance, she was a top-class beautiful girl among all the beautiful girls within Areishia Spirit Academy.

Furthermore, Claire was currently not in her usual uniform, which he had become used to seeing.

She was very lovely, putting on an apron attached with frills.

Towards this vexing thing... He really ended up feeling dizzy for a moment.

Her small cap suited her small build, this was also unfairly lovely.

Kamito raised up both his hands like he gave up.

"No, It suits you very well. ...You're cute."

"...Wh-Wha-What are you saying, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gaaa...!*

Claire's face increasingly turned red, and she was hitting Kamito's chest.

"Eh, Kamito-kun... What about me?"

Fianna slightly held her index finger to her mouth, and said, seemingly displeased.
[[Image:STnBD V03 023.jpg|thumb]]


She was wearing an apron, that was a matching set with Claire's, over her black dress-style uniform.

Her glamorous hair reached out to her waist. Her cleavage was deep, which he looked down into the chest area of her uniform.

Her dim colored pupils, which were fringed with lovely eyelashes, were extolling a mysterious light somewhere.

The former princess, Fianna, was also an evenly balanced beautiful girl as Claire.

"...Do I have to say it?"

"It's something girls would be happy when you earnestly put it into words."

Fianna giggled mischievously.

Kamito sighed in resignation.

"You're pretty, Fianna... Eh, what are you making me say in the morning?!"

"Fufu, Kamito-kun, you're unexpectedly that."

"Aren't you the one who made me say it..."

With a deadpan look, Kamito glared at Fianna, who was giggling mischievously—

"By the way, what are you two doing? What are you hiding behind you?"

"Th-That's..."

Claire's and Fianna's faces swiftly turned red, and they bashfully entwined their fingers.

"Uh?"

Kamito frowned and pressed on—

"...Cho-Chocolate!"



Claire shouted like she turned defiant.

"Chocolate? Did you wake up to make candy or something?"

"W-Well, something like that. You know, isn't it «Valentia Holy Festival» very soon. Therefore, err, we're practicing... D-Don't misunderstand, I'll let you at least sample it, but that's all!"

—Valentia Holy Festival.

It was a popular ritual to commemorate the spirit princess Valentia Sadelca, who served the fire Elemental Lord several hundred years ago.

It was originally a ritual to dedicate baked sweets, which were baked by flames of purification, to spirits but— it had become "the day to give chocolate to the opposite sex, who one had a liking for" among the common masses.

"Hn? The opposite sex... But, there should only be girls in this academy—"

Kamito pointed out—

"Th-That's obvious, this is a friendship chocolate to be given to friends! Your role is just to sample it. Geez, what are you expecting? It's like you're a gluttonous pig!"

Claire talked on and on with her face bright red.

"...How mean. Wait a minute, don't you have no friends at all?"

"I-I do, things like friends! For example, Scarlet, and ...errr, the stray cat staying in the academy's garden Kitty."


"...I'm sorry, I was in the wrong."

...It seemed like he ended up stepping on a land mine.

"A-Anyway, hey, since I made them with great trouble, be grateful and eat them!"

Claire said in anger, and thrust that cinder lump before Kamito.

"Uh... Do I have to eat... this?"

"Wh-What... I woke up early to make it, you know!"

"No, I'm certainly thankful for that, but ..."

"Kamito-kun, forget those cinders, you can eat my chocolate."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Fuyon.*

"Fianna!?"

Suddenly, the former princess, who expressed an impish smile, was pressing her soft breasts against him.

Even without things like pads, her breasts were big enough, and a heart shaped chocolate was squeezed between her cleavage.

It was different from Claire's cinders, this one had an edible appearance, but he couldn't let himself be fooled. This impish princess had, in a certain sense, the cooking ability of a greater killing-level than Claire.

''...Just now, they said something about an aphrodisiac.''

"Kamito, quickly eat my chocolate!"

"Hey, don't hinder my '''Kamito-kun madly in love''' plan!"


As they jostled together, the two of them held out their chocolates.

"No, err, having such sweet things in the morning is..."

Kamito retreated overwhelmed.

At that moment.

Suddenly, the living room's door opened—

"Kamito, I also tried making chocolate."

"E-Est!?"

The one who appeared was a lovely beautiful girl like a snow fairy.

Her brilliantly shining silver hair. Her tight milk-like white smooth skin.

And then, her clear violet pupils that confined a faint brilliance.

She was the sword spirit Est.

She was a sealed spirit, who made a contract with Kamito several weeks ago, and possessed exceedingly mighty power.

"..."

Kamito widened his eyes, and became stiff like he was frozen.

Claire and Fianna were also at a loss for words.

She was naked. Stark naked.

Est, who was in an appearance almost akin to that of a new-born, was simply standing there.

'''Almost''' referred to the fact that she was wearing black knee socks on her legs, but—


That appearance, which was called naked knee-socks<ref>In japan, there exists a high level seductive technique called the naked apron, which is basically wearing nothing but a simple apron. Naked knee-socks is the knee-socks variant of that, in which one doesn't wear anything but knee-socks.</ref> in slang, was in a certain way even more lascivious than being naked.

"Est, that's a crime."

"Is Est a crime?"

Est tilted her head to the side in wonder.

"...Yes, Est is a naughty criminal."

Kamito was in chaos and had blurted out something he didn't really understand.

"That's disappointing. I thought that Kamito would be delighted with this sort of appearance."

"What kind of eyes are you looking at your contractor with..."

Kamito deeply sighed with a deadpan look.

"And, what do you mean that Est also made chocolate?"

He could not see anything like chocolate in Est's hands.

Instead, she was holding a small tube made of cloth.

It was something that was often used for decorating things like cakes.

"Okay, over here."

Est nodded expressionlessly—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Nyururun*

"Wh—"

What, she began drawing words with chocolate on her smooth white skin!


"..."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Nyuru nyurun.* *Nyururururun.*

There was fluid semi-liquid chocolate freely surging out.

Drawn on her pure white virgin-snow-like soft skin were words written in the language of the sacred spirits.

When deciphered— they read "'''Eat me'''".

"E-Est!?"

The moment Kamito understood the meaning of the spirit language, his face turned bright red.

"Fuaa, y-you, what are you teaching your contracted spirit, pe-pervert !"

"Err... Kamito-kun, y-you like this sort of thing?"

Claire's face turned bright red, and she flew into a rage, and Fianna had a-little-drawn-back look on her face.

"Wait, you're misunderstanding! Hey, Est—"

"Kamito, please lick my chocolate."

The naked Est was walking with a chocolate smeared appearance.

That appearance of hers, which he peeked at through the gaps of his fingers covering his eyes, was so alluring that his heart spontaneously jumped up.

"...If you don't hurry, it'll melt."

"No, hey, wait—"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Dotadotadotadotaa!*

Suddenly, he heard intense footsteps from the corridor.


<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bam.* The room's door was cleanly opened with force—

"Kazehaya Kamito, what on earth are you doing... Wh!?"

The one, who showed up, was—

A female knight, wearing azure light armor over her body.

She had frigid reddish brown pupils. Her rose-colored lips were tightly closed.

Her stunning blue hair was tied up in a ponytail with a ribbon.

She was the leader of the Sylphid Knights that managed the academy's public morals.

Ellis Fahrengart.

The moment she came bursting into the room, she widely opened her reddish brown eyes.

"Y-You... H-H-How shameless..."

"Wa-Wait, Ellis, you're mistaken, there's no way this is my hobby—"

"How unsightly, are you thinking that such an excuse would work?!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gogogogogogogo...!*

Thunderous fierce gales blew violently around Ellis, whose eyebrows were raised.

She was a top-class wind spirit user even in the academy.

"I received a report that your room was noisy and came to see, but... I never thought that you were making your contracted spirit do such a perverted thing!"

The whirling gales mowed down the room's furniture and soon transformed into the form of a giant demon bird.


It was the high ranking demon wind spirit— «Simorgh» that served the Fahrengart family.

"Des-Despite that I had gotten a better opinion of you!"

It was certain that tears were slightly oozing around Kamito's eyes.

"E-Ellis, you're mis—"

"It's no use, be turned into paella right here and now!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Kouu!*

She aimed and released a lump of fierce gale winds at Kamito.

Kamito's body was blown off in a straight line, and it smashed into the room's window and danced in midair.

===Part 2===

Areishia Spirit Academy.

It was a development school that trained noble girls, who were gathered from all over the empire, into fully fledged spirit contractors.

The school building was designed like a fortress, furnished with solid ramparts. This academy, which included the continent's largest «Spirit Forest» and Mine Town within its vast territory, was just like a small independent country.

"...Sigh, he doesn't change, that boy."

As she looked down at the boy's appearance of fluttering in midair from the second floor of the dormitory—

The academy director, Greyworth Ciel Mais, made a small sigh.


Her ash-blonde hair was gently waving. Her grey pupils extolled sharp discernment.

She definitely could only be seen as bewitching beautiful lady from her outward appearance, but she was once the head knight of the {{Furigana|twelve-knight-commanders|Numbers|margin=12}} that were boasted as the empire's strongest.

During the Ranbal war, she was the legendary spirit contractor, the '''Dusk Witch''' that friends and foes were afraid of.

"Even though there's a few weeks till the opening of the Blade Dance, how carefree."

They seemed to have added the former second princess, Fianna, into their team and were gradually raising their ranking, but— they still had not gathered five teammates.

"Nevertheless—"

The figure of a person appeared from Greyworth's shadow.

"Calamity Queen's sister with former second princess who lost her spirit princess qualification. Even within my superior problem child gathering class, they are a very peculiar group."

It was a woman with black hair and a white robe put over her suit.

Spirit Contractor—Freya Grandol. Raven Class' teacher-in-charge.

"Academy director, you seem to be pretty attached to him."

"That's right, after all, he's the one and only male spirit contractor in the continent."

Freya turned a strict gaze towards Greyworth, who shrugged her shoulders to dodge the question.

"Kazehaya Kamito... Who on earth is he?"

"Oh, did you also fall in love with that boy?"

"Sorry, but I do not have an interest in younger ones."


Freya shook her head, and Greyworth smiled, seemingly happy.

"Hmm... So, what information do you have for me?"

"We caught hold of information that the traders of {{Furigana|Bone Federation|Murders|margin=12}} sneaked into Academy Town. They're probably trying to sell curse-binding seals to students just before the Blade Dance."

"What an annoying bunch. Order Ellis' Sylphid Knights to reinforce the security."

"Yes, there's another thing—"

"Uh?"

"Velsaria Eva had returned to the academy."

Greyworth slightly raised up her eyebrows.

"Haa, she completed the subjugation quest of a devil-class spirit in just a few weeks. As expected."

"Yea, she is without a doubt the '''academy's strongest spirit contractor''' at this point in time— So far, she had been doing the quests absolutely without assembling a team, but she would also have to recruit members to participate in the Blade Dance. She seems to be someone, who would be the at the top amongst the three participating."

"Well, I wonder about that?"

Greyworth smiled, seemingly amused, as glanced towards the outside of the window.

Kamito was over there, being chased by Ellis' demon wind spirit and was frantically running from place to place.

<noinclude>
==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Prologue|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter2}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

2012-06-20T00:18:06Z

Rednal: V2 C9 Percent Completion Update

[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|250px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance (精霊使いの剣舞) is a light novel series written by Shimizu Yuu. The illustrations are done by Sakura Hanpen. Currently, the series has 7 volumes.

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Tiếng Việt|Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)]]
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Indonesia|Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]

==Story Synopsis==

Only a pure maiden can have the privilege to contract with a spirit. In here, Areishia Spirit Academy, trained maidens of noble families are gathered and given an elite's education to become spirit contractors. A boy, Kamito, peeped by accident at a girl, Clair, while she was taking a bath and he ended up making a contract with the spirit she wanted. Yes, Kamito is an irregular boy spirit contractor whose existence was thought impossible until now. "You stole...my spirit...you have to take responsibility for it!" "Huh?" "You have to become my contracted spirit!" What will Kamito's destiny lead to? (From FairGame)

==Updates==

:* June 13, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 8 completed
:* June 08, 2012: Volume 3 Prologue completed
:* May 26, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 6 completed
:* May 17, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 5 completed
:* May 7, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 4 completed
:* April 28, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 3 completed
:* April 22, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 2 completed
:* April 16, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 1 completed
:* April 12, 2012: Volume 2 Prologue completed
:* April 7, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 7 completed
:* April 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 8 completed
:* March 27, 2012: Volume 1 Afterword completed
:* March 23, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 6 completed
:* March 18, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 3 completed
:* March 13, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 5 completed
:* March 11, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 4 and Epilogue completed
:* February 14, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 2 completed
:* February 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 1 completed
:* October 8, 2011: Page created

== Translation ==

===[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Seirei_Tsukai_no_Blade_Dance:Names_and_Terminology_Guidelines|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

=== Feedback ===
'''If you enjoyed the teaser, why don't you tell us or discuss this series in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4633 forum]?'''

==The 'Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance' series by Shimizu Yuu==

===[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume 1|Volume 1 - The Sword, The Academy and The Hell Cat Girl]]===
[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
'''([http://www.mediafire.com/view/?m7y0rabr9pv23i0 PDF1] - [http://www.mediafire.com/view/?2p74rloms3mmzba PDF2 (Polished Larger Size)]- [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4964 ePUB/MOBI])'''
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - You Are My Contracted Spirit!]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Areishia Spirit Academy]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - My Classmate is a Princess]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Wolf, the Cat and the Knight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Claire's Feelings]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Blade Dance at Midnight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Contracted Spirit Est]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Strongest Blade Dancer]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 2 - The Lost Queen===
[[Image:STnBD V02 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Team Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Young Ladies' Afternoon]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - The Lost Queen]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - Cat Fight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - The One Who Will Succeed the Demon King]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Morning of the Departure]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - The Abandoned-Mine Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Fiana's Confession]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter9|Chapter 9 - Team Scarlet]] (17%)
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 3 - Pledge of the Wind ===
[[Image:STnBD V03 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*Chapter 1 - Wake up early Ojou-sama
::*Chapter 2 - Team Scarlet's Dash
::*Chapter 3 - Claire's Birthday
::*Chapter 4 - Knight's Sincerity
::*Chapter 5 - Sylphid Knights
::*Chapter 6 - Academy Town's Security
::*Chapter 7 - Varentia Holy Festival
::*Chapter 8 - Ellis's Determination
::*Chapter 9 - The Strongest Spirit Contractor
::*Epilogue

===Volume 4 - The Blade Dance ===
[[Image:STnBD V04 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*Chapter 1 - Travel Preparation
::*Chapter 2 - Sky Voyage
::*Chapter 3 - Draknia's Dragon Princess
::*Chapter 4 - Floating Island
::*Chapter 5 - Water Sport
::*Chapter 6 - Crack
::*Chapter 7 - Girl of the Dark Spirit
::*Chapter 8 - Dance Ball
::*Chapter 9 - Mark of Darkness
::*Chapter 10 - Showdown with the Past
::*Epilogue

===Volume 5 - The Holy Sword That Killed the Demon King ===
[[Image:STnBD V05 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Chapter 8
::*Chapter 9
::*Epilogue

===Volume 6 The Darkness Spirit's Recollection ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume6 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

===Volume 7 - The Strongest Blade Dancer ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume7 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Black Dust|Black Dust]]
:*[[User:KuroiHikari|KuroiHikari]]

'''INACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Nikuniku|Nikuniku]]
:*[[User:RikiNutcase|RikiNutcase]]

===Editors===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Chancs|Chancs]]
:*[[User:Morgi|Morgi]]
:*[[User:Richocet|Richocet]]
:*[[User:lchigo93|lchigo93]]
:*[[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]]

==Series Overview==

*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 1- 剣と学院と火猫少女 (December 24, 2010) ISBN 978-4-8401-3675-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 2- ロスト・クイーン (February 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3824-6
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 3- 風の誓約 (May 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3930-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 4- 精霊剣舞祭 (August 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4202-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 5- 魔王殺しの聖剣 (November 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4299-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 6- 追憶の闇精霊 (February 24, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4386-8
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 7-　最強の剣舞姫 (May 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4580-0

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

2012-06-12T15:41:52Z

Rednal: V2 C8 completion percent update

[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|250px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance (精霊使いの剣舞) is a light novel series written by Shimizu Yuu. The illustrations are done by Sakura Hanpen. Currently, the series has 7 volumes.

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Tiếng Việt|Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)]]
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Indonesia|Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]

==Story Synopsis==

Only a pure maiden can have the privilege to contract with a spirit. In here, Areishia Spirit Academy, trained maidens of noble families are gathered and given an elite's education to become spirit contractors. A boy, Kamito, peeped by accident at a girl, Clair, while she was taking a bath and he ended up making a contract with the spirit she wanted. Yes, Kamito is an irregular boy spirit contractor whose existence was thought impossible until now. "You stole...my spirit...you have to take responsibility for it!" "Huh?" "You have to become my contracted spirit!" What will Kamito's destiny lead to? (From FairGame)

==Updates==

:* May 26, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 6 completed
:* May 17, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 5 completed
:* May 7, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 4 completed
:* April 28, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 3 completed
:* April 22, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 2 completed
:* April 16, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 1 completed
:* April 12, 2012: Volume 2 Prologue completed
:* April 7, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 7 completed
:* April 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 8 completed
:* March 27, 2012: Volume 1 Afterword completed
:* March 23, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 6 completed
:* March 18, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 3 completed
:* March 13, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 5 completed
:* March 11, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 4 and Epilogue completed
:* February 14, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 2 completed
:* February 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 1 completed
:* October 8, 2011: Page created

== Translation ==

===[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Seirei_Tsukai_no_Blade_Dance:Names_and_Terminology_Guidelines|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

=== Feedback ===
'''If you enjoyed the teaser, why don't you tell us or discuss this series in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4633 forum]?'''

==The 'Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance' series by Shimizu Yuu==

===[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume 1|Volume 1 - The Sword, The Academy and The Hell Cat Girl]]===
[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
'''([http://www.mediafire.com/view/?m7y0rabr9pv23i0 PDF1] - [http://www.mediafire.com/view/?2p74rloms3mmzba PDF2 (Polished Larger Size)]- [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4964 ePUB/MOBI])'''
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - You Are My Contracted Spirit!]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Areishia Spirit Academy]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - My Classmate is a Princess]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Wolf, the Cat and the Knight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Claire's Feelings]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Blade Dance at Midnight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Contracted Spirit Est]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Strongest Blade Dancer]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 2 - The Lost Queen===
[[Image:STnBD V02 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Team Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Young Ladies' Afternoon]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - The Lost Queen]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - Cat Fight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - The One Who Will Succeed the Demon King]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Morning of the Departure]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - The Abandoned-Mine Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Fiana's Confession]] (58%)
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter9|Chapter 9 - Team Scarlet]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 3 - Pledge of the Wind ===
[[Image:STnBD V03 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*Chapter 1 - Wake up early Ojou-sama
::*Chapter 2 - Team Scarlet's Dash
::*Chapter 3 - Claire's Birthday
::*Chapter 4 - Knight's Sincerity
::*Chapter 5 - Sylphid Knights
::*Chapter 6 - Academy Town's Security
::*Chapter 7 - Varentia Holy Festival
::*Chapter 8 - Ellis's Determination
::*Chapter 9 - The Strongest Spirit Contractor
::*Epilogue

===Volume 4 - The Blade Dance ===
[[Image:STnBD V04 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*Chapter 1 - Travel Preparation
::*Chapter 2 - Sky Voyage
::*Chapter 3 - Draknia's Dragon Princess
::*Chapter 4 - Floating Island
::*Chapter 5 - Water Sport
::*Chapter 6 - Crack
::*Chapter 7 - Girl of the Dark Spirit
::*Chapter 8 - Dance Ball
::*Chapter 9 - Mark of Darkness
::*Chapter 10 - Showdown with the Past
::*Epilogue

===Volume 5 - The Holy Sword That Killed the Demon King ===
[[Image:STnBD V05 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Chapter 8
::*Chapter 9
::*Epilogue

===Volume 6 The Darkness Spirit's Recollection ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume6 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

===Volume 7 - The Strongest Blade Dancer ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume7 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Black Dust|Black Dust]]
:*[[User:KuroiHikari|KuroiHikari]]

'''INACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Nikuniku|Nikuniku]]
:*[[User:RikiNutcase|RikiNutcase]]

===Editors===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Chancs|Chancs]]
:*[[User:Morgi|Morgi]]
:*[[User:Richocet|Richocet]]
:*[[User:lchigo93|lchigo93]]
:*[[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]]

==Series Overview==

*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 1- 剣と学院と火猫少女 (December 24, 2010) ISBN 978-4-8401-3675-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 2- ロスト・クイーン (February 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3824-6
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 3- 風の誓約 (May 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3930-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 4- 精霊剣舞祭 (August 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4202-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 5- 魔王殺しの聖剣 (November 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4299-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 6- 追憶の闇精霊 (February 24, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4386-8
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 7-　最強の剣舞姫 (May 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4580-0

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

2012-06-09T17:20:18Z

Rednal: Percent status update for V2 C8.

[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|250px|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance (精霊使いの剣舞) is a light novel series written by Shimizu Yuu. The illustrations are done by Sakura Hanpen. Currently, the series has 7 volumes.

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Tiếng Việt|Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)]]
*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Indonesia|Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]

==Story Synopsis==

Only a pure maiden can have the privilege to contract with a spirit. In here, Areishia Spirit Academy, trained maidens of noble families are gathered and given an elite's education to become spirit contractors. A boy, Kamito, peeped by accident at a girl, Clair, while she was taking a bath and he ended up making a contract with the spirit she wanted. Yes, Kamito is an irregular boy spirit contractor whose existence was thought impossible until now. "You stole...my spirit...you have to take responsibility for it!" "Huh?" "You have to become my contracted spirit!" What will Kamito's destiny lead to? (From FairGame)

==Updates==

:* May 26, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 6 completed
:* May 17, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 5 completed
:* May 7, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 4 completed
:* April 28, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 3 completed
:* April 22, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 2 completed
:* April 16, 2012: Volume 2 Chapter 1 completed
:* April 12, 2012: Volume 2 Prologue completed
:* April 7, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 7 completed
:* April 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 8 completed
:* March 27, 2012: Volume 1 Afterword completed
:* March 23, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 6 completed
:* March 18, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 3 completed
:* March 13, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 5 completed
:* March 11, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 4 and Epilogue completed
:* February 14, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 2 completed
:* February 5, 2012: Volume 1 Chapter 1 completed
:* October 8, 2011: Page created

== Translation ==

===[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Seirei_Tsukai_no_Blade_Dance:Names_and_Terminology_Guidelines|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

=== Feedback ===
'''If you enjoyed the teaser, why don't you tell us or discuss this series in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4633 forum]?'''

==The 'Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance' series by Shimizu Yuu==

===[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume 1|Volume 1 - The Sword, The Academy and The Hell Cat Girl]]===
[[Image:STnBD V01 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
'''([http://www.mediafire.com/view/?m7y0rabr9pv23i0 PDF1] - [http://www.mediafire.com/view/?2p74rloms3mmzba PDF2 (Polished Larger Size)]- [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4964 ePUB/MOBI])'''

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - You Are My Contracted Spirit!]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Areishia Spirit Academy]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - My Classmate is a Princess]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Wolf, the Cat and the Knight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Claire's Feelings]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Blade Dance at Midnight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Contracted Spirit Est]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Strongest Blade Dancer]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 2 - The Lost Queen===
[[Image:STnBD V02 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Team Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Young Ladies' Afternoon]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - The Lost Queen]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - Cat Fight]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - The One Who Will Succeed the Demon King]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Morning of the Departure]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - The Abandoned-Mine Battle]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Fiana's Confession]] (20%)
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter9|Chapter 9 - Team Scarlet]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 3 - Pledge of the Wind ===
[[Image:STnBD V03 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*Chapter 1 - Wake up early Ojou-sama
::*Chapter 2 - Team Scarlet's Dash
::*Chapter 3 - Claire's Birthday
::*Chapter 4 - Knight's Sincerity
::*Chapter 5 - Sylphid Knights
::*Chapter 6 - Academy Town's Security
::*Chapter 7 - Varentia Holy Festival
::*Chapter 8 - Ellis's Determination
::*Chapter 9 - The Strongest Spirit Contractor
::*Epilogue

===Volume 4 - The Blade Dance ===
[[Image:STnBD V04 001.jpg|thumb|x200px]]

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*Chapter 1 - Travel Preparation
::*Chapter 2 - Sky Voyage
::*Chapter 3 - Draknia's Dragon Princess
::*Chapter 4 - Floating Island
::*Chapter 5 - Water Sport
::*Chapter 6 - Crack
::*Chapter 7 - Girl of the Dark Spirit
::*Chapter 8 - Dance Ball
::*Chapter 9 - Mark of Darkness
::*Chapter 10 - Showdown with the Past
::*Epilogue

===Volume 5 - The Holy Sword That Killed the Demon King ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

===Volume 6 The Darkness Spirit's Recollection ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume6 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

===Volume 7 - The Strongest Blade Dancer ===

::*[[Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume7 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Black Dust|Black Dust]]
:*[[User:KuroiHikari|KuroiHikari]]

'''INACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Nikuniku|Nikuniku]]
:*[[User:RikiNutcase|RikiNutcase]]

===Editors===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[User:Chancs|Chancs]]
:*[[User:Morgi|Morgi]]
:*[[User:Richocet|Richocet]]
:*[[User:lchigo93|lchigo93]]
:*[[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]]

==Series Overview==

*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 1- 剣と学院と火猫少女 (December 24, 2010) ISBN 978-4-8401-3675-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 2- ロスト・クイーン (February 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3824-6
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 3- 風の誓約 (May 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-3930-4
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 4- 精霊剣舞祭 (August 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4202-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 5- 魔王殺しの聖剣 (November 25, 2011) ISBN 978-4-8401-4299-1
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 6- 追憶の闇精霊 (February 24, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4386-8
*Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance Volume 7-　最強の剣舞姫 (May 25, 2012) ISBN 978-4-8401-4580-0

High School DxD

2012-02-17T21:29:14Z

Rednal: Minor fix to Volume 4's title, so it matches the others now.

[[Image:High_School_DxD_Volume_1.jpg|300px|thumb|High School DxD Volume 1 Cover]]

'''''High School DxD''''' (ハイスクールD×D) is a Japanese light novel series written by Ichiei Ishibumi and illustrated by Miyama-Zero, published by Fujimi Shobo under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko label.

High School DxD series is also available in the following languages:
*[[High School DxD (Bahasa Indonesia)|Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]

==Story Synopsis==
The story follows Issei Hyōdō, a dim-witted, lecherous second-year high school student, killed by his girlfriend on his first date ever. Issei is reincarnated as a devil, and from that day forward he serves as an underling of Rias, a high-level devil who is also the prettiest girl on Issei's campus.

==Character Introduction==


{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:left; margin:5px 20px clear:both; font-size:100%; background:transparent; width:100%;"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center"| '''WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTENT MIGHT CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.'''
|-
|
===Kuou Academy===
====Occult Research Club====

<div>
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Issei Hyoudou''' (兵藤一誠, ''Hyōdō Issei'')

[[File:Pawn-Ise.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil(Former human)/Pawn

Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear (Longinus) -> Boosted Gear Scale-mail (Balance-Breaker)

Power: Dress-Break, Bilingual.

An 11th grade student. Stupid, lecherous and a pervert. A normal high school student born in a normal family, but is in possession of the Sacred Gear "Boosted Gear" which is listed as one of the ultimate Sacred Gears. He was killed by his first girlfriend, a fallen-angel, and was revived as a devil, and a servant of Rias Gremory, his new master. Now he aims to become a Harem-king by gaining a peerage, unaware of himself attracting girls around him.

</div>
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Rias Gremory''' (リアス・グレモリー, ''Guremori Riasu'')

[[File:King-Rias.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Top-class devil(Pure devil)/King

Power: Power of destruction

A 12th grade student and the prettiest girl in the academy. Comes from the old noble of pure devils, the house of Gremory, a top-class devil who is called a genius nicknamed "Crimson Ruin Princess". Her brother is in fact one of the Yondai-Maou, Lucifer. Both of them possess the power of destruction. She revives Ise as her servant after finding him dead, killed by a fallen-angel and possessing a rare Sacred Gear. Kind and soft to her servants, becomes a totally different person when training or fighting.

</div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Asia Argento''' (アーシア・アルジェント, ''Arujennto Aashia'')

[[File:Bishop-Asia.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil (Former human)/Bishop

Sacred Gear: Twilight Healing

An 11th grade student. Originally a sister who was known as a Holy-maiden for healing powers. She was raised in an orphanage and was taken in by the church after her powers were discovered. She was kicked out of the Church for healing a devil, and was taken in by people affiliated with fallen-angels. Starts living together with Ise, after being saved from fallen-angels' grasp. As a person raised in church, she lacks common sense.

</div>
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Akeno Himejima''' (姫島朱乃, ''Himejima Akeno'')

[[File:Queen-Akeno.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil (Former human/fallen-angel)/Queen

Power: Power of Holy-Lighting

A 12th grade student and one of "Two big onee-samas" of the school along with Rias. Called the ultimate "Queen" by other members. Born between a human mother and fallen angel father. After the death of her mother, she became Rias' servant. She is a friend close enough to call Rias by her name in private, yet calls her Buchou in presence of others and displays master-servant relationship in public. She persistently refuses to use her power of light, inherited from her father, starts using it after being convinced by Ise.

</div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Yuuto Kiba''' (木場祐斗, ''Kiba Yuuto'')

[[File:Knight-Kiba.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil (Former human)/Knight

Sacred Gear: Sword Birth -> Sword of Betrayer (Balance-Breaker)

An 11th grade student. Self proclaimed best friend of Ise, and the school prince. He was a victim of the "Project: Holy Sword" where he was the only sole survivor. He became Rias' servant when she saved him from death, but still swore to extract his revenge on those who treated him as a test subject and disposed his friends. He also harbors a great hatred towards the holy sword Excalibur.

</div>
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Koneko Toujou''' (塔城小猫, ''Tōjō Koneko'')

[[File:Tank-Koneko.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil (Former nekomata)/Rook

Power: Sen-jutsu

A 10th grade student. Originally she was about to be executed by the devils after her sister, Kuroka, killed her own master. The Satan, Lucifer, protected her, and left her under his sister's, Rias' care - becoming her servant. She refused to use the power of sen-jutsu because she didn't want to become like her sister. She overcame her power along with Akeno after Ise made her overcome her own powers. She doesn't show any emotion at all, and says harsh things and hits Ise when he is doing or thinking something perverted. She shows the most concern for her comrades when they are in trouble.

</div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Zenovia''' (ゼノヴィア, ''Zenovia'')

[[File:Knight-Zenovia.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil (Former human)/Knight

Weapon: Excalibur Destruction , The Holy Sword Durrandal

She is a Holy-sword user who was sent from the Church along with Irina to destroy or retrieve the stolen swords Excalibur. After she finds out that the God in the Bible has died long time ago, she decides to join the Occult Research club as Rias's servant. She tries to seduce Ise whenever she can because she wants to give birth to a strong baby.

</div>
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Gasper Vladi''' (ギャスパー・ヴラディ, ''Bulade Gyasupa'')

[[File:Bishop-Gasper.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil (Former human/vampire)/Bishop

Sacred Gear: Forbidden Balor View

A half-vampire male cross-dresser who has the ability to stop the time of those he sees but he is unable to control it. He is sealed by Rias as ordered by the elders till she has grown up enough to control him. He still is unable to have a full command on his powers but can improve a lot by drinking Ise's blood.

</div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Rossweisse''' (ロスヴァイセ, ''Rosuvaise'')

[[File:Tank-Rossweisse.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role: Low-class devil (Former Valkyrie)/Rook

Power: Norse Magics

Originally Odin's bodyguard. After the battle with Loki and Fenrir, Odin leaves her in Ise's town. She then gets persuaded by Rias to become her servant. She remains in Kuou Gakuen as a teacher.

</div>
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Irina Shidou''' (紫藤イリナ, ''Shidō Irina'')

[[File:Ace-Irina.jpg|left|]]

Rank/Role:

Weapon: Excalibur Mimic

She is Zenovia's partner and Ise's childhood friend. After finding out that the God in the Bible is dead, she still follows the teaching. She also has a crush on Ise and was shocked to find out he turned into a devil. They are still friends despite that flaw.

</div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
<div style="float: left; width:42%; margin: 5px 20px;">

</div>
<br style="clear: both;" />
</div>

|}

==Translation==

=== [[High School DxD:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

'''Translators are asked to [[High School DxD:Registration Page|register]] for chapters they want to work on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[High School DxD :Names and Terminology Guidelines]]

=== Feedback ===
'''If you enjoyed the series, why don't you tell us in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=4659 forum]'''

==Updates==
* '''15-Jan-2012'''
**Volume 3 Life 2 '''COMPLETED'''
* '''24-Jan-2012'''
**Volume 11 Life... '''COMPLETED'''
* '''27-Jan-2012'''
**Volume 3 Life 3 '''COMPLETED'''
* '''29-Jan-2012'''
**Volume 4 Life 0 '''COMPLETED'''
* '''31-Jan-2012'''
**Volume 3 Life 4 '''COMPLETED'''
* '''04-Feb-2012'''
**Volume 3 New Knight & New Rival '''COMPLETED'''
* '''09-Feb-2012'''
**Volume 8 Life 1 '''COMPLETED'''
* '''17-Feb-2012'''
**Volume 3 New Life '''COMPLETED'''
Older updates can be found on the [[High_School_DxD:Updates|High School DxD Updates page]].

==The ''High School DxD'' series by Ichiei Ishibumi==

===Volume 1 - Diablos of the Old School ([[High School DxD:Volume 1|Full Text]] - [http://www.mediafire.com/?1ka5qw6vv1aruf1 PDF for e-Reader] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4860 ePUB])===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 Life 1|Life.1 Gave Up on Being a Human]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 Life 2|Life.2 Start of a Devil]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 Life 3|Life.3 Made a Friend]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 Life 4|Life.4 Save a Friend!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 New Life|New Life.]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 1 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 2 - Phoenix of the Battle School ([[High School DxD:Volume 2|Full Text]] - [http://www.mediafire.com/?7qebgqapggtu0ti PDF for e-Reader] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=4860 ePUB])===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Life 1|Life.1 My job as a devil]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Life 2|Life.2 I challenge you to a fight]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Life 3|Life.3 I started my training]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Life 4|Life.4 Beginning of the decisive battle]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Life 5|Life.5 High praises during the decisive battle]]　
**[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Checkmate|Checkmate]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 2 End Game|End Game]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Life. ∞ vs Power ∞ I came to keep my promise!|Life. ∞ vs Power ∞ I came to keep my promise!]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 2 fatherxfather|fatherxfather]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Last kiss|Last kiss]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 New Life|New Life]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 2 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 3 - Excalibur of the Moonlit Schoolyard===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Life 1|Life.1 Heat up occult research club!]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Revenge Knight|Revenge Knight]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Life 2|Life.2 The Holy-sword has arrived]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Life 3|Life.3 The plan to destroy the Holy-sword!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Life 4|Life.4 Go! Occult research club!]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 3 New Knight & New Rival|New Knight & New Rival]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 New Life|New Life]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Friends|Friends]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 3 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 4 - The Suspended Classroom's Vampire===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Life 1|Life.1 It's summer! It's swimsuits! I'm in trouble!?]] (24%)
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Life 2|Life.2 Class observation begins]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Life 3|Life.3 I got a kouhai(Boy)]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Life 4|Life.4 The meeting of VIP starts!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Life 5|Life.5 Welsh Dragon and Vanishing Dragon]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 New Life|New Life]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Special Life|Special Life]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 4 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 5===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Life 1|Life.1 It's summer break, let's GO to the Underworld!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Life 2|Life.2 The gathering of the young devils!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Life 3|Life.3 Cat and Dragon!]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Odin|Odin]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Life 4|Life.4 Buchou vs Kaichou: First Half]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Waltz|Waltz]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Life 5|Life.5 Buchou vs Kaichou: Second Half]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 5 VIP|VIP]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 5 End Game|End Game]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 5 WINNER|WINNER]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Reunion|Reunion]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 5 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 6===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Life 1|Life.1 The second term started!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Life 2|Life.2 Asia-chan's worries]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Life 3|Life.3 The Great Battle!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Life 4|Life.4 I love you]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Life 5|Life.5 The Great Red!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 New Life|New Life]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 6 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 7===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 Life 0|Life.0]] (40%)
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 Life 1|Life.1 The peace is the best]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 Life 2|Life.2 The arrival of the shitty-geezer from the north.]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 Life 3|Life.3 The joint army!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 Life 4|Life.4 Two Heavenly Dragons vs Evil-God Loki!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 New Life|New Life]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 7 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 8===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Life 1|Life.1 Devil's Job]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Life 2|Life.2 Familiar's requirement]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Life 3|Life.3 Memory of Oppai]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Life 4|Life.4 Oppai of the Tennis]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Life 5|Life.5 Hell Teacher Azazel]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Life 6|Life.6 300 Ise]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Extra Life The Fun family of the Gremory|Extra Life The Fun family of the Gremory]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 8 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 9===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Life 1|Life.1 Yeah, lets go to Kyoto!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Life 2|Life.2 Arrival at Kyoto]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Life 3|Life.3 The group of Heroes has arrived]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Life 4|Life.4 Decisive battle]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Maven|Maven]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 New Life|New Life]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 9 BossxBoss|BossxBoss]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Vali Lucifer|Vali Lucifer]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Bael|Bael]]
**[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Heroes|Heroes]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 9 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 10===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Life 1|Life.1 The preparation of the school festival!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Life 2|Life.2 The feeling of maiden is complicated]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Life 3|Life.3 The start of the decisive battle of the young devils!]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Life 4|Life.4 As a servant of Rias Gremory]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Life. MAX VS Power　Man (Sekiryutei) vs Man (Shishiou)|Life. MAX VS Power　Man (Sekiryutei) vs Man (Shishiou)]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Life. MAXIMAM VS Power Crimson and Red|Life. MAXIMAM VS Power Crimson and Red]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 New Life|New Life.]] (Part 4 only)
**[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Extra Life|Extra Life　The dream that doesn't finish, and the dream that finishes]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 10 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Volume 11===
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Life 0|Life.0]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Life 1|Life.1]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Life 2|Life.2]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Life 3|Life.3]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Life 4|Life.4]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Life...|Life...]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Lost Life|Lost Life.]]
*[[High School DxD:Volume 11 Afterword|Afterword]]

===Dragon Magazine===
*November 2008
*January 2009
*March 2009
*May 2009
*July 2009
*September 2009
*November 2009
*January 2010
*March 2010
*May 2010
*July 2010
*September 2010
*November 20010
*January 2011
*March 2011
*May 2011
*July 2011
**EROKOME
*September 2011
*November 2011
*January 2012

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator: :[[user:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]]
*Project Supervisor: [[user:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]]

===Translators===
:*[[user:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]]
:*[[user:Akuma|Akuma]]
:*[[user:hayashi_oni|hayashi_oni]]
''People who wants to translate this project, please check my page for further details.''

===Editors===

:*[[user:Skies|Skies]]
:*[[user:Chancs|Chancs]]
:*[[user:RikiNutcase|RikiNutcase]]
:*[[user:Deign12|Deign12]]
:*[[user:Ff7_freak|Ff7_freak]]
:*[[user:Starkiller4299|Starkiller4299]]
:*[[user:leiyooh|leiyooh]]
:*[[user:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]]
:*[[user:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]]

==Series Overview==
*ハイスクールD×D1 旧校舎のディアボロス (September 20, 2008 ISBN 978-4829133262)
*ハイスクールD×D2 戦闘校舎のフェニックス (December 20, 2008 ISBN 978-4829133583)
*ハイスクールD×D3 月光校庭のエクスカリバー (April 20, 2009 ISBN 978-4829133910)
*ハイスクールD×D4 停止教室のヴァンパイア (September 20, 2009 ISBN 978-4829134276)
*ハイスクールD×D5 冥界合宿のヘルキャット (December 19, 2009 ISBN 978-4829134702)
*ハイスクールD×D6 体育館裏のホーリー (March 20, 2010 ISBN ISBN 978-4829135006)
*ハイスクールD×D7 放課後のラグナロク (July 17, 2010 ISBN 978-4829135402)
*ハイスクールD×D8 アクマのおしごと (December 17, 2010 ISBN 978-4829135938)
*ハイスクールD×D9 修学旅行はパンデモニウム (April 20, 2011 ISBN 978-4829136287)
*ハイスクールD×D10 学園祭のライオンハート (September 17, 2011 ISBN 978-4829136775)
*ハイスクールD×D11 進級試験とウロボロス (January 20, 2012 ISBN 978-4829137208)

[[Category:Fujimi Fantasia Bunko]]

User:Rednal

2012-01-30T15:36:11Z

Rednal: User page created

Hello, my name is Rednal, and I am just one of many random editors who have found their way to this site.

Personal Project(s):
Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka? ((If any translator is willing to work on it, I'll do the editing. '''All''' of the editing.))

Other Projects:
I'm willing to work on most other projects on request. Just let me know what you really need help with!

Kore wa Zombie desu ka?

2012-01-30T15:29:35Z

Rednal: /* Editors */

[[Image:Kore wa Zombie desu ka? vol 1 cover.jpg|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]

Kore wa Zombie desu ka? (これはゾンビですか?) is a light novel series written by Shinichi Kimura. The illustrations are done by Kobuichi and Muririn. Currently, the series has 8 volumes, an anime series and manga series.

==Story Synopsis==
Ayumu Aikawa is a zombie resurrected by a necromancer named Eucliwood Hellscythe after being killed by a serial killer. As he tries to make the best of his undead life, he encounters a masō-shōjo named Haruna and inadvertently takes her magic powers, being forced to become a masō-shōjo in the process. With Eucliwood, Haruna, and a vampire ninja named Seraphim living with him, Ayumu helps battle demons known as Megalos while trying to figure out the mystery behind his own death. 

== Updates ==
*2 March 2011: Kore wa Zombie desu ka? teaser project initiated.

== Translation ==

===[[Kore wa Zombie desu ka?:Registration_Page|Registration]]===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to first notify a supervisor beforehand.

'''Translators are asked to [[Kore wa Zombie desu ka?:Registration_Page|register]] which chapters they're working on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]

==The 'Kore wa Zombie desu ka?' series by Shinichi Kimura==

'''Teaser'''

===Volume 1===

::*[[Kore wa Zombie desu ka?:Volume1 Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Kore wa Zombie desu ka?:Volume 1 Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Kore wa Zombie desu ka?:Volume 1 Chapter 1|Chapter1]]
::*Chapter 2
::*[[Kore wa Zombie desu ka?:Volume 1 Chapter 3|Chapter 3]] (~30%)
::*Chapter 4
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

'''If you enjoyed the teasers, why don't you tell us in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=4223 Feedback Thread]'''

==Project Staff==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[User:Naerylan|Naerylan]]

===Editors===

:* [[User:hayate912|hayate912]]
:* [[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]]
:* [[User:Trololol9099|Trololol9099]]
:* [[User:Rednal|Rednal]]

==Project Status==

Project Status: '''Teaser'''

== Series Overview ==

* Volume 1 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Yes, I'm a Masō-Shōjo" / これはゾンビですか? はい、魔装少女です (Published January 20, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8291-3370-5)

* Volume 2 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Yes, I am the Harbinger of Death" / これはゾンビですか? そう、私は死を呼ぶもの (Published May 20, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8291-3370-5)

* Volume 3 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? No, It explodes" / これはゾンビですか? いえ、それは爆発します(Published September 20, 2009, ISBN 978-4-8291-3442-9)

* Volume 4 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Yeah, I'm the Strongest Teacher!" / これはゾンビですか? うん、先生が最強だよ!(Published January 20, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8291-3481-8)

* Volume 5 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Oh, My darling is good-for-nothing" / これはゾンビですか? ああ、マイダーリンはロクデナシ (Published May 20, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8291-3524-2)

* Volume 6 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Yes, Both are my wives" / これはゾンビですか? はい、どちらも嫁です (Published October 20, 2010, ISBN 978-4-8291-3574-7)

* Volume 7 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Yes, I sleep with my father" / これはゾンビですか? はーい、眠れるチチです (Published January 20, 2011, ISBN 978-4-8291-3605-8)

* Volume 8 - "Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Yes, I'm Sorry for Kissing" / これはゾンビですか? はい、キスしてごめんなさい (Published June 18, 2011, ISBN 978-4-8291-3650-8)

[[Category:Teasers]]
[[Category:Fujimi Fantasia Bunko]]

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume2 Chapter2

2007-08-21T17:21:22Z

Rednal: Proofreading Complete. ^^

==[[zeroNT:Volume02Chapter02ClaiesOriginal|Raw English translation available here]]==

==Chapter 2 – Her Majesty’s Melancholy==

Morning.

Louise’s classmates stared wide-eyed at her as she entered, mostly because she towed behind her a chained, locked, and badly broken being with her into the classroom. Her face emitted an extremely dangerous aura, and her beautiful brow curved in anger.

She quickly fell into her chair.

“Whoa, Louise. What did you just drag in here?” Montmorency the Perfume asked Louise, her jaw dropping.

“My familiar.”

“Oh right… it does look like that if I look closer.” Montmorency nodded. Although huge welts and dried blood plagued the face, one could still definitely recognize that this thing used to be called Saito. His head was locked up with his wrists, and he was dragged in like a sack of trash.

“What did he do?”

“He snuck into my bed.”

“OH!” Montmorency exaggeratively showed her shock, fraying her beautiful curvy hair. “Vulgar! Oh, sneaking into that bed is so… Oh! Dirty! Unclean! Very unclean.” She bit on her handkerchief, while mumbling about reputation and ancestors and the like.

Ruffling her fiery red hair, Kirche entered the classroom staring at Louise. “It must be your seduction, right, Louise? Dirty, dirty Louise, you seduced Saito like a <span id="back_to_whore">[[#whore|whore]]</span>, didn’t you?”

“Who’s dirty here? Isn’t that you? No way I’d seduce him!”

“Geez... all injured like that... poor kid... let me heal you.” Kirche hugged Saito’s head. Her huge breasts nearly suffocated him, but he offered no resistance, and rather enjoyed the sudden heaven that came to him.

“Whoa whoa whoa...”

“Are you all right? Where does it hurt? I’ll heal you with a spell.”

“Quit lying. You can’t use water-type healing spells, can you? Your runic name is “heat”, as in heatstroke. Go and cool down a little.” Louise said indignantly.

“It’s Subtle Heat. Subtle. Heat. I never thought your memory is Zero too.” Kirche glared at Louise’s chest. “Looks like the name Zero isn’t just about your chest and your magic!”

Louise’s face went red in an instant. Despite that, she laughed coldly, biting her lip. “Why do I have to take this from a woman who can only boast of her breasts? Are you saying that all a woman’s worth is in her breast size? That’s a really messed up way to think. Your brain must be empty or something... all the nutrients went to your b-breasts... your brain must... m-must be e-em-empty...” Although she tried to appear calm, her voice shook. She seemed to have taken a very personal offense.

“Your voice is shaking, Vallière.” And Kirche gently held Saito, his body still full of bruises and injuries, and touched his face with her chest. “Oh, my dear, do you think that big-breasted Kirche is stupid?”

“N...no... y-you’re very intelligent!” Saito appeared in ecstasy, burying his face into Kirche’s chest. Louise’s brow raised at that, and she forcefully pulled in the chain in her hand.

“You come over here!” Saito, locked head, wrists, and entire body, heavily fell on the ground. Louise stepped on his back, and coldly spoke to him. “Who gave you permission to speak in human? You’re supposed to say ‘woof’, dog.”

“Woof. Yes, ma’am.” Saito replied quietly.

“Stupid dog. Do it again. When you say ‘yes’ what do you do?”

“Woof.”

“Exactly. You say ‘woof’ once. Then what do you do with ‘I understand, mistress’?”

“Woof woof!”

“Riiiiight. You say ‘woof’ twice. What about ‘I wanna go to the bathroom’?”

“Woof woof woof!”

“Eeeeexactly. You say ‘woof’ three times. That’s pretty good vocabulary even for a stupid dog, so you don’t have to say anything else, got it?”

“......woof.”

“A 'woof'ing dear is cute too!” Kirche said as she caressed Saito’s chin. “Awww... you can come to my bed tonight. How’s that? I can let 'woof woof' lick a lot of places you’d like!”

Saito suddenly sprang up on his knees, wagging his tail, which is a broom that Louise tied on his behind last night. There were even ears made of rags on his head.

“Woof! Woof! Woof woof!”

Louise silently and forcefully pulled the chain tight. “You little...” And she angrily stepped on him.

“Didn’t I say ‘woof’ the way you told me to?!” Saito had enough, stood up with a ‘''I better give you a lesson''’ face, and dove towards Louise. All she had to do, though, was pull the chains on his foot, and he fell with a heavy thud.

“You have absolutely no difference from a dog at its passionate phases. Not only did you wag your tail at a Zerbst woman, you even attacked your own mistress. Despicable. Very, very, very, very unbecoming.” Louise retrieved her whip from her bag, and began to vigorously beat Saito with it.

“Ouch! Stop! Stop! S-T-O-P!” His body locked up, Saito could only roll around on the floor.

“Ouch? Isn’t it ‘woof’? It’s ‘Woof’! Don’t all dogs say ‘woof’?”

Sounds of whipping reverberated throughout the lecture hall. Louise’s hair flew around as she chased Saito, who was trying to crawl away, and continuously whip him. Saito made whimpering ‘woof’s whenever a hit connected. Nobody would have thought that this Saito was the legendary familiar.

The students in the classroom watched this embarrassing scene, wondering: ''Did this commoner really beat Guiche the Bronze? Did he really catch Fouquet of the Crumbling Dirt?''

CRACK! CRACK!

The students silently watched her beat Saito. She only noticed just now, with her full attention at beating Saito, that everybody was looking at her, and her face grew red. She hastily put away her whip and held her wrists. “Di...disciplining ends here!”

''We know it’s disciplining, but geez...''horrified by the scene, the students turned away.

“Aren’t you the one with the heat, Vallière?” Kirche said in boredom.

Louise viciously glared at her. Saito, under continuous injuries and pain, fainted, and simply laid lifeless on the ground. The teacher’s door opened, and Professor Kaita appeared.

The students sat in their seats. Professor Kaita was the one who scolded Professor Chevreuse, who fell asleep on guard duty during the Fouquet incident, and was told by Osman 'You’re pretty easy to anger'. Sporting long, jet black hair, and a pitch black cape, his every move gave an unfriendly, uncomfortable feel. Although he was quite young, his unfriendly manner and cold look earned him ill repute from the students.

“Lets start the class. As everyone knows, my runic name is ‘gust’. Kaita the Gust.” He was enveloped with shocked stares, and satisfied by that, he continued. “Do you know what the most powerful element is, Zerbst?”

“Isn’t that the ‘Void’ element?”

“I’m not asking for something of the legends. I want something realistic.”

Kirche then confidently answered, “Then it has to be the fire element, Professor Kaita,” along with her irresistible smile.

“Oh? Why do you think that?”

“Heat and passion can burn anything and everything, isn’t that so?”

“I’m afraid that is not so.” Kaita said as he pulled out his wand from his waist. “Lets give that a try. Attack me with your best fire elemental attack.”

Kirche stood still in surprise. ''What is this teacher doing?''

“What is it? I recall that you work best with fire elemental spells, am I right?” Kaita challenged.

“It won’t be a simple scald.” Kirche winked.

“No problem. Give me your best shot. Don’t tell me the flaming red hair of the Zerbst family is there just for looks?”

Kirche’s usual brisk smile disappeared. She retrieved her wand from her cleavage, her fiery, crimson long hair stood on their ends and crackled as if flames were erupting from them. She waved her wand, and from her extended right hand appeared a small fireball. As Kirche chanted her spell, the fireball expanded, resulting in a huge flaming sphere of a meter in diameter. The students ducked under their desks in panic. Her wrist turned and spiraled towards her chest, and released the fireball.

Kaita seems to make no attempt to dodge the giant sphere of fire heading towards him. He raised his wand, and made sweeping waves as if swinging a sword. A raging gale suddenly began, and instantly scattered the huge fireball. It even knocked down Kirche, who was standing on the far other side of the room. “Everyone, I now tell you why the wind element is the strongest. It is quite easy. Wind can sweep up everything. Fire, water, and dirt alike cannot find footing when faced against strong enough winds.” Kaita briskly announced. “Unfortunately, reality does not let me experiment this, but even Void would probably not stand. That is the wind element.”

Kirche stood, displeased, and locked her arms. Kaita paid her no attention, and continued. “The unseen wind shall be the shield that protects everyone, and if needed, the lance that scatters enemies. And one more reason that wind is the most powerful is...” He raised his wand, “YOBIKISUTA DERU WIND...” as he chanted his spell.

(((NOTE: What the hell is this spell?)))

However, at this very moment, the door to the classroom opened, and a nervous Colbert entered. He dressed strangely, a huge, golden wig over his head. In close examination, his suit had the most intricate borders and decorations. ''Why is he dressed like that?'' Everyone thought.

“Professor Colbert?” Kaita raised a brow.

“Ahhh! I’m sorry, please excuse the intrusion, Professor Kaita.”

“Class is in session.” Kaita tersely replied, staring at Colbert.

“Today’s classes are henceforth canceled.” Colbert sternly announced. Cheers emanated from the classroom. To stop them, Colbert waved with both arms, and continued. “I have something to tell everyone.” Colbert exaggeratively tilted his head back, causing his wig to slide off to the ground. The tense mood Kaita built suddenly collapsed, as laughter enveloped the classroom.

Tabitha, who sat in front, pointed at his balded head and suddenly said, “Shiny.”

The laughter grew more intense. Kirche laughed while rapping Tabitha’s shoulder, “You can really talk when you speak up once in a while!”

Colbert blushed, and loudly yelled. “SILENCE! Only commoners laugh out loud! Nobles only covertly snicker with their heads down even if they find something funny! Otherwise, the royal court will question our school’s educational results!” The classroom finally quieted to those words.

“All right. Everyone, today would be the most important day for Tristain Magical Academy. This is our great Founder Brimir’s birthday, a very celebratory day.” Colbert’s face straightened, and he placed his arms behind his back.

“It is highly probable that His Majesty’s daughter, the beautiful flower that we Tristainians can proudly boast to the rest of Halkeginia, Princess Henrietta, will, to our great fortune, pass by the Academy on her way back from visiting Germania.”

Whispers and chatter filled the room.

“Therefore, we must not allow any slack. As this is very sudden news, we have begun preparations to receive her to the best of our abilities. Due to this, today’s classes are hereby canceled. All students, please put on your formal wear, and assemble at the main entrance.” The students anxiously nodded in unison. Colbert severely nodded in return, and loudly announced, “This is an excellent opportunity to let Her Majesty the Princess know that everyone has matured as model nobles. Everyone must prepare to their best to let Her Majesty witness this fact! Dismissed!”

Four golden-helmeted stallions led a carriage quietly on the road to the Magic Academy. The carriage was exquisitely adorned with gold, silver, and platinum sculptures. Those sculptures are the Royal Seals. On one of those, a unicorn crossed with a crystal staff signaled that this carriage belongs to Her Majesty the Princess.

One can find, upon closer examination, that the stallions drawing the carriage were not normal horses. They were unicorns like the one on the Royal Seal. Unicorns, which, by legend, would only allow the purest girls ride them, were the best for leading the Princess’s carriage.

The carriage’s windows had ivy borders and coverings, as if disallowing the outside from looking in. Behind the Princess’s carriage is Duke Marchinelli, who has held all Tristainn political authority with an iron grip since His Majesty passed away. His carriage’s splendor does not lose to Her Majesty the Queen’s. In fact, his was even more embellished. The difference of these two carriages on the road clearly shows who currently holds the top authority in Tristain.

Around the two carriages were the Royal Guard, a division of mage guards. Composed of the most prominent noble families, the Magic Royal Guard is the pride of all nobles in the country. Every noble male dreams of wearing the black cape of the Magic Royal Guard, and every noble female dreams of being their brides. This Royal Guard is Tristain’s symbol of prosperity.

The road is paved with flowers as commoners cheered from the roadside. Every time the carriages passed them, one can hear “Long Live Tristain! Long Live Princess Henrietta!” and sometimes even “Long Live Duke Marchinelli!” though that pales in comparison to the Princess. He is not well-regarded as he is rumored to be of commoner blood. Some say it’s jealousy to his position. As the carriage’s curtains opened, as the crowds see the young Princess, the cheers get ever more passionate. She also returned a genial smile to the people.

Henrietta closed the curtains, and deeply sighed, losing the rose-like smile that she just sent to the crowds. All that was left was distress and deep melancholy unbecoming of her age. The Princess is 17 this year. With a slim figure, light blue eyes, high nose, she is an eye catching beauty. Her slender fingers played with her crystal staff. As of Royal blood, she is, of course, a mage.

Neither the cheers along the road nor the flowers flying in the air could cheer her up. She seemed to be holding deep political and romantic anxieties.

Sitting beside her, Marchinelli watched her while playing with his beard. Wearing a hat like that of a priest and a grey formal suit, he was a slim and frail man of forty-some years old. His hair and beard have already grown white, and even his fingers looked like skin on bones, creating an appearance far too old for his age. Ever since His Majesty died, his iron grip on both foreign relations and internal politics have considerably aged him.

He just left his carriage and entered the Princess’s.

He wanted to talk about politics, but all the Princess only sighed, and paid no attention.

“That is your thirteenth time today, Your Majesty.” Marchinelli noted, annoyed and concerned.

“Hmm? What?”

“That sighing. Those of royalty shouldn’t do that all the time in front of their subordinates.”

“Royalty?! What?” Henrietta was shocked. “Aren’t you the King of Tristain? Doesn’t Your Highness know about his rumors on the streets?”

“I am not aware.” Marchinelli replied indifferently. He was lying. He knew about everything in Tristain, and even Halkeginia, down to the amount of scales on the fire dragons living in the volcanoes. He knows all about it. He just pretended that he didn’t.

“Then let me tell you. Tristain’s Royal family has beauty, but not its staff. Duke, you’re the one holding the staff. Bird’s bones wearing a gray hat...”

Marchinelli blinked. The words ‘bird’s bones’ coming out of the Princess seemed like they hurt. “Please don’t speak of commoners’ rumors so carelessly...”

“Why not? They’re just rumors. I’ll marry the King of Germania as you told me to.”

“We can’t help that. An alliance with Germania is extremely important to Tristain.” said Marchinelli.

“That I know.”

“Your Majesty understands the rebellion being carried out in that ‘White Country’ Albion under those idiots? Those people can’t seem to tolerate the existence of royalty in Halkeginia.” He frowned.

“Impolite, unrefined imbeciles! They’re trying to hang that poor prince! Even if the entire world can forgive their actions, Founder Brimir shall not forgive them. I wouldn’t forgive them.”

“Indeed. However, Albion’s nobility has unsurpassed power. The Albionian Royal Family might not even survive tomorrow. One of Founder Brimir’s three bestowed royalties is going to fall, just like that. Meh... countries that cannot solve their own internal strifes have no right to exist.”

“The Albionian Royal Family is nothing like Germania’s. They’re all my relatives. You have no right to say that even as Duke.”

“I humbly apologize. I will ask for forgiveness from Founder Brimir before I go to bed tonight. However, what I just said is the truth, Your Majesty.”

Henrietta only sadly shook her head. Even that gesture radiated her beauty.

“Word is that those stupid Albionian nobles have the gall to declare how they’re going to unite all of Halkeginia as one. It certainly seems like those people would set their sights at Tristain after extinguishing their royalty. If it really turns out like that, it would be too late if we don’t take steps to prepare right now.” Marchinelli severely explained to Henrietta. She looked out the window, pretending to pay no attention. “Reading the opponent’s actions and countering it at the first available opportunity is true politics, Your Majesty. If we can create an alliance with Germania, then we can create a covenant to counter Albion’s new government, and ensure this little country’s survival.”

Henrietta continued to sigh. Marchinelli opened the curtain and looked outside, and saw the shadow of his pride. A young, breathtakingly sharp-looking noble, sporting a feather-hat and long beard, marched with the convoy outside. A medal of a griffin fastens his black cape, and one look on his mount shows why. It had an eagle’s head, wings, and talons, and it had a lion’s body and hind legs. A griffin.

This man is the leader of one of three Mage Guard divisions, the Griffin Knights, Captain Lord Wardes. His division is the most memorable amongst the entire Mage Guard, and especially to Marchinelli. Wielding formidable magical prowess, the Mage Guard is organized through extremely selective trials amongst nobles, and each member rides a magical beast to his division’s name. They are the Tristainian symbols of fear and pride.

“You summoned me, Your Highness?” Wardes’s eyes twinkled, and approached the carriage window on his griffin. The window slowly opened. Marchinelli looked out.

“Wardes-kun, Her Majesty is feeling depressed. Can you get something for us that can cheer her up?”

“Understood.” Wardes nodded, and observed the road with the gaze of an eagle. He quickly found a small section of the street, and had his griffin head there. Pulling out his long staff from his waist, he chanted a short spell, and briskly waved it. A small gust erupted from the ground, collecting all the petals strewn on the ground into Wardes’ hands. He returned to the carriage with the bouquet, and presented it to Marchinelli. Marchinelli stroked his beard, and suggested, “May Captain please present this to Her Majesty yourself?”

“That would truly be a great honor.” Wardes saluted, and turned to the other side of the carriage. The window slowly opened, Henrietta extended a hand to receive it, and showed her left hand to him. Wardes emotionally held her left hand, and lightly kissed it.

Still quite upset, Henrietta asked, “What is your name?”

“Your Majesty’s Mage Guard, Griffin Knights leader, Lord Wardes.” He gratefully lowered his head and replied.

“A model of nobility. How very fine of you.”

“I am merely a lowly servant for Your Majesty.”

“There have been fewer nobles who would say this lately. When Grandfather was still alive, oh my... under the great Philippe III’s reign, the whole nobility shared that kind of marvelous chivalry.”

“Sad times nowadays, Your Majesty.”

“May I expect your sincerity when I get in such upsetting times again?”

“When that happens, no matter where I am, in battle or in the skies, no matter what I must leave behind, I will run over to serve Your Majesty.”

Henrietta nodded. Wardes saluted once again, and left the carriage’s side.

“Is that noble quite capable?” she asked Marchinelli.

“Lord Wardes. His runic name is ‘Lightning.’ Even the ‘White Country’ can only boast of few people who can prove to be a match against him.”

“Wardes... I think I’ve heard of that place before.”

“I think that is close to Lord Vallière’s territory.”

“Vallière?” Henrietta’s memory came to being, and she nodded. That name is now in their destination, the Magic Academy.

“Duke, do you know the name of the noble that caught Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Aren’t you about to knight them soon?” Henrietta was shocked.

Marchinelli was uninterested. “I think it’s high time for knighting rules to change. One needs to serve in the military to deserve that. How can the title of a knight be so easily given away for arresting a thief? Either way, it seems we would be fighting Albion with Germania soon, and it will not be a good idea to lose our nobles’ loyalty due to jealousy.”

“You made a lot of decisions without me knowing.”

Marchinelli did not reply. Continuing to mumble, Henrietta remembered that the name Vallière was among the nobles who caught Fouquet. ''It will all work out'', Henrietta thought, and calmed down.

Marchinelli looked at the Princess. “Your Majesty, it seems that there is some... instability between the Royal Court and part of the nobility.”

Henrietta shook.

“Something about intervening in the Princess’s marriage, and destroying our alliance with Germania.”

Cold sweat dripped from Henrietta’s forehead.

“You have not been exposed to them, have you, Your Majesty?”

After a length of silence, Henrietta replied annoyingly, “...No.”

“I’ll take Your Majesty’s word for it then.”

“I am the Princess. I do not lie.” Henrietta breathed a sigh of relief.

“...your fourteenth time, Your Majesty.”

“Just something in my mind. All I can do is sigh now.”

“As royalty, your country’s stability comes before your feelings.”

“I’m like that all the time.” Henrietta replied apathetically. She looked at the flowers in her hands, and said dejectedly, “...are flowers on the road not a blessing, Duke?”

“All I know is a flower picked to a person’s hands is the flower’s blessing.”

As the Princess went through the Academy gates, rows of students raised their staffs in unison, silent and serious. After the main gates where the doors to the central tower. Osman stood at attention there to receive the Princess. As the carriages stopped, servants rushed to lay down red carpet to its door. Guards tensely announced her arrival.

“Princess of the Kingdom of Tristain, Princess Henrietta has arrived.”

The first out the door, however, was Duke Marchinelli.

The students grunted, but Marchinelli paid no attention, standing at the side of the carriage, holding the Princess’s hand as she alighted. The students finally applauded. A youthful, flowery smile emerged from the Princess’s face as she elegantly waved.

“That’s the Princess of Tristain? Heh... I’m better looking than that.” Kirche mumbled. “Oh my dear, who do you think is prettier?” She turned to Saito, locked tight and lying flat on the ground.

“Woof.”

“I can’t understand you if you just woof! Who is it?”

Saito looked towards Louise, who was attentively looking at the Princess. If only she could stay quiet like that, she is a very pure, moving, and quite beautiful. No matter how mad she gets, how cold she treats him, and even if he is treated like a dog, this soft look and such a stunning appearance can put Saito in a trance.

Louise suddenly blushed, which Saito saw. What is this about? He turned towards whatever she was facing. A hat-wearing, rather cool-looking noble, riding on a magical beast with an eagle’s head and a lion’s body. Louise was watching him enthralled.

Saito found it weird. ''That noble seems like a nice guy, but that’s no reason to look at him so deeply and even blush like that. Am I being jealous?'' He thought. ''No, that can’t be. I don’t have that kind of relationship with Louise.'' He rebutted himself.

''No matter,'' Saito thought. ''I still have Kirche.'' A brunette with a well-endowed cleavage. A passionate beauty. ''If it turns out like that, I might as well go for perfect Kirche.'' He thought rather excitedly. But Kirche was blushing and watching that noble as well. Saito lowered his head, suddenly feeling the heaviness of all the chains on him, weighing him to the ground. Tabitha simply read her book as if the Princess’s arrival meant nothing to her.

“And you just stay like that.” He said to Tabitha. She raised her head and looked at what Louise and Kirche saw, looked at Saito again, and simply mumbled, “Just three days.”

That night...

Saito laid in his straw bed, watching Louise. It seems like she couldn’t calm down. She would stand up one moment, and sit down the next, worrying about something while hugging her pillow, ever since she saw that noble that day. After that, she said nothing, returned to her room like a ghost, and since then sat on her bed just like that.

“You’re... acting weird.” Saito started, but Louise made no answer.

He stood up, and waved in front of her eyes. She didn’t move.

“A bit too weird.” He then pulled on her hair. Louise’s hair was very delicate, very soft, as if even pulling them slightly would break them off, that kind of soft. He put in some force to the pull, and she still made no reaction. Same for when he pulled on her face.

“Time to change to your pajamas.” He grandly saluted to Louise, and reached for her blouse, slowly unbuttoning it. Now she had only her underwear left. Still, she did not move, as if in a spell. Boring... what’s wrong with her? Geez... Saito coughed.

“Louise-sama. From my world there’s this art called ‘breast-expanding massage’.”

He made that up, of course. Saito blushed.

“You rub it like this, and then it’ll slowly get bigger. You can say it’s a kind of magic.” Saito extended his hands, reached around as if to hug her, and started rubbing her back. “What’s this? Where are they? Why aren’t they there? Oh... this is the back.” And then he shook his head on purpose. “Geez... I got it wrong. They’re both flat, that’s why.”

Louise still didn’t move, not even to this rather disgusting act from Saito.

“I... what am I...IDIOT! WHAT DID I JUST DO?!” After realizing that, he forcefully shook his head, and beat it with his own hands on the bed. He was visibly embarrassed that he actually did that. And then he was depressed. He knows that as a person, being scolded and yelled at is sometimes glory. But if it only hurts if someone says something, then he isn’t worth being noticed.

Just as he was thrashing about, somebody knocked on the door.

“Who could it be?” Saito asked Louise.

The knocks were very orderly. It started with two long knocks, and then three short ones...

Louise suddenly woke up from her trance. She put on her clothes, stood up, and opened the door.

Standing there was a girl, covered entirely in a black veil.

She looked around, and then walked in, closing the door behind her.

“...you are?” A shocked Louise barely managed to voice.

The veiled girl made a ‘shh’ gesture with a finger on her mouth, and took out a staff from her black cape, lightly waving it while chanting a short spell. Glowing powder filled the room.

“A silencing spell?” Louise asked. The veiled girl nodded.
(((NOTE: The spell is in Japanese. I have no idea what it is.)))

“There might be extra ears and eyes around.”

After making sure the room had no magical ears and no peeping holes, she slowly removed her veil.

In front of them is really Princess Henrietta. Saito held his breath. Louise is already very cute, but this Princess can match her in cuteness, and still have this admirable elegance.

Louise frantically went down on her knees. Saito didn’t know what to do, and just stood there, with no idea what was going on.

Henrietta coolly, and gently spoke. “It has been a while, Vallière.”

----

== Translator's Notes ==
;<span id=whore>[[#back_to_whore|↑]]</span> whore
:娼婦
a bit of mutton●bang-tail〈古・英俗〉●bint〈軽蔑的〉●brass nail〈英俗〉〔tail の押韻俗語〕●business girl〔女性を蔑視した言葉〕●cat〈俗〉●dead meat●flesh peddler●funbag〈米俗〉●lost lady●public convenience〈俗〉●tomato〈俗〉●whore

娼婦 was used here, and it is translated like this.
Kirche was very insulting Louise. And, because of her character, she used a rather formal/literature-sounding word of "whore". Or because the author intentionaly used a formal one because he/she didn't want ZnT to be valgur/vile/dirty. (Thanks akiha)

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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story2 Chapter3

2007-06-18T17:01:17Z

Rednal: General edits; refer to my forum thread

==[[zeroNT:Gandvol01editchpter06control|Raw English translation available here]]==

==Chapter Six – Tristain’s Arms Dealer==

Kirche woke up before noon. ''Today is the Day of Nothing.'' She looked at her window, and found that all the glass was gone, with burn marks surrounding the frame. Still groggy, she stared at the window for a moment before remembering what had happened last night.

“Right…a lot of people came, and I blasted them away.”

She stopped caring about her window entirely after that. She got up and began putting on makeup, while excitedly plotting how she should seduce Saito today. Kirche was a born hunter.

''When I'm done, I'll leave the room and knock on Louise’s door. I'll rest my chin on one hand, hiding my smile. Saito will open the door, and I'll immediately embrace and kiss him. Oh…what will Louise do when she sees that…'' Kirche thought.

''And then, right…I can try to eye him outside the room, and maybe he’ll approach me himself.'' The thought of rejection never entered her mind.

Without a second thought, she used an unlocking spell on Louise’s door, and was rewarded with a click. In reality, unlocking spells were forbidden on campus, but Kirche didn’t care. “Passion above all” was the rule of her house.

But the room was empty. The two weren’t there.

Kirche looked around the room. “Still the same… a tasteless room.”

Louise’s backpack wasn't there. Adding that fact with the Day of Nothing meant they had gone out somewhere. Kirche looked out the window, and saw two people on horseback, ready to depart; it was Saito and Louise.

“What? Going out, huh?” Kirche mumbled in annoyance.

After thinking for a while, she quickly left Louise’s room.

Tabitha was in her room, deep in her sea of books. Under her light blue hair and glasses were bright blue eyes that sparkled like the ocean. Tabitha was actually four or five years younger than she looked. She was even a bit shorter than the already short Louise, and her body was quite slim. However, she doesn’t care about these things. She's a girl that would rather not care about what people think of her.

Tabitha loved Days of Nothing. They're when she could sink into her favorite worlds. In her eyes, everyone else was an intruder in her own little world, giving a melancholic feel to her.

Before long, strong knocks rocked her door. Without standing up, Tabitha simply picked up and waved her staff, which seemed to exceed her height. She cast “Spell of Tranquilitiy”, a wind-type spell. Tabitha was a mage of the wind affinity. “Spell of Tranquilitiy” effectively blocked out those distracting door knocks. Satisfied, she returned to her reading, her expression remaining unchanged throughout the encounter.

Then somebody forcefully broke the door open. Noticing the intruder, Tabitha moved her eyes from her book. It was Kirche. She began babbling about something, but with the silencing magic, none of her words reached Tabitha.

Kirche took away Tabitha’s book, and then grabbed the little reader’s shoulders to make her look at her. Tabitha blankly looked at Kirche, her face unreadable. However, one could see that she had an unwelcoming gaze.

But Kirche was Tabitha’s friend. She would have blown anyone else away with a cyclone. Seeing no other way, Tabitha canceled her magic. As if a lock was opened, Kirche’s voice instantly emerged. “Tabitha! Get ready, we’re going out!”

Tabitha only softly explained to her friend, “Day of Nothing.” That was explanation enough for Tabitha, who attempted to take her book back from Kirche’s grasp. Kirche stood up and raised the book high in the air, their height difference barring Tabitha from the book.

“Yes, I know how Days of Nothing are important to you, I really do. But today’s not the time for this talk! I’m in love! It’s love! Do you get it now?” She didn’t, and shook her head. Kirche was propelled by her emotions, but Tabitha was a calm and collected thinker. One can only wonder how such polarized people could be such good friends.

“Right…you won’t move until I explain. Geez… I. AM. IN. LOVE! But that lad is going out with that damn annoying Louise today! I want to go after them, and find out where they’re going! Do you get it ''now''?” Tabitha still didn’t, because she still didn’t know why that mattered to her.

“They just left! On horseback! I can’t catch up without your familiar, you know? Please help me at least with that!” Kirche started crying. Tabitha finally nodded. ''So that’s why…you need my familiar to catch up.''

“Oh thank you so much…so…let’s hurry up!” Tabitha nodded again. Kirche was her friend, and she can’t help it if friends had to go to her for problems that they couldn’t take care of themselves. It was a bit annoying, but she didn’t have a choice. She opened her window, and began playing her flute. Music rang in the azure sky for a moment. She then jumped out of the window.

Those who did not know her would have found it weird, if not alarming. Kirche, however, followed close after Tabitha and jumped out the window without a thought. Just a note – Tabitha’s room was on the fifth floor. She tends to forego the door altogether when she has to go outside, as out the window is far quicker for her.

Strong and tough wings spread out to the wind. Then, a wind dragon flew into the air and received its two passengers.

“Your Sylphid is still so awesome no matter how many times I see it!” Kirche grabbed a protruding spine and sighed in admiration. That’s right – Tabitha’s familiar was an infant wind dragon.

The dragon, which got the Wind Familiar name from Tabitha, quickly and perfectly caught the upward draft around the tower, and reached 200 meters in the air in the blink of an eye.

“Where?” Tabitha succinctly asked Kirche.

Kirche immediately cried, “I don’t know…I was panicking.”

Tabitha didn’t mind, and commanded her wind dragon, “Two people on horseback. Don’t eat them.” Her dragon made a short grunt, showing understanding. Its blue scales glittered, and its wings flapped strongly to the wind. It flew high in the air, scouring the ground for a horse; a simple task for a wind dragon.

Satisfied that her familiar was doing its job, Tabitha snatched her book from Kirche’s hands, leaned back against the dragon, and started reading again.

Meanwhile, Saito and Louise walked briskly on Tristain’s city streets, having deposited their campus-loaned horse at the city gate’s stables.

Saito’s sides hurt like mad. It was his first time on a horse, after all. “My sides hurt…” Saito moaned, walking slowly.

Louise frowned while looking at Saito. “You’re useless. You haven’t even been on a horse before? Commoners are just…”

“And you’re annoying. We’ve been on that thing for three straight hours!”

“Well…we can’t walk our way here now can we?”

Despite the pain, Saito curiously looked around. ''White cobblestone roads…feels like a theme park here.'' Compared to the Academy, there were far more people in common garb here. On the street side were vendors selling fruit and meat.

Saito’s love for exotic places momentarily rose. But this was a weird world. There were people briskly walking and people frantically running. Males and females of all ages walked the streets. This bore no difference with Saito’s world, though the streets were a bit narrower.

“A little bit tight here…”

“Tight? This is a really wide street as it is.”

“Just this?” ''Not even 50 meters wide.'' With this many people walking around, every step felt cramped.

“Brudan Street, Tristain’s widest avenue. The palace is straight ahead.” Louise pointed. 

“To the palace, then.”

“What business do we have visiting Her Majesty The Queen?”

“I want to ask her to increase my portion of food.”

Louise laughed.

The streets were filled with shops. Saito, full of curiosity, could not take his eyes off them. When he looked at one weird-shaped frog in a jar on a trader’s mat, Louise pulled him in the ear. “Hey, don’t walk around corners. There are lots of thieves and pickpockets here. You ''are'' looking after my wallet in your jacket, right?”

Louise said wallets are for servants to carry, and mercilessly gave that duty to Saito. The wallet was heavily filled with gold coins.

“I am…I am…very carefully, too. How can anyone steal something that heavy?”

“With magic, that can be done in a second.”

But there was nobody around that looked like a mage. Saito learned how to discern between commoners and mages in the Academy. Mages always had capes on, and they looked really arrogant when they walk. According to Louise, that was a noble’s walking stance.

“Aren’t these all commoners?”

“Of course. Nobles only take up 10% of the population, and there’s no way they will walk in slums like these.”

“Why would nobles steal?”

“All nobles are mages, but not all mages are nobles. If for whatever reason a noble is disowned from their family, left the family name on his or her own accord, dropped status to be a mercenary or a criminal…Hey! Are you listening?”

Saito wasn’t. He was too fascinated by the street signs.

“What does that bottle-shaped sign say?”

“Brewery.”

“And what does that sign with a big cross say?”

“It’s a recruiting center for guards.”

Saito stopped at every meaningful sign, and Louise had to pull him away by his wrist every time.

“Okay, okay, I understand, you don’t have to be in a hurry like that. Where’s the blacksmith’s shop?”

“Over here. They don't just sell swords though.”

Louise walked into an even narrower road. A revolting stench, coming from piles of trash and other dirty things on the ground, soon hit their noses.

“It’s really dirty here.”

“I told you nobles don’t come here that often.”

At the fourth intersection, Louise stopped and looked around.

“Should be near Peyman’s Potion Shop…I remember it’s around here somewhere…”

She saw a bronze sign, and happily cried, “Ah! Found it!”

A sword-shaped sign dangled under it. It looked like this was the arms dealer’s shop. Louise and Saito walked up the stone stops, opened the door, and entered the shop.

Despite the bright daylight outside, the shop was a bit dark inside. A gas lamp flickered. The walls and shelves were filled with unorganized weapons. A detailed suit of armor decorated the room. A smoking man in his fifties eyed Louise suspiciously. That is, until he saw the pentagram on her golden button, at which point he spoke in shock, “My lady…my noble lady…all of my wares here are real and reasonably priced! There’s nothing criminal here!”

“I’ll be your customer.”

“Oh…that’s rather weird…a noble buying a sword! Quite strange.”

“Why is that?”

“Well…priests wave sacred staffs, soldiers wave swords, and nobles wave wands. Isn’t that the rule?”

“Oh, I’m not the one using it. My familiar is.”

“Ahh…a familiar that can use a sword, huh?” The shopkeeper spoke in a lively voice, and looked at Saito. “I believe that would be this gentleman over there?”

Louise nodded. By this time, Saito had already been pulled in by the shop’s vast collection of swords, periodically making cries of “whoa!” and “this one’s awesome!”.

Louise ignored Saito, and continued, “I’m not very knowledgeable about swords, so please show me anything that is reasonable.”

The shopkeeper jubilantly walked into his warehouse, silently rambling, “Oh, this is too great…I can raise the prices so high with this…” shortly afterwards, he returned with a longsword of about a meter in length. It was a very exquisitely decorated sword. It looked like one could swing it with just one hand. There was even a handguard on the short handle.

The shopkeeper said as though he just thought of something, “Speaking of which, it seems that nobles like to let their servants bear swords lately. The last time any of them came to pick one from me, they picked this type.”

''I see…a shiny, glittering sword. Very well-suited for a noble.'' thought Louise. 

“Is that the trend?” Louise asked. The shopkeeper naturally nodded.

“That’s right. It seems that there’s an increase of thievery on Tristain’s city streets lately…”

“Thievery?”

“Yes. Some mage thief that calls himself something like ‘Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt,’ and I heard he stole a lot of treasures from the nobles. Those nobles are getting really rattled, so they’re arming their servants with swords.”

Louise had no interest in thieves, and focused on the sword instead. It looked like something that would break in an instant. Saito wielded a sword that was a lot bigger than it last time.

“I’d prefer something bigger and broader.”

“My lady, please forgive my bluntness – swords and people have personalities, just like men and women. As I look at it, this sword fits my noble lady’s familiar very well.”

“Didn’t I say I want something bigger and broader?” said Louise, impatiently lowering her head. The shopkeeper went inside again, remembering to silently mumble, “oh, the laymen…” After a while, he returned, one hand rubbing the new specimen with an oily rag.

“What about this one?” It was a splendid broadsword of around a meter and a half in length. The handle was made for two-handed wielding and was lavishly decorated with jewels. A mirror-like blade reflected light with an irresistible glow. Anyone could look at it and say it was a very sharp and broad blade. “This is the best thing I have. Rather than say it’s for nobles, it’s more like something nobles ''wish'' they can wear on their waists, but that’s something reserved for very strong men. If not, wearing it on the back isn’t half bad.”

Saito walked closer, his eyes staring at the sword. “Awesome. That sword looks really powerful.” Saito instantly wanted it. It was a magnificent sword no matter how he looked at it. ''I guess this one’s fine…''Louise thought, seeing Saito’s satisfaction.

“How much?” she asked.

“Well…it’s made by the famous Germanian alchemist Lord Shupei. It can cut through metal like butter because of the magic infused in it! See this inscription here?” The shopkeeper proudly pointed the words on the handle. “You can’t get this cheaper anywhere else.”

“Well…I’m a noble.” Louise held her head up high.

At that, the shopkeeper bluntly gave the price, “This will go for just three thousand new gold coins.”

“What?! You can buy a holiday home with a garden for that!” Louise said, shocked. Saito, with no idea of the currency’s value, stood dumbly.

“A famous sword is worth as much as a castle, my lady. A holiday home is quite cheap compared to this.”

“…I only brought 100 new gold coins…” Louise, being a noble, had little skill in bargaining, and made the taboo of giving away her wallet’s contents. The shopkeeper only waved his hand dismissively. “Come on…even standard broadswords cost at least 200 new gold coins.” Louise’s face turned red. ''I didn’t even know swords cost that much.''

“What…we can’t buy this?” Saito said in a disappointed tone.

“Yeah…we’ll have to go for something more affordable.”

“Nobles are always so arrogant, and now…” Saito mumbled. At that, Louise stared at him.

“Do you have any idea how much potions cost, because ''somebody'' got himself seriously injured?”

“…I’m sorry.” Saito lowered his head in embarrassment. He still reluctantly caressed the sword. “But I really like this sword…”

At that moment, a deep, male voice came from a messy pile of swords, “Don’t be so prideful, kid.”

Louise and Saito looked towards the sound. The shopkeeper held his hands to his head.

“Why don’t you look at yourself for a moment? You? Wield ''that'' sword? Don’t make me laugh. You’re only fit for a stick!”

“What did you say?” Saito did not take that insult kindly, but there’s not a single being in that sound’s direction to be angry at. It was just a pile of swords.

“If you get it, then go home. Yes, you! That noble girl over there!”

“How impolite of you!”

Saito slowly approached the sound. “What…there’s nobody here!”

“Are your eyes just there for decoration?”

Saito looked behind him. ''What?…it’s actually a sword that’s saying it''. It came from a rusty, damaged sword. “A talking sword!” Saito exclaimed.

The shopkeeper suddenly yelled angrily, “Derf! Do not speak such impolite things to my customers!”

“Derf?” Saito carefully inspected the sword. It was the same length as that huge broadsword, though its blade was slightly less broad. It was a thin longsword, although its surface was coated with rust, and one cannot say it was well made to any degree.

“Customer? A customer that can’t wield a sword? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Could it be…that this is a sentient sword?” said Louise.

“That’s right, lady. It’s a sentient, magical, intelligent sword. I wonder what kind of mage could make a sword speak…but it’s got a rotten tongue, always arguing with my customers. Hey, Derf! Keep up the insolence and I’ll ask this noble here to melt you!”

“Sounds good to me! I’d like to see you try it! I’m kinda tired of this world. I’d love to be melted down!”

“Fine! Then I’ll melt you down!” The shopkeeper approached. But Saito stopped him.

“That’s just so wasteful…isn’t a speaking sword rather important?” Saito stared at it. “You’re called Derf, right?”

“Wrong! It’s Lord Derflinger! Remember that!”

“Just like a person, it even has a real name.” Saito muttered. 

“My name is Saito Hiraga. Nice to meet you.”

The sword fell silent, and it seems to closely observe Saito. After a while, it silently spoke. “So you came…are you a user?”

“A user?”

“Hmm…you don’t even know your true powers, huh? What…oh well! Buy me, my friend!”

“Alright. I’ll buy you,” said Saito. The sword went silent again.

“Louise, I’ll take this.”

Louise reluctantly said, “Oh…you want ''this'' thing? You can’t pick anything prettier that ''doesn't'' talk?”

“You don’t like this one? I think a speaking sword’s pretty cool.”

“See…that’s why I don’t like it.” Louise complained. But she didn’t have enough for anything else, so she asked the shopkeeper, “how much for this one?”

“Eh…100 will do.”

“Isn’t that a bit cheap?”

“For that one? I’ll let you take it for cheap.” He waved his hand dismissively.

Saito took out Louise’s wallet from his jacket pocket, and poured its contents onto the counter. One by one, gold coins dropped onto the wooden surface. After careful counting, the shopkeeper finally nodded. “Thank you for the business!” the shopkeeper said as he sheathed the sword and gave it to Saito. “If it gets noisy, just shove it back in the scabbard, and it’ll shut up.”

Saito nodded, and received Derflinger.

Two figures watched Louise and Saito leave the weapons shop – Kirche and Tabitha. Kirche watched the two from the shadows of the streets, fiercely biting her lip. “Louise the Zero..…trying to warm your relationship with Saito with a sword, huh? Striking out with gifts so quickly after finding out he’s my prey? What the heck?” Kirche stamped the ground in anger. Tabitha, her job done, was reading as usual. Sylphid circled around the skies above them. They had followed the two here soon after they'd spotted them.

Kirche waited for them to walk far away, and immediately ran into the weapons shop. The shopkeeper stared at Kirche as if he couldn’t believe it. “Whoa…another noble? What the hell is going on today?”

“Hey there, boss…” Kirche played with her hair, a charming smile in her lips. The shopkeeper’s face turned deep red under the sudden seduction.

“Do you happen to know what that noble bought not long ago?”

“A s-sword…she bought a sword.”

“I see…so she ''did'' get him a sword…what kind of sword?”

“A d-dirty and rusty one.”

“Rusty? Why?”

“Because she didn’t bring enough money.”

Kirche laughed, her hand to her chin. “She went broke! Valliere! Your Duke’s house will cry for this!”

“Uh…is my lady here to buy a sword, too?” The shopkeeper perked up, not willing to let go of the chance. ''This noble looks racked and rich compared to that tiny one.''

“Hmm…show me your best.”

The man walked inside, brushing his hands in excitement. He returned, of course, with the broadsword he just showed to Saito.

“Ahh…a very well done sword!”

“You have a good eye, my lady. That noble not so long ago had a servant that really wanted this one, but it’s too much for them.”

“Is that so?” ''The noble’s servant? So Saito wants this!''

“Of course…this sword ''is'' made by the famous Germanian alchemist Lord Shupei after all. It can cut through metal like butter because of the magic infused in it! See this inscription here?” The shopkeeper repeated what he had said before.

Kirche nodded. “How much?”

The shopkeeper asked for more, seeing how Kirche looked a lot richer, “Hmm…for new gold coins, 4500.”

“Hmm…that’s a bit pricey.” Kirche frowned.

“Well…great swords need to be paid for their worth, you know?”

Kirche thought for a while, slowly moving her body towards the shopkeeper. “Boss…isn’t this just a bit expensive?” Upon being caressed at the throat, the salesman suddenly lost his breath. Temptations hit his mind.

“Uh…but…great swords are…”

Kirche sat on the counter, raising her left thigh. “Isn’t the price a bit ''too high''?” She slowly raised her left foot onto the counter. The salesman’s eyes irresistibly stared at her thighs.

“Th-that’s right…then…4000 new gold…”

Kirche raised her thigh further so that he could ''almost'' see in between them.

“Ah…nonono, 3000 would do…”

“It’s getting hot in here…” Kirche ignored him, only opening her shirt’s buttons. “I feel really hot in here. Help me take off my shirt, please…” She threw her most attractive expression at him.

“Ah…I got it wrong, I got it wrong…it’s 2500!”

Kirche took off one button, and looked up at the shopkeeper.

“1800! 1800’s fine!”

Another button, exposing her cleavage. She looked at him again.

“Hey, 1600 will do!”

Kirche stopped with her buttons, and turned her attention to her skirt instead, raising it just so little. The man looked like he could not take any more.

“How does 1000 sound?” she suggested, slowly lifting her skirt more. He looked like he was about to hyperventilate.

And then she stopped. His rapid breathing turned to a sorrowful moan.

“Oh…ohhhhh…”

Kirche straightened herself out, and asked again, “1000.”

“Oh! 1000 will be fine!”

Kirche stepped down from the counter, quickly wrote a check, and slapped it on the counter. “Bought!” She then picked up the sword and left the shop, leaving the salesman to stare at her check.

After a moment, he suddenly regained consciousness, holding his head. “DAMMIT! I SOLD THAT BABY FOR JUST 1000?!” He took a bottle of liquor from his cabinet. “Ohh…I’m done for today…”

Zero no Tsukaima

2007-06-13T19:42:12Z

Rednal: Updated collaboration info now that I have been working on ZnT (I am a KH Proofreader)

== Update ==

++Sticky!++

Visit the [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/forums/index.php Baka-Tsuki Project Forum] to discuss this series and other information from Baka-Tsuki.

You can read the teaser [http://project.baka-tsuki.net/index.php?title=Zero_no_Tsukaima:teaser Here] - By Enoylawnisk on Aquastar Forum

----

Old updates can be found on the [[Znt_archive_page|Archive Page]]

*May 19, 2007
*'''Please give a warm Baka-Tsuki welcome new Translator Christof, and a belate welcome to Claies (beause I forgot to update this page) to the project'''
*Chapter 06 is completed.

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== This Project is a Joint Collaboration ==

[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=246 Joint Collaboration] with [http://www.kawaiiheavens.net/index.php?z=subcategory&id=17 Kawaii Heaven] who are also working on the Manga version of this series.

[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=248 Baka-Tsuki Members who are Interested in this series please read this]

==== Collaboration Partners ====

This project is a joint effort with the following active group(s).

* [http://www.kawaiiheavens.net Kawaii Heavens]
::*Chapter 01
::*Chapter 02
::*Chapter 03
::*Chapter 04
::*Chapter 05

==== Previous Collaboration Partners ====
* [http://www.k-neko.net Kuroneko]
::*Chapter 01
::*Chapter 02

=== [[Translators_Zero_no_Tsukaima_Registration|Registration]] ===

Translators are requested to mark the chapter you are planning or currently translating on the [[Translators_Zero_no_Tsukaima_Registration|Registration Page]] for all Zero no Tsukaima Chapters.

----

== The ''Zero no Tsukaima'' series, by Noboru Yamaguchi ==

===Volume 1 - The Zero's Familiar/ゼロの使い魔===

'''Kingdom of Magic'''
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Illustrations|Color Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1_Insert_&_Back Cover|Insert & Back Cover]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - I'm a Familiar]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Louise the Zero]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - Legend]]

'''Gandalfr'''
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - A Familiar's Day]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Kirche the Ardent]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - Tristain's Arms Dealer]]
::*Chapter 7 - Fouquet the Crumbling Earth
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Staff of Destruction]] - [Completed!]
::*Author's Notes

=== Volume 2 - Albion of the Wind / 風のアルビオン===

::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - A Secret Boat]]
::*Chapter 5 - A Rest Day Before Leaving
::*Chapter 6 - The White Country
::*Chapter 7 - The Prince of a Dying Country
::*Chapter 8 - The Night/Evening Before the Final Battle/Showdown in (Nyu-Kassuru)
::*Chapter 9 - Final Battle/Showdown

note : These are loose translations. >_>

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: [[user:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] & [[user:Se-chan|Se-Chan]]
*Project Supervisor: [[user:Cala-kun|Cala-kun]]

=== Translators ===

'''ACTIVE'''
::*[[user:Cala-kun|Cala-kun]]
::*[[user:Claies|Claies]]
::*[[user:christof|christof]]

'''A.W.O.L'''
::*''None''

'''M.I.A'''
::*''None''

'''K.I.A'''
::*[[user:Sushi-Y|Sushi-Y]]
::*[[user:Nidema|Nidema]]
::*[[user:SaiyaJedi|SaiyaJedi]] <- aka "SaitoFromEarth"

=== Editors ===

This is the Project Editorial Team.
They will regularly patrol the projects to prevent vandalism & make sure the guidelines are implemented. If you have any inquiries about certain edits please contact any one of the members.

'''ACTIVE'''
::*[[user:Se-chan|Se-Chan]]
::*[[user:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]]
::*[[user:BaKaFiSh|BaKaFiSh]]
::*[[user:Darkoneko|Darkoneko]]
::*[[user:Smidge204|Smidge204]]
'''A.W.O.L'''
::*[[user:Bicube|Bicube]]
::*[[user:The naming game|The naming game]]
'''M.I.A'''
::*[[user:Nandeyanen|Nandeyanen]]
'''K.I.A'''
::*[[user:Da~Mike|Da~Mike]]
::*[[user:BlckKnght|BlckKnght]]
::*[[user:Crowkenobi|Crowkenobi]]
::*[[user:Andiyar|Andiyar]]

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - Zero's Familiar / ゼロの使い魔
* Volume 2 - Albion of the Wind/ 風のアルビオン
* Volume 3 - The Founder's Prayer Book / 始祖の祈祷書
* Volume 4 - The Water Spirit of Oath / 誓約の水精霊
* Volume 5 - Tristania's Holiday / トリスタニアの休日
* Volume 6 - The Flame Red Jewel of Redemption / 贖罪の炎赤玉
* Volume 7 - The Silver Pentecost / 銀の降臨祭
* Volume 8 - The Serenade of Nostalgia / 望郷の小夜曲
* Volume 9 - The Ball of Twin Moons / 双月の舞踏会
* Volume 10 - The Hero of Ivaldi / イーヴァルディの勇者

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter1

2007-06-12T14:52:07Z

Rednal: Changed "Montmorency the Fragrance" to "Montmorency the Perfume"

=== Chapter 1 - I'm a Familiar ===


"Who are you?" asked the girl intently examining Saito's face, with the clear blue sky behind her.
She seemed to be close to Saito's age. Underneath a black cloak, she wore a white blouse and a gray pleated skirt. She knelt down and looked at his face with shock.

''Her face is... Cute.'' Her reddish-brown eyes danced upon the stage of her flawless, white skin and strawberry blonde hair.
''She looks kind of like a foreigner.'' In fact, the girl ''must'' have been a foreigner. A cute, doll-like, foreigner. ''Maybe she’s half-Japanese?''

''But still, that's some kind of school uniform she's wearing, isn’t it? I don't recognize it.''

During this time, Saito had been lying on the ground, face up, though he was unsure of how he had gotten there. He raised his head to take a look around.
Many people in black cloaks were looking upon him with curiosity.
There, in the distance, on an endlessly rich grassy plain, he saw a huge castle with stone walls, just like the ones in those European tour photographs.

''It's just like a fantasy.''


''My head hurts,'' Giving his head a shake, he said, "Who am I...? I'm Hiraga Saito."

"Where are you from, Commoner?"

''Commoner? What does she mean by that?'' Everyone around him had some sort of stick in their hand and wore the same uniform as that girl's.
''Did I wander into an American school or something?''

"Louise, what are you trying to do, calling a commoner with your 'Summon Servant'?"
someone asked, and everyone but the girl who was looking at his face started to laugh.

"I... I just made a little mistake!"

A girl in front of Saito shouted in a refined voice that carried like a bell.
"What mistake are you talking about? That's your usual."

"Of course! After all, she's Louise the Zero!" someone else said, and the crowd of people burst into laughter.

It appeared the girl looking into Saito's face was named Louise.

''Either way, this is no American school. You won't see those kinds of buildings just anywhere.''

''Could it be a movie set? Are they filming something?'' But then Saito thought all of a sudden,
''But it's too big to be a movie set. Could this kind of scenery exist in Japan?''

''Maybe it's a new theme park? But then, why was I sleeping in such a place?''

"Mr. Colbert!"
the girl called Louise shouted. The crowd parted, revealing a middle-aged man.
Saito thought it was funny, because the man looked ridiculous.
He carried a big wooden staff and was covered in a black robe.

''What kind of a look is that? He's dressed like a wizard. Is he sane?''
''I've got it, this must be a cosplay gathering.''
''But it doesn't seem to have that kind of atmosphere.''
Suddenly, Saito was gripped with fear. ''What am I going to do if this is a religious group? It's possible.''
''They could have put me to sleep somehow and brought me here while I was taking a walk in town.''
''That mirror must have been a trap. If not, I have no other explanation for this.''
Saito thought to himself that he ought to stay quiet until he understood what was going on.

The girl named Louise was in a panic, talking on and on, saying things like "Let me try again," and "I beg of you," while frantically waving her arms about.
''I feel sorry for her, being stuck in this weird religious group, since she's so cute.''

"What is it, Miss Vallière?"

"Please! Let me try the summoning one more time!"


''Summoning?''
''What's that? They mentioned it earlier.''

Mr. Colbert, the man wearing the black robe, shook his head.
"I cannot allow that, Miss Vallière."

"Why not?"

"It is the rule. When you are promoted to a second year student, you must summon a familiar.
Which is what you just did."

''A familiar?''
''What's that?''

"Your elemental specialty is decided by the familiar that you
summon. This enables you to advance to the appropriate courses specialized to that element.

You cannot change the familiar once you have summoned it, because the Springtime Familiar Summoning is a sacred rite.
Whether you like it or not, you have no choice but to take him as your familiar."

"But... I've never heard of having a commoner as a familiar!"
Everyone around laughed as Louise said that. She scowled at them,
but the laughter didn't stop.

'''Springtime Familiar Summoning'?''
''What's that?''


''I don't understand. What are they talking about?''
''How did I end up in a place like this.... It has to be one of those <span id="back_to_new_religions">[[#new_religions|New Religions]]</span>.''
''The safest thing to do is to take the first opportunity to run away.''
''I mean really, where is this place?''
''Was I taken to a foreign country?''
''A kidnapping! I've been kidnapped!''
''I'm in real trouble,'' thought Saito.

"This is a tradition, Miss Vallière. I cannot allow any exceptions; he ..."
The middle-aged wizard cosplayer pointed at Saito.
"...may be a commoner, but as long as he was summoned by you,
he must be your familiar. Never in history has a human been summoned as a familiar,
but the Springtime Familiar Summoning takes precedence over every rule.
Therefore, he must become your familiar."

"You have got to be joking..."
Louise drooped her shoulders in disappointment.

"Well then, continue with the ceremony."

"What? With him?"

"Yes, with him. Hurry. The next class will begin any minute.
How long do you think you are going to take for the summoning?
After mistake upon mistake, you have finally managed to summon him.
Hurry and form a contract."

Everyone voiced their agreement and began jeering.

Louise stared at Saito's face as if troubled.

''What is it? What's she going to do to me?''

"Hey,"
Louise addressed Saito.

"Yes?"

"You should be appreciative. Normally you'd go your whole life without something like this being carried out by a noble."

''Noble? How stupid. What nobles?''
''Aren't you just a bunch of twisted cosplaying new-religion freaks?''

Louise closed her eyes with an air of resignation.
She waved around the wooden stick in her hand.

"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers,
bless this humble being and make him my familiar."
She began to chant these words over and over, like a magic spell.

She touched Saito's forehead with the stick.
Her lips then slowly drew closer.

''What... What are you doing?!''


"Just stay still."
Louise said, a touch of anger in her voice.
Her face got closer.

"Hey, wait. Well, I'm... Well, I'm not ready for this..."

His face shook a little as he panicked.

"Ah, geez! I told you to stay still!"
Louise roughly grabbed Saito's face with her left hand.

"Huh?"

"Mmm..."

Louise's lips touched Saito's.

''What?! What is this! This is what that contract means?!''
The touch of her soft lips confused Saito more.
''My first kiss! But it was stolen in this weird place by this weird girl whose motives I don't understand!''
Saito lay there, paralyzed.

Louise removed her lips.
"It is done."


<center>[[Image:ZNT-page-019.jpg|thumb|KISU!]]</center>



''Her face is red. Is she embarrassed by her boldness? What an idiot,'' Saito thought.

"I should be the embarrassed one, not you! You kissed me all of a sudden!"

But Louise was completely ignoring Saito.

''You kissed me and this is how you act? How rude.''
''Really, who are they?! I'm scared. I want to go home right this minute. I just want to go home and get online,'' Saito thought.
He had just registered with a dating site, so he wanted to check his e-mail.

"You failed on 'Summon Servant' many times, but you have managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' in one try,"
Colbert said happily.

"She was able to make a servant contract, because he was just a commoner."

"If he was a powerful magical beast, she wouldn't have been able to make a contract,"
A few students laughed while making those comments.

Louise scowled at them.
"Don't make fun of me! Even I do things right once in a while!"

"Truly 'once in a while,' Louise the Zero,"
laughed a girl with gorgeous curly hair and freckles on her face.

"Mr. Colbert! Montmorency the Flood just insulted me!"


"Who are you calling 'the Flood?' I'm Montmorency the Perfume!"

"I heard that you used to wet the bed like a flood, didn't you? 'The Flood' suits you better!"

"How dare you, Louise the Zero! What can I say? You are a zero!"

"Watch it! Nobles ought to show each other the proper respect,"
the middle-aged wizard cosplayer interjected to stop them.

''What are they talking about? A contract? 'Contract Servant'? ''

At that instant, Saito's body started to get hot.

"Aaah!"
Saito stood up.
"It's hot!"

"It will be over soon; just wait. The 'Familiar's Runes' are being inscribed,"
Louise said, irritated.

"Don't inscribe them! What did you do to my body?!"

''There is nothing I can do, but I can't just lie around quietly. It is unbelievably hot!''

"By the way."

"What?"


"Do you think it's forgivable for a commoner to use that kind of language before nobles?"

The hot sensation lasted only for a second.
His body rapidly returned to a normal state.

"That was quick..."

The middle-aged cosplay wizard known as Colbert, came to the kneeling Saito
and checked the back of his left hand.
There, jumping out at him, were unfamiliar letters.

''Are those letters? It looks like a wriggling snake in some strange pattern.''
Saito stared at it and thought, ''if this isn't a trick, then what is it?''

"Hmmm..."

At this point, Saito really lost it.

"These are very unusual Runes,"
said the middle-aged wizard impersonator.

"Who are you people?!"
Saito yelled out, but no one reacted.

"Well, let's go back to class, everyone."

The middle-aged cosplay wizard turned on his heel, then rose gently into the air.
Saito's jaw dropped in shock.


''Did... Did he fly? Is he floating in the air?''
''It can't be!''
The others, who looked like students, also floated up in the air all at once.

''It can't be! More of them? One person could float in the air by some trick, but all of them?''
Saito looked for wires or even a crane, but the surrounding area was just a large grassy plain.
There was nothing to suggest any tricks or setups.

Everyone who was floating flew quietly towards the stone-walled castle in the distance.

"Louise, you'd better walk back!"
"She can't fly. She can't even manage levitation."
"That commoner, he's perfect as your familiar!"
the students said as they flew away.
The only ones left behind were Saito and the girl named Louise.

As soon as it was only the two of them, Louise took a deep breath,
turned toward Saito, and yelled,
"Who are you?!"

That made Saito mad. ''That's my line!'' he thought.

"Who are you? Where is this place?! Who were all those people?! Why can they fly?!

What did you do to my body?!"

"I don't know what backwoods you came from, but I will explain it to you."

"A country? This is the backwoods, isn't it? Tokyo is nothing like this!"

"Tokyo? What is that? What country is it in?"

"Japan."

"What? I've never heard of it."

"Oh please! But why are they flying?! You saw it too! They flew! They all did!"

But Louise took no notice of it at all, as if to say, "What's wrong with flying?"

"Of course they flew. What would we do if mages couldn't fly?"

"Mages? What is this place?!"
Saito grabbed Louise's shoulders and yelled.

"This is Tristain! And this is the renowned Tristain Academy of Magic!"

"Academy of Magic?"

"I'm a second year student, Louise de la Vallière. I am your master from now on. Remember that!"


All of Saito's strength disappeared.
He was getting a really bad feeling about the situation.
"Uh... Miss Louise..."

"What?"

"Did you really summon me here?"

"That's what I've been telling you, over and over again, until I'm hoarse. Just give up. I'm giving up too.
Why does my familiar have to be a creature that isn't cool at all...
I wanted to have something cool, like a dragon, or a griffin, or a manticore.
At least an eagle or an owl."

"A dragon or griffin? What do you mean?"

"I was just saying that I wish had one of those as my familiar."

"Do they really exist?"

"They do. Why?"

"You've gotta be kidding me,"
Saito said, laughing. But Louise wasn't laughing.

"Well, you've probably never seen them before,"
Louise said, with pity in her voice.
She didn't look like she was joking.


The mages who flew away and the fantasy words suddenly connected.

He felt a chill run down his spine, and broke out in a cold sweat.
"I thought maybe... Since they flew, are you people really witches and wizards?"

"Yes, we are! If you understand that, let go of my shoulders!
You shouldn't even be talking to me!"

''A dream... This has to be a dream...''
Slowly, his strength left him, and Saito fell to his knees.

"Louise,"
he said with a weak voice.

"Don't call me directly by name."

"Hit me."

"What?"

"Hit me in the head as hard as you can."

"Why?"

"I want to wake up from this dream now. I'll wake up from this dream and get online.
Tonight's dinner is <span id="back_to_hamburger">[[#hamburger|hamburger steak]]</span>. My mom said so this morning."

"Get online?"


"No, it's nothing. After all, you're just a part of my dream, so you don't need to worry about it. Now just let me wake up from this dream already."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you want me to hit you, right?"
Louise clenched her hands into fists.

"Yes, please."

Her fists began to tremble.
Louise's expression became unreadable, but it seemed a lot of thoughts were going through her head.
"Aren't you concerned at all about being summoned?"

"How should I know?"

"How could I, the third daughter of the Vallière family... I, a noble who takes pride in her proper pedigree and ancient lineage, end up having to make someone like you my familiar?"

"How should I know?"

"...And just who decided that the contract had be sealed by a kiss?"

"How should I know? Look, will you just get it over and done with? I hate nightmares."

"Nightmare? That's my line!"
Louise clobbered Saito in the head with all her strength.
"That was my first kiss!"

Perhaps she was a bit too forceful... ''Mine too,'' though Saito, as he lost consciousness.




<center>* * *</center>

Hiraga Saito. Seventeen years old and in the second year of high school.

Athletic ability: normal. Grades: average. Duration without a girlfriend: seventeen years. Overall, no positives or negatives.

Teacher's evaluation: "Ah, Hiraga-kun. He refuses to give up, and he has a strong sense of curiosity, but he's a little slow."

Parents' evaluation: "You should study more. You're a little slow."

Being slow, he is rarely bothered by accidents, and accepts pretty much anything, relative to most people. Earlier, when he saw people flying, he made a commotion, but given that an ordinary person would have been so shocked as to be brought to their knees, he owed much to his disposition.


To put it badly, he just doesn't think too deeply about things before acting.

Also, he has a fiercely competitive spirit. In that sense, he might be quite similar to Louise in personality.

Anyway, a mere thirty minutes ago, Saito had been walking down a street in Tokyo, Japan—on Earth.

He was on his way home after having his notebook computer repaired. He was quite happy in fact, since he could go on the internet once more. He'd recently registered at an online dating site, and he might even have found himself a girlfriend.


Though what he really wanted was something to spice up his otherwise monotonous daily life.
However, instead of discovering it on the internet, he found it in the middle of the street.

He'd been walking past the train station on his way home, when suddenly a shining mirror-like object appeared in front of him.
Saito stopped to take a good long look at it. Remember, his curiosity is about double that of a normal person.

It was a large ellipse, about two meters high and one meter wide, with no substantial thickness.
Then he noticed it was actually floating a little above the ground.

This piqued his interest. ''What kind of natural phenomenon is this,'' he wondered, as he scrutinized the sparkling mirror-like object.

''I have no idea. I've never seen or heard of any kind of phenomenon like this.'' He considered sidestepping around it, but his curiosity got the better of him.
He wanted to see if he could walk through it.

''No, maybe I shouldn't,'' he told himself. ''But it's just a couple of steps,'' he reasoned. What a hopeless personality.

But first, he picked up a pebble and threw it in experimentally.
The pebble disappeared into the middle of the mirror-like object.

''Oho,'' he thought. When he checked the other side of the mirror-like object, the pebble was nowhere to be seen.
Next he pulled his house key out of his pocket. He poked the mirror-like object with the tip of the key.


Nothing happened.

Withdrawing the key, he examined it, but nothing about it had changed. Saito judged that there wouldn't be any immediate danger if he walked through. Which only tempted him further to do it.

In the end, even though he knew he shouldn't, he stepped forward. It was much like opening up a manga just after deciding you were going to do nothing but study from now on.

He immediately regretted it, as an intense shock assailed his senses. He suddenly remembered back to when he was a child, when his mother had bought him a strange machine that supposedly made a person smarter by running an electric current through their body. It felt a lot like that.

Saito fainted. When he opened his eyes...

He was in a fantasy world.

<center>* * *</center>

"Is that true?"
asked Louise, looking at Saito with an expression of disbelief. In her hand, she held bread from tonight's dinner.

They were in Louise's room. It looked about <span id="back_to_12_jou">[[#12_jou|12 tatami mats]]</span> in size. If you treated the window as south, the bed was situated on the west side, the door to the north, and a big wardrobe stood to the east. All the furniture looked like valuable antiques.

Louise had brought Saito here once he had regained consciousness.

Saito, trying to ignore the pain in his head which still hurt from the blow earlier, answered her,
"So what if it isn't?"

Saito had never felt the slightest bit resentful of his own curiosity until today.

''I never should've walked through that stupid thing...''

''This isn't Japan. It isn't even Earth.''

If there were a nation with wizards who flew through the sky, even only a few, he certainly hadn't learned about it in middle school geography.
And even if there were, what about those huge moons floating in the sky? They were easily twice the size of Earth's.
Their huge size was not the issue; it was entirely possible that in some countries there were nights like that.
However, that there were two of them was strange. Had the moon multiplied into two without Saito noticing?

No. That couldn't be. In other words, this was definitely not Earth.

It was dark now... Night had already fallen. ''I guess my family is worrying about me right now,'' he finished sadly.

From the window, he could see the grassy plains where he'd been lying. Across the plains, illuminated by moonlight, he could also see a tall mountain range. Over to his right was a vast expanse of dense forest. Saito let out a sigh.


''There just aren't any wide evergreen forests like this. It's totally different from what you'd see in Japan.''

The Academy grounds he had passed on his way looked very much like some Middle Ages castle. It had been a breathtaking spectacle that would've amazed him if he'd come here on a trip.

An entrance arch, and a sturdy staircase, both made of stone...
This was Tristain Magic Academy, Louise had explained.
All of the Academy students lived in dormitories on the school grounds.

''Magic Academy? Wonderful! Dormitories? Splendid! It's just like a movie!'' 

''But, this isn't Earth...!''

"I can't believe it."

"Look, neither can I."

"By another world, what do you mean?"

"There aren't any magicians. And there's only one moon."

"There's such a world like that?"

"I'm telling you, it's where I came from!"
Saito shouted.

"Don't yell at me, you commoner."

"Who are you calling a commoner?!"


"Well, you're not a mage, right? So you're a commoner."

"What's with all your talk of 'mages' and 'commoners?'"

"Hey, are you really from this world?"

"As I've been telling you all this time, I'm not."

At that, Louise set her elbows on the table with a troubled look.

On the tabletop was a lamp with an art deco style shade. Its flickering light filled the room with a pale glow. It seemed as if electricity wasn't used.

''Jeez, electricity isn't that complicated to set up, is it? I feel like I'm back in the old foreign settler's hut that our family went to ages ago.''

''Wait, 'setup...'''
''Oh, could it be... This is...''

"I've got it."

"What did you get?"
Louise asked, looking up.

"This is one of those candid camera programs. It's just a trick everyone is pulling on me, isn't it?"

"What's a 'candid camera'?"

"They stopped airing after someone got hurt, but you don't have any material so you're resorting back to the same kind of stuff, huh? So where's the camera?"


"What are you talking about?"

Saito sprung upon Louise.

"Kya--! What are you doing?!"

Knocking over a chair, he bore down on her.

"Where's the mike?! Is it here?"

Grabbing her roughly, he started to unbutton her blouse. However, a swift kick to the groin brought that to a halt... And left him on the floor in pain.

"Gaaaaaaaaaarrrgh..." 

"H-how dare you... To a noble such as me..."
Louise stood up, trembling furiously all over.

Through the intense agony, Saito thought, ''This is no dream.''
''Plus, this isn't Earth. It's an entirely different world.''

"Please..."

"What?!"

"Send me back home..."


"That's impossible."

"But why...?"

"Because, you've been bound by a contract as my familiar. It doesn't matter if you come from the countryside, or even a completely different world as you've said. Once the bond is established, it can't be undone."

"You gotta be kidding..."

"Look, I don't like this either! Why do I have to be stuck with a familiar like you?!"

"Well then, send me back."

"Are you saying you're really from another world?"
asked Louise, seemingly still perplexed.

"Yeah."
Saito nodded.

"Show me some proof."

Wincing at the pain where he'd just been kicked, Saito stood up, and opened his bag.

"What's that?"

"A notebook computer,"
replied Saito.


The surface of the recently repaired notebook gleamed with reflected light.

"I've certainly never seen anything like this. What kind of magic item is it?"

"It's not magic. It's science."

Saito pushed the power button, and the computer whirred to life.

"Uwah! What is that?!"

Louise gave a surprised yelp as the screen flickered on.

"The notebook screen."

"It's pretty... What element of magic does it use? Wind? Water?"

"Science."

Louise stared at Saito with a blank expression. Clearly she didn't get it.
"So, what kind of element is this 'science?' Is it different from the four elemental powers?"

"Argh, enough already! In any case, it's not magic!"
Saito waved his hands around wildly.

Louise sat on the edge of her bed and dangled her feet. Then shrugging, she said with a dispassionate look,
"Hmm. But that's the only thing I don't understand...."

"Why? Is there anything like this in this world too?"


Louise pouted.
"No, but..."

"Then just believe me! There's nothing to understand!"

Clutching her long hair, Louise just shook her head.
"All right! I'll believe you!"

"Really?"

Crossing her arms and cocking her head, Louise gave an irritated growl.
"Only because you would've gone on about it if I didn't say so."

"Well, it doesn't matter, as long as you've got it. Now, send me back."

"I told you, that's impossible."

"But why?!"

Louise's face was etched with discomfort as she answered Saito.
"That's because there's no spell that can connect this world to your world."

"Then how did I end up here?"

"I don't know how!"

Saito and Louise glared at each other.

"Listen, I'm being completely honest when I say there's no such spell. Nobody's even heard of another world."


"There obviously is one, if I'm here!"

"'Summon Servant' is used to call living beings from within Halkeginia. Normally, only animals or magical beasts are summoned. This is actually the first instance that I've seen a person summoned."


"Stop talking about it like you're not involved. In that case, cast that spell on me one more time."

"Why?"

"It might return me to my world."

Looking discernably perplexed, Louise tilted her head to one side.

"...That won't work. 'Summon Servant' is strictly a one-way spell. No incantation of any kind exists to return a summoned familiar back to where it was brought from."

"Whatever, just try it."

"It's impossible. And I can't even cast it now."

"What? Why?"

"...Using 'Summon Servant' again is..."

"Yeah?"

"...Completely ineffective unless the familiar you first summoned has died."

"Say what?"



Saito's body froze.

"Would you like to die?"

"Err... I'll pass."
He hung his head.
His eyes trailed down to the runes that had been inscribed on his left hand.

"Oh, that?"

"Yeah."

"That's like a stamp that says you're my familiar."

Louise stood up and crossed her arms.
If you looked closely, she was actually quite cute. Slender and well-proportioned legs, thin ankles. Not very tall, at around 155cm.
Her eyes were like a curious kitten's, and her eyebrows traced a subtle line over them.

If Saito had met her through the message boards of a dating site, he would've hopped and leaped for joy. But alas, this wasn't Earth. No matter how much he wanted to go back, he couldn't. Saito choked up at this thought, and his shoulders drooped.

"...Yeah, all right. In the meantime, I guess I'll be your familiar."

"Come again?"

"What, you got a problem with that?"


"I see you're still not used to formal speech. It should be, 'Is there something you wish to address, master?'"
corrected Louise, one finger raised as if lecturing. The gesture was cute, but the tone was quite strict.

"But um, what exactly does a familiar do?"
asked Saito. Of course, he had seen ravens and owls appear as familiars in anime involving magicians. But mostly, they would just sit on their master's shoulder and not do anything particularly relevant.

"Firstly, a familiar is able to grant its master an enhancement in vision and hearing."

"Like how?"

"That means what the familiar sees, the master can also see."

"Oh."

"But it seems that doesn't work with you. I can't see anything."

"Yeah, but it's not like that matters,"
Saito said off-handedly.

"And also, a familiar will retrieve items that its master desires. For instance, reagents."

"Reagents?"

"A catalyst you use when casting certain spells. Something like sulphur, or moss..."

"Uh-huh..."


"But you won't ever find me stuff like that, will you? Considering you don't even know what kind of reagents there are."

"Nope."

Louise frowned irritably, but continued talking.
"And this is most important of all... A familiar exists to protect its master! The task of protecting them from any and all enemies is a duty of the highest priority! But that might be a little bit problematic for you..."

"Since I'm human..."

"...A powerful magical beast would almost always defeat its enemies, but I don't think you could even beat a raven."

"Shut up."

"That's why I'm only making you do things I'm fairly sure you can do: laundry, cleaning, and other miscellaneous tasks."

"Don't insult me. I'll be sure to find a way to get back home!"

"Yes, yes. In fact, I'll be glad if you do. Because when you return to your world, I'll be able to summon a new familiar."

"Why you..."

"Right then, all this talking has made me sleepy,"
said Louise with a great yawn.

"Where do I sleep?"


Louise pointed to the floor.

"I'm not some dog or cat, you know."

"But there's nowhere else. And there's only one bed."
She threw him a blanket.

She then brought her hand up to the top button of her blouse.

One by one, the buttons came undone.

Soon she was down to her underwear. Saito blushed.
"Wh-wh-what are you doing?!"

Louise answered as if it was the most obvious thing.
"I'm going to sleep, so I'm getting changed."

"Do it somewhere else where I can't see you!"

"Why?"

"Because! It makes the situation awkward! Seriously!"

"It's not awkward at all."

"Is that because you're a mage? You're okay with doing that in plain sight of a guy?"

"A guy? Who? I don't need to think anything of being watched by my familiar."

''What the heck. That's exactly how you'd treat a dog or cat.'' Saito grabbed the blanket, threw it over his head, and turned away.


First of all, he decided to revoke any and all thoughts he'd previously had about her being cute. She just really got on his nerves. ''A girl like her, a mage? Yeah right.''

"Oh, and these. Wash them for me tomorrow."
Several items came flying over to land softly beside him.
He picked them up, wondering what they were.

A lacy camisole and matching panties. White, too. ''What exquisite and delicate pieces'', Saito thought as his face began to flush. He clenched the items tightly as a mix of indignation and delight welled up.

"Why do I have to-- Your underwear?! Wash them?! Frankly, I'm both flattered and offended!"

He bolted upright, without even realizing he'd done so. Louise was pulling a large nightgown over her head. And in the dim light thrown off by the lamp, he could see the outline of her figure. While he couldn't make out any other details, it didn't seem as though she was embarrassed. It was kind of disappointing. He felt as though his masculinity were being denied.

"Who do you think is going to support you? Who do you think is going to give you food? And just whose room are you in?"

"Uhh..."


"You're my familiar, right? Laundry, cleaning, other menial tasks - they're naturally your jobs."

Saito pulled the blanket over his head again.

''This girl is hopeless,'' he thought. ''She just doesn't see me as a guy at all.''

''I want to go home. I miss my room. I miss my parents.''

The feeling of homesickness was overwhelming.

''...When will I be able to go back?''

''Is there even a way to go back?''

''I wonder if my family is worried about me right now...''

''Anyway, I need to find some way of returning...''

''What should I do? Should I try running away from here? But then what?''

''Maybe I'll try asking someone. But from what Louise told me earlier, nobody even knows another world exists, so there's no way they'll believe me.''

''No, I need to think about this critically. In any case, struggling won't get me anywhere. I don't have any clues, and even if I escaped from here, there's no guarantee that I'll even find a way back.''

''I don't even have relatives in this world. There's nobody I can rely on, except for a conceited girl named Louise.''

''Guess there's no choice. For now, I'll be her familiar. At least she said she'll keep me fed.''

''It'll be tough, since I'm not much more than a familiar to her.''

''Sure, she's a bit arrogant, but at least she's fairly cute. I suppose I can just imagine I made a girlfriend. Someone I happened to meet through the dating site. Treat it as if I came overseas just to see her. Or I came as a foreign student. Actually, that's better. Yeah, that's what I'll think. Hah, I'm so simple like that. It's great.''

''Okay,'' thought Saito. ''It's not like I've been stranded on a deserted island. Moping will achieve nothing.''

''I'll live as a familiar, and in the process, I'll look for a way to return home.''

Now that his plan was set, he felt noticeably sleepy.

No matter the situation, Saito's amazing adaptability had always saved him. Where anyone else would've panicked and crumbled, Saito came through thanks to his fluid personality.

Louise snapped her fingers, and the glow of the lamp died out.

''The lamp is magical too? I guess that means there really is no need for electricity,'' Saito reasoned.

A shroud of darkness descended upon the room.

Outside the window, the two moons shone down mysteriously.

Mrs. Hiraga, your son Saito has arrived in a world where there are wizards. He will not be able to attend school for quite some time, nor will he be able to study. Please forgive him.

And so began Saito's life as a familiar.

----

=== Translator's Notes ===
;<span id=new_religions>[[#back_to_new_religions|↑]]</span> New Religions
:The term "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinshukyo New Religion]" refers to any religious group in Japan that has its roots after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. This includes the Nichiren Buddhist organization [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soka_Gakkai Soka Gakkai], as well as the infamous [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum_Shinrikyo Aum Shinrikyo]. The latter probably explains Saito's concern.<br/><br/>
;<span id=hamburger>[[#back_to_hamburger|↑]]</span> Hamburger
:From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger#Japan <blockquote>In Japan, hamburgers can be served in a bun, called hambāgā (ハンバーガー), or just the the patties served without a bun, known as hambāgu (ハンバーグ) or "hamburg," short for "hamburg steak."</blockquote> The type mentioned by Saito was the version without the bun. (ハンバーグ)<br/><br/>
;<span id=12_jou>[[#back_to_12_jou|↑]]</span> 12 Tatami mats
:Rooms in Japan are measured jō (畳), which is the number of tatami mats required to cover the floor. A tatami mat is 90 cm by 180 cm for an area of 1.62 m<sup>2</sup> each. Twelve jō is slightly more than 19.5 m<sup>2</sup> or almost 210 square feet.

----

=== Chapter Credits ===
'''Project Leaders'''<br/>
Onizuka-GTO, Kawool, Se-chan

'''Translators'''<br/>
Yuko, Cala-kun, SaiyaJedi

'''Typesetter'''<br/>
Kawool

'''CG Artist'''<br/>
Chopaface

'''Editors'''<br/>
Onizuka-GTO, The_naming_game, Bicube, BlckKnght, Da~Mike, Meganeshounen,
Nandeyanen,
Andiyar, CrowKenobi, Rednal

'''Special Thanks'''<br/>
Sushi-Y, Andere

----

=== Raw English Translation ===
Coming soon. (really!)

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter3

2007-06-11T17:40:25Z

Rednal: Various edits. See my thread in the forum for details.

== Chapter 03 ==



'''Chapter Three: Legend'''

Mister Colbert was a teacher who had dedicated twenty years to Tristein Magic Academy and was by now a mainstay figure.

His Runic name was "Colbert the Flame Snake," and naturally, he was a mage specializing in fire magic.

Since the Springtime Familiar Summoning a few days ago, he'd been concerned about the commoner boy that Louise had summoned. Or more precisely, he'd been concerned with nothing but the runes that had appeared on that boy's left hand. They were rare runes indeed, so for the last few nights, he'd confined himself to the library and had been researching various texts.

Tristein Magic Academy's library was located in the same tower as the dining hall. The bookshelves were unbelievably tall, about 30 meters in height, and the way they were lined up against the walls was a spectacle to behold. And rightly so, since this place was crammed with the history of everything following the creation of the new world in Halkeginia by the Founder Brimir.

Colbert was now in a section of the library called "Fenir's Library" which only teachers were allowed entry to.


The ordinary bookshelves that students had free access to didn't hold any answers that could satisfy him.

Using a Levitation spell, he floated up to an out-of-reach shelf and scanned it intently for a particular book.

His efforts were rewarded as his gaze fell upon the title of the book.

It was a very old text which held descriptions of the familiars that had been used by the Founder Brimir.

His attention was focused on one particular paragraph written in it, and as he read on in fascination, his eyes grew wide.

He compared the book with the sketch he'd made of the runes on the boy's left hand.

"Ah!" he gasped in surprise. At that moment, he lost the concentration necessary for maintaining his Levitation and almost fell to the floor.

Holding the book in his arms, he hurriedly descended to the floor and ran out of the library.

His destination was the Headmaster's Office.

<center>* * *</center>

The Headmaster's Office was located on the topmost floor of the tower. Sir Osmond, the current Headmaster of Tristein Magic Academy, sat with his elbows propped on his elegantly built sequoia  desk, looking unbearably bored as he shook his white beard and hair.


He'd been idly plucking out nose hairs, when he slowly murmured "hrm" and pulled open a desk drawer.

From inside it, he procured a smoking pipe.

As he did, Miss Longueville, the secretary who had been writing something at the other desk placed to the side of the room, waved her feather quill.

The pipe floated into the air and landed in Miss Longueville's palm. Sir Osmond muttered dejectedly, "Is it fun taking away an old man's little pleasures? Miss..."

"Managing your health is also part of my job, Old Osmond."

Sir Osmond stood up from his chair and walked up to the cool and collected Miss Longueville. Stopping behind the seated Longueville, he closed his eyes with a serious expression.

"If the days keep passing by so peacefully, figuring out how to spend time is going to become a rather big problem."

The wrinkles etched deeply on Osmond's face only gave hints to the history of his life. People guessed him to be a hundred years old, even three hundred years old. But as to his true age, no one really knew. It's possible he himself didn't know anymore either.

"Old Osmond," Miss Longueville called to him, without taking her eyes off the feather quill that was scribbling away on the parchment.


"What is it? Miss..."

"Please stop saying you have nothing to do as an excuse to touch my bottom."

Sir Osmond then opened his mouth slightly and began walking around in tottering steps.

"Please stop pretending to be senile whenever a situation goes bad," Longueville added calmly. Sir Osmond sighed deeply. It was a sigh bearing the weight of many troubles.

"Where do you think the ultimate truth may be? Haven't you ever wondered that? Miss..."

"Wherever it is, I assure you, it's not underneath my skirt, so please stop sneaking your mouse under the desk."

Sir Osmond's face fell, and he murmured sadly.

"Montsognir."

From under Miss Longueville's desk scurried out a little mouse. It dashed up Osmond's leg and perched on his shoulder, twitching its tiny head. He fished out some nuts from a pocket and held one out to the mouse.

"Chuchu," the mouse chittered, apparently pleased.


"You're my only truly trustworthy friend, Montsognir."

The mouse began nibbling on the nut. It disappeared quickly, and the mouse chittered "chuchu" once more.


"Ah, yes, yes. You want more? Very well, I shall give you more. But first, I would ask that you report back, Montsognir."

"Chuchu"

"I see. White and plain white too, hrm. But Miss Longueville should really stick to black. Wouldn't you agree, my cute Montsognir?"

Miss Longueville's eyebrows twitched.

"Old Osmond."

"What is it?"

"The next time you do that, I'm reporting it to the palace."

"Kah! Do you think I could be Headmaster of this Academy if I was scared of the palace all the time?!"

Sir Osmond flashed his eyes wide and yelled angrily. It was an impressive display, completely unexpected of a frail-looking old man.

"Don't get all prissy just because I peeked at your underwear! At this rate, you'll never get married! Haa~~ To be young again~~ Miss..."

Old Osmond began stroking Miss Longueville's bottom without hesitation.

Miss Longueville stood up and wordlessly kicked her boss around.

"Sorry. Stop. Ow. I won't do it anymore. Really."

Old Osmond covered his head and cowered. Miss Longueville breathed heavily as she continued kicking Osmond.


"Ack! How can you! Treat a senior! In this way! Hey! Ouch!"

This "peaceful" moment was interrupted by a sudden intrusion.

The door was thrown open with a slam, and Colbert rushed inside.

"Old Osmond!"

"What is it?"

Miss Longueville was back at her desk, sitting there as if nothing had happened. Sir Osmond had his arms behind him, and turned to face the visitor with a serious expression. That was certainly a quick recovery.  

"I-I-I have some big news!"

"There is no such thing as big news. Everything is but a collection of small events."

"P-P-Please take a look at this!"

Colbert handed Osmond the book he had been reading just before.

"This is "The Familiars of the Founder Brimir," is it not? Are you still going around digging up old literature like this? If you have time to do that, why don't you think up some better ways of collecting school fees from those slack nobles? Mister, err... What was it again?"

Sir Osmond cocked his head.

"It's Colbert! You forgot?!"


"Right, right. Now I remember. It's just that you talked so fast I never really caught it. So, Colby , what is it about this book?"

"Please take a look at this also!"

Colbert then handed him the sketch of the runes on Saito's left hand.

The moment he saw that, Osmond's expression changed. His eyes took on a solemn light.

"Miss Longueville, would you please excuse us?"

Miss Longueville stood up and left the room. Osmond spoke only after he confirmed she was properly outside.

"Explain this to me with every detail, Mister Colbert..."

<center>* * *</center>

It was just before lunchtime when they finally finished tidying up the classroom that Louise had made a mess of. As punishment, using magic to clean up had been forbidden, so it had taken considerable time to finish. But then again, Louise couldn't really use most spells anyway, so it hadn't affected her much. Mrs. Chevreuse had regained consciousness two hours after she'd been caught in the explosion, and while she did return to class, she didn't give any more lectures on Transmutation for that entire day. It would seem she had been rather traumatized.


Having finished tidying up, Louise and Saito headed to the dining hall for lunch.
Along the way, Saito made fun of Louise over and over. After all, it was Louise's fault that he'd had to do all that manual labor just now. It was Saito who had carried over the new window glass. It was Saito who had moved all the heavy desks. And of course, it was Saito who had wiped the soot-blackened classroom clean with a cloth. All Louise had done was wipe down a few desks, and reluctantly at that.

''I have to sleep on the floor. The food sucks. And on top of that, I have to wash underwear. (Not that I've done it yet.)''

With all that mistreatment from Louise, there was no way Saito could keep quiet about her new-found weakness. He teased Louise like there was no tomorrow.

"'Louise the Zero.' Now I get it~ That's just perfect~ Rate of success is zero. But a noble despite that... wonderful!"

Louise didn't say a word, which only roused Saito further.

"Transmutation! Ah! Kaboom! Transmutation! Ah! Kaboom! Oh, I screwed up! Only 'the Zero' screws this up!"

Saito danced circles around Louise like this, raising his arms every time he said "kaboom," mimicking an explosion. It was quite a detailed performance.

"Mistress Louise. This humble familiar has made a song for you."

Saito said, bowing his head respectfully. Of course, it was an empty gesture, a complete mockery.

Louise's eyebrow was twitching furiously. She was on the verge of blowing her top, but Saito was too absorbed in his excitement to notice that.


"Why don't you go ahead and sing it?"

"'Lou-Lou-Louise is such a hopeless case~ A magician that can't even use magic! But that's all right! Because she's a girl...'" 

Saito held his stomach as he burst into laughter.

"Bwahahaha!!"

He was laughing at his own joke. Perhaps he was just as hopeless.

<center>* * *</center>

When they arrived at the dining hall, Saito pulled out a chair for Louise.

"Just remember, my lady. Don't cast any spells on the food. Just imagine the mess if it exploded."

Louise took the seat wordlessly. Saito was feeling thoroughly satisfied, having got one back on the rude and arrogant Louise with his putdowns. Even the usual excuse for a meal didn't bother him as much.

While the meager soup and bread he got served was still painful to behold, it was a pretty even trade-off for getting to laugh so much earlier.

"Right then, Founder someone-or-another. Your Highness the Queen. Thanks a bunch for the crappy food. Itadakimasu."

As he went to eat, the plate was snatched away.

"What are you doing?!"


"Th-th-th..."

"'Th-th-th'?"

Louise's shoulders shook angrily, as did her voice. Somehow, she'd managed to reign in her overflowing fury until they'd arrived at the dining table. Probably so that she could bestow an appropriate punishment.

"Th-th-th-this familiar, how dare it say s-s-s-such things to its m-m-m-master?"

Saito realized he'd gone too far.

"I'm sorry! I won't say any more, so give me back my food!"

"No! Absolu~~tely not!"

Louise screamed, twisting her cute face in rage.

"One meal cut for every time you've said 'Zero!' And that's final! No exceptions!"

<center>* * *</center>

In the end, Saito left the dining hall without having eaten anything.

''I shouldn't have been so sarcastic about it...'' But it was too late to regret.

"Haa, I'm starving... Damn..."

Clutching his stomach, he leaned one hand on a wall.

"Is something the matter?"


He turned around to see a normal-looking girl in a maid's outfit carrying a big silver tray, looking concernedly at him. Her black hair was neatly adorned with a headband, and her freckles were cute.

"It's nothing..." Saito waved his left hand.

"Are you by any chance the one who became Miss Valliere's familiar...?"

It seemed she noticed the runes inscribed on Saito's left hand.

"You know me?"

"A little. It's become quite a rumor, you know, that a commoner was called by the summoning magic."

The girl smiled sweetly. It was the first carefree smile Saito had seen since he came to this world.

"Are you a mage too?" Saito asked.

"Oh no, not me. I'm a commoner, just like you. I serve the nobility here by doing domestic duties."

''I'm actually from Earth and not a commoner, but it's probably useless to try explain.'' Saito decided to just introduce himself.


"I see... Well, I'm Hiraga Saito. Nice to meet you."

"That's quite a strange name... I'm Siesta."

At that point, Saito's stomach grumbled.

"You must be hungry."

"Yeah..."


"Please follow me this way."

Siesta walked off.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito was led to the kitchen located at the rear of the dining hall. Lots of large pots and ovens were lined up inside. Cooks and other maids like Siesta were busily preparing food.

"Please wait one moment, okay?"

Siesta had Saito sit on a chair placed in the corner of the kitchen and disappeared hastily into the back.

She soon returned with a bowl full of warm stew in her hands.

"This is some stew made from the leftovers of the nobles' meals. If you don't mind, please eat this."

"Can I?"

"Yes. It's only the staff meal though..."

Her kindness was touching. This was completely different from the soup that Louise had given him. He scooped up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth. ''Delicious. I'm going to cry.''


"This is so good~!"

"That's great. There's plenty if you want seconds, so take your time."

Saito ate the stew as if in a dream. Siesta stood watching him, smiling sweetly all the while.


"Weren't you given anything to eat?"

"That girl went and took my plate away when I called her 'Louise the Zero.'"

"Oh no! You shouldn't say things like that to nobles!"

"Noble schnoble. Getting all high-horsed just because they can use magic."

"You must have a lot of courage..."

Siesta looked at Saito with an expression of amazement.

Saito gave Siesta back the empty bowl.

"That was really tasty. Thanks."

"I'm glad you liked it. Feel free to visit whenever you're hungry. If you don't mind having whatever we're having, I'd be happy to share."

Such a kind offer. Saito was even more touched.

"Thanks..."

Saito suddenly broke out in tears, surprising Siesta.

"Wh-what's the matter?"

"No... It's just that it's the first time anyone's been so nice to me since I came to this world... I got a bit emotional..."

"Th-that's an exaggeration."


[[Image:ZNT-page083.jpg|thumb|''"Delicious. I'm going to cry."'']]


"It's not. If there's anything I can do for you, just tell me. I'll lend a hand."

He wasn't particularly interested in something like washing Louise's underwear, and would much rather help this girl instead.

"In that case, please help me serve the desserts."

Siesta said with a smile.

"Okay," Saito nodded enthusiastically.

<center>* * *</center>

Lots of dessert cakes were arranged on a big silver tray. Saito carried the tray, while Siesta picked up the cakes with tongs and served them one by one to the nobles.

One mage in particular stood out. He had curly blonde hair, wore a frill-trimmed shirt, and looked rather self-important. There was a rose stuck in his shirt pocket too. His friends around him were poking all kinds of fun at him.

"So, Guiche! Who're you going out with now?"

"Who's your lover, Guiche?"

So it seemed the prideful mage was called Guiche. He gently raised a finger to his lips.

"'Go out?' I hold no one woman in such special regard. After all, a rose blooms for the pleasure of many."

''This guy's likening himself to a rose. An egotist like this is far beyond help.'' He was the kind of narcissist that made onlookers more embarrassed than himself. Saito glared at him, hoping he'd just die.


At that moment, something fell out of Guiche's pocket. It was a small glass bottle with a purple liquid swirling inside it.

''I don't really like this guy, but I should still tell him he dropped something.''

Saito called out to Guiche.

"Oi, you dropped this bottle from your pocket."

But Guiche didn't turn around. ''This guy's ignoring me!''

Saito passed the tray to Siesta and bent down to pick up the bottle.

"I said, you dropped something, playboy."

He placed it on the table. Guiche shot Saito a dirty look, and pushed the bottle away.

"This is not mine. What are you talking about?"

Guiche's friends then realized where the bottle came from and raised a loud commotion.

"Ooh? That perfume, isn't that Montmorency's?"

"Yeah! That vivid purple color is the perfume that Montmorency only mixes for herself!"

"So to have something like that fall out of your pocket, Guiche, means that you're going out with Montmorency now, right?"


"No wait, listen to me. I'm saying this for the sake of her reputation, but..."

As Guiche was about to say more, a girl, who wore a brown cloak and had been sitting at the table behind them, stood up and walked over to Guiche's seat.

She was a cute girl sporting chestnut-colored hair. According to the color of the cloak she wore, she was a first year student.

"Master Guiche..." 

And with that, she started crying uncontrollably.

"I knew it, you and Miss Montmorency are..."

"They’re misunderstanding. Katie, listen. The only person I hold in my heart is you..."

But the girl called Katie slapped Guiche's face as hard as she could.

"That perfume you dropped from your pocket is more than enough proof! Goodbye!"

Guiche rubbed his cheek.

At this point, a girl with tightly rolled hair stood up from a seat further down the table. Saito recognized her as the girl who'd had the argument with Louise when he was first summoned to this world.

Wearing a severe expression, she approached Guiche with quick clipped steps.


"Montmorency. This is a misunderstanding. All I did was accompany her on a long trip to the forests of La Rochelle..." Guiche said, shaking his head. While he was pretending to remain composed, a drop of cold sweat ran down his forehead.

"Just as I thought! You've been making moves on that first year, haven't you?!"

"Please, Montmorency the Perfume. Don't twist your rose-like face in anger like that. It saddens me to see it!"

Montmorency grabbed a bottle of wine that was on the table and poured its contents out audibly on Guiche's head.

And then...

"You liar!"

She yelled and stormed off.

Silence fell upon the hall.

Guiche pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped his face. Shaking his head, he spoke dramatically.

"It would seem those ladies do not understand the meaning of a rose's existence."

''Yeah, and you just keep trying that,'' Saito thought, as he took the tray back from Siesta and began walking off.

Guiche called him to a stop.


"Stop right there."

"What now?"

Guiche spun his body about on the chair and crossed his legs with a flourish. It gave Saito a headache to see such arrogance exude from every action.

"Thanks to you thoughtlessly picking up some bottle of perfume, the reputation of two ladies has been damaged. How will you take responsibility?"

Saito replied in an exasperated tone.

"Hey, it's your fault for two-timing."

Guiche's friends burst out laughing.

"Exactly, Guiche! It's your fault!"

Guiche's face flushed crimson.

"Listen, server. When you put the bottle of perfume on the table, I pretended not to know anything, didn't I? Would it have hurt to be a little bit tactful and just go along with it?"

"Whatever. Either way, your two-timing would've been blown anyway. And also, I'm not a server."

"Hmph... Ah, you are..."

Guiche snorted, as if looking down on Saito.

"You must be the commoner summoned by that "Louise the Zero." To have expected a noble's wits from a commoner was completely my mistake. You may leave."


Saito snapped then. Pretty boy or not, there was no way Saito was just going to stand there quietly taking all this from such a conceited narcissist. He couldn't help but make one inflammatory comment.

"Shut up you over-pretentious bastard. Why don't you go suck on roses for the rest of your life?"

Guiche's eyes narrowed.

"It would seem that you don't know the proper etiquette for addressing a noble."

"Unfortunately, I come from a world where there are no such people as nobles."

Saito raised his right hand and spoke imperiously, mimicking Guiche's actions.

"Very well. Then I shall teach you a lesson about respect. A perfect way to relieve some stress." 

Guiche stood up.

"How amusing."

Saito bared his teeth and growled. ''First, I didn't like this guy right from the start. Second, he's going out with two fairly cute girls - though neither are as cute as Louise. And last, he made a fool of me.''

''That's more than enough reason for me to fight. And while I'm at it, I'll hit him a couple more times on Louise's behalf. After all, she's still a girl!''

"You wanna do it here?"


Saito said. Despite being taller than Saito, Guiche was the lanky type and looked rather weak. Playboys are said to be lacking both money and power. Saito wasn't particularly strong himself, but he didn't think he'd lose.

Guiche turned in the other direction.

"Are you running away?"

"Don't be stupid. I can't taint the dining table of nobles with the blood of a commoner, can I? I'll be waiting at <span id="back_to_vestri">[[#vestri|Vestri]]</span> Court. Come once you're finished delivering those cakes."

Looking excited, Guiche's friends stood up and followed him off.

One person remained though, as if to make sure Saito didn't run away himself.

Siesta gazed at Saito, her entire body quivering. Saito spoke with a grin.

"It's all right. There's no way I'll lose to that weakling. Some noble, huh?"

"You... You're going to get killed."

"What?"

"If you truly anger a noble..."

Siesta dashed off in a hurry.

''What was that about?'' Saito muttered. ''Is that guy really that strong?''

Louise ran up to him from behind.


"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! I saw all that!"

"Yo, Louise."

"This is no time to be "yo"-ing me! How can you just go promising duels like it's no big deal?!"

"But that guy was really irritating me..."

Saito said indignantly.

Louise sighed and shrugged disappointedly.

"Apologize to him."

"Why?"

"If you don't want to be hurt, go and apologize. If you do it now, he might forgive you."

"Are you kidding! Why do '''I''' have to apologize?! He insulted me first! And besides, I was only being helpful..."

"Just do it."

Louise fixed Saito with a firm look.

"No way."

"So stubborn... But you know what? You can't win. You'll be badly injured. Actually, you'll be lucky to come back alive with just injuries."

"I won't know that unless I try, right?"


"Listen, a commoner can never beat a mage!"

"So where's this Vestri Court?"

Saito walked off. The friend of Guiche's that had been watching Louise and Saito's exchange pointed with his chin.

"This way, commoner."

"Aaah, jeez! Really! Why does this familiar keep going off and doing stuff on its own?!"

With that, Louise chased after Saito.

<center>* * *</center>

Vestri Court was the central garden situated between the Wind and Fire elemental towers. Being located to the west, the Court didn't receive much sunshine, even in the middle of the day, but it was the perfect place for a duel.

Right now... the place was packed with people who had heard the rumors.

"Gentlemen! It's a duel!"

Guiche lifted his artificial rose high, eliciting a loud cheer from the crowd.

"Guiche is going to duel! His opponent is Louise's commoner!"

''I have a name too y'know...'' Saito thought bitterly.

Waving his arms about, Guiche acknowledged the cheering.


And then, as if finally noticing Saito's presence there, he turned to face him.

Saito and Guiche stood in the middle of the Court, glaring intently at each other.

"First of all, I commend you for coming here instead of running away!" Guiche remarked in a sing-song voice, as he twirled his rose.

"Like anyone would run away!"

"Right then, let us begin," said Guiche.

''Less talk, more action.'' Saito rushed forward. ''Fights are won by whoever gets in the first strike!''

''It's roughly ten paces to where Guiche is. I don't care much for nobles or mages; I'm just going to crush that arrogant nose of yours down to size!''

Guiche watched Saito with a leisurely smile and flicked his rose.

A petal floated down as if dancing in the air...

And became the armor-clad shape of a female warrior.

Its height was about the same as a person’s, but it appeared to be constructed from some hard metal. Under the pale sunlight, its skin... its armor gleamed.

It stood stoically in Saito's way.

"Wh-what the heck is this?!"


"I am a mage, therefore I fight using magic. Surely you have no complaints?"

"Wh-why you..."

"I guess I forgot to mention earlier. My Runic name is "the Bronze." Guiche the Bronze. Accordingly, my bronze golem "Valkyrie" shall be your real opponent."

"Eh?"

The warrior-shaped golem charged towards Saito.

Its right fist impacted heavily with Saito's stomach.

"Harg!"


Saito groaned and collapsed to the ground. Not at all surprising, considering he'd been gut-punched by a bronze fist.

The golem looked down on Saito emotionlessly.

He couldn't stand up through the pain. ''I guess this is what it feels like to be hit by a pro boxer,'' he thought.

"What, over already?"

Guiche sounded dissatisfied. From the mass of people, Louise burst out.

"Guiche!"

"Oh, Louise! My bad. I'm just borrowing your familiar for a bit."

Louise shook her long hair and yelled angrily at Guiche.


"That's quite enough! And besides, dueling is strictly forbidden!"

"Only dueling between nobles is forbidden. Nobody has forbidden duels between commoners and nobles."

Louise was at a momentary loss for words.

"Th-that's because nothing like this has ever happened before..."

"Louise, do you like this commoner?"

Louise's face burned an angry scarlet.

"No! Don't be ridiculous! It's just that I won't put up with having my familiar beaten up before my eyes!"

"...Wh-who's being beaten up? I'm just fine."

"Saito!"

Seeing Saito was up again, Louise practically screamed out his name.

"...Hehehe, you've finally called me by my name."

Louise was trembling.

"You understand now, right? A commoner can never beat a mage!"

"...I was a little careless, that's all. I'm all right, so step back."

Saito pushed Louise back.


"What's this? I didn't think you could stand up again... Maybe I went too easy on you?" said Guiche, provoking Saito further.

Saito walked slowly towards Guiche. Louise followed him and grabbed his shoulder.

"You need to stop! Idiot! Why are you still standing?"

He shook her hand off his shoulder.

"Because he pisses me off."

"He pisses you off? Look, there's no embarrassment in losing to a mage!"

"Shut up," Saito muttered as he kept taking unsteady steps forward.

"Eh?"

"Really, you're starting to get on my nerves too... I know next to nothing about mages or nobles, but to me you're all the same bunch of ego-inflated brats. Just what's so brilliant about magic? Idiots."

Guiche watched Saito with a faint smile painted on his face.


"The more you try, the more pointless this becomes."

Saito's characteristic fighting spirit flared, and he uttered a short growl.

"That was nothing. Your little statue, it's too weak."


The smile fell away. The golem's right hand lashed out to strike Saito's face. He caught the blow square on the cheek and was knocked to the ground.

Blood dripped from his broken nose.

Trying to stem the blood flow, Saito was taken aback.

''Crap... So this is a mage's power. I've been in a few fights here and there, but that punch was like nothing else I'd received before.''

Despite that, he rose shakily to a stand. Guiche's golem mercilessly sent him flying once more with a kick.

He got up again. And was struck down again.

Over and over, the process was repeated.

The eighth punch connected with Saito's right arm. There was a sick snapping noise.

Unable to see out of his swollen shut left eye, he checked his arm with his left. It was bent at a wrong angle.

While Saito stared blankly at his arm, the golem came over and planted a foot on his face.

His head hit the earth hard, and he lost consciousness for a moment.

When he came to, he could see Louise's face framed by a backdrop of blue sky.

"Please. Just stop now."


Louise's hazel eyes were wet with tears.

Saito tried to speak, but the pain in his chest from the repeated blows was hard to overcome.

Regardless, he concentrated his willpower and managed to croak in a hoarse voice.

"...Are you crying?"

"I am not! Who would cry here? Anyway, this is enough. You did very well. I've never seen a commoner like you before."

His broken arm throbbed with agony. Saito grimaced.

"That... hurts."

"Of course it hurts! That's obvious! Just what were you thinking?"

Tears ran down Louise's face and fell on Saito's cheek.

"You're my familiar, understand? I'm not going to forgive you for any more stupid acts."

Guiche's voice called out to the pair.

"Are we quite done yet?"

"...Hold your horses. I'm just catching my breath."

"Saito!"

Guiche smiled, and flicked his rose. This time, the petal transformed into a sword. Guiche grabbed it and threw it in Saito's direction. The blade point stabbed into the ground not too far from where Saito lay.


"If you're still willing to continue, then take that sword. If not, all you need to say is a simple "I'm sorry." Then I can just forgive you and be done with it."

"Don't insult him!"

Louise yelled, standing up. But Guiche gave no indication that he had heard her and kept talking.

"Understand? The sword. In other words, a weapon. It's the very least you commoners will need if you want to take revenge against us nobles. So as I said, if you're still up for it, take that sword."

Saito reached out for the blade with his right hand. But with that arm broken, he couldn't put much strength in his fingers.

His hand was stopped by Louise.

"No! There is absolutely no way I'm letting you do this! If you take that sword, Guiche won't show any mercy!"



"I can't go back to my world... Which means I'm stuck living in this one, right?"
Saito muttered, almost to himself. He didn't look at Louise.

"That's right. So what about it?! Right now that doesn't matter!!"

Louise held his right hand tightly. Saito declared in a clear strong voice.

"I don't mind being a familiar... I can take sleeping on the floor... I don't care if the food sucks... Washing underwear? I'll do that too. It's not like I really have a choice."


Saito paused there and curled his left hand into a fist.

"But..."

""But..." What?"

"I will not bow to anyone against my will!"

Drawing on his last reserves of strength, Saito forced himself to a stand. Pushing Louise aside, he grabbed the blade stuck in the ground with his left hand.

In that instant...

The runes inscribed on that hand began glowing brightly.

<center>* * *</center>

Let us change locations for a moment and return to the Headmaster's Office.

Mister Colbert was fervently explaining everything to Sir Osmond about the commoner boy that was summoned by Louise at the Springtime Familiar Summoning... About how he was concerned about the runes that had appeared on the boy's hand as proof of the contract between him and Louise... And that when he had gone to find out more...

"You discovered that he is the Founder Brimir's familiar Gandalfr?"

Osmond intently examined Colbert's sketch of the runes on Saito's left hand.


"Yes! The runes that appeared on that boy's left hand are exactly the same as the runes that were inscribed on the legendary familiar Gandalfr!"

"So, your conclusion?"

"That boy is Gandalfr! If this isn't big news, then what is, Old Osmond?"

Colbert stood up as he wiped his balding head with a handkerchief.

"Hrm... Certainly, the runes are the same. But for an ordinary commoner boy to become Gandalfr just by having the same runes... I wonder how that could've happened."

"What shall we do?"

"However, it is probably too early to be making definite claims."

"That's true."

Sir Osmond drummed his fingers on the desk.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

From behind the door came Miss Longueville's voice.

"It's me, Old Osmond."

"What is it?"


"It seems there are some students dueling at Vestri Courts. It's causing quite a commotion. A few teachers have gone there to try and stop it, but their attempts are being impeded by the sheer number of students."

"For heaven's sake, these noble kids have far too much free time to stir up trouble with. So, who's involved?"

"One of them is Guiche de Gramont."

"Ah, that idiot son of Gramont. Skirt-chasing must run in the family, considering his father's even more of a womanizer. I wouldn't be surprised if the boy knows every girl in school. And his opponent is?"

"...Well, it's not a mage. I've been told it's Miss Valliere's familiar."

Osmond and Colbert exchanged a look.

"The teachers are requesting to use the "Bell of Sleep" to stop the duel."

Osmond's eyes glinted like a hawk's.

"Ridiculous. There's no need to use such an important artifact just to stop a children's fight. Leave them be."

"Understood."

Miss Longueville's footsteps disappeared down the hallway.

Colbert swallowed audibly and verbally pressed Osmond.

"Old Osmond."


"Hrm."

Sir Osmond waved his staff and a big mirror set in the wall began scrying the situation at Vestri Courts.

<center>* * *</center>

Saito was surprised. The moment he grabbed the sword, all the pain in his body disappeared.

He realized the runes on his left hand were glowing.

And then...

''My body feels as light as a feather. I could almost take off and fly.''

In addition, the blade he held in his left hand felt so familiar that it seemed like an extension of his body.

''That's strange. I've never even touched a sword before...''

Seeing Saito with the weapon in hand, Guiche smiled coldly.

"Firstly, let me congratulate you. I'm honestly quite impressed that a commoner would come this far against a mage."

With that, he twirled the rose in his hand.

''That artificial rose must be his wand. Really, how vain can you get?''

Saito was astonished that he even had the leisure to think such things.

''I was beaten up so badly just now. What in the world happened to me?''

Guiche's golem attacked again.

''Stupid tin can.''

The statue modeled in the shape of the mythical Valkyrie came towards Saito in what seemed like slow motion.


''What the hell,'' Saito thought.

''I got kicked around like a rag doll by '''this''' crawling junk pile?''

Saito leapt into action.

<center>* * *</center>

At the sight of his golem sliced in two as through it was like a lump of clay, Guiche uttered a tormented moan.

The two halves of the golem each struck the ground with a resounding "clang."

Meanwhile, Saito bolted towards Guiche in a whirlwind of action.

Panicking, Guiche waved his rose wand wildly. Petals danced, and six new golems appeared.

Altogether, seven golems was Guiche's full arsenal. Never had he thought that a mere commoner could be a match for even one.


The golems surrounded Saito and sprang at him all at once.

And just when it looked like they had him, five of them were slashed apart. It had been so fast that nobody even saw the blade, making everyone wonder just what kind of superhuman ability this was.

The remaining golem promptly dashed over to guard Guiche.

But it too was taken down by an unseen sword-stroke.


[[Image:ZNT-page105.jpg|thumb|''"Stupid tin cans..."'']]


"Hiii!!"

A kick to the face sent Guiche sprawling to the ground.

He saw Saito leap at him.

''I'm gonna die!'' he thought, as he shielded his head.

Something made a loud "thunk"...

When he timidly opened his eyes again...

Saito had driven the blade into the ground just to the right of Guiche's head.

"You want to continue?"

Saito asked.

Guiche shook his head furiously. He'd totally lost any will to fight.

And in a failing voice he said,

"I... I yield."

<center>* * *</center>

Saito released his hand and walked away.

He could hear rowdy cheering from the audience such as "Whoa, that familiar is awesome!" or "Oh man, Guiche lost!"

''I... won?''


''How?''

Saito's thoughts were in a haze.

''...Just what happened to me?''

''I was getting knocked around so mercilessly.''

''And then, the moment my hand touched that sword, my body felt like a feather. The next thing I knew, all of Guiche's golems were in pieces.''

''I didn't even know I could use a sword.''

''I don't quite understand it, but whatever. I won somehow, and that's that. I'll think about it later. Because right now, I feel really really tired. I want to sleep.''

He could see Louise running over to him.

'Hey, I won!' he wanted to yell, but his knees buckled.

The feeling of fatigue overwhelmed him, and he could feel his consciousness drift far away. Saito collapsed.

<center>* * *</center>

As she saw Saito begin to teeter, Louise ran faster to try and support him, but she didn't quite make it. Saito toppled over onto hard ground with a heavy thud.

"Saito!"

Louise shook him. No, it seemed he wasn't dead.


"Guu..."

She could hear snoring. Instead, he was sleeping.

"He's asleep..."

Louise looked thoroughly relieved as she let out a sigh.

Guiche stood up and shook his head in amazement.

"Louise, just what is this guy? All of my Valkyries were so easily defeated..."

"He's just a commoner."

"There's no way my golems could have lost to "just a commoner.""

"Hmph. Wasn't it just because you were weaker?"

Louise went to lift Saito up, but unable to properly support him, ended up falling down with him on top of her.

"Aaah, jeez! You're so heavy! Idiot!"

One of the students amidst the crowd cast a Levitation spell on Saito.

Louise began to gently push Saito's floating body away. She needed to take him back up to her room and patch him up.

With the corner of a sleeve, Louise dabbed at her eyes. He looked so in pain, so pitiful, she couldn't help but cry. He'd become so strong all of a sudden when he grabbed the sword, but if it hadn't been for that, he really might have died.

Right now, that was more important than Saito winning. ''I bet this idiot thought it probably wouldn't matter if he died. Going around being so headstrong like that, when you're just a commoner...''


"You're just a familiar, so why do you keep doing stuff on your own?!"

Louise yelled at the sleeping Saito. Her relief was quickly being replaced by annoyance.

<center>* * *</center>

Sir Osmond and Colbert finished watching the entire event via the Mirror of Far-Seeing. They exchanged another look.

"Old Osmond."

"Hrm."

"That commoner actually ended up winning..."

"Hrm."

"Guiche is only a first level Dot  mage, but even so, he shouldn't have been beaten by an average commoner. What amazing speed! I've never seen a commoner like him before! There's no doubt that he's Gandalfr!"



"Hrmm..."

Mister Colbert urged Osmond.

"Old Osmond. We should report this to the palace immediately and ask for instructions..."

"There will be no need for that."

Sir Osmond nodded sternly, ruffling his white beard.


"But sir! This is the biggest discovery of the century! A Gandalfr reborn in the modern world!"

"Mister Colbert. Gandalfr was no ordinary familiar."

"Exactly! The familiar used by the Founder Brimir, Gandalfr! There was never any description of its appearance, but it's said to have been created specifically for the purpose of protecting the Founder Brimir during his spell incantations."

"Correct. Founder Brimir's incantations were especially long... However, that made his spells very powerful. And as you know, mages are most vulnerable while spell casting. Gandalfr was the familiar that he used to protect himself in those times of vulnerability. Its strength..."

Colbert eagerly cut in at this point, looking extremely excited.

"It could annihilate an army of one thousand all by itself! Ordinary mages were said to be no match for it!"

"So, Mister Colbert."

"Yes?"

"That boy, he really is just an average commoner, right?"

"Yes. No matter how I looked, he was just an average commoner. I even confirmed it with a Detect Magic spell when Miss Valliere initially summoned him, but he was still a genuine average commoner."

"And who was it that turned him into a modern Gandalfr?"


"That would be Miss Valliere, but..."

"She must be a very talented mage, I take it?"

"Not at all. Rather, one might say she's ''un''-talented..."

"A puzzling duo to be sure."

"Yes."

"So how did an average boy contracted by an untalented mage become Gandalfr? What an utter paradox. I just can't see where the ends meet."

"Indeed..."

"In any case, there is no need for us to hand over Gandalfr and its master to those fools at the palace. Give them a toy like this and they'll just cause another unnecessary war. Court advisors have too much free time on their hands and like fighting far too much."

"O-oh, I see. I apologize for overlooking such important matters."

"I will take responsibility of this case myself. You will not speak of this to anyone else, Mister Colbert."

"Y-yes! I understand!"

Sir Osmond took hold of his staff and turned to look out the window. He immersed his thoughts in the far reaches of history.

"The legendary familiar Gandalfr... Just what kind of form had it taken before, I cannot help but wonder."


Colbert murmured as if dreaming.

"Gandalfr was said to be able to use any weapon to take down its enemies..."

"Hrm."

"So it must have at least an arm and a hand, I think."

<center>* * *</center>

The morning light woke Saito up. His body was wrapped all over in bandages.

''That's right.''

''I got into a duel with that Guiche and got beaten up really badly...''

''Then I pulled off some miraculous win using that sword...''

''And I fainted.''

He was in Louise's room. For some reason, he'd been sleeping in Louise's bed too.

Louise herself was sitting at a table and sleeping soundly with her head on it.

His eyes fell upon the runes on his left hand. When those runes had been glowing, his body had felt as light as a feather, a sword he had never held before felt like an extension of his arm, and he had sliced up Guiche's golems like nothing.

Right now, those runes weren't glowing.

''What exactly was that, I wonder...''

While he stared at his left hand curiously, there was a knock on the door before it opened.


It was Siesta. The commoner girl who had fed him stew at the kitchen. She was in her usual maid outfit, complete with the headband adorning her hair.

She looked at Saito and smiled. On the silver tray she carried was some bread and water.

"Siesta...?"

"So you're awake now, Saito-san?"

"Yeah... I..."

"After all that, Miss Valliere had you brought up here to sleep. She had to get a teacher to cast a spell of healing on you too. It was quite serious."

"Spell of healing?"

"Yes. It's magic to help treat injuries or illness. You didn't know?"

"No..."

Saito shook his head. It confused Siesta that Saito didn't know some of the basic terminology, but she wouldn't get anywhere by not saying anything.

"Miss Valliere paid for the reagent that was required for the healing spell, so don't be concerned about it."

His silence was a clear indicator that he was concerned about the money.

"Did that reagent cost a lot?"


"Well, it's certainly not something a commoner could pay."

Saito made an attempt to get up, but cried out in pain.

"Ouch!"

"Ah, you shouldn't move! Your injuries were so severe even the healing spells couldn't completely fix them! You still need to take it easy!"

Saito nodded and lay back on the bed.

"I brought you some food. Please eat."

Siesta placed the tray by Saito's bedside.

"Thanks... How long was I asleep for?"

"Three days and nights straight. Everyone was worried you wouldn't wake up."

"Everyone?"

"All the kitchen staff..."

Siesta cast her eyes down shyly.

"What's the matter?"

"Um... I'm sorry. That I ran away that time."

She was talking of how she had run away in fright when Saito had gotten Guiche angry at the dining hall.


"Don't worry. It's nothing to apologize about."

"Nobles were always so scary to us commoners, since we couldn't use magic..."

Siesta suddenly raised her head. Her eyes sparkled brightly.

"But I'm not so scared anymore! I was so inspired, Saito-san! You won against a noble, though you're a commoner!"

"Really... Haha."


''Although I really have no clue how I actually won.''

Somewhat embarrassed, Saito just scratched his head. Then he realized he was using his right arm, which had been broken. It looked completely fine. It still ached a bit when he moved it, but it seemed the bones were whole again.

''Wow, so this is magic.'' Saito thought in slight admiration.

''...I guess it is something to be proud about.''

"By the way, did you tend to me all this time?"

"Oh no, not me. It was actually Miss Valliere..."

"Louise did?"

"Yes. She changed all the bandages and wiped the sweat from your face... She didn't sleep one bit, so she must be exhausted."


As she slept, Louise's breathing was even and gentle. There were heavy dark circles under her eyes though.

''Her sleeping face is always so adorable. It's so doll-like.''

''So she '''can''' be nice sometimes,'' he thought. Suddenly her side profile looked intensely cuter.

Louise's eyes flickered open.

"Fuaaaaaaaaa~~"

She made a great big yawning stretch, and then her gaze fell upon Saito, who was sitting on the bed blinking in surprise.

"Ara. You're awake."

"Y-Yeah..."

Saito cast his eyes downward. He figured he should thank her.

"Um, Louise."

"What?"

"Thanks. And I'm sorry I made you worry."

Louise stood up.

And drew closer to Saito.

Saito's heartbeat accelerated.

''Is she going to say something like "good job, you were really cool out there" and maybe kiss me?''


But that was not to be.

Louise pulled away Saito's blanket and grabbed him by the scruff.

"If you're better now, get out of my bed!"

Still holding him by the scruff, Louise pulled Saito out of the bed.

"Wah! Ow!"

Saito tumbled to the floor.

"Hey, I'm still an injured person!"

"If you're well enough to complain, you're well enough for anything else."

Saito stood up. His body still objected, but it was nothing he couldn't put up with. Still, she could've let him sleep for a little bit longer.

"Uh, in that case, I will take my leave now..."

Siesta left the room wearing a crooked smile. Or more precisely, she fled the room.

Louise threw a mountain of clothes and underwear at Saito.

"Ack!"

"That's the laundry that's piled up while you were asleep. Once you're done with that, clean up the room. Hop to it!"

"Um, you know..."


Louise glared fiercely at Saito.

"What? Just with something like beating Guiche, did you think you'd be treated differently? Did you think you'd be congratulated? Are you an idiot?"

Saito looked resentfully at Louise.

He decided to take back his earlier thought about her being cute.

Still... the way Louise sat on her bed swinging her legs was an undeniable level of cuteness beyond this world.

Her long strawberry blonde hair rippled. Her hazel eyes twinkled with mischief. She was rude, arrogant, and selfish, but try as he might to deny it, her appearance was enchanting.

Raising a finger triumphantly, Louise declared.

"Don't you forget! You're my familiar!"

== Translator's Notes ==
;<span id=vestri>[[#back_to_vestri|↑]]</span> Vestri
:[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestri Vestri] is a dwarf in Norse mythology representing West.

----

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter2

2007-06-11T02:51:27Z

Rednal: Minor edits; refer to my thread in the forums for specifics

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

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



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


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



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


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

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






First things first, he went and flung the blanket off Louise.

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

"It's morning, milady." 

"Huh? O-Oh... Wait, who are you!?"

Louise yelled in a slurred voice. Her expression was vacant as she trailed off into a pitiful mumble.




''Is this girl okay?''


"Hiraga Saito."

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

Louise got up and yawned. Then she ordered Saito:

"Clothes."

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

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

"Underwear."

"G-Get that yourself."

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

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

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



Once Louise had put them on, she mumbled again. 


"Clothes."

"I just gave them to you."

"Dress me."

''Don't push it.'' Saito turned to object angrily, only to find Louise sitting sleepily on the bed wearing only the underwear he had thrown at her. He suddenly didn't know where to look.

Louise pouted in displeasure.

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


That irked him.

"You can at least dress yourself."

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

Reluctantly, Saito picked up her blouse.


<center>* * *</center>

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




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




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



When she saw Louise, she grinned broadly.

"Good morning, Louise."


Louise returned the greeting with a frown.



"Good morning... Kirche."



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



"That's right."

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

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





"It's just like you to summon a commoner with 'Summon Servant.' As expected of Louise the Zero."

Louise's white cheeks flushed scarlet.

"Shut up."

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

"Really."

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

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

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

Kirche smiled.

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


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

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

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

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


[[Image:ZNT-page-051.jpg|thumb|''"Don't worry. As long as I order it not to, it won't attack. Aren't you the scaredy-cat."'']]


it spat out embers as it breathed. 

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


"It's actually fairly cool to me."


"Is that a salamander?"
Louise asked jealously.

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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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

Kirche only smiled calmly. Then she turned to Saito.

"And what's your name?"

"Hiraga Saito."

"Hiragasaito? What a strange name."


"Hey!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Louise exclaimed haughtily.

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



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

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

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

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


Louise's hand flew out. He dodged it.

"Come back here!"

"Don't hit me!"

''A slap?''


''That reminds me... This girl...''

''Yesterday, even when everyone else flew away, she walked.''

''And last night, when I grabbed her, she kicked me in the groin.''



''If she really wanted to chastise me, wouldn't it be better to use magic, instead of hitting or kicking?''

''That would be more effective, and more mage-like.''


''Why is that?'' Saito wondered.


<center>* * *</center>

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

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

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

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

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



All of the tables were magnificently decorated.


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

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



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

"Right..."

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


"Okay..."

"Understand? Normally, a commoner like you would never set foot inside the Hall of <span id="back_to_alviss">[[#alviss|Alvíss]]</span>. Be grateful."

"Right... Hey, what's an 'Alvíss'?"


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

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

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

"Oh, you knew that?"

"So they do?!"



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

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

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

"I can't eat all this! I'll die if I do! Hey, Miss!" 

He prodded Louise's shoulder, only to find her glaring at him.

"What?"
Saito asked dubiously. Louise kept her gaze fixed.

"Ah, I'm getting ahead of myself. I should act more like nobility! Even though I'm not a noble."

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

"It's a bowl."

"Yes. It is."

"There's something suspicious in it."


Louise propped her chin on her hands and spoke.

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

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


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

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

"O Great Founder Brimir and our lady the Queen, we thank you for this humble meal that you have graciously provided us this morning."

The harmonious sound of prayer was raised. Louise joined in as well, closing her eyes.


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

Irritated at this mistreatment, he laid a hand on the tabletop, but it was slapped away by Louise.


Saito looked up resentfully at her.

"What are you doing?"

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


"Jeez..."

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

"What about the meat?"

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


Louise herself began digging enthusiastically into the grand feast.

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


<center>* * *</center>

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

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

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


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

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

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


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

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

"What's that freaky eyeball monster?"

"A bugbear."

"Then what about that octopus thing?"

"A Skua." 

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


"What?"


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

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

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

The door opened, and the teacher entered the class.

She was a middle-aged woman dressed in a voluminous purple robe and was wearing a hat. She had a plump, round face that gave off a friendly impression.

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

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

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

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

Louise cast her eyes downward.

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

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

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



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

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

The other students chuckled.

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

Louise banged her fist against the tabletop in protest.

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

A few giggles broke out from somewhere.


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


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

This put a firm stopper on any further outbursts.

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

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

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

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

Chevreuse nodded.

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

Once again, Chevreuse coughed heavily.

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


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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Kirche leaned forward over her desk.

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

Chevreuse gave a self-important cough.


"A Triangle mage..."

"Louise."

Saito poked Louise.

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

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

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

"Huh?"

Louise explained to Saito quietly.

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

"Oh, I see."

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

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

"It reinforces that element and makes it stronger."

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


"Exactly."

"How many can you add, Louise?"

She didn't answer.

While they were talking, the teacher noticed them.

"Miss Vallière!"

"Y-Yes?"

"Please refrain from private chatter during lessons."

"I'm sorry..."

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

"Eh? Me?"

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

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

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

"Miss Vallière! Is something the matter?"

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

"Umm..."

"Yes?"


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

"And why is that?"

"It's dangerous."

Kirche answered plainly. The majority of the class nodded in agreement.

"Dangerous? How so?"

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

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

"Louise, don't!"

Kirche cried, her face pale.

But Louise stood up.

"I'll do it."

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

Chevreuse stood next to Louise and smiled.

"Miss Vallière, you have to visualize strongly in your mind the metal that you wish to transmute them into."

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


Even knowing her true personality, Saito was momentarily enamored.

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

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

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

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

The pebbles on the desk promptly exploded.

Louise and Chevreuse caught the blast full-on, and were thrown against the blackboard, as people screamed.

Frightened familiars added to the chaos. Kirche's salamander suddenly woke from its sleep and stood up on its hind legs, breathing a jet of flame. A manticore burst into flight and smashed through a window to escape. Through the hole, the giant snake that had been peeking in earlier slithered in and swallowed someone's raven.


The classroom was in pandemonium.

Kirche stood up and pointed a finger at Louise.

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

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

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

Saito was in shock.



Mrs. Chevreuse didn't move from where she lay. From her occasional twitching, she wasn't dead.

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

Still, what an amazing girl.


She didn't seem at all fazed by the discord in the room.

She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the soot off her face.

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

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

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

"Your success rate is always ZERO!"

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

----

== Translator's Notes ==
;<span id=alviss>[[#back_to_alviss|↑]]</span> Alvíss
:[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alv%C3%ADss Alvíss] was a dwarf in Norse mythology who was turned to stone through Thor's trickery.

----

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter1

2007-06-10T00:03:00Z

Rednal: Minor gramattical changes, and rearranged a few sentences so they made more sense.

=== Chapter 1 - I'm a Familiar ===


"Who are you?" asked the girl intently examining Saito's face, with the clear blue sky behind her.
She seemed to be close to Saito's age. Underneath a black cloak, she wore a white blouse and a gray pleated skirt. She knelt down and looked at his face with shock.

''Her face is... Cute.'' Her reddish-brown eyes danced upon the stage of her flawless, white skin and strawberry blonde hair.
''She looks kind of like a foreigner.'' In fact, the girl ''must'' have been a foreigner. A cute, doll-like, foreigner. ''Maybe she’s half-Japanese?''

''But still, that's some kind of school uniform she's wearing, isn’t it? I don't recognize it.''

During this time, Saito had been lying on the ground, face up, though he was unsure of how he had gotten there. He raised his head to take a look around.
Many people in black cloaks were looking upon him with curiosity.
There, in the distance, on an endlessly rich grassy plain, he saw a huge castle with stone walls, just like the ones in those European tour photographs.

''It's just like a fantasy.''


''My head hurts,'' Giving his head a shake, he said, "Who am I...? I'm Hiraga Saito."

"Where are you from, Commoner?"

''Commoner? What does she mean by that?'' Everyone around him had some sort of stick in their hand and wore the same uniform as that girl's.
''Did I wander into an American school or something?''

"Louise, what are you trying to do, calling a commoner with your 'Summon Servant'?"
someone asked, and everyone but the girl who was looking at his face started to laugh.

"I... I just made a little mistake!"

A girl in front of Saito shouted in a refined voice that carried like a bell.
"What mistake are you talking about? That's your usual."

"Of course! After all, she's Louise the Zero!" someone else said, and the crowd of people burst into laughter.

It appeared the girl looking into Saito's face was named Louise.

''Either way, this is no American school. You won't see those kinds of buildings just anywhere.''

''Could it be a movie set? Are they filming something?'' But then Saito thought all of a sudden,
''But it's too big to be a movie set. Could this kind of scenery exist in Japan?''

''Maybe it's a new theme park? But then, why was I sleeping in such a place?''

"Mr. Colbert!"
the girl called Louise shouted. The crowd parted, revealing a middle-aged man.
Saito thought it was funny, because the man looked ridiculous.
He carried a big wooden staff and was covered in a black robe.

''What kind of a look is that? He's dressed like a wizard. Is he sane?''
''I've got it, this must be a cosplay gathering.''
''But it doesn't seem to have that kind of atmosphere.''
Suddenly, Saito was gripped with fear. ''What am I going to do if this is a religious group? It's possible.''
''They could have put me to sleep somehow and brought me here while I was taking a walk in town.''
''That mirror must have been a trap. If not, I have no other explanation for this.''
Saito thought to himself that he ought to stay quiet until he understood what was going on.

The girl named Louise was in a panic, talking on and on, saying things like "Let me try again," and "I beg of you," while frantically waving her arms about.
''I feel sorry for her, being stuck in this weird religious group, since she's so cute.''

"What is it, Miss Vallière?"

"Please! Let me try the summoning one more time!"


''Summoning?''
''What's that? They mentioned it earlier.''

Mr. Colbert, the man wearing the black robe, shook his head.
"I cannot allow that, Miss Vallière."

"Why not?"

"It is the rule. When you are promoted to a second year student, you must summon a familiar.
Which is what you just did."

''A familiar?''
''What's that?''

"Your elemental specialty is decided by the familiar that you
summon. This enables you to advance to the appropriate courses specialized to that element.

You cannot change the familiar once you have summoned it, because the Springtime Familiar Summoning is a sacred rite.
Whether you like it or not, you have no choice but to take him as your familiar."

"But... I've never heard of having a commoner as a familiar!"
Everyone around laughed as Louise said that. She scowled at them,
but the laughter didn't stop.

'''Springtime Familiar Summoning'?''
''What's that?''


''I don't understand. What are they talking about?''
''How did I end up in a place like this.... It has to be one of those <span id="back_to_new_religions">[[#new_religions|New Religions]]</span>.''
''The safest thing to do is to take the first opportunity to run away.''
''I mean really, where is this place?''
''Was I taken to a foreign country?''
''A kidnapping! I've been kidnapped!''
''I'm in real trouble,'' thought Saito.

"This is a tradition, Miss Vallière. I cannot allow any exceptions; he ..."
The middle-aged wizard cosplayer pointed at Saito.
"...may be a commoner, but as long as he was summoned by you,
he must be your familiar. Never in history has a human been summoned as a familiar,
but the Springtime Familiar Summoning takes precedence over every rule.
Therefore, he must become your familiar."

"You have got to be joking..."
Louise drooped her shoulders in disappointment.

"Well then, continue with the ceremony."

"What? With him?"

"Yes, with him. Hurry. The next class will begin any minute.
How long do you think you are going to take for the summoning?
After mistake upon mistake, you have finally managed to summon him.
Hurry and form a contract."

Everyone voiced their agreement and began jeering.

Louise stared at Saito's face as if troubled.

''What is it? What's she going to do to me?''

"Hey,"
Louise addressed Saito.

"Yes?"

"You should be appreciative. Normally you'd go your whole life without something like this being carried out by a noble."

''Noble? How stupid. What nobles?''
''Aren't you just a bunch of twisted cosplaying new-religion freaks?''

Louise closed her eyes with an air of resignation.
She waved around the wooden stick in her hand.

"My name is Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the Five Elemental Powers,
bless this humble being and make him my familiar."
She began to chant these words over and over, like a magic spell.

She touched Saito's forehead with the stick.
Her lips then slowly drew closer.

''What... What are you doing?!''


"Just stay still."
Louise said, a touch of anger in her voice.
Her face got closer.

"Hey, wait. Well, I'm... Well, I'm not ready for this..."

His face shook a little as he panicked.

"Ah, geez! I told you to stay still!"
Louise roughly grabbed Saito's face with her left hand.

"Huh?"

"Mmm..."

Louise's lips touched Saito's.

''What?! What is this! This is what that contract means?!''
The touch of her soft lips confused Saito more.
''My first kiss! But it was stolen in this weird place by this weird girl whose motives I don't understand!''
Saito lay there, paralyzed.

Louise removed her lips.
"It is done."


<center>[[Image:ZNT-page-019.jpg|thumb|KISU!]]</center>



''Her face is red. Is she embarrassed by her boldness? What an idiot,'' Saito thought.

"I should be the embarrassed one, not you! You kissed me all of a sudden!"

But Louise was completely ignoring Saito.

''You kissed me and this is how you act? How rude.''
''Really, who are they?! I'm scared. I want to go home right this minute. I just want to go home and get online,'' Saito thought.
He had just registered with a dating site, so he wanted to check his e-mail.

"You failed on 'Summon Servant' many times, but you have managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' in one try,"
Colbert said happily.

"She was able to make a servant contract, because he was just a commoner."

"If he was a powerful magical beast, she wouldn't have been able to make a contract,"
A few students laughed while making those comments.

Louise scowled at them.
"Don't make fun of me! Even I do things right once in a while!"

"Truly 'once in a while,' Louise the Zero,"
laughed a girl with gorgeous curly hair and freckles on her face.

"Mr. Colbert! Montmorency the Flood just insulted me!"


"Who are you calling 'the Flood?' I'm Montmorency the Fragrance!"

"I heard that you used to wet the bed like a flood, didn't you? 'The Flood' suits you better!"

"How dare you, Louise the Zero! What can I say? You are a zero!"

"Watch it! Nobles ought to show each other the proper respect,"
the middle-aged wizard cosplayer interjected to stop them.

''What are they talking about? A contract? 'Contract Servant'? ''

At that instant, Saito's body started to get hot.

"Aaah!"
Saito stood up.
"It's hot!"

"It will be over soon; just wait. The 'Familiar's Runes' are being inscribed,"
Louise said, irritated.

"Don't inscribe them! What did you do to my body?!"

''There is nothing I can do, but I can't just lie around quietly. It is unbelievably hot!''

"By the way."

"What?"


"Do you think it's forgivable for a commoner to use that kind of language before nobles?"

The hot sensation lasted only for a second.
His body rapidly returned to a normal state.

"That was quick..."

The middle-aged cosplay wizard known as Colbert, came to the kneeling Saito
and checked the back of his left hand.
There, jumping out at him, were unfamiliar letters.

''Are those letters? It looks like a wriggling snake in some strange pattern.''
Saito stared at it and thought, ''if this isn't a trick, then what is it?''

"Hmmm..."

At this point, Saito really lost it.

"These are very unusual Runes,"
said the middle-aged wizard impersonator.

"Who are you people?!"
Saito yelled out, but no one reacted.

"Well, let's go back to class, everyone."

The middle-aged cosplay wizard turned on his heel, then rose gently into the air.
Saito's jaw dropped in shock.


''Did... Did he fly? Is he floating in the air?''
''It can't be!''
The others, who looked like students, also floated up in the air all at once.

''It can't be! More of them? One person could float in the air by some trick, but all of them?''
Saito looked for wires or even a crane, but the surrounding area was just a large grassy plain.
There was nothing to suggest any tricks or setups.

Everyone who was floating flew quietly towards the stone-walled castle in the distance.

"Louise, you'd better walk back!"
"She can't fly. She can't even manage levitation."
"That commoner, he's perfect as your familiar!"
the students said as they flew away.
The only ones left behind were Saito and the girl named Louise.

As soon as it was only the two of them, Louise took a deep breath,
turned toward Saito, and yelled,
"Who are you?!"

That made Saito mad. ''That's my line!'' he thought.

"Who are you? Where is this place?! Who were all those people?! Why can they fly?!

What did you do to my body?!"

"I don't know what backwoods you came from, but I will explain it to you."

"A country? This is the backwoods, isn't it? Tokyo is nothing like this!"

"Tokyo? What is that? What country is it in?"

"Japan."

"What? I've never heard of it."

"Oh please! But why are they flying?! You saw it too! They flew! They all did!"

But Louise took no notice of it at all, as if to say, "What's wrong with flying?"

"Of course they flew. What would we do if mages couldn't fly?"

"Mages? What is this place?!"
Saito grabbed Louise's shoulders and yelled.

"This is Tristain! And this is the renowned Tristain Academy of Magic!"

"Academy of Magic?"

"I'm a second year student, Louise de la Vallière. I am your master from now on. Remember that!"


All of Saito's strength disappeared.
He was getting a really bad feeling about the situation.
"Uh... Miss Louise..."

"What?"

"Did you really summon me here?"

"That's what I've been telling you, over and over again, until I'm hoarse. Just give up. I'm giving up too.
Why does my familiar have to be a creature that isn't cool at all...
I wanted to have something cool, like a dragon, or a griffin, or a manticore.
At least an eagle or an owl."

"A dragon or griffin? What do you mean?"

"I was just saying that I wish had one of those as my familiar."

"Do they really exist?"

"They do. Why?"

"You've gotta be kidding me,"
Saito said, laughing. But Louise wasn't laughing.

"Well, you've probably never seen them before,"
Louise said, with pity in her voice.
She didn't look like she was joking.


The mages who flew away and the fantasy words suddenly connected.

He felt a chill run down his spine, and broke out in a cold sweat.
"I thought maybe... Since they flew, are you people really witches and wizards?"

"Yes, we are! If you understand that, let go of my shoulders!
You shouldn't even be talking to me!"

''A dream... This has to be a dream...''
Slowly, his strength left him, and Saito fell to his knees.

"Louise,"
he said with a weak voice.

"Don't call me directly by name."

"Hit me."

"What?"

"Hit me in the head as hard as you can."

"Why?"

"I want to wake up from this dream now. I'll wake up from this dream and get online.
Tonight's dinner is <span id="back_to_hamburger">[[#hamburger|hamburger steak]]</span>. My mom said so this morning."

"Get online?"


"No, it's nothing. After all, you're just a part of my dream, so you don't need to worry about it. Now just let me wake up from this dream already."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you want me to hit you, right?"
Louise clenched her hands into fists.

"Yes, please."

Her fists began to tremble.
Louise's expression became unreadable, but it seemed a lot of thoughts were going through her head.
"Aren't you concerned at all about being summoned?"

"How should I know?"

"How could I, the third daughter of the Vallière family... I, a noble who takes pride in her proper pedigree and ancient lineage, end up having to make someone like you my familiar?"

"How should I know?"

"...And just who decided that the contract had be sealed by a kiss?"

"How should I know? Look, will you just get it over and done with? I hate nightmares."

"Nightmare? That's my line!"
Louise clobbered Saito in the head with all her strength.
"That was my first kiss!"

Perhaps she was a bit too forceful... ''Mine too,'' though Saito, as he lost consciousness.




<center>* * *</center>

Hiraga Saito. Seventeen years old and in the second year of high school.

Athletic ability: normal. Grades: average. Duration without a girlfriend: seventeen years. Overall, no positives or negatives.

Teacher's evaluation: "Ah, Hiraga-kun. He refuses to give up, and he has a strong sense of curiosity, but he's a little slow."

Parents' evaluation: "You should study more. You're a little slow."

Being slow, he is rarely bothered by accidents, and accepts pretty much anything, relative to most people. Earlier, when he saw people flying, he made a commotion, but given that an ordinary person would have been so shocked as to be brought to their knees, he owed much to his disposition.


To put it badly, he just doesn't think too deeply about things before acting.

Also, he has a fiercely competitive spirit. In that sense, he might be quite similar to Louise in personality.

Anyway, a mere thirty minutes ago, Saito had been walking down a street in Tokyo, Japan—on Earth.

He was on his way home after having his notebook computer repaired. He was quite happy in fact, since he could go on the internet once more. He'd recently registered at an online dating site, and he might even have found himself a girlfriend.


Though what he really wanted was something to spice up his otherwise monotonous daily life.
However, instead of discovering it on the internet, he found it in the middle of the street.

He'd been walking past the train station on his way home, when suddenly a shining mirror-like object appeared in front of him.
Saito stopped to take a good long look at it. Remember, his curiosity is about double that of a normal person.

It was a large ellipse, about two meters high and one meter wide, with no substantial thickness.
Then he noticed it was actually floating a little above the ground.

This piqued his interest. ''What kind of natural phenomenon is this,'' he wondered, as he scrutinized the sparkling mirror-like object.

''I have no idea. I've never seen or heard of any kind of phenomenon like this.'' He considered sidestepping around it, but his curiosity got the better of him.
He wanted to see if he could walk through it.

''No, maybe I shouldn't,'' he told himself. ''But it's just a couple of steps,'' he reasoned. What a hopeless personality.

But first, he picked up a pebble and threw it in experimentally.
The pebble disappeared into the middle of the mirror-like object.

''Oho,'' he thought. When he checked the other side of the mirror-like object, the pebble was nowhere to be seen.
Next he pulled his house key out of his pocket. He poked the mirror-like object with the tip of the key.


Nothing happened.

Withdrawing the key, he examined it, but nothing about it had changed. Saito judged that there wouldn't be any immediate danger if he walked through. Which only tempted him further to do it.

In the end, even though he knew he shouldn't, he stepped forward. It was much like opening up a manga just after deciding you were going to do nothing but study from now on.

He immediately regretted it, as an intense shock assailed his senses. He suddenly remembered back to when he was a child, when his mother had bought him a strange machine that supposedly made a person smarter by running an electric current through their body. It felt a lot like that.

Saito fainted. When he opened his eyes...

He was in a fantasy world.

<center>* * *</center>

"Is that true?"
asked Louise, looking at Saito with an expression of disbelief. In her hand, she held bread from tonight's dinner.

They were in Louise's room. It looked about <span id="back_to_12_jou">[[#12_jou|12 tatami mats]]</span> in size. If you treated the window as south, the bed was situated on the west side, the door to the north, and a big wardrobe stood to the east. All the furniture looked like valuable antiques.

Louise had brought Saito here once he had regained consciousness.

Saito, trying to ignore the pain in his head which still hurt from the blow earlier, answered her,
"So what if it isn't?"

Saito had never felt the slightest bit resentful of his own curiosity until today.

''I never should've walked through that stupid thing...''

''This isn't Japan. It isn't even Earth.''

If there were a nation with wizards who flew through the sky, even only a few, he certainly hadn't learned about it in middle school geography.
And even if there were, what about those huge moons floating in the sky? They were easily twice the size of Earth's.
Their huge size was not the issue; it was entirely possible that in some countries there were nights like that.
However, that there were two of them was strange. Had the moon multiplied into two without Saito noticing?

No. That couldn't be. In other words, this was definitely not Earth.

It was dark now... Night had already fallen. ''I guess my family is worrying about me right now,'' he finished sadly.

From the window, he could see the grassy plains where he'd been lying. Across the plains, illuminated by moonlight, he could also see a tall mountain range. Over to his right was a vast expanse of dense forest. Saito let out a sigh.


''There just aren't any wide evergreen forests like this. It's totally different from what you'd see in Japan.''

The Academy grounds he had passed on his way looked very much like some Middle Ages castle. It had been a breathtaking spectacle that would've amazed him if he'd come here on a trip.

An entrance arch, and a sturdy staircase, both made of stone...
This was Tristain Magic Academy, Louise had explained.
All of the Academy students lived in dormitories on the school grounds.

''Magic Academy? Wonderful! Dormitories? Splendid! It's just like a movie!'' 

''But, this isn't Earth...!''

"I can't believe it."

"Look, neither can I."

"By another world, what do you mean?"

"There aren't any magicians. And there's only one moon."

"There's such a world like that?"

"I'm telling you, it's where I came from!"
Saito shouted.

"Don't yell at me, you commoner."

"Who are you calling a commoner?!"


"Well, you're not a mage, right? So you're a commoner."

"What's with all your talk of 'mages' and 'commoners?'"

"Hey, are you really from this world?"

"As I've been telling you all this time, I'm not."

At that, Louise set her elbows on the table with a troubled look.

On the tabletop was a lamp with an art deco style shade. Its flickering light filled the room with a pale glow. It seemed as if electricity wasn't used.

''Jeez, electricity isn't that complicated to set up, is it? I feel like I'm back in the old foreign settler's hut that our family went to ages ago.''

''Wait, 'setup...'''
''Oh, could it be... This is...''

"I've got it."

"What did you get?"
Louise asked, looking up.

"This is one of those candid camera programs. It's just a trick everyone is pulling on me, isn't it?"

"What's a 'candid camera'?"

"They stopped airing after someone got hurt, but you don't have any material so you're resorting back to the same kind of stuff, huh? So where's the camera?"


"What are you talking about?"

Saito sprung upon Louise.

"Kya--! What are you doing?!"

Knocking over a chair, he bore down on her.

"Where's the mike?! Is it here?"

Grabbing her roughly, he started to unbutton her blouse. However, a swift kick to the groin brought that to a halt... And left him on the floor in pain.

"Gaaaaaaaaaarrrgh..." 

"H-how dare you... To a noble such as me..."
Louise stood up, trembling furiously all over.

Through the intense agony, Saito thought, ''This is no dream.''
''Plus, this isn't Earth. It's an entirely different world.''

"Please..."

"What?!"

"Send me back home..."


"That's impossible."

"But why...?"

"Because, you've been bound by a contract as my familiar. It doesn't matter if you come from the countryside, or even a completely different world as you've said. Once the bond is established, it can't be undone."

"You gotta be kidding..."

"Look, I don't like this either! Why do I have to be stuck with a familiar like you?!"

"Well then, send me back."

"Are you saying you're really from another world?"
asked Louise, seemingly still perplexed.

"Yeah."
Saito nodded.

"Show me some proof."

Wincing at the pain where he'd just been kicked, Saito stood up, and opened his bag.

"What's that?"

"A notebook computer,"
replied Saito.


The surface of the recently repaired notebook gleamed with reflected light.

"I've certainly never seen anything like this. What kind of magic item is it?"

"It's not magic. It's science."

Saito pushed the power button, and the computer whirred to life.

"Uwah! What is that?!"

Louise gave a surprised yelp as the screen flickered on.

"The notebook screen."

"It's pretty... What element of magic does it use? Wind? Water?"

"Science."

Louise stared at Saito with a blank expression. Clearly she didn't get it.
"So, what kind of element is this 'science?' Is it different from the four elemental powers?"

"Argh, enough already! In any case, it's not magic!"
Saito waved his hands around wildly.

Louise sat on the edge of her bed and dangled her feet. Then shrugging, she said with a dispassionate look,
"Hmm. But that's the only thing I don't understand...."

"Why? Is there anything like this in this world too?"


Louise pouted.
"No, but..."

"Then just believe me! There's nothing to understand!"

Clutching her long hair, Louise just shook her head.
"All right! I'll believe you!"

"Really?"

Crossing her arms and cocking her head, Louise gave an irritated growl.
"Only because you would've gone on about it if I didn't say so."

"Well, it doesn't matter, as long as you've got it. Now, send me back."

"I told you, that's impossible."

"But why?!"

Louise's face was etched with discomfort as she answered Saito.
"That's because there's no spell that can connect this world to your world."

"Then how did I end up here?"

"I don't know how!"

Saito and Louise glared at each other.

"Listen, I'm being completely honest when I say there's no such spell. Nobody's even heard of another world."


"There obviously is one, if I'm here!"

"'Summon Servant' is used to call living beings from within Halkeginia. Normally, only animals or magical beasts are summoned. This is actually the first instance that I've seen a person summoned."


"Stop talking about it like you're not involved. In that case, cast that spell on me one more time."

"Why?"

"It might return me to my world."

Looking discernably perplexed, Louise tilted her head to one side.

"...That won't work. 'Summon Servant' is strictly a one-way spell. No incantation of any kind exists to return a summoned familiar back to where it was brought from."

"Whatever, just try it."

"It's impossible. And I can't even cast it now."

"What? Why?"

"...Using 'Summon Servant' again is..."

"Yeah?"

"...Completely ineffective unless the familiar you first summoned has died."

"Say what?"



Saito's body froze.

"Would you like to die?"

"Err... I'll pass."
He hung his head.
His eyes trailed down to the runes that had been inscribed on his left hand.

"Oh, that?"

"Yeah."

"That's like a stamp that says you're my familiar."

Louise stood up and crossed her arms.
If you looked closely, she was actually quite cute. Slender and well-proportioned legs, thin ankles. Not very tall, at around 155cm.
Her eyes were like a curious kitten's, and her eyebrows traced a subtle line over them.

If Saito had met her through the message boards of a dating site, he would've hopped and leaped for joy. But alas, this wasn't Earth. No matter how much he wanted to go back, he couldn't. Saito choked up at this thought, and his shoulders drooped.

"...Yeah, all right. In the meantime, I guess I'll be your familiar."

"Come again?"

"What, you got a problem with that?"


"I see you're still not used to formal speech. It should be, 'Is there something you wish to address, master?'"
corrected Louise, one finger raised as if lecturing. The gesture was cute, but the tone was quite strict.

"But um, what exactly does a familiar do?"
asked Saito. Of course, he had seen ravens and owls appear as familiars in anime involving magicians. But mostly, they would just sit on their master's shoulder and not do anything particularly relevant.

"Firstly, a familiar is able to grant its master an enhancement in vision and hearing."

"Like how?"

"That means what the familiar sees, the master can also see."

"Oh."

"But it seems that doesn't work with you. I can't see anything."

"Yeah, but it's not like that matters,"
Saito said off-handedly.

"And also, a familiar will retrieve items that its master desires. For instance, reagents."

"Reagents?"

"A catalyst you use when casting certain spells. Something like sulphur, or moss..."

"Uh-huh..."


"But you won't ever find me stuff like that, will you? Considering you don't even know what kind of reagents there are."

"Nope."

Louise frowned irritably, but continued talking.
"And this is most important of all... A familiar exists to protect its master! The task of protecting them from any and all enemies is a duty of the highest priority! But that might be a little bit problematic for you..."

"Since I'm human..."

"...A powerful magical beast would almost always defeat its enemies, but I don't think you could even beat a raven."

"Shut up."

"That's why I'm only making you do things I'm fairly sure you can do: laundry, cleaning, and other miscellaneous tasks."

"Don't insult me. I'll be sure to find a way to get back home!"

"Yes, yes. In fact, I'll be glad if you do. Because when you return to your world, I'll be able to summon a new familiar."

"Why you..."

"Right then, all this talking has made me sleepy,"
said Louise with a great yawn.

"Where do I sleep?"


Louise pointed to the floor.

"I'm not some dog or cat, you know."

"But there's nowhere else. And there's only one bed."
She threw him a blanket.

She then brought her hand up to the top button of her blouse.

One by one, the buttons came undone.

Soon she was down to her underwear. Saito blushed.
"Wh-wh-what are you doing?!"

Louise answered as if it was the most obvious thing.
"I'm going to sleep, so I'm getting changed."

"Do it somewhere else where I can't see you!"

"Why?"

"Because! It makes the situation awkward! Seriously!"

"It's not awkward at all."

"Is that because you're a mage? You're okay with doing that in plain sight of a guy?"

"A guy? Who? I don't need to think anything of being watched by my familiar."

''What the heck. That's exactly how you'd treat a dog or cat.'' Saito grabbed the blanket, threw it over his head, and turned away.


First of all, he decided to revoke any and all thoughts he'd previously had about her being cute. She just really got on his nerves. ''A girl like her, a mage? Yeah right.''

"Oh, and these. Wash them for me tomorrow."
Several items came flying over to land softly beside him.
He picked them up, wondering what they were.

A lacy camisole and matching panties. White, too. ''What exquisite and delicate pieces'', Saito thought as his face began to flush. He clenched the items tightly as a mix of indignation and delight welled up.

"Why do I have to-- Your underwear?! Wash them?! Frankly, I'm both flattered and offended!"

He bolted upright, without even realizing he'd done so. Louise was pulling a large nightgown over her head. And in the dim light thrown off by the lamp, he could see the outline of her figure. While he couldn't make out any other details, it didn't seem as though she was embarrassed. It was kind of disappointing. He felt as though his masculinity were being denied.

"Who do you think is going to support you? Who do you think is going to give you food? And just whose room are you in?"

"Uhh..."


"You're my familiar, right? Laundry, cleaning, other menial tasks - they're naturally your jobs."

Saito pulled the blanket over his head again.

''This girl is hopeless,'' he thought. ''She just doesn't see me as a guy at all.''

''I want to go home. I miss my room. I miss my parents.''

The feeling of homesickness was overwhelming.

''...When will I be able to go back?''

''Is there even a way to go back?''

''I wonder if my family is worried about me right now...''

''Anyway, I need to find some way of returning...''

''What should I do? Should I try running away from here? But then what?''

''Maybe I'll try asking someone. But from what Louise told me earlier, nobody even knows another world exists, so there's no way they'll believe me.''

''No, I need to think about this critically. In any case, struggling won't get me anywhere. I don't have any clues, and even if I escaped from here, there's no guarantee that I'll even find a way back.''

''I don't even have relatives in this world. There's nobody I can rely on, except for a conceited girl named Louise.''

''Guess there's no choice. For now, I'll be her familiar. At least she said she'll keep me fed.''

''It'll be tough, since I'm not much more than a familiar to her.''

''Sure, she's a bit arrogant, but at least she's fairly cute. I suppose I can just imagine I made a girlfriend. Someone I happened to meet through the dating site. Treat it as if I came overseas just to see her. Or I came as a foreign student. Actually, that's better. Yeah, that's what I'll think. Hah, I'm so simple like that. It's great.''

''Okay,'' thought Saito. ''It's not like I've been stranded on a deserted island. Moping will achieve nothing.''

''I'll live as a familiar, and in the process, I'll look for a way to return home.''

Now that his plan was set, he felt noticeably sleepy.

No matter the situation, Saito's amazing adaptability had always saved him. Where anyone else would've panicked and crumbled, Saito came through thanks to his fluid personality.

Louise snapped her fingers, and the glow of the lamp died out.

''The lamp is magical too? I guess that means there really is no need for electricity,'' Saito reasoned.

A shroud of darkness descended upon the room.

Outside the window, the two moons shone down mysteriously.

Mrs. Hiraga, your son Saito has arrived in a world where there are wizards. He will not be able to attend school for quite some time, nor will he be able to study. Please forgive him.

And so began Saito's life as a familiar.

----

=== Translator's Notes ===
;<span id=new_religions>[[#back_to_new_religions|↑]]</span> New Religions
:The term "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinshukyo New Religion]" refers to any religious group in Japan that has its roots after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. This includes the Nichiren Buddhist organization [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soka_Gakkai Soka Gakkai], as well as the infamous [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum_Shinrikyo Aum Shinrikyo]. The latter probably explains Saito's concern.<br/><br/>
;<span id=hamburger>[[#back_to_hamburger|↑]]</span> Hamburger
:From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger#Japan <blockquote>In Japan, hamburgers can be served in a bun, called hambāgā (ハンバーガー), or just the the patties served without a bun, known as hambāgu (ハンバーグ) or "hamburg," short for "hamburg steak."</blockquote> The type mentioned by Saito was the version without the bun. (ハンバーグ)<br/><br/>
;<span id=12_jou>[[#back_to_12_jou|↑]]</span> 12 Tatami mats
:Rooms in Japan are measured jō (畳), which is the number of tatami mats required to cover the floor. A tatami mat is 90 cm by 180 cm for an area of 1.62 m<sup>2</sup> each. Twelve jō is slightly more than 19.5 m<sup>2</sup> or almost 210 square feet.

----

=== Chapter Credits ===
'''Project Leaders'''<br/>
Onizuka-GTO, Kawool, Se-chan

'''Translators'''<br/>
Yuko, Cala-kun, SaiyaJedi

'''Typesetter'''<br/>
Kawool

'''CG Artist'''<br/>
Chopaface

'''Editors'''<br/>
Onizuka-GTO, The_naming_game, Bicube, BlckKnght, Da~Mike, Meganeshounen,
Nandeyanen,
Andiyar, CrowKenobi, Rednal

'''Special Thanks'''<br/>
Sushi-Y, Andere

----

=== Raw English Translation ===
Coming soon. (really!)